AS DECEMBER FALLS. Photo Credit: Unknown
We’ve made it into 2017, and it’s time to don all your best winter layers, brave the bitter cold and get trekking up to The Maze and Rescue Rooms for this superb selection of gigs. Over the course of a couple of days and with a short migration between each venue, we take you from smooth candle-lit Hip-Hop and all things spoken word, to the Pop-Punktastic and Anthemic Rock.
FRIDAY
Kicking it all off on Friday night is Acoustickle’s VOCAB. After the stunning launch event back in November, they are back for another showcase of incredible singers and rappers, whilst decorating The Maze in beautiful fabrics and covering the venue in incense sticks (what else should you really be doing with a chilly January evening?) VOCAB’s house band for the evening is the incredibly talented THREE BODY TRIO who’ll be bringing their mix of beats, the electronic, the spacey and the jazzy. Loads of verrrrry diverse artists will be taking their turn centre stage; such as EMILY FRANKLIN will be bringing her striking retro Hip-Hop-come-Blues sound, with vocals that pack a killer punch. The insanely versatile KAMAR will be coming along too, bringing with him dreamy Hip-Hop waves and smooth Rap skills (listen out for ‘Instagram Girl’ especially.) Joining them, having played all over Nottingham recently, ONKAUR’S beautiful Soul-Pop sounds will entice your ears as you settle into the comfiest evening of your life. And to add to the fun, there will be henna hand painting and hot Jamaican BBQ food all night. Here is your antidote to January, you’re welcome.
The Maze
Friday 20th January
Price: £5 advance and OTD / £4 musicians
Doors: 8pm
SATURDAY
While January drags on, December falls (in Rescue Rooms, to be precise) [see what we did there?] AS DECEMBER FALLS bring their Pop-Punk noise sensation for a massive Saturday night headline slot at Rescue Rooms. Though they are Nottingham folk, recently they’ve been travelling all over the country, conquering festival stages and featuring in every other rock magazine, including Kerrang and Q! Even their production is done by Andy Walwin of Busted and Fightstar fame! Frontwoman Bethany Curtis will lead them through with her unique, piercing vocals and expect some killer drum lines from Lukas James too. They’ve just released a new single out – ‘More to You’ – so get listening to that before you get yourselves down! You’ll probably see a mosh pit and you might even see a ukelele…or at least you might see one get smashed up…
Joining them will be HELLO TOMORROW! They have a very nostalgic sound to them, almost Blink 182-ey, though they themselves self-define as ‘hipster dub-core transdelica’. With an unending ability to create an atmosphere full of electricity, you’d be dumb to not turn up early for them. Chuck on ‘What the Hell’s a Two Way?’ (Editor Note: turns out, that’s a single, not a porno) for a really good sense of what you’re in for with these guys. Oh and they love pizza. They really love pizza. Maybe they’ll bring pizza…
SAY THE WORD will be kicking off the fun with their light-hearted, upbeat Pop-Punk sound. They have striking, anthemic guitar lines like that of U2 (yes, really) and harmonies that seem to come out of Country music somewhere, and generally when you watch them you’ll just be a bit blown away and all!
Ocean Floor from Derbeh will also be playing.
Rescue Rooms
Saturday 21st January
Price: £6 advance, £8 OTD
Doors: 6pm
SUNDAY
VANITY BOX are back, more brilliant than ever and ready to entertain your eyes and ears at your favourite, The Maze (weren’t you there only two days ago). Though they’ve had some reforms, they have a load of new music to share, whilst still sticking to its roots but also embracing its two newest ultra-talented members, Jack and Chris. With huge chorus’ and melodic guitar lines that feel like they were taken straight out of the good part of the 90s, this Indie bundle of fun is not to be missed!
The incredibly creative and original STRANGE CURRENCIES will also be taking to the stage; prepare for PP Johnson’s resounding vocals and Claudine West’s extraordinary musical skills on the guitar, and mandolin, and basically any instrument! The dynamic of the two being ex-Rock band members but making beautiful Folk music together is delicious, strange, but intriguing. In a few words, it’s like Foo Fighters gone Peter Gabriel!
The super talented LAUREN APRIL will also be astounding on Sunday. She’s had a crazy 2016, after touring all over the country thanks to some ace support slots and recording lots of new music, she’s ready to show us her all. Although only twenty years of age, she seems like a seasoned player, with that kind of voice which puts all her listeners at ease. With her Pop-tinged countrified vocals, chances are, you’ll see the genre in an entirely different light.
The Maze
Sunday 22nd January
Price: £4
Doors: 730pm
Yours in Love of New Music,
Alice Robbins x
