Currently running in Knaresborough (The McCartney to Harrogate’s Lennon) is a festival called Feva (“Festerval of Entertainment and Visual Arts”). On Saturday I go on about one of the events, but there are actually loads more things that that one (which admittedly I do hammer a bit because I’m featuring on the bill)… it really is a huge line up of things – including things from Street Art and Theatre to Jazz evenings at restaurants, to simple things like getting discount at shops with a programme – the website is www.feva.info so have a look there and plan a nice day out. But hey, read my page first yeah, unlike Feva I’m not a charity, I’ve got an ego to keep fed and housed here!
THURSDAY 15th August
I’ve been told that Dj Tex regularly reads my column right here on harrogate-news, so I’ll open up with a bit of a bottom rub of him, cos he’s a really nice guy and I went up to see him last week before I started work. Mundanely, a bulb had blown in his DJ stand and rather than fix it themselves venues have decided now to outsource that kind of work to dj’s with – seemingly – the reasoning being “I’m not fixing it, if they won’t sort it themselves, let them work in the dark, damn their eyes” so I’d taken in a spare. Whilst I was there he was doing his Djing. Now generally I’m no fan of DJ’s who use laptops as generally they don’t actually USE them, using a lap top to just play MP3’s is like using a car as a place to keep old newspapers, essentially, it can just do that, but it can be so much more… So it was really cool to see Tex using the software to it’s full potential. My main reason for staying off laptop is that I figure unless you are going to use it to the extent of say Dj Yoda or Deadmau5, you’re just being lazy, and the thing was Tex WAS using it to it’s full potential. He was doing a live remix (please note, this involves more than just playing the vocal of one song over the top of another) and it was really cool and sounded great. He wasn’t even playing the kind of music I like, but it was good. I then went downstairs to play the kind of music I like. And it was rubbish. Speaking of which…
I play at Rehab on Thursday downstiars… No doubt you’ve seen the posters…? You have? Really? Because I ordered them off the internet 2 weeks ago and they still haven’t turned up. I’m beginning to think that this internet thing is all just a con. It just seems to be a place where people say things are ace, when really they are just popular.
“Y.O.L.O” is ace at Viper rooms every Thursday, it’s a super awesome R’n’B night. Don’t forget the official pre-bar at Moko!
Oh yes, also Skapegoat Kelly return to rock the Blues bar this very evening and I suspect there is still live music at The Alexandra on Thursdays but I’m sure I don’t know what it is.
FRIDAY 16th August
The Blues Bar has got Half Hand Hoodoo playing there this Friday, which sounds like some kind of really awesome martial arts move. Regular readers of this column will be aware I know all about the violent arts, having once killed a tiger with a single punch. Whilst up a mountain. Quite what this has to do with live music at the blues Bar is beyond me, however, what are YOU going to do about it? nevertheless Half Hand Hoodoo play with a stand up double bass and look like they’ll be cracking.
Mr. Dan Burnette is playing his crazy piano down at the Den this Friday, he really is an annoyingly talented individual so go see him, and whilst you’re there annoy Jen by discussing LOUDLY how much better at the internet I am than her.
Rehab’s regular Friday Rock Romp has Croak Ditch this week, who are a band really worth checking out if you’ve never seen them, and if you have seen them you’ll probably already be going, so I’ll quit my jibber jabber. That’s upstairs at Rehab, whilst downstairs they’ve got Dj’s Sam & Jack at their weekly “Electro Circus” which always seems to be busy, and is free to get in.
The Geek pub quiz returns this week to retro bar, with prizes like SNES games systems and etch-a-sketch, it starts about 7.30 and this weeks chosen specialized subject is Disney. So it will probably be a good place to meet chicks too.
SATURDAY 17th August
This Saturday in Knaresborough there’s a really good, really FREE event on called Feva in the Park. It’s at Knaresborough House (you know, the place where you used to go sledging) and is an open air gig running from 12pm til 5pm. I’ve been to it since it started running 5 or 6 years ago, it’s always really nice, they put on bands on a festival type stage and really make an effort to offer a good range of music. This year they’ve got The Wilde (who I’m always raving about), Plosnat Society (who I don’t know but am looking forward to seeing) and back from last year by demand Barcode Zebra who are an excellent poppy soulful act. Now, in the interests of full disclosure it is worth pointing out that I am Dj’ing at this event, but honestly, that’s not why I’m saying its really good, if anything, I am the low point in an otherwise cloudless sky. But I had a great time playing last year, doing summery indie and classic rock with a bit of alternative pop stuff, and before that I’ve always really enjoyed it when I was just there in the crowd and it’s awesome to be part of something that’s so cool and totally free. The Knaresborough Lions sponsor it and have a bloke doing the announcing who’s really good and keeps things upbeat and entertaining, but listen… There’s no food stands, so you need to take your own pic-nic! And maybe you could take a Latte, De-caf, semi-Skimmed, for the hard working DJ who has given his time for free, in the hopes that someone will buy him a latte….
Back in Harrogate, The Blues has Jed Thomas there this Saturday, and when I get back in town I’m playing at the Den. Elsewhere it’s business as usual, Rehab is free in with two floors, upstairs it’s rock and Downstairs it’s dance. Also free in is Revolution which has soulful funky stuff in the front bar and dance music in the main room. Vipers is playing current dance and retro, which is also what you get in Lure, whilst moko lounge plays house and club music. There IS a new place in town called Grape & Grain, but I can’t find out much about it. I want to go and see what it’s like but obviously my VIP invite to the opening got lost in the post, that seems to happen quite a lot these days. Sometimes when I turn up to places they like to play a joke on me where they don’t let me in too… actually, I’m not kidding, I got turned away from a place in Chester the other week for not having any ID. rather than upsetting me this made me feel ace, and I would like to remind you that I am sponsored by Oil of Ulay.
