Pioneering drum n bass night Rumble celebrates its 16th anniversary with a special return to the Waterfront featuring Grooverider and many more. Hardcore punk band The Wonder Years pay a visit and there are gigs by singer-songwriter Sam Baker and Shadows Chasing Ghosts.
RUMBLE
Waterfront, September 9
Pioneering drum n bass night Rumble celebrates its 16th anniversary by returning to its original home for a special one-off night.
Andy Bunn, the original promoter started Rumble in 1997 at the Waterfront with headline DJ Kenny Ken. It was the first drum bass event in Norwich, at a time when the scene was almost non existent.
Rumble continued at the Waterfront for another year playing to packed crowds of eager junglists raving to the likes of Randal and DJ SS, before it relocated to the 1,500 capacity UEA due to a series of sell out events, the first of which featured Fabio and Grooverider. The following years took Rumble back to the Waterfront for the start of Rumble all-nighters plus events in Ipswich and most recently Atlantis Arena in Great Yarmouth. They also teamed up with that other local dance institution Pam's House for New Years Eve parties at Norwich Sports Village and have also staged Summerfest.
This special night, from 10pm-4am, will sees the return of many familiar faces including Grooverider (pictured), Fatman D, Optical, Flux, Hazard, Juiceman, Mutated Forms, Spyda, Perfection B2B, Dominator (Birthday Set), Azza B and Balistik.
t Further listening: www.rumblemassive.com
THE WONDER YEARS
Norwich Arts Centre, September 12
Hardcore/punk troupe The Wonder Years were formed in 2005 out of the remnants of The Premier. After a series of split EPs with various bands their first full length album, Get Stoked on It!, released in 2007, caused their then-small fan base to grow significantly.
They subsequently signed to No Sleep Records and released an EP, Won't Be Pathetic Forever and a split EP with UK pop-punk band All or Nothing.
Following the band's storming sets on the Kerrang! Tour earlier this year, this date is part of a UK tour to promote their new album, Suburbia I've Given You All and Now I'm Nothing, which was inspired in part by the poem America by Allen Ginsberg.
The album tells the story of a growing culture of people in America trying to find their place in the world without compromising the beliefs that make them who they are. The theme is accompanied by catchy, raw pop-punk.
'Making this record was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences we've had as a band,' explains frontman Dan 'Soupy' Campbell. Support comes from Valencia and Such Gold.
t Further listening: www.thewonderyearsband.com
SAM BAKER
Norwich Arts Centre, September 14
Texas songwriter Sam Baker is not that well known even in his adopted hometown of Austin. However, since the 2004 release of his debut Mercy, word of Baker's songs have slowly, but surely spun its way around the world.
Maverick Magazine awarded Mercy five stars and writers that have discovered this raw talent often compare him to fellow Texans Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark.
He returns to the UK to promote the second part of the story, the self-released Pretty World. Co-produced by fellow Texan and songwriter Walt Wilkins, the new songs reflect a life lived well and nearly lost.
A lot can happen in a few years and Baker can tell you that a lot can happen in seconds. Back in 1986, he was travelling in a train through Peru, when the car he was in was blown apart by a terrorist bomb, killing fellow passengers and leaving him clinging to life.
Deafened and gravely injured, Baker spent the better part of the next decade working on both a physical and spiritual recovery.
t Further listening: www.sambakermusic.com
SHADOWS CHASING GHOSTS
Waterfront, September 14
If you haven't already heard of this post-hardcore/screamo band, you probably soon will.
Formed in Essex in 2007, their mix of heavy break downs and sing along melodies is accumulating them a growing fan base and seeing them being accepted by every type of music audience, from the hardcore elite to pop punk.
Within months, they had recorded their first seven-song EP, Never Get A Wolfs Attention By Pulling Its Tail. Since then they have been constantly touring, playing several major festivals across Europe.
