Solo show: Seasick Steve presents Just Steve, A Guitar And You at York Barbican in the autumn
CALIFORNIAN country blues singer-songwriter Seasick Steve will return to York Barbican on November 11 on his Just Steve, A Guitar and You Tour.
This will be one of nine intimate shows on the American’s autumn solo tour in support of his second album of 2020, Blues In Mono, released last November.
Oakland-born Steve – real name Steven Gene Leach, or Steven Gene Wold since he took his second wife’s name in the early 1980s – burst into the public consciousness 15 years ago with his life-hardened raw blues and custom-made scrap instruments, such as hubcap and cigar-box guitars.
Last year brought two albums, first Love & Peace, last July’s tenth studio set of tornado blues, full of hope for the future, against the tide of these troubled pandemic times, whereon he combined boogie, blues, rock, Americana and folk.
This was followed in the autumn by the aforementioned Blues In Mono, a timeless tribute to traditional, acoustic country blues recorded with a microphone from the 1940s, Steve performing the songs solo, direct to an old tape machine.
The 2021 tour poster for Seasick Steve’s Just Steve, A Guitar And You show at York Barbican in November
Coming next is a landmark birthday as Steve turns 70 on March 19. Come the autumn, he will play York Barbican for the first time since April 2015 in the only Yorkshire show of his November itinerary.
“I’m lookin’ forward to coming and playing for y’all,” he says. “Just gonna be me, you and my guitar. A few songs and a few stories, kinda like we just hangin’ out together! Gonna be fun. See ya there.”
Like us all, Seasick Steve cannot wait for the return of live shows, offering advice to fans between now and his November visit. “In the meantime, stay strong, work out and eat your vegetables!” he cautions.
Seasick Steve tickets go on sale from 9am on Friday (26/2/2021) at yorkbarbican.co.uk.
Why is Seasick Steve so named?
AFTER Steve Wold became ill on a boat trip between Norway and Denmark, he adopted the name “Seasick Steve” as a parallel to that of blues musician Homesick James, going on to form the band Seasick Steve And The Level Devils.
Seasick note: Seasick Steve plucks his guitar on a beautifully blue American day for the blues
Hands up who wants the Parking Lot Social drive-in festival to find new dates after the Easter shows at York Racecourse had to be postponed under Covid strictures
PARKING Lot Social’s drive-in Easter Festival will not roll into York for two days of socially distanced outdoor entertainment on March 31 and April 1 after all.
Instead, in light of the Government’s four-step route out of pandemic lockdown still precluding outdoor performances on those dates, event organisers XL Event Lab are seeking to rearrange their UK-wide tour, including the York Racecourse shows on Knavesmire.
In an official statement today, chief operating officer John Kinnersley said: “Following yesterday’s lockdown announcement from the UK Government, we are working to reschedule the event and will make an announcement as soon as we have confirmed details with our various suppliers and partners.
“We have successfully adapted to changes in guidance for previous tours, and conversations are already underway to secure new dates which we expect to announce shortly.”
The 2021 Parking Lot Social Easter drive-in was set to feature comedy, drag acts, films, pantomime and the new addition of Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azbakan, complete with costume competition and wizard-themed quiz.
The Easter Panto would have built on the debut Parking Lot Social drive-in Cinderella show last Christmas, giving a seasonal makeover to The Wizard Of Oz, with cast members putting on a special performance tailored uniquely to the drive-in format.
Central to the tour show, as and when it does go ahead, will be the stars of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, entertaining adults with “iconic performances” by season one alumni Baga Chipz, Divina De Campo, Vinegar Strokes and Gothy Kendoll, alongside season two queens Ginny Lemon, Ellie Diamond and Tayce.
A host of drive-in movies for all ages are integral to the show, as is the Social Kids event, where families can safely enjoy an interactive showcase with an afternoon of quizzes, Car-a-oke, games and even a silent disco.
More entertainment from the Parking Lot Social …as and when the York Racecourse shows are rescheduled
For drive-in laughs, the Parking Lot Social presents the Parking LOL Comedy Night with some of the UK’s finest comedians.
