53degrees

53 DEGREES WINTER PLAYLIST

2014-11-11T19:08:00.005+00:00

To celebrate our last run of shows at 53 Degrees, we've put together this awesome YouTube playlist featuring some of the best videos from the acts who'll be rocking out the stage over the next couple of months.

If you want to catch one of our last ever live shows with Bad Manners and Inspiral Carpets, or see old 53 favourites like The Lancashire Hotpots here for what could be the last time, be sure to buy tickets early...

DARK-CIDE: THE FINAL THREE AT 53

2014-08-25T15:04:00.000+01:00

53 Degrees may be bowing out at the end of the year, but fans of goth, alternative, 80s and EBM will be pleased to hear that the ever-popular Dark-Cide are organising three final nights to remember!

First off, The 'Vinyl And Video Special', blend's resident DJ Kristen's collection of retro Vinyl (much of which was collected during her days as resident DJ at Preston's Warehouse club) with Dark-Cide founder Jane's cutting edge Video / Digital DJing. Packed with long-standing favourites from Dark-Cide's thirteen year history, the night will feature classics from the 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s right up until present day. Tickets are £4 on the door (£3 for NUS card holders) so be sure to get there early!

Next up, comes the Halloween Party (full details announced on the 53 Degrees site soon). A bit of a tradition, Dark-Cide have long held the notion that 'Every Day is Halloween' (so much so that their last Halloween party took place on New Year's Eve and they even had one in September 2012). This one falls a little closer to that all-important, ghoulish date. So, for one last time, it's time to get dressed up in spooky costume and head to 53 Degrees for a Monstermash-bash!

The last event is doubly significant - not only is it the last Dark-Cide at 53 Degrees, it's the last event at 53 Degrees... Ever! Dark-Cide held a fantastic New Year's Eve party at 53 last year, and this year things promise to be bigger and better. A chance to say goodbye to 53 Degrees and start 2015 in style, this is going to be a night of high emotions. What better excuse for one last dance? Details for £6.50 coming soon.

It isn't yet known whether Dark-Cide will go out on a high, or carry on in a new venue. For all the latest updates, be sure to keep your eye on: www.dark-cide.com

PRESTON'S GOT SOUL IS BACK!

2014-08-12T16:38:00.003+01:00

Dig out your dancing shoes! Preston's Got Soul, the all-conquering Northern Soul night, is back, showcasing some of the biggest soul classics. With some of the scene's top DJs, an always packed out dance-floor, and a very special guest, this promises to be another top notch night. Make sure you Buy Tickets Early.

To celebrate the return of our favourite night, we've put together this awesome playlist, jam-packed with Northern Soul classics that are bound to get you in the mood...

Tickets for Preston's Got Soul are On Sale Now.

LANCASHIRE HOTPOTS' RELEASE "CRACKIN" GREATEST HITS

2014-07-15T17:35:00.001+01:00

Our friends at the Lancashire Evening Post recently reviewed The Lancashire Hotpots' Greatest Hits, Golden Crates. Read all about it here...

The Lancashire Hotpots released their Greatest Hits’ package 'Golden Crates' this week. The two discs feature five new songs and five re-recordings of classics. The second disc comes from the band's Live At The Lowry concert and contains three songs not available on the DVD.

They also play 53 Degrees’ main room in Preston on Saturday, December 6. It’s one of the last ever dates at the venue, and the lads are promising to “see her off in style”. You can Buy Tickets Here.

Here Helen Lindsay has a listen... Opening with arguably their best loved track, 'Chippy Tea', this compilation of the Lancashire Hotpots' Greatest Hits is a laugh-out-loud, sing-a-long delight.

Unlike most albums which need a few listens to appreciate, this one becomes an instant favourite with songs ranging from the romantically sublime 'The Girl from Bargain Booze' to the downright ridiculous 'Hardcore Quornography'.

Everything Lancashire is eloquently expressed, and then some. Many listeners will smile wryly as familiar traits are exposed in 'Mum’s for Tea' and 'Cinema Smugglers' while others ('I Fear Ikea') are a bit more ‘It’s funny because it’s true’. The favourite in our house was the almost heart-wrenching 'Shopmobility Scooter'.

But be warned – this CD is full of double-entendre (and a few Lanky profanities) and small ears, perhaps, should not be exposed to the delights of “big utensils” in The Baking Song!

At a lengthy 42 tracks you get great value for money – a necessity for a Lancastrian – and the live CD is sure to get any party started with recognisable tunes interspersed with a little bit of comedy.

Buy tickets for what might very well be the last Hotpots' 53 Degrees show HERE.

