FIFTY3FRIDAYS: LIVE AT THE BEDFORD – TUES 22 SEPTEMBER
- 22 minutes ago
- 5 min read
It might be over 3 months away but I am pleased to announce that we are back at The Bedford. The iconic venue in downtown Balham, SW London is an enduring, welcoming space for independent music with its signature circular-shaped gig room, superb sound system and internet live broadcasts. It is a venue to which people come to listen rather than talk over the music and are encouraged to stay for the whole show. On Tuesday 22 September, we have a great line-up at a special Fifty3 curated gig headlined by the admirable Alex Hall aka City Limits, with excellent support from Brighton’s Dear People and South East London’s Mia Wilks.
Above photo of The Bedford Gig Room Gallery by Johnny Stephens Photography
You’ll find full details of the gig HERE. The show is free but it is wise to book tickets – this guarantees you a seat, though there is always standing room for any walk-ins on the night. Here is a quick preview of what you can expect. Opening the evening is 18-year-old wunderkind Mia Wilks, an authentic musician and storyteller with a voice resonating beyond her years. A songwriter from an early age, Mia has honed her craft to build what is quickly becoming an impressive repertoire. The irresistible “L.Y.A.” – an empowering put-down of a lying ex and a rallying call to have the courage to walk away – is a case in point.
Following Mia is Dear People, the artist moniker of Brighton-based Bex Green. A classically trained pianist, she studied music performance and composition, leading to a pursuit of her love for writing for film and TV. The name of Bex’s solo project, Dear People, was inspired by those boxes of old photos you can find in charity shops and celebrates the common humanity and shared emotions which connects all those pictured yet now anonymised. “I Don’t Know”, from Dear People’s self-titled debut EP, is a great introduction to the artist’s music – a beautifully organic sound drawn from old keyboards and drum machines, graced with vocal light and shade and even a touch of euphoria.
Closing the event will be Surrey-based singer-songwriter-producer and musical maestro Alex Hall aka City Limits, who continues to grow his fanbase on digital platforms and through his thoroughly engaging live shows. His repertoire spans a growing range of styles with recent releases filling a unique space between electronic music and singer-songwriter storytelling. The latest single from City Limits, “Ghost”, pushes his sound further into electronic territory with a Drum & Bass flavour blended with uplifting energy and trademark emotion, capturing the sense of watching someone slowly disappear from your life.
Interestingly I first encountered all three of the above acts through hearing them on Fresh On The Net. The new music site continues to be a great source of artists entirely new to me. Alongside the weekly Listening Post and reader-voted Fresh Faves, the site also hosts a feature called Alt Picks which highlights songs chosen from Fresh On The Net entries that did not make the Listening Post. My first choice from the latest batch of entries is from Arthur Robijns, a musical multitasker who writes for theatre and film, penning most songs “around his voice and the weird noises he collects through sampling and playing instruments incorrectly” (in his words). A member of the band Pushpin, he is now releasing solo music, self-producing and mixing it, singing and playing most parts himself.
His single "28" grabs attention from the opening violin riff which soon forms the backbone of the song. Punchy drums maintain momentum right up to the raucous coda where sax joins overdriven instruments to create a stirring climax. Arthurs tops it all with a determined vocal that draws emotion from ambivalence. The song draws on the experience of having a rough time when everyone tells you you're meant to be having a great one. Arthur’s music is hard to pigeonhole: “I'm a mess of musical influences but I think this one clearly has some LCD Soundsystem and Arcade Fire running through it to my ears” he commented.
My second Alt Pick is from Manchester’s Saytr Play, led by flamboyant frontman Fred Farrell [that enough F’s for you?] At grave risk of being spellchecked into Satyr Play, the band has built a growing reputation as a live act, selling out a bunch of headline shows at its home city’s iconic music venues together with festival appearances. Notably, for a fully independent outfit, Saytr Play has notched up over two million streams on Spotify alongside a dedicated fanbase.
“Victoria (Pt 2)” is taken from Saytr Play’s latest EP, out now. It’s an upbeat earworm of a tune with sharp dynamics highlighted by bright guitar riffs and synths, underpinned by fulsome bass. Fred’s conversational lead vocal draws out the politics of relationships as he muses on the bittersweet feeling of chasing after the wrong person, where nothing you do feels enough. It’s a song true to the classic indie rock playbook, recorded and produced from the band’s bedrooms in authentic DIY fashion. What's not to like?
Photo of Park Hills Circle by Maren Celest
We close this week with a new song from multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Maris O'Tierney aka Park Hills Circle. You might recall that I introduced her in April in this column via the bucolic splendour of “Spring is Here”. The Alaskan-Irish artist, currently based in Chicago, has now released a new single, "Clearing", ahead of her debut album, All of a Sudden, which will be available from 10 July. The long player celebrates a time of flourishing born of hard-earned healing and growth; the emergence from a dark time into the light.
The beautifully airy quality of Maris’ nuanced voice is again to the fore on “Clearing” as she strikes out for a degree of independence while concurrently trusting a “new closeness with a romantic partner.” As with so many aspects of life, the need to find a balance between self-growth and allowing space for friendships and relationships is paramount. Musically the song is just as balanced; harmonies enhancing the sweeping chorus lines and soft textured instrumentation giving way to a delightful saxophone-led outro which echoes Maris’ topline in the chorus. Thoughtful and graceful music in perfect harmony.
Photo by Lucijan Blagonic
Fifty3Fridays is taking a break now till 3 July while we are on holiday in Croatia – watching the England game there on Wednesday should be fun!
For a continuing dose of new music, please check out the Listening Post every weekend via Fresh On The Net and vote for your favourite five tunes.
