Festival fever hits Jackson’s Pit

Beats

FORGET Glastonbury, T in the Park and V . . . an Oldham nightclub is hosting a three- day festival to rival all others.

The Pitfest Weekender at Jackson’s Pit, which will take place over the May Day bank holiday, will feature a host of top local artists and performers alongside up and coming acts.

The event has been organised by the people behind long running clubnight Constant Friction, which has twice been voted Club of the Week on Manchester radio station XFM.

Confirmed headliners It’s a Buffalo, Super Fresh Power Squad and Whiskycats will play alongside rising stars such as The 99s, D-Tox and Bingo Jesus.

Since it opened 15 years ago, Jackson’s Pit has been quietly building a reputation as one of the North-West’s best live music venues playing host to acts such as Doves, Twisted Wheel and Corinne Bailey Rae as well as DJ stints from Peter Hook, Elbow and Nitin Sawnhey.

Pitfest co-incides with the Pit’s recent series of on-going renovations including a new stage area, DJ booth, soon-to-be-relaunched website, and revamped external signage.

The event will take place from 9pm to 3am on May 1, 2 and 3. Tickets are £5 from www.jacksonspit.co.uk


Realising his dream

TO cut a very long story short, Jon Allen spent a lot of time playing the guitar when he should have been doing his homework.

Jon soon branched out of his native Devon and studied at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts where his songwriting efforts received media attention.

After moving to London, he secured support slots with the likes of Damien Rice, KT Tunstall and Jose Gonzalez as well as Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris at the Wembley Arena, Manchester Arena and the Zenith in Paris. Jon plays the Manchester Academy tonight.


Broken wheel roll into Failsworth

DON’T miss Broken Wheel at Baldy Bobs, Oldham Road, Failsworth on Saturday.

The local blues band have been jamming together for less than a year and are keen to get as much performing experience as possible.

The acoustic trio — Karen Ryan, Andrew Kaar and Adrian Moss — are attempting to bring back the vocal stylings of past blues legends over a modern jazz sound. Singer Karen harboured an early love for Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, while Andrew picked up a guitar as a teenager and soon found his natural blues/jazz style.

Pianist Adrian has been playing for 20 years and has performed with numerous bands and as a soloist.

He takes inspiration from Dave Brubeck and Jools Holland.

The band are currently in the process of writing and recording new material.

Visit www.myspace.com/brokenwheelmusic for more information.


BEGGAR Joe aren’t fussed about wearing the ‘right’ trousers or sporting the ‘right’ haircut.

Instead, the lads — Jon Kenzie (vocals), Andy Brown (double bass), Rome Mossabir (percussion), Chris Butler (drums) and Justin Shearn (keys) — favour passion, raw talent and buzzing live performances.

They met during their time at Salford University and soon became firm friends before forming Beggar Joe.

Their soul, jazz, blues infused sound helped them gain a fast and firm fanbase that seems to be growing all the time. Catch them live at Manchester’s Dry Bar on Saturday.


Punk-step pioneers’ city date

SCARLET Harlots are pioneering punk-step — a term that’s been created to define their penchant for strong bass, big beats and spiky guitar.

In their two-year existence, they’ve supported Jamie-T, Young Knives, Hollowing Bells, The Twang and Reverend and the Makers after reaching the finals of the Orange Unsigned competition.

The Harlot theme represents the brazen motive to promote their talent and noise to whoever wants it and gets it.

They describe themselves in three words as progressive, edgy and accessible and you can see for yourself when they headline Designer Magazine’s bank holiday festival at Satan’s Hollow, Manchester, on Sunday.

Tickets are £6 from www.wegottickets.com/event/43753


Get set for Dan’s debut

DAN Black is appearing on everyone’s list of ones to watch in 2009 and the Parisian-based singer couldn’t be happier.

Thanks to his alluring cover of Notorious BIG’s “Hypntz” and the electro anti-love gem “Yours” he really is making an impressive name for himself.

New single “Alone” sounds like a fusion of Scritti Politti and Prince and highlights Black’s radical, chic and futuristic approach to songwriting.

Dan’s debut album will be released next month and is currently being recorded in an 18th century cellar under his Paris apartment.

Visit www.myspace.com/danblacksound before checking Dan out on Thursday at Manchester’s Deaf Institute.


GIG GUIDE

TONIGHT: Chris de Burgh — Bridgewater Hall; Jon Allen — Academy 3.

TOMORROW: Easy Star All Stars — Club Academy; Now Wave presents The Juan Maclean — Deaf Institute

THURSDAY: Basement Jaxx — Apollo; Brightkicks — Music Box; Veils — Music Box; Duke Special — Academy 3; Richard Swift — Night and Day; Topman CTRL — Deaf Institute; Audio Farm, D-Bridge — Moho Live; Hear Here — Ruby Lounge

FRIDAY: Gary Moore — Apollo; Breakthru — Ritz; Liam Frost — Night and Day; Madina Lake — Academy 2; Karma — Academy 3; Decorate in Flames — Club Academy; Indigo — Moho Live; Lost and Found — Ruby Lounge; Riton, Men — Deaf Institute; Bugged Out — Sankeys

SATURDAY: Rhydian — Bridgewater Hall; Mi Ami — Retro Bar; Officer Kicks — Night and Day; Calvin Harris — Academy 2; The Fray — Academy; Edgar Jones Jones and Free Peace — Academy 3; Crosswire — Club Academy; We Love — Sankeys

SUNDAY: May Bank Holiday Extravaganza — Moho Live; I Like Trains — Night and Day; The Specials — Apollo; Saxon — Academy 2; Cancer Bats — Academy 3; Lisa Hannigan — RNCM; I Am Slim — Dancehouse Theatre; Rob Brydon — Palace Theatre; The Acorn — Ruby Lounge; Hacienda 27th Birthday — Sankeys; Soul Blues Bank Holiday Special — Mint Lounge; The Specials Afterparty — Brickhouse; Belly of the Beats 2nd Birthday — Music Box

MONDAY: A Camp — Academy 3; Ginger — Ruby Lounge