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26 | March 20, 2014 | cambridge-news.co.uk | Cambridge News The critical list: more hot tickets Follow us on Twitter @CamWhatsOn How would you describe what you guys do? We like to think of ourselves as taking the New Orleans brass band aesthetic and filtering it through our British musical tastes, which are pretty diverse; hopefully sounding like a 21st century colliery band at a rave. At times we’re quite punky and free, sometimes we go for that tight hip-hop sound, but other times we try to have the warmth and depth of much more traditional brass music. While our main aim is to get people partying, we don’t just set off on one groove and sit on that all night, we like to mix it up, blending some seriously booty-shaking originals with what I think are often quite surprising cover choices. Do you feel you owe a lot to traditional British brass bands? Increasingly so, actually. Some of us have backgrounds playing in that kind of band, and there’s something really visceral and timeless about a lot of bits of twisted plumbing making a beautiful racket. Is touring just like one big party? Does the fun ever get out of hand? Yes and no really. It’s certainly not all glamorous; the band room is as often a broom cupboard or corridor as it is a plush room full of premium booze. But yeah, there are worse ways of earning a living. One highlight was gigging for the opening of a great new club in Hamburg. We were looked after almost too well, with an apparently self-refilling fridge and an endless supply of fancy drinks from the bar. For some reason we spent about three hours singing happy birthday to everyone who came into the green room. It was one of those things that started out as pretty funny, then rapidly moved to being annoying (even for us), but then 1.5 hours in broke back through into being really funny. Oddly we’ve not yet been invited back . . . What do you think DJ Huey Morgan (of BBC Radio 6/Fun Lovin’ Criminals) will add to your Cambridge gig? Huey’s been a great supporter of ours, to the extent that when we’ve been on his show it’s almost awkward as he’s singing our praises perhaps too much! He’s got really good taste (well, we would say that), and he’ll be pumping out some great tracks and getting the crowd nicely hyped for our set. What’s been your favourite collaboration to date? The moment Amy Winehouse joined us on stage was crazy. It was in the early days of the band while we were still finding our feet, but she was into the band and came down to check out a gig at the Jazz Cafe. I don’t think it was her, or our, best performance ever, but given what happened, it was particularly special. In an ideal world, who would you really love to collaborate with? Sufjan Stevens. His incredible magpie approach to musical genres and fusing catchy pop melodies with complex musical language, never mind his mind-blowing and uplifting live shows, are a true inspiration and it’d be a dream come true to work with him. Do you have a career highlight? We’ve done some pretty interesting shows over the years including, of course, playing a 45-minute set at the Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics. But to be honest, although that was a pretty unique gig, our favourite gigs are always those where we really engage with the audience. On that score, I think it would have to be playing to a large packed-out venue in Kosovo. They don’t get many bands touring, and there was an IF you fancy a rowdy night of heavy metal shot through with hilarity and 80s posturing, Steel Panther are definitely for you. The cultish LA musicians quite possibly have the best names ever: there’s Michael Starr on vocals, Satchel on guitar, bassist Lexxi Foxx and drummer Stix Zadinia, and together they parody the loudest, brashest hair metal from the era that brought you Cher in fishnets. Awesome, no? They are visiting Cambridge Corn Exchange with their Spreading The Disease (S.T.D.) tour (lovely), promoting new album All You Can Eat, which is out on April 1. First forming on the sunset strip in the early noughties, the four-piece changed their name from Metal Skool to Steel Panther in 2008, and, while they might look like a bit of a joke, their last album, 2011’s Balls Out, was actually critically acclaimed and debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Comedy Chart – so, there. Aerosmith’s haggard Steve Tyler has even gotten up on stage with them, as has Paul Stanley of Kiss, Corey Taylor of Slipknot, Tom Morello of Rage Against The Machine, Chester Bennington of Linkin Park and Green Day. Their lyrics are packed with non- family friendly swears and silliness, topped off with leather trousers and animal print bandannas. Sadly the gig has already sold out, but here’s hoping more tickets get released. On the night they’ll be joined by underground indie rockers, The Cringe. B EST known for presenting Family Fortunes, Les Dennis gets a touch more murderous in this adaptation of crime novelist Peter James’s story. Former scriptwriter James has merrily sold more than 15 million books (in 36 languages no less), including the Inspector Roy Grace series. But this is the first time his characters have been hewn into theatre-style shape. Courtesy of award-winning writer Shaun McKenna, and directed by Olivier winner Ian Talbot, The Perfect Murder sees Victor Smiley (Dennis) and his wife Joan (Claire Goose, her off Waking the Dead and Casualty), wrangling their way through a Forming in East London in 2008, the Hackney Colliery Band is a nine-man team of brass players, with a knack for off-the-wall covers, ruffling the feathers of traditional jazz and starting a full-on party wherever they go. ELLA WALKER found out more from trumpet and melodica player Steve Pretty. Steel Panther plus The Cringe, Cambridge Corn Exchange, Saturday, March 22, at 7.30pm. SOLD OUT. Music Theatre The Perfect Hackney Colliery & Huey Morgan Steel Panther Music Hackney Colliery Band & Huey Morgan, The Guildhall, Cambridge, Saturday, March 22, at 7.30pm. Tickets £12.50 from (01223) 357851 or cornex. co.uk. The Perfect Murder, Cambridge Arts Theatre, Monday, March 24 – Saturday, March 29 at 7.45pm. Tickets £15-£30 from (01223)
Transcript
Page 1: Hackney Colliery Band

