Hitting the Big Time

So here’s what Outline Magazine is saying about tonight’s gig:

‘The crypt at Take 5, which, in my less than humble opinion, is one of the best venues in the city, are celebrating the second birthday of the Something Good nights on the 5th, featuring - among others - the lyrical talents of Sparky Deathcap (of Los Campesinos infamy) and The Bumblebees, who sound proper young but I think I love them.’

That doesn’t sound like ‘poorly researched amateurish comedy shtick’ to us. It sounds like lovely, lovely words, and I hope they persuade some new faces to show themselves. But even if not we’ll have a fucking amazing time and rock the casbah for potentially the last time. 

The bumblebees, unfortunately, have had to pull out. Two thirds of them are bed bound with illness. This is a shocking blow, and we are still reeling. BUT we will shoulder on.

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

Tristan Burfield has been experimenting with sound, and visual arts since 2003. His live sets can be abrasive or gentle. The track above, Sleep Seen Closely, is taken from his ambient/glitch body of work. Come and see! 8pm tonight at Take Five.

Sparky Deathcap 

OK it’s getting late in the day, and I haven’t finished posting these little descriptions. Just to summarise. This guy is awesome. Watch the video. He will be performing TONIGHT in the crypt at take five! Be there or be rubbish.

The Bumblebees are chaotic yet controlled. They take their ideas about the world and how things work and put them into highly danceable and intricate songs. Ros, Ellis and Daniel make up this ethical beauty, and their maladroit yet refined performance is cute in a nonchalant way. Am I using too many contradictions? Yes. But, they will make you jerk and move around in unexpected ways. Again, it is this saturday. Come!!

Royal McBee are possibly our favourite Norwich band. They are joyful, pensive and explorative by turns. Their music, to me, takes things associated with the twee and the cute, and pushes them further. The description ‘synth-pop splendour’ has been used, but I believe it is a gloriously awkward splendour. The songs and the attitude in which they are delivered seem very introspective, but this only increases the warm response from the audience. John and Holly are in love. They are involved in a host of other Norwich outfits and projects including The Owl Box, Babygrand, other/other/other and The Middle Ones. They are great. Come along, this Saturday at Take Five.

So the gig is coming! It’s almost upon us! Saturday 5th June in Take Five Crypt. And here’s the line-up: Lynx Africa Tristan Burfield Royal McBee The Bumblebees Sparky Deathcap Despite what the picture suggests: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah will not be playing, I just used it because I’m going to try my hardest to make Take Five into a fairy lighted grotto. So yeah. £3. 8pm til later. It’ll be a lovely night to behold. And possibly our last. Something Good will be spreading joy to the Puppet Theatre in September - but this might be your last salt of the earth DIY type deal. Come and have a little weep and a dance.

So the gig is coming! It’s almost upon us! Saturday 5th June in Take Five Crypt. And here’s the line-up:

Lynx Africa

Tristan Burfield

Royal McBee

The Bumblebees

Sparky Deathcap

Despite what the picture suggests: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah will not be playing, I just used it because I’m going to try my hardest to make Take Five into a fairy lighted grotto. So yeah. £3. 8pm til later. It’ll be a lovely night to behold. And possibly our last. Something Good will be spreading joy to the Puppet Theatre in September - but this might be your last salt of the earth DIY type deal. Come and have a little weep and a dance.

Thank you so much to everyone who came along last night and listened with such rapt attention. You are all excellent examples of the human race. One of my favourite parts of the gig was finally getting the perfect chance to show off Milly Hirst. She’s been a regular member of the supportive crowd since we started making things happen, so it was wonderful to see everyone hanging on her every word and note, and watch her adorable surprise when the rounds and rounds of applause came. Not to put down Adam’s free-form prose, Lloyd’s still-doing-good-on-my-own soaring vocals, JC’s ability to keep talking til it gets funny or Chris and Adrienne’s stories and ideals and hopes unfolding before us. In short: the whole night was just beautiful. I don’t think we’ll be putting on another gig until the 5th June when we’ll be having a Something Good birthday celebration. As an entity we will be 2 years old and as a person I will be 22 years old. We’ve already booked our friends The Bumblebees and are in the process of gathering lots of inspiring bands for you to come and make big boogy to. We’d also really like to use a new space for this, if anyone has any suggestions or contacts for getting into and using empty shops/buildings the email address to write to is writegracesomethinggood@gmail.com

