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The consensus is already that this will be one of the best Limbos we've done in a while. Not only are we staging three of the most exciting bands in Scotland right now but one of them, Mitchell Museum, has hardly played any gigs in Edinburgh yet.
Headlining, we go electro-folk, with the welcome return of the unstoppable force that is MEURSAULT for their third appearance at Limbo. Limbo favourites and most definitely Edinburgh stars-in-the-ascendant, Neil Pennycook's band continue to wow and inspire everyone in their path who falls under their magic spells, following Edinburgh music blog Song By Toad's (re-)release of their debut album, Pissing On Bonfires/Kissing With Tongues, to national critical acclaim (four stars in Mojo magazine, no less).
Support comes from Falkirk's finest, Y'ALL IS FANTASY ISLAND, also Limbo favourites, also playing their third Limbo show, who continue to turn out new material at a prolific rate, so fertile is the mind of singer-songwriter Adam Stafford and who also just received BIG critical props for their recent third album, No Ceremony.
Last, new Glasgow popstrels MITCHELL MUSEUM, who also exhibit BAGS of promise and talent. You may not have heard of them yet, but you will be hearing a lot more of them this year. This will also be the last night of Limbo's January Sale, so you really don't want to miss this one!
Tickets for Limbo are a paltry £3 until the end of the month. And don't forget the Limbo bar has bottles of beer for just two quid as well. BARGAIN! And, since all the live acts are always finished by 11.30pm, there's absolutely no risk of turning into a pumpkin if you have to turn up for work first thing on Friday morning!
If you're on Facebook, tell us that you're coming along here.
Check out all of our photography here
REHEARSAL ROOMS: The Black Spring Rooms are still running and available for hire for as little as £7 / hour for block bookings from 5pm until late. Get in touch now for more info: rooms@black-spring.com
MEURSAULT take their name from the work of French existentialist philosopher Albert Camus but the bleak images singer-songwriter Neil Pennycook conjures with his plaintive voice belie a much broader palette of emotions than Camus's eponymous monochrome protagonist ever exhibits in The Outsider. And with the genius addition of laptop electronica, accordion, banjo, autoharp, mandolin and ukelele, the wealth of colour, light and joy he and his band adds to his songs makes them each a thing of singular beauty. Imagine The Aphex Twin dueling with Thom Yorke (which actually ought to happen, given the debt owed to the former by the latter, post Ok Computer, but that's another yarn). The Drowned In Sound review of their Limbo debut in March was no less complimentary. Read it in full here. The Scotsman's Arts Editor, Andrew Eaton, is also a fan (and was at the same gig in March). See his nice piece here. More recently exposed as 2009 Ones To Watch by Scotland's own, young music pundits at The Skinny, we've every reason to believe that 2009 will be the year Meursault achieve much greater acclaim outside their own fair city and the wider renown that inevitably accompanies such acclaim. Expect a great gig or two in The Big Smoke before the year is out, but, in the mean time, here's another chance to catch them in the sumptuous, intimate environs of our own Voodoo Rooms.
