Summer song

Signals - "What Dreams" from signals LA on Vimeo.

Out Of Step Presents APPLICANTS album launch

Monday saw Out Of Step present an album launch party for London based Art Punk outfit Applicants new release ‘Escape from Kraken Castle’. An album that has already created waves in the music press most notably with a very positive review in NME where it was rated eight out of ten.

The night kicked off with bad news as Ethical Debating Society couldn’t make the show due to car trouble on the plus side it did mean that the other acts could play longer sets. The first act to take the stage were Only Shadows a local band who mixed the sound of indie-rock, pop-punk and at times bands such as Jimmy Eat World. Although not specifically to my taste the audience including loads of people heading to the Band Of Horses show at the Civic lapped up their energetic style.

The second act completely blew the crowd myself included away with their individual and energetic style. Bad Apes are another local band who prove that the Wolverhampton scene doesn’t solely consist of bands trying to be the next Oasis. Their sound was pure noise punk and they definitely played it loud. Although I am no expert on noise punk the obvious comparison in my mind was to US Lo-fi two-piece No Age. They incorporated many elements that shouldn’t work for example offbeat drumming with mad guitar lines and created an eclectic sound which was overall mesmerising to watch mainly due to the energy which was put into the live performance.

This is a band that Out Of Step are predicting very big things from and with new recordings on the way I think these could be back to play an Out Of Step event very soon.

Finally Applicants took the stage and played an energetic selection of tracks from their back catalogue and more importantly the new record. They played like an experienced live outfit and had all the exuberance of punk rock throughout the performance. More importantly from start to finish they worked the crowd hard and created a real atmosphere with the audience worked into a frenzy.

As the set developed the only change I would have made to the live show would have been to include a keyboard rather than a backing track as it would have added a further layer to the music. However when travelling between London and Wolverhampton in a car it is totally understandable that a keyboard was not an option. I will hope to see the band playing on home turf and find out if a keyboard is included.

Overall all three acts played their hearts out for us and represent different sides of the DIY spectrum respectively. After such a successful album launch party we’re hoping to put more on so if you’re launching a record or a single and want to get Out Of Step involved contact Rich, Gem or Ben and we’ll get something hooked up.

BA

Los Campesinos At Topshop Bandstand Picnic Birmingham

This weekend Topshop are putting on the event Bandstand Picnic for Teenage cancer trust.One of the main headliners Cardiff Lo-fiers Los Campesinos! will be gracing Birmingham in preparation for their onslaught of Festival show's coming up in the summer .Other reasons to head down to this event is the Field Day village fete feel.With Cupcakes,festival face decoration,roller skates for hire and more.I'm unsure of the other acts but as a safe bet think T4 on the beach only in a park.One band Summer camp are well worth checking out the Surf-tronica act and are perfect for a sunny day vibes.

Head down to the Birmingham Topshop store where all-sorts of in-store event's are taking place.Such as Re-enacting your favourite music videos in a pop-up karaoke film booth.If i was you, I would personally go for a version of 'Born to run' by the Boss which all ways brings the house down.

Tickets are £10, with all profits going to the Trust, and are available from this link here and the Bullring Topshop store.

Here is the full blurb from Topshop

"Pack up a picnic, slap on the sun cream and bring along your blanket to our Bandstand Picnics where music's hottest new talent will be playing in lovely green space across the country to raise money for Teenage Cancer Trust.
Presented by Jameela Jamil and Miquita Oliver, it's set to be one stylish afternoon out! So come along and see how we've given the good old bandstand picnic a Topshop touch. We've even got a special sun-shaded area where you can chill and relax with sun cream products on hand, ponchos should it rain, old-school sports day events, amazing prizes up for grabs, festival face decoration, delicious cupcakes, and roller skates available to hire!

The Birmingham Line-up.
Los Campesinos
I blame coco
Eliza Doolittle
Summer Camp

DJ Sets by: Blonde Ambition and Broken Hearts.
Location: The Vale, Edgbaston
Date: Sunday 20th June

IN STORE EVENTS
Wednesday 16th June-Sunday 20th June
In the Bullring store you will find summer bandstands and pop-up karaoke film booths! Come along and help support the amazing charity, Teenage Cancer Trust.
We will be hosting a daily raffle in store with amazing prizes up for grabs! For just £2 you could win anything from a shopping spree for your summer holiday to a super chic Globe Bike.

Re-enact your favourite music videos in our pop-up karaoke film booth and receive a DVD of your performance for just £5.
Also during this time anyone that spends £60 or more instore can present their receipt to a member of staff at the bandstand and claim their free gift, a gorgeous floral picnic blanket."

RC X

NEXT SHOW PURE PUNK

James Nash Blog

Wonderswan Super Star Destroyer Video

Only Animals

The future is gonna be awful according to lead singer Oliver Catt of Only Animals. I think he maybe right there? Their track's on their myspace have a cross blend of early Coxon,Wavves and Black Lips. They are straight up and to the point with songs dealing with everyday doubt and getting drunk and no their not the next Black Flag.

From them

"Basically, we are a band that formed out of a side project following the collapse of another band. Sad I know. We pretty much just recorded a bunch of songs, put out an EP, booked a load of gigs and will now be playing a lot of shows in very little time. I hope you enjoy what we do and that you come and see us at least once. Time is a factor. Further education will come calling soon."

We are putting a show on with Only Animals in late August or September at The Basement bar Birmingham.

You can download their E.p 'Antler Thief'

Chapter Sweetheart

We are always harassing bands to play at Out of step. Very rarely do good bands approach us that are not from Wolverhampton trying to be the next Twang.

I got this lovely little message left on our myspace from London based Chapter Sweetheart. and apparently one of them is from Wolverhampton.

