The Luminaire Events for July 2008

02 July - CITIZEN COPE + Guests

2008-07-02

Live Nation presents
CITIZEN COPE
+ Guests

Doors 7.30
£13.50 via Ticketweb and WeGotTickets

yWhats clear when you listen to Copes own music now, years after he sat transfixed in front of his stereo speakers, is that he *is* ordained. Or touched. Or blessed. Or however you want to say it: The man has the gift.

If youve heard any of the work that Cope has created over the past few years, you already know how quickly he can paint a masterpiece with the lightest of brushstrokes. How he captures a character in just a few words.

This is Copes gift: He takes snapshots of the world around him, and turns them into universal truths. He sets them to the simplest of melodies, and weds those in turn to the most soul-stirring grooves.

His RCA debut, The Clarence Greenwood Recordings, showed the world the brilliant simplicity of his tunes. The uplifting song Sons Gonna Rise found its way into a Pontiac commercial, as well as several television and film soundtracks. In fact, the film world embraced his album so much that every song from it was licensed numerous times. In Copes latest release, Every Waking Moment. theres a marked change in his writing from character-driven stories to deeply introspective ruminations on self, on love and its challenges: Been stuck in the middle of a vendetta between me and myself, I sure could use a witness. But I just aint found one yet (on Back Together); Could you believe me somehow, youre second to none and you got my love (from Somehow); Your heart is full of all I ever need, and I cant take it, I cant speak (from More Than it Seems); Heres a song for you I play, from all of my life, from all of my days (from All Dressed Up).

And even when he sings about politicians ordering the killing of innocent civilians, theres still the background chant of Without you Id be all alone. Its the sound of Cope connecting with himself, connecting with the one he loves, and most profoundly, connecting with the listener. And in the sweeping, driving Brother Lee, he pulls us all in, wherever we are, from Brooklyn USA to a tinsel town where now the Dodgers play. Its an emotional update of Woody Guthries line in This Land Was Made For You and Me, the line From California to the New York island. Cope makes it clear that the things that tie us all together are stronger than the things that tear us apart, as he chants in his nearly hypnotic smoky, soulful voice, I got a brother named Lee who looked just like me, both sides of the Mississippi.

04 July - LAURA GROVES + Stornoway + Stars of Sunday League

2008-07-04

Platforms Magazine presents
LAURA GROVES
+ Stornoway
+ Stars of Sunday League

Doors 7.30
£6 via WeGotTickets
£8 door

Arts mag Platforms hosts an evening of exciting new sounds and poetry, featuring a rare performance from the incredible Laura Groves, Stornoway\'s lush pop-folk, Stars of Sunday League\'s acoustic tales and live poetry through the evening.

05 July - COMETS ON FIRE + Guests

2008-07-05

ATP Concerts presents
COMETS ON FIRE
+ Guests

Doors 8.00
£12.50 via WeGotTickets

Acid kings of blistering sky-ripped pyschedelic rock and roll, Comets on Fire return to the UK for a rare one-off show on July 5th 2008 at Londons Luminaire.

Ethan Miller (guitar/vocals) and Ben Flashman (bass) formed Comets on Fire just prior to the turn of the century in the drug-infested hippie town of Santa Cruz, California. Their original intent was to create a rock group free of commercial pretensions or genre trend; one that simply dealt in pure bombast, attack, overwhelming distortion and chaos, and yet possessing a shameless love for anthemic choruses, shattering hooks and riffs, and the smoke and magic of yesteryears rock and roll iconoclasts. They now number five members, and live and work in San Francisco and Oakland, but have retained their original directive.

With a line up augmented by Noel Harmonson (savage analog electronicist and vocal echoplex player), Utrillo Belcher (drums) and Ben Chasny (otherwise known as Six Organs of Admittance - equal parts madman and genius folk hero) on second guitar the band have released a number of albums since their self titled debut in 2000 including Field Recordings From The Sun (Sweet Nothing) , Blue Cathedral (Sub Pop) and Avatar (Sub Pop) the band carved out the modern template of what can only be described as a sonic shitstorm - an unbreakable stone groove of telepathic rock improvisation.

Following the release of their last and most recent album Avatar (Sub Pop, 2006) the band took a hiatus from recording though have continued to dust down the cobwebs at various intervals to perform within the US. The bands headline show at the Luminaire in July promises to be a rare and thrilling no-fi-blown-to-shit monster-mash of cosmic bliss after which they head off to Seattle to blow apart Sub Pops 20th Anniversary celebrations.