Kinnersley says: “Our debut summer and winter tours were a huge success last year, and we’re keen to keep up momentum and continue to deliver first-class events which are not only enjoyable, but also completely Covid-19 friendly.
“Every detail of our drive-in tour – from entering the site to parking up and ordering food – has been designed with customer and staff safety front of mind, with ticket holders able to enjoy the experience with complete piece of mind.”
Whenever the York Racecourse shows take place, once rearranged, attendees will be entertained in their cars from a vast custom-made stage, the entertainment being broadcast across two 40ft screens. Audio will be transmitted from the stage directly to each vehicle through a dedicated FM radio channel.
Safety is at the heart of the event, say the organisers: “Audiences take part in the immersive, interactive shows from their own cars. It’s a completely contactless event ensuring a safe and socially distant experience.”
The Parking Lot Social Easter Festival was to have played York, Liverpool, Birmingham, Coventry, Manchester, Cheltenham, Bristol, Newcastle and Luton.
For updates on new dates and ticket arrangements, go to theparkinglotsocial.co.uk.
What is the Parking Lot Social?
THIS touring entertainment concept blends live music, films, DJs, interactive games, quizzes and comedy into a thrilling day/night out. While guests are required to remain in their car, the focus is on mass participation at all times to bring the audience together, but always keeping everyone a safe distance apart. Take a look at this video: https://vimeo.com/510627930
Doubling up: Hal Cruttenden and Rosie Jones link up online from their living rooms for Your Place Comedy on February 28
YORKSHIRE and Humber virtual comedy club Your Place Comedy will play host to its eighth online double bill on Sunday, presenting the remote coupling of Hal Cruttenden and Rosie Jones.
Co-ordinator Chris Jones, manager of Selby Town Hall, says: “After a triumphant return to phones, tablets, laptops and smart TVs on January 24 with Josie Long and Ahir Shah, this collaborative live-stream project, organised by a collective of 12 small, independent northern venues, will once again transport two of the UK’s best stand-ups from their living rooms to yours…and all for free.”
Television comedy mainstay Hal has guested on Have I Got News For You on four occasions, hosted Live At The Apollo, starred in The Royal Variety Performance and appeared as a regular panellist on Mock The Week, popping up on Celebrity Mastermind and Would I Lie To You? too.
Bridlington-born Rosie, a patron of Theatre @41 Monkgate, York, since last May, is one of the fastest-rising stars on the comedy circuit, making her impact on Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, The Jonathan Ross Show and 8 Out Of 10 Cats and as a panellist on BBC1’s Question Time.
Placed second at the Leicester Mercury New Comedian of the Year Award in 2018, she also has appeared on The Last Leg, Hypothetical and Comedy Central’s Roast Battle, as well as writing for the second series of Netflix hit Sex Education.
Rosie Jones: Fast-rising voice of comedy, scriptwriter and actor
Once again, the streamed show will be compered by Tim FitzHigham, writer and star of BBC Radio 4’s The Gambler and presenter of CBBC’s Super Human Challenge.
Your Place Comedy will be free to watch on YouTube and Twitch at 8pm, with an option for viewers to donate if they have enjoyed the broadcast. “The money raised will be used to support the performers and the 12 venues involved, all of whom face continued uncertainty as lockdown regulations have once again prevent theatres from opening,” says Chris, manager of Selby Town Hall and arts officer for Selby Town Council.
“We were really thrilled with the response to Your Place Comedy’s return last month. As venues rooted in communities, we’ve all missed those direct connections with our brilliant and loyal audiences while the pandemic has kept theatre doors shut.
“Being able to share laughter and light-hearted moments from some of the acts who would normally appear on our stages, in what always feels like such a warm and intimate way, has been an incredible tonic over the past year and I’m delighted that acts of Hal and Rosie’s calibre have signed up to take part in this latest edition.
“Hal has been among the most prolific comedy performers of recent years, appearing on every panel show and at every comedy festival going, while Rosie looks set to become a superstar of the near future with burgeoning careers as an actor and children’s author now developing alongside her rapidly increasing comedy profile.”
