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TGTF Guide to SXSW 2014: Rock UK artists showcasing at this year's SXSW (A-M)
By Mary Chang on Tuesday, 25th February 2014 at 1:00 pm
Please note: all information we bring you about SXSW 2014 is to the best of our knowledge when it posts, and bands scheduled to appear may be subject to change. To learn when your favourite band is playing in Austin, we recommend you first consult the official SXSW schedule, then stop by the band's Facebook and official Web site for details of any non-official SXSW appearances.
Oh, British rock. Its many facets will be on display at SXSW 2014, judging by the variety of acts been given a shout by the festival this year. In this first installment of the exclusive TGTF Guide to SXSW 2014, we take a closer look at bands that play rock, punk, metal and everything in between, starting alphabetically A through M. And away we go…
Band of Skulls
John writes of their latest single: "…we were treated to the anything but a 'Sweet Sour' follow-up to Band of Skulls' aforementioned 2011 record, bonus single, 'Be Mine'. It hardly starts in true, chug-a-lug-ing Band of Skulls format, with a lingering guitar solo from Russell Marsden building in to the twin harmonies of Marsden and bassist Emma Richardson, underscored by an old school piano melody. The song builds like the back drop to a love scene from a an old western, and I felt the first time that I was walking into an old saloon bar, as the two harmonised, 'hit me with your love, be mine / all our future's in the balance'".
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAzDWdHWAns[/youtube]
John writes: "Their fourth album is undeniably the moment where BMTH came of age. It's such a clichéd phrase, but it's obvious Sykes and co. have a found a sound that truly epitomizes where they are as a band on this record. On 'Antivist', we have a trademark display of BMTH bile and vitriol, as Sykes does his best to use the F and C bombs as frequently as he can in one song. Meanwhile, 'Shadow Moses' is a beast of a different order, showcasing a BMTH embracing a spot of synth, while still remaining fierce in their breakdowns."
Read more from John here.
Cage the Gods
Leather, check. Tats, check. Long hair like they just don't care, check. Yes, this London-based band fits the stereotype of hard rockers out of Britain but here's something you don't hear every day: a band that has English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh members playing in perfect harmony. Or maybe the better description is rocking out in thunderous, bluesy accord. 'Favourite Sin'? Check it out below.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjr2dkyBwmw[/youtube]
John writes: "Anybody looking for quintessential British indie boys will be pretty delighted by what this four-piece have to offer, as Casual Sex appear to be an indie offering cultivated from a mix of what's doing the rounds at the moment, a la Franz Ferdinand, Royal Blood, The 1975 and Night Engine. There's a broody, almost sullen vocalist in Smith, backed by Edward Wood providing the dreampop guitar elements, Peter Masson on bass and Chris McCrory tapping away on drums. Mixed in with some pre-1970s goodness for proper measure, they're a taste of all things British in four-good looking blokes. Marketable and sure to be gobbled right up by the A&Rs at SXSW."
Read more in his Bands to Watch piece here. Singer Sam Smith also answered our SXSW flavoured Quickfire Questions.
The Crookes
The Sheffield based band were recently bestowed a generous grant from the UK government for the purpose of making a go of breaking America, but there is much more this group has to be proud of. For one, they're only the second band after Death Cab for Cutie have released three albums on their London indie label Fierce Panda, with 'Soapbox' due out in mid April. With a steadily harder edge since their humbler 2010 'Dreaming of Another Day' beginnings, they'll be ones to watch this year.
Read my glowing review of 'Soapbox' here. The band also answered our SXSW flavoured Quickfire Questions as a team here.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zmn9F9vKxzU[/youtube]
Martin writes: "…opportunistic recommendations from politicians aside, what's all the fuss about Drenge? With a slender lineup consisting of brothers Eoin and Rory Loveless and nobody else, the Sheffield pair conjure a mighty brick wall of distorted guitars and scarily thrashed drums."
Read the rest of Martin's Bands to Watch piece on Drenge here.
Et Tu Brucé
What would have happened if the Byrds got together with Stuart Murdoch? They'd probably be rocking out and sounding like Et Tu Brucé. The guitars and harmonies are effortless, and if they're really touring with the Zombies as it says on their Web site, sorry, I think they'll give those grandpas a run for their money. And clearly from the video below, they have a sense of humour. (Yes!)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhsHFGmMolI[/youtube]
Evans the Death
This band already has a Rolling Stone description (huh?): "This London band mixes post–Smiths jangle and early–grunge sludge, as Katherine Whitaker explores varying shades of bad romance. Her raw emotion blends with slashing, whirling guitars to inject paralysis with weird power." When you see they've been signed to Slumberland Records here in America ('Allo Darlin' and the Pains of Being Pure at Heart's American home), it all seems to make sense…
Ben writes: "Anarchic South London six piece Fat White Family might well be as well known for unveiling a "bitch is dead" banner at their Brixton bolthole in the immediate aftermath of Margaret Thatcher's (debatably) tragic passing, as for their debut album 'Champagne Holocaust'. Gloriously menacing and wildly off-kilter, their unique brand of noise can be heard at British Music Embassy's parting blow on the Saturday night of SXSW 2014."
This London duo brings a little bit of everything: grooves, psych rock, lounge club sleaze. As such and with little out on the internet about them, they're virtually impossible to describe. However, Ben Moorhouse and Leo Duncan have been quite active, and following on from two self releases in 2013, they're releasing single 'Turn Your Light On' is part of a AA side to be released by fine North East folks and friends of ours Generator in March.
"Are the Kooks still going?" An actual question from a musician friend of mine who asked me who I was most keen on seeing at SXSW. Having nearly as long of a history as one of my standouts from SXSW 2012, Kaiser Chiefs, the Brighton indie rockers do have something to prove: that even though it's been over 2 years the release of 2011's 'Junk of the Heart', they're still a viable export. Having at least two showcases at SXSW at high-profile venues (the Parish and Stubb's), let's see if they make the most of their opportunity.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pvHZ4ddR-4[/youtube]
The Harlow boys have been around quite a while now and command big audiences back home, but they've yet to make a real splash stateside. Is it time for limelight beyond the UK? The dazzling indie splendour of 'Alienation', the title track of their 2013 Parlophone-released EP, seems tailor made for mainstream MTV in America.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcm5fJS8jZE[/youtube]
Stay tuned for more in the TGTF Guide to SXSW 2014, coming atcha soon!
TGTF Guide to SXSW 2013: A Punter's Survival Kit
By Mary Chang on Monday, 4th March 2013 at 11:00 am
Having the benefit of my last year's experience attending SXSW 2012 and knowing several of my British music industry friends will be event virgins this year, I thought it would be useful to provide a list of items that no SXSW punter should be without. These are things that you might have already considered bringing…and some things that you might not have considered at all.
1. Comfortable walking shoes. I'm mainly talking to you women who want to wear 'cute' sandals to show off for your pedicure and heels to show off your legs. Forget it. Seriously. It's not worth it. After spending 5 days in agony last year wearing what I thought to be decent walking shoes (evidently they weren't), I'm spending the majority, if not all of my time, in Austin wearing comfy New Balance trainers. It also helps if you…
2. Travel light. I know, not really an item, but I learned the hard way at SXSW 2012 that carrying loads of things on your shoulders will lead to bag handle burn on your skin. Not really sure how I'm going to get around this, since I need to bring a voice recorder, several cameras and a notebook with me, but just something to keep in mind. Now back to things you should be carrying…
3. Suncream of SPF 40 or above. Bring it and use it! Do not underestimate the power of the sun in Austin if you out and about during daylight hours. If you are particularly sensitive to the sun and prone to sunburn like yours truly, I also recommend…
4. A collapsible, wide-brimmed sun hat or small umbrella. Also handy in case a magazine decides to photograph a crowd, as you'll be easily identifiable by your mates. While we're on the subject of the heat, something else that might come in handy…
5. A small towel or disposable facial cloths. Being able to wipe off a sweaty, gross brow with something clean is a luxury you won't believe and just a little bit of freshening up goes a long way to making yourself feel that much more sprightly.
6. Cash. Saves times waiting in ATM / cash point lines, and certainly saves time if all you want is one drink from a bar or club and can hand over something physical to a bartender to get immediate change back. Also handy if and when you need to hail a pedicab or taxi to get to a venue quickly. That said, it is also useful to carry…
7. Plastic, aka credit cards. If your intention is to stay in one bar or club all night and get entirely pissed at said place, then start a tab. Of course, if you want to do SXSW on the cheap, I advise bringing…
8. A small, empty water bottle that you can refill at public fountains, restaurants, bars, etc. Do note that if you plan to bring bottled water, some establishments will confiscate any bottles with liquid in them or force you to empty the contents of them before entering their venue. And from liquids we go to technology and…
9. Your phone's charger, and if possible, a small power strip. The former is in case your phone decides to die on you, because as we all know, phones always die on us when we need them the most. The latter will allow you to share those ever so rare during SXSW unused power sockets and make friendships that will last forever. For my recent trip to Australia, I bought a power strip with USB ports and a swiveling head and plan to bring this round with me at SXSW to come to the aid of fellow punters. Another option if you're feeling flush with cash, this year you can rent a Mobile Locker for US$20 a day, which affords you a secure and convenient way for you to charge your mobile and iPad, as well as store items such as clothes and luggage.
Have I missed anything? Let us know in the comments!
TGTF Guide to SXSW 2013: Singer/songwriter and folk UK artists showcasing at this year's SXSW
By Mary Chang on Tuesday, 29th January 2013 at 11:00 am
Please note: all information we bring you about SXSW 2013 is to the best of our knowledge when it posts and bands scheduled to appear may be subject to change.
So here we are, the last week of January. Each Tuesday we've been bringing you genre 'chapters' of the UK bands that have been given the all important shout for this year's SXSW 2013 taking place in venues across Austin the 12th to the 17th of March 2013. On the 8th of January, we brought you the pop and pop hybrid acts list, with a follow-up addendum on the 14th of January after the SXSW people updated their books on the 10th. The 15th of January saw the posting of the sound heavyweights, on the list of rock, metal and punk acts. Last week, on the 22nd, we wanted to showcase the wizards of the music world with the list of electronic and electronic-based bands and DJs.
This week? Possibly the genre that is most prolific – and the most crowded: the singer/songwriters and folk artists. Last week it was interesting to read that in an interview with SPIN, singer Scott Hutchinson of Scottish band Frightened Rabbit complained of being compared to current folk rock behemoths Mumford and Sons. Love 'em or hate 'em, they brought folk rock to the forefront of popular music and proved that that brand of 'popularised' bluegrass could be popular around the world. There is no doubt a whole new generation of folk rock artists that are being given a second glance, instead of being ignored, thanks to the hard work of Mumford and other acts soldiering on in this genre. And then there are the singer/songwriters: we may romanticise the image of a solitary, guitar-wielding man in front of a crowd, the reality is that there are both men and women who are pouring their hearts out into song, sitting in their bedrooms wondering what might be. In that respect, SXSW does its best in giving these folks the proper credit – and surely the proper platform – that might propel them into the big time.
What I had envisioned this weekly guide to be was simply a handy resource if you were wondering which acts to catch at this year's marathon week of showcases, parties and secret shows. But even if you're not attending the big event, I hope it'll also introduce you to the solo artists and bands you haven't heard of, because that's the most exciting thing about SXSW: at any one moment, you could walk into a bar, a club, a hotel, a warehouse, wherever…and you might just discover the next big thing in music. And that isn't limited to one place or one event. You can find new music anywhere. And without further adieu…
'Allo Darlin – Australia collides with Britain in this folk pop band fronted by Elizabeth Morris. Their songs are so cute, you wish you could just pinch their cheeks! Martin caught them at the End of the Road Festival in 2011.
Sounds like: the Pains of Being Pure at Heart, with a female lead
Read our previous coverage of the band here.
Lauren Aquilina – This 17-year old is from Windsor, but knock off the Royal Family jokes, please. She independently released her debut EP 'Fools' in October, so what a coup to get the SXSW nod when you're still unsigned!
