February 2012
1 post
8 tags
BEING THERE
London-based band Being There’s drumming is super tight and clean, their melodies are catchy and distinct, and their vocalist, though lacking the world’s best pipes, gives a performance that can satisfy both me and die-hard Pavement fans. On “Tomorrow”, offered as a free download on their Bandcamp page, a fast, coiled drumbeat perfectly keeps pace against just-there...
January 2012
8 posts
10 tags
SLEEP PARTY PEOPLE
We are mega excited to be bringing Danes SLEEP PARTY PEOPLE to Manchester this April. If you haven’t already checked them out, we implore you to watch the videos we have posted below and prepared to be stunned, and come down to the show on April 16. In their words… Sleep party people is the bedroom project of Brian Batz - is like one of those fairy tale gems that keep radiating...
11 tags
RONIKA
“As with disco dolly/Benitez-era Madonna, the cutesy surface is a disguise for deep involvement in the local underground dance scene. A writer-producer as well as a singer, you could imagine her penning hits for Kylie or becoming the female Stuart Price. As with Price, there is a facility here with late-period disco, electro-funk and synth-pop.” The Guardian “Beneath the...
19 tags
THE RUMOUR SAID FIRE
The Rumour Said Fire is an indie/folk band formed in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2008 by frontman Jesper Lidang.
On September 21st 2009, they released their 4 song EP, which was later followed up by a re-release with two additional songs. Although still being a new act on the Danish music scene, they have already made a name for themselves with songs like Love For The Tortured and The Balcony.
On...
9 tags
GANG COLOURS
As a portal into a world of daydreams, tumbling into shadows and embracing luminescence simultaneously, Gang Colours turns drum patterns into magic. Breeding surreal headphone-friendly landscapes, he fills them with unexpected sounds that would otherwise seem out of place. Within his intricate collages however, they nestle so comfortably – it’s hard to remember their usual context. At times his...
12 tags
PALE SEAS
Pale Seas are a Southampton five piece with the ability to craft stunningly beautiful pop songs.Tinged with Americana folk yet jarred with English self-depreciation, if there were to be a hallowed union of Beach House and Galaxy 500, then Pale Seas would surely be that love-child - the bands intimate and nocturnal sound is potent enough to melt even the iciest of hearts.
Pale Seas play BETA at...
11 tags
WE ARE AUGUSTINES + THE LOUCHE
We Are Augustines
Brooklyn based Billy McCarthy and Eric Sanderson.
The Louche
Psychedelic country pop melodies with acoustic guitars, piano, fuzzed-up guitars and swirling organ. A hypnotic melancholy that Pink Floyd would be proud of.
WE ARE AUGUSTINES + THE LOUCHE play BETA at Night & Day Manchester on
Sunday 4th March 2012.
To access this gig for free...
9 tags
CITIZENS!
Citizens! are a five-piece from London who have just signed to French electronic indie label kitsune and their debut album, due early next year, has been produced by Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand.
Their debut single, True Romance, is a supremely infectious affair, a back-to-the-future job that sounds like an early-70s Bowie-esque vision of the 80s – what Diamond Dogs might have sounded like...
8 tags
DALE EARNHARDT JR JR
Ever since seeing Detriot band Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr play in New York in 2010 we’ve been trying to get them to Manchester. Hard to describe without listening to them, but maybe minimal-harmonic-digital-p op is a start. Check out ‘Nothing But Our Love’ video below .
Dale Earnhardt Jr Jr play BETA at The Castle Hotel Manchester on Thursday 16th February 2012.
To access this gig...
December 2011
5 posts
MIDNIGHT LION
Introducing Glasgow based two-piece Midnight Lion, enigmatic pop stars in the making. Full of the melodies and huge choruses like those found in the studio pop bands of the 80s like Simple Minds, Midnight Lion retain an almost art-house leaning that evokes the dark, more subtle moments of artists akin to Talk Talk. It’s a sound that imbues the influence of living and creating music in the...
15 tags
BLOUSE
Blouse is based out of a warehouse in Portland, Oregon. The project started in the summer of 2010, after Los Angeles native Charlie Hilton met Patrick Adama in art school. They began spending nights at the warehouse recording dizzyinf lo-fi, synthy, dream-pop with Jacob Portrait (Unknown Mortal Orchestra).
Blouse play BETA at The Castle Hotel Manchester on Monday 6th February 2012.
To...
