ROUNDHOUSE RISING'S UN-CONVENTIONAL WEEKEND

LISTEN up struggling musicians.
You work hard, gig every venue, and often come home with less money than you left with at the start of the evening.
But it’s worth it and those who have done it before are here to give you faith.
Un-Convention, on Saturday, is part of the Roundhouse Rising Festival, which has filled the past week with masterclasses in band photography, sound engineering and music video masterclasses for youngsters.
But Saturday is for all ages. While top artists scramble to record an album in 10 hours, the timetable is heaving under the musical wisdom from panels of veterans, gurus and experts keen to share their insights.

Highlights include ‘Music as a Tool for Social Change’ – featuring figures from music projects in Sri Lanka, Brazil, Colombia and the UK, ‘Sustainable careers in music’ with Jon McClure (Reverend and the Makers), ‘The Politicisation of Music’ and ‘Women in Music’ with Viv Albertine and Zoe Street Howe. Guests include Green Man Festival’s Fiona Stewar, John Dyer from Domino Records and BBC 6 Music’s Tom Robinson.

There are also speed networking sessions, workshops and demos.
The festival wouldn’t be complete without some great live new music, see Ghost Eyes, Teeth of the Sea and Prizes, curated by Eat Your Own Ears (EYOE) on (Thursday), Swimming, DT, Beaty Heart and Chicago DJ Brenmar tomorrow (Friday) and EKO, DELS, Sampha and RoxXxan on Saturday.

More info from www.roundhouse.org.uk/rising

BILLY BRAGG ET AL IN VOTES BETRAYAL, HURTS' OPERATIC TURN, AC/DC'S STRAIGHT MAN AND THE ROCK 'N ROLL SUPERGROUP

MUSICIANS love their causes don’t they? And when it comes to politics, some of our most outspoken ones just have to interfere. 

Yet I'm starting to feel sorry for all those figures who backed the Lib Dems and told all their followers to do the same. Judging by the comments on Twitter, Billy Bragg, Jon McClure and Dan le Sac are feeling a little bit cheated right now. They never expected a Lib Dem vote to morph into a Tory one overnight. 

Le Sac is demanding his vote back, McClure says “Nick Clegg What ya done man?” and poor old Bragg’s just opened a “kick my ass” page on Facebook. Hard times.

• I caught electro-80s duo Hurts at Koko’s NME Radar gig on Monday. You wouldn’t have a clue these guys are so young.

They managed to create incredible drama with little fuss – and just one male opera singer. Frontman Theo Hutchcraft - in smooth black suit and white scarf combo and gelled hair so shiny you could see your face in it - commanded the stage with the puissance of the Phantom of the Opera. Rumour has it he carries a little comb with him at all times so not a hair falls out of place. Look oout for the onstage grooming.

After hearing it live, I’d like to recall my original review for new single Better Than Love, which has all the makings of a festival anthem.

• Die-hard AC/DC fans – did you know the band’s original singer was called Dave Evans? Not such a rock ’n’ roll name as Bonn Scott but that’s not his fault. Anyway he’s coming to Holloway’s The Gaff on May 26 – for those who need to complete their rock education.

• A little-known supergroup of sorts, The John Moore Rock and Roll Trio, have been playing a series of fortnightly retro gigs at Lower Ground Bar, 269 West End Lane.

Head there to see what became of the remnants of the Jesus and Mary Chain, Black Box Recorder, Lush and The Soledad Brothers – when they turned to old fashioned rock ’n’ roll and blues. Dates on their MySpace page myspace.com/johnmoorerockandrolltrio

VOLCANO MADNESS AND GIGS FOR POLITICS

ANYTHING can happen in the streets of Camden. We’ve had Madness on a double-decker bus, Reverend and the Makers’ Jon McClure playing outside Morrisons and now it’s the turn of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

To appease fans waiting outside the Electric Ballroom last week – their gig began late due to volcano-induced equipment delays – frontman Robert Levon Been came out and played a medley before returning inside and carrying on with borrowed equipment.