Sounds like: Lucy Rose, Ellie Goulding (but minus the synths)
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uodUCtmCRME[/youtube]
Jake Bugg (added 10/01/13) –Noel Gallagher's young protégé who has already found fame in the last year at the Great Escape and Liverpool Sound City, the Nottingham native has made folk and country guitar rock popular again with his debut album
Read our previous coverage of Bugg here.
Bo Saris – blue-eyed soul delivered in a falsetto. It's difficult for me to listen to, but if a Dutchman described as " the new, male equivalent of the late Amy Winehouse" doesn't make you shrink in horror…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-cUVZThQVs[/youtube]
Bwani Junction – Edinburgh band invoking the Afrobeat spirit of Vampire Weekend with their jaunty guitars. They even describe themselves as "Big Country were from the Soweto". They made their Great Escape debut in 2012 with the Scottish contingent, so it seems only fitting that they make their SXSW debut this year.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbYjSamxS30[/youtube]
Matt Cardle (added 10/01/13) – the winner of the 7th season of the UK's X Factor, it'll be interesting if his popularity in Britain will translate into fame in America.
Jamie N Commons – Has singing the blues, just like plaid shirts, become trendy again? If yes, then Jamie N Commons is its poster boy. And if for some reason you miss him and you live in America, don't fret: he'll be supporting Lianne La Havas (his fellow BBC Sound of 2012 longlist alum also at SXSW) on her North American tour directly following the festival.
The Dunwells – it is unfortunate that in the post-Mumford and Sons world, other folk bands that came out in 2009 were left behind. Hopefully, Leeds' Dunwells will use this opportunity in Austin (and New York in January and Colorado in March post-SXSW) to show everyone just how talented they are and they're not Mumford wannabes.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDuv-cG5rtM[/youtube]
Paloma Faith – imagine my surprise to hear that Paloma Faith is now on my mum's approved list, after watching her perform on Graham Norton. I'm kind of interested to see what kind of people would show up to see her in Austin: Amy Winehouse fans?
Read our previous coverage on Paloma here.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvHiflzabHg[/youtube]
Fossil Collective – If you transported the Byrds to Leeds, what would they sound like? Probably something similar to Fossil Collective. I might have compared them to Fleet Foxes, except that in the press shots I've seen of Dave Fendick and Jonny Hooker, only one of them has a beard so…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYPBPVoACgE[/youtube]
For some mp3s and John's review of their EP 'On and On', head here.
Goldheart Assembly – Having loved their 2010 debut album 'Wolves and Thieves', I felt like it'd been nearly forever since I last heard anything about Goldheart Assembly. When I checked on TGTF, the last thing I'd written on them, a post about their single 'Harvest in the Snow', was posted in March 2011. It'll be 2 years, then, when they make their way to Austin, and not a moment too soon. Were they waiting for the Fleet Foxes love – and expected backlash – to die down? We'll never know for sure, but I for one will be eager to see them live for the first time.
Catch all our previous Goldheart coverage here.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeRse7-lXM4[/youtube]
Ed Harcourt – Compared to the other singer/songwriters on the SXSW list, Ed Harcourt is a relative granddaddy – at 35, he's released five studio albums to date, with an sixth, 'Back into the Woods', to follow in late February 2013. 'The Man That Time Forgot', the first song to be offered up from the new album, can be downloaded for free here.
Robyn Hitchcock – When your own Web site is called 'a museum', you know you've paid your dues to the music industry. This is where cult singer/songwriter Robyn Hitchcock finds himself, revered in the UK for his English eccentricity, though I am very curious at the kind of turnout for his shows at SXSW and indeed, where they will have him play.
Jesca Hoop (added 10/01/13) – to some of us, she's better known associated with Elbow. Not actually British (she's a Californian transplant to Manchester after Guy Garvey discovered), she started with a very eclectic sound which turned decidedly poppier with 'Hospital (Win Your Love)', the last time we checked in with her.
Read our previous coverage of Hoop here.
James Hunter – from the same town as Lammo (Colchester) comes this r&b and soul singer, previously nominated for a Grammy for his 2006 album 'People Gonna Talk'. This is exactly the kind of music I don't usually seek out, so I'm rather keen to see him play. I'm imagining the scene to be as hopping as JD MacPherson's at last year's Great Escape.
Josephine – if Morrissey was a young black woman, he might just sound like Josephine. (And yes. I didn't believe Paul Lester either until I heard 'What a Day'.) I haven't heard her debut album but I've been told the rest of it doesn't sound Smiths-esque, so you can't blame Manchester for it.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hngRpjPafI[/youtube]
Kodaline – Gary Barlow's favourite new band from Dublin doesn't show any signs of slowing down after getting a BBC Sound of 2013 longlist nod, We've written quite a bit about this band, so you can read all of that here. They have new EP out in March, and the promo video for its title track 'High Hopes' is below.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4povfmX144[/youtube]
Cate Le Bon – Cate Le Bon is a breath of fresh air compared to most of the other Welsh acts tipped for 2013's SXSW, which appear to all be thrashy, hard rock bands made up of men.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swJNnYHFPWA[/youtube]
Sounds like: Beth Jeans Houghton with a fixation on death
Let's Buy Happiness – happy guitar rock/pop band from Newcastle.
Sounds like: 'Allo Darlin, without the harmonies.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-1nLr6Gl4I[/youtube]
Jim Lockey and the Solemn Sun – Jim Lockey sans band was the first band of the Xtra Mile Recordings showcase on my first night at SXSW 2012, so let's see if he can manage to bring his entire band out for 2013. I think of his as 'Frank Turner lite', if that helps you imagine what he sounds like.
Read our previous live coverage of Jim Lockey and the Solemn Sun here.
My Darling Clementine – 'country/soul' duo from Birmingham by husband/wife coupling Michael Weston King and Lou Dalgleish. Long Facebook profiles seem overdone to me, so…
Willy Moon (added 10/01/13) – placing #6 in the TGTF 10 for 2012 readers' poll, signing to Jack White's Third Man Records, having one of his songs play on a new iPod advert in America? Willy Moon's life just gets better and better. A little bit pop, a little bit soul, a little bit '50s styling for one hip sound.
Read our previous coverage on Willy here.
Tom Odell (added 10/01/13) – Having already won the BRITs 2013 Critics' Choice award, the sky's the limit for this Chichester-born singer/songwriter.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwpMEbgC7DA[/youtube]
Christopher Rees – Cardiff singer/songwriter that NME describes like this: "It's not easy to achieve noise metal god status accompanied by a cello but Christopher Rees makes an awesome, bloody fist of it. Pumped up and snarling but managing to wrench beautiful tunes out of the wreckage… This is seriously amazing stuff". This description has us intrigued!
Roo Panes – 'classical folk pop' is not a genre normally explored here, but I'm always up for a challenge. This is Andrew 'Roo' Panes' project with a strong backing and voal harmonising band. He has already been singled out for his handsomeness, as Burberry chose him to model their autumn/winter 2012 collection. Given Mumford and Laura Marling's recent meteoric rise to fame in America, Roo Panes is the odds-on favourite to follow in their footsteps.
Sounds like: he should be signed to Communion, if Ben Lovett hasn't come sniffing round yet
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGP-TnIoejk[/youtube]
Lucy Rose – We, of course, already knew how talented she was. But 2013 could just be the year that Lucy Rose breaks out of Bombay Bicycle's shadow and becomes a huge worldwide success in her own right. Though I worry what would happen to Lucy if she suddenly became massive; would she stop doing the things like Tweet at her mother on Steve Lamacq's Roundtable that make me go, "oh, bless!"? A scary prospect…
Read our previous coverage on Lucy Rose here.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adBPg8Zdp2g[/youtube]
Paul Thomas Saunders – it must be hard to be Paul Thomas Saunders, a Leeds singer/songwriter in his late twenties and allergic to alcohol. But I guess he must use all that extra free time not boozing at the pub to write. Evidently I missed a "triumphant" appearance at last year's Great Escape. Need to rectify that.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EILsIxupmcM[/youtube]
Jack Savoretti – part Italian, but that's where any comparison to Paolo Nutini ends. Savoretti has already been on the road with Corinne Bailey Rae and shored up Radio2 support, but why isn't he massive? Just wait until one of his songs gets synced on a major film soundtrack.
Sounds like: a harder, more pop Bob Dylan, a gentler Bruce Springsteen
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umBAmzf0SXs[/youtube]
Skinny Lister – this London folk band have already made quite an impact on America, through a previous appearance at SXSW and then an even more surprising appearance last year on the Vans Warped tour of North America. Could they be riding the Mumford wave? Possibly. Their debut album 'Forge and Flagon' gets an American release this month, so we'll see if the momentum lasts.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsqaLfWMcp8[/youtube]
The Staves – three harmonising sisters with guitars from Watford who are no stranger to America, having toured here a couple times now with the (now defunct?) Civil Wars, I was surprised to see them get another turn at SXSW. If they do get an opportunity to sing in St. David's again like in 2012, go, go, GO. You won't be disappointed.
Story Books – Kent band sounding at times haunting and at times bombastic. Not really sure why they're not more popular or, frankly, why we haven't heard of them yet.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLumIFt_tFQ[/youtube]
Richard Thompson – like Robyn Hitchcock, I'm not entirely sure what Richard Thompson is doing on a list of acts scheduled to perform at SXSW. Having already made a name for himself as a member of Fairport Convention and then with his wife Linda and now as a solo artist, I suspect he'll be using the guest spot to advertise his latest album 'Electric', out in February.
Washington Irving – jaunty folk rock wrapped around a Scottish accent.
File next to: Arcade Fire
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvKKXbgCnyc[/youtube]
That's it for the genre chapters in the TGTF Guide to SXSW in January. To not miss any of our SXSW 2013 coverage, bookmark this tag and of course, keep it here on TGTF for even more great content in the weeks leading up to the big event in March!
TGTF Guide to SXSW 2013: Electronic and DJ UK artists showcasing at this year's SXSW
By Mary Chang on Tuesday, 22nd January 2013 at 11:00 am
We here at TGTF have already brought you the pop and pop hybrid acts list and the follow-up addendum, plus last week's rock, metal and punk acts list. What I had envisioned this guide to be was simply a handy resource if you were wondering which acts to catch at this year's marathon week of showcases, parties and secret shows. But even if you're not attending the big event, I hope it'll also introduce you to the solo artists and bands you haven't heard of, because that's the most exciting thing about SXSW: at any one moment, you could walk into a bar, a club, a hotel, a warehouse, wherever…and you might just discover the next big thing in music. And that isn't limited to one place or one event. You can find new music anywhere.
This week? Part three of the genre section of the exclusive TGTF Guide to SXSW 2013 continues today with electronic and electronic-based acts and DJs. This kind of music is very near and dear to my heart; when I was younger it was dance music, music with a good beat that you could dance and forget the terrible things I was dealing with in my life. It was weirdly appropriate reading an interview with Ed Macfarlane of Friendly Fires many years later, explaining their music as escapist. I never looked at electronic music was that black and white; just like any other music, you get out of it something different than the next person. But electronic music in particular has a way of making me feel alive in a way that many other types don't. Below is a listing of all the UK acts I've classed as electronic or electronic-based, or are straight DJs.
Electronic / electronic-related bands
The Adamski Kid – is it a commentary of our reliance on electronics these days that there are so many bands now that are only 'bands' in the live sense? In the case of The Adamski Kid, the act is Adam Karayiannis, mashing up dance and rock in crazy fashion, the way Talking Heads were crazy. Already a fave of Tom Robinson and Chris Hawkins on 6music and BBC Introducing on Radio1 with Jen and Ally, he'll probably become a fixture in the UK soon.
Sounds like: the product if Django Django and Darwin Deez had a love child and then spray painted his face so he'd look like King Tut.
CHVRCHES – if you never thought the words 'Scottish' and 'electropop' should be in the same sentence like I did, think again. Having landed in the BBC Sound of 2013 longlist, been voted to the top of Generator's Tipping Point Top of the Tips 2012, and receiving praise from Pitchfork, my opinion doesn't count for much. But personally, it sounds too cartoony to me to be serious.
Sounds like: bubblegum pop's wash put through a synth wringer