GARY NUMAN: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

2014-07-01T14:05:00.003+01:00

Ahead of his headline show in the 53 degrees main room tonight, The Lancashire Telegraph's Tony Dewhurst caught up with electronic legend Gary Numan to talk about his fantastic new album 'Splinter' and the legacy of huge hits 'Cars' and 'Are Friends Electric?'

CHARLOTTE OC: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

2014-06-02T16:22:00.000+01:00

Check out this exclusive interview with Charlotte OC, thanks for our friends at the Lancashire Telegraph. Blackburn's rising star Charlotte headlines at 53 Degrees this Thursday. Buy tickets HERE.

PRESENTING: BEANS ON TOAST

2014-05-23T13:56:00.004+01:00

We're very excited to have a festival warm-up show from the man who inspired Frank Turner to go acoustic. With friends in Mumford and Sons, Emmy the Great and The Holloways, Laura Marling and Billy Bragg, Beans on Toast's songs have a wit about them seldom seen amongst his contemporaries. He typically sings about sex, drugs and politics and he also plays Glastonbury a lot. He drops into 53 Degrees on Friday 13th June - lucky for us.

"If you’re one of the elder generation that witnessed Billy Bragg or the aforementioned John Cooper Clark (and maybe even Mark E Smith) in their younger days and realised early on that these are people who deserve our attention, that we can’t afford to let disappear, then Beans on Toast is probably today’s equivalent." - Louder Than War

"This was opening act Beans On Toast, whose question had a couple of thousand people screaming “CHICKENS!!!”, which was definitely a first for me. Making the crowd laugh with their clever, often hysterical lyrics about sex, drugs and politics, I knew this would be one big rock’n’roll party." - Buzzmag

Support comes from Ivan Campo and Bad Cardigan. Tickets are £7 and available here.

HD Concerts To Debut in The Ferret

2014-05-12T13:36:00.000+01:00

(via The Ark Preston)

HD Concerts makes its debut in The Ferret with two shows this week.

Southern will headline a show on Thursday 15^thbefore Roo Panes rounds off everyone’s weekend on Sunday 18^th.

HD Concerts is the promotions company owned by 53 Degrees Events Manager Joff Hall. All his previous shows have been at 53 Degrees, though he also promotes in York, Newcastle and Liverpool.

Southern are a sublime combination of blues, acoustic and rock music. The result sounds a little bit like The Subways on one of their happier days. They will be supported by Skinny Wrist Gumbo, Bill Orrick and Jess Roberts.

Roo Panes is one of the best young acoustic talents in the country right now. Inspired by both classical music and more contemporary influences like Johnny Flynn, he’ll be supported by Tom Metcalfe and Jess Harwood.

Joff Hall said: “It’s great to be working with one of Preston’s most loved venues bringing some grassroots talent to the forefront.

“The Ferret plays a great role in the local scene so it’s nice to be able to contribute towards that and help keep Preston on the map with some emerging talent.”

Tickets for Southern are £4 (£5 on the door) / Tickets for Roo Panes are £5 (same price on the door).

PRESENTING: THE GHOST INSIDE & FRIENDS

2014-05-10T13:05:00.003+01:00

Brutal is a word we've used a lot recently (nice one, Amazing Snakeheads) but it will be rarely more apt than when applied to The Ghost Inside.

Described as melodic hardcore (which means the singer can do a bit more than just roar, which is always nice) for some reason, somebody somewhere, decided that one headline act wasn't enough. In fact, two headliners wasn't enough either. Step forward, The Devil Wears Prada and I Killed The Prom Queen to provide what is going to be a little bit of a marathon for gig goers.

Tickets are available here... For now...

it's a set filled with the finest cuts from last year's 'Get What You Give', with 'Engine 45' and 'Dark Horse' rousing the masses into an arm-pumping, two-stepping frenzy. Beautiful.
Read more at http://www.rocksound.tv/news/article/download-festival-2013-review-sunday#jvxO6j67vSWcYTx5.99

PRESENTING: WOLF ALICE

2014-04-30T14:30:00.000+01:00

Wolf Alice are one of the UK's finest indie concerns at the moment. Rising to prominence after supporting Peace, they combine genuine tunes with one of the best female vocalists around at the moment - in terms of delivery and passion at least.

"we’re treated to an encore of “Fluffy” and “White Leather”, which have much the same affect as their predecessors – leaving an entranced and frenzied audience definitely feeling as if they’ve been at a party.
We called them ones to watch last year and well, you should keep watching … in fact, don’t take your eyes off them for second." - The Line of Best Fit

"Their music evokes an appropriately angsty atmosphere too – the adrenaline fuelled flurry of first loves and the crushing disappointment of heartache - it's all in this short but emotionally explosive EP, out through Chess Club. " - The Guardian

Support comes from Happyness and Gengahr. Tickets are available here.

