The HongKongGardenersClub take on The Great Escape
We met up with The HongKongGardenersClub @ The Great Escape, and asked for their take on The Great Escape 2009..
The Great Escape often gets referred to as a festival, but is far removed from the Glastonburys and the V Festivals most people are familiar with. This is largely due to the fact it is essentially Britain’s answer to South By South West, a big music industry conference that just happens to let non-industry into some of the show-cases. It is basically a big sales floor for bands and labels to sell their wares, which just so happens to be the music. Bands are presented in front of industry people, (some who are keen, others there on sufferance) who then proceed to analyse their future market potential, and who will be a winner for them and who would be a loser. It has an air of a competition to it, so is quite apt it takes place on the same weekend as the Chelsea flower show. Now we ‘Gardeners do like a clumsy botanical metaphor, so this is a great excuse for some terrible ones...
Best New Shoots (yep it’s clumsy, but we’re promoters not writers!)
Nelson. A French band who came on stage at The Hope on Thursday afternoon with no introduction and we had no preconceptions. They featured on the front cover of Artrocker back in December heralding the return of great French music. And they are great. Mixing quirky art-rock vocals and odd lyrics (a couple who sustain themselves eating cats anyone?) with gentle acoustic guitars one moment, then heavy guitars and electro beats the next. Expect great things.
Best in Show
Our “best in show” ended up being a joint winner, The Joy Formidable and Die! Die! Die! Neither is a new band, but both have upped their games in terms of music and performance over the last year.
North Wales’ finest, The Joy Formidable are musically reminiscent of the best of early 90s shoegaze bands, but singer Ritzy and bassist Rhydian put on a performance that would have put the fear of God into Ride, Lush et al. Ballsy big sounds with delicate vocals.
Die! Die! Die! are a New Zealand 3 piece who formed back in 2003, but there goth post-punk sound has evolved over the years into something taut and sinister. Coupled with the most energetic and genuine live performance we have seen in ages, these boys really caught the eye of many industry folk, despite them playing in the middle of a sunny afternoon on the end of a pier.
Upcoming Great Escape artists at HKGC...
Televised Crimewave. We are a little worried for the safety of our venue after seeing Leeds boys Televised Crimewave tearing up the stage at The Hope. Leeds boys Televised Crimewave hark back to early Joy Division or The Happy Mondays. June 4th at The Fat Fox in Southsea
Let’s Wrestle. We would love to say what these art-rockers were like live, but even Huw Stephens couldn’t get into their show, it was that packed. Well we get to see them without the crush on the 9th July at The Fat Fox in Southsea with the rather wonderful Ono Palindromes.
www.myspace.com/thehongkonggardenersclub
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