Thursday, 3 March 2011

ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION @ Apolo 24/03/11

Thursday 24th March 2011

Apolo

Nou de la Rambla

08001 Barcelona

21:00

Entry Price: €20.00 / €24.00

www.asiandubfoundation.com

ASIAN DUB FOUNDATION

A welcome return to Barcelona this month, for one of the UK’s most powerful and uncompromising live bands, Asian Dub Foundation. With their unique fusion of punk, jungle, ragga and Asian musical styles, coupled with politically charged lyrics - ADF are hugely popular across Europe, but especially so in Spain and Portugal which they have visited many times. In Barcelona alone, they have headlined at the BAM / Merce Festival, Razzmatazz and the Apolo.

Since their emergence from the East London Asian-Underground scene, sixteen years ago, ADF have made a number of groundbreaking achievements . Aside from touring the world and collaborating with artists such as Primal Scream, The Beastie Boys and Radiohead, they established ADF Education to teach music technology to young people, performed live soundtracks for movies ‘La Haine’ and ‘The Battle of Algiers’, Steve Chandra Savale was even asked to edit BBC Radio 4’s prestigious ‘Today’ news programme. ADF have proven themselves to be a band, that truly know how to diversify into other projects, without diluting their original vision.

In February, ADF released their ninth studio album ‘A History Of Now’, on the Cooking Vinyl label, lyrically it is as forthright as ever, commenting on a world where “there is no history anymore, everything is in a state of flux”. The album features more organic instrumentation than before, with live drums and their Indian / Asian influences to the fore, and the dub sound complimented by more guitar based songs.

The Apolo show is the first date of a tour, that will take ADF across Spain, Portugal and France, and it’s onstage that the band, really come into their own. Using guitars and electronics fused with traditional Asian percussion such as tablas and the dhol, coupled with ragga style vocals – they really know how to blow the roof off.

Thursday, 17 February 2011

THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS @ Apolo (2) 12/2/11

Saturday 12th February 2011

Apolo (2)

Nou de la Rambla

08001 Barcelona

20:00

Entry Price: €18.00 / €22.00

www.newmastersounds.com

THE NEW MASTERSOUNDS

Waiting for a good funky live show in Barcelona, can be a bit like waiting for a bus, you hang around kicking your heels for ages and then they all come at once. February is definitely shaping up to be one of those months. First into town, on their annual visit to Barcelona, are the UK’s finest funk and jazz instrumental combo The New Mastersounds.

Formed eleven years ago in Leeds, the band have released countless singles and albums, over a raft of different labels, and collaborated with some of the best known names in contemporary funk and jazz: Lou Donaldson, Quantic, Keb Darge & Kenny Dope, James Taylor, Snowboy, Dionne Charles and Andy Smith (Portishead) to name just a few. Last year saw the release of documentary entitled ‘Coals to Newcastle’, which follows the band as they visit and play around New Orleans meeting some of their musical heroes in the process. Their forthcoming album ‘Masterology’ (Sundazed) is a nineteen track retrospective of the bands career so far.

It’s onstage however that The New Mastersounds, really come into their own – cooking up a potent brew of groove-driven funk, with a tight and economic line-up of drums, bass, guitar and keyboards. Influenced by the jazz organ greats Jimmy Smith and Jimmy McGriff, The Meters, James Brown and Jimi Hendrix – it’s not unknown for the band to play sets of up to three hours in duration. Years of experience, criss-crossing the USA and Europe on extensive tours, have turned them into probably one of the most exciting live instrumental bands, you’re ever likely to hear.

Also coming up in February look out for the wonderful Janelle Monae at the Apolo on the 22nd, and a real treat for all you Daptone Records fans, a double bill of Lee Fields & The Expressions plus Charles Bradley & The Menahan Street Band at Salamandra in L’Hospitalet on Sunday 27th.