Hal Cruttenden: Television comedy mainstay, appearing on screen via You Tube and Twitch streaming on Sunday
Joining together to mount Your Place Comedy Season 3 are 2021 additions The Civic, Barnsley, Seven Arts, Chapel Allerton, Leeds, and Rural Arts, at The Courthouse, Thirsk, alongside Selby Town Hall; Otley Courthouse; Ropewalk, Barton upon Humber; East Riding Theatre, Beverley; Junction, Goole; Helmsley Arts Centre; The Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds; Pocklington Arts Centre and Rotherham Theatres.
Delighted at the response to the third wave of Your Place Comedy in lockdown, Chris says: “We had a brilliant return last month with Ahir Shah and Josie Long. Over 600 devices logged on to watch with nearly £1,000 raised in donations to help pay the performers and support the venues involved.
“The acts were brilliant, and it’s been fascinating to watch how quickly and ingeniously comedians have all adapted to the format of online shows over recent months. For many, it works remarkably well, and I do wonder if some version of online gigging in the comedy world will remain even when all of this is over.”
“I know that times are tough for many people, and so we’re committed to keeping these shows completely free, so please do come and join Hal, Rosie and Tim for some top entertainment at an unbeatable price, as for now streaming is the only show in town.”
Ahead of Boris Johnson’s Monday pronouncement, Chris had said: “Sadly, I don’t hold out much hope. I’ve got autumn tours now moving to 2022 as they anticipate social distancing for the rest of the year. We won’t have anything in Selby Town Hall until autumn at the earliest.”
Now, with a road map for reopening at least in pencil form after the Prime Minister announced a four-step plan for lockdown easement, Chris says: “It certainly provides a chink of light.
Josie Long and Ahir Shah: the double bill for Your Place Comedy on January 24
“The headline is that – if all goes according to plan – venues will be able to open in a socially distanced manner from May 17, but no level of social distancing is viable for us, and I still think audience confidence will be low at that point, so it’s unlikely we will re-open ahead of June.”
Chris is only “cautiously optimistic” about that possibility at the 150-capacity Selby Town Hall. “It certainly seems as though, at current trajectory, the vaccination programme will be all but complete by the end of that month, but most tour shows before autumn have already rescheduled,” he says.
Chris believes “we need a longer lead-in time for ticket sales and for audience confidence to return”. “I also await the small print on this – what conditions will be attached to a non-socially distanced reopening?” he ponders. “Will we have to implement rapid testing on site, or ask people to come with either proof of a recent negative PCR test or vaccination ‘passport’…or both?”
Looking ahead, Chris says: “My focus remains on delivering a full autumn programme, and Monday’s announcements give me more confidence that this will be possible.
“If, with a favourable wind, we are to open safely, in a practically and financially viable manner, at full capacity, before September, I will be thrilled. For the moment though, I remain cautious about the chances of any activity taking place in the summer.”
For full details on Your Place Comedy, and to find out how to watch the February 28 show, go to: yourplacecomedy.co.uk.
Doubling up: Hal Cruttenden and Rosie Jones link up online from their living rooms for Your Place Comedy on February 28
YORKSHIRE and Humber virtual comedy club Your Place Comedy will play host to its eighth online double bill on Sunday, presenting the remote coupling of Hal Cruttenden and Rosie Jones.
Co-ordinator Chris Jones, manager of Selby Town Hall, says: “After a triumphant return to phones, tablets, laptops and smart TVs on January 24 with Josie Long and Ahir Shah, this collaborative live-stream project, organised by a collective of 12 small, independent northern venues, will once again transport two of the UK’s best stand-ups from their living rooms to yours…and all for free.”
Television comedy mainstay Hal has guested on Have I Got News For You on four occasions, hosted Live At The Apollo, starred in The Royal Variety Performance and appeared as a regular panellist on Mock The Week, popping up on Celebrity Mastermind and Would I Lie To You? too.