Alex Clare – 2012 was a big year in America for Alex Clare, and he has Microsoft to thank for that: the computer giant used the East Londoner's song 'Too Close' on their Internet Explorer 9 adverts, firmly embedding the slow-burning, soulful love song with wub wub wubs into the American consciousness and leading to a sold out tour of North America in autumn 2012. While it's virtually guaranteed that all of Clare's appearances at SXSW will be rammed, for sure he won't be playing after sundown Friday until Saturday evening: he's an Orthodox Jew.
Chad Valley (added 10/01/13) – Oxford chillwave at its finest.
Dauwd – In an interview with the Ableton Web site, Dauwd Al Hilali describes his musical process as "[finding] a groove in something that perhaps you wouldn't expect, for example maybe a recording of an object falling and rolling on the ground. There would be an infinite amount of detail in this, where you could isolate any part and work with the 'natural groove/rhythm' it creates. This would be impossible to recreate through MIDI alone, and gives a really organic sound." Hmmm. Electronic, with a difference?
Duologue – electronic bedroom experimentalists that turned themselves into a full-fledged band playing an interesting mix of electronic and guitar rock.
Catch all of our previous coverage on Duologue here.
Eaux – this London trio – formed from the remnants of the Sian Alice Group – make music that's too dark to be called dream pop, but nevertheless captures your imagination like snowflakes in the deepest, darkest night.
Sounds like: the xx, but more subversive; the Hundred in the Hands, but less dance; Bjork, but less oddball
Fenech-Soler (added 10/01/13) – Originally from Kings Cliffe, the synth-loving foursome that made 'Stop and Stare' a massive radio hit in 2010 are ready for their SXSW close-up. They've already made a huge stir with new single 'All I Know', having landed at #6 on our 10 for 2013 readers' poll.
Read all of our previous coverage of Fenech-Soler here.
The Ghosts – wonder what happened to the other members of Ou Est Le Swimming Pool after the untimely death of their singer at Pukkelpop 2010? Ex-Ou Est… member Alex Starling is the frontman for this electronic outfit also starring New York trained jazz drummer Ian Palmer and Canadian keyboardist / violin player Rayna Ferner.
K.I.D.S. – Can anyone out there give me some more info on this band? Besides a pretty anonymous Soundcloud, there's not much else on the net.
Little Boots – Victoria Hesketh's most recent single releases, spring 2012's 'Headphones' and 'Every Time I Say a Prayer', sees the former La Roux sparring partner head into a more dance – and less pop – direction for her new album, out later this year.
All of our previous posts on Little Boots are here.
Man Without Country – Southern Welsh electronic duo with an unusual writing style: you see, Ryan James and Tomas Greenhalf met in university but now live in different cities, requiring long-distance collaboration. Live, they bring in drummer Mike Monaghan, adding an extra element to the duo's already rich-sounding soundscapes. They've already opened for Mute labelmate M83, so all signs are good for them to be well received at SXSW.
Read our live coverage of the duo here.
Modestep – a live dubstep (yes, those wub wub wubs) and electronic band from London. Are they really necessary? I guess we will find out, with their debut album 'Evolution Theory' out on the 14th of January 2013 on A&M.
The 1975 – a band from Manchester blending synth into rock? You don't say! (I readily admit to being completely sceptical about another band from the city that gave us the legendary New Order.) Us here at TGTF actually like The 1975 a lot, especially after they ditched their old name The Big Sleep to avoid confusion with another band from New York of the same name. A number gives you uniqueness, character…something that also describes their music.
Read all of our previous coverage on The 1975 here.
NO CEREMONY/// – you may recall this mysterious Manchester act (why does it feel like I've been typing that phrase out umpteenth times?) by the remixes they've done for The Good Natured, Zulu Winter, and more recently, their fellow Mancunians the 1975. It's not clear what those three backslashes are for – maybe they stand for three band members? – but until I physically see any of them live, I'm assuming it's three skinny English blokes in front of synths and sequencers that together weigh more than they do. Paul Lester wants it to be Natalie Curtis channelling her late father, but I don't have such fanciful notions…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtNL3Ic30Rc
NZCA/LINES – "A beautiful electronic ode to dislocation."
Reverend and the Makers – Jon McClure and his merry band from Sheffield will be bringing their high energy, electro-tinged rock to SXSW and not a moment too soon. I was gutted when they pulled out of their Brighton Dome slot at last year's Great Escape, so it'll be cool to see them in an entirely different environment.
Read all our previous coverage on the Rev here.
Tropics (added 10/01/13) – a Southampton version of Caribou – chillwave, polyrhythmic, Afrobeat-ish.
Young Fathers – "Ol' Dirty chose his moniker because there was no father to his bastard style. Young Fathers earn theirs by making something so fresh it doesn't yet have a name. These are three fellas from Edinburgh who've been working together since they were 14, who have an elastic mind meld that mimics their fused sensibility of sound, who one day locked themselves in a dingy Scottish basement and came out with something that'd never been done — a fearless combination of beat, rap and song that smells not only of its dark and dank birthplace, but of discovery and of communion."
Grab a free mp3 of 'Deadline', from their release 'Tape One', fom this previous MP3 of the Day post.
Bonobo – named after and not actually a chimpanzee (that much I figured, but you know how my boffin mind works…) London musician, DJ and producer who have already blown minds around the world, so expect the same in Austin.
DELS – The fastest growing genre at SXSW in recent years has been urban / hip hop, though Londoner Kieren Dickens can be described not just in hip hop terms but also on the experimental scene, mixing his loves of garage, electro, and dance. His Facebook says live he tours with three other bandmates but it remains to be seen if they will be brought over for this year's SXSW.
DJ Abrantee – he's the host of Choice FM's drive time show Monday through Saturday and its Popular and Trending Afrobeats show each Saturday night, has his own Sky TV programme (since 2009, and is an actor. Afrobeats are celebratory, and I'm sure he'll be bringing his carnival to wherever he's dropping beats during SXSW.
DJ Edu – Kenyan-born, London-based DJ Edu should be familiar to regular BBC 1Xtra listeners, presenting the Destination Africa show, described on the BBC's Web site as "bringing the sound of the African underground to the speakers of the UK and the world." Anticipate the best and latest Afrobeats to be dropped.
DJ Yoda – hip hop meets turntables. FACT Magazine describes his music as "technicolour boom-bap and plenty of notable guest spots." Make of that what you will.
Girl Unit – neither a girl, nor a unit – it's one man, Philip Gamble, a dubstep musician and producer. Groan. His 2012 EP 'Club Rez' has already been reviewed – and favourably – on Pitchfork, so I think it's not much of a guess that his SXSW appearances will be rammed.
Jackmaster – Glasgow's Jack Revill has been DJaying now for a decade, but he's kept himself fresh by puttin<a hrefg his hand in four labels, a club night, and a day job, besides his DJ gigs. Having DJayed all over the world and having made an appearance late last year at Manchester's Warehouse Project, he's more than ready for his close-up at SXSW.
Jam City – identity unknown, but he (?) is on Night Slugs with Girl Unit and interviewed him for this Hyponik feature, so my guess is that their vibes are similar. Just a random guess though.
L-Vis 1990 – James Connolly is the co-founder of Night Slugs, whose roster includes previously discussed DJ acts Girl Unit and Jam City and whose origin arose from a monthly club night he and another London DJ Bok Bok hosted. Though he's found fame as a remixer for Orbital (grab the remix of 'New France' here), Passion Pit, Frankmusik and Crystal Fighters, my guess is he'll be bringing his blend of Chicago house, drum and bass, grime and Baltimore club to Austin.
Mista Silva – is Boomboomtah you new religion? Then you've already heard of Mista Silva. For everyone else though, I was seriously amused by this bit from his official Web site: "Being of Ghanaian origin, Kwame Amponsa was brought up around the sounds of hi-life and its modern form hip-life where artists rapped and sung in their native tongue over hard hitting and melodic beats. Mista Silva later adapted this to Funky House and became known for blending catchy bars inhis native language with common club chants[,] e.g.[,] the crowd enticing "Kelebom, go down low!" Keen to pay full homage to his roots, Silva made the swift transition from Funky House to Afrobeats." And that's all she wrote.
Redinho – London producer Tom Calvert's formative years in America could be to blame for what he's doing now: elevating turntablism to an art form, and mixing hip hop and electronic into his sound. He appeared at last year's Isle of Wight and will appear at Barcelona's Razzmatazz right before heading over to Austin, so his name, style and reputation should precede him.
Sophie – I've no idea what he (?) sounds like, as all I'm seeing online are remixes. But he's signed to Huntley and Palmers' label and keeps having shows with other London DJs, he must be doing something right.
Southern Hospitality DJs – DJs Rob Breezy and Superix founded the now infamous Hip Hop Karaoke London, the first of its kind in the UK and an event that has been a road-block every single month at the Social in central London. Recognised for this and many other dance nights their group put on by tonnes of tv and radio stations, newspapers and other media outlets in Britain, they've become a DJ force to be reckoned with and won't be going anywhere anytime soon. Just shut up and dance!
Sticky – one of the UK's leading club music producers in the height of the UK Garage scene. His distinctive sound not only made his music unavoidable in the clubs during this era, but also launched the careers of a number of the UK's leading talents including the 2002 Mercury Prize-winning Ms. Dynamite.
TCTS – Manchester DJ and producer Sam O'Neill offers "futuristic garage with echoes of neo soul and soft whispers of classic Chicago house".
Toddla T – and speaking of repeat nod surprises, Toddla T gets another nod from SXSW 2 years in a row too, leading me to believe that he'll again be asked to preside over the dancey DJayed end of some night of British Music Embassy programming at Latitude 30 again. Not really my thing but if that's what they're looking for…
Previous coverage of Toddla T are here.
Next week here on TGTF we'll be bringing the fourth and final genre chapter of the TGTF Guide to SXSW 2013. On Tuesday, we bring the singer/songwriters and folk artistes. Catch us then!
TGTF Guide to SXSW 2013: Rock, punk and metal UK artists showcasing at this year's SXSW
Carrying on with the genre section of the exclusive TGTF Guide to SXSW 2013 to continue through January each Tuesday, today we're bringing you the UK bands slated to perform at this year's SXSW that play rock, punk, metal and every combination in between. (Last week, we brought you the pop and pop hybrid acts list, which you can catch up on here.) Each part of the TGTF Guide to SXSW 2013 is a handy resource if you're wondering which acts to catch at this year's marathon week of showcases, parties and secret shows. But I hope it'll also introduce you to the solo artists and bands you haven't heard of, because that's the most exciting thing about SXSW: at any one moment, you could walk into a bar, a club, a hotel, a warehouse, wherever…and you might just discover the next big thing in music.
What do all these acts in the rock / punk / metal genre list have in common besides being from Britain? Powerful guitars, punishing bass and drums and in most cases, vocals worthy of idolatry. How they achieve this differs from act to act, as you will read and see/hear below.
Belligerence (added 10/01/13) – heavy metal from Portsmouth. I'm finding it hard to find information on them, as there's another band – also metal – from Prague with the same name…
File next to: Biohazard, Clutch, Pantera
The Blackout – Welsh post-hardcore band who have been soldiering on since their formation in 2003. Right, that means they've been around a decade. How many other bands, no matter what the genre, still exist after 10 years? They must be doing something right. Their next album, 'Start the Party', is scheduled to be out on the 21st of January 2013. We won't post the name of their sweary big hit, but John mentions it in his day 2 roundup of Leeds Fest 2011.
Brutality Will Prevail – This Cardiff hardcore band had been signed previously to Alex Fitzgerald's Holy Roar label and are now with Purgatory Records (sensing a theme here?), who this year released their latest album, 'Scatter the Ashes'. Expect something punishing.
Touring with: Cancer Bats and Empress in March 2013 (maybe now they won't appear at some of the dates on this previous organised tour, since the middle of it is smack dab during SXSW).
China Rats – Leeds lad rock. Legend has it that thanks to the tour bus of Bat for Lashes breaking down on the way to this year's Benicassim, the band found themselves headlining the Valencia festival. Is '(At Least Those) Kids are Getting Fed' a commentary on the North East, or a wider problem across Britain?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52bv0BorhFM[/youtube]
The Crookes – The Crookes made their SXSW debut in 2011 and when I finally met them in Brighton in May 2012, they were eager to return, so I'm really pleased for them getting another SXSW nod. This time, they'll have the good time sounds of 'Hold Fast' (my top album of 2012) under their belts and I'm sure there will be a gaggle of new American fans of theirs (mostly female?) following their every move. I'll be catching them as many times as I can, so do come and say hello.
Seeing that I've been a fan of theirs since the 'Dreams of Another Day' EP in 2010, there is a boatload of Crookes coverage you can read on TGTF, starting here.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TppUoY4zpFQ[/youtube]