It Read "heya, just noticed your putting our good mates not cool on for a show in aug, im from wolves and aint heard of you guys doing this sort of night and it sounds ace would love it if you would consider us one time"

My reply to this was YES!.

They are a great noise pop group with many influences ranging from The Fall,Minutemen,Make Up and 50's jazz.

Check out there epic cover of 'My Girl' on their myspace.

We plain on putting on show at the end of August with Leeds lo fi treats Wonderswan at the Basement Bar Birmingham. Keep an eye out on the dates!

Chapter Sweetheart: I Love Her...me too from danny sangra on Vimeo.

Hold Your Horse Is Show

Brighton noise makers Hold Your Horse Is are very busy in the next few week's. They have so much brewing right now,not only a six track e.p out on Big Scary Monster records released 23rd August. They are also on a tour and will be stopping by at Wolverhampton Varsity venue.

This will be Out of steps first time in showcasing bands in a new intimate venue.We are still going to continue at our spiritual home of Alchemy Bar with the Birthday show,Not Cool and some more great event's.

The tour follows

w/ Stagecoach - http://www.myspace.com/stagecoachuk
16th Jul - BRIGHTON pav tav
17th Jul - LONDON alcopopalooza @ the windmill
18th Jul - GUILDFORD boileroom

w/ Great Ancestors - http://www.myspace.com/greatancestors
20th Jul - WOLVERHAMPTON upstairs @ varsity
21st Jul - KINGSTON fighting cocks
22nd Jul - OXFORD cellar
23rd Jul - BLACKBURN live lounge
24th Jul - NOTTINGHAM upstairs @ the central

w/ Loads of great bands - http://offthecuffbirmingham.co.uk/
25th Jul - BIRMINGHAM off the cuff @ the flapper

And to add more hype On Monday 12th July, a free download single 'You Show Up' will be available from:http://www.hyhi.co.uk/

MAYCOMB AND THE LOCK AND KEY

WE ARE OUT OF STEP

Just to let everyone know we have changed the name of our Blog address to weareoutofstep.blogspot.com

We have so many show's coming this summer and can not wait for our Birthday show after that will still be bringing you more heard and unheard sound's. So keep your eyes peeled to the blog for more details when they happen.

NME REVIEW FOR APPLICANTS

Nice review by the N.M.E

"By all logic Applicants should be so deeply irritating they’d make sitting in a room with Johnny Borrell while listening to Johnny Borrell records and talking about Johnny Borrell sound like a pleasurable pursuit. They sing songs about Tesco, lace their ridiculous lyricisms and schizo pop-punk intermittently with things that sound like the [i]Pac-Man[/a] 'game over' music and a choir of angry trolls, and have tracks entitled ‘Since Porn Took Over the World’ and ‘Obey eBay’. It should be embarassing. We should hate it. But we can’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, they might just be total bona fide geniuses."

Lisa Wright NME 8/10

CHECK OUT TIME 'CHEATAHS'

Cheatahs

After looking trough myspace on Not Cool's, I stumbled across the very talented man Nathan Eanest Hewitt. Who's music is a great blend of Elliot Smith,Wavves and dreamy disoluded bedroom made pop.

He has brought out a few Tapes and vinyls already on Paradise Vendors and Young and Lost Club.

Go have a listen to the brilliant 'Flake' and see what you think.

http://www.myspace.com/cheatahssuck

Aged Yummy Debut L.P Free Download

In July 'Aged Yummy' will playing our Birthday show and were very much looking forward to seeing their angular,math indie lo-fi sound.

Right now you can get their debut for free when you add yourself to their mailing list.It's a great record.

A physical copy will be ready for release in time for their summer show's.

Here is the place to go - http://agedyummy.bandcamp.com/

It's Just Noise presents 'Thee Oh Sees' At The Basement Birmingham

Have you ever been to the Basement in Birmingham,its amazing it's like this great little New York bar hidden away.It has a jukebox with some of the greatest Blues,punk and indie track's i have seen and the interior looks like it's come straight from the 70's. Tonight 'It's Just Noise' brought us San Francisco finest 'Thee Oh Sees' in this small imitate venue.

The night started with Midlands based A Degree of Murder

Three men that play straight up hard garage punk. Taking there name from Brian Jones soundtrack to the Film of the same name. This band at first i feared would be more into how good they looked then how they sounded. I was wrong you can hear in their sound 'The Sonics', 'Shadows of the Night,'Monks' and in part's early Bleach Nirvana especially with the drumming and bass.Look out for more show's by them.

Second up Sex Beet from London

This band really don't care and their sound is clumsy and brash.But you fall in love with their jangly Wavves and Beach Boys inspired sound.There set was short and from what i could hear there seemed to be a few covers on the night.

Last up Thee Oh Sees

You know when you read and see the show's they put on in the Smell in LA where the crowd are right on top of Mika Miko and all the kids in the pitures are having the best time of their lives well that was pretty much what it was like.

Lead singer John Dwyer brought everything forward to the masses.I was left kneeling on the arm of the sofa watching and grinning the whole way trough. From the first song of 'Help' the drum driving 'Enemy Destruct' the place was alight with dancing on the spot. Sweat and a great set.

It's Just Noise

It's Just Noise present: THEE OH SEES + SEX BEET + A DEGREE OF MURDER

To all in the Midlands area some great bands supporting the brilliant San Francisco surf garage punkers 'Thee Oh Sees' at the Basement bar.

SEX BEET
"loud, twangy, snotty and quite brilliant" - VICE
http://www.myspace.com/sexbeet

A DEGREE OF MURDER

Taking the sounds of The Sonics, Black Lips and the dullness of the West Midlands to create raw garage sounds.

http://www.myspace.com/adegreeofmurder