Bridlington-born Rosie, a patron of Theatre @41 Monkgate, York, since last May, is one of the fastest-rising stars on the comedy circuit, making her impact on Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, The Jonathan Ross Show and 8 Out Of 10 Cats and as a panellist on BBC1’s Question Time.
Placed second at the Leicester Mercury New Comedian of the Year Award in 2018, she also has appeared on The Last Leg, Hypothetical and Comedy Central’s Roast Battle, as well as writing for the second series of Netflix hit Sex Education.
Rosie Jones: Fast-rising voice of comedy, scriptwriter and actor
Once again, the streamed show will be compered by Tim FitzHigham, writer and star of BBC Radio 4’s The Gambler and presenter of CBBC’s Super Human Challenge.
Your Place Comedy will be free to watch on YouTube and Twitch, with an option for viewers to donate if they have enjoyed the broadcast. “The money raised will be used to support the performers and the 12 venues involved, all of whom face continued uncertainty as lockdown regulations have once again prevent theatres from opening,” says Chris, manager of Selby Town Hall and arts officer for Selby Town Council.
“We were really thrilled with the response to Your Place Comedy’s return last month. As venues rooted in communities, we’ve all missed those direct connections with our brilliant and loyal audiences while the pandemic has kept theatre doors shut.
“Being able to share laughter and light-hearted moments from some of the acts who would normally appear on our stages, in what always feels like such a warm and intimate way, has been an incredible tonic over the past year and I’m delighted that acts of Hal and Rosie’s calibre have signed up to take part in this latest edition.
“Hal has been among the most prolific comedy performers of recent years, appearing on every panel show and at every comedy festival going, while Rosie looks set to become a superstar of the near future with burgeoning careers as an actor and children’s author now developing alongside her rapidly increasing comedy profile.”
Hal Cruttenden: Television comedy mainstay, appearing on screen via You Tube and Twitch streaming on Sunday
Joining together to mount Your Place Comedy Season 3 are 2021 additions The Civic, Barnsley, Seven Arts, Chapel Allerton, Leeds, and Rural Arts, at The Courthouse, Thirsk, alongside Selby Town Hall; Otley Courthouse; Ropewalk, Barton upon Humber; East Riding Theatre, Beverley; Junction, Goole; Helmsley Arts Centre; The Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds; Pocklington Arts Centre and Rotherham Theatres.
Delighted at the response to the third wave of Your Place Comedy in lockdown, Chris says: “We had a brilliant return last month with Ahir Shah and Josie Long. Over 600 devices logged on to watch with nearly £1,000 raised in donations to help pay the performers and support the venues involved.
“The acts were brilliant, and it’s been fascinating to watch how quickly and ingeniously comedians have all adapted to the format of online shows over recent months. For many, it works remarkably well, and I do wonder if some version of online gigging in the comedy world will remain even when all of this is over.”
“I know that times are tough for many people, and so we’re committed to keeping these shows completely free, so please do come and join Hal, Rosie and Tim for some top entertainment at an unbeatable price, as for now streaming is the only show in town.”
Ahead of Boris Johnson’s Monday pronouncement, Chris had said: “Sadly, I don’t hold out much hope. I’ve got autumn tours now moving to 2022 as they anticipate social distancing for the rest of the year. We won’t have anything in Selby Town Hall until autumn at the earliest.”
Now, with a road map for reopening at least in pencil form after the Prime Minister announced a four-step plan for lockdown easement, Chris says: “It certainly provides a chink of light.
Josie Long and Ahir Shah: the double bill for Your Place Comedy on January 24
“The headline is that – if all goes according to plan – venues will be able to open in a socially distanced manner from May 17, but no level of social distancing is viable for us, and I still think audience confidence will be low at that point, so it’s unlikely we will re-open ahead of June.”
Chris is only “cautiously optimistic” about that possibility at the 150-capacity Selby Town Hall. “It certainly seems as though, at current trajectory, the vaccination programme will be all but complete by the end of that month, but most tour shows before autumn have already rescheduled.”