Crowns – Coming off of their December tour raising awareness of UK homelessness, Cornwall's Crowns will bring their fun rock 'n' roll sound to Austin. I missed their show at the Cornwall Pasty Company at last year's Great Escape (really kicking myself over this…I mean, come on, that would have been the ultimate party conversation starter, right?) but I'm determined to catch them on American soil.
Read all of our previous Crowns coverage here.
The Enemy – my guess is that the Enemy are to be the younger equivalent of and will act like Kaiser Chiefs at last year's SXSW: pulling in a good number of fans for their perfectly good but possibly unextraordinary sets in a post-Oasis breakup world. Since they've been around for a while (3 albums' worth) in the UK, they're not likely to be high on the average UK attendees' must-see list, but I've never seen them before, so if they show up at Stubb's, I might head on over.
Read our previous Enemy coverage here.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lupg5BHzH34[/youtube]
Evans the Death – This band already has a Rolling Stone description (huh?): "This London band mixes post–Smiths jangle and early–grunge sludge, as Katherine Whitaker explores varying shades of bad romance. Her raw emotion blends with slashing, whirling guitars to inject paralysis with weird power." When you see they've been signed to Slumberland Records here in America ('Allo Darlin' and the Pains of Being Pure at Heart's American home), it all seems to make sense…
Sounds like: the Libertines, if they had a female out in front
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MX8VcqY8qts[/youtube]
Gallops – why do I feel the need to mention Mogwai every time I hear a proggy band? Wrexham group Gallops aren't nearly hard enough to warrant the comparison, although with titles like 'Astaroth' and 'Hongliday' their Blood and Biscuits' debut ' 'Yours Sincerely, Dr. Hardcore', you'd not be putting experimental band in the pop box anyhow. (Something interesting I found on the band's Tumblr: the linked to the Kitsune Maison 11 compilation – didn't see that coming at all.)
Gallows – they're punks. They deliver punishing sets at festivals, such as at 2000 Trees last year. And Frank Carter left them in 2011 to start Pure Love. That's all you really need to know, right?
Hawk Eyes – punishing hard rock from Leeds. Their 2012 album 'Ideas' got top marks from Kerrang! and Artrocker so you know where this is going…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1szIsuhqcUc[/youtube]
Nik Turner's Hawkwind – the current incarnation of history's first space rock groups.
Heaven's Basement (added 10/01/13) – a hard rock band who has been soldiering on for quite a while (since 2008) and are releasing their debut album, 'Filthy Empires', this year. They've supported big names like Bon Jovi and Papa Roach, so is this an indicator of their hard rock prowess? We'll see at this year's event.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP1u79wSdDY[/youtube]
The Joy Formidable – what can we say about Welsh rock band Joy Formidable that hasn't already been said? When you've been hand-picked by Dave Grohl as the man's own favourite band right now, calling them "a killer live band", 'nuff said really, yeah? The other facts that they are truly some of the loveliest people we have met and are always so happy about our coverage of them? That's just icing on the cake. I've seen them several times now but the only time I've seen them at SXSW was on a live stream in 2011, which doesn't really count, so I'm making it a point to catch them this time around.
Read all our previous coverage of the Joy Formidable here.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_t4s-HX3z0[/youtube]
Kassidy – some have called them the Scottish Kings of Leon, but that's just lazy journalism. We've been following the folky rock hybrid band since their early EPs in 2010, and trust us, they're way better than the Followills.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMiBIHqeoa4[/youtube]
Read our previous coverage of Kassidy here.
Kill It Kid – wow, I don't have to write a piece on them, because they placed #10 on our 10 for 2013 list and Martin's already done for me. Revivalist blues from Bath.
Klaxons – they've been around a while. They won a Mercury Prize in 2007 for 'Myths of the New Future'. Their last album 'Surfing the Void' released in 2010 ">has a cat in an astronaut suit on the cover. Sorry, I'm having trouble sounding knowledgeable about Klaxons because I don't really like them all that much.
Read our previous coverage on Klaxons here.
Little Barrie – 'powerhouse' is a word that seems to be following this Nottingham formed, London transplanted trio. But if you're going to call Little Barrie a powerhouse trio, then surely you mean to compare to the greats of rock 'n' roll.
Sounds like: a more radio-polished Cream or at least a band that came out swinging in the Sixties, not in the Noughties
LostAlone – Derby band who have been described as "breathtaking Queen-style harmonies and classic metal bite" and compared to Muse. How is it possible that we've never heard about them, then?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47rV458G-f4[/youtube]
New Ivory – according to MTV Iggy, these guys from London are the new knights of British indie rock. I am struggling to find a comparison, except maybe they sound like early Arctic Monkeys or Two Door Cinema Club, but not as catchy? (Yeah, I know. Damning with faint praise, aren't I? Sorry.) Steve Aoki is a fan, having signed them to his Dim Mak Records. I dunno. Maybe they'll actually sound better in person at SXSW.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHEJaMTQJv8[/youtube]
Orange Goblin (added 10/01/13) – formerly known as Our Haunted Kingdom, on first glance you have to wonder if the new name was for a cuddlier image. So imagine my surprise that this is a heavy metal band! Having put out their first album in 1997, they're definitely the granddaddies of the rock/metal/punk group, but having changed their sound from stoner/doom to their current more metal sound proves that they aren't willing to stand in one place musically. A special live album for their devoted, 'A Eulogy for the Fans', will be released in March.
Palma Violets – I've refrained about writing about Palma Violets from Lambeth, South London, as what I've heard from them makes me think of The Vaccines, who came out of an NME promotional campaign firestorm and their #3 placing on the BBC Sound of 2011 poll with loads of fans clamouring to see them at major festivals. It's 2013 now and look what's happened: Palma Violets are on the BBC Sound of 2013 longlist. Overhyped band leads to foregone conclusion…appearing as a support act to headliners Django Django on the 2013 NME Awards tour next month sounds like an NME mistake then…
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poFXWUTEs1k[/youtube]
PAWS – Scottish three-piece banging out tunes in a garage-y, lo-fi style. It should come as no surprise that they have a strong DIY aesthetic, as they're great fans of bands like Dinosaur Jr and the Pixies, even having a song called 'Kim Deal' in their arsenal.
Sounds like: the Cribs or Peace, if they were from far north of the border.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiDEkoPKCkk[/youtube]
Peace – We won't waste your time here, since the band have already been tipped on the BBC Sound of 2013 poll. Read our previous Peace coverage, including their 10 for 2013 profile (they placed #5 on this last readers' poll), here.
Peers – 6music's Tom Robinson was an early supporter of this Reading band in 2010, the year the young band, then all under the age of 18, played the BBC Introducing stage at Reading and Leeds. The unsigned band cite Bombay Bicycle Club as a major influence, and if you squeeze your eyes real tight, you can hear Jack Steadman's impact on singer Matt Thompson's vocals.
Savages – dissonant post-punk via an unusual package – four women from London. Is it their anti-establishment stance that attracted the BBC Sound of 2013 tipsters? We'll never know for sure but I guess imitating Patti Smith and looking sullen are the highest form of flattery? They could have at least smiled for the photos on their Facebook…
Sounds like: trying too hard to be a 21st century Siouxsie and the Banshees
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y-cVzbBBQ8[/youtube]
Sharks – usually punk is associated with a lo-fi, scuzzy sound, but this band from Leamington Spa sound remarkably polished, with hybrid punk/pop songs that could have easily slotted in with the music I listened here in America in high school.
Sound like: a grown up Blink-182, or Green Day when they weren't so political and were still fun
Tall Ships – math rock meets indie rock in an epic way via three high-spirited lads from Brighton. John adored their 2012 opus 'Everything Touching' and for a Foals loving nation, it's a wonder they aren't bigger in the UK. Foals? Who are they?
Read our previous coverage on Tall Ships here.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JYt3eYDQY0[/youtube]
Tango in the Attic – Scottish band from Glenrothes having Two Door Cinema Club-type guitars with reverb.
File next to: Smith Westerns
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke9eHi6Ze_A[/youtube]
Throne – there's not a lot known about this London band, except that they're known to 'level rooms' with their bad boy riffage when they appear in the Capital. You have been warned.
TOY (added 10/01/13) – psychedelic rock from a band made up of some members for the group Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong. I don't feel like it's really necessary to write about them, considering nearly every friend of mine rates them quite highly. Not really my thing, but I'm pretty sure they will do well in Austin.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcQ2nXDvWDY[/youtube]
Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls (added 10/01/13) – I nearly put Frank Turner's band in the singer/songwriter category, but since his appearances at this year's SXSW will be louder and more raucous than his solo turn last year at the Xtra Mile Recordings showcase, in the end there was no contest.
We've written quite about the man on TGTF, and you can read all of that through here.
Virals – vehicle for Worcester's Shaun Hencher, who with his live band have most recently supported #5 10 for 2013 band Peace in the UK. Now Hencher's looking to make a big splash at their American live debut at SXSW.
Sounds like: a cross between Male Bonding, Two Wounded Birds (RIP) and the Vaccines. Get yer sunnies out!
The Virginmarys – Macclesfield will soon be known for more than Ian Curtis, if this trio have anything to say about it. Their sound? Hard rocking, arse-kicking tunes.
File next to: Kasabian, Biffy Clyro
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8ehThdbXJs[/youtube]
Wet Nuns – even with quite possibly one of the silliest names for a band ever, Sheffield duo Wet Nuns had a spectacular 2012, getting attention not only for their silly name but their punk crossed with blues schizophrenic sound.
Sounds like: the evil child borne from Band of Skulls and the Black Keys
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAe5OFCuLxY[/youtube]
While She Sleeps – is heavy metal more your thing? Then I suppose you should look to Sheffield and a band like While She Sleeps for your jollies. Luke caught them last summer at day 2 of Slam Dunk South.
Young Guns – this band has been around for quite a while, but it wasn't until summer 2012 that they had an American record deal. Radio-friendly, not too hard rock sound made by youngish, good-looking boys in leather: in short, an American label signing coup.
Read all our previous coverage of Young Guns here.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qk3vjIDuy9w[/youtube]
The Zombies – "What's your name? / Who's your daddy? / Is he rich like me?" All kidding aside, the Zombies have been around for over 50 years. Fifty effin' years. They called themselves the Zombies before it was hip to like zombies. Though they're down to only two original members – Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent – contrary to popular belief, it was they, not Friendly Fires, who put St. Albans on the musical map.
Read Braden's interview with Colin and Rod from 2 years ago here.
Electronic bands and DJs are up next week. So catch us next Tuesday for the third chapter of the genre section of the TGTF Guide to SXSW 2013!
TGTF Guide to SXSW 2013: Addendum to pop and pop hybrid UK artists showcasing at this year's SXSW
By Mary Chang on Monday, 14th January 2013 at 11:00 am
The folks at SXSW decided to make my life more complicated in adding more bands last Thursday (10/01/2013) to their officially showcasing list. Since I'd already published my pop and pop hybrid UK act list last Tuesday, I decided it wouldn't be fair to leave anyone out, so here is an addendum…
Camera Obscura – I couldn't be happier that Traceyanne Campbell and company are heading back to these shores, after only seeing them once – in 2009 – in support of 'My Maudlin Career', which still rates highly on my favourite albums of all time. Sterling songwriting that tickles the heartstrings? Yes, please.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfDg7Vz8Ow4[/youtube]
Frightened Rabbit – Scottish indie rock band that started out as a cult favourite in Britain but are now pretty much household names in America, selling out increasingly larger venues on every successive North American tour. The group from Selkirk is showing everyone how it's done – with great songs and loads of hard work.
Catch all of our previous coverage on Frightened Rabbit here.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY4j8Ow-CTs[/youtube]
Lovelife – whatever to became to Viva Brother? Singer Leonard Newell and former Mirrors member Ally Young have reconvened to this poppier duo.
Scanners – eclectic alt-pop band from London already beloved by America and the UK for all the times their songs that have already been used in television spots.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeybxDszn0Q[/youtube]
The TGTF Guide to SXSW 2013 rolls on tomorrow with the rock, metal and punk acts of the UK!


