These Ghosts headline a show featuring a host of local talent as they help bring down the curtain on this year's Tilting Sky Festival. Plus: Fei Comodo make a belated visit, Hat Fitz & Cara Robinson and the Ned Evett Band.
TILTING SKY FESTIVAL FINALE
Waterfront, July 28
These Ghosts headline this finale in grand style to bring down the curtain on this year's Tilting Sky Festival with this very special closing night party that features a bill also including Alloy Ark, The Sharps and Electric Youth Revolt.
The Norwich band, who released their critically acclaimed debut album You Are Not Lost, You Are Here back in 2009 are taking time off from the studio to play the gig and will be picking out the best from their debut album together with some newer songs from their forthcoming eagerly anticipated follow up.
Special guests on the night are the wonderful Alloy Ark who are undoubtedly one the brightest stars to emerge from the region's music scene in the past few years.
Though they formed in Norwich and have been around a few years and have won a following for their driving rhythms, raunchy riffs, catchy tunes and melodic harmonies, The Sharps will be making their Waterfront debut. They too aare in the process of writing new material.
Electric Youth Revolt specialise in high-energy scuzzy indie rock n roll tunes with anthemic choruses, with a wide range of influences from 1960s mod records to the aggressive punk power of The Jam and Sex Pistols.
t Further listening: www.theseghosts.bandcamp.com
FEI COMODO
Waterfront Studio, July 29
This Essex post-hardcore five-piece finally arrive for a gig originally postponed in May. Together since 2003, they have played numerous UK tours shows and festivals, including both Download and the headline tent at Sonisphere.
They released mini-album They All Have Two Faces in 2008 to positive reviews and planned to build on it with their debut album in 2009. However they became embroiled in lengthy delays that saw the album, Behind The Bright Lights, not emerging until earlier this year.
It's a situation the band haven't been happy with. 'Although we're pleased to finally be releasing Behind The Bright Lights, we simply are not that band anymore and can no longer pretend to be. The reality is that in the time that has passed between us recording this album and releasing it now, we've changed both as a band and as people.'
They've subsequently decided to go their own way, getting fans to pledge in order to fund new material that more represents their sound today. Get a flavour of it at this gig with support from I Divide, Evarose, Fist Full of Lies and Dear Sleeper.
t Further listening: www.facebook.com/feicomodo
HAT FITZ & CARA ROBINSON
Norwich Arts Centre, July 31
Australian duo Hat Fitz & Cara Robinson play music that is best described as 'amped up old time blues with a Celtic twist'. Think Seasick Steve, with a touch of Catfish Keith, a pinch of Joni Mitchell and a smidgen of The Dubliners.
Already firmly established on the Australian festival circuit, they left a lasting impression on UK festival crowds last summer. And they have built on that success entertaining audiences with their foot stomping blend of hill country and delta blues that is given a startling and exciting new direction with Cara's Irish roots.
As well as showcasing songs from their critically acclaimed album Beauty 'N The Beast, which first announced them over here garnering rave reviews, the charismatic duo will be performing a wealth of new material enhancing their reputation as one of the best live blues acts around.
The title of that breakthrough album was tongue firmly in cheek. The beauty was no doubt meant to be is Cara Robinson, a fine voiced chanteuse from County Down, Northern Ireland whose previous release Keepers Lit was a smoldering Americana tinged slice of folk. The beast, Hat Fitz, a wandering blues minstrel from the Australian outback who has been steadily releasing album in his native Australia and burning up the festival circuit through out Europe.
t Further listening: www.hatfitz.net
NED EVETT BAND
Norwich Arts Centre, August 2
Ned Evett is one of the world's foremost fretless guitarists, creating music that both celebrates and transcends the novelty of his instrument. At age 11, Ned started playing ukelele, graduating to his first guitar at 15. At 16, he got his first classical guitar. Around that time, Ned saw King Crimson Live in Japan, and was mesmerized by the fretless guitar wielded by Adrian Belew.
In 2003, he entered and won the North American Rock Guitar Competition, and a subsequent TV documentary, Driven To Play was shown in the US and Canada.