Chris believes “we need a longer lead-in time for ticket sales and for audience confidence to return”. “I also await the small print on this – what conditions will be attached to a non-socially distanced reopening?” he ponders. “Will we have to implement rapid testing on site, or ask people to come with either proof of a recent negative PCR test or vaccination ‘passport’…or both?”
Looking ahead, Chris says: “My focus remains on delivering a full autumn programme, and Monday’s announcements give me more confidence that this will be possible.
“If, with a favourable wind, we are to open safely, in a practically and financially viable manner, at full capacity, before September, I will be thrilled. For the moment though, I remain cautious about the chances of any activity taking place in the summer.”
For full details on Your Place Comedy, and to find out how to watch the February 28 show, go to: yourplacecomedy.co.uk.
Jesse Malin: Rescheduled show at Pocklington Arts Centre
POCKLINGTON Arts Centre has secured a new date for New York City singer-songwriter Jesse Malin.
He will now play on December 7 2021, fully 18 months after he was originally booked to perform there in June 2020 as part of PAC’s 20th anniversary programme.
The Covid-19 pandemic forced Malin to postpone his European tour, whereupon he reverted to performing a series of weekly online shows live from the Big Apple.
PAC director Janet Farmer says: “We were so disappointed to have to put our 2020 programme of live events on hold, especially in the midst of our 20th anniversary celebrations, but it was a necessary step.
Lucinda Williams: Produced Jesse Malin’s latest album, 2019’s Sunset Kids
“We’re just so excited to have rescheduled Jesse Malin’s live show and cannot wait to resume our live events. I first saw Jesse perform live in 2004, when he was promoting his album The Heat, so I’m especially looking forward to finally being able to have him perform here.”
Malin, 53, has made his name as a thoughtful, introspective singer-songwriter but has played raucous, over-the-top rock’n’roll with the band D Generation too.
He has recorded with Bruce Springsteen and Green Day, performed on The Tonight Show and Letterman and shared stages with everyone from The Hold Steady to The Gaslight Anthem.
A prolific writer and relentless road warrior, Malin released his seventh studio album, Sunset Kids, in 2019, produced by Lucinda Williams, American roots icon, country music queen and 2016 Platform Festival headliner in Pocklington.
Tickets for Malin’s 8pm show cost £17.50 at pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk.
Emergence Festival: A celebration of emerging talent, presented on Zoom from the University of York
EMERGENCE Festival, a free virtual arts festival showcasing emerging artists creating work in York in the pandemic, will run online from tomorrow (23/2/2021) until Saturday.
Co-ordinated by co-producers Olivia Maltby, Millie Feary and Blyth McPherson at the University of York, the festival on Zoom will feature six plays directed, designed and performed by students: NSFW by Lucy Kirkwood; Mike Bartlett’s Wild by Mike Bartlett; Ross & Rachel by James Fritz; Gary Owen’s killology; Wild Swimming by Marek Horn and Jez Butterworth’s The River.
Solo music by Yorkshire artists James Banks and Rumbi Tauro will book-end the festival, Doncaster pop singer Banks performing new original music and covers on the opening day; Intake R&B/soul artist Tauroplaying a live set at the online closing party.
James Banks: Doncaster musician to play online at Emergence Festival
Doncaster instructor Claire Burns will lead a Hatha yoga class, Sunshine Yoga, and the University of York Comedy Society’s sketch troupe, The Dead Ducks, will perform a sketch first aired at the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe.
Panels and talks with industry professionals, such as Sorcha McCaffrey, The Paper Birds, Rocket Box Theatre, JustOut Theatre and Chris Swain, will offer the chance to discuss how to survive as an artist in a pandemic and how to break into the industry.
These will take place in the form of live Q&As or webinars, where the artists will be to answer any and every questions.
“Celebrating the work of new and upcoming artists in the performing arts industry has never been so important,” says Olivia, introducing a virtual festival where everything will be free to attend from the comfort of home.