PRESENTING: EZRA FURMAN

2014-04-24T14:00:00.000+01:00

Punk-fueled rock n roller Ezra Furman has been winning plaudits from the likes of 6 Music and The Guardian. One of the most visceral and emotional voices in music brings his show and his full band to 53 Degrees.

Far from all urine and vinegar, his sets come around with an unexpected tenderness that shines a sharp contrast on both his styles.

"When Furman and the Boy-Friends aren't so much invited to encore by the crowd as ordered, they oblige with the unmistakably elated look of five musicians in a strange town getting a reception they'd never dared anticipate." - The Guardian

"Please take the five stars not as a statement that this is the best record of 2013, but as a delighted endorsement of a genre classic. With his fifth record – three with Harpoons, and two solo; and how I'm looking forward to hearing them – Ezra Furman has made an album of classicist rock'n'roll that never feels like an exercise, but a living, breathing piece of self-expression. " - The Guardian (again)

Support comes from Happyness and The Getsettes. Get your tickets here.

PRESENTING: THE AMAZING SNAKEHEADS

2014-04-18T17:00:00.000+01:00

The Amazing Snakeheads are arguably the angriest Scottish band you've heard yet. That's some achievement, that is. Fueled by seemingly reasonless anger, they've been garnering strong reviews from pretty much everyone that matters. Nobody can put their finger on what exactly has gotten these lads so wound up, but everyone has come to agree that it's pretty life-affirming.

"Perfection, of course, is dull. Amphetamine Ballads isn’t perfect - once we’re into the last third it’s already blown its load in terms of ideas, and the deranged energy can’t quite be sustained across the whole album. That’s good though. Debut albums shouldn’t be perfect, they should be a bit messy, they should leave room for improvement - which is what Amazing Snakeheads do. Whatever comes next can be a belter, or maybe fail gloriously, either way it will never be boring. In its imperfections Amphetamine Ballads occupies an especially human place. Saviours of rock n’roll? Nah. It doesn’t really need saving, and anyway this lot are far more about destruction. A modern classic? Just maybe." - Drowned in Sound

"as long as boring bands exist, this kind of piss and vinegar will always be welcome." - NME

"While they may not be revolutionary, however, their conviction is infectious and their commitment to being evil nothing less than laudable. In a world of tepid high-street indie, here's a band for the darkened alleys." - The Guardian

Support comes from Deepshade and Skinny Wrist Gumbo. Tickets are available here

SPOTIFY: UPCOMING SHOWS

2014-04-09T19:00:00.000+01:00

All the best shows in the next few months. Get your tickets in.

PRESENTING: CHARLOTTE OC

2014-04-08T14:00:00.000+01:00

Blackburn's Charlotte OC made waves upon the release of her single 'Colour My Heart'. Driven by her haunting vocal performance, the track has drawn in over 30,000 listens on Soundcloud, 50,000 on Spotify and nearly 100,000 on YouTube. Charlotte OC is one of the finest young pop talents in the country. Catch her live before she blows up.

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say with some degree of confidence that Charlotte OC is going to be big. Really big. My evidence comes in the form of the 23 year old's phenomenal debut EP Colour My Heart." - Stereofox

"Her EP is a cut back, broody, yet haunting beautiful. Inspired by a trip to one of Berlin's most infamous night clubs, the Berghain night club, her current EP, Colour My Heart will suck you in from the first beat. In a Radio 2 interview she described the experience as hellish but found herself entranced upon hearing Bon Iver lyrics over a beat which helped her come to this sound which drives her EP." - Nerdgeist

The Maine play 53 Degrees on Sunday April 6th. Tickets for this show are still available here.

PRESENTING: THE MAINE

2014-04-03T15:13:00.000+01:00

The Maine's latest album, 'Forever Haloween' shows a band operating at the peak of their considerable powers. Recorded practically live, the album is another feather in the cap of a band that has shifted 700,000 digital singles and 120,000 albums in their career. This is American pop-rock at it's absolute finest.

That they're a bigger proposition in the US than they are in the UK comes as no surprise, but that makes their tour on these shores all the more special. Taking in Belfast, Dublin, Aberdeen and 53 Degrees here in Preston, their shows are a rare opportunity to catch the band perform in the headline slot their music warrants.

The Maine play 53 Degrees on Sunday April 6th. Support comes from Trapped in Autumn and The Lottery Winners. Tickets for this show are still available here.

THE AMAZING SNAKEHEADS - GUARDIAN ARTICLE

2014-04-01T16:26:00.001+01:00

Checking out our new favourites The Amazing Snakeheads, we came across this awesome review from The Guardian. Like the sound of this? Don't miss your chance to see them in action at 53 Degrees...

