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Right, you lucky lot. We’ve got not one, but two, pairs of tickets to give out for London Electronic Dance Festival. The line up looks sick with acts like Soulwax, Aphex Twin, Goldfrapp, oh and David “Damn, who’s a sexy bitch” Guetta.
L.E.D is on the Friday and Saturday of the August bank holiday up in Victoria Park in Hackney, which means you can still visit Notting Hill Carnival on the Sunday.

For complete line up and infomation click here.

To enter to win a pair of ticket simply answer the following question, which one of these albums is by Leftfield?

Leftism

One Love

Ready For the Weekend

Send your answers to editor@smackthat.co.uk the winner will be notified mid august.

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Anyhow, the first band we caught were The Duloks who were on the new band stage. They were an all girl quirky electro comedy act that were enjoyable to watch in the festival context. Later at the same stage we saw Wet Dog playing their catchy primitive clashing melodies, which was definitely one of my highlights of the festival. Check out the interview we did with them HERE.

The Duloks

Wet Dog

Drum Eyes and Damo Suzuki were next on our agenda. We headed over to the Loud & Quiet stage to see DJ Scotch Egg’s instrumental doomy band project Drum Eyes, which led perfectly into the entrancing non-stop progressive style of Damo Suzuki the singer from Can.

We needed more cider before heading to the main stage to see The Slits. Unfortunately when we got to the stage the show never really got going with complaints about sound clarity being made after pretty much every song. I just didn’t get into this set at all. The huge stage invasion towards the end was quite funny though.
The Slits stage invasion

It was time for Metronomy who played the first ever offset a year earlier and were “the event of the summer”, according to the festival programme. We went to the loud and quiet tent, it was packed and there was a real buzz. Then an announcement was made that the band was being moved to the main stage. I wish they hadn’t bothered. There was then quite a long wait for everything to get sorted but this just added to the hyped up atmosphere. It was still only 10.30ish and this was the last band playing that night! Anyway Metronomy appeared and played a big set that everyone could party to. The live band thing bolsters up every individual sound and made the whole set more fun and enjoyable to watch and dance to.

We weren’t sure what to do with ourselves next but we stumbled across the comedy tent. The guy in there was a twat and seemed to be forcing people into doing open mic slots. Anyway he soon grabbed Japelling, “saying ok you’ll do.” This was a bad idea on the ‘professional’ comedians part as he felt the full force of some seriously funny insults that the audience obviously agreed with as they were cracking up. A couple of highlights from Japelling’s set was the joke about the man with a hat and the moment he spun out on stage and didn’t know where he was or what was happening. Ha, very funny indeed.

Sunday I woke up feeling shit as was to be expected. I got into my insular state, my survival mode and tried to make it through the morning. We spent most of Sunday walking round the different stages, laying down in the sunshine seeing what random bands were like. I heard an amazing remix of Metronomy – Heartbreaker by Black Devil Disco Club in between sets on the main stage.

Then we met Jazzman John, you can read about him HERE. He told us to check out a band he was introducing called Chapter Sweetheart. They had a really old-skool punk vibe with a bit of pretentiousness thrown in for good measure. Reminiscent of bands like The Make-Up or a more hardcore, soulful version of The Fire Engines but still with that jangling swagger. They definitely had a lot of potential and confidence but seemed like they were still polishing the songs for their live set.

Jazzman John

Later in the day we caught Wild Beasts, who I guess are the English countryside’s answer to Animal Collective, however these guys swear and sometimes reference the footie. After having our first meal of the festival, a delicious Ghanaian curry, we made our way to what would be the finale of the festival for us, The Horrors headlining the main stage!

Oh and this guy dropped his phone down the toilet. He was anxious to get it back because his coke dealers number was on that phone.

Words: Murley Bassey

Photos: Lutworth and Lyrical B

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This is Jazzman John. He’s amazing. We bumped into him (literally) at offset festival and started chatting. Turns out he’s a jazz poet. Not knowing much about jazz poetry i was naturally intrigued and he offered to do some especially for us. So here we have a Smack That exclusive. Jazzman John recorded on an old 70′s dictaphone. Oh we’re so retro.

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From Left to Right; Billy, Sarah and Rivka. The girl at the back isn’t in the band.

We chatted to Billy, Rivka and Sarah, just minutes after their performance at Offset 2009.

Japelling: Do you feel you have an affiliation with all-female bands?

Billy: I like 3 piece bands, especially the sparsity you get in a 3 piece. I would defiantly say I prefer 3 girls singing together than 3 guys.