SUNDAY 18th August
Sherlock Holmes is on at Harlow Carr Gardens. Now, I love outside theatre and I LOVE Sherlock Holmes (the more astute of you may have noticed I’ve been trying to look like his best mate for the last year) so imagine my disappointment when I realized this was on a night when I am working… Imagine THEN how delighted I was when I realized this was actually a night I’m giving to your Dj Pieman to make up for the fact he had to take a night off for the recent (and epically brilliant by the way, thanks everyone) Bottom of the Bottle birthday all dayer… So I’m off to this, and so should you. It’s only 12 pounds and a half and you can take a pic-nic. It starts at 6pm, so, if you’re my girlfriend for example, you’ll need to get your skates on after work! Thinking on, I’d better book tickets before I post tihs hadn’t I, that would be tragically ironic. They still might not let me, thinking I look too young….
As mentioned, your Dj Pieman takes over Sunday at Rehab this week. He’s earning monies to go towards his beer fund for Reading Fest, so please go in and spend like you are trying to singlehandedly subsidize global beer production. Which is what your Dj Pieman does when he’s at a festival.
The Blues Bar has someone live in the afternoon, but they are currently not sure who, but you can;t really go wrong there…. in the evening there’s Strangers in Paradise and Olive Branch at nighttime.
Tom runs his weekly acoustic sesh at The Alexandra, called theSunday Soundcheck and
down at the Fat Badger the Pub Quiz continues each week. Also Viper rooms will be holding it’s regular “Peek-a-boo” club night toboot. Finally, The Coach and Horses website says it is running a pub quiz on Sundays… I’d probably check with them first, but it is my experience that you can wholeheartedly trust literally everything that you read on the internet. For example, I once bought these pills that said they would make me act like a Rhino in bed, and last week I was in bed and gored a safari keeper to death. It was brilliant.
SPICE
I’m still looking for ways to spice up the writing for Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, as largely they always offer the same things, but there is a decent range and I want to keep listing them, I’m just struggling to make it interesting reading. So for this week in an attempt to keep this relationship interesting, I’ve put on some revealing lingerie and cooked your favorite meal, whilst I write this part.
MONDAY 19th August
The Alexandra’s pub quiz kicks things off on Monday, with a roll-over cash jack pot and free chillie, the night then continues with several options. Dj’s Max & Jake now run Zoso on Monday nights, playing a pretty much “anything goes” set, Pete Oliver hosts an open mic session at The Blues Bar and still going after many years is “Mokioki”, the karaoki night at The Moko Lounge. This bra is a little tight, can you help me loosen it? That’s better. Have another glass of wine.
TUESDAY 20th August
How was work? Let me give you a massage. Meanwhile, The Mighty TBC are back at the Blues Bar this Tuesday, there is the Folk night at the Tap n’ Spile, and there’s two rooms open at Moko, in the VIP Room Jaey Selway presents her Rock Box, playing alternative and hard rock anthems, whilst in the main room Dee J Wyer plays upfront stuff. Zoso plays host to The Electro Jam, the weekly open decks sesh where anyone can rock up an play ANYTHNG… I would LOVE it, I WOULD LOVE IT, if someone turned up and played some Val Doonican or something. Revolution holds “Back 2 Rev” each Tuesday which I gather is becoming a bit of a house night, which seems like a good idea as there actually aren’t any house nights midweek, Dj Tex & Sixus are the residents, I waxed lyrical about Tex earlier on so it seems only fair if I say something equally glowing about Dj Sixus now… Erm… I give him a lift home every Thursday and he has never once soiled my car.
WEDNESDAYS 21st August
Why don’t we go upstairs and on the way I’ll whisper in your ear what happens on Wednesdays in town. Wednesdays are always :
Dj Pieman at Rehab
Paul Middleton’s Angst band swearing through the night at The Blues Bar.
How was that for you?
SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION
For the last few months I’ve been presenting a show on Harrogatealternativeradio.co.uk . It obviously wasn’t any good as the station has now stopped broadcasting…
Nevertheless I’m not gonna let that put me off and I’m still going to stick a mix up weekly (ish) on mixcloud.com/djtrevuk . These will hopefully also get featured on what is going to become of the harrogatealternativeradio site. As far as I know the site is now going to be dedicated to showcasing Harrogate bands and DJ’s and their respective mixclouds and soundclouds and other on line resources. You can submit your own stuff to the site if you fancy – and don’t worry if you think it’s not very good, they feature my stuff and that’s TERRIBLE, so you’ve really nothing to lose. E-mail info@harrogatealternativeradio.co.uk if you are based in Harrogate or the surrounding areas and I’m told they will give you a listing, which is purdy cool yeah?
If you want to send me any listings or whatever you can befriend me at facebook.com/djtrev OR if, for some reason, you would like to read more of my ramblings, you can “like” my blog which is at facebook.com/djtrevuk however, please note, I swear far too much on pretty much everything I do online.
Thanks for reading, drink responsibly and don’t be loose with your affections.
Trev x x x