Click image to enlarge

KERRY GODLIMAN INTERVIEW

2014-02-21T19:27:00.001+00:00

Don't miss this exclusive interview with the hilarious Kerry Godliman, courtesy of www.lep.co.uk and Malcolm Wyatt.

Click on image below to enlarge.

MILES KANE: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

2014-02-19T17:28:00.004+00:00

Our friends at Blackpool Gazette recently caught up with Miles Kane to talk about his upcoming North-West dates.

Click on the image below to read Steve Canavan's exclusive interview...

Buy Miles Kane tickets HERE

WHY WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF PRESTON

2014-01-31T14:03:00.001+00:00

Preston music zine The Ark recently posted a blog from local musician Charlie Hartley, criticising the Preston music scene, which you can read here. 53 Degrees Events Manager Joff Hall responds to this blog, defending our local music scene, below:

It seems to be a common view in many cities that their music scene is not what it once was say 8-10 years ago, and in many ways they are right. I think in Charlie Hartley’s article, it didn’t really touch on why this is or, or on any of the positives of the Preston music scene today.

Firstly let’s take a look at what’s changed over the year last decade…

We all know many of us are skint or worse off, right? So regardless of any other factors, in general people have less money to spend on going out. If someone used to attend 3 or 4 gigs per month, they may now only be able to afford to go to 1 or 2, and thus are being more selective. There are also less bands out there at both local and national levels. There have not been many major breakthrough bands in the last 8 years, so less of these types of acts on mainstream radio/TV, and thus inspiration for next the generation of budding musicians. The reason for this is explained well here. There is no two ways about it, the way we now access recorded music is having a knock on effect on the live music scene.

Due to these points above, it has meant many touring artists have to plan their tours carefully, ensuring they play their strongest markets to ensure they are able to earn the maximum amount of money possible (and you can’t blame them for this, they have to earn a living, right!?) As a result of this, Preston can often be overlooked in preference for playing larger cities / bigger ticket selling areas and furthermore our geographic proximity to Manchester does not help. An artist is unlikely to want to over play an area and risk damaging their ticket selling (and money earning) capabilities in such a major market such as Manchester. Additionally these shows are generally promoted by big national promoters (SJM, Live Nation etc) who also want to ensure their operations are profitable and sustainable, and our larger venues (The Guild Hall / 53 Degrees) are left waiting for what shows these companies are willing to bring to their venues.

It’s far from doom and gloom at 53 Degrees, who recently booked Miles Kane, as well as Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip and a huge show involving The Ghost Inside…

However even though many of us feel the Preston music scene is not what it was it is not to say there are a number of great bands, promoters and venues doing their best to offer as much as possible. There are too many mention them all, but there’s the obvious main venues of The Guild Hall, 53 Degrees, The Continental, The Ferret, plus many other places now offering various music and art events including Blitz, Beautiful Planet, Korova, Adelphi, Ships & Giggles etc as well as many other promoters (Tuff Life Boogie, Rampage, Rawkus, Preston’s Got Soul etc etc) continuing to promote and programme great events. It may not feel like all these venues are in their ‘hay day’, but at least we have them and they are still putting on events. It’s easy to forget the Guild Hall, despite going through difficulty has still had many live shows in the last year including Paul Weller, The Kaiser Chiefs, Deacon Blue and many more.

I think there has to be some consideration to the fact that trends have changed too. With the lack of many major breakthrough bands and thus fewer bands currently supplying our local live music scene, there is much more going within the electronic crowds at the moment then there has been for years. Just because you haven’t seen it or been looking for it, does not mean it isn’t there. Many people seem to expect Preston can compete with the likes of Manchester and Liverpool for it musical offerings, and that’s unlikely to ever be the case. However when you compare is to some other towns in the area such as Blackburn, Wigan, Bolton etc, and then all of sudden we appear to have it quite good, don’t we?

Finally, there was a reference in Charlie’s post relating to other venues, mainly 53 Degrees needing to ‘pull their socks up’. As the Events Manager / Promoter at the venue this is something I would obviously like respond to. In the last 12 months the venue has had a huge shake up. Many people don’t realise the venue was very close to closing it’s doors and calling it a day last year, as there had simply not been enough events to allow us to break even. Luckily, we were able to find a new operating structure which enables the venue to continue, and thankfully so far this is working.

In the last year we still delivered a comprehensive and diverse programme of over 120 public events which has included Jake Bugg, John Cooper Clarke, The Darkness, Johnny Marr, The Strypes, Martha Reeves, Chris Ramsey, VNV Nation and many more. It’s these major larger shows along with some well attended tribute band shows that that enabled us to take some risks working with some smaller artists and promoters. For example we worked with local band The Gentrymen on a show here in December where we managed to break even on our costs and the band had a really successful gig, and this is type of show is something we would like to do more of.