Japelling: Who in particular, like your influences etc?

Billy: Argh! That’s terrifying. You tell me yours.

Japelling: That’s not how this interview shall be conducted.

Billy: Oh okay. Destiny’s child, All Saints.

Rivka: TLC.

Billy: Oh defiantly TLC, they are actually the best, remember.

Rivka: Yeah.

Billy: No scrubs is my favourite.

Rivka: I like the bangles.

Japelling: There where 4 members in the bangles I think.

Billy: Really?

Japelling: Yes, we only accept female groups with three members. So…that’s not accepted. What you guys up to in the near future?

Billy: Were going on tour with the Slits in October. Which is amazing because they were the inspiration for our new album. Which comes out beginning of December.

Rivka: 30^th November

Billy: Okay, 30^th of November. And a single coming out 12^th October

Japelling: The twelfth. That’s my favourite number.

Lutworth: Are you playing in Brighton anytime soon?

Billy: Yes, were playing twice in one night. 10^th of October, were playing at the Concorde 2 with the slits and also at the free butt with another band.

Japelling: What’s the best gig you’ve ever played?

Billy: Um. Can we email you?

Japelling: You can. How long have you been together as a band?

Billy: A few years.

Japelling: To the nearest second?

Billy: About, 2 years.

Japelling: What do you think was the sole purpose of getting together? was it just a bit of fun, or did you want to do something in particular?

Rivka: It was a bit of fun and we wanted to do lots and lots and lots of female harmonies.

Billy: And we achieved it through pure determination.

Japelling: That’s what they say on x factor and x factor is amazing. You guys should take some influence from x factor.

Billy: We aim to take part in x factor

Japelling: Well let me know if you’re going to be on, because they sometimes call me up to be on the panel and I’m always busy and can’t do it. Is there anything musically that your band wants to crush?

Billy: Yes.

At that point Good Shoes started to play and the girls left. Check them out here.

Introduction: Lyrical B

Interview: Japelling and Lutworth

Additional: Murley Bassey

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Getting into the spirit of things early on.

Some munch.

These guys shared a whole bottle of rum with about 6 of us in the space of about a minute. Nang.

Different type of munch.

Apparntly if you take photos of the police it means you’re a terrorist these days.

Searching the crowds for lost friends.

Gaz.

Some birds.

Some d’n'b.

This couple stood with us for ages. The bloke was well strange.

Jerks.

Words by Lutworth

Photos by Lutworth

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Instead, the Bank Holiday weekend could be spent visiting the following:

Notting Hill Carnival

We could head up to the big smoke for the weekend and dance around the streets with some of our “coloured cousins”. Yes that’s right, Carnival is taking over the streets of West London for the Bank Holiday weekend again. Soundsystems to gravitate to are: Disya Generation on Powis Terrace, Rap Attack on All Saints Road, or if you’re looking for something a bit more “white” there’s always Gaz’s Rockin’ Blues on Talbot Street.

Reading Festival

Hop on a train and hope that you can bump into someone you know who just happens to have a wrist band that they can slip off.

Duke of Yorks

All Beachdown ticket holders get £1 off all weekend. Oh great. That makes up for not seeing Ocean Colour Scene. Ha Ha Ocean Colour Scene.

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Well, the weatherman was right and Saturday definitely benefited from using indoor venues. The Pavilion Theatre, Dome and Corn Exchange were all used as stages, and with the venues being so close to one another the “festival vibe” was kept alive.

After checking out all the venues and half watching Casio Kids and The XX at the Dome, I headed for the bar area, which provided the less hardcore with a relaxed base for chilling out on comfortable looking cushions. There was also a face-painting stall?

I really enjoyed spending Saturday afternoon in the Pavilion Theatre as this stage was home to the more experimental and visual based performances. My personal highlight was watching The Paper Cinema, a performance by two people moving multiple black & white illustrations in front of a camera, telling a visual story. This was presented on a large projector screen with two musicians playing a live soundtrack to the story. As Loop crept into the evening I got to see Thomas Truax; a unique, theatrical and truly bizarre character who makes and performs on his own other worldly instruments with a “Lynchian” sound and manner.