The River: Jez Butterworth’s play set on a moonless night in August
“With the effects of the pandemic on the arts sector, anyone in the industry has faced disruption and is challenged with fears of the future. Our festival provides a positively exciting space for emerging artists to showcase their talent far and wide and to remind us of how important art and culture is.”
Originally, Emergence Festival was intended to take place at University of York’s theatre department, but in response to Lockdown 3, the students had to adapt to what was possible, embracing the opportunity to present their work on Zoom.
After overcoming the initial fear of poor wi-fi and glitching, the artists have thrived in their new environment in their rehearsals, culminating in this week’s live performances online.
Sam Armstrong: Director of Ross & Rachel
The full schedule is:
Tuesday, February 23
5.15pm to 5.30pm: Welcome speech.
5.30pm to 6.20pm: Wild Swimming by Marek Horn.
A kaleidoscopic exploration of cultural progress, Marek Horn’s play Wild Swimming is an interrogation of gender and privilege and a wilfully ignorant history of English Literature.
Wild Swimming: Marek Horn’s kaleidoscopic exploration of cultural progress
6.20pm to 6.55pm: James Banks.
Doncaster singer James Banks’s songs are a fusion of pop anthems and the vocal stylings of Sam Smith, Will Heard and Conan Grey. His set will combine originals and covers.
7pm to 8.20pm: NSFW by Lucy Kirkwood.
This sharp comedy addresses power games and privacy in the media and beyond.
Wednesday, February 24.
4pm to 5pm: Q&A with Sorcha McCaffrey.
In this interactive Q&A session, writer and actor Sorcha McCaffrey will take questions from the audience about her career in the theatre industry, writing a solo show and performing as a touring artist.
Sorcha McCaffrey: Live Q&A at Emergence Festival on Wednesday
5pm to 6.20pm: killology by Gary Owen.
In a play where a controversial new gaming experience is inspiring a generation, players are rewarded for torturing victims, scoring points for “creativity”.
7pm to 8.40pm: Wild by Mike Bartlett.
This darkly comic play explores the unexpected, bewildering and life-changing consequences of challenging the status quo at a global level.
Thursday, February 25
4pm to 5pm: In Conversation with The Paper Birds.
The Paper Birds, a devising theatre company with a social and political agenda, specialise in verbatim theatre, inspiring change through the theatre they create. In this session, they will discuss their experience of breaking into the theatre industry, devising theatre inspired by the community around them and their projects in lockdown.
Ross & Rachel: James Fritz’s dark and uncompromising play about romance, expectation and mortality
5pm to 6.15pm: Ross & Rachel by James Fritz.
A dark and uncompromising play about romance, expectation and mortality, Ross & Rachel tells the story of what happens when two friends who were always meant to be together, get together and stay together.
7pm to 8.15pm: The River by Jez Butterworth.
On a moonless night in August when the sea trout are ready to run, a man brings his new girlfriend to the remote family cabin where he has come for the fly-fishing since he was a boy. She is not the only woman he has brought there, however, nor indeed the last.
Friday, February 26
4pm to 5pm: In Conversation with Chris Swain.
Chris Swain, lighting designer for devising physical theatre company Gecko, will answer questions on life as a technical freelancer working in theatre and dance: how to start; how theatre design jobs are structured; the difference between devised and text-led work; how to be an effective collaborator; the tech and software that are used, and the future of the industry.
Zooming in: Maria Cook and Bradley Hodgson in rehearsal for The River
5pm to 6.40pm: Wild by Mike Bartlett.
6.40pm to 7pm: Comedy Sketch by The Dead Ducks.
The University of York Comedy Society sketch troupe The Dead Ducks will stream a humorous performance during the interval.
7pm to 8.20pm: NSFW by Lucy Kirkwood.
Saturday, February 27
10am to 11am: Sunshine Yoga with Claire Burns.
Claire Burns hosts a live yoga session of sun salutations with gentle, energising, breath-led flows, guided meditation and deep relaxation.
In concert: Rumbi Tauro to perform closing online show at Emergence Festival
11am to 12 noon: Rocket Box X JustOut Theatre.