Visit Ark Preston's Facebook to weigh in with your own thoughts on this hot topic.

THE BLACKOUT: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW!

2014-01-22T15:13:00.000+00:00

Our friends at The Ark caught up with The Blackout ahead of their 53 Degrees show this Friday.

Sean Smith, the screaming half of The Blackout’s frontman pairing talks to us about projectile vomiting, gay footballers, UFO’s and the band’s ‘fuck it, let’s just play’ attitude for 2014. The Blackout are due for a comeback, and that comeback starts now.

The Blackout play 53 Degrees on Friday January 24^th. Tickets available HERE.

Your latest single/album title ‘Start The Party’ is pretty self-explanatory, has creating music or the career of being a band ever felt too serious?

We’ve had a bit of a crap 2013, when they say ‘thirteen is unlucky for some’, it definitely was for us. Our album, which is a party album obviously, came out in January when it was meant to come out in September of the year before. We shot the video in Ibiza for Start The Party so we had the Summer vibe and then that kept getting pushed back ‘til january. We toured Australia and Europe and then it went quiet for us in the middle of the year really.

And then, towards the end of 2013, Gavin the other singer got really sick. He suffered from a hemiplegic migraine, on stage, and the symptoms are stroke-like, so he was on stage slurring. He’s okay now though, but we had to cancel that tour and now we’re going on tour again to do the re-schedule dates. We hope things go okay for us in 2014, but we have a new saying now ‘if it can go wrong, it will’. That’s the Blackout’s motto now. Knowing our luck one of us will probably die on this tour, so I’d come and see us now before it’s too late, see us while you can.

Your last album, ‘Hope’, was a great success and really captured your style. How do you think your new sound progresses from this?

We’re better song writers, every song and every album, for us, it feels like we’ve progressed to being better songwriters. Kids probably don’t agree with that, because kids only like older stuff that makes them remember when they were young, so that’s the problem now. But yeah, I love Start The Party, it’s probably one of my favorite songs we’ve ever written as well, not just the album. I’d like to think we’ve progressed, but kids probably think we’ve digressed. Now that we can write songs and choruses they probably don’t like it as much.

It’s always said that the 2nd album is the hardest, being that you’ve gotten to your 4th, what can you tell us about your writing experience?

It’s never really changed to be honest, we’ve gotten better at it, but its never really changed. It’s always been the same way, it’ll always be the six of us getting in a room together jamming out what ever ideas are about rather than one person doing it all. I just think we’re better songwriters, we haven’t changed anything really, nobody writes more than the other one. I think the biggest thing we’ve ever learnt is; it doesn’t matter about ego, or anyone in the band, it’s all to do with how good the song is. So nobody can be overly protective of the song or complain that bits should be longer or anything like that, it’s just whatever’s best for the song.

You’ve got some great venues booked into your upcoming UK tour, are there any places you’re particularly excited to play?

Honestly, it’s been such a bad last year that I’m just excited to get out and play to anybody at all. It doesn’t matter if we’re playing venues that no one’s coming to, I don’t care anymore, I’ve gone through that, I was so miserable with last year went, we all were, we’re just happy to play. We hadn’t rehearsed for quite some time and it was so good getting back in a room with everyone and having a jam. But I can’t wait, can’t wait to run about, can’t wait to be sick in front of people - ‘cause that happens a lot. Just getting in people’s faces, and some of the nights we’re playing are club nights as well, so there’s gonna obviously be people there that might not like us, so that’s gonna be fun. I’m gonna enjoy pissing them off and being in their faces, ‘cause I’d rather somebody hated us rather than not be sure about us. Either love us or hate us, if you’re in the middle it means I haven’t done my job well enough. So yeah, I’m gonna see how many people I can piss off on this tour.

I might even get stabbed, I’ve predicted that. 2014 is the year that I get stabbed, we find out about UFO’s and aliens and loads of gay footballers are gonna come out I reckon. I wouldn’t like to put a number on it, because if you think about it, every premiership team, statistically, will have at least one gay chap. Where are they, how do we not know about them? There must be loads of gay premiership football players, how do we not know? I’ll put a naked picture of my bum on the tour advert, and if any premiership football players come for free perhaps all the gay fellas will come and then we can help them that way... Nah they don’t wanna see my arse it’s terrible.

You’ve been a band now for a number of years, do things ever get easier? Touring and writing must be second nature by now?