Resourceful musicians elsewhere have also been finding ways to occupy themselves while stranded.
Dub Pistols had to cancel their Budapest gig, but good news for London fans, they play a special DJ set at InSpiral lounge in Camden Town on Friday (April 23), free before 11pm.
Nas and Damian Marley’s Electric Ballroom gig on Wednesday was also cancelled.
Ronnie Scott’s has been deluged with calls from musicians with too much free time on their hands, hoping to replace vacant spaces where others have cancelled. In place of US trumpeter Wallace Roney, who couldn’t travel to the UK, two-time Grammy winner Dee Dee Bridgewater, stuck here since performing at the Barbican on Friday, was drafted in to perform in his place.

- If you can get hold of tickets for Instigate Debate at Islington’s Union Chapel (April 26) – this is one pre-election event not to miss. Instigate Debate is a counterculture project formed by a collective of musicians including Carl Barat and Jon McClure, plus journalist Mark Donne and John O’Sullivan. The likes of Vivienne Westwood and Peter Tatchell will be debating “Is the Party Over?”, with performances from The Magic Numbers and Rose Elinor. The audience member who writes the best 100-word argument on the topic wins a free gig in their own home from a surprise line-up of exciting musicians.

FIRST HE BREAKS HIS SHOULDER, NOW JON MCCLURE IS ROBBED - NOT A GOOD WEEK

I'M not quite sure what this is all about yet but I'm sure it'll become apparent in the next few hours.
Reverend and the Makers' frontman Jon McClure appears to have been robbed.
He put out a Twitter plea yesterday for equipment donors to come to their aid in time for Amsterdam gig tonight.
He said: "Help gig in Amsterdam we have been robbed. we need a Nord electro 3 in Amsterdam tomorrow. Plz RT help!!!!!"
Can anyone help?

Jon McClure's Snowy Break

JON MCCLURE'S SNOWY BREAKS, CHARLIE SLOTH AND DAPPY TALK GRUESOME DISCOVERIES AND ARE THE RUMBLE STRIPS SERVING PINTS?

MY spies tell me Charlie Waller, frontman of The Rumble Strips, was seen serving pints at a Dalston pub last week. Does anyone know if it’s true? And, if so, is it because they need to make ends meet or just an Amy-Winehouse-behind-the-Dublin-Castle-bar kind of favour to a fave venue? Although there’s nothing wrong with having a day – or in this case night – job, I only hope it’s the latter. It’s a long way from playing the Roundhouse with Mark Ronson.

• Archive moment, for any who haven’t seen Charlie Sloth’s Guided Tour of Camden, here’s a reminder – look out for our favourite Greek restaurant – Andy's Taverna - scene of many awkward office Christmas parties.
There's also a reference to where Camden Ripper Anthony Hardy's victims' bodies were found - timely in light of Dappy from N-Dubz' claims in his biography that he witnessed the body parts dumped in a bin bag at the back of his flats.


• Gleeks unite! Camden Jazz Café’s Hairbrush Heroes Glee night is next week (April 16). Dress as a US teen and belt out those tunes – hard to believe this comes from the same people behind Feeling Gloomy.

• Get well soon to Reverend and the Makers’ Jon McClure. He’s just broken his shoulder on the slopes at Snowbombing but was able to tweet all about it while lying on a stretcher waiting for his operation.

SHY CHILD v VAMPIRE WEEKEND - REVEREND AND THE MAKERS FRONTMAN JON MCCLURE HEARS DOUBLE

NEW York electro-pop duo Shy Child may not be as immediately well known as their fellow citymen Vampire Weekend but that doesn't mean they've escaped notice.
Reverend and The Makers and Mongrel frontman Jon McClure clearly knows who they are and he's fighting their corner, whether they want him to or not.
He recently complained on Twitter that Vampire Weekend's new single Giving Up The Gun sounds like it's been "borrowed" heavily from Shy Child's 2007 release Summer.
In his actual words, posted on April 1: "Vampire weekend r robbing f****. New single is summer by shychild virtually!"
I'm not so sure.
What do you think?



Sound familiar??