Massive Attack Take Control Of Southbank Centre Meltdown
Massive Attack have been announced as Artistic Directors of the 15th Meltdown festival at Southbank Centre, a 9 day event running since 1993. Previous directors include John Peel, Robert Wyatt, Scott Walker, David Bowie, Lee Scratch Perry, Morrissey, Patti Smith and, last year, Jarvis Cocker. As we know, Massive Attack have diverse influence, influences, interests, co-collaborators and friends, so the nature and feel of the final lineup is pretty much anybody's guess. "We want this year's festival to have a strong political and visual element to it to reflect our influences and obsessions" - cool, better book the bus ticket then.
Upstaged is a brand new BBC entertainment event open to anyone across the country who thinks they're worth watching. In short, it's like having your own studio where you can broadcast what you want to the nation live on the internet. Contenders showcase their hidden talent or skill for 6hours in a glass box in the middle of Bristol and are voted in and out of the boxes by an online community. This week, Bristol indie rock group Hiflyer performed for 6 hours in their box against the Vloggers. Read on for more details of Hiflyer and to see them on the BBC's Upstaged.
As well as releasing their first album in 10 years, Portishead are planning an extensive European and US tour in the coming months. Some ten years after their last formal release (the live album Roseland NYC Live in 1998), our local trip-hop pioneers are releasing their eleven track fourth album, interestingly named Third, on April 14th 2008. It will be released in the UK by Island Records. The band have announced a series of live dates in the UK, Europe and USA. Read on for details.
Gravenhurst have just released their latest album, The Western Lands, and to promote it Nick Talbot visited BBC Radio's Bristol Uncovered to talk about the album and play three songs as part of a solo Gravenhurst session. This is the second of Bristol Uncovered's interview/sessions, which promises to be a vauable addition to the Bristol music scene. You can hear Nick's songs and his "pedalboard masterclass" for guitar players on demand from the Bristol Uncovered website.