text:
Q: policy does not work - Member must satisfy regular expression pattern: [\u0009\u000A\u000D\u0020-\u00FF]+ created a policy.json file to load to my aws kms resource. This is the command I'm running (I masked key-id):
aws kms put-key-policy --key-id xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxx --policy-name default --policy file://policy.json

This is the content of the file (I masked account ID with random numbers)
{
  "Version" : "2012-10-17",
  "Id" : "key-consolepolicy-3",
  "Statement" : [ {
    "Sid" : "Enable IAM User Permissions",
    "Effect" : "Allow",
    "Principal" : {
      "AWS" : "arn:aws:iam::123456789012:root"

    },
    "Action" : "kms:*",
    "Resource" : "*"
  },
  {
    "Effect": "Allow",
    "Principal": {
        "Service": "logs.us-east-1.amazonaws.com"
    },
    "Action": [
        "kms:Encrypt*",
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    ],
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    "Condition": {
        "ArnLike": {
            "kms:EncryptionContext:aws:logs:arn": "arn:aws:logs:us-east-1:123456789012:*"
        }
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}

I'm basically trying to follow this page here: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonCloudWatch/latest/logs/encrypt-log-data-kms.html
I get the following error:
at 'policy' failed to satisfy constraint: Member must satisfy regular expression pattern: [\u0009\u000A\u000D\u0020-\u00FF]+

I understand 0009 is TAB, 000A is line feed, 000A is carriage return etc but it still doesn't make sense to me. My policy looks like a proper json to me. Does anybody know what's wrong here?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


How smart is your home? In 2019, it's possible your house is smarter than you.
Designed to provide energy efficiency, security and comfort conveniences, the smart home can do it all on command. Control lighting, heating, cooling, appliances, televisions, computers and other security features! How is this all possible? Internet connectivity and cloud storage. The technology brings convenience and electronic intelligence right to your fingertips. Another couple advantages include the smart technology communicates with each other AND can be remotely controlled via your smart phone or online.
Most thermostats only read the temperature in one area, which can make other rooms too hot or too cold. Technology – like ecobee4 or Nest – comes with room sensors to help manage hot or cold spots. Place sensors in the most popular rooms – that way, the smart gadget can read the temperature, detect occupancy and adjust accordingly so it's just right.
Smart leak detection sensors monitor your home's plumbing, looking for leaks and malfunctions. They can assist you in preventing water damage and the growth of mold and mildew inside a wall due to a slow leak.
If you have ever left home for the day or, even worse, been on vacation and suddenly you're unsure if you left the garage door open – a smart garage door opener offers convenience, improved home security and peace of mind. Check the open or closed status of your garage door via an app on your smartphone as well as open it or close it remotely. In other words, it's possible to be on the other side of the Earth and still control your garage door.