07 July - MUMFORD & SONS + Davie Fiddle & the Lucky Egg + Special guest

2008-07-07

Chess Club Records presents
MUMFORD & SONS
+ Davie Fiddle & the Lucky Egg
+ Special guest

Doors 7.30
£6 via WeGotTickets

Mumford & Sons celebrate the release of their highly anticipated debut EP (released July 7th though Chess Club Records) with this release launch party. Marcus Mumford built Mumford and Sons after his long standing position as Laura Marling\'s drummer/harmoniser began to earn him praise from all who saw them play live together. His deep raspy voice now makes Mumford & Sons stand well out from the crowd with their perfectly crafted, epic Americana sounds. Lovelorn lyrics filled with hope, anger, fear and every passionate extreme in between mean Mumford and Sons are sure to outlive their buzz and go on to far bigger things.

Support comes from Davie Fiddle and the Lucky Egg, and a secret special guest. More info on them soon.

09 July - LUCKY SOUL + The Understudies + Popmartyr

2008-07-09

Ruffa Lane Records presents
LUCKY SOUL
+ The Understudies
+ Popmartyr

Doors 7.30
£8 via WeGotTickets

Fresh from entertaining the Russian glitterati at the Kinotavr film festival, Lucky Soul are set to return to their favourite London venue, the Luminaire, for a one off show this July.

A match made in pop heaven, The Luminaire exudes the same kind of timeless grandeur that the gal-fronted band live by. With its plush interior - all red velvet and glitter balls - its easy to see why this super stylish London six-piece are at home here.

Following last years release of their sparkling debut, The Great Unwanted, Lucky Soul won over thousands of hearts across the world with their lush, love-struck, classic pop songs and gained a reputation for some notoriously glittering performances. The self-released album went top ten in Japan and garnered a fanfare of critical acclaim back home, picking up 4 and 5 star reviews across the board.

Now busying themselves with writing and recording their second album and upcoming single for release later this year, the band are keen to air some exciting new material including the super melodic Thats When Trouble Begins, disco-tinged floor stomper, Up In Flames and the fabulously Dolly-esque Love, Love Love.

Heres what the press said about Lucky Souls debut album The Great Unwanted:
An immediate classic. (Independent on Sunday 5/5)
Pop at its most glorious and heartbreaking. (Metro 5/5 - Album of the Week)
Performs the rare feat of meticulously acknowledging its inspirations while also transcending them. (Uncut 4/5)
A glorious, over-romanticised racket. (Guardian 4/5)
yLucky us, this isnt a mod-ish crush but a full-blown pop affair. (The Word)
Grand, unabashed pop. (Pitchfork 8.0)
They take a historys worth of love-and-loneliness songs and turn them into their own glimmering, shimmering gold. (Popmatters 9/10)
Impossible to dislike. (Observer)
A decade on plastic. (Plan B)
Excellent. (Times 4/5)

Main support comes from The Understudies - an indie-pop gem. Fronted by the Mozza-esque Brian and the beautiful girl-with-the-glock, Bree, their influences include Arab Strap, Anthony and the Johnsons, Siouxsie Sioux and of course the afore-mentioned Morrissey by the bucket load.

Openers Popmartyr are a cacophony of musical delights riotous, chaotic, kinky and slinky, with influences including The Velvet Underground, Otis Redding and Jon Spencer, expect some horns and strings and raucous shenanigans.

10 July - THE DAVID GOO VARIETY BAND + Mean Poppa Lean + Surprise!

2008-07-10

The David Goo Variety Show presents
THE DAVID GOO VARIETY BAND
+ Mean Poppa Lean
+ Surprise!

Doors 7.30
£7 door

The David Goo Variety Show this time around will consist of The David Goo Variety Band kicking off the night with an irregular set of theirs, followed by Surprise! who play witty, upbeat music and will also be celebrating the launchy of their CD that same night. The thunderously funky and fun Mean Poppa Lean will be getting everyone dancing, followed by David Goo Variety Band again, finishing off the night with their very funny, rhythmical and bright numbers. This also marks a year of The Variety Show, so we will be bringing cake!

