On St. David's Day, while everyone else is drowning in Brains bitter and Welsh cakes, Newport's art community will descend on TJs for a showcase of music, installations, graffiti, poetry and all sorts of arty gubbins.

Heading up the night is Team Brick. Fresh from supporting fellow Bristolians Portishead at ATP, Mr TB utilises an arsenal of instruments to create an ambient noise reminiscent of Quebecois post-rock bands like A Silver Mt. Zion, but less angry.

Also at the night is soul/country singer Big Mack, Jonathan Bains on acoustic guitar, an "audio and physical" performance from the Fallen Painting collective, poetry courtesy of Kate Boyle, installation artwork and even live graffiti... phew.

Tickets £4, £3 NUS. Doors at 8pm.

Labels: saesneg

Loose is also based in Cardiff but has put on some amazing bands over the years, no particular genre, just bloody good music. Have a look at the listings and find something to check out. Here's Liz to fill you in...

Loose has been bringing indie/pop/alt/anti-folk to Cardiff for several years - from up & coming acts who are now household names like The Cribs and Art Brut, to the slightly strange Thomas Truax and Jeffrey Lewis, and from bands who wouldn't have otherwise come to Wales such as Of Montreal and The Apples in Stereo, to shows that people still can't believe actually happened like Daniel Johnston, Neko Case and The Broken Family Band.

Loose takes place in several venues including Clwb Ifor Bach, UWIC Howard Gardens, The Point and O'Neills.

Loose also have a Club night in O'Neills, if you're interested you can click on it under our Club Nights header.

http://www.myspace.com/looseclub

Made In Americana is a night covering the same sort of musical territory as Newport's Hot Burrito. It's based in Swansea's Monkey Bar. Here's Dave told give you a bit more information...

From March 2008 Monkey will present a series of concerts featuring the very best American artists touring the UK. The nights will not feature any particular musical genre, but will pay homage to the progressive roots common to folk, country, indie rock and pop, all loosely co-existing under the banner of Americana.

If you'd like an idea of the type of music you're likely to encounter, the night is influenced by the following: Wilco, Death Cab For Cutie, Jay Farrar, The Shins, The Drive By Truckers, Steve Earle, Aimee Mann, Weezer, Fountains Of Wayne, Eels, Feist and Fiery Furnaces. We promise you high profile artists and the best live music night outside London (apart from Hot Burrito and Joy, obviously! - thejoycollective ed).

http://madeinamericana.wordpress.com

The Joy Collective puts on events in the areas the website covers.

We also have a monthly residency in Newport, 'Joy @ Meze' is held on the last Thursday of every month in Meze Lounge, Newport. The night has evolved gradually to it's current form which sees us put on 6 bands, 3 on the main stage, 3 in the side room with DJs afterwards. We run visuals on the screens we have available and we give free badges to people because we're nice.

We don't have a specific genre of music we put on, we try to promote as many as possible. Rather than try and explain what type of music you're likely to encounter, I'll list some of the bands we've had play to see if you've heard of any of them. We've played host to Future Of The Left, Die! Die! Die!, Jump The Underground, Fuzz Against Junk, The Victorian English Gentlemans Club, Glow, Frommars, Untitled Musical Project, Stray Borders, Gindrinker, Space In The 50s, Fury Of The Headteachers, Le Reno Amps, Alamos, Innercity Pirates, Circa Regna Tonat, Little My, Howards Alias, Estevez, Ballbag Express and Big Joan. There's loads more too, go to www.myspace.com/newportjoy to have a look. We try to keep costs down, so it's more than likely going to cost you just £4 for all this top notch entertainment, starting at 8pm and running through until 2am. Bargain.

FACEBOOK GROUP
JOY @ MEZE MYSPACE

I'm stretching local here but this festival takes place in Cheltenham (only an hour or so away) and looks ace. A mixture of loud abrasive rock bands and laid back acoustic folk, Joy favourites Future Of The Left are high up on a bill headlined by Art Brut and Reuben. It takes place on Friday 11th and Saturday 12th July and also features Frank Turner, The King Blues, Morning Bride (Hot Burrito faves), Danny and the Champions of the World (featuring Danny of Grand Drive fame) and The Anomalies on a really interesting bill. Tickets are cheap, £43 including booking fee from Diverse (this includes two nights camping). Diverse also has posters and flyers available if you want more details.

http://www.twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk

Yep, they're in Cardiff but Mr Will Skinner's Pedigree Falcon puts on some great bands, quite a few of which have graced the stage at Joy. If there's nothing going on in the 'Port, get down and check out one of these gigs, here's Will's brief guide to what they're all about...

