Well now, this week I’m starting the Harrogate Battle of the Bands again at Rehab.
It doesn’t seems like a whole year since the last time I quadrupled my work load in return for very little financial gain. To be honest though I’ve still got half a stone I’m trying to lose so the stress of dealing with an extra 4 bands every week for the foreseeable future (coupled, naturally, with the type of every day stresses a big deal DJ has to deal with such as: What T-Shirt to wear tonight / only 2 toilet rolls left and last night was a Vindaloo / Beyonce has released 6 singles, need to listen to them all and work out if any of them is vaguely good / general crippling emotional pain) I should be in tip top condition by Easter Sunday which is the grand Final. The bigger concern for me is that – in a completely fair and even handed way – I wanted to basically just spend this entire article talking up the Battle of the Bands, to try and make it as busy as it was last year. However, there are loads of other pesky promoters (and in some case people who actually have a specific talent too) who have insisted on putting other things on this week too, that I need to talk about. So listen, come to Rehab, 8pm, this Sunday for the Battle of the Bands first heat, it’s got Oscilantern, Humble Scoundrel, Summer City & Nations, and entry is free. Or you could do any of the following things….
(Actually, I’m no quantum scientist, but I would speculate that you could come to the battle of the bands AND do most of these other things too. Or you could sit at home thinking “nothing ever happens in Harrogate why don’t they put on more things for people like me I would definitely go.” Then you could spend 2 years talking about how you hate Harrogate and it’s boring and you want to move away. Then after another 2 years you could actually move away. And then you’d be back in 6 months time citing “creative differences” with whatever big smoke city you moved to, only to reveal that you had never actually gone to Manchester or London, you’d moved into a bedsit in Bradford where you spent all your time Photoshopping yourself into pictures with singers in bands that no one has heard of… Those are really your only two options, so I’ll see you on Sunday right? And at ALL of these things…)
Tonight, Thursday, Monteys has the UK Foo Fighters live. These guys are a really solid tribute act and Monteys only puts on decent bands so this should be a good and busy gig and well worth the effort. Also in the live scene The Phil Dean Band are also on in town tonight at the legendary Blues Bar, that’s free entry and is always good for live music. Alternately at Lure Bar there is a pub quiz with a Dj who is really struggling to compete with all these people who actually took the time to learn how to play an instrument and do good songs and that; nevertheless my quiz is going pretty well, so that’s something to think about when you are toying with the idea of moving away.
The Dan Burnett Band are a good group and have been improved by the fact that Dan has shaved off his comedy “Raffael Benitez” beard. Dan himself is a really talented musician so getting rid of that beard can only make him seem even better, you can catch his band at The Den on Friday, or Blues Bar on Sunday afternoon with special guest Gina McCann. If that wasn’t enough, Dan is “flying solo” on Sunday night at the Pitcher and Piano. I really hate people who actually have a work ethic.
To go back to Friday, there is plenty on, from all ends of the musical paint pot, Kasiuss are doing a one off gig at Christies Bar, which is for people into credible melodic rock music… alternately one of the birds out of B*Witched is playing at the Manhatten club, for charity. Ok, I can’t possibly tell you that that will be quite as hip, credible and “scene” as the Kasiuss gig, but it will still be a good laugh, and it’s raising money for some charity or other too, so that’s gotta be a good option for a girls night out? Also on Friday the Regency Pub has an improv comedy night, so really there is something on for everybody. Even if you don’t fancy any of that there are all the clubs playing Dance music or R’n’B whatever, or of course there’s always moving to a big city which is less boring. Though given that big cities must be full of boring people who all thought that their home town was boring, that’s your funeral innit.
And now for something completely different:
This dude called Mikey Kay has been chatting to me for a bit on facebook (I spend most of my time speaking to lots of young men on facebook, deal with it) about a project he is starting up, and it sounds like a quality idea. His idea is to do do a podcast (for people my age, this is like a radio style show that you can download and listen to whenever you like. I know the term POD cast sounds like a euphemism, but it isn’t. A euphemism is what I just said to my lodger when he asked if I want to watch TV and I replied, “no mate, I’m off to my office to turn on my PC computer and put some hard work in on my Column.” He didn’t get it) and his project is called “Harrogate Noise”. To start with will be exclusively focusing on the Harrogate, Leeds & York Scene. It will feature music, naturally, plus interviews, discussions, gig/album reviews and a ‘find a band member’ section. The first show is getting recorded today so should be available shortly, for now you can join the facebook page here:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harrogate-Noise/421826187947908
Conveniently for me, having now spent some time talking about other peoples projects, the first “Harrogate Noise” will include an interview with Modern Day Dukes (who are playing my Battle of the Bands on the 16th of March ;) ) and a “World Premier” of their new single. Theoretically I am going to do a “Spoken word” piece about the forthcoming battle of the bands, but I’ve not done it yet because I have been busy, what with my crushing emotional pain and the constant need to put lots of work in on my column. It looks like a good idea this though, a decent central place for local bands to promote themselves and sort out things that bands need to sort out, like “our drummer smells does anyone else play drums out there?” That’s me speculating about the problems bands face. Really I know they face much more serious problems, such as making sure that non of the members is wearing the same t-shirt as another one.
Back to events that you can go to, my token Brazilian friend Fernando (that’s really his name) is running a Carnival Night this Saturday at the Masonic Hall. It’s got Samba dancers and a full on Carnival Party thing going on, I don’t really know what that involves but I’ve seen videos of Brazillian Carnivals on line and they look very jiggly.