Roger C

Wednesday, 8 December 2010

OSAKA MONAURAIL @ Apolo 05/12/10

Sunday 5th December 2010

Apolo

Nou de la Rambla

08001 Barcleona

20:30

Entry Price: €18.00 / €21.00


www.myspace.com/osakamonaurail



OSAKA MONAURAIL


There is something intrinsically clever within Japanese musical culture, that allows their musicians to take the elements of many Western genres – ska, jazz, hip-hop – reproduce them perfectly and then add an undefinable element to the mix, to give them a completely original stamp. OSAKA MONAURAIL, have been doing this with funk for the last eighteen years… using the classic, early 70s, James Brown style as their template they manage to create a sound and performance that is now totally their own.


OSAKA MONAURAIL deliver a terrific live performance. Nine incredibly tight musicians including a three-piece horn section, dancing with perfectly choreographed moves onstage – decked out in the sharpest of suits (so sharp in fact, that they include an iron and ironing board in their backstage rider). In Ryo Nakata they have a frontman, with a huge amount of charisma, whether he’s belting out soul on the microphone or executing ‘the splits’, he’s a singer that audiences automatically want to get up and party with.


The band has received many accolades from their funky heroes and heroines. Touring throughout Asia and Europe with the original Soul Sister No.1 - Marva Whitney, from the James Brown Review, with whom they also collaborated in the studio, to produce her first album in thirty-six years! They’ve also hosted shows with other legendary funk musicians - trombonist Fred Wesley and drummer Clyde Stubblefield, from The JBs.


OSAKA MONAURAIL have visited Barcelona several times, in the last four years and their most recent album/DVD ‘Live In Spain’ was actually recorded at the Apolo in November 2008. So if you’re in the market for some razor-sharp funky sounds, executed with exquisite style and showmanship, then make sure you put this date in your gig diary.


Roger C

Wednesday, 24 November 2010

IMELDA MAY @ Bikini 11/11/10

Thursday 11th November 2010

BIKINI

C/Diagonal 547

Barcelona

19:30

Entry Price: €20.00/€24.00

www.imeldamay.com

IMELDA MAY

In the last few years there has been a huge resurgence in the fusion of country, blues and rock’n’roll music known as ‘Rockabilly’. Rockabilly, in all its’ aspects, has emerged from the underground, and is busy flicking its’ greasy quiff all over mainstream culture.

There are the new Rockabilly stars as well, of which IMELDA MAY is undoubtedly the most successful. Born in Dublin, Imelda was raised on a diet of Elvis Presley, Eddie Cochrane and Gene Vincent… when she began her singing career at sixteen it was in the cities burlesque club scene, most of which she too young to even be inside.

In 2006 Imelda started her first band, which caught the attention of Joolz Holland, whom she supported on tour and appeared on his television show ‘Later’. Her debut album ‘Love Tattoo’ (2009), did incredibly well – reaching the top of the Irish Album Charts, and going on to sell Triple Platinum, making Imelda the first Irish female artist to be at number one for twenty years. The new album ‘Mayhem’ released in September, slammed straight into the top spot at number one, an astounding feat for any artist, but for one playing a supposedly ‘minority interest’ music style like rockabilly, it is a rare achievement.

Imelda and her band, whose collective CV reads like a ‘who’s who’ of rock’n’roll talent – have been touring extensively for the last few years, in 2010 alone taking in festivals such as Glastonbury, T-In-The-Park, WOMAD and Electric Picnic. Imelda’s incredible voice has won her accolades from the likes of guitar-legend Jeff Beck, who invited her to perform with him at this years’ Grammy Awards.

You don’t have to be a Rockabilly aficionado to appreciate Imelda May, she’s a great performer with a really exciting band, who create such a party onstage that you just want to get up there with them.

