Review: Gentleman’s Dub Club – FOURtyFOUR (Ranking Records)

After another summer playing some of Europe’s more adventurous festivals, Gentleman’s Dub Club have polished and released their debut LP, FOURtyFOUR.

From the start, GDC’s gigs always brought an energy and vitality that demonstrated not only gifted ability but also a true enjoyment for performing to lively crowds. Two well-received EPs later, the debut LP shows a confidence and swagger that, when combined with slicker production, has delivered a fine piece of work to back up an outstanding live repertoire.

Opening track ‘Give It Away’ will feel familiar to those who have seen the nine-piece ska-fuelled, dub-driven band before. This is upbeat dub brought bang up to date. Showing variety, ‘More Than Words’ explores some different tempos and delicate vocals that calm before the storm of heavyweight dub tracks ‘Forward’ and the epic ‘Riot’. The dark moodiness of ‘Please Don’t Wait’ adds atmosphere and flirts with techy, house beats.

‘Riot’ not only offers an excellent dub track but also has a well worked visual accompaniment, with videos shot for the track by director Paul Bryan. The same goes for ‘Give It Away’, another video collaboration that adds to the enjoyment of a track, again by the same clearly gifted director.

This is a debut studio album on the back of years of live touring that have laid solid foundations. The raw swagger of earlier material remains and as a unit they continue to mature as connoisseurs and masters of their art. Although this is definitely an album to enjoy and savour, the band’s live shows are still the driving force, so do not miss them.

Words: Danny Doyle.

Gentleman’s Dub Club will perform at Mint Lounge on Monday 21st October.

The Tin Ring @ The Lowry, 15.10.13

“You become someone you didn’t know you were,” says Zdenka Fantlova at the start of The Tin Ring. That is what she felt when the Nazis denuded her of clothes, family and friends, violating her body, dignity and love. All that was human in her was killed, until she was barely a person at all. What remained was a shred of hope, embodied in a tin ring on a string around her neck.

The Tin Ring tells the story of holocaust survivor Fantlova, who wrote a book of the same name on which this one-person show is based. Narrated by Jane Arnfield (who adapted the book along with director Mike Alfreds), the play is split into three distinct passages, with her imprisonment in concentration camps, her love life and her post-war recuperation all addressed. Switching between first and third person narration, holding conversations with herself, Arnfield gives a performance becoming of the text: she is assured and dignified, with just a hint of a twinkle in her eye. Being in the audience took me back to infant school, where we would gather around the legs of our teacher’s chair to hear her tell stories. Fantlova’s words have that same power of wisdom from someone infinitely more experienced in life than yourself.

It is a story that requires little ornament for the telling, one where words conjure up images that you’re glad your eyes don’t have to see. That is not to say that Arnfield is static; her and director Alfreds make excellent use of her physical presence as she strides proudly, crawls abjectly and lays wearily. The single chair on which she sits becomes a door that is being kicked in by the Nazis, a machine at which she labours and a bed for her aching body, the nakedness of the prop emphasising the power of the actions. One scene in particular, where Fantlova is reunited with her lover, filled the theatre with passion and tension as Arnfield simulated their long-awaited embrace.

As the applause died away many remained in their seats; it seemed odd to be pulling on jumpers, talking to friends and getting ready to go home. It was jarring to return to a world of comfort, having heard the words of one so impoverished. In the end, The Tin Ring does not leave you feeling uplifted because Fantlova survived the holocaust, just very sad that it ever happened at all.

Words: Andrew Anderson.
Photos: Courtesy of The Lowry.

NOW THEN. ISSUE 7. A MAGAZINE FOR MANCHESTER.

Issue 7 has now been distributed across the city in the usual independent retailers, bars, venues, libraries, galleries, opticians, doctors and so on. The artist this time, Kris Kuksi, has a finely tuned eye for the intricate, producing assemblages of stunning detail of all shapes and sizes. Elsewhere, there are articles on home brewing, wasted plastics and local publishing houses, plenty of reviews, and interviews with poet Hollie McNish, director Ian Townsend and electronic musicians The Orb.