\'David Goo has achieved cult status.\' The London Paper

11 July - CRYPTACIZE + HALF HANDED CLOUD + Lake

2008-07-11

Upset The Rhythm presents
CRYPTACIZE
+ HALF HANDED CLOUD
+ Lake

Doors 8.00
£7 via WeGotTickets

Cryptacize began across the street from the C&H Sugar Factory in Crockett, CA, where Nedelle (Kill Rocks Stars) and Chris (Cohen, ex-Deerhoof / Curtains) lived in a tilted apartment. Constant dizziness and the smell of burning sugar became a permanent part of their psyches, and this is their #1 influence. One morning while brushing their teeth, toothpaste running sideways out of their mouths, Nedelle pronounced the word \'Cryptacize\' and the house appeared to incline in the opposite direction. Soon after this strange incident, they discovered something even stranger on youtube - a percussionist named Michael Carreira. Having only seen his video, which was a closeup of his hands, they sought him out and miraculously convinced him to join their uncanny crusade.

Half-Handed Cloud is an interesting phenomenon. John Ringhofer, the man behind the namesake, is as joyful and frugal as his music. An economical thinker, Ringhofer prefers the subway over a taxicab, is a recycler of plastic, a compulsive note-taker, and a habitual optimist. He doodles in the margins of National Geographic magazines, carries several different colored pens, and continues to use an antiquated CD walkman. When not on tour solo or as the trombonist for Sufjan Stevens\' Illinoisemakers, he lives rent-free in Berkeley California in exchange for his services as a custodian in a church. His music encapsulates his struggle to make sense of his life and his passions. In Half-handed Cloud this is expressed as an all-consuming search for God. Like Brother Danielson, Half-handed Cloud is able to ensconce complicated theological concepts into playground song without condescending to his subject or to his listener.

More info on Lake soon.

12 July - LAETITIA SADIER + Poni Hoax + Adam Kesher

2008-07-12

Brainlove Club and La Route Du Rock present
LAETITIA SADIER
+ Poni Hoax
+ Adam Kesher
+ Fluokids DJs

Doors 7.30
£6 via WeGotTickets
£7 door

The singer of legendary Franco-pop band Stereolab presents a rare solo set. Lætitia Sadier has arguably one of the most recognizable voices in music. Through fronting Stereolab and collaborations with a diverse array of artists Laetitia has been releasing surprising and challenging music for nearly 20 years.\" - Coke Machine Glow

Poni Hoax (Tigersushi) are main support. Twisted electronic pop from this Barbes-based outfit, in the UK for \"something thats gonna have the kids going insane - it\'s the shit.\" - Rough Trade

Opening the show, Adam Kesher is a six piece artpop band based in France. Adam Kesher write urgent songs with the help of guitars, drums and synthetisers. Since 2004 they\'re getting electronic music\'s dynamics and the rock\'n\'roll verve together, using wild guitars, intense singing, samples and raw synth melodies.

Adam Kesher\'s music is appealing to fans of DFA and Liars, The Velvet Underground and Daft Punk. It\'s the perfect sound to dance until the sun rises having in mind the occidental decay and some quotes from a Jean Luc Godard movie, then drive to the beach totally exhausted with a lover who likes to run naked through the fields.

Adam Kesher have released their first EP (Modern Times) - on the exciting Paris record label Disque Primeur and a cover of the Para One hit single - Dun dun dun - sharing the record with MSTRKRFT and Boys Noize. Onstage, they\'re both used to playing hot parties (Vice showcase in Berlin) and great festivals such as the Eurockéennes in Belfort or La Route du Rock in St Malo ... The performances are always epic and leave the audience horny and sweaty.

One of the world\'s most influential music blogs - the Fluokids DJs are coming over from France especially to DJ at this party . . .

14 July - OREN AMBARCHI + Helm + Nos Philipé

2008-07-14

Miles of Smiles presents
OREN AMBARCHI
+ Helm
+ Nos Philipé

Doors 8.00
£7 via WeGotTickets
£8 door

Oren Ambarchi is a composer and multi-instrumentalist with longstanding interests in transcending conventional instrumental approaches. His work focuses mainly on the exploration of the guitar, \"re-routing the instrument into a zone of alien abstraction where its no longer easily identifiable as itself. Instead, its a laboratory for extended sonic investigation\". (The Wire, UK). Ambarchi\'s work on harmonics and resonance has led him to define serene spaces of fluid, shifting sound that is both fragile and extremely physical.