26 | March 20, 2014 | cambridge-news.co.uk | Cambridge News

The critical list: more hot tickets Follow us on Twitter@CamWhatsOn

How would you describe whatyou guys do?

We like to think of ourselvesas taking the New Orleans brassband aesthetic and filtering itthrough our British musicaltastes, which are pretty diverse;hopefully sounding like a 21stcentury colliery band at a rave.

At times we’re quite punkyand free, sometimes we go forthat tight hip-hop sound, butother times we try to have thewarmth and depth of muchmore traditional brass music.

While our main aim is to getpeople partying, we don’t justset off on one groove and siton that all night, we like to mixit up, blending some seriouslybooty-shaking originals withwhat I think are often quitesurprising cover choices.Do you feel you owe a lot totraditional British brass bands?

Increasingly so, actually. Someof us have backgrounds playingin that kind of band, and there’ssomething really visceral andtimeless about a lot of bits oftwisted plumbing making abeautiful racket.Is touring just like one big

party? Does the fun ever get outof hand?

Yes and no really. It’s certainlynot all glamorous; the bandroom is as often a broomcupboard or corridor as it is aplush room full of premiumbooze. But yeah, there are worseways of earning a living.

One highlight was gigging forthe opening of a great new clubin Hamburg. We were lookedafter almost too well, with anapparently self-refilling fridgeand an endless supply of fancydrinks from the bar. For somereason we spent about threehours singing happy birthdayto everyone who came into thegreen room. It was one of thosethings that started out as prettyfunny, then rapidly moved tobeing annoying (even for us),but then 1.5 hours in broke backthrough into being really funny.Oddly we’ve not yet been invitedback . . .What do you think DJ HueyMorgan (of BBC Radio 6/FunLovin’ Criminals) will add toyour Cambridge gig?

Huey’s been a great supporterof ours, to the extent that when

we’ve been on his show it’salmost awkward as he’s singingour praises perhaps too much!He’s got really good taste (well,we would say that), and he’ll bepumping out some great tracksand getting the crowd nicelyhyped for our set.What’s been your favouritecollaboration to date?

The moment Amy Winehousejoined us on stage was crazy. Itwas in the early days of the bandwhile we were still finding ourfeet, but she was into the bandand came down to check out agig at the Jazz Cafe. I don’t think itwas her, or our, best performanceever, but given what happened, itwas particularly special.In an ideal world, who wouldyou really love to collaboratewith?

Sufjan Stevens. His incrediblemagpie approach to musicalgenres and fusing catchy popmelodies with complex musicallanguage, never mind hismind-blowing and uplifting liveshows, are a true inspirationand it’d be a dream come true towork with him.Do you have a career highlight?

We’ve done some prettyinteresting shows over the yearsincluding, of course, playinga 45-minute set at the ClosingCeremony of the London 2012Olympics. But to be honest,although that was a prettyunique gig, our favourite gigsare always those where we reallyengage with the audience.

On that score, I think it wouldhave to be playing to a largepacked-out venue in Kosovo.They don’t get many bandstouring, and there was an

IF you fancy a rowdynight of heavy metalshot through withhilarity and 80sposturing, SteelPanther are definitelyfor you.The cultish LAmusicians quitepossibly have thebest names ever:there’s Michael Starron vocals, Satchel onguitar, bassist LexxiFoxx and drummerStix Zadinia, andtogether they parodythe loudest, brashesthair metal from theera that brought youCher in fishnets.Awesome, no?They are visitingCambridge CornExchange with theirSpreading TheDisease (S.T.D.) tour(lovely), promotingnew album All YouCan Eat, which is outon April 1.First forming on thesunset strip in theearly noughties, thefour-piece changedtheir name fromMetal Skool to Steel

Panther in 2008,and, while theymight look like a bitof a joke, their lastalbum, 2011’s BallsOut, was actuallycritically acclaimedand debuted at #1on the Billboard TopComedy Chart – so,there.Aerosmith’s haggardSteve Tyler haseven gotten up onstage with them, ashas Paul Stanley ofKiss, Corey Taylor ofSlipknot, Tom Morelloof Rage Against TheMachine, ChesterBennington of LinkinPark and Green Day.Their lyrics arepacked with non-family friendly swearsand silliness, toppedoff with leathertrousers and animalprint bandannas.Sadly the gig hasalready sold out, buthere’s hoping moretickets get released.On the night they’llbe joined byunderground indierockers, The Cringe.