We'd like to thank all our supporters for this issue (in page order):

SUPPORT INDEPENDENTS.
Mogul.
Ken Foster's Cycle Logic. (10% off see magazine advert for info.)
Manchester MULE.
Kagyu Ling Buddhist Centre.

MCR FOOD AND DRINK.
Battery Park Juice Bar.
The Eighth Day Shop & Cafe.
Deli-Lama.
Proof Chorlton.
Épicerie Ludo.
Pokusevski's Deli.

MCR INDEPENDENT ALE.
Outstanding Beers.
Marble Beers.
Mary And Archie.
First Chop Brewing Arm.

THE LOWRY.
The Lowry.

TROF VENUES.
The Deaf Institute.
Gorilla.

MANCHESTER ACADEMY VENUES.
Manchester Academy.

LIVE MUSIC.
The Spoon Inn.
Night & Day Cafe.
House of Cards Presents.
Fat Out Til You Pass Out.
Carefully Planned Festival.
Chapel St Studios / The Black Lion.
Jazz at the Lescar.

OPERA NORTH.
Opera North at The Lowry.

Johnny Bramwell @ Manchester Food & Drink Festival's Pavilion Tent, 06.10.13

“My set list has just turned into a wet list,” announces Johnny Bramwell, whose pint has spilled over said list. With a mischievous smile he continues: “Luckily I have another pint.”

Before he walks on, Hot Vestry take to the stage. Having supported the likes of New Order at Jodrell Bank earlier this year, the band appear comfortable in front of a crowd that is rapidly filling the tent. Mind you, I doubt if they will have been impressed with the changing area which leaves them in full view of passers-by. Once dressed in their paisley print shirts, the Macclesfield based four-piece plug in and play.

Numbers can veer from the 60s-type layered psychedelia to the attractively intense end of shiny aggression. The focus is on the resultant sound, with the addition of lyrics seemingly the more difficult part of their song construction.

The set contains the energy and enthusiasm of a group of teenagers who, despite a career to date of 150+ gigs, are still savouring the gigging experience and have developed into a taut, strident unit.

Guitarist, vocalist and sometimes bassist Harry Ward attempts to engage with the audience, even feeling in control of the situation enough to take his guitar out amongst the crowd – as far as his guitar lead will extend – before departing the stage and returning to the cobbled streets.

The set-up of long benches and tables with people sat forming orderly rows is more reminiscent of an army barracks than a gig venue but it’s a relaxed atmosphere nevertheless. By the time Johnny finally has the sound to his liking, all the spaces around the stage have been filled by people standing.

The comfort zone is quickly breached with Bramwell’s opener, ‘Twist’ – a tale of love, lust and death. Still, it beats staying in for Dancing on Ice. His voice is clear and cutting, both tonally and lyrically. ‘Storm Warning’ is followed by ‘86 TVs’ as his listeners take advantage of this free acoustic performance a week before I Am Kloot appear at the nearby Apollo venue.

Bramwell is one for whom the lyrics are the cornerstone of his songs, setting the mood and then allowing the musical atmosphere to follow. Judging by the warmth generated in the applause, there’s a lot here who want to savour that effect.

Words and photos: Ged Camera.

Last orders at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival.

Well, since my last blog – Give us our Daily Local Bread – my intention to visit the Festival Hub in Albert Square nearly every night was somewhat thrown off course by a cycling accident which resulted in a visit to A&E and a 3-hour operation to reset my arm. Anyway, as part of my occupational therapy sessions I'm now catching up on a few more gems that are worth seeking out even when the festival is over.

First, I was really taken by the unashamedly Gallic, retro Citroën van, apparently called ‘Rowlie’, that is the mobile cooking space for two guys cooking wood-fired pizzas. I think we've all become a bit blasé about this icon of Italian cuisine that has, at both ends of the market, become either overdone with too many gourmet aspirations or, at the fast food end, become a slippery mess of cheap tomato purée and mozzarella.

So hallelujah to these guys at Pizza Peddlers who produce five simple variations in wood-fired ovens in their fantastic Citroën van and, in doing so, serve a light and very appealing pizza using fresh ingredients and a light dough base.

