Is This Music? Feature on IMP

[Guest idol_wild]

A small, yet hopefully worthwhile piece of press coverage for those little IMPs.

is this music? Interesting Music Promotions

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and here's that bad boy in full...

Interesting Music Promotions

interesting - [in-ter-uh-sting, -truh-sting, -tuh-res-ting]

1. engaging or exciting and holding the attention or curiosity: an interesting book.

2. arousing a feeling of interest: an interesting face.

music - [myoo-zik]

1. an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color.

2. the tones or sounds employed, occurring in single line (melody) or multiple lines (harmony), and sounded or to be sounded by one or more voices or instruments, or both.

3. musical work or compositions for singing or playing.

Interesting Music Promotions is an Aberdeen based music promotions collective who specialise in bringing high quality and, well, interesting live music to Scotlands third city. Originating officially as Interesting Music Promotions (also affectionately abbreviated to IMP) in 2003, the four exponents - Graeme (founder), Jenny, Mark, and Mike - do what they do simply because of the desire to see quality underground eclectic music played live in Aberdeen.

Graemes first solo promotion venture was as far back as 1990 when he had Dundee artist Michael Marra perform at the Cowdry Hall. Since then, Graeme has overcome many hurdles to get IMP to where they are now, The first few gigs were not without problems, as bands began cancelling and sometimes not even turning up! So for a while I gave up, but the sheer desire to see bands I love play live never left me so I started again with Mike under the Unknown Pleasures monicker. We had a regular night at The Lemon Tree but we would struggle to get enough people to turn up each time.

Eventually, IMP was born and hosted their first ever gig in October 2003 at much missed Aberdeen venue Dr Drakes, with Ballboy, Nero (featuring Al from Le Reno Amps), and The 55s providing the live music. Since then, Graeme hasnt looked back as IMP have gone from strength to strength with Mikes wife Jenny joining the IMP ranks, and Mark joining in 2006. Although having no previous involvement in live music promotion, Mark managed to talk his way into the IMP ranks thanks to a passion for live music, bordering on the obsessive, and a recent academic foray in marketing - which saw Mark cultivate a tenacious online presence.

One of the keys to the IMP success story so far has been the way in which they treat every single artist they book to perform. They seem to have gained quite a reputation amongst the underground music scene for knowing how to treat people with respect and courtesy. As Mark pointed out, These people are our guests - it is only polite to sort them out with somewhere to sleep for the night and to offer them food, and, basically, cater for their every need so that they enjoy their stay. Graeme was quick to agree and suggest, We want to create a good impression on these people - not just about us as music promoters, but about the city of Aberdeen and what it has to offer and we have discovered that the impression we make is then spread by word of mouth around the artists peer groups so that eventually interesting acts from all over the World come to us to ask if they can play in Aberdeen.

This approach is clearly working if one takes a quick glance at some of the acts that have graced the IMP stage over the years: Thomas Truax, Lucky Pierre, Found, Thee More Shallows, Caribou, Alasdair Roberts, 65daysofstatic, A Hawk and a Hacksaw, Gravenhurst, Noxagt, Faust, Hot Chip, Arab Strap, King Creosote, The Low Lows, Alela Diane, The Fence Collective, Kling Klang, Karine Polwart, and, perhaps most spectacularly, Boredoms.

With such an impressive catalogue of gigs, what sort of ambition can a promotion collective based in Aberdeen realistically possess? Well, Graeme would still like to attract more touring acts up to Aberdeen as he feels Aberdeen often misses out, Almost every touring act will stop by Glasgow or Edinburgh but take exception at having to take the short trip to Aberdeen, indeed - its almost as if Aberdeen is out on a limb as it is frequently surpassed by the media in favour of extra Glasgow and Edinburgh coverage, which, according to Graeme, is another hurdle IMP have to overcome, It bugs me a little that there is absolutely no listings guide which regularly features Aberdeen events, whereas the central belt has publications such as The Skinny and Music News tripping over themselves to feature Glasgow and Edinburgh events. There is a lot going on in Aberdeen and it would be of the benifit to this city if these publications streched their coverage to the north east.

