Just a couple of shows to tell you about this month, plus details of the Minotaurs EP lauch, so it should be a short but sweet update this time...

First up on Sunday 11 May we've got Glissando, from Leeds, with support from Lanterns on the Lake, Manchester's Spokes and d_rradio, at The Head of Steam. Formed in 2002, Glissando create breathtaking soundscapes with piano and guitar. Add to that the beautiful haunting vocals of Elly May Irving and something quite wondrous is formed before your very ears. Based in Leeds, UK, the core of the band is Elly May Irving and Richard Knox but live shows often feature other players. In the past this has included members of Her Name is Calla and Immune. The ambient and sometimes experimental sounds bring to mind the likes of Low, Gregor Samsa, Bat For Lashes, Stars of the Lid and Cocteau Twins.

More details: fakeindielabel.co.uk/fil092


Anyone who had a heart EP, the debut vinyl outing from South Shields' Minotaurs is officially released on Monday 12 May. To mark the release of the record, which is available on heavyweight 12" vinyl and download, the band are performing an instore show at our favourite record shop, RPM, on High Bridge in Newcastle, at 6pm. It's free entry, and we'll be offering a discount on the records for the night, so try and get down early if you can to get a good spot for what should be a special show.

More details: fakeindielabel.co.uk/cbc004


Finally for May, in conjunction with our good friends at Distraction Records, we're honoured to host Stars of the Lid - easily one of the most important and influential bands of our times - for their debut Newcastle-upon-Tyne outing at The Church of St. Thomas the Martyr on Saturday 24 May. Read a review of any ambient or experimental band these days and you will see their name being dropped, and it's not hard to hear why: few bands deliver such aural delights as SotL. Stars of the Lid are masters of weaving sonic textures gorgeously into beautiful, absorbing, minimalist epic drones, wavering between subtly mournful and gloriously triumphant, offering the perfect soundtrack to lucid daydreaming. In support for this show are FIL and Distraction favourites d_rradio and Mariposa.

More details and tickets: fakeindielabel.co.uk/fil093


And finally, a quick heads up for shows coming up in June. As well as return visits from New Zealanders Die! Die! Die! and These United States, from, obviously, America, we've got Glasgow's Q Without U all coming to the Head of Steam. More details here soon!

Labels: news