Eating their ham pizza reminded me of some home-cured bacon I bought half an hour earlier back in St Ann's Square from husband and wife team Ashley and Sean from Savin Hill Farm. Ashley and Sean are yet another example of local food producers who own the business and the whole process – apart from the abattoir element, which is the only element sub-contracted to local outsiders near their farm in the Lyth Valley, south Lakes.

What you realise when talking to Ashley is that she loves what they make, along with their whole approach to creating a product that is authentic, highly quality and intrinsically local. Having bought some home-cured bacon made from their herd of Gloucester Old Spot pigs, she drew my attention to their range of sausages with damsons, a fruit that defines the character of the Lyth Valley and puts a very local stamp in their produce.

A few stalls down, I also stopped to check out a specialist provider of a food that I was brought up on as a child, then fell out of love with (too much, too often) but now enjoy more than ever, especially on brown toast: the incredible wonder food that is honey. Lili Porter, a native Bulgarian now living in the North West, has some of the most incredible honey I have ever tasted, with a provenance that is truly remarkable – taken from valleys in Bulgaria where bees pollinate from a mix of flowers and trees.

Mass-produced honey, which is bland and often over sweet, is nothing compared to these truly delightful, fragrant and floral offerings which are light golden yellow in hue and each distinctively unique in its character. They're not cheap but top quality food always comes at a price and these are worth every penny. Enjoyable just-off-the-spoon and perfect for a high teatime treat with decent bread. This really is the food from the gods. Contact her here.

Words and photos: Tom Warman.

Shauna Mackin, Chris Young and Lauren Housley @ Dulcimer, 19.09.13.

Lauren Housley stands on one side of the stage while her accompanying guitarist sits across to her right. They haven’t had a fight – someone will in a few minutes – but perhaps the distance is to allow them both to demonstrate their abilities without each other’s shadow. Lauren shows off the rich, deep fullness of her voice, flitting through her catalogue that varies from the aggressive up-tempo type of number through to the more subtle, hushed variety. Thomas Dibb, on guitar, plucks though the blues-tinged, lively numbers, skipping across to a reggae-tinged element that even caught Lauren by surprise.

As the last number begins – one of Housley’s “favourites” – so does the disruption. Barely a verse is completed before a clearly drunken fellow who has little interest in the performers, is ‘advised’ to leave the premises. “But I wanted you to hear this,” murmurs Lauren as everyone’s attention is drawn away from the stage. With the idiot ejected, heads turn back to the stage for some deserved applause.

Chris Young announces himself as a “stage virgin” – this being his debut appearance. Not backward in coming forward, he commences to direct the soundman through the different requirements of his set, from being aware of the pedal that “really blasts out at the top end” to “lowering everything in the monitors”.

The set-list composition shows that he’s spent a great deal of time preparing for the show. Mixing a set of covers with his own material, the wide variety of conjured sounds mean this isn’t a just man and a guitar. For someone who doesn’t like much of Radiohead’s output (eg. me), his cover version of one of theirs is sufficiently reworked to make non-believers accept them. He can layer the sounds with his foot pedal to create rich patterns that roll gently around the room. One of his own songs is even dedicated to the previously ejected person. “This one is called ‘Substance Abuse’.”

The line-up, put together by Longevity Records, is completed with Shauna Mackin and three seated musicians. Pleased with the amount of airplay that her song, ‘Go Your Way’, has been achieving on the BBC Radio Introducing show, she is full of confidence and enthusiasm, even to the point of congratulating Lauren on how she dealt with the earlier disturbance. She keeps to what she knows, with one song about her granny – still going strong at 94 years of age. The trio supporting her, Jonny Lewis (guitar), James Hattersley (guitar) and Alex Hill (percussion), provide the lush, languid sounds allowing Mackin’s voice to glide.

Words & photos: Ged Camera.

All My Sons @ The Royal Exchange, 01.10.13

Fans of 20th century American theatre should not miss this Talawa Theatre Company production of Arthur Miller’s classic All My Sons at the Royal Exchange. Talawa Theatre is an award-winning black-led theatre company whose mission is to promote and create work informed by the diversity of the black experience for both actors and audiences. Director Michael Buffong’s version is true to the original text, but by using an all-black cast he allows us to see the universality of the play’s themes: love, family, money and war. The play hits home hard about how the different characters are affected by the demands and distresses of war – in this case, WWII.