9 tags
HANNI EL KHATIB
Influenced by pioneers of early Rock and R&B, the multi-instrumentalist serves as singer, songwriter & producer for his one-man band (live he is joined by drummer Nicky Fleming-Yaryan) mixing a unique sound of ‘50/’60s blues, soul, garage rock & doo whop. Or in Hanni’s words “these songs were written for anyone who’s ever been shot or hit by a train. Knife fight music.”
Hanni will...
8 tags
fiN
fiN are Southwest London schoolmates-turned-twenty-something guitar pop visionaries Jonny Garner, Simon Harding, Kerry Lambert and Luke Joyce. The band decided to leave behind their grunge covers band roots in November 2008, utilising their childhood roots in Motown, The Beatles, Led Zep and Nirvana, and channelling their creative forces for the reinvention of alt.rock.
Blouse play BETA at The...
7 tags
FOE
A wig wearing, painted faced riot grrrl who sites Pj Harvey, Nirvana, Radiohead, The Kills, The White Stripes, Pixies and Portishead as influences.
Foe will be playing BETA at The Castle Hotel, Manchester on Sunday 22nd January.
To access this gig for free ‘like’ www.facebook.com/musicinbeta facebook.com/FOE foe-mania.tumblr.com
November 2011
3 posts
8 tags
BINARY
Binary are a London group with one song and a brooding anthemic sound which marks them out as something a bit special. Formed by molecular biologist David Troster back in 2010 they manage to go somewhere quite heavy without sounding overloaded or melodramatic.
Binary will be playing BETA on the Thursday 19th of January.
To access this gig for free ‘like’ www.facebook.com/musicinbeta
...
10 tags
TRAILER TRASH TRACYS + WOMAN'S HOUR
Trailer Trash Tracys - Fine female fronted indie pop with a dark unsettling indeed sinister vibe like the Cocteau Twins covering the Velvet Underground in some ways.
Woman’s Hour - are a three-piece band based in London. Originally all members are from Kendal, Cumbria and all moved down seperately. In early 2010 the idea was formed and songs were written. They write party songs with an...
11 tags
DUCHESS SAYS
Duchess Says are a Canadian dance punk band, known for their imagery laden music and enormously intense live performances.
They supported Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs on their British tour in 2009 and cite their influences as ranging from ‘no wave, new wave, punk’ to ‘cinema and visual arts’.
WATER SIGNS WATER SIGNS were formed in Manchester in late 2010 fuelled by a shared desire...
October 2011
1 post
I.R.O.K
Psychotropic afro-punk ensemble The Intergalactic Republic Of Kongo, oft-abbreviated to I.R.O.K., first came about when one-time Dead Kids frontman Mike Title was inspired by the sights and sounds he witnessed at an African football match. Having formed, they then divided recording sessions for their yet-to-be-released debut album ‘Yé Yé God Revolution’ between London and Morocco.
I.R.O.K...
August 2011
9 posts
11 tags
JUAN ZELADA
Having come to the UK with just a guitar on his back, Juan Zelada has gone on to tour with Amy Winehouse, write music with Duran Duran and receive a songwriting award from Sir Paul McCartney.
But above all of this, his effortlessly summery vocals, instinctive ear for melody and genuine like-ability make him an artist to watch for the future.
Juan will be playing BETA on the Thursday 1st of...
12 tags
GEM CLUB
Combining airy vocals with orchestral arrangements, Gem Club delivers a polished take on dream pop. Formed in Somerville, Massachusetts, singer/pianist Christopher Barnes is the principal group member, but brought classically trained cellist/bells/singer Kristen Drymala into the fold after hearing her perform at a party.
The pair self-released the Acid and Everything EP in summer 2010,...
CLASS ACTRESS
Class Actress is: Guilty Pleasure. NSA dance music. Casual Encounters. Stalker Pop. Depeche Mode meets early Madonna and Five Star as played on KTU Radio in the leather backseat of a cab.
Class Actress will be playing BETA at The Castle Hotel, Manchester on Tuesday 22nd November.
To access this gig for free ‘like’ www.facebook.com/musicinbeta classactress.com...
10 tags
LIANNE LA HAVAS
At the ripe old age of 21, Lianne La Havas’ voice is wise beyond its years. With a sound that is both reminiscent of a bygone era and as contemporary as Adele’s, Lianne brings a unique flavor to the music scene. This London songbird has been generating a lot of buzz lately and recently signed with Warner Brothers Records to work on the release of her first album. After listening to her recent...