He has performed and recorded with a diverse array of artists such as Martin Ng (Australia), Sunn 0)) (USA), Christian Fennesz (Austria), Otomo Yoshihide (Japan), Pimmon (Australia), Keiji Haino (Japan), John Zorn (USA), Rizili (Greece), Voice Crack (Switzerland), Sachiko M (Japan), Keith Rowe (UK), Phill Niblock (USA), Gunter Muller (Switzerland), Evan Parker (UK), Robbie Avenaim (Australia), Toshimaru Nakamura (Japan), Dave Grohl (USA), Damo Suzuki (Japan), Chris Townend (Australia) and many more.

Ambarchi is involved in many collaborative projects including the song-based duo Sun with Chris Townend (releases on Staubgold, Preservation, Textile & Important records), Burial Chamber Trio together with Greg Anderson of Sunn 0))) & Atilla Csihar of Mayhem (with a recent LP release on Southern Lord & an upcoming 10\" release) and Grave Temple with Csihar and Stephen O\'Malley of Khanate & Sunn 0))).

Main support is Helm - Birds of Delay\'s Luke Younger purveys oddly geological drone, stooping to regard incandescent rivulets running delicately into subterranean rockpools before cascading into ancient, sheer abyssic blackness.

Openers Nos Philipé are the duo of Jonathan Webb (turntable/electronics) and Robert Hopps (prepared guitar/electronics), bringing down swarming, intense sonic fog, spacious but detailed and highly immersive.

15 July - COMING SOON + The Wave Pictures + Darren Hayman

2008-07-15

Carrot and Stick presents
COMING SOON
+ The Wave Pictures
+ Darren Hayman

Doors 8.00
£5 via WeGotTickets

Stunning 7 piece French folk-rock band Coming Soon perform their debut UK tour. Coming Soon include members who also play alongside Kimya Dawson in Antsy Pants and have featured in the chart-topping soundtrack to the hit movie Juno.

The Wave Pictures are grizzly, accomplished, and totally down to earth. They have an unassuming and modestly expressed gift, able to thread a song wrapped round tight melodic themes. Their imaginative lyrical ideas are thoroughly refreshing and take no prisoners, the sound is vintage, wise and very cool, it can\'t help but wash the whole trash-indie-disco thing right out of you.

Darren Hayman, once the king-pin of Hefner, here playing solo with both old favourites and new songs from his forthcoming second solo album Secondary Modern. The lyrics as usual are precise, emotive, direct, heartbreaking and amusing all at the same time. The theme of suburban ennui and aspiration from his last two albums continue this time with a particular focus on schools and education inspired by Darren\'s recent short career as an Art Teacher.

18 July - THE DOMINO STATE + Mint Ive + I Concur + Club AC30 DJs

2008-07-18

Club AC30 presents
THE DOMINO STATE
+ Mint Ive
+ I Concur
+ Club AC30 DJs

Doors 8.00
£5 adv via WeGotTickets
£6 door

\"Joining the dots between Joy Division and the best of the \'80s shoegazers, London\'s The Domino State make brooding, intense music that knocks spots off much of the competition.\" [The Independent \'Class of 2008\']
\"magisterial murkpopits the Bunnymen wrestling the Psychedelic Furs on a blustery clifftop and, really, everyone should be falling over themselves to go seeem\" [The Fly]

Along with the likes of Exit Calm, Model Morning and Nova Saints, Mint Ive are taking the hallowed sounds of early \'90s shoegazing to a new audience reared on grit-clenched songwriting and a passion for affluent characters amidst the current trend for faceless artists within the music industry.

\"With a live show that is becoming increasingly more dynamic with every performance, I Concur look set to be the next big piece of Leeds seemingly never-ending musical jigsaw earmarked for success.\" [Drowned In Sound \'DiScover\']

19 July - TOBY KEANE + The Blisters + Tom Craine + DJs Joe Biddle

2008-07-19

Roaring Life in association with The Electroacoustic Club presents
Toby Keane\'s Single Release Party
with
TOBY KEANE
+ The Blisters
+ Tom Craine
+ DJ Joe Biddle

Doors 8.00
£6 via WeGotTickets soon
£7 door

After leaving his native Dartmoor for Bristol in 2003, Toby Keane formed and fronted The Dead Lovers. For two years the band gigged across the South West and in London, supporting the likes of Snowpatrol and Bristol\'s darlings, Gravenhurst.