The action throughout the play centres on the porch and yard of the Keller family home, where passing neighbours stop for a chat, and where the local doctor often comes to see his friend Chris Keller (Chike Okonkwo). The Kellers seem to be a popular and charming family. Joe Keller (Don Warrington) banters with the local children and gives off the air of a relaxed and highly successful businessman.

However, early on in the play we learn that the Keller’s son Larry is missing in action, and as the play progresses we see that his mother Kate Keller (Dona Croll) does not want to believe her son could possibly be dead. Last night’s wind has symbolically led to the falling of the apple tree that had been planted in memory of Larry, and Kate mourns how the tree was planted too early. In contrast, the sweetheart Larry left behind – Annie (Kemi-Bo Jacobs) – wants to move on and accept the death of Larry. The developing tension between these characters and their ways of dealing with the loss of Larry highlights the strength of the two actors; Croll and Jacobs in their elegant dresses are beautiful, charming and lively, providing an emotional and physical centre to the play.

Ellen Cairns has designed a brilliantly authentic set, a perfect backdrop as the characters battle out their inner demons, skeletons come out of the closet and ghosts of the past return to haunt them. The set is a typical 1940s American middle-class yard and porch, with parsley pots, a swing, a rocking chair and white weathered wood. The lighting designer, Johanna Town, begins with a magnificently sunny day, but as the day goes on darkness descends on the Kellers. When the neighbours who often stop by are gone, and when first Annie and then George arrive, we learn of the darkness of that hangs over the Keller family, and we come to see the “fine hairline crack” amidst all the grand talk of going out for a night on the town to dine, dance and drink.

Words: Sadia Habib.
Images: Jonathan Keenan.

All My Sons continues at The Royal Exchange until 26th October.

An Inspector Calls @ Bolton Octagon Theatre, 13.09.13

1912, England. A new ship sets sail to the Americas and, says Arthur Birling, it is unsinkable. We learn the ship is named The Titanic. War? No chance of war, Birling tells us with great certainty; the Germans do not want war. The dramatic ironies of Mr Birling’s predictions are not lost on the An Inspector Calls audience.

Early on in the play we become acquainted with Birling’s seemingly happy family. They are wealthy, and we later learn they are members of the ruling class. The Birlings and family friend Gerald Croft (Kieran Hill) are in an excited and celebratory mood because Gerald has just got engaged to Sheila Birling (Rosie Jones). Eric Birling (Mawgan Gyles) is a little “squiffy”, and Arthur Birling (Brian Protheroe) is animated and keen to make a toast. Mr Birling comes across as a man whose love of his own voice is matched only by his love of business, and thus he is keen for his daughter’s engagement to bring him great business benefits. Protheroe plays the pompous, opinionated capitalist Arthur Birling with great gusto. Sheila is delighted by the stunning ring Gerald surprises her with. At first she seems quite naïve and shallow, but as the play progresses Jones develops the character of Sheila brilliantly, and we begin to feel warmth for her.

Along with the strong acting performances, the set and costume designer Ruari Murchison successfully emphasise their high status in Brumley society with an opulent setting: a chesterfield settee, dark mahogany tables, gold gilt cornice on the ceiling, a chandelier and other lovely lamps fill and frame the stage. The clothing too is formal: tailcoats for the men, and elegant dresses and skirts for the ladies.

So, among all this affluence Mr Birling is welcoming Gerald to the family. Mrs Birling, Sheila, Eric and Gerald are all quite jovial and joyous. They have an air of confidence and comfortable contentedness: all is right with the world.

And then an Inspector calls, and all their comfort and contentment comes crashing to the ground.

Many people will be familiar with An Inspector Calls as it is often studied in schools, and so will enjoy watching the events unfold with some memory of what will happen. In fact, there were many school students at The Octagon who are no doubt reading the play in their English lessons for their GCSE examination. However, David Thacker’s production is even more thrilling and gripping for those who do not know what happens once the Inspector calls.

