For a three week residency, Bjork will be performing six intimate shows at Campfield Market Hall, playing host to her first UK dates in over three years. The performances will feature brand new tracks from Bjork’s forthcoming album Biophilia, as well as music from her boundary-blurring back catalogue.

Accompanied by unique musical collaborators, the show will also feature some specially adapted and crafted instruments. A bespoke digitally-controlled pipe organ, a thirty foot pendulum that harnesses the Earth’s gravitational pull to create musical patterns, a bespoke gamelan-celeste hybrid and a pin barrel harp are all prepared for the show, raring to reflect the physical processes that are subject matter to the tracks.

Following the Manchester premiere, the Biophilia live show will travel to major cities around the world. This will see a collaboration with Manchester International Festival, who will be working with young people in Manchester to explore the musicological and scientific ideas behind the project, in a series of unique workshops.

Bjork – Biophilia.
Campfield Market Hall, Campfield Avenue Arcade, Manchester, M3 4FH.
Thursday 30th June at 8:30pm.
Sunday 3rd & Sunday 10th July at 4pm.
Thursday 7th & Wednesday 13th & Saturday 16th July at 8.30pm.

Tickets prices range from £45 and available here.  Quaytickets +44 (0) 161 876 2198

Manchester International Festival 2011 will run from Thursday 30th June – Sunday 17th July 2011.

Ross Cotton

Click here to view the embedded video.

Peter Hook And The Light featuring Rowetta’s debut EP “1102 / 2011” is to be released on Monday 9th May on Hacienda Records.
It’s well worth getting hold of a copy for the surprisingly upbeat unreleased Joy Division track ‘Pictures In My Mind’.
We love it!

Put money aside though, the Manchester City fan explains that:

“When Wayne Rooney first started playing (for Everton) he had that ‘no fear’ attitude. He just went on and done it. Pressure starts adding when you’re in the game for longer, because then you’re expected to get results. When you’re only just in it, you’re not bothered; it’s just a few lads having fun.”

The Mancunian lads’ rose to stardom in 2009 following just four live shows. The band sparked a bidding war amongst record labels, before releasing ‘It Was This Or Football’ with Mercury Records. Bands such as The Specials and The Enemy gave them their backing. It was all taking off so quickly.

“But then the pressure starts building,” Adio continues, “because you’re not that new band anymore, so the little mistakes that you might have got away with then, you can’t get away with anymore.”

Fast forward two years. Kid British have now separated with Mercury Records and have gone back to basics. The boys have released a free-to-download four track EP on their website, and have spent hours on end in the studio perfecting their self-titled debut album release.

Adio Marchant and Simeon McLean took some time out from their recording studio in Salford for a chat at their local pub a couple of doors away.

Simeon proclaimed that bands usually have 200 shows under their belt before they get signed. Now that Kid British have accomplished that feat they know what kind of direction they want to go in.

“With the Northern Stories EP we’ve gone back and given you what we should have given you in the first place. We had a lot of support from the bigger bands but there were a lot of other unsigned bands and other people around that didn’t get behind us because there was sometimes animosity that we came around and got signed so quickly.”

The EP has teased fans into wanting more and to question when the highly anticipated album will be released. Adio informs us: “There’s no particular release date, but it’s complete. The next step for Kid British is deciding who’s going to be the lucky person to put out the album.”

The band has a cauldron full of musical flavours taking indie guitar riffs, hip hop beats, and the British social commentary of 2 Tone Ska. Undoubtedly, the band must get fed up of trying to genre-type themselves. Even their fans have given up and claim ‘it’s just Kid British’.

Now they believe that they have an even more fresh sound than before. Adio said: “I think it’s a more mature piece. I’d say it’s a lot more structured together. It’s got a lot more depth, and it’s a lot grittier as well.”

“A lot of people from the Northern Stories EP said it sounds a lot darker than the stuff we usually do.” Simeon added, “But it just reflects your mood. It’s darker times. It just depends on when you actually write your songs.”