Theatre companies Rocket Box and JustOut Theatre invite questions about their insight into life post-graduation and taking first steps into the theatre industry. Mistakes were made, lessons were learnt, so, sit down, open notebooks and let the demystifying revelations begin.
12 noon to 1.15pm, The River by Jez Butterworth.
2.40pm to 4pm: killology by Gary Owen.
4.05pm to 4.55pm: Wild Swimming by Marek Horn.
5.30pm to 6.50pm: Ross & Rachel by James Fritz.
7pm onwards: Closing party with Rumbi Tauro.
Zimbabwean-born soul and R&B singer-songwriter Rumbi Tauro, from Intake, Doncaster, will close the festival with a set of originals and covers to celebrate the work of Emergence’s emerging artists.
IN EPISODE 30 of the Two Big Egos In A Small Car arts and culture podcast, journalists Charles Hutchinson and Graham Chalmers interview York artist Jake Attree about his latest exhibition, an online show at messums.com.
Graham Sanderson: What Shall We Do…?, a new political twist on The Drunken Sailor
PROMPTED by Scottish postal worker Nathan Evans topping the charts with the sea shanty curio Wellerman, and the Government’s mooted legislation to “protect” the statues of slave traders and the like, York scribe Graham Sanderson has picked up his scathing satirical pen once more.
At Christmas he penned a topical revision of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen, addressing Brexit, Covid et al, under the title of A Carol For The Cabinet. Now, York Settlement Community Players’ stalwart Graham “feels an update of The Drunken Sailor might be in order”.
Teenage Fanclub: Yorkshire shows in 2022 in Sheffield and Leeds. Picture: Donald Milne
TEENAGE Fanclub will play The Leadmill, Sheffield on April 8 and Leeds Beckett University the next night on their rescheduled 2022 tour.
By then, almost a year will have passed since the April 30 release of the Scottish indie favourites’ tenth studio album, Endless Arcade, preceded by the Norman Blake-penned single I’m More Inclined.
Fellow songwriter Raymond McGinley says: “When we first starting talking about getting songs together for a new album, Norman said, ‘I have one ready to go now!’ and that was I’m More Inclined. He played it to us, we loved it, and that got us started on the whole thing that became Endless Arcade.”
Endless Arcade is the long-awaited follow-up to Here, the 2016 album that brought Teenage Fanclub their first British top ten entry since 1997. The new record has all their familiar tropes: melodies are equal parts heart-warming and heart-aching; guitars chime and distort; keyboard lines mesh and spiral; harmony-embossed choruses burst through, like the sun on a stormy day.
Affirmation that even if we were not living through extraordinarily troubling times, who better than Teenage Fanclub to assuage the mind, body and soul and to confirm that all is not lost in this world.
In the 1990s, the Scots crafted a magnetically heavy yet harmony-rich sound on classic albums such as Bandwagonesque and Grand Prix. This century, Man-Made, Shadows and Here have documented a more relaxed, less “teenage” Fanclub, reflecting the band members’ stage in life and state of mind, and now Endless Arcade slots snugly alongside.
The new album walks a beautifully poised line between melancholic and uplifting, infused with simple truths. The importance of home, community and hope is entwined with more bittersweet, sometimes darker thoughts: insecurity, anxiety, loss.
Such is life, but the title track suggests: “Don’t be afraid of this endless arcade that is life”. “I think of an endless arcade as a city that you can wander through, with a sense of mystery, an imaginary one that goes on forever,” says McGinley. “When it came to choosing an album title, it seemed to have something for this collection of songs.”
So how did the band set out to explore this Endless Arcade? “The process is much the same as it always has been,” says McGinley. “In 1989, we went into a studio in Glasgow to make our first LP, A Catholic Education. Francis [Macdonald] starts setting up his drums, the rest of us find our spots around him and off we go.
“Thirty years later, Francis is setting up his drums in Clouds Hill Recordings in Hamburg. A few hours later, we’re recording the first song. We don’t conceptualise, we don’t talk about it, we just do it. Each of us are thinking our own thoughts, but we don’t do much externalising. We just feel our way into it.”
