Graeme

Looking forward to seeing Stanley for the first time.

Tickets at 29.50 + 3.25 convenience(?!) charge. Oooof! I can go to the toilet all by myself thanks.

interesting music promotions present The Hazey Janes+Le Reno Amps+The Vandelays Thursday 2nd February, The Tunnels-Aberdeen, Entry 5, Doors 8pm, Phone (01224) 211121 The Hazey Janes Dundee - once famed for jute, jam and journalism is also home to the jangly pop melodies of The Hazey Janes. After the well-deserved praise and attention heaped on their eponymous mini-album in 2004, the Scottish quartet escaped the Caledonian rain and absconded to Spain. The Hazey Janes' first full-length LP Hotel Radio was recorded at the studios of legendary Spanish producer Paco Loco (Josh Rouse/Golden Smog) in Cadiz; a world away from dreich Dundee and the dull tenement flats where the songs were conceived. Fuelled by the unrelenting Andalucian sun, the band expanded their sound with the addition of more pedal-steel guitar, viola, banjo and melodica. Acknowledging both the past and the present, the resultant record is packed with life-affirming, driven pop (Your Enemy/Don't Look Away) and breezy Americana (Always There/Step Into The Country). Swooping and soaring with trademark Hazey Janes harmonies, Hotel Radio still makes room for the melancholic melodies of This Place Is Just Not My Kind and Katie Goes. Some big names from the alt-country scene passed by the studios including Gary Louris (The Jayhawks) who provided backing vocals (Baby Tell Me) and Sara Lee Guthrie who lent an ear. Hotel Radio was mixed by the esteemed John Agnello (Patti Smith /Dinosaur Jr./The Kills) and mastered by Greg Calbi in New York. The Hazey Janes will be on tour to promote the record. www.thehazeyjanes.co.uk

interesting music promotions present Jess Klein+Alana Levandoski Tuesday 31st January, The Tunnels-Aberdeen, phone 01224 211121, entry 6, doors 8pm Jess Klein Biography Sprung from the Boston folk music scene circa 1995 Jess Kleins new release Strawberry Lover (Rykodisc) , finds the singer-songwriter drawing inspiration from both the outlook and the music of her childhood. Prior to her last release, the critically acclaimed Draw Them Near (produced by Rykodisc president George Howard, and featuring Wilco drummer Ken Coomer), Jess recorded three independent albums and toured the US, UK and Japan with the likes of 10,000 Maniacs, Jill Sobule, and Luka Bloom. The new album contains clear Motown and R&B influenced tracks like Office Girl and Shonalee and ranges from soul and rock to the sultry, reggae-inspired Soda Water. Klein has consciously strayed from her folksy roots to explore the kind of exuberant musical genres that got her singing in the first place. www.jessklein.com Alana Levandoski Biography Canadian Alana Levandoskis debut album Unsettled Down co-produced with Winnipeg-based producer/engineer Norm Dugas was completed in late 2004. It was released July, 2005 on Rounder Records. Sparkling with instrumental and production dexterity, the album reflects the musical heritage of country, gospel and folk that Alana has been familiar with from a very early age. The tracks never seem cluttered. Each seems spare, put together with hands that knew when and where to leave things out. Theres also the magnificence of Alanas voice with its crystal clarity. After hearing Red Headed Girl Toronto critic John Sakamoto wrote that Blessed with a short-story writers eye for the telling detail, this Winnipeg singer/songwriter recalls Nanci Griffith circa Once In A Very Blue Moon: clear-eyed, wary of sentimentality and sounding like shed be perfectly comfortable hanging out with Emmylou Harris www.alanalevandoski.com

Franz Ferdinand for one?

Yes, they were great. I thought the mosh pit added some fun. And it proved you can get good sound in The Music Hall.

They DIDN'T so much lock themselves away but asked if there was somewhere to change. It was the only available space I could find but they would have been happy to do it in the toilets if they had to. NOT very rock star. They were ALL very sweet and friendly (to me anyway). I don't know about the soundcheck as I wasn't around the whole time. Perhaps they just need a firm request to get on with it. If BNBC album length is reflected in sound check time, it'll take about 30 seconds!

I think Craig B had a fairly serious voice problem which prevented him singing (must be all that screaming) and took a while to get better. Then they have been recording a new album following the completion of which they'll be back to live performance.

Soundchecks 6-6.30pm for PVH and what ever The Videos are called now. Running times: Doors 8pm The Videos or whatever they are called 8.45pm PVH 9.30pm BNBC 10.00pm You know those will be strictly adhered to don't you?!

Don't teens like "interesting music" then?

I wouldn't build your hopes up. We have no idea who the mysterious people are but we've been told there will be eight of them. I suspect of that eight there will be none at most! Remember Aberdeen is a long way away. I'll take your disk though.

Quantity Surveyors...now they're the really negative ones! Althought the main auditorium looks not too bad, back off house is a complete disaster, including flooded basement. It would cost a lot to bring up to modern standards. It would be great though. According to Arts Council reports(?) Aberdeen is missing a mid size Theatre venue, and there it is. It just needs somebody with money. Let's raid the Fudge funds. Talking of underused venue....Cowdray Hall?

Bigger bands or better bands? Or is that another question?

As early as November?

You can now (at last) check album release info on Domino's web site http://www.dominorecordco.com/site/

I don't think so, but here's the Guardian one http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/reviews/story/0,11712,1678535,00.html#article_continue

Good review in Scotland On Sunday...the new Bastion Of Style.

Both c*nts (according to each other) if I remember correctly from the last time I saw them.

Swearing permitted?

As I said the EE knows more about it than we do! Check Sonic Boom's web site. It'll be with Schneider TM.