Advantage: Birmingham
Posted by jamie on Apr 27, 2009
Advantage play the Roadhouse in Birmingham with Skatch and it’s only £3 in.
I Got Love now on iTunes
Posted by jamie on Apr 27, 2009
The King Blues’ single I Got Love is now up on iTunes (for 79p). The single itself will be released on 4th May, or get it now here.
Catch-its on tour..
Posted by jamie on Apr 27, 2009
Yorkshire ska/punk/reggae 9-piece Catch-it Kebabs are playing a few shows to preview their new material for their forthcoming CD ‘Broken Vans and Masterplans’ which is due out at the end of this year. Expect massive brass riffs, bouncy reggae choruses and non-stop energy!
Saturday 2nd of May 2009 – Redhouse, SHEFFIELD
Kebabs onstage time: 11.45pm Price: £3
Thursday 7th of May 2009 - The Old Cock, HALIFAX
Kebabs onstage time: 10pm
Friday 8th of May 2009 – Hootananny, BRIXTON, LONDON
Supports: Rebelation | Door time: 8pm
Kebabs onstage time: 10pm
Price: FREE
Saturday 9th of May 2009 - Fighting Cocks, KINGSTON, LONDON
Kebabs onstage time: 9.30pm
Price: £5
Friday 15th of May 2009 - The Courthouse, BARNSLEY
Kebabs onstage time: 10pm
Price: FREE
Attendees are offered a FREE mp3 promo copy of the album by signing up at the merchandise desk…. Please go and say hi.
Second France
Posted by jamie on Apr 25, 2009
Yorkshire pop-punk upstarts Second Chance will tour the UK and France (now you get it? right?) with More Than Normal.
Dates:
2 May - La Peniche Alternat, Paris
3 May - Live Factory, Nantes
6 May - Le Pub, St Auvent
8 May - The Louis Armstrong, Dover
9 May - Edge of the Wedge, Portsmouth
10 May - Angel of the South, Southampton
12 May - St. James Wine Vaults, Bath
13 May - The Firefly, Worcester
14 May - The Sound Bar, Birmingham
15 May - Dry Bar, Manchester
16 May - The Parish, Huddersfield
17 May - Royal Park Cellars, Leeds
18 May - The Speakeasy, York
19 May - The Leopard, Doncaster
20 May - The Vic Inn, Derby
21 May - Man On The Moon, Cambridge
22 May - Face Bar, Reading
23 May - Hope and Anchor, London
“Who can resist a dance in the sun?”
Posted by jamie on Apr 25, 2009
Nottingham’s A is for Ape have been one of the UK’s best underground bands for years now, storming their way through infectious horn riffs and inspiring high-speed skanking feet AND fists in pits wherever they’ve been, not least on this summer’s mini-jaunt through their native midlands.
Still tired, but visibly refreshed and carrying the beginnings of a promising tan, Nicky B (guitar/vocals) turned up after Jamie dangled some bread off a bridge on a fishing rod. We kept him for a quick chat, during which he lovingly referred to his band, A is for Ape, as “The Apes”, which gave us the giggles.
The apes are just home from their whistle-stop tour of the midlands, having taken in every metropolis from Derby to Leamington Spa that they found along the way. “One thing I realised on the road is how good the people of the ska and punk scene are. I mean I can’t imagine it’s our charisma, but people seemed to really go out of their way to help us along. We made some good friends and played with some awesome bands too”, he enthuses, scarcely topping for breath, “most notably Bigtopp, who rocked the Nottingham show with a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air mash up”.
“We’d be on the road more often but unfortunately our student days are over and until Fat Wreck come knocking on the door we have got day jobs to keep us alive, this tour was really a prelude to what we hope to achieve in the summer. We’re just starting to put together some dates and hope to get on a few festivals as that is really where this whole sweet genre really shines, who can resist a dance in the sun?”
There’s been talk of a follow-up to “Once More Over the 617” almost since it came out last May, and recent rumours *tease alert* even said that the classic “Winning a Loser’s Game” might get a new tarting up and an outing on the new album. “Since the last record we’ve been writing with the aim to put an album out later in the year”, says Nicky, “but what I’d like is to write, say, 30 songs and then cut them down to 15. That way we can have something that really shines, particularly as this genre is seeing some real talent emerge on the underground scene.
The guys are more encouraged since returning from the tour - we’ve had some good times along the way. However, we might have a couple of line-up changes heading our way as people struggle to mix band commitments with the rest of their lives. Hopefully this won’t happen, but, maybe, just maybe, prepare to see some new faces..
New faces, a new record, and some new tour dates. It’s all new for the Apes. After a summer of festivals and shows, of course. I mean, priorities, and all that..
Ska News on Twitter.
Posted by jamie on Apr 25, 2009
It’s not us: www.twitter.com/skanews is run by the Catch-It Kebabs. It’s dead good, though. Go and follow! 
Mouthwash join Rebel Alliance
Posted by jamie on Apr 21, 2009
Mouthwash have signed to the Sonic Boom Six’s Rebel Alliance Recordings. Their first record for the label, and first since 1,000 Dreams came out on Hellcat in ‘01, will be out on 4th May (and come with a 10-track bonus disc).
See the band’s myspace (linked above) for tourdates with SB6 and the King Blues and headline shows all over the UK.
Free show!
Posted by jamie on Apr 21, 2009
All the free stuff on Bananatown these days. Credit crunch, schmedit schmunch.
Tom Craven is playing at Roadtrip, in London tomorrow night (Wednesday 22/April), and it’s free. Tom is on at 9.30 and the nearest tube is Old Street. The gig is for Festivaljam’s acoustic sessions. There.
Free shirt.
Posted by jamie on Apr 20, 2009
Aren’t we good to you? Westbound Train are giving pre-orders of ‘Come and Get It’ from Interpunk a free T-Shirt. Get it here.
Panty Raid
Posted by jamie on Apr 20, 2009
Zebrahead have finished recording their covers album ‘Panty Raid’. They’re also on twitter at www.twitter.com/zebrahead_twits and will play some European festivals. Full dates aren’t ready yet.