Paper Cinema

Later that Saturday it was a real shame that the three acts I was most looking forward to seeing were all playing at different venues at the same time. Fever Ray (woman from The Knife) was playing at the Corn Exchange and Mira Calix & Quayola (interesting arty sound stuff) were playing at the Pavilion Theatre. However, in the end I decided to watch Squarepusher at the Dome. Some of the set was really good with great musicianship and electronic beats, but then everything became cringe worthy when the pusher of squares started pushing harsh, dodgy metal and most of the crowd seemed to scarper. I took this opportunity to pop next door to the Corn Exchange for fifteen minutes to check out Fever Ray, which had a really shamanic, tribal atmosphere going on. Adding to this there were really cool lasers with clouds being projected above the crowd.

Squarepusher

Fever Ray

Then on to Loop Late, which continued until the early hours of the morning. I opted for the Concorde 2 where I enjoyed ending my Loop festival by watching Radio 1 dubstep queen DJ Mary Anne Hobbs followed by Zomby. Unfortunately it seemed like an eternity of listening to some really amateur youth DJ’s while we were waiting for their sets to begin.

All in all, an interesting and diverse take on a standard music festival.

Words by Murley Bassey ‘n’ Flaaars

Photos by Murley Bassey ‘n’ Flaaars

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Kicking things off on Thursday we had Video Nasties with their distorted post-punk thing who I had never heard and was reasonably impressed. I’ve since checked out album ‘On All Fours’ and while not particularly exciting, it’s certainly not the worst thing I’ve heard all year. Following them it was Mika Miko who were a female 5 piece who play bouncy riot grrrl stuff. A bit like X Ray Spex crossed with Operator Please. They were quite cool but not really my bag maaan. Next on were Scottish band Dananananaykroyd who despite their awfully gay name, were and are actually pretty good. They play arty post-hardcore but with more indie vocals which I know sounds terrible, but they have a few good songs up their sleeves. Check the album ‘Hey Everyone’ if you care…So with the crowd having been warmed up by these bands, the kings of the overrated came on – Black Lips. Its not that I think this band are shit, I just never understand how they manage to have SO many fans…They were cool though and the crowd was pretty mental. They do manage to put on a good show fo’ sho’.

Friday was by far the worst day line-up wise, but first band on To The Bones still pulled a good crowd with their skewed take on grungy rock. Chew Lips filled the venue with their hype thanks to recently signing to Kistuné and being touted by NME as “the next big thing” (although, who fucking isn’t these days?). They played their bleepy, shouty crystal castles thing with varied success. New single “Solo” was good anyway. Dinosaur Pile-Up were next but I can’t for the life of me remember what they were like since id chosen Friday to really take advantage of the free Red Stripe on offer. On record they sound a bit shit though, sound like some weird early 90′s “alternative” rock band, which isn’t the hottest look ever in my humble opinion. Last band, The Twilight Sad are some moody Scots who play “atmospheric” indie stuff and managed to clear most of the venue because its not really what you want to be hearing on a Friday night. The sound was gash as well. The highlight of the day was the singer of Twilight Sad getting into a fight with an audience member while on stage, who then turned out to be one of the sponsors…good times…After work I went to check out Metronomy at the Corn Exchange which was pretty good but again, I don’t remember much. The drummer was HAWT though. You can’t beat a fit female drummer; they make sex faces while they drum.

Music on Saturday started off with a “secret” gig on the terrace of Above Audio. Don’t think it stayed secret for very long though because there was a queue of people with Babyshambles t-shirts on queuing up outside all day…So the king of the smack heads-who-should’ve-died-a-while-ago turned up and did a 20 minute set for probably about £20,000. Opinions were mixed and while I didn’t think it was a good gig (I don’t like Babyshambles either) it was certainly surreal and enjoyable in a “Christ, this is weird” kind of way. Music downstairs started with Rogues who are an “Up and coming” band who make camp indie with 80′s pop ideas thrown in the mix. Definitely a bit of Duran Duran in there. I thought they were pretty gay really but what do I know, apparently they’re going to be massive…Only caught a few songs by Fight Like Apes but they did their Irish punky-synth thing I’m sure. I was really looking forward to next band, Soft Pack, because they had sounded great during sound check but they actually ended up being really disappointing. They have some really great guitar hooks and melodies, but his voice is just so “meh” and there’s always just something missing from their songs. Still, early days I guess. Hockey finished off the weekend with their dancey indie stuff which the huge crowd went mental for. They’re currently touring with Friendly Fires, which makes sense. I think they’re ok but the show was wicked and was a good way to end The Great Escape.

After this I went to see Erol Alkan who was obviously dope, but I fucked off pretty early to go and do too much sniff for no reason and stay awake until late into Sunday. GOTTA BE DONE YO! maybe…

If you read that, you’re a fucking loser x

Words by Hulk Rogan

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