Thank you so much to everyone who came along last night and listened with such rapt attention. You are all excellent examples of the human race. One of my favourite parts of the gig was finally getting the perfect chance to show off Milly Hirst. She’s been a regular member of the supportive crowd since we started making things happen, so it was wonderful to see everyone hanging on her every word and note, and watch her adorable surprise when the rounds and rounds of applause came. Not to put down Adam’s free-form prose, Lloyd’s still-doing-good-on-my-own soaring vocals, JC’s ability to keep talking til it gets funny or Chris and Adrienne’s stories and ideals and hopes unfolding before us. In short: the whole night was just beautiful.

I don’t think we’ll be putting on another gig until the 5th June when we’ll be having a Something Good birthday celebration. As an entity we will be 2 years old and as a person I will be 22 years old. We’ve already booked our friends The Bumblebees and are in the process of gathering lots of inspiring bands for you to come and make big boogy to. We’d also really like to use a new space for this, if anyone has any suggestions or contacts for getting into and using empty shops/buildings the email address to write to is writegracesomethinggood@gmail.com

Adam Warne is a poet of truly heart-warming and startling proportions. He raises the bar for ‘performance poetry’ up so high you’ll never need to see another performance. That’s right. I once hastily said he’s the only poet I’d ever place alongside the bands who play at Something Good, and I stand by that statement, however drunkenly it may have been made. He’ll be reading his poems, telling dubious jokes, rattling cages and soothing worries before every act of the evening. And if that face don’t persuade you, you’re not welcome.

Adam Warne is a poet of truly heart-warming and startling proportions. He raises the bar for ‘performance poetry’ up so high you’ll never need to see another performance. That’s right. I once hastily said he’s the only poet I’d ever place alongside the bands who play at Something Good, and I stand by that statement, however drunkenly it may have been made. He’ll be reading his poems, telling dubious jokes, rattling cages and soothing worries before every act of the evening. And if that face don’t persuade you, you’re not welcome.

Ok, so far I’ve only introduced Chris Clavin and the Flies through their other band Imperial Can. Now I’m going to introduce them with a video of Chris playing in yet another band. Ghost Mice. This is a frickin awesome song called The Moon Will Rise. So yeah, it’ll be a bit like this but played on a ukelele and a glockenspiel. It’s going to be amazing. Come along!

This likely lad was going to come and sing some songs in his lovely north-eastern lilt, but unfortunately he now can’t. But his name - Winona Forever - is already on the posters. Sorry about that. Winona NEVER, more like. Post your aggrievances to Discount Horse Records, Durham, Loserville.

***EDIT*** Turns out Norwich was too tempting to pass up, so he is coming! Hooray! Forever and ever and ever amen.

Lloyd DeBeer has a name you won’t forget, a face that launched a thousand ships and music that commands attention, despite it’s often hushed delivery. I’m not going to talk crap about his cryptic lyrics, because I’ll just feel like an idiot. But you’ll like him. He conjures pictures in the air. Yes, he does. The band name - The Captain and Arthur - usually refers to a two-piece, but the violin-wielding half is currently living in Granada for the year, so expect more gigs on her return.

Although I have no recording, or link to an online promotion page, don’t you just want to come along and gaze at him in wonder? Anyway, such integrity/modesty in a musician is an admirable thing. So come, sit and listen to him play on Tuesday.

Jim scanned it better and made it better. Thanks, Jim!

Jim scanned it better and made it better. Thanks, Jim!

[Flash 9 is required to listen to audio.]

Milly Hirst writes, re-works and plays enchanting folk music, her wonderful soaring voice will fill the domed ceiling of take five’s colourful crypt on Tuesday, so come along and get bewitched. She manages to evoke the emotions of many generations of women, whilst adding something fresh and very much her own. The above track is a live recording from a recent howlbackhum - you can hear more over at her myspace, or read about her artistic endeavors (and participate!) on her blog. Also, you can’t see from this picture, but she has a lovely, lovely face. This fact is widely acknowledged. She’ll be unamplified, so it’s a rare treat to hear her belt out those beautiful heartfelt words.

The Middle Ones will be playing THIS TUESDAY at Take Five.