With Toby\'s vocals and songwriting being compared to the likes of Coldplay\'s Chris Martin and the Doves: \'sounds like Coldplay and Doves at a time when their visions were undiluted and were making music that would melt the heart of millions\' [Logo Magazine 2005], The Dead Lovers recorded their first EP, \'Judas the Gun\'. But as interest in the band and in Toby\'s songwriting was gathering pace, the band split acrimoniously at the end of 2004, just as the EP was about to be released.

In 2005, Toby settled in Londonwhere he has continued to write, to gig and to collaborate. In 2007 he self-released his first solo EP, the touching \'For Jo & Bill\'.
\'In a world where singer-songwriters are packaged, marketed and sold in supermarkets, Toby Keane is really quite refreshing...there is a great deal to like about Toby Keane\'s music and his multiple musical talents are fused together superbly to create this collection of tracks.\' [The-Mag, March 2007]

Toby\'s vocals have been said to echo those of Talk Talk\'s Mark Hollis. Think lyrics reminiscent of Robert Smith circa 1986. Think stark acoustic guitar played with both tenderness and venom; sometimes reminiscent of the folk artists of his native Dartmoor, always brooding and melancholic, giving a nod to two of Toby\'s key influences: Neil Young and Depeche Mode.

Toby\'s latest offerings, produced with guitarist and producer, Jamie Maher, have the introduction of strings, which are both haunting and evocative, and production which has the dark and breathtaking quality of The Smashing Pumpkins. Toby\'s singles are available to download free from his website and Myspace.

Main support are The Blisters. Expect cinematic, home-brewed, acid-tinged indie from the Heathrow 6-piece who take their cue from Radiohead, Love, The Kinks and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan to produce epic psychedelic intros complete with laptop drones, autharp, harmonium and eastern-style wailing, which in turn make way for epic basslines, sycopated beats, ukelele and french horn, and singer Tom sounding like a deranged Ray Davies.

Tom Craine is an award winning stand-up comic, MC and writer. He can regularly be heard on the BBC inhis adopted home of Wales. After winning \'Best Comedy & Drama\' at the BBC National Student Awards 2006 (hosted by BBC Radio 1)he\'s gone on to pen laughs for BBC 3 and work as a warm-up act. But he\'s most proud of being named Wales\' 33rd sexiest man by a newspaper.

Since leaving university in 2006 (Tom has a Degree in Child Psychology & a Post Graduate Diploma in Multimedia Journalism), Tom has performed extensively throughout the UK and clocked up an impressive list of radio & television credits.

\'Great gags and really engaged with the audience\' Cheeky Monkey, Birmingham
\'Tom is one of the UK\'s fastest-rising comedians...\' BBC radio

And the night\'ll be sewn together by DJ Joe Biddle - a dynamo. He has produced, promoted, performed & DJ\'d from an early age, and recorded live gigs for artists including Shaun Ryder, Billy Bragg, Hard-Fi, Ms. Dynamite and Babyshambles.

22 July - FIVE O\'CLOCK HEROES + Onlookers + The Collectable Few

2008-07-22

Laissez Faire Club presents
FIVE O\'CLOCK HEROES
+ Onlookers
+ The Collectable Few

Doors 7.30
£9 via WeGotTickets
£10 door

NYCs Five O\' Clock Heroes have made a name for themselves over the last few years by writing three-minute long, instantly memorable pop gems like The Police, Elvis Costello or Joe Jackson did back in the day. Theyve cut their teeth supporting some of the best in the business, (The Rakes, Brendan Benson, Albert Hammond Jr and Jet amongst others) and already have a classic debut album under their belt in 2006\'s Bend To The Breaks. Their recent collaboration with model-of-the-moment Agyness Deyn has brought their music to a whole new audience, and with it some long-overdue success. This is their only London headline date this summer to showcase their brand new LP Speak Your Language, and is not one to be missed...

The Onlookers are a young band from Kent who are getting a lot of people very excited of late their visceral, electrifying and sophisticated blend of whiskey-soaked, Americana influenced blues rock references the likes of The Raconteurs, The Black Keys and The Von Bondies. Theyve recently released a single on 1965 (which is already Ebay gold) and developed a ferocious live reputation. And this is just the beginning - catch them now before they explode.

Newly formed, The Collectable Few trade in edgy, vital and exciting new wave / post punk, informed by all the right names - JD, Cure, Echo & The Bunnymen and latterly The Maccabees. The palpable buzz surrounding them at the moment coupled with their sharp musicianship, distinct style and instantly memorable tunes point to a very bright future indeed.