When we started we always just wanted to be a live band, we started because in our area, in the town we’re from, there wasn’t anybody making music that we liked. There were some bands but there was nothing that we wanted to hear. I had absolutely no talent, and still don’t as some would argue, but when I started in the band I was DJ-ing, like scratch DJ-ing, and then I started yelling and realized ‘oh, I can yell, that’s good’. But you think that would come as second nature but apparently some people can’t do it, but I started doing that and got a bit more confident with writing melodies. Then I started singing a bit, I’m still bad at it but I’m still trying. Never give up that’s the message there.

We’ve always been about playing live, we’ve always watched bands and thought ‘we could do that’. ‘Cause I don’t understand, if you go to see a band, if you pay to see a band and they’re just standing there playing everything note perfect like you may as well be listening to the CD, that’s not the same to me. If a frontman doesn’t interact with the crowd between songs then I don’t know what’s going on, it blows my mind. Any chance to talk to the crowd and I’ll probably take it.

I was watching something the other day about two comedians having a chat and the one said ‘think how freakish it is to be able to stand up and talk to a crowd’. If you had kids and said ‘one of them can stand up in front of a couple of thousand people and just talk to them and everyone will listen’ that’s weird isn’t it? I’ve just always wanted to do it, and I like a chat as you can tell, and I like going off on completely strange tangents. And there was loads of bands we saw and thought ‘we can do that, so why don’t we?’, like American bands and stuff, so we started doing it and here we are today.

I just wanna run about, and it’s after Christmas as well and we all need to lose some Christmas weight so what’s better than running about until you vomit it all up? That happens quite a bit, where my body gets too warm and instead of saying to my brain ‘why not have a glass of water?’ my brain says ‘haha lets throw everything out of your body now’. People can expect blood, tears and projectile vomiting. So there you go, that’s your tagline.

Looking back, are there any tips you’d give to younger bands? Or things that you would have done differently?

Nothing at all. We’ve been very, very lucky, and I suppose this last year has just cemented that for us and just proved how lucky we’ve been really. Last year was so shit, but we have toured with Limp Bizkit mind, I’ve sang with Limp Bizkit - my favourite band, so how bad can life be? So we’re just going into this with a kind of nonchalant ‘fuck it, let’s just play and go mad’ attitude.

Dual vocals are a huge part of your sound, do you think this sets you apart from other bands who rely solely on backing vocals?

I’d like to say yes, but we’re just two lazy fellas who just want to do half the work really. Gav is obviously the better singer, but when we started nobody had two singers, Alexisonfire did but they’ve got one who plays guitar as well so it wasn’t like two frontmen. So when we started we just thought we should try it. You’ve kinda got the Laurel to the Hardy. He’s the serious fella.

He’s the wind beneath your wings…

You said that not me. He’s my angel, he’s my little trooper he is. But yeah you need someone to shut me up anyway ‘stop talking and let’s play songs’, that’s what he does.

How do you go about devising vocal parts? Is it just a matter of what feels right?

We just get in the room and jam and see who comes up with a chorus or whatever first and then we kinda just do it that way, we come up with something and show it to everyone, and then we can say whether we wanna add things to it or not, or if it’s terrible - which is rare surprisingly. But it’s just kind of a democracy really, we just kind of come up with different things, I’ve came up with some guitar parts that have been on stuff our drummer has come up with vocals, everyone has came up with vocals and guitar parts. Sometimes me and Gavin will be left to go and work something out, but we’ll do it together so we don’t come up with two completely different ideas. Like, all I listen to at the moment is hip-hop, so if I came back with a hip-hop song and he was like ‘yeah but I want it to sound like Bryan Adams’ that would be awkward.

We haven’t seen you on any festival line ups for 2014 yet, is there anything you can let slip, maybe mention where you’d be hoping to play?

I can’t tell you. We did a year off... We’re hoping for one major festival at the moment but we can’t really say much more than that, until they confirm, or I’ll look like a plum. So hopefully there’ll be that, but we just wanna tour, we don’t even care, we just wanna tour with anyone and everyone. So if you know any bands who need support send them our way.

Finally, are there any plans to make this tour stand out from all the others?

Funny you should mention that, when we wanted to do this tour Gavin came up with the artwork and he found a giant mirrorball skull, so Gavin started making one of them by hand because he’s good like that. He’s very hands on, ‘cause he’s expecting a baby now as well. I don’t know if I was meant to say that but I have. But yeah he’s very hands on and he came up with the idea for the mirrorball skull, but because 2013 was the year where if it can go wrong it will, that fucked up and never got made so now that’s just sitting in the back of one of my brother’s vans just doing nothing. So we did plan on having a giant mirrorball skull and all this stuff but yeah it didn’t get made in time. We had mirrorball stuff made for amps and stuff, but yeah I think we’re just gonna go out and just play, and climb things, it’s not gonna be about what’s on stage I don’t think, I was playing a lot of the earlier shows in the crowd so yeah, we’ll see what happens.