Pedigree Falcon is a Cardiff based promotions company that has been going since early 2007. It started mainly to promote local bands that I was into that weren't getting too many shows, but then evolved and I started putting on bands from further a field. The genres of music that I generally cater for are math rock, post rock, space rock, spazz rock, electronica and most things leftfield really.

I am always on the look out for new and exciting bands from around the UK and the rest of the world, and bring as many of them to Cardiff as I can.

The shows I put on usually take place in Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff and I have had the pleasure of putting on shows for Trumans Water (USA), The Bugs (USA), Papier Tigre (France), Truckers Of Husk (Wales), Zail (Wales), So So Modern (NZ), Stray Borders (Wales) and a whole load more. As this is now a full-time venture for me, I have now lined up loads of gigs for 2008 with well established bands such as Part Chimp (England), Kling Klang (England), AIDS wolf (Canada), Bear Claw (Chicago) plus many more in the pipe-line.

I also co-run another promotion company called Dead Horse! Unicorn! which is a new venture for 2008. This is a night for the heavier bands about, covering genres such as doom, stoner, metal, hardcore.

My latest project is a Pedigree Falcon VS Dead Horse! Unicorn! all day show which will take place in Clwb Ifor Bach on the 4th May 2008, which will feature 16 of the best bands I could get my hands on.

www.myspace.com/pedigreefalconrecords

Los Campesinos! (a rough translation of ‘farmers' or 'peasants' from Spanish) formed just eighteen months ago while they were students at Cardiff University, but it didn’t take long before their demo was causing a fuss and they became one of the hottest indie tickets around. They started as a 3 piece indie band but quickly swelled their ranks to their current number of seven.
This, their debut album will make the cold February nights seem like balmy summer ones! Skewed lyrics allied to bouncy, hook-laden tunes will put a smile on your face and a spring in your step. They've been compared to Arcade Fire but that, frankly, is bonkers. If you locked Arcade Fire in a room and made them chase balls of wool around while listening to The Beach Boys for 3 months they might have a chance at recording something this joyous. Lazy comparison based on the fact they have lots of members and bash a glockenspeil.
Opener ‘Death To Los Campesinos!’ is just a great pop single, to be fair, most songs on this album are. 'You! Me! Dancing' is the best track 9 on an album ever (hey, not many bands hide their best songs that far in!) and closer 'Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks' with have you accidentally singing the final refrain out loud on the bus and looking a bit stupid. This is, of course, exactly what you're supposed to do.
There are certainly nods to Pavement and Broken Social Scene along the way but they are always more than a sum of their influences. Los Campesinos! are a fiercely indie band but have made a catchy, arty, hand clapping, sing-a-long album that deserves to storm the charts and have Jo Whiley saying 'if you like Flaming Lips and Bis, you'll love these' before screaming 'every single one of us is twisted by design' at the top of her husky little voice.

Available from Diverse Music from Monday 25th February for £9.90

Hot Burrito started as a night to showcase Alt.Country and Americana music in Newport run by myself and Paul from Diverse Music. It began monthly and was held on the first Wednesday of every month. As we've gone on we've become a little more flexible, accommodating touring bands and booking gigs in Cardiff. We aim to keep doing as much as possible at Le Pub and are still trying to put something on once a month but not necessarily on the first Wednesday.

Bands to have played include Deadstring Brothers, Dolly Varden, The Redlands Palomino Company, Ox, Alan Tyler & The Lost Sons Of Littlefield, Morning Bride & James Walbourne as well as local scene favourites such as Lone Pine, Jimi Alexander & The Satellites, Blind River Scare, Stephen Light & The Black Sand Band and Silver Spurs.

For a full list of bands that have played and gigs we've got lined up, go to www.myspace.com/hot_burrito

Diverse Music is Newport's only independent music shop and is split pretty much equally between vinyl and CDs so if you're after the latest Mountain Goats release on CD or a Japanese vinyl re-issue of a T Rex album then it's the place for you. It stocks CDs from local bands too so if you're in one, pop up and have a word. If you're a student you can get 10% off if you smile sweetly.