Simeon was quick to dispel worries that their new material will be all doom and gloom saying ‘it’s no White Lies’. Adio added: “It’s a bit dark. But in having a dark subject, we always make something of it, so it’s not so down and depressing.”

The band begin their Northern Stories Tour in Wakefield on 31st March, before bringing their energetic set to Birmingham Academy on 2nd May.

Adio admits that they haven’t worked out how they’re going to integrate their new material into the set, but he’s personally looking forward to seeing how it’s received by the fans. In particular, a new track called ‘Bailiff’.

They penned the lyrics for Bailiff after Adio had a close-call one day. “When bailiffs knocked at my door, that’s what came to my head to write the song. It’s all true stories, that’s what makes it much more passionate with what you’re saying.”

I asked Adio how the incident ended. He told me that I would have to wait and find out in the song before admitting that he just wouldn’t open the door.

Simeon laughed adding: “It’s happened twice. They came to our studio as well, trying to take our guitars away and our equipment. We had to say it was someone else’s. Luckily though, we sorted it out. It’s not good though. Everyone’s always trying to get stuff off you. It’s sad times right now, and I know a lot of people will be able to relate to our story.”

On a parting message Adio said: “They may not have had bailiffs come and knock at their door but most people are now living in that zone where anything like that is possible if you don’t keep up with certain payments then that is the next step. It’s a notice to all of you; pay your bills or the bailiff man will come!”

James Drakeford

Jack Daniel’s will be making music history in Manchester when Manc legends Mike Joyce (ex-Smiths drummer) and Tim Burgess (The Charlatans) team up with The Whip, I Am Kloot, Jonny Brown (Twisted Wheel), The Answering Machine and Dutch Uncles for an incredible JD Set that promises to deliver an unforgettable reworking of Buzzcocks’ punk classic ‘Spiral Scratch’.

We have 4 tickets for you and your mates to attend this exclusive gig, which takes place at Band On The Wall on Thursday 27 May. The prize includes accommodation and £50 per person towards travel. Behind the scenes action from the studio sessions and gigs will be screened on Channel 4, NME TV and on thejdset.co.uk.

For three years, The JD Set has been showcasing innovative collaborations including Peter Hook and the Wombats and Don Letts and Little Boots.

To enter, just answer this question: Who was not a member of The Smiths?
A. Mike Joyce
B. Paul McCartney
C. Morrissey

Email your answer with your name, age, address and telephone number to competitions@fusedmagazine.com putting ‘JD’ in the subject box.

Entrants must be over 18. T&C’s apply. Competition Deadline: 17 May

Visit www.thejdset.co.uk to become a Friend of Jack and keep up to date with news and competitions. Know when to unplug. Please drink Jack Daniel’s responsibly. For full T&C’s please visit areacultureguide.co.uk.

THE JD SET – TERMS AND CONDITIONS

YOU AND 3 FRIENDS/ HOTEL/ £50 TRAVEL
1. The promotion is open to UK residents aged 18 or over only excluding employees of the promoter, Fused Magazine their families, agents and anyone else connected with the promotion. No purchase necessary.

2. Photographic identification must be provided before entry in to the venue is granted.

3. To enter, email the answer with your name, age, address and telephone number to competitions @fusedmagazine.com or alternatively send your entry with your name, age, address and telephone number on a plain piece of paper to: THE JD SET prize draw,315 The Greenhouse, Gibb Street, Birmingham, B9 4AA. Entries to be received no later than 17 May.

4. Only one entry per person.

5. The promoter accepts no responsibility for any illegible entries or those which are delayed or not delivered. Proof of posting is not proof of delivery.

6. There is one prize: free tickets to The JD Set at Band On The Wall on Thursday 27 May for the prize winner and three guests. The prize includes £50 towards travel per person and 1 night’s accommodation

7. The performance line-up may be subject to change.

8. Hotel rooms will be based on 2 people sharing.

9. The promoter will reimburse £50 towards travel per person on arrival at the hotel. All travel-related administration is the responsibility of the prize-winner and guests.