23 July - LUCHO + The Rushes

2008-07-23

The Luminaire presents
LUCHO
+ The Rushes

Doors 7.30
£5 via WeGotTickets
£6 door

London outfit Lucho continue to promote their second album Hell, heaven and earth - an organic and eclectic album of Americana/roots style music heavily informed by folk, country and blues. With influences ranging from The Band to Tom Waits via Calexico the quirky and idiosyncratic arrangements within each song allow the delicate and emotive melodies space to soar when sung by vocalist and chief songwriter Gary O Brien. A Waits style upright piano plays jazzy chords for a heart-breaking ballad one minute while terse, blues-influenced guitar licks snap at the singers heels the next and syncopated, hillbilly- drumming turns the time ever so slightly askew taking the listener to a different time and place.

On stage Lucho are one minute alt. country stomper and the next jazz torchsong with Mexican trumpet and blues guitar held together by solid drums,double bass and piano. A night with Lucho promises an eclectic mix of original music played by a kick-ass band.

The front cover of The Rushes\' album is a picture of a geyser surging into a wide-angle skyline taken on the bands first trip to Iceland. Not a bad visual metaphor for the feeling of their songs expansive piano and guitar backdrops, with sublime vocal melodies rushing through them.

Vocalist Gerard OConnell met fellow student Dan Armstrong at Leeds University. Inspired by a litany of greats, from Sam Cooke to Van Morrisons sorcerer-poet records, Gerard tried his hand at writing, while Dan bought a second-hand piano and took on keyboard duties. The line up came together when they found percussive dab-hand, Colchester man and Mining student Joe Allen. Id messed up A-Levels trying to be in bands. He had been at a studio in Leeds the day before as Dan and Gez went in and they asked him to help out with their recordings. A chance meeting with the Verve\'s manager and a booking to play Iceland\'s Airwaves Festival in Reyjavik, while still unsigned, set them well on their way.

The band were so moved by Iceland that they decided to use ghostly, elemental pictures taken on that trip for their album and single cover. The pics look like classic desolate Americana landscapes, only something unfamiliar about the cold colours hints that they were taken just south of the Arctic Circle.

Not long after returning to London they signed a publishing deal, and were snapped up by Island Records. Island sent them into the West Londons Eastcote Studio with the legendary Victor Van Vugt, who\'s worked with Beth Orton, PJ Harvey and produced the Murder Ballads album for Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds.

Van Vugt pushed, pulled and teased an urgent, confessional, soaring piece of work out of them emotional turmoil clothed in meticulously arranged harmonies and bright instrumentation, a contrast that brings to mind a Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac. The majority of the songs were inspired by a complicated relationship Gerard had. Its a document of a two-year period.

The album is called To The Surface. Its a record that sees them bloom as the next generation of a lineage of American and British rock and soul; from John Martyn to Van Morrison to Pearl Jam to The Verve. While you might hear traces of these acts, The Rushes songs take the bloodline and forge something new and vital.

24 July - THE MIKE STRUTTER BAND + The Fatels + The BCs

2008-07-24

THE MIKE STRUTTER BAND
+ The Fatels
+ The BCs

Doors 7.30
£5 via WeGotTickets

As seen on MTV, Paul Kaye\'s foul-mouthed comedy character Mike Strutter and his new band make their Luminaire debut with a sweat-soaked live set of punk/rock classic covers from the likes of The Stooges, MC5, Pistols, Ramones and Velvet Underground.

After 2 massively popular series of Strutter for MTV, Mikey and the boys have been gigging at various nights in and around London over the last few months, including the Camden Crawl, the Stag and Dagger festival, Bethnal Green Working Men\'s Club and an upcoming headline slot at the Lounge On the Farm festival in Canterbury.

Support from chainsaw punk pop merchants The Fatels and covers supergroup The BCs (with guest vocalists). Other special guests and suprises to be announced.