text:
NASA Administrator: A New Name Is Circulating
Editor's note: Now that Steve Isakowitz has been shot down by Sen. Nelson, and Scott Gration is headed to Africa, a new name has started to circulate inside the Obama Administration as a possible NASA Administrator: Mae Jemison. Dr. Jemison is a former astronaut who flew on STS-47 in 1992. Jemison went to college with Valerie Jarrett, a senior advisor to President Obama. Jemison has been present at some initial Administration planning activities when Jarrett was in attendance. Stay tuned.
Marking Womens History, an Accomplished Troupe, Washington Post
"First Lady Michelle Obama will celebrate Womens History Month on Thursday by bringing a star-studded group of female actors, singers and others to visit 11 schools in the Washington area. .. Mae C. Jemison, a former astronaut, will also meet with students."
Florida lawmakers urge Obama to name new NASA chief, Orlando Sentinel
"Two Space Coast lawmakers today urged the Obama administration to quickly pick a new NASA chief as the agency "faces numerous time-sensitive challenges and needs decisive leadership," according to a letter signed by U.S. Reps. Suzanne Kosmas and Bill Posey. Most pressing is the fate of NASA's human spaceflight program. The space shuttle is set for a 2010 retirement, but its replacement is not scheduled to fly before 2015 at the earliest -- which likely would leave thousands of Kennedy Space Center workers without jobs."
First lady tells students to aim their goals high, AP
[Photo] "First lady Michelle Obama, left, hugs former NASA Astronaut Mae C. Jemison, right, as she welcomes guests to the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 19, 2009, as she hosted a series of events in celebration of Women's History Month."
Editor's note: Now that Steve Isakowitz has been shot down by Sen. Nelson, and Scott Gration is headed to Africa, a new name has started to circulate inside the Obama Administration as a possible NASA Administrator: Mae Jemison. Dr. Jemison is a former astronaut who flew on STS-47 in 1992. Jemison went to college with Valerie Jarrett, a senior advisor to President Obama. Jemison has been present at some initial Administration planning activities when Jarrett was in attendance. Stay tuned.\n\nMarking Womens History, an Accomplished Troupe, Washington Post\n\n\"First Lady Michelle Obama will celebrate Womens History Month on Thursday by bringing a star-studded group of female actors, singers and others to visit 11 schools in the Washington area. .. Mae C. Jemison, a former astronaut, will also meet with students.\"\n\nFlorida lawmakers urge Obama to name new NASA chief, Orlando Sentinel\n\n\"Two Space Coast lawmakers today urged the Obama administration to quickly pick a new NASA chief as the agency \"faces numerous time-sensitive challenges and needs decisive leadership,\" according to a letter signed by U.S. Reps. Suzanne Kosmas and Bill Posey. Most pressing is the fate of NASA's human spaceflight program. The space shuttle is set for a 2010 retirement, but its replacement is not scheduled to fly before 2015 at the earliest -- which likely would leave thousands of Kennedy Space Center workers without jobs.\"\n\nFirst lady tells students to aim their goals high, AP\n\n[Photo] \"First lady Michelle Obama, left, hugs former NASA Astronaut Mae C. Jemison, right, as she welcomes guests to the Diplomatic Room of the White House in Washington, Thursday, March 19, 2009, as she hosted a series of events in celebration of Women's History Month.\"
Moose Hunting Season Is Under Way was the previous entry in this blog.
Do As I Say Not As I Do is the next entry in this blog.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


If you want to book one of the more luxurious types of accommodation, you've probably found yourself attracted to boutique hotels and boutique serviced apartments. The problem comes when you need to choose between them – here are just a few reasons why boutique serviced apartments make a better choice.
A boutique hotel caters to fewer guests than a standard hotel, but a boutique serviced apartment will cater to still fewer. Your boutique serviced apartment will probably be converted from a period building, so you should only share the building itself with one or two other apartments. With less guests, the experience will feel more personal and noise during the night shouldn't be such a problem.
Boutique hotels are a cut above regular hotels in every way that counts, including space – nine times out of ten, you'll find yourself relaxing in a larger room than any chain hotel would provide outside its main suites. Of course, you can enjoy even more space when you book a boutique serviced apartment. Most will have separate rooms for living, eating, and sleeping, and even studio apartments will have a dedicated seating area and dining table.
One of the central benefits of any serviced apartment is having a fully-fitted kitchen at your disposal. There's no denying that eating out can be nice, but it starts to get a little expensive and irritating when you need to head out of your accommodation for every meal. When you have your own kitchen, you can prepare healthy snacks and meals without any disruption. Whether you prefer to cook for yourself or need to stay in your accommodation and work, having a kitchen right there makes a boutique serviced apartment infinitely more attractive than a boutique hotel.
Boutique hotels and boutique apartments both serve more discerning guests, but in subtly different ways. In a boutique hotel, the focus tends to be more on creating an interesting and quirky environment. In a boutique serviced apartment, the focus tends to be more on luxury amenities. From coffee machine to carpets, you can expect everything in your room to be of the highest quality.


From Retail Leader By Mike Troy – 01/11/2019 See the Story on Retail Leaders here.
Food retailing is the last sector of retail to experience digital disruption, but the industry is making up for lost time. Since Amazon's acquisition of Whole Foods in Aug. 2017 there has been a flurry of activity with all sort of innovation, acquisitions and new initiatives. Here's five ways food retailing will change in 2019.
ONE: The share of stomach mindset: As food retailers continue to reimagine what it means to be a food retailer, more will embrace the "share of stomach" mentality. Consumers now have unlimited ways to satisfy their hunger and the lines between food at home and food away from home have blurred, leading to new competitive pressures, different competitive sets and more pressure on trips.
Traditional supermarkets can win the share of stomach battle by more effectively leveraging their in-store food preparation capabilities and actively promoting home delivery of prepared foods. Doing so will enable them to win meal occasions from food service operators who food oftentimes isn't as well-prepared as that offered by industry leaders such as Whole Foods, Wegmans, The Fresh Market and Sprouts.
TWO: Eating by attribute: Personalization is hot trend throughout retail and it will have a big impact on food retailing. Niche diets based on lifestyle, fads, medical condition, social concerns and allergies, coupled with a general desire for ingredient transparency, is causing huge shifts in shopper behavior. Fortunately, retailers have gained the needed technological sophistication and data partners to power new merchandising approaches in store and online that speak to evolving shopper segments.
THREE: Automation for expense control: Food retailers are perpetually challenged to control expenses and that won't change in 2019. In fact, it becomes more challenging as retailers serve shoppers in new ways with click and collect gaining popularity and retailers struggling to pick merchandise from stores that aren't optimized to serve as fulfillment centers with wages on the rise. The increased use of automation promises to have a big impact this year and beyond. That's why the retail world will be watching closely this month when Walmart begins experimenting with its Alphabot technology at a 20,000-sq.-ft. addition to a supercenter in Salem, NH. Alphabots pick merchandise and bring it to collection points for click and collect customers without the need for human intervention, resulting in potentially huge labor savings if spread across the company. Meanwhile, Kroger is moving forward with its relationship with U.K. online retailer Ocado with the first of its highly automated grocery picking facilities, a 335,000-sq.-ft. facility near Cincinnati, opening in 2021. Twenty such facilities are planned over time which clearly indicates where Kroger is placing its bets on shopper preferences.
FOUR: Store experience vs. Shopper convenience: Physical stores will still matter, something that is often repeated, but the pendulum has swung toward convenience which is why every retailer on the planet is focused on eliminating friction everywhere on the path to purchase. This trend was evident before the advent of the Amazon Go cashierless stores, but the ability to just walk out has set a new shopper expectation. Beyond effortless payments, convenience is all about format size and channel. The convenience store channel is placing a tremendous emphasis on fresh and prepared foods as a growth driver. Meanwhile, smaller format stores are the fastest growing segment of food retail. Think Aldi with it goal of operating 2,500 stores by 2022 and Lidl, which appears to be regaining its footing with a new CEO in place. Then there are the value players, Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and 99 Cents Only, whose increased emphasis on grocery has a collective impact on traditional supermarkets overall.
FIVE: Home delivery vs. click and collect: Click and collect has rolled out rapidly because customer love it. Over time, and this will become evident in 2019, delivery will gain traction. That's due to even greater convenience since click and collect does still require a trip to a physical location. It won't happen overnight, but as leading provider Instacart has noted, food retailing is a $1 trillion industry and online penetration is only 5%. Speaking of Instacart, the company hasn't had any issue raising cash to fund its growth, but it has indicated it will eventually go public and that could happen this year. One thing Instacast will have to be wary of is the fact that its whole crowdsourced-based business model has the potential to be disrupted by autonomous delivery vehicles, an area of great experimentation with tremendous potential for longer-term disruption.
Thank you for your insights Mike Troy. See the Story on Retail Leaders here.