10. The prize-winner and their guest will need to confirm they are over 18 (providing photographic identification via fax /email) before taking up the prize. The promoter reserves the right to select alternative winners, should the original winner and guest not validate all of their identity and age within 3 days of notification or if the original winner is unable to attend The JD Set. The prize draw will be supervised by an independent person and will take place on 17 May. The prize-winner will be the first name drawn at random from all valid entries.

11. The prize-winner will be notified within 3 days and receive further details of their prize within 7 days of verification of their age, as required above.

12. The winners’ details can be obtained for 6 weeks only by sending an sae to “Jack Daniel’s / Fused Magazine The JD Set prize draw”, Spring PR, 12 Melcombe Place, Marylebone, London, NW1 6JJ The prize-winner and guest may be required to participate in future publicity.

13. Each prize is as stated, is non-transferable and there is no cash alternative. The promoter reserves the right to withdraw or amend this promotion in the event of any unforeseen circumstances outside its reasonable control with no liability to any entrants, the prize-winner or any third party. The promoter also reserves the right to award an alternative prize of equal or greater value, should the advertised prize become unavailable for any reason. The decision of the promoter in all matters is final and no correspondence will be entered into.  Entrants are deemed to have accepted these terms and conditions by participating in this promotion. Promoter: Brown-Forman Beverages Europe, Ltd, Grove House, 2 Orange Street, London, WC2H 7DF. Know when to unplug. Please drink Jack Daniel’s responsibly.

Tonight sees the launch of Fac 251 Peter Hook’s new nightclub venture. Despite recently regaling the tales of the nightmares of the legendary Hacienda Club through his book Hooky is delving back in with eyes wide open and 20 year’s of experience…

Peter Hook: Guitarist, DJ, club promoter, industry speaker and most recently author will be telling the tales of Madchester at Unknown Pleasures. Taking in the haze of 80s acid house to the 90s gangs, drugs and corporate greed Hooky’s personal account of the people Tony Wilson, Bernard Sumner, Shaun Ryder and the era is sadder, scarier and stranger than you could imagine.

The release of his critically acclaimed book The Hacienda: How not to run a club, is a candid expose on the club Newsweek once called the most famous club in the world but also arguably one of the most badly run. We were very happy to let other people deal with the dirty business, so we could do what we did best, bitch about each other, write a few songs, and get completely off our trolleys.

Despite the clubs reputation, Hooky is understandably proud of his achievements and has no doubts about how influential the entire Factory label and sound has become on the Manchester scene. I think at the time the club was pretty revolutionary and because of the association to Factory, New Order and Joy Division, people looked at it and went ’wow’.

The Club has become legendary for not only being the birthplace of the house music scene and its almost monthly New Order gigs, but also for the clubs well documented spiralling financial problems. A situation put down to New Order and CO’s complete lack of experience in running a club. There was never one thought of how much the club would cost to run before we opened it. Nobody said it would be a good investment, nobody said it would be a bad investment. Literally we were asked if we wanted to open a club, and we said yes.

Despite being closed for well over ten years the sound of The Hacienda still lives on. Peter regularly tours around the country DJ’ing and sharing his tales keeping the Hacienda name alive, he also believes that people’s appetites for the Hacienda and its sounds are stronger than ever. The people that come to the DJ nights are very young, surprisingly, we used to get all the old timers, but the crowd have got younger and younger and it’s quite a compliment to me musically, that I can still educate and entertain, young people.

Willing to give it another go, this weekend sees the opening of the long awaited FAC 251, owned by Hooky and designed by original Hacienda architect Ben Kelly. An intimate 450 person capacity live venue and a 3 floored club, FAC251 sees performances from the likes of The White Lies, Twisted Wheel and The Whip, that each sold out in less than ten minutes. With such a strong opening line up, some of the best designers, club nights and reputations the industry has to offer, FAC 251 looks set to bring the uniqueness and energy of the Hacienda back for the 21st century club-goer.

Peter will be appearing at The Glee Club on April 11th.

Words: Kevin Angel