 4/5...Pennycook's urgent voice personifies the collision between the Reid brothers (Jesus Mary Chain) and Guy Garvey (Elbow)...the results are compelling' (MOJO)
5/5 ALBUM OF THE MONTH...one of the country’s most promising new bands - one of Scotland’s records of the year.... Make no mistake, after a spin of this sublime record only one word will pass your lips:magnificent' (THE SKINNY)
A gold medal to distorted pop cabal Meursault.... chock-a-block with rowdy aural confections and gilded treats' (PLAN B)
...strong on existential angst, Arab Strap rage and self loathing...equally capable of the lovelorn misery of King Creosote or James Yorkston... Meursault do it uncommonly well:completely absorbed and unselfconcious, they vitally don't use the noise as an excuse not to write any tunes' (WORD)
4/5 Meursault are the most exciting band to emerge from the capital since Found..they variously recall a lo-fi, rough edged Arcade Fire and Thom Yorke's solo album The Eraser...it'd be a crime if this fine band got overlooked... what mostly makes Meursault stand out from the crowd is the quality of Pennycook's songs, which are simultaneously romantic, intensely bleak and wryly funny' (THE SCOTSMAN)
Pissing On Bonfires/Kissing With Tongues is an unassuming triumph of glum-pussed Scottish charm...' (DROWNED IN SOUND)
myspace.com/meursaulta701
Last seen launching their second album in May 2008, Y'ALL IS FANTASY ISLAND are a Falkirk quartet ploughing a similar (but different) folk/rock/indie furrow to Frightened Rabbit. Y'all is Fantasy Island's debut album, In Faceless Towns Forever, was recorded in a nineteen-hour session in an abandoned house late in August, 2005 and announced the band as an exciting new prospect on the cultural landscape. Second album Rescue Weekend was released last spring/summer and picked up more plaudits. Third album No Ceremony is the one that's really put the band on the map, though. Adam Stafford and former YIFI drummer Jon McCall also have a side project, Size Of Kansas, and a debut album, Digital Is Dead From The Beginning (ultra limited edition CDR with hand-crafted sleeve) and then there's YIFI's soundtrack project (see below), also released last year.... Prolific ain't the word! These guys are talents through and through...
YIFI say: "Some may think that we have no quality control, but this simply isn't the case - we just work hard. 'Infanticidal Genuflector' is our 4th LP proper and the 3rd we have released this year. It is our gift to you, free, here.
No Ceremony is fantastic and puts them back in place as one of Scotland's bands that deserve to make it... Punk Rock Disco (is) like Nirvana squeezed into an AC/DC top dancing to REM. The band's 10/10 continues with Campus, Outsider as if Teenage Fanclub had found grunge. And still the catchy tunes come.... There's not a duff track on No Ceremony - a late contender for unsigned album of the year.' (Rick Fulton, Daily Record)
'They deliberately, playfully toy with scores of influences, but that's no bad thing. If heard "properly" by the right people, Y'all is Fantasy Island could be big by 2010. Until then, go see them live.' (The List)
myspace.com/yifimusic
We're really excited by this one. MITCHELL MUSEUM are purveyors of what our friend Toad (Song By Toad) has dubbed 'oddtronica', a description i'm loving even though it's perhaps a wee bit wide of the mark. It suggests this is mainly music made by electronic instrumentation/ machines, when they actually have quite a traditional line-up (guitar, bass, drums, keyboard), although they must surely be using samples (triggered with the keyboard?) to embellish their sound and make it more interesting. Formed in 2008, the four members have been swapping home made recordings and sharing ideas since their first meeting. Finally deciding to combine their talents into one, brothers Cammy and Raindeer and friends Kris and Dougie started Mitchell Museum. Drawing influence from various American and Canadian experimental indie bands including Animal Collective, Flaming Lips, Wolf Parade and Modest Mouse Mitchell Museum create an experimental pop sound with strong hints to folk, psych, and electronica. In April 2008 Mitchell Museum appeared on 'Doing it for the Kids 08' compilation CD, the successor to the Creation Records release of the same name (1988). Positive feedback prompted the recording of their first single "Warning Bells/Take The Tongue Out" double A-side 7" vinyl on Scottish Indie label Mister Tramp. The Warning Bells single has been widely praised. The band were named "ARTIST OF THE MONTH" at "Your Sound" event in November 2008 (King Tuts Wah Wah Hut) with LOADS of airplay from specialist radio DJs on Radio 1 and 6Music and one critic dubbing them 'a frenzied Grandaddy.' Apparently they're a lot of fun live and everyone seems to be talking about them right now, so we can't wait...
lovable bundle of keyboard-driven madness." The Fly
the greatest musical orgy ever" Sleepwalkingmag.com.