Following the film's premier, Ned began a series of tours with artists such as Jonny Lang, Eric Johnson, George Thorogood, and Robert Cray. In the past year he has been on a world tour with Grammy nominated guitar god Joe Satriani.
Ned's five solo releases run the gamut from instrumental beauties to hard-rocking blues, and everything in between. His sixth solo album, Treehouse, is a 14 song diary of love, loss, redemption, and the future told in his mesmerizing voice, accompanied by Ned's trademark fretless.
t Further listening: www.nedevett.com
SOUNDS IN THE CITY
TONIGHT
Tilting Sky Festival: Songwriters Evening (acoustic) — Bicycle Shop
Crumbs For Comfort + Feral Mouth + Half Cut Heroes + Kings & Crows (folk/indie) — Open
The Glamtastics (glam rock) — Brickmakers
Pout At The Devil + Dirty Rotten Cash + Wicked Faith (rock) — King Edward VII
King Dinosaur (rockabilly) — Walnut Tree Shades
The Dirigibles (rock'n'roll) — Fat Cat Brewery
Penny Hannant & Friends (pop) — B2
Norwich Folk Club — Christ Church Centre
Johnny Jump Band (country/blues) — The Gordon
Freeload (rock/pop) — The Griffin
The Tracks (pop/acoustic) — Silver Road Cottage
Danny Reno — Fiveways
JULY 28
Tilting Sky Festival: These Ghosts + Alloy Ark + The Sharps + Electric Youth Revolt (indie) — Arts Centre
Witchfynde + Synaptrik + Rough Cut (metal) — B2
Dead Red + Top Hat Alley Cat + Pocket Gorillaz + Settle For Second (rock) — Open
Rob Holmes Band (blues/rock) — Brickmakers
The Stylotones (ska) — The Leopard
Kenny Lee & The Hustlers (rock'n'roll) — Arkwrights
Honeydripper (rock/blues) — Eaton Cottage
Truescape + more (rock/pop) — King Edward VII
Hot Cold Ground (blues) — Walnut Tree Shades
One Hand Clapping (pop/rock) — The Windmill
Worlds Apart (blues/rock) — Trowel & Hammer
Wytchazle (folk/jazz) — Old Catton Maids Head
King Size Papa's Jump Band (jive/50s) — The Gordon
Mick Stevens (guitar) — The Crown New Costessey
Vikki H — Angel Gardens
Alan Ley — Bread & Cheese
Pat James — Heath James
Bondy — Keir Hardie Hall
Tony Cann — Quebec Tavern
Lisa Marie — Robin Hood
Micky Spanton — Wensum Community Centre
JULY 29
Fei Comodo (hardcore) — Waterfront
Floating Greyhounds (rock/4pm) — Lakenham Cock
Honeydripper (rock/blues/3.15pm) — Brewery Tap
Lee Vasey Big Band (12pm) — Brickmakers
Claire Baker Band (pop/soul) — The Silver Fox
The Bunkadoos (acoustic) — Silver Road Cottage
JULY 30
We Are Scientists (indie/rock) — Arts Centre
Brickie Sessions (open mic) — Brickmakers
Jazz Jam (open mic) — B2
Jazz Jam: feat. Rich Buddie (jazz) — Walnut Tree Shades
JULY 31
The Voyeurist + The Soft + Science & Magic (electronic) — Waterfront
Hat Fitz & Cara Robinson (acoustic/roots) — Arts Centre
Nigel King Band (pop/soul) — Brickmakers
Zoe Francis with Dave Newton (jazz) — Rackheath Green Man
AUGUST 1
Pure Acoustic (open mic) — Brickmakers
Traditional Irish — Gatehouse
AUGUST 2
Ned Evett Band (blues/roots) — Arts Centre
Against The Odds (rock/pop) — Brickmakers
Egypt (rock/blues) — Walnut Tree Shades
Friends Like These + Halogens + Redeem The Dead (hardcore/screamo) — B2
Green Man Blues Club: feat. John Watchman + Mark Howes + Andy Walker (blues) — Rackheath Green Man
Johnny Jump Band (country/blues) — Micawbers Tavern
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