25 July - ALEXANDER TUCKER + Guests

2008-07-25

ATP Concerts presents
ALEXANDER TUCKER
+ Guests

Doors 7.30
£6.50 via WeGotTickets
£7.50 door

Alexander Tucker began as the vocalist in post-rock hardcore 5-piece \'Unhome\' who released one album \"A Short History of Houses\" (Unlabel) and a split single with Papa M. Unhome split in late 1999 and Tucker went on to tour with Detroit space-rockers \'Fuxa\'. Simultaneously, Tucker had been developing his interest in improvisation using detuned guitars, tape loops, mini disc player and fx pedals. In early 2000 Tucker recorded a solo self-titled album of acoustic finger-picking, experimental electronics, field recordings and spooked vocals, which was picked up by Tom Greenwood of Jackie-O-Motherfucker and released under his U-Sound Archives label.

Tucker\'s ability to combine compositional song structures, drones, layered vocals and improvisations culminated on his 2005 album \"Old Fog\" (ATP/R), a collection of spectral moods, eerie landscapes and fragile emotions.

His commanding live performance has led to collaborations which include working with Stephen O\'Malley (SunnO))), Khanate) on his Ginnungagap side project (Southern Records limited Latitudes series), providing the soundtrack to Lali Chetwynd\'s performance piece at Tate Britain and playing as a part of JOMF, Duke Garwood, and Little Wet Horse.

Tucker\'s second studio album \"Furrowed Brow\" (ATP/R) was recorded in his home county of deepest darkest Kent. For this new recording Tucker combined harmonised vocal patterns, layered instrumentation and heavy sonic bliss riffs to create a cross-between David Crosby, doom metal and Terry Riley. It was released in November 2006.

Alexander Tucker is also a visual artist, creating artwork for all of his album covers and side projects, including ongoing drawings and comic artwork for \'Sturgeon White Moss\' (White Moss Press) and the album cover for Nordic doom-master Wolfmangler\'(Aurora Borealis). More recently he has written the soundtrack to art film \'Wordland\' (http://www.word-land.info/) sung vocals on the new Guapo song \'Twisted Stems : The Heliotrope\' on the album \'Elixirs\' (www.guapo.co.uk), and continues to regularly collaborate with Stephen O\'Malley of Sunn O))).

26 July - DANNY VALENTINE AND THE MEDITATIONS + Snatch + The Family Machine

2008-07-26

His Dark Master presents
DANNY VALENTINE AND THE MEDITATIONS
+ Snatch
+ The Family Machine
+ DJs Stephen IDKF and Kristian Goth

Doors 7.30
Free entry

Danny Valentine and the Meditations are a musical oddity gothic tales, moving rhythms, sick synths and schoolgirl harmonies combine in an electric and eclectic blender. Danny has been writing music in the guise of various bands for many years, and has finally found his mojo with the Meditations. The Meditations are a seven piece band born in South London, December 2007, please check the website for up and coming gigs.

Debut 45, \'Architect of My Love/Killing Floor\' produced by Ian Davenport
Released 5th November 2007 on His Dark Master (Cat. No. HDM014)

Main support comes from Snatch. The harmonious three piece outfit are a great example of post punk, post rave, and post post...!

The Family Machine open the show.

\"Acoustic guitars, bass, drums, percussion, multi-part harmonies and a sampler stuffed full of goodies... pro-community, post hedonist warped genius.\" (Channel4.com)

\"Inventive indie pop\" Time Out

28 July - NISENNENMONDAI + Beards + Please

2008-07-28

Upset The Rhythm presents
NISENNENMONDAI
+ Beards
+ Please

Doors 8.00
£8 via WeGotTickets

Nisennenmondai are one of our most favourite bands! Imagine an insane birthday party with Sun City Girls, Keiji Haino and Mika Miko all invited, things are gonna go volcanic, and that\'s where Nisennenmondai come in! Of all the noisy girl groups of Kansai, Tokyo, Nisennenmondai - their name translates as \'Year 2000 problem\', a reference to the millenial computer bug - honestly! - are at once the most intense and hypnotic band to run out of the scene. Himeno Sayaka (drums), Zaikawa Yuri (bass) and Takada Masako (guitar) met, of all places, at the same after school music club at university in Tokyo and quickly jumped into band formation, self-releasing two EPs with short shrift before touring Japan alongside the likes of Death Sentence: Panda!, OOIOO, Lightning Bolt, Hella, Oshiri Penpenz, and Afrirampo. Their pulsing rhythm section and metallic overtoned guitar sound something like a heathen and tranced-out amalgamation of Boredoms, Neu!, Ruins and Leopard Leg - apt comparisons considering their group ensemble ethic and circular pattern performance setup.