As well as the social event of the year (Rehab’s Battle of the Bands) on Sunday, if you are a Knaresbugger, the Cross Keys in Knaresborough has a Soul Music all Dayer this very Sunday with Dj David Crane. He seems like a good sort so that will be fun.
Into next week The Blues Bar has Hanna Aldridge playing there on Tuesday; now in the past I have often said things about the girl who play there cos they are always fit, but sometimes artistic girls don’t like being reduced to how attractive they look (tsk, chicks eh?) so I will tell you NOT ONLY is Hannah Aldridge really fit she has a right good voice too. I watched a video of her online a minute ago (made a nice change from the usual kind of videos I watch on line) and it was cracking.
Finally, the first Wednesday of the month every month The Mitre Pub in Knaresborough has a Jazz night. I don’t know the exact specifics but it think it’s something daft like a mere £10 for a meal and a night of live music. Obviously, sketchy as my details are you should perhaps contact the venue, but it does look really good. Unfortunately on Wednesday’s I am busy being amazing at football so can’t go myself. Which has no doubt instantly made it more appealing. If YOU would like me to specifically endorse YOUR event by not being able to go, contact me on facebook.com/djtrev .
Right, here’s some listings, and if you fancy you can catch me at Lure Tonight from 8pm doing my quiz, or I might be doing something or other at Rehab on Sunday, I forget. Or you could listen to me sucking terribly on mixcloud.com/djtrevuk :
THURSDAY 27th February
Monteys rock cafe, UK Foo Fighters live!
Lure Bar, Quiz night with Dj Trev, 8pm £1 entry, free after quiz with Dj Trev playing foolhardy party music til 2am.
Viper Rooms Nightclub, R’n’B night.
Rehab Nightclub, free entry, £2.50 drinks all night with Dj Tex.
Blues Bar, live music from The Phil Dean Band, Free entry.
The Alexandra, Live music, free entry.
Christies Bar, Pub quiz with Sean McGrath.
FRIDAY 28th February
The Den, live music from The Dan Burnett Band.
Manhatten Club, Keavy Lynch from B*Witched! In aid of the make a wish foundation.
Regency Pub, Discount Improv Comedy night.
Christies Pub, Kasiuss LiveLure Bar, “Shuffle” Breakbeat, Funk & house night with Dj Toby Skinner. Free Entry.
Rehab Nightclub, “Electro Circus” dance Night downstairs.
The Blues Bar, live music from Half hand Hoodoo, Free entry.
Moko Lounge nightclub, “Frat house Party”.
SATURDAY 1st March? Already? Thank Jebus!
Masonic Hall, Carnival night with Samba dancers and a full on Carnival Party!
The Blues Bar, live music with The Jed Thomas Blues Band, free entry.
The Groves Pub, Knaresborough, live music from Liam Grey.
Moko Lounge nightclub, “Drop Out”, house night. Robert Amllinder & Alex Simmons, main room, house and electro. Leon Hithchen, VIP Room, R’n’b.
Revolution Bar, front bar Dj Tex (Soul & R’n’B), main room Disco Dave (upfront dance and chart) free entry.
Rehab nightclub, Rock music upstairs from Your Dj Pieman, Downstairs, dance music with Dj Wayne & James. Free entry.
Vipers Rooms Nightclub Dj Angel Lee & The Legendary Neil Jaques playing tunes for upfront clubbing upstairs, Harvey Westwood downstairs, free entry before 11pm.
Christies Pub, Sean McGrath’s Cheesy disco, free entry.
SUNDAY 2nd March
Battle of the Bands Rehab nightclub, Dj Trev 10pm til late, free entry, drinks offers, average Dj’ing.
Cross Keys Knaresborough, Soul Music all Dayer!
Pitcher & Piano, live music, from Dan Burnette, Free entry.
The Alexandra Pub, Live music at the Sunday Soundcheck acoustic night. Free entry.
Viper Room’s Nightclub, Peek-a-Boo Urban night.
Blues Bar, live music from The Dan Burnette Blues Band in the afternoon, Francis around teatime and the Matt Goldberg Band at night.
Fat Badger , Cold Bath Road, Pub Quiz.
MONDAY 3rd march
The Alexandra Pub Quiz, with Dj Pieman.
The Harlow Inn, Otley road, Pub Quiz.
Zoso Bar, Dj Max & Rum Chaser, house music.
Blues Bar, open mic session, free entry.
Moko Lounge nightclub, Karaoke..
TUESDAY 4th March
Zoso Bar, Union Street, Electro Jam, open decks sesh.
The Tap n’ Spile pub, folk night.
Pitcher & Piano Re:Session cheap drinks night.
The Blues Bar, Hanna Aldridge Free entry.
Moko Lounge Nightclub, “Skint” main room upfront dance and electro, VIP Room Rock Box Rock night Dj Jaye Selway.
Revolution Bar, “Back to Rev’s” House Night, Dj’s Tex & Sixus.
Coach and Horses Pie and Peas night with proceeds to Martin’s House Children’s Hospice.
WEDNESDAYS 5th March
Jazz Night at The Mitre Pub, Knaresborough.
Pitcher & Piano Quiz night from 8pm. Free for new teams or £1.50 PP.
Rehab nightclub, Dj Pieman playing party music.
The Blues Bar, live music from the Paul Middleton Angst band .
Thanks for reading, drink responsibly and don’t be loose with your affections. And if you are going to be loose, wrap it before you slap it.
Trev x x x