Check them out on Vic Galloway's great BBC Scotland show here
myspace.com/mitchellmuseum
Last week's Limbo was BIG. Sara And The Snakes played a great set, including the first ever Limbo encore! They could have played two encores if they'd wanted. But they didn't. That's it, Sara, always leave the audience wanting more! Loads of people came to see them (and the other two bands) and we were rewarded with a wee sample of their new material, including some great new slide guitar moments from Andy Anaconda, but mainly this was old favourites.
Still, all good, with freelance journalist and Limbo regular Neil Cooper's metaphorical 'bone-rattling voodoo swamp trash' definitely out and in full effect. Now we can't wait for Sara And The Snakes next Limbo show, to hear MORE of those new songs. In the mean time, check them out if you get the chance and haven't seen them before. They're well worth supporting and will get your pulse racing.
myspace.com/saraandthesnakes
Conflict Diamonds played their first show for us and that was a lot of fun, too. They've got this great, like, chugga-chugga, runaway-train-style energy which got everyone going in the middle of the evening.
Conflict Diamonds are basically a garage rock duo, following the modern tradition of garage rock duos such as the White Stripes; really tight with enjoyable songs and an ability to make a lot more noise on stage than you would expect from just two people.
Curiously, guitarist Pete wasn't wearing any shoes. And drummer Kevin got a kick out of throwing Pete's rhythm at the end of every song with a little hip hop break beat. But everyone really lapped up what they did and they're sure to be back again before long.
myspace.com/conflictdiamonds
And first act on was The Pineapple Chunks, who were something of a revelation (top call, Mike!) and, in a good way, one of the weirdest bands we've had on at Limbo. They were really loose (hey, it was only their fourth gig or something, dude, but the looseness was, like, TOTALLY part of their charm), pretty psychedelic and had a fantastically odd sense of humour, the climax of which came when drummer Owen performed an hilariously bizarre performance-art piece while wearing a mask and then kept the mask on throughout their finale.
I'd been thinking Syd Barrett listening to their msypace before, but soundman Ben mentioned The Doors and, actually, Pulp while they were on stage (yeah, man, spot on!). Like i said, it was a great night....
myspace.com/thepineapplechunks
Many thanks also to Dave from Leith's wonderful Elvis Shakespeare second hand record & book shop and his friend Tim London for all the great tunes on the decks.
Sarah & The Snakes, Conflict Diamonds and The Pineapple Chunks pictures by David Forcier.
Another one of our favourite Edinburgh bands, the mighty Found are off to Austin, Texas for industry hoe-down South By South West (aka SXSW), in March, so we've invited them to come back to Limbo for their third date with us and a festival warm-up gig. If you don't already know Found, they are one of the most successful and critically acclaimed Edinburgh bands on the circuit right now and they have - for some time now - been adding international live dates to a diary that's already brimming with shows up and down the UK.
Who better to support Found than one of our favourite Glasgow bands? Over The Wall played such a great show last time we had them on (in November with Zoey van Goey) we had to get them back as soon as possible.
The rear-guard action is supplied by a new glasgow band called Inspector Tapehead, which featues Jonnie Common from Down The Tiny Steps, who played Limbo last year, alongside another duo, from a band called Adam Beattie's Consultants. The music on their myspace is great too and all the signs are that this will be another mind-bogglingly good triple bill at Limbo.
If you're on Facebook, tell us that you're coming along here.
Found's sound is difficult to pin down, mainly because they don't want to be pinned down! Originally a trio who met at art school and formed a group in 2002, Found have a thirst for exploring the outer sonic reaches of the (pop) musical galaxy while making your head nod and, often (as their new EP, especially lead track Let Fidelity Break, demonstrates), your feet shuffle. So, while their first and second albums saw the band tagged as 'nu folk' by the press, they're as likely to hit you with some healthy beats and rock out on stage. Ultimately, though, they have a unique charm, which could only be the result of these five musicians working together: Ziggy Campbell (lead vox, guitar), Tommy Perman (bass guitar, synth), Kev Sim (sampler, melodica), Alan Stockdale (drums, percussion) and Gav Sutherland (keys, backing vox). If you've never seen Found play before, this will be a really good opportunity to catch them while they're still doing small shows and bristling with the anticipation of a band on the way up.
