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IN STORES NOW#32: THE BONNEVILLES

Will McConnell — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:50:51 +0000

So The Bonnevilles were playing NI Chart’s immense first birthday bash in Auntie Annie’s last January. And I promptly borrowed them for a session (and had them back in time for tea).

Lo-fi, lo-down and dirty rock. Blues so thick you could stir it with a stick.
Where else to showcase their charms?

Why a tasty kebab shop of course..

Download for iPod (71.6 MB)

Filmed by Will McConnell
in Belfast, January 2010

IN STORES NOW#31: THE 1930s

Will McConnell — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:26:28 +0000

Ok, maybe we were pushing our luck with this one.
On second thoughts maybe not.

I love the 1930s. I love ‘Break My Heart’. It’s a clumping, stomping, clapping, singing along song. One that needs a crowd of people. A crowd of people just like there was on Malone Avenue last Friday afternoon, where lensmesiter extraordinaire Matthew Alexander Patton was shooting a music video for a little band called A Plastic Rose.

So I hope he didn’t mind us borrowing a few of his extras. Who am I kidding, he was delighted.
Eagle eyes, watch for as many Northern Ireland band cameos as you can, here…

The 1930s – Break My Heart

Download for iPod (84 MB)

Filmed by Will McConnell
in Belfast, February 2010

IN STORES NOW#30: JACKSON CAGE ...

IN STORES NOW#30: JACKSON CAGE

Will McConnell — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:07:23 +0000

It was during that lovely in pre-Christmas week, I was invited over to Jackson Cage’s house to hear some of their new tunes – including their first ever, ever single – “Help Me Mama”.

Sometimes this happens. After the camera comes out, and you do a few warm up tunes, you get some bands who just can’t shut up – they’ll keep playing, because that’s what they would have been doing before you turned up with a camera anyway.

So it is with Jackson Cage. They just fucking love music so much, and good for us, because they’re so fucking good – one song became two, or three and four. The moment you’re about to see with the ukelele in the kitchen (playing appropriately enough, “A Hard Night In The Kitchen”, mmm…) was as spontaneous and unrehearsed as it looks.

Part 1 – Jackson Cage – A Hard Night (In The Kitchen) / Help Me Mama

Download for iPod (100.6 MB)

Then it was back into the warm, for more tea and some heart-warming tunes.
Needless to say, this is only a highlight – when I left later that afternoon, they were still playing Fairport covers..

Jackson Cage’s new single “Help Me Mama” is out on 16th February 2010.

Part 2 – Jackson Cage – Rescue Me / Love Has No Feelings

Download for iPod (117.3 MB)

Filmed by Will McConnell
in Belfast, December 2009

IN STORES NOW#29: ONCE BEFORE TAKE OFF

Will McConnell — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 02:57:57 +0000

Once in a while a band comes along and surprises you with their ability, their range, their influences.
So it was with Once Before Take Off.

These Omagh lads are known for their metal riffs, and for screaming a lot. They used to be called The Soviets if that gives you any indication. It sounds at first like they don’t give a fuck about you. But then they do cite Bob Dylan as an influence on their myspace. And they do have that.. yeah that cover, which finally has more balls now than Gwyneth and Apple and co ever envisioned. So I urge you to look again naysayers.

Of course punk/metal bands have done the acoustic for Bandwidth before. So we know the score. Find a couple of guitars – check – find a very reverby space – check – let it rip – check mate fuckheads.

Once Before Take Off – Effective Directive / God Put A Smile Upon Your Face

Download for iPod (59.8 MB)

Filmed by Will McConnell
in Belfast, January 2010

IN STORES NOW#28: LEE MITCHELL

Will McConnell — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:53:52 +0000

Part of what the IN STORES series is all about is bringing new talent to the masses, by presenting undiscovered musicians in a raw uncompromising environment, giving them just an acoustic guitar and five minutes to prove their skill to the world.

It was in that spirit I was delighted to discover Lee Mitchell. He’s an old friend of the lads from Six Star Hotel, and a stage manager at the Forfey festival. I was pleased to be able to prove too, that he’s also an amazing singer-songwriter.

Belfast’s Ormeau Baths Gallery was the setting, shortly after Christmas, and here’s how it went down:

Lee Mitchell – Part 1 – Heart Over Head

Download for iPod (43.2 MB)

Lee Mitchell – Part 2 – Regrets / Please Don’t Leave

Download for iPod (61 MB)

Filmed by Will McConnell
in Belfast, December 2009

IN STORES NOW#27: BILL COLEMAN

Will McConnell — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 13:51:43 +0000

So it’s a new year, the snow has melted etc. It’s back to the business of disturbing other people’s businesses, and shops, and alleyways, anywhere I can cram musicians really.