Beards are three outstanding beasts of nature who find Leeds their habitat. The Dickosaurous, The Clairedactil and The Kathodocus come on stage dressed in cloaked day-glo majesty, rip it up and swap instruments with delight. Born of the herky-jerky party sound, Beards tread ever onwards with motorik abandon, expect jittery wonk pop, shrieking vocalisations and guitar jab par excellence.

Please are Keebie (Cleckhuddersfax, Poltergroom), Michael and Rowland from London. Delectable offerings of riff and boogie in divine freakbeat equilibrium. Elements of the freakbeat sound include strong, direct drum beats, loud and frenzied guitar riffs, and extreme effects such as fuzztone, flanging, distortion and compression or phasing. Progressive Eastern scales tweaking through pomp rock anthems provide immediacy amongst short swathes of psychedelia.

30 July - CHERRYHOLMES + Laurie McNamee

2008-07-30

The Luminaire presents
CHERRYHOLMES
+ Laurie McNamee

Doors 7.30
£9 via WeGotTickets and Ticketweb
£10 door.

Until April of 1999, the dynamic family band known as Cherryholmes did not exist, and half of its youthful members hadn\'t even picked up an instrument. In five short years, this high-energy Nashville-based band was named 2005 IBMA\'s Entertainers of the Year.

All six band members pool their creative ideas to form their own new brand of bluegrass music. Every member takes a turn singing lead and showcasing their abilities. Their live shows include twin fiddles, Irish step dancing, classic country yodeling, and old-time claw hammer in addition to their dynamic bluegrass.

The band leader, Jere, sums the band up this way , \"People say that bluegrass music has to change or evolve or it will die. Well, if you change something from one thing to another it isn\'t alive anyway. I don\'t really think it needs to be changed. It just needs new life breathed into it. I feel like maybe I\'m offering that with my family.\"

London based musician Laurie McNamee is a singer, multi-instrumentalist and composer, whose music traverses numerous genres including nu-folk and alternative country; her compositions drawing on modern classical and free-jazz influences. Often referred to as a British Joanna Newsom, Laurie draws comparisons to Jason Molina (Songs: Ohia and Magnolia Electric Co.) through her experimental song writing methods, Low in her emotive sound and Nina Nastasia and Bjork in her powerful yet gentle vocals.

After playing and performing from an early age, recent years have seen her absent from the stage in order to concentrate on composing and recording. Returning to live performance at the end of 2007, these well received live shows preceded her self-released debut album and they will teach us that eternity is but the standing still of time in March 2008, which sees her moving from guitar to harp, banjo, bandolin and cello joined by Ola Lempke on vocals and Chloe Vispap-Rich on clarinet (who will both be accompanying Laurie for this performance.)

Laurie has headlined the Leftfield Electro-acoustics club\'s residency at the Vortex, performed at winterwell festival, co-composed with Lempke for L.I.F.T (London International festival of Theatre) and has been showcased on Tom Robinsons BBC 6 Music show.

31 July - BALLBOY + The Smittens + Pocketbooks

2008-07-31

Spiral Scratch presents
BALLBOY
+ The Smittens
+ Pocketbooks

Doors 7.30
£7 via WeGotTickets
£8 door

The legendary Edinburgh four-piece return to London for the first time since the Spiral Scratch alldayer in June 2007. Ballboy combine uniquely humorous and clever lyrics against warm blankets of sound to create deeply poignant songs about everyday life. Huge favourites of the late, great John Peel and following in a rich vein of romantic guitar music similar to The Wedding Present, Ballboy are the shining light of the not-so-young sound of Scotland. The band just finished recording its fifth album and this show will be one of the first opportunities for fans to hear the results.

Infectious indiepop songs come thick and fast when you\'re near the Smittens, so get ready to jump around and smile all night. Hailing from Vermont, USA, this is the debut London show for this incredibly talented six-piece who make their melodic, catchy pop sound so effortless that they\'ve been known to turn sad members of the audience into bundles of joy. Bright and beautiful!

Brought together through a shared love of tambourines, pianos, glockenspiels, jangly guitars and boy/girl harmonies. Pocketbooks complete a busy summer of festival appearances with their first show at The Luminaire.

For fans of Belle and Sebatstian, The Sundays and classy indiepop this London five piece will make your heart melt as they perfectly evoke the feeling of t hose difficult Sunday afternoons. On a Thursday evening.

\"...are just about the best group in England at this time\" - Tasty Fanzine