Gig Review: SPACEHEADS Live at St Margaret's Church, Manchester 26th April 2014

Playing the last of three shows to launch their new EP, Trip to the Moon, drum and trumpet duo Spaceheads returned to the beautiful setting of St. Margaret's Church in the heart of Whalley Range.

Opening the proceedings was Paddy Steer, a one-man band whose set-up is as eclectic and random as his musical style. Using a mix of laptop, vintage synths, oscillators, percussion and a xylophone, the seemingly haphazard manner Paddy plays works amazingly to produce a soundscape which is remarkably entertaining. With the vocal being fed through a vocoder, the music at times sounded like R2D2 having a drunken fight. During some less abstract moments it was akin to Italian soundtrack legends Goblin. Dressed in a highly theatrical robe, neck piece and hat, looking like a cross between a glam rock priest and someone from The Arabian Nights, Paddy is a wonderfully visual as well as audible spectacle. He even dons a papier-mâché helmet, complete with glowing eyes and mouth, resembling a cyborg Frank Sidebottom to sing a number of songs. His quirky charm is easy to like, and despite what seemed to be a slapdash approach, it's clear Paddy is very talented and it's all put together very artful. 

Paddy's place on the bill is no random afterthought, however, as he also guests on the new Spaceheads EP playing bass. But there's no on-stage recreation of this collaboration as when they hit the stage, a little later than planned, it's down to just the talents of Andy Diagram, playing trumpet fed through all manner of electronics, and Richard Harrison, whose traditional kit is accessorised with several home-made pieces of percussion. Andy is, of course, full-time trumpet player in James, while Richard was previously a member of Blue Orchids and has played drums with Nico. However, it's not really the associations which draw the crowds; Spaceheads music is a force in itself.

Musically, Spaceheads are pretty much an experimental jazz/fusion/trippy/dance band. Andy's trumpet is looped, distorted and tweaked into rhythmic patterns which stir passions and movement from the listener. Richard's drumming is intricate and layered, providing a solid beat which makes it even more danceable. Sounding like a rave party hosted by Miles Davis and George Clinton, this is trippy music without having to indulge in anything dodgy.

They play a selection of tunes from their new EP and the previous one, Sun Radar, with great energy and power. Andy walks the length of the church aisle and from the pulpit, like a minister addressing his congregation, never dropping a beat – one eye and finger on the iPhone attached to a spatula attachment to trigger the effects.

Enhancing the stunning church location, there was projections from Jaime Rory Lucy's Rucksack Cinema. A mixture of film, patterns and random images (as well as the band's circular pattern icon) envelope the stage area and across the ornate stone building, the stained glass adding a surreal extra element.

Unfortunately, it's over too soon. Due to a strict 10.30pm curfew they have to finish on Trance Figure 8, from the 1999 album Angel Station.

Another great show, enjoyed by all who attended (which included Andy's James band-mate Larry Gott). With James just about to undertake a flurry of live activity themselves, it may be some time before Spaceheads get together again for more shows, but when they do, make sure you check them out. 

9 out of 10

You can follow Spaceheads on Twitter and Facebook, as well as their own website.

The new EP, Trip to the Moon is available to download, and on CD and 12” vinyl from here.

You can buy the music of Paddy Steer here.

DVD Review: The Lovers! (1973)

Spin offs from 70s TV comedy shows tended to have two things in common: they were invariably produced by the Hammer studio, and the plot often involved the characters going on holiday, with hilarious results. This 1973 feature version of the often overlooked hit The Lovers bucks that trend by being produced by British Lion, the studio behind The Wicker Man and Goodbye Gemini, and having a plot which basically encapsulates the series formula into just under 90 mins.

Eschewing the canon of the TV series (which ran 13 episodes), the film version follows our unlikely lovebirds from their first awkward meeting. Geoffrey (Richard Beckinsale), the Manchester United loving bank clerk hooks up with romantically minded but hesitant Beryl (Paula Wilcox) more by accident than design. The plot, such much as it is, revolves around the pair's off and on relationship, his per-occupation with wanting to join the permissive society, and her more traditional desire for wedding bells and family life. As per the TV version, Geoffrey's advances, as naive and clumsy as they are, are met with a firm N-O spells no! This was the show which brought the term 'Percy Filth' into the lexicon of at least my upbringing.

The TV version doesn't get wheeled out as often as other sit-coms of the time, certainly nowhere  near as much as Beckinsale's big hit, Porridge, so the material isn't as over familiar. So, even though the look of the film has dated somewhat it is still an amusing look at the trials and tribulations of dating. A plus factor, at least for someone like myself who lives in the town, is the wonderful location footage of Manchester in the early 70s. From the opening scene set outside The George Best Boutique, to the old GM bus colour scheme, Albert Square and the Piccadilly Hotel, this is a Manchester I barely remember but still seems familiar. Football fans (there must be some somewhere I guess) may get a kick (ha!) out of seeing the Old Trafford ground before the corporates took over. Without going over the top, the film manages to poke fun at both the permissive attitudes and the "groovy man" crowd; a brilliant scene has Geoffrey try 'grass' for the first time, only to be made even more sick when he's informed it actually was just grass!

The playfulness (and pain) of 'courting' is suitably shown. The pair 'just happen' to be at the same places and so much rings true without being heavy handed or slapstick, thanks to Jack Rosenthal's wonderful script. Beckinsale and Wilcox are wonderful, playing characters they obviously had gotten used to, and the pair's natural likability helps a great deal.
As an interesting footnote, it's directed by Herbert Wise, who made the infamous TV version of The Woman In Black for ITV.