This is a great one to start off 2010 – Bill Coleman from Cork. Actually, he only came up from Drogheda. It’s a long story. Bill Coleman ladies and gentlemen, in the rather cool Belfast Guitar Emporium:

Bill Coleman – I Want You To Know

Download For iPod (85.7 MB)

Filmed by Will McConnell
in Belfast December 2009

IN STORES NOW#26: SKRUFF

Will McConnell — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:58:44 +0000

As In Stores Now spreads it tentacles, bands are inextricably coming from as far as Derry to sample Belfast’s shopping delights.

Truth be told – this all started a year or so back. Skruff played the Limelight’s oh so influential Thursday night showcase, Two Step. Maybe it was the manic stage persona, the jumping about and pointing, the sweating, but something clicked in Bandwidth’s robotic head.

“I must ask them some day to come down to Belfast city centre, ride a carrousel and meet Santa Claus”.

So it was done.

Skruff – Fabulous Weapon

Download For iPod (69.5 MB)

Filmed by Will McConnell
in Belfast, November 2009

IN STORES NOW#25: AARON SHANLEY

Will McConnell — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:27:40 +0000

Sometimes little moments of serendipity happen. It was a sunday night a few months back, when Tom Robinson introduced a startling little tune through the radio box – it was something simultaneously tender and dark as hell and with the maturity of some chain smoking, heroin shooting Elliott Smith.

It was Aaron Shanley, from little old Lisburn – which is vast becoming the music mecca of Northern Ireland (I’m serious!). Just then, an email dropped into my inbox – “its Aaron here, I’d love to shoot a session with you some time”. Feeling’s mutual.

And a few weeks later more serendipity. Waiting at Botanic station to catch a train back to Lisburn – we’ve just filmed a session in a dark leaf-strewn alleyway – we decide to chance one more, fully expecting to be moved on by the helpful employees of Transtink corporation. Aaron starts playing. On cue, the train arrives, he keeps playing – he doesn’t break stride – one of life’s mutual little moments.

Aaron Shanley – Ripley Court Blues

Download for iPod (55.3 MB)

Filmed by Will McConnell
in Belfast, November 2009

NEXT WEEK: SKRUFF

IN STORES NOW#24: ESKIMOS FALL

Will McConnell — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:21:38 +0000

I’ve been meaning to work with the really rather wonderful Eskimos Fall every since I started this crazy Bandwidth thing about 17 months ago.

It was a song called ‘Please’ which I’d hear reviewed on the radio – the most stirring and beautiful thing I’d heard for ages. “You would hear this on the OC,” some-reviewer-or-other said. Luckily for us, they were spared that lucrative embarrassment long enough to not retire just yet and keep writing tunes.

I requested ‘Please’ – lead eskimo Peter McVeigh politely declined – because they have a newer even better song. And its true.

I suggested an ice cream parlour, a giant kitchen freezer (the health & safety executive? who?) and the frozen pizza isle at Iceland. I was shouted down.

Late one Sunday night, walking home, the streets totally silent – I discovered the quietest, most unearthly traffic island ever manufactured. It all made sense.

Eskimos Fall – Judas

Download for iPod (70.9MB)

Filmed by Will McConnell
in Belfast, September 2009

NEXT WEEK: Aaron Shanley

IN STORES NOW#23: ALBRECHT’S PENCIL

Will McConnell — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:42:22 +0000

OK, I know i’d promised Eskimos Fall this week – but what with the small event of the first ever BANDWDITH GIG coming up this Friday, we thought’d we’d whet your appetite for a little Albrecht’s Pencil.

The idea to film Albrecht’s first came about after watching their intimate set at the Willowstone Festival in the summer. Joel, Fionn and Laura share a passion with Bandwidth about breaking down that barrier that exists between audiences and performers – at Willowstone they played in the middle of the festival field, under a giant willow-structure, sitting on bales of hay.

We’ve also been meaning to film something at the QFT for a while now too – so this seemed a natural match. After much deliberation, we even settled on allowing input from a certain Igmar Bergman (my original vote had been for John Carpenter – how glad I am I was shouted down).

After the gig, the band expressed their desire to tour living rooms, kitchens and patios around the country. Enter Bandwidth.

Albrecht’s Pencil will be playing the inaugural Bandwidth gig on Friday 20th November, at 7pm in the living room of 12 Ashley Avenue, Belfast. Come along! It’s free in and BYObooze. With support from Isobel Anderson.

Albrecht’s Pencil – Thought Police

Download for iPod (60.4MB)

Filmed by Will McConnell
in October 2009

NEXT WEEK: Eskimos Fall – really, this time..