§ 89-2 Eligibility for tax exemption.
§ 89-5 Calculation of new exemption base due to change in assessment.
§ 89-6 Amount of exemption.
§ 89-7 Requirements for grant of exemption.
§ 89-9 Application for exemption.
§ 89-10 Grant of exemption; recording.
§ 89-12 Cessation of exemption.
Business improvement districts — See Ch. 73.
The Town Board of the Town of Poughkeepsie hereby determines that in order to create or retain permanent private-sector jobs, to provide employment opportunities and broaden the tax base, it is necessary to adopt an accelerated exemption schedule in order to encourage targeted economic development in the Town of Poughkeepsie to the extent provided in § 485-b of the Real Property Tax Law of the State of New York, and as hereinafter provided.
A redevelopment or rehabilitation of real property within a qualified geographic area subsequent to the effective date of this chapter for the purpose of a listed commercial, business, or industrial use shall be eligible for partial exemption from taxation and special ad valorem levies for the increase in assessed value attributable thereto in accordance with this chapter. For purposes of this chapter the terms "construction," "alteration," "installation," and "improvement" shall not include ordinary maintenance and repairs.
Except where specifically defined herein, all words used in this chapter shall carry their customary meanings.
Unless the context requires a different interpretation, any word denoting gender includes the female and the male.
Words used in the singular include the plural, and words used in the plural include the singular, unless the context clearly indicates the contrary.
The word "structure" shall include the word "building" and any man-made object or improvement.
The term "Zoning Law" shall mean the "Zoning Law of the Town of Poughkeepsie, New York," as amended.
The term "Zoning District" shall mean one of the zoning districts as shown on the officially adopted Zoning Map of the Town of Poughkeepsie, as amended.
The term "Zoning Map," shall mean the "Zoning Map of the Town of Poughkeepsie, New York", as amended.
The term "Town Assessor" or "Assessor" shall mean the duly appointed Assessor of the Town of Poughkeepsie, New York.
The term "Town Board" shall mean the Town Board of the Town of Poughkeepsie, New York.
When used in this chapter, unless otherwise expressly stated or unless the context or subject matter otherwise requires, the following definitions shall apply.
A permanent addition to or betterment of real property that enhances its capital value and that involves the expenditure of labor or money and is designed to make the property more useful or valuable as distinguished from ordinary repairs, and shall include structures placed above and below ground.
A use that appears on the "List of Exempt Businesses" in Schedule B of this chapter as classified according to the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), and which is a use that is permitted in the zoning district in which the real property is located as depicted on the Zoning Map, as amended.
Real property that is located in an area that is identified in Schedule A of this chapter.
All lands, including improvements and fixtures thereon, and property of any nature appurtenant thereto or used in connection therewith, and every estate, interest and right, legal or equitable, therein, including terms for years and lines by way of judgment, mortgage or otherwise, and indebtedness secured by such lines.
Construction, reconstruction, conversion, alteration, relocation, enlargement, or repair of buildings, structures, and site infrastructure on real property that is or was previously developed for the same, similar, or a different use or purpose, and shall include work involving the conservation, preservation, and rehabilitation of any building, structure or improvement. This shall include properties classified by the Town Assessor as "vacant commercial," provided said property was improved for a prior use, or was improved in anticipation of a prior use as set forth herein.
An undertaking, by means of extensive repair, reconstruction or renovation of existing structures, with or without the introduction of new construction or the enlargement of existing structures, in order to eliminate substandard structural conditions and halt or prevent the deterioration of any building, structure or improvement.
In any year in which a change in level of assessment of 15% or more is certified for a final assessment roll pursuant to the rules of the New York State Board of Real Property Services, the exemption base shall be multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the total assessed value of the parcel on such final assessment roll (after accounting for any physical or quantity changes to the parcel since the immediately preceding assessment roll) and the denominator of which shall be the total assessed value of the parcel on the immediately preceding final assessment roll. The result shall be the new exemption base. The exemption shall thereupon be recomputed to take into account the new exemption base, notwithstanding the fact that the Assessor receives the certification of the change in level of assessment after the completion, verification and filing of the final assessment roll. In the event that the Assessor does not have custody of the roll when such certification is received, the Assessor shall certify the recomputed exemption to the local officers having custody and control of the roll, and such local officers are hereby directed and authorized to enter the recomputed exemption certified by the Assessor on the roll. The Assessor shall give written notice of such recomputed exemption to the property owner, who may, if he or she believes that the exemption was recomputed incorrectly, apply for a correction in the manner provided by Title 3 of Article 5 of the New York State Real Property Tax Law for the correction of clerical errors.
The construction, alteration, installation or improvement is completed, as may be evidenced by a certificate of occupancy or other appropriate documentation as provided by the owner.
No exemption shall be granted concurrent with or subsequent to any other real property tax exemption granted to the same improvements to real property except where, during the period of such previous exemption, payments in lieu of taxes or other payments were made to the local government in an amount that would have been paid on such improvements had such property been granted an exemption pursuant to this chapter. In such case, an exemption shall be granted for a number of years equal to the ten-year exemption granted pursuant to this chapter less the number of years the property would have been previously exempt from real property taxes.
Such exemption shall be granted only upon application by the owner of such real property on a form prescribed by the Town Assessor. Such application shall be filed with the Assessor on or before the appropriate taxable status date of the Town and within one year from the date of completion of such construction, alteration, installation or improvement. For purposes of this section, the date of completion shall be the date on which a final certificate of occupancy is issued by the Town.
If the Assessor is satisfied that the applicant is entitled to an exemption pursuant to this chapter, she shall approve the application and such real property shall thereafter be exempt from taxation and special ad valorem levies as herein provided, commencing with the assessment roll prepared after the taxable status date of March 1 of each year. The assessed value of any exemption granted pursuant to this section shall be entered by the Assessor on the assessment roll with the taxable property, with the amount of the exemption shown in a separate column.
This chapter shall not apply to property used primarily for the furnishing of dwelling space or accommodations to either residents or transients, other than hotels or motels.
In the event that real property granted an exemption pursuant to this chapter ceases to be used primarily for eligible purposes, the exemption granted pursuant to this chapter shall cease.
This chapter shall take effect immediately upon its filing with the office of the Secretary of State of the State of New York and the State Board of Real Property Services.


Black and white photograph of Peter Collingwood with overlaid transparency showing formatting notes for the Crafts Advisory Committee's exhibition publication 'Rugs for Churches'. Collingwood stands with his hands by his hips wearing a dark jersey and glasses hung around his neck. Photograph by Richard Davies, 1977.
Photograh of Peter Collingwood, Richard Davies, 1977, © Crafts Council. Crafts Council Collection: AM169.


text:
Trials of Mana remake announced, Collection of Mana now available
Posted by Zidane007nl on 16 June 2019, 22:58 - 0 comments
Square Enix has announced on the E3 2019 that a remake of Trials of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 3 in Japan) in currently in development and will be released early 2020 for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and Steam.
Trials of Mana, in Japan known as Seiken Densetsu 3, was released in Japan in 1995 for the Super Famicom and tells the story of six heroes as they battle against the monsters of destruction that threaten a world where Mana has been weakened. Players can customize their own party of three, selected from six unique characters, to experience different stories.
Square Enix also announced that the Seiken Densetsu Collection, that was released in 2017 for the Nintendo Switch in Japan, is now available as Collection of Mana in the West via digital download and will get a limited physical version on 27 August. Collection of Mana features the first three games of the Mana series: Final Fantasy Adventure, Secret of Mana and for the first-time available in the West Trials of Mana. The three game compilation now includes a convenient quick save feature, and allows players to adventure with friends through a local multiplayer mode in both Secret of Mana (up to 3 players) and Trials of Mana (up to 2 players).
The Collection of Mana will cost $39.99 / £34.99 / €39.99 (both download and physical edition).
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text:
Q: COBOL Bubble Sort Only Sorting Last Element of Table I am currently learning COBOL and I am trying to implement the Bubble Sort algorithm in my program. While I'm still very new to the language, what I have written makes sense to me semantically & syntactically, yet if I input 5, 4, 3, 2, & 1 in that order, my post sort table becomes 1, 5, 4, 3, 2. Could someone explain to me where I've gone wrong?
       IDENTIFICATION DIVISION.
         PROGRAM-ID. BubbleSort.

       DATA DIVISION.
         WORKING-STORAGE SECTION.
         01 TVAR PIC 9(4).
         01 CNT PIC 9(1) VALUE 1.
         01 CNT2 PIC 9(1) VALUE 1.
         01 ARR.
            05 ARRELEMENT PIC 9(4) OCCURS 5 TIMES.
         01 TABLELENGTH PIC 9(1) VALUE 5.

       PROCEDURE DIVISION.
         DISPLAY "Enter 5 numbers: ".
         PERFORM INPUT-PARA VARYING CNT FROM 1 BY 1 UNTIL CNT>5.

         DISPLAY "Pre Bubble-Sort: ".
         PERFORM PRINT-PARA VARYING CNT FROM 1 BY 1 UNTIL CNT>5.

         PERFORM BBLSORT-PARA.

         DISPLAY "Post Bubble-Sort: ".
         PERFORM PRINT-PARA VARYING CNT FROM 1 BY 1 UNTIL CNT>5.

         STOP RUN.

         INPUT-PARA.
            ACCEPT ARRELEMENT(CNT).

         PRINT-PARA.
            DISPLAY "Table element: "ARRELEMENT(CNT).

         BBLSORT-PARA.
             INITIALIZE CNT CNT2.
             MOVE 1 TO CNT.
             MOVE 2 TO CNT2.
             PERFORM UNTIL CNT>6
               PERFORM UNTIL CNT2>5
               DISPLAY "IF "ARRELEMENT(CNT) " IS > "ARRELEMENT(CNT2)
                 IF (ARRELEMENT((CNT)) > ARRELEMENT((CNT2)))
                 THEN
                   DISPLAY ARRELEMENT(CNT) " IS > "ARRELEMENT(CNT2)
                    MOVE ARRELEMENT(CNT) TO TVAR
                    MOVE ARRELEMENT(CNT2) TO ARRELEMENT(CNT)
                    MOVE TVAR TO ARRELEMENT(CNT2)
                 END-IF
                 DISPLAY "EXIT IF LOOP"
                 ADD 1 TO CNT2 GIVING CNT2
               END-PERFORM
               ADD 1 TO CNT GIVING CNT
             END-PERFORM.

       END PROGRAM BubbleSort.

A: Disclaimer: I am not a COBOL programmer, but I was able to make this work by these changes to the loop.
PERFORM VARYING CNT
           FROM 1 BY 1
          UNTIL CNT > 4

   PERFORM VARYING CNT2
              FROM 1 BY 1
             UNTIL CNT2 + CNT > 5

      COMPUTE
         CNT3 = CNT2 + 1
      END-COMPUTE

      IF (ARRELEMENT((CNT2)) > ARRELEMENT((CNT3)))
         DISPLAY ARRELEMENT(CNT2) " IS > "ARRELEMENT(CNT3)
         MOVE ARRELEMENT(CNT3) TO TVAR
         MOVE ARRELEMENT(CNT2) TO ARRELEMENT(CNT3)
         MOVE TVAR TO ARRELEMENT(CNT2)
      END-IF

      DISPLAY "EXIT IF LOOP"
   END-PERFORM
END-PERFORM.