11 tags
BASS DRUM OF DEATH
Bass Drum of Death is a two-piece band from Mississippi, together they make garage rock full of catchy riffs and distortion with lyrics about drugs, panic attacks, stealing stuff, and elvis appearing in your dreams.
They will be playing BETA on the Monday 7th of November.
To access this gig for free ‘like’ www.facebook.com/musicinbeta
facebook.com/BASS-DRUM-OF-DEATH
...
9 tags
PEARL AND THE BEARD
Pearl and the Beard is three voices, one cello, one guitar, one glockenspiel, one melodica, several drums, one accordion, ninety-six teeth, and one soul. Former strangers Jocelyn Mackenzie, Emily Hope Price, and Jeremy Styles were united in the great city of New York. Each had migrated there from a far corner of the nation with naught but food in their pockets and money in their bellies. Each...
14 tags
DZ DEATHRAYS
Aussie two-piece DZ Deathrays weave together elements of thrash, punk, blues, funk and psychedelica to achieve a versatile style of rock not completely disimilar to Death From Above 1979.
They will be playing BETA at The Castle Hotel, Manchester on Tuesday 25th October.
Give the video below a look if only to see two men down a full bottle of Jager in under three minutes…those with a...
8 tags
THEME PARK
Theme Park are twin brothers Miles and Marcus Haughton and friends Louie Bhose and Oscar Manthorpe. They met at school and grew up making music together. Since then they have developed into a band, frequently compared to Talking Heads, not least because of their David Byrne-esque vocals.
Their tracks are precisely assembled, upbeat and a joy to listen to.
See them play live at at BETA at The...
9 tags
KYLA LA GRANGE
Watford-born Kyla La Grange began writing songs aged just five and first started performing solo at open mic nights while still studying Philosophy at Cambridge university.
Her songs are full of deep dark angst that soars up into rousing and anthemic choruses reminiscent of Florence and the Machine, Anna Calvi and Claire Mcguire.
Kyla plays BETA at The Castle Hotel Manchester on Tuesday 11th...
July 2011
6 posts
9 tags
PATTERNS
Celestial melody makers Patterns create moody, atmospheric tunes that have garnered praise from all the right places; Huw Stephens was impressed enough to invite them to play his own night and now the band will be launching their new single at BETA, at The Castle Hotel, Manchester on Monday 10th of October.
To access this gig for free ‘like’ www.facebook.com/musicinbeta
...
12 tags
BROTHERS OF BRAZIL
Brothers Supla and Joäo combine elements of traditional Brazilian music with rock and funk to create a unique sound. Their debut album was produced by Mario Caldato, Jr. (Beastie Boys, Tone Loc) and they are famous for their raucous live shows which have won them fans all over the world.
They will be playing music from their self-titled album at BETA at The Castle Hotel in Manchester on Saturday...
10 tags
NEDRY
Nedry are a London trio who combine the hauntingly poignant vocals of lead singer Ayu Okakita with glitchy, post dubstep production techniques.
Often likened to The xx, Four Tet and Björk, Nedry (which is an anagram of Nerdy) create and produce all of their own music. They will be playing BETA at The Castle Hotel, Manchester on Wednesday 5th October.
To access this gig for free...
12 tags
CATTLE AND CANE
Teeside quartet Cattle & Cane’s sound fuses a wealth of folk, indie and blues influences with the perfect soaring harmonies of brother/sister Jo and Helen Hammill.
Likened to Shady Bard and Fleet foxes the all-family band combines powerful anthem-like choruses with gently contrasting guitars, drums and strings to create a mature and timeless sound.
Cattle and Cane play BETA at The...
10 tags
LOVE INKS
Texas trio Love Inks create delicate, dreamlike pop similar to that of Au Revoir Simone and The Hundred In The Hands. Usually relying on only a guitar, bass and drum machine to accompany her vocals, lead singer Sherry LeBlanc weaves the band’s beautifully honest lyrics to create simple yet evocative melodies you can sing along to.
Love Inks will be playing BETA on Monday 26th September,...
9 tags
TREEFIGHT FOR SUNLIGHT
Danish four-piece Treefight for Sunlight have been likened to MGMT and The Beach Boys, such are their feel-good sing-along symphonies, propelled by choir boy vocals and avast array of psychedelic sounding pianos, guitars and woodwind instruments.
They will be playing tracks from their glorious self-titled first album at BETA at The Castle Hotel in Manchester on Tuesday the 6th of...