Diverse is also a ticket outlet for most local venues but relies on promoters to bring up tickets, if you're putting on a gig in the area and want your tickets to be readily available to the public, you know where to go. There's also a range of Diverse Music t-shirts and they sell magazines such as NME, Kerrang and Rock Sound plus specialist titles like Maverick, Jazzwise and Country Music People. They've also started to sell second hand music books which are well worth a browse through.

Diverse can be found at 10 Charles Street, up the hill from Body Shop and past the Job Centre. If you get lost or want any information on anything written above, give them a ring on 01633 259661.

www.myspace.com/diversemusicnewport

Cardiff based Shape records is run by the band attack+defend. As well as releasing music we also put on events every now and again and refer to them as Shape Functions.

You can find Shape releases at:
CARDIFF= Spillers Records, D Vinyl Records
HAY ON WYE= Tom's Records
ABERWYSTWYTH= Andy's Records
LONDON= Rough Trade and Pure Groove
BRIGHTON= Edge World Music
BRISTOL= My Yard and Here Gallery
MANCHESTER= Picadilly Records

Visit their site here

God is in the TV
Run by Bill Cummings and his merry men, this music and culture zine has grown from strength to strength. A personal fav of mine and much needed golden nugget amongst ezine filth.
As well as reviews of live events, music releases and demos, they also put on their own shows.

Go check it out
GOD IS IN THE TV

The PW Club is a new club night situated in Newport South Wales. Born out of frustration and the lack of variety in the social music scene in which It now stands as a beacon of light. Warning those with a longing for something new, away from the rocks and safely in to its docks.

The PW Club's first night will be on Friday 14th of March in the upstairs of the pen and wig 22-24 Stow Hill Newport.

--------- LAUNCH NIGHT ---------

For your aural pleasure our PW Club's Djs will be spinning a wide collection of 60's garage, mod classics,
northern soul, tripped out Psych, Freakbeats and white boy RnB.

Accompanied with Projected visuals and Lighting.
All set in a dapper and refined enviroment consisting of adance floor,
one lounge area and one barroom.

Visit The PW Club myspace

COMING SOON (and not so soon)...

Baddies - Saturday 14th March 2009

The Joy Collective began to help promote the many gigs, clubnights and events that happen in Newport, Cardiff and Bristol.

We lean towards those independent promoters, full of passion and vision but empty pockets.

This site offers a week to week gig listing, previews of forthcoming releases and events, reviews of live gigs and music releases. A platform for independent promoters to shout off, a double-choc cookie in an internet sticky jam jar.

We also put on our own events. We'll put on shows anywhere on any date, but always put on our regular monthly JOY event at Meze Lounge in Newport. Every last thursday of the Month we put on two floors of live music and djs. Downstairs could be any genre, upstairs is electro 'dance fridge' hosted by DJ Vernon Tessio. Its all kicking off.
If you are interested in spitting some noise at us, do so via email, facebook or myspace links.

We are always looking for contributers to the site.

We love badges.

thejoycollective (at) googlemail (dot) com

Zissou
White Trash Ambition
We Are The Physics
Viva Knievils (the) R.I.P
Vinyl Stickons
Victorian English Gentlemens Club
Vernon Tessio (dj)
Untitled Musical Project
Tubelord
Toru
Threatmantics
Thinking With Sand
These Things Take Time
Telegram From The Queen
Stray Borders
Strangeknife (dj)
Stephen Light & the Black Sand Band
Spider Kitten
Space in the 50's
Sore Thumbz
Smokestacks
Sophia
Sidecar Kisses (now The Joy Formidable)
Sicknote
Shebeats (the)
Project Serpo
Plyci
Pigs In Space
Pete (dj)
October Country (the)
Novocaines (the)
New State Radio
New Black Light Machine
Muscle Club (the)
Moguls (the)
Mister Manana
Lt. Meat
LR Rockets
LoveGadjetsHateGizmos
Little My
Le Reno Amps
Lazy Girl
Kyshera
King Alexander
Kutosis
Katell Keineg
Jump the Underground
Juffage
Joy Of Sex
Innercity Pirates
Indigos (the)
Hundred Tonne Glider
Howards Alias
Holocene
Heck
Glow
Gindrinker
Fuzz Against Junk
Future Of The Left
Fury of the Headteachers
Frommars R.I.P
Evils
Everyone Must Win
Estevez
Elephant Rescue Plan (the)
Eggsy (dj)
Dress up!
Die! Die! Die!
Death Set (the)
Death Of Her Money (the)
Curtis Ian and the Joy Division (dj)
Crow Court
Cloud Atlas
Clay (the)
Circa Regna Tonat
Cats & Cats & Cats
Cars in Walls
Caballero
Brown Wings
Bosch
Blakfish
Big Naturals
Big Joan
Ballbag Express
Baddies
Atomsk
Ash & the Oak (the)
Ann Scott
Aluminum Babe
Alamos
Adam Hussain Show (the)