Exclusive Found download album:
Found have put together a special album to try and raise some money towards the cost of taking the band over to play at SXSW in Austin, Texas. 'snarebrained' is a download album featuring a collection of exclusive remixes and songs previously only available on limited edition vinyl. It features collaborations and remixes from Lisa Lindley Jones, De Rosa, Jonnie Common (Down The Tiny Steps) and Akira Kiteshi.
As is the fashion these days, Found have devised an unconventional payment method – the album has five different prices so that the music buyer can decide how much to give Found towards their campaign to conquering the US. Price options range from £2.50 to £49.
You can listen to all the tracks and download the album here
Found are also releasing a brand-new record, called 'The Fidelities EP' coming out on Aufgeladen Und Bereit / Fence Records in March. It will feature 8 new tracks across two formats – 12" vinyl and CD. You can hear the lead track, Let Fidelity Break, on our myspace page now:
myspace.com/foundtheband
OVER THE WALL have come a massive distance since we first caught them at a T Break heat in August 2007 and thought they were one of the stand-out acts on the bill that night, having recently signed a publishing deal for their music and just been tipped by The Skinny as one of their bands to watch in 2009. Over The Wall have a fantastic attitude to making and playing music (and this seems to be borne out by the ebullient duo's attitude to life in general, as they are two of the nicest people we have met and worked with since starting Limbo) and both look and sound like they're having the time of their lives when they are up on stage, cracking a number of jokes at their own expense last time they played, getting everyone in the room smiling and then going on to wow the crwod and get their unanimous approval at the end. Musically, they plough a rich new wave rock/pop seam, using guitars, synths, a laptop and trumpet, which pays homage to bands such as The Cure and New Order but does't really sound like either of them. No, no, these guys just sound like Over The Wall and that's another reason we like them so much. And, trust us, you will be very impressed too!
myspace.com/overthewall
We originally called up Jonnie Common to book his band, Down The Tiny Steps, for a return appearance at Limbo. It had been ages since they'd last played and they'd gone a bit quiet. Jonnie explained that DTTS were unavailable but mentioned his 'other band', Inspector Tapehead, who we'd heard of before from Ewan (The Kays Lavelle), who promoted them at his fine Tramploine night at the Wee Red Bar.
'Fusing older folk and blues guitar styles and melodies, with modern party rhythms, mucky synth licks and an uplifting pop sensibility, Inspector Tapehead is a recording project and stripped-back live experience, engineered to move hearts and hinds. The group brings together former Adam Beattie's Consultants Chris Croasdale (guitar) and Roy Shearer (drums/percussion), with Jonnie Common of Down the Tiny Steps (keyboards). Between meteing out melodic justice in venues across central Scotland, the good Inspector is also recording a first album, which should be released (if it keeps its nose clean) some time around summer 2008.'
We liked the music immediately and knew they'd work really well with Found and Over The Wall. Needless to say Jonnie's excited to be coming back to Limbo to support such a great pair of bands and we've every expectation that the new band involving this very talented fellow will be just as good as the other one he is in.
myspace.com/inspectortapehead
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FACEBOOK/MYSPACE
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CHEAP DRINKS!
Don't forget you can take advantage of £2 bottles from any of the Voodoo Rooms' three bars by showing your Limbo wrist-band to the bartender.
REHEARSAL SPACE?
The Black Spring Rooms: competitive prices, friendly service, easy access and no fuss for as little as £7 / hour; free parking on site + six bus routes to service it in Leith. More info here
VENUE INFO
Limbo takes place at The Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street, Edinburgh.
Times: 8.30pm - 1am *
First band 9.00, second band 9.45, third band 10.30
Entrance: £5/£4 *
Ph: 0131 556 7060 (venue) / 0131 477 6916 (promoter)
* except where otherwise advertised
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