Interview by Josh Moorby

Thanks to Luke Beardsworth

BUY TICKETS FOR 'THE BLACKOUT'

KENDAL CALLING ARE RECRUITING

2014-01-20T16:03:00.000+00:00

Our friends at Kendal Calling - one of the Northwest's biggest music festivals - are recruiting for Marketing and Promo staff to help spread the word.

Calling all music and festival lovers! Have you got a flair for marketing? Are you a social media obsessive with an army of followers? Or have you got panache for sales?

Are you interested in a career in the events/music industry?
We have the following positions available for dedicated, hard-working, and enthusiastic folks that would like to join the KC team:

Festival Marketing Assistant Internship: February – August
Festival Assistant Internship: February – August
Promo Reps: February – August
How to apply:
For more info on each role CLICK HERE.

LEE NELSON COMES TO 53 DEGREES

2014-01-10T16:03:00.000+00:00

The hilarious Lee Nelson is coming to 53 Degrees for a one-off Preston show! Be sure to get tickets HERE

For one night only, Lee Nelson brings his unique brand of character comedy, and legendary audience interaction, to Preston.

Nelson (the geezer-ish alter ego of Simon Brodkin) is one of the country's most exciting comedians. South London chav Lee Nelson has won the hearts of the nation on BBC Three's Lee Nelson's Well Good Show, which aired to great ratings and has since been commissioned for a second series.

Simon has also made regular contributions to BBC Three’s 'The Wall', and has appeared as a core cast member of ITV1 sketch show, 'Al Murray's Multiple Personality Disorder'. Other credits include 'Funny Cuts - Simon Brodkin Sketch Show' (E4), 'Absolutely Fabulous' (BBC One), '4Radio Weekly' (Channel 4 Radio), 'Big Brother's Big Mouth' (Channel 4), 'Out To Lunch' (BBC Radio 2), 'The Morning After Show with Simon Amstell' (Channel 4) and 'Edinburgh and Beyond' (Paramount Comedy Channel).

Simon performed his first solo show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2006. Selling out his entire run, he went on to scoop the prestigious Writer's Guild Award for Best Newcomer. He took 'Simon Brodkin is Lee Nelson' to the 2008 Edinburgh festival, which was praised for its 'sharp, quick-fire verbal sparring' (The Scotsman) and 'solid gold material' (Chortle). It's no surprise that Lee Nelson's banter is deceptively witty; like Harry Hill before him, creator Simon Brodkin qualified as a Doctor - and learnt his craft in observational humour - before turning his hand to comedy.

Now one of the biggest names at the Edinburgh Fringe, Simon has sold out 2 subsequent runs. Having finished 'Lee Nelson’s Well Good Tour' to great acclaim, he is now working on the second series of 'Lee Nelson’s Well Good Show'. And, if he wasn't busy enough, his all-new show 'Lee Nelson LIVE' heads out on tour this Spring, stopping at 53 Degrees on May 1st.

"Scintillating and hilarious... killer line after killer line" – The List

"Genius" – The Independent

"A prodigious talent, Brodkin could well become a household name" – The Times

BUY TICKETS HERE

MARTHA REEVES: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

2013-12-11T17:19:00.002+00:00

Ahead of our very special Preston's Got Soul, headlined by the legendary Martha Reeves this Saturday, we're pleased to present this exclusive interview with the lady herself. Don't miss out on your chance to see a living legend right here in Preston: BUY TICKETS

1.You have achieved so much in the music industry... What is it that continues to drive you to perform?

I feel that singing is what God called me to do, and what He gave me a love for. I have been blessed with great songs to sing – songs about love and joy – with the energy and the talent to still be able to do it after 50 years, and with fans like those here in the UK who love the songs and sing along with me.

2.Please share with us some of your memories of the Motown Golden era.

Wow, too many memories to share. Definitely a highlight was coming here for the first time and meeting all of the Tamla/Motown fans. Dave Grodin was the president. The Beatles came to the US and the Tamla/Motown fan club got us over here. We received as much love in the UK as the Beatles did in the US. What a thrill!

3.What are your thoughts on the lost songs and talents from that era that are now being taken up and promoted by the Northern Soul scene?

I am grateful that the Northern Soul crowd has taken up songs like “No One There.” One of my favorite songs.

4.A friend of yours, Bettye Lavette, is currently enjoying a career revival to a brand new audience. Would you consider releasing new material and engaging with new generations of soul music fans?

I had a Top 25 dance record last year, “I’m Not Leaving.” I am still in the studio. Hopefully you will hear some new material soon.

5.You are a Motown legend and a hero to many. who are your own heroes and legends in the music industry?

My early influences were people like Lena Horne and Della Reese. I listen mainly to gospel artists now.