A must-watch both for those new to the play and those familiar with the play.

Words: Sadia Habib.
Photos: Ian Tilton.

Give us our Daily Local Bread.

If location, location, location is the mantra of the property game then there's no doubt about what we're obsessed with when it comes to food – we like it local and we like to know exactly where local is.

The posh word of course is provenance, and the Manchester Food and Drink Festival, now in its 17th year, is a glorious celebration of food that is not just darn bloody good but can be sourced to producers who are passionate advocates for what they make, and how they make it. As I went from trader to trader, I heard incredible stories from people who don't just sell food but know every part of its process.

I actually started my exploration of the festival outside The Hub in Albert Square which, until midday, was off-limits as police stood in close ranks awaiting a major street protest to herald the start of another annual gathering (but arguably less enticing): the Tory Party conference.

So, walking round nearby St Ann's Square, killing my time until midday, I stumbled across Robinson's craft bakers – a sixth generation business which, since 1873, has been baking bread that has survived the onslaught of in-store bakeries in supermarkets and remains a champion of pure craft bakery. So much so that its Manchester Cob – a white, crusty, ball-shaped loaf with a cross hatch of square ridges – remains its best-seller after decades of adorning its shelves.

Speaking to Emma, a sixth generation Robinson, and clearly an infectious ambassador for her family's profession, she explained that the roots of the business lay in her ancestors learning their artisan craft at specialist bakery schools – none of which exist today. Picking up this loaf, which was as light as a feather, you come to realise that this is true craft bakery of the highest order.

Later at the Festival Hub, I checked out a relatively newer arrival on the baking scene – the eponymous Bakerie, whose wine, artisan bread and informal dining offering has attracted a loyal and rapidly growing following to their two sites right in the heart of the Northern Quarter. The Bakerie, which runs a varied programme of bakery classes, as well as an incredibly popular bistro style restaurant, is clearly tapping into the tidal wave of new interest in artisan craft bakery but with a broader continental perspective.

Broad is certainly the word for their expansive range of Foccacias on offer during the festival with a gutsy glass of red. £6 buys you a large chunky wedge of these breads (olive, cheese and onion, chorizo) and a gluggable glass of Voignoleur de la Montagne. Perfect for a warm autumn Sunday al fresco in Manchester in early October.

Words & photos: Tom Warman.

Manchester Food and Drink Festival continues until 7th October.

NOW THEN. ISSUE 6. A MAGAZINE FOR MANCHESTER.

The final batch of issue 6 magazines went out yesterday, so look out for a copy in the usual areas in and around the city if you missed it the first time. It features some cracking illustrations by Peter Et Le Wolff, along with articles on the London Road Fire Station campaign, a retrospective on the riots, an homage to fish 'n' chips, interviews with Norris and Parker, BC Camplight, and The Natural Curriculum, and plenty more.

Here's the online version in the meantime:

We'd like to thank all our supporters for this issue (in page order):

SUPPORT INDEPENDENTS.
Morley Cheek's.
Manchester MULE.
Proof Chorlton.

MCR FOOD AND DRINK.
Battery Park Juice Bar.
The Eighth Day Shop & Cafe.
Épicerie Ludo.
POD Deli.
OPUS Distro.

MCR INDEPENDENT ALE.
The Hope Inn / Fool Hardy Ales.
Marble Beers.
Mary And Archie.
The Hillary Step.
First Chop Brewing Arm.
Privateer Beers.
The Spoon Inn.
Pie & Ale (By Bakerie).
Sandbar.

ART & DESIGN.
Agapanthus Interiors.
H Blyth & Co.

SUPPORT INDEPENDENTS.
Mogul.
Ken Foster's Cycle Logic. (10% off see magazine advert for info.)
Mockingbirds.
Chapel St Folk Festival.

MANCHESTER ACADEMY VENUES.
Manchester Academy.

TROF VENUES.
The Deaf Institute.
Gorilla.

GIGS AND FESTIVALS.
GrimmFest 2013.
The Manchester Print Fair No6.
Chapel St Studios / The Black Lion.

RAMSBOTTOM FESTIVAL 2013.
Outstanding Beers.
Ramsbottom Festival.