Dave McGowan has been “feeling his way” into the band’s sound since 2004, mainly on keyboards and guitar, but the past two years have seen him take over on bass, his primary instrument, after the departure of founder member Gerard Love in 2018.
Although Euros Childs has played and sung on record with the band previously, Endless Arcade is the first time the Welshman has featured on keyboards across a whole Teenage Fanclub album.
Huw Evans’s artwork for Teenage Fanclub’s new album, Endless Arcade
“We were very comfortable with each other in the studio,” says Blake. “I think some of the playing is a bit freer and looser than on recent albums. Dave and Euros’s playing is amazing, and Francis on drums is really swinging.
“The whole process of making this album was very invigorating. Everyone in the band contributed a lot and the song arrangements came together really quickly. Everything felt fresh.”
Childs suggested they use his friend Huw Evans, alias musician H. Hawkline, to design the sleeve. “It’s amazing. We absolutely love it!” says McGinley.
A preview from the album came in February 2019 with McGinley’s Everything Is Falling Apart, an online single released at the outset of a six-month tour and now a highlight of Endless Arcade.
Is everything falling apart? Yes, but the song was written long before Covid-19 took up unwelcome residency. McGinley’s inspiration was neither political nor social, but more, “the entropy in the universe, the knowledge that everything eventually decays,” he explains. McGinley says relax. Or rather, “Relax, find love, hold on to the hand of a friend”.
Fortunately, Endless Arcade was all but finished by the time the first lockdown was announced, bar the odd tinker under the engine hood. Now, it seems timely, given how everyone had to stay home under lockdown strictures, that the album starts with Blake’s composition Home, although it was chosen in part on account of its opening line: “Every morning, I open my eyes…”.
Blake’s search for “home” could be literal – after all, he has been living in Canada for the past ten years – yet it is figurative too. Like his other Endless Arcade songs – The Sun Won’t Shine On Me, Warm Embrace, I’m More Inclined, Back In The Day and Living With You – his words on Home are etched by loss and yearning.
“Without going into too much detail, the last 18 months have been challenging for me on an emotional level,” he admits. “But it’s been cathartic channelling some of these feelings and emotions into song.”
In contrast, McGinley’s songs – Everything Is Falling Apart, Endless Arcades, Come With Me, In Our Dreams, The Future and Silent Song – are philosophical and questing. As he sings in The Future: “It’s hard to walk into the future when your shoes are made of lead”, but he will still try “and see sights we’ve never seen”.
In Teenage Fanclub’s own near-future, already they are planning another new album, given that they cannot tour the one they are releasing this spring until September’s shows in Manchester, London, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow.
Teenage Fanclub release Endless Arcade on April 30 on their own label PeMa.
Talking tartan: Helen Wilson performing at York Shakespeare Project’s socially distanced Sit-down Sonnets in the churchyard at Holy Trinity Church, Goodramgate, York, last September
YORK Shakespeare Project is issuing a call-out for a director for this year’s outdoor sonnet performances.
“We would like to hear from people interested in directing Sonnet Walks/Sit-down Sonnets 2021, our annual open-air production incorporating selections from Shakespeare’s sonnets in a devised framework,” says YSP’s Tony Froud.
Masked up: The poster for last September’s graveyard smash, Sit-down Sonnets
“Last September, our Sit-down Sonnets, staged by director Mick Taylor at a socially distanced Holy Trinity Church, Goodramgate, were welcomed by performers and audiences alike. Now, in these continuing uncertain times, we would like to mount a new production of the sonnets.”
When and where that can happen remains to be seen, says Tony. “No dates have been set but we expect this to be later in the summer, and we want to appoint someone with a strong idea for this year’s production so that we can begin work on making it happen.”
The director’s role is not a professional appointment. If you are interested, please contact Tony Froud at yorkshakespeareproject@gmail.com to receive more details.
Picture this: Mick Liversidge performing at York Shakespeare Project’s Sit-down Sonnets in 2020