6. Detroit ,which is in the hearts of thousands of British people is not the City it once was! Do you fear for its future or are there some signs of recovery?

Detroit is and always will be a great city. Every large city has its problems, but as we saw with our auto industry, Detroit can and will make its way back. It may be smaller, but it will always be great.

7. Preston is very excited to be hosting Martha Reeves for the first time. Are you excited about coming to Preston? What do you know of it?

I heard that Preston’s got soul! I am excited to be here. When not working, I love museums. I hope I have time to visit the Harris Museum.

8. Are you involved with mentoring new talent in the music industry? Are there any personal favourites on the current scene or any stars of the future that we should look out for?

I work a lot with young musicians and recently helped judge a talent competition in Detroit, along the lines of The X Factor. I know a lot of very talented young singers and instrumentalists, but you never know who will become a star. It takes more than talent.

9. You have had a fantastic career in music! Do you put this down to talent and hard work, luck or a combination of all three?

Talent, hard work, Berry Gordy, the way my parent’s raised me (Moma used to tell me never to think of myself more highly or lowly than I ought to), and God’s blessings.

10. Are you a Marvin Gaye Fan? What's your favourite song? Who's best Marvin or Curtis Mayfield?

Remember that I sang with Marvin on his first three records – “Stubborn Kind of Fellow”, “Hitch Hike” and “Pride and Joy”, and used to back him up on stage. And he co-wrote “Dancing in the Street”. I love Marvin! I sometimes sing “What’s Going On?” in my show.

11. What do you think of Jagger and Bowie's Dancing in the Street?

I take it as a tribute; as a way of saying, “Martha, we love you.”

12. Do you have a favourite cover version of your songs?

I appreciate so many people paying tribute. I especially loved Mama Cass’ version of “Dancing in the Street”.

13. What do you make of the devotion for soul from the scooter boys of the 60s to the Northern Soul fans of the 2000s?

I love it. They found their way down to the Isle of Elba when I was there for Easter weekend a couple of years ago. That’s love!

14. Do you think being one of 11 children added to your determination to sing louder and prouder to be heard - from your church days onwards?

I was raised in a house of love by parents who loved music. My mother was a beautiful singer who loved Billie Holiday, so when I sing “God Bless The Child,” I try to emulate her. My father played guitar and played with John Lee Hooker. My first time singing was at the age of 3, at my grandfather’s church with my brothers. My brother, Benny, used to sing with The Contours. My sister, Lois, became a Vandella in 1967, and my sister Delphine joined me in the early 80s. It’s not about singing loud, its about singing with love, understanding of the music, and with soul.

15. Artists covered by you include Linda Ronstadt, David Bowie and Mick Jagger, The Grateful Dead, The Mamas and The Papas, Van Halen, The Who, The Jam, The Kinks, Neil Diamond, The Walker Brothers, Laura Nyro and many more. Which of these have done the best cover and which would you like to have worked with?

I sang “Heat Wave” with Springsteen, and recently did “Nowhere to Run” with Michael Bolton. Linda Ronstadt said that “Heat Wave” was one of the hardest songs she ever sang.

16. Our friends at the Blackpool Gazette would like to know - is it true you played in Blackpool back in the 60s, and if so what are your memories of it?

Yes, all good memories of people coming out and just having a party. The Mods! Some of those fans are still with us today, and I know they will be at Preston. Some have already emailed me and put messages on Facebook and Twitter. I always do a meet and greet after the show, talk to fans and they tell me stories, and they bring old pics and old records for me to sign. I look forward to making some new friends, new fans and new memories on Saturday. Let’s party!

MARTHA REEVES PLAYS 53 DEGREES THIS SATURDAY, 14/12/13. BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE

WIN FREE PIZZA FOR THE YEAR AT LOLLYPOP

2013-10-01T15:23:00.004+01:00

This week's Lollypop just got a whole load tastier, thanks to our friends at Domino's Pizza :) That's right - we're giving one lucky winner free pizza for the whole year! And what do you have to do to be entered into this fantastic competition? A dance off? Drinking competition? Silly fancy dress? No - simply come along to Friday night's Lollypop, and you could be in with a chance of winning!

What's more, sing up on the Facebook Guestlist, and you get into Lollypop for just £2. That's a lot of pizza for 2 quid!

LIKE THESE? YOU'LL LOVE LOLLYPOP!

2013-09-27T16:00:00.000+01:00

Well, we had a great first week at Lollypop last Friday. A packed out room and some of the best pop in town! Now, how about we make it EVEN BIGGER this week??

Be sure to get your name on the Facebook Guestlist for £2 discount entry.

In the meantime, here are a few 'guilty pleasure' pop tunes to get you in the mood ;)

See you on the dancefloor!