Back on the blogging horse, I’ll waste no time boring you with why but expect a few more postings and goings-on around here very soon – and we’re kicking off with In The City.
Over three days In The City combines a daytime hub of industry debate with a city-wide live festival, gathering the music industry in Manchester and providing a forum for the hottest discussion topics, while showing the public and cheque-waving A&Rs some of the best emerging musical talent in the world.
During the day In The City gathers a wealth of controversial, talented figureheads of music, film, photography, art, new media and gaming to debate and seek answers to some of the creative industries’ most pressing and delicate issues. One of the central debates has been Pay to Play – grass-roots promoters insist on artists committing to a minimum income in their booking contract, meaning the band may have to cover any losses if not enough tickets are sold. It’s a system that basically shifts some (or usually all) of the risk from the promoter to the artist themselves
Nighttime is where the fun really started though, with city-wide events showcasing bands new and old, famous and not. While Oh No Ono and Young British Artists more than outdid themselves, here the best of the rest from the Fringe – the ones you just might not have heard of.
THE SOMETHING STORY
The Something Story
The Something Story played a late set at Copper Face Jacks underneath the Palace Theatre but despite being new on the scene they’re not rookies. They burned up Club Academy, Jabez Clegg and Moho Live before taking the stage at In The City and by all accounts, they rocked out. They’re local boys and they bring that trademark Mancunian twang to a test-tube union of Jimmy Eat World and Sleater-Kinney that grew up without parents to love and nurture it.
Have a listen on their Myspace. Favourite tracks: Sugarpaper, And this is… (Science)
LOST CITY LIGHTS
Lost City Lights
Glaswegian alt rockers Lost City Lights have a very expansive sound that makes up for in charm and Scott McWatt’s awesome vocal what it lacks in on-paper uniqueness. They already have a four track record out on iTunes and have completed one UK tour – onwards and upwards from here.
MOJO PIN
Mojo Pin
Mojo Pin exhibit a sort of musical schizophrenia, switching from a gentle folk sound with floating melodies to hard rock and smashing beats with a casualness that is equally impressive and frightening – but it’s an interesting mix once you’re armed and have gotten a safe distance away.
Tags: festival, fringe, in the city, indie, lost city lights, manchester, mojo pin, music, the something story, unsigned
