The sun is out, it’s pretty much a perfect summer day at Campbell Park with the Midsummer Fayre underway, so rides and food vans are a common sight around the top of the park. Also in the area is a bright green and yellow twister lolly tent where some local names are drumming up a bit of interest with LMIMK’s Lee Marley acting as ringleader.
Scratch Nights return to the MK Gallery area for another dose of art and music, the lineup’s a bit of a special one tonight, with Forest Creature, House Of John Player and a double whammy of Duke Of Zuke and Harry Taylor who are tuning up a variety of instruments for their opening set. Meanwhile, skaters are doing ollies outside and a street dancing crew doesn’t seem too far from setting up.
It’s been a while since CasioKid last put out their exploits on Cd, recently that trend was broken with a limited edition Ep called the “Your Heart In Digital” Demo five tracks. With the band steadily evolving and adding more to the ever-present Game Boy sounds and drums, the addition of guitars and a bassist in the form of Alex Eyres alongside Jack and Stu is bringing a bit of a different sound.
Admittedly, this is the first time in quite a while that I’ve been up to the MK Gallery, but a last minute tip-off from a certain mate said that an interesting gig was about to take place. After bumping into a few friends inside, we end up checking out the current exhibit and waiting for the gig to start after a bit of a delay. After things do start to develop, we find ourselves in a massive square white room, it’s reminiscent of an open canvas, something that fits with the nature of avant garde music that we’re about to encounter.
There’s no two ways about it, the earthquake in Haiti effected a lot of people, moreso the residents who had their lives, homes and way of life taken away so abruptly by the tremors, but the reverberations have been pretty much worldwide with aid coming in from all four corners. And that’s what tonight is in aid for, in just about a week, people banded together with Nicky Prince, Make A Difference and a fair few others putting on a charity gig down at the hub.
It’s a brisk Wednesday evening, and Peartree Bridge is apparently the place to go, after following the sound of music to The Old Rectory where there seems to be a sizeable field, then I see the light, literally. The source of the sound is a small lit-up tent, surrounded by fairy lights, which is where the gig is taking place, only it’s not that simple and it isn’t exactly a tent. To be blunt it’s a gazebo, on a canal boat, which is moored up with a captive audience sitting on the canal-side and the small dock, welcome to the aptly named “Canal Music”.
On a Saturday not too long ago, the hall at the Craufurd was taken over by Wreck Your Life promotions with an all day showcase of bands. Since earlier this year, the guys at WYL have been working to establish a solid hardcore scene in MK and it’s surroundings, so it’s no surprise that all of the bands are firmly in that niche but you have to hand it to the guys that twelve bands for around four quids is nothing to moan about.
Summer’s over, or almost at least. But it seems that the good spirits are still around by the end of the night with a brand new promoter, the name to follow for this one is “New Town Promotions” who started up their first gig down in Bletchely at the Working Mens Club. It’s good to see a few familiar faces around too, with some of the Peartree Bridge/Rock Hard crew down who helped out with the sound. Though New Town hasn’t settled on a particular venue yet, this one seems a bit unorthodox, looking more like a bingo hall but still working out fairly well…
Jun.06.09
Last weekend seen the kickoff for Stony Live, a celebration of local music that goes through the week, ending with Folk On The Green. Last Saturday had a few gigs on in the town, but I found myself at The Crown (also famous from being in the rather fantastic “Withnail & I”) to see a couple of bands that you’ve probably seen on the site, namely Lionsex and The Disciples Of Gonzo. The Gonzo’s headline the night with an extended set while Lionsex support after impressing the former at Monkeyvision.
Last Friday was a rather intriguing one, I was invited to a bit of an exhibition down at Milton Keynes Gallery, the local gallery may usually have something on but this evening was quite special as “Lost And Found”, a youth based arts organisation, had been going for a year and to celebrate it all there’s a larger exhibition outside the theatre inspired by the current artist who’s work is on display at the gallery, namely a certain James Lee Byars, the man who sought perfection through his work, and hence the name of the event itself, “A Perfect Evening”…