The Lovers! has been released by the good people of Network DVD as part of their The British Film series and is a worthy addition to any collection, whether you are familiar with the TV show or not (although they also have that in their catalog too should you wish to try it). Without resorting to the Percy Filth or bawdiness to sell the picture, this good-natured film is certainly worth a look.
8 out of 10

Festival of Fantastic Films, Manchester 2011

Rather than doing a long write up (see my November Starburst column for that) here's a selection of photos from the Saturday at the Manchester Festival of Fantastic Films. One of my all time favourite stars, Robin Askwith was there, and in good spirits. It was the second time I've met him, and he we had a quick chat about the play Dead Funny, which he was in when I met him last. Lovely bloke.

Robin himself thinks this looks a little effeminate!

Also there was Bobby Rhodes, star of Demons 1 & 2, and the Antonio Margheritti  classic The Last Hunter who was entertaining.

Rockabilly/wrestling/horror guru Johnny Legend was also in attendance, and was fun and very interesting with stories of Ed Wood, Tor Johnson and Andy Kaufman.
Roll on next year........

Red State (2011) and Kevin Smith Q & A in Manchester, UK!

Note: Red State posters used were released because Gavin Ap’ Morrygan (@Tearsinrain78), Darryl Clarke,Jamie Calder (@jamiecalder), Dan Duffy (@TheHalfFund), Heath C. Ice (@hcice) and FilmThreat.com (@filmthreat) bid $2050 to earthquake and tsunami relief for Japan. Go to http://www.redcross.org for more info, and to donate and help save lives.

Wed 14th September, and the legend that is Kevin Smith - he of Clerks, Mallrats, Dogma, Chasing Amy, and er.. Jersey Girl is in town to show us his new film. Silent Bob is in the his-house!
OK, so I'll try and reel in my fanboy glee at finally getting to see the man in person, and get to the event.
The film, Red State has been toured by Kevin exclusively for the past few months in the States, since he famously, and quite controversially,  told the gathering would be distributors at Sundance what he was going to do. Add to this his lack of "press screenings" (meaning someone who is going to tell you whether to pay to see a film or not seeing the film for nothing) and Kevin has not made any many new friends in the press/distribution companies. Does he care? Not one jot. As it turns out, he probably made the exact right decision, because in the hands of a big company, I don't think Red State would have stood a chance. It would have been buried as a straight to DVD flick. Why? Is it that bad? No, quite the opposite. It's a relentless, take no prisoners film. I'm reluctant to even go into too much detail about plot, etc.. because I think that would take the experience of seeing it away from the viewer. Unless you have had your head buried in the sand and haven't heard anything about the film, all I will say is it revolves around three smalltown school friends who want to get laid (so far, so Kevin) and a religious group, The Five Points Church, led by Abin Cooper (Michael Parks) who are the sort of organisation that protest at gay kid's funerals. Parks is superb. As is all the cast, and Kevin quite rightly sings the praises of all involved in his post film talk. If there is any justice (and lets be honest, we know there isn't) Parks and a number of other cast members (even John Goodman) should get at least a nomination nod come awards time, and if Parks is not up for an Oscar, then it would be the only negative thing to come from the way Kevin is distributing the film.

Kevin himself calls this a horror film, on paper you wouldn't think it was. However, in Abin Cooper, Kevin has created the ultimate monster. A man who believes the downright nasty, evil things he does and says are true, righteous and worse still, moral.
The film becomes a tense, nerve racking drama almost as soon as you begin to get settled into the characters, and it's not too long before you realise that as well as using their First Amendment Rights to free speech, the Cooper clan are also stock piling on the Second. Of the 90min running time, you are on the edge of your seat for the majority, and completely absorbed in this Waco style situation. If you want laughs, watch the trailer. All the 'jokes' you're going to get are there. In the context of the film, they, as Kevin says, give you a very brief moment to breath before being dragged back to that seat edge. Also, do yourself a favour, and see the film in a CINEMA. It has been released on the Video On Demand market in the States for a limited period before good old Lionsgate release the DVD, and as such, it's all over the place if you know where to look. But do yourself the favour this time, and wait for it on the big screen, the film will be back in UK cinemas at the end of September (minus Kevin, but please don't let that put you off). I'm pretty sure I'll be going back for more. 10 out of 10.

After the film screening, @That Kevin Smith (his Twitter name) made his appearance. Drawing our attention immediately to the monk style bald patch on the top of his head and expressing his knowledge of Factory Records and Tony Wilson (even giving a a little of Love Will Tear Us Apart before his a brief 'Manchester, England...')  Going straight into a monologue about the film, it's influences and the actors. Kevin loves these performances. He is proud of them. He has every right to be. Sadly, I can't go into detail about a lot of what he said, as there would be a lot of spoilers for the film.

Kevin tells us that this is his 'grown up' film, and he's right. Also, despite this being his second religion based satire he has his own beliefs, which no doubt confounds the zealots even more. The stories of his infiltration of the demonstration outside a screening of Dogma are well documented, and Red State did not go unnoticed by these plaque waving idiots either, and we hear how he got a bunch of people to make their own signs to wave back at the Phelps Westboro Baptist Church organisation who had come out to protest at this 'fag enabler', A tag Kevin actually liked.

We got a great story about his wife, Jen Schwalbach getting a role in the film (cos he wants to keep getting laid) despite her - A. being an atheist playing a religious nut, B. being totally against firearms and having to shoot a gun, and C. not really being an actress. She is really, though. And a very good one at that. We got a great story about the original ending to the film, thankfully it was re-written but it still would have been something amazing! There was a question from the audience asking what was the first horror film that scared Kevin. The answer, probably unsurprisingly for anyone who knows Kevin's films was Jaws. He was even scared of toilets after, "because there's water down there." A priceless night, and a splendid film. Roll on February and the Jay and Silent Bob Get Old UK Tour...