IMP possess determination and grit, however, as they dont want to let the lack of Aberdeen coverage affect the citys potential cultural prosperity, with Mark offering plenty of enthusiasm and hope, In the grander scheme of things, we try and develop our relationships with other like-minded promoters such as Dizzy Storm and Vocoustics, and we constantly search for different and new venues, stay on the lookout for new and interesting music, keep making friends and just hope the right people turn up and get what we are trying to do and come back next time.

Theyre going the right way about it as they have some seriously delicious events coming up, including some gigs as part of the reputable Triptych Festival. May sees them produce two consecutive gigs which will be challenging for the title of Aberdeens Best Gig of 2008 - Caribou and Born Ruffians play at The Tunnels on Thursday 22nd May, and the following night the celestial Stars of the Lid take to the same Tunnels stage, with support from Remember Remember and Glissando. Caribou live is always a huge event for us, plus the Stars of the Lid night has such a strong line-updid someone say potential gig of the year in Aberdeen?

Yes, Mark. That was me.

Forthcoming Interesting Music Promotions events in full:

20/04/2008: Michael Marra + Jo Foster @ The Blue Lamp (co-promotion with Aberdeen Folk Club)

25/04/2008: Magik Markers + Human Bell + Kitchen Cynics @ The Tunnels (as part of Triptych)

30/04/2008: The Low Lows + Crevecoeur + Amy Sawers @ Cafe Drummond (co-promotion with TwoJoe Projects)

11/05/2008: Ida Maria + support @ The Tunnels

12/05/2008: A Hawk And A Hacksaw + Benjamin Wetherill @ The Tunnels

22/05/2008: Caribou + Born Ruffians @ The Tunnels

23/05/2008: Stars Of The Lid + Remember Remember + Glissando @ The Tunnels

31/05/2008: Vetiver + support @ The Tunnels

MySpace.com - interesting music promotions - Aberdeen, Scotland, UK - Alternative / Electronica / Experimental - www.myspace.com/interestingmusic

[Guest idol_wild]

One seriously horrible spelling error.

Urgh. I feel dirty.

[Guest idol_wild]

is this music? also features a review of the Caribou and Stars of the Lid gigs here:

is this music? IMPfest 2008 - Stars of the Lid/Remember Remember/Glissando/Caribou/Born Ruffians

[chilli]

is this music? also features a review of the Caribou and Stars of the Lid gigs here:

is this music? IMPfest 2008 - Stars of the Lid/Remember Remember/Glissando/Caribou/Born Ruffians

Thanks very much for the generous review of both nights, we were happy of your appreciation of the ambience of SoTl night. Having had the bollocks to turn down Caribou twice late 07 (due to being on the wrong night of the week) & the cancelled Feb event its was gratyfying BR were his UK tour partner (Dan can't half pick 'em) & it worked out superbly in terms of the event & the turn out.

Was very lucky getting SoTL to Aberdeen at all & thanks to Richard from CH for Remember Remember tip off & yourself/Becky for Glissando. SoTL night was magical almost prerfect.

For both nights all the artists (5no) were soo impressed with the Aberdeen audience

in terms of being receptive/friendly/the hospitality etc etc which actually is soo important

for artists to take away & recommend to their fellow artists.

Finally thanks a million to Mark (imp) for his proactive marketing, helping make both nights

successful on different levels.

[RF Scott]

I'm still crying inside about having to miss Stars of the Lid.

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Its the festival time of year, and although Aberdeen misses out on any major festival frolics, Interesting Music Promotions has served up two glorious back-to-back nights in The Tunnels. It feels just like a festival. (well, the shows are part of Tigerfest - Ed)

I was just waiting for that comment to appear...