22nd December
Barfly
£check with venue
May Contain Nuts
Fandangle
Evil I
Cardiff

22nd December
The Croft
£4
True Valiance
Shadow Lane
Bristol

22nd December
Louisiana
£4 adv
The Goodness
plus special guests
Bristol

23rd December
Barfly
£check with venue
Brutality Will Prevail
Elsid
Argonaut
The long Awaited
Cardiff

23rd December
Louisiana
£4 adv
Concepts Of Inebriation
plus special guests
Bristol

23rd December
The Croft
£4
Geisha
Azelea Penis Club
Bristol

28th December
TJs
£3
Black Cherub Promotions presents...
Jonny Reasons & The Ressurection
Tenants Supermen (DJ Set)
plus more
Newport

13th January
TJs
£check with venue
Architects
Misery Signals
Newport

16th January
TJs
£check with venue
Kris Roe (The Ataris)
Newport

17th january
Meze Lounge
£check with venue
Scratch Perverts
Newport

17th January
Thekla
£check with venue
John Wheeler aka Barley Scotch
Bristol

23rd January
The Croft
£5 adv
QU Junktions presents...
David Grubbs
Artamonova & Bella Emerson
Sleeping States
Bristol

24th january
Thekla
£check with venue
Vula (formerly bassment jaxx singer)
Bristol

28th January
Clwb Ifor Bach
£check with venue
Shape presents...
Max Tundra
ben Butler & Mousepad
more tbc
Cardiff

3rd February
Clwb Ifor Bach
£7.50adv / £8.50 door
Loose presents...
Emmy The Great
plus support
Cardiff

4th February
Thekla
£check with venue
Teddy Thompson
Tift Merritt
Bristol

5th February
Thekla
£check with venue
Fighting With Wire
The New 1920
Bristol

8th February
Thekla
£check with venue
The Popes
The Boys From County Hell
Bristol

10th February
Clwb Ifor Bach
£5/6
Loose presents...
Rose Elinor Dougall (ex-pipettes)
Hari and Aino
Soy Un Caballo
Silver Gospel Runners
Cardiff

13th February
TJs
£check with venue
The Black Dahlia Murder
Newport

14th February
Thekla
£check with venue
The Coast
Bristol

16th February
Bufallo Bar
£check with venue
Lesson No.1 presents...
Oxford Collapse
more tbc
Cardiff

16th February
Fleece & Firkin
£8 adv
QU Junktions presents...
Black Lips
plus special guests
Bristol

17th February
Buffalo Bar
£7/8
Loose presents...
Crystal Stilts
Wet Dog
Cardiff

20th February
Cube Cinema
£6 adv
QU Junktions presents...
Invisible City
Albert Ayler Project
COMA
Bristol

24th February
Thekla
£check with venue
Das Pop
Absent Elk
Bristol

26th February
Thekla
£check with venue
Baddies
Bristol

28th February
Thekla
£check with venue
Thomas Aplin & The Thief
Bristol

9th March
Thekla
£check with venue
Jeffree Star
Brokencyde
Bristol

11th March
Thekla
£check with venue
The Beat
Sonic Boom Six
Strawberry Blondes
Bristol

14th March
Meze Lounge
£check with venue
Baddies
plus support
Newport

20th March
Bufallo Bar
£check with venue
Lesson No.1 presents...
Nadja
more tbc
Cardiff

21st March
Thekla
£check with venue
Wilko Johnson
Bristol

2nd April
Buffalo Bar
£5
Loose presents...
Gnu and the Shrew
Lily Green
Muarena Helena
Cardiff

27th April
Buffalo Bar
£5
Loose presents...
Sons of Noel and Adrian
Colorama
Y Mur
Cardiff

12th May
Thekla
£check with venue
Glenn Tilbrook
Bristol