Roger C (Miniguide Barcelona, November 2010)


SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS @ Apolo 26/10/10

Tuesday 26th October 2010

Apolo

Nou de la Rambla

08001 Barcleona

20:00

Entry Price: €20.00 / €23.00

www.sharonjonesand thedapkings.com

SHARON JONES AND THE DAP-KINGS

With a live show reminiscent of the great Stax and Motown revues of the 60s, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings are undoubtedly, the most exciting live funk and soul band, in the world today. Sharon herself possesses enough energy and onstage electricity, to power a small city, her incredible voice embodies everything that is great about rhythm and blues… in turn both raw and tender, sweet and strong – inspired by the likes of Mavis Staples, James Brown, Tina Turner and Aretha Franklin.

Her compatriots of the last ten years, the eight-strong Dap-Kings are the amongst tightest musicians that you’ll ever hear, and when they’re not touring the world with Sharon, you’ll find them in the studio with the likes of Al Green, Mark Ronson or playing on Amy Winehouse’s Grammy Award winning album “Back In Black”.

The bands’ latest album “I Learned The Hard Way” (their fourth), on their own Daptone label, was recorded exclusively on an 8-track tape machine, in order to capture that authentic deep soul sound, and is their most ambitious to date.

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings have been frequent visitors to Barcelona over the years, and with local funksters The Excitments in support, this promises to be one of their biggest shows so far, so get your tickets early.

Roger C (Miniguide Barcelona, October 2010)

DOMINIQUE YOUNG UNIQUE @ Razzmatazz 21/08/10

Saturday 21st August 2010

Lolita @ RAZZMATAZZ

Pamplona, 88,

08018 Barcleona

Entry Price: €15.00 / €12.00

www.myspace.com/dominiqueyoungunique


DOMINIQUE YOUNG UNIQUE

Freak-rap, hip-hop, booty-bass, electro, dub-punk, sometimes an artist comes along who ticks all the boxes, but fits in none of them. From Tampa, Florida DOMINIQUE YOUNG UNIQUE is from this fresh crop of new rappers, she’s been recording at Yo Majesty’s studio, since the age of twelve – and now at eighteen she’s ready to unleash the results on the world. This year she’s already blitzed SXSW in Texas, and has European festivals Pukkelpop, Lowlands and Transmusicals lined up for the summer.

The relentless energy of Dominique’s new single “Show My Ass”, has been kicking up a storm on MTV… leading to comparisons with Santigold and MIA. Razzmatazz is her debut in Spain, so don’t sleep on this show… because this time next year she’s going to be massive.

Roger C (Barcelona Miniguide, August 2010)

ERYKAH BADU @ Poble Espanyol 18/07/10


Sunday 18th July
El Poble Espanyol
Av. Marquès de Comillas,
08038 – Barcelona
Entry Price: €45.00

www.erykahbadu.com


ERYKAH BADU

In the world of hip-hop and nu-soul, Erykah Badu exists as a truly original talent, circling way out in an eccentric orbit, that owes little to her contemporaries. Collaborating with maverick producers such as Madlib, Shafiq Husayn (Sa-Ra Creative Partners) and the late J.Dilla – her recordings have always pushed at the boundaries, in her own inimitable style.

It’s now thirteen years since her debut “Baduizm” took the hip-hop scene by storm, selling three million copies and winning her two Grammys in the process. Now 2010 sees the release of her sixth album, the second part of her “New Amerykah” magnum opus “Return Of The Ankh”… and yet again it marks another change of direction. Whereas “Part One”, recorded during the Bush presidency was funky, aggressive and very political, the new album is much more introspective and personal with ‘love’ as it’s central theme.

As a live performer, Erykah Badu has few rivals… along with her unique vocal style, she possesses a magnetic and commanding charisma, which keeps the observer glued to every single gesture and look she makes on the stage. She never loses her ability to completely dumbfound an audience, at her last Barcelona show in the Movistar Arena, she suddenly crossed to the front of the stage and dived into the crowd, allowing them to pass her above their heads for a full ten minutes whilst she continued singing.

This will be Erykah Badu’s second appearance at Poble Espanyol, and is a perfect combination of a brilliant performer in a beautiful outdoor setting, definitely not a show to be missed.


Roger C (Miniguide Barcelona, July 2010)