Inevitably their growing success attracted the attention of record labels and last year they released their debut full-length album, The Golden Ratio, on Small Town Records. Though it wasn't offering anything particularly new, it was packed with plenty of riffs, strong vocals, and decent sing-along choruses.
Support at this appearance at The Studio, the Waterfront's new gig space, comes from Polar, Norwich's progressive alternative/post-hardcore outfit Avosetta and Depth.
t Further listening: www.shadowschasingghosts.com
SOUNDS IN THE CITY
Tonight
Norwich Blues Explosion: feat. Dove and Boweevil + more (blues/folk) — Arts Centre
Rumble: feat. Grooverider + more (drum n bass) — Waterfront
Emma Hall Band (soul/funk) — Blueberry
The Collective (funk/soul) — Brickmakers
Play Some Punk: feat. Flicker + more (punk) — B2
Bristol Johnstone Experience (soul) — Brewery Tap
The Reno Brothers (rock'n'roll) — Walnut Tree Shades
Space Whale (ska/reggae) — Karma Kafe
The Firetones (rock'n'roll) — Arkwrights
Bad Touch (rock) — King Edward VII
Hot Cold Ground (rock) — The King's Arms
Mucked Up Funkies (funk/blues) — Norkie
Steemy Dan (tribute) — The Talk
The AJ Experience — Trowel & Hammer
Terry Adams — Perseverance
Chippy — Fiveways
September 10
Roots and Rhythm Day: feat. Dilanga & Rabo De Foguete (Latin) — Arts Centre
Wapsallions (pop/rock) — Brickmakers
Pain Penitentiary + more (metal) — B2
Beyond Duplication (rock) — King Edward VII
Big Black Cadillac (rockabilly) — Blueberry
Martin Stephenson (folk/pop) — Olives
Lou & The Diamonds (60s) — Arkwrights
Outathablues (blues) — The Stanley
Breaking Belief (rock) — Boundary
The AJ Experience — Norkie
Davie J — Angel Gardens
Tony Cann — Bread & Cheese
Kevin Solo — Royal British Legion
Clive Paul — Heath House
Andy York — Gas Club
Graham Chatt — The Nelson
September 11
East 17 (pop) — Waterfront
The Keno Kings (blues) — Boundary
Luke Arnold & Tim Ainslie (folk/blues) — Brewery Tap
Anto Morra (country/Irish) — Blueberry
Neville Rowe — Royal British Legion
Lee Vasey Big Band (12pm) — Brickmakers
September 12
The Wonder Years + more (pop-punk) — Arts Centre
Stookey Blue (folk) — Micawbers Tavern
Brickie Sessions (open mic) — Brickmakers
September 13
Twee Off: feat. Screaming Females (indie) — Arts Centre
Planet Beet Presents (indie) — B2
Brickie Blues Club: feat. Slow Gin (blues) — Brickmakers
Andi Hopgood and the Simon Briown Trio (jazz) — Rackheath Green Man
Odi (folk/acoustic) — Bicycle Shop
Live & Direct (acoustic) — Rumsey Wells
September 14
Sam Baker (roots/blues) — Arts Centre
Shadows Chasing Ghosts (punk/indie) — Waterfront
Astral Void + more (indie/rock) — B2
Roy Schneider (Americana) — Bedfords
Live Lounge: feat. Amy Bristow + more (acoustic) — The Langtry
Pure Acoustic (open mic) — Brickmakers
September 15
James Hunter (rock/soul) — Arts Centre
Freeload (rock) — Brickmakers
Beyond Duplication (rock) — Blueberry
Johnny Jump Band (rock/blues) — Micawbers Tavern
Loose Leaf Drifters (indie) — Rumsey Wells
The Keno Kings (blues) — Walnut Tree Shades
Ghostriders Western Club: feat. Campbells Country (country) — Royal British Legion
Graham Horne — Rose Tavern
Open Jam — King Edward VII
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here