BEST known for presentingFamily Fortunes, Les Dennis getsa touch more murderous in this

adaptation of crime novelist PeterJames’s story.

Former scriptwriter James hasmerrily sold more than 15 millionbooks (in 36 languages no less),including the Inspector Roy Graceseries. But this is the first time hischaracters have been hewn intotheatre-style shape.

Courtesy of award-winning writerShaun McKenna, and directed byOlivier winner Ian Talbot, The PerfectMurder sees Victor Smiley (Dennis)and his wife Joan (Claire Goose, heroff Waking the Dead and Casualty),wrangling their way through a

Forming in East London in 2008, the HackneyColliery Band is a nine-man team of brassplayers, with a knack for off-the-wall covers,ruffling the feathers of traditional jazz andstarting a full-on party wherever they go.ELLA WALKER found out more from trumpetand melodica player Steve Pretty.

� Steel Panther plus The Cringe, Cambridge CornExchange, Saturday, March 22, at 7.30pm. SOLD OUT.

Music

Theatre

The Perfect

Hackney Colliery& Huey Morgan

SteelPanther

Music

� Hackney Colliery Band &Huey Morgan, The Guildhall,Cambridge, Saturday, March22, at 7.30pm. Tickets £12.50from (01223) 357851 or cornex.co.uk.

� The Perfect Murder, CambridgeArts Theatre, Monday, March 24– Saturday, March 29 at 7.45pm.Tickets £15-£30 from (01223)

Page 2: Hackney Colliery Band

incredible sense of anticipation –we were really flattered so manypeople turned out to see us. Whenwe took it out on to the streetin the middle of the show theatmosphere was absolutely crazy!Which is your favourite track toplay live?

Some people know us bestfor our covers, but our originalmaterial from our currentalbum Common Decency is,we think, the best music we’veever produced. Our opener ABit of Common Decency really

sets out our stall, and seeingthe anticipation build throughthe first few bars and then getreleased as we rock out is prettyspecial.

Dead Dialogue is verychallenging to play but hugefun and it’s got some massiveensemble moments. And Smilefor the Webcam really getspeople moving; it feels like a realcarnival tune to round off theset with.Should we expect any surpriseswhen you visit Cambridge?

We like to keep things fresh,so no two gigs are ever quite thesame. We’ve all got backgroundsin jazz and improvised music,so we play around a lot live, andwe’re always looking for newways of playing the tunes andhaving fun with the crowd.

And our shows are absolutelydriven by the crowd response,so given that it’s our first time inCambridge we’re hoping for apretty special reception . . .n Find out more about HCB athackneycollieryband.co.uk.

Cambridge News | cambridge-news.co.uk | March 20, 2014 | 27

LOADS MORE ONLINE at cambridge-news.co.uk/whatson

FIRST staged by the TheatreRoyal Stratford East in 1963, Oh!What a Lovely War only madeits way into the West End afterPrincess Margaret saw it andloved it.It’s always had a habit ofgarnering mixed reviews; evenMichael Gove has been chattingon recently about how it shouldbe a banned from schools.The ADC’s version is being puton by the Combined Actors ofCambridge to mark the 100thanniversary of the start of the First

World War.With strong anti-war themesfiltering through, the cast of livelycomic characters will contrastwith the dark, muddied horrorsof trench warfare going on in thebackground, while dressed intraditional pierrot (pantomime)costumes.There will be singing, dancing andjoking, packed with “the futility,tragedy and overriding hope ofthe period”.Prepare to feel drained yet upliftedby the end.

Musical theatre

Oh! What aLovely War

Murder

Band

� Oh! What a LovelyWar, The ADC Theatre,Tuesday, March 25 toSaturday, March 29,at 7.45pm. Tickets£8-£12 from (01223)300085 or adctheatre.com

marriage that has gone on for far toolong: Victor hates Joan and is busyplaying away, while Joan couldn’tbe more bored or irritated by him.Bumping her off seems like a goodplan. But then, as newbie DetectiveConstable Roy Grace finds out,nothing is quite as it seems . . .

James has said: “Ever since I wasa small boy when my parents firsttook me to the theatre, I dreamedof one day having something Iwrote appear on the stage, and thiswonderful, extremely funny and inparts very scary adaptation of ThePerfect Murder is truly a dream cometrue. And I do not think we couldhave a more perfect, murderouslywonderful cast.”


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