The key was to add a CNT3 which I used to stand for CNT2 + 1. Before the inner loop, it was necessary to resent CNT2 to 1 each time. And then the algorithm is to compare item CNT2 to item CNT2+1 within the loop each time without reference to CNT.
Also, there was not a need to go all the way to the end of the array in the inner loop each time.
I found it helpful to refer to Geeks for Geeks on bubble sort


How will the recent Cyprus bailout impact on the wider Eurozone?
Like many of its neighbours, Cyprus has had all manner of financial problems to contend with, but astronomical levels of debt in its bloated banking sector has forced the new government to go cap in hand to the European Union for a much-needed bailout. After much negotiation and controversy, a €10bn deal was agreed, but what does it mean for the island nation and the rest of the continent?
In the early stages of the negotiations between Cyprus and Germany, the Eurozone's largest economy, there was a very real possibility that part of the rescue package would come from savings of Cypriots with bank deposits in excess of €100,000. A levy would be imposed on all those with six-figure sums in their savings accounts starting at 6.75%, rising for those with more money.
Understandably, many ordinary Cypriots and expats from countries like the United Kingdom living in the country to enjoy retirement were up in arms, but the deal was agreed. However, as soon as news broke, thousands queued outside cash machines to take as much money as they could, which forced the Cypriot government to close the banks down temporarily.
Cyprus is the fifth Eurozone member to agree a bailout with the EU, following in the footsteps of beleaguered neighbour Greece, Spain, Portugal and the Republic of Ireland. Sharing close economic ties with Greece has exposed the Cypriot economy to serious damage, but with a deal now agreed, the storm appears to have been weathered slightly.
The reaction to the bailout from the markets point towards a short-term recovery, but it's likely that the long-term for the Euro and the Eurozone could be a little bleaker. Cyprus has to repay some of the banking sector's debts, while some of the stronger economies on the continent are grappling with bad news of their own.
The farcical nature of the Cypriot bailout affected short term confidence in the single currency, which the European Central Bank has worked so hard to re-establish in the past few months and long term confidence in the banking sector within troubled eurozone states.
The whole deposit debacle was less about Cyprus – which has a smaller economy by GDP than Latvia, Lithuania and Bulgaria – and more about the conditions future bailouts may now dictate.These concerns were quickly cooled with several finance ministers trying to isolate this condition to Cyprus and not prospective bailout requests outside of the island but the damage to confidence has already been done.
"There was further bad news this morning following a surprise announcement that German unemployment rose unexpectedly in March, further fuelling concerns around the ability of the strongest economy in the region to help energise the Eurozone'srecovery..
A retest of the $1.27 level for the euro against the US Dollar now looks likely and a break below could herald even greater weakness for the euro.", he concluded.
Germany is likely to foot most of the bill for the Cyprus bailout as it did for Spain, Portugal and Greece in order to prop up the single currency. Not long after the bailout was agreed, the Euro had recovered in the currency markets, which will have come as a relief to German economic bigwigs, but weak growth in the country could be a by-product of problems elsewhere.
There is growing resentment from many in Germany over the money given to help out other Eurozone member states which might come at its expense. Trying to rescue the Euro is in Germany's interest, as failure could cost them even more, but the banking sector is expected to suffer far more damage.
It's expected that funding banks will become even more difficult, while the retail banking sector is likely to incur yet more damage. As many ordinary people will worry about their ability to pay the bills, let alone save money, less people will feel inclined to open accounts, especially after the goings on in Cyprus.
Trust in the banking sector from consumers, which was already at a low level, is likely to fall further. If nothing else constructive is done to reverse that trend by Eurozone governments, then the likelihood is that many like Laiki Bank could go to the wall, leaving account holders and moneymen in a never-ending cycle of economic despair.
Not long after the bailout, banks in Cyprus have reopened their doors during limited hours after being closed for just over a week. Meanwhile, limits on the amount people can withdraw have also been placed, which suggests that the government are doing all they can in order to keep their side of the bargain.
While little normality has returned to Cyprus, the Euro's slight recovery last week has lightened the mood, although it reached a four-month low yesterday because of concerns over the deal. In the meantime, the whole world watches to see if Cyprus and other Eurozone countries can mount a sustained recovery.


text:
Takei's Loyalty to Gene Roddenberry
Cast & Crew October 7, 2016
Home Cast & Crew
Even though George Takei didn't convince Gene Roddenberry to address homosexuality on Star Trek back in the 1960s, he respected why Roddenberry didn't do so and his loyalty to Roddenberry meant that he was unhappy about Sulu being portrayed as gay in Star Trek Beyond.
Star Trek "has enhanced my life and amplified my voice in so many ways," Takei explained. "The idea was to use science fiction as a metaphor for the issues of the time – the civil rights movement, African-Americans' struggle for equality, the peace movement during the Vietnam war, the cold war. That was an exciting, thrilling idea, because television wasn't being used at all for that sort of thing."
As were most gays in the 1960s, Takei was closeted and it was a difficult time for a gay man. "You live under the fear of being outed all the time," he said, explaining life fifty years ago. "I played the game. I took a female friend to premieres and parties, and then I'd take her home and go to a gay bar. It was a double life. Interestingly, I recognized some faces in those bars and we'd say 'Hi', but we didn't mention it the day after."
In that atmosphere, it wasn't practical to address homosexuality via Star Trek. "I was closeted then, so I talked to him as a liberal, you know, and I said: 'We're dealing with all these other issues of our time. What do you think?'" Roddenberry had to reluctantly say "no," as he felt enough controversy had already happened with the kiss between Bill Shatner and Nichelle Nichols.
In 2004, Takei came out when Arnold Schwarzenegger, then governor of California, refused to sign the marriage equality bill. "When he vetoed it, I was raging," said Takei. "Young people poured out on to Santa Monica Boulevard, venting their fury, and here Brad and I were, comfortable at home, watching the late-night news. I said: 'All right, I've had a good career,' and I was fully prepared for it to fade." But instead, his career seemed to take off.
One would expect that Takei would therefore be supportive of Sulu being gay in nuTrek, but that was not the case. "Now that we have this opportunity to explore the sexual orientation of the characters, they should have been as creative as Gene Roddenberry," he said. "Invent a new character who has a whole history as a gay person! Don't change a character that Gene intentionally created as straight."
It was his loyalty to Roddenberry though, that prevailed. "The reboot wouldn't have existed if it hadn't been for Gene Roddenberry. He created the base of Star Trek. And so in the fiftieth anniversary, they need to focus in on the Star Trek heritage. They should respect and honor Gene."
Topics: Roddenberry, Sulu, Takei
What do you think? Chat with other fans in the at The Trek BBS.
Takei: Why Newer Trek Films Were Flawed
Picardo In Assassin's Apprentice
Star Trek Fiftieth Anniversary Apparel


Part of a comprehensive 9-part series exploring the chemistry of both galvanic and electrolytic cells, and their many important applications.
in transport and stationary power applications (including Combined Heat and Power systems).
Their potential to power portable electronic devices is also explored.
electric cars: fuel cell or battery?
Chemistry Consultant: Warren Moseley (Co-author, Heinnemann Chemistry 2; former member VCAA Chemistry Standing C'tee).


text:
/ Thom Dunn / 4:16 am Sat Jan 11, 2020
This ambient mix of a new sci-fi-themed Rentals song is a sonic trip to outer space
In my experience, most people haven't heard of the Rentals — and most of those who have heard of them only really know them as "that other band that Weezer's old bass player was in." Or the band who wrote "Elon Musk Is Making Me Sad."
That is all technically accurate. The group was started by Matt Sharp while he was still Weezer's secret weapon. And Elon Musk does make him sad. Since leaving that other band, Sharp has continued to release orchestral synth-y power-pop with a rotating cast of musicians under the Rentals moniker over the last 20 years. The group has included performers like Maya Rudolph, the Haden Sisters, Joey Santiago from the Pixies, Patrick Carney from the Black Keys, and many others.
The spaced-out track above is an instrumental mix of a tune from the band's upcoming sci-fi-themed album, Q36. The band has been releasing a new track every 2 weeks, along with a corresponding limited-edition t-shirt and hitRECORD project. And while I liked the regular version of "Invasion Night," I absolutely love this ambient version of it. Sharp cut out all the the vocals, drums, and bass in order to focus on his synthesizer sounds and the guitar work of Nick Zinner (most famously of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs), and the result almost makes me feel like I'm in the head of Major Tom as he floats to his death.
The video that goes along with it was actually part of the Rentals' 2009 album Songs About Time, which included 365 photographs, 52 short films, and 3 EPs, all created in real-time over the course of a year. Clearly the Rentals are no stranger to these collaborative multimedia pop-music project.
ambient / elon musk / matt sharp / synthesizers / synths / the rentals / Weezer
New biography of electronic music pioneer Wendy Carlos
From her groundbreaking first album Switched-On Bach (1968) to the unforgettable soundtracks for A Clockwork Orange (1971), The Shining (1980), and Tron (1982), Wendy Carlos is a living legend of electronic music. In March, Oxford University Press will publish Wendy Carlos: A Biography, written by musicologist Amanda Sewel, musical director of Interlochen Public Radio. From […]
Touring the inner workings of the Mellotron on King Crimson's anniversary
Fifty one years ago today, the first incarnation of the prog rock band, King Crimson, gathered in a cramped basement space below the Fulham Palace Cafe in London. One of the instruments the band would use that would come to distinguish their early sound was that strange, iconic 60s instrument, the Mellotron. Keyboardist Ian McDonald […]
Turning a Sega MegaDrive into a cool, retro synthesizer
Sam Battle of Look Mum No Computer, the mad sonic scientist who brought us the Furby Organ, has done it again. This time, he turned a Sega Genesis/Mega Drive into an awesomely retro-sounding synthesizer. The Sega Mega Drive included a Yamaha YM2612 six-channel FM synthesizer chip under the hood. Sam broke that out to create […]


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text:
Man, 18, arrested after video shows him riding on back of deer in Oregon
Authorities believe the incident happened after the deer got trapped inside a feeding enclosure. (Source: Oregon Police/CNN)
Updated: Wed 4:43 AM, Dec 11, 2019
RILEY, Ore. (CNN/Gray News) - An 18-year-old man in Oregon was arrested on animal abuse charges after social media video allegedly showed him riding a mule deer.
Jacob Belcher, 18, faces charges of wildlife harassment and animal abuse, as announced Tuesday by the Oregon State Police.
State Police Fish & Wildlife Troopers were notified Sunday about a disturbing video making the rounds on social media. The video appeared to show a man climbing onto and riding on the back of a "live and exhausted" mule deer buck inside a fenced area.
The deer could be hard grunting and/or bleating while the man rode on him, officials say. After escaping the rider, the buck jumped into a fence multiple times, while attempting to get out of the pen.
Authorities believe the incident happened after the deer got trapped inside a feeding enclosure.
Belcher and an unnamed suspect, who was responsible for filming, were identified and interviewed. In addition to the charges against Belcher, charges of aiding in a wildlife offense against the second suspect will be referred to the Harney County District Attorney's Office.
The deer was freed after the incident. Wildlife officials do not know what its current status is.
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