Two mates got together to put on bands they think are ace. Hardly rocket science.
If you want to stay up to date with all of our lovely gigs, why not drop us an email at [email protected] and join our mailing list. We'll only e-mail you about our gigs, nowt else!
We've recently had some very nice press in the Leeds Guide about our December 2006 show at the Holy Trinity. Take a look here .
And Leeds Music Scene seemed to enjoy the show on the 24th of February as well - see here .
And Whisperin' & Hollerin' also seemed to enjoy the May 4th show. See here .
And Leeds Music Scene were rather pleased with out November 27th show as well, it would seem...
You can also check out the photos Paul has taken of (nearly) all of the previous Forest of Sounds here . The quality varies wildly, but hey. That's what you get for taking photos whilst drunk.
The next one...
Sunday: 25/05/2008 @ The Holy Trinity Church, Leeds. Doors 8pm.
£10 adv / £12 on the door. Tickets available at We Got Tickets and Jumbo Records .
Join the Last FM fun here .
Stars of the Lid
Easily one of the most important bands of our times (and we don't say that lightly), Stars of the Lid are the highpoint of the ambient genre. Their influence on the music that really matters over the last decade has been huge, and we're incredibly honoured to be hosting them again in Leeds. This gig will be very very different, and very very special.
Stars of the Lid have excelled at designing subtle, minimalist epics which sound like they're being played on a single multifaceted organic instrument. They offer subtle, endlessly evolving stories about the dynamics of sonic texture, at the same time seeming to offer a picture of pure, unfettered consciousness. Their music are largely beatless soundscapes composed of droning, effects-treated guitars along with piano, strings, and horns; volume swells and feedback fill the gap of rhythmic instruments, providing dynamic movement within the songs. A wise man once described SOTL as "divine classical drones without the tedious intrusion of drums, or vocals."
"...the kind of music that makes consciousness seem like an annoying state...most ambient outfits demand a close, meditative listening, but few deliver with as many sonic rewards as Stars of the Lid." - Pitchfork Media
"...original and evocative music, smart and technical without sacrificing atmosphere and feeling. Stars of the Lid once described their name as referring to the private images generated between the eye and closed eyelid... they have provided these images with suitable soundtrack." - www.popmatters.com
The Declining Winter
The Declining Winter is the musical project of Richard Vincent Adams of Leeds UK, the co-founder of the continuing group Hood and a full time stricken office worker. What does it sound like? Richard says "cassette tapes spilling out of the glovebox of a 1970's Datsun Sunny somewhere in the north of England, captured on Super 8 film". He's not far off. Live he is joined by a few more people to bring the beautiful pastoral feel to life. Wonderful stuff.
"...reminicent of Hood it may well be, but its also an intriguing leap further into electronic pulses, endless loops and jarring discordance. Where Hood are majestic, The Declining Winter is edgy, disturbing and anxious. And what is Adams anxious about? Well amongst other things the environment. If you purchase this record itr comes wrapped in recycled materials - old unsold records, unwanted packaging and unused photos. Thats what I call music with a conscience." Sandman
The one after that...
Friday: 06/06/2008 @ The Packhorse, Leeds. Doors 8pm, £5.
Join the Last FM fun here .
Koen Holtkamp
Operating under various pseudonyms (as half of the brilliant Mountains and all of Aero), Koen is no stranger to producing beautiful music. Under his own name, expect no different - layers of warm organic noise and found sound combine to make pieces that are both gorgeously minimalistic and endelessly deep. He's making the trip over from New York to celebrate the launch of his new album on Type records, and you'd be a fool to miss him!
"Things slowly develop into a shimmering drone, albeit one that is carefully assembled in a way that allows all elements to shine - unabashed melodicism mingles with more experimental composition techniques without either element managing to dominate... impeccably crafted, often gorgeous tunes that appease quickly in their overt melodicism, and yet contain layer upon layer of studious detail that reveals itself only after multiple listens." - Dusted
Pausal
Gorgeously organic music that washes over you and through you - the best of all ambient music understands the importance of holding back, of understatement, of beauty - Pausal acheive this, and more. Stunning stuff for a night of pure sonic bliss.
"The pieces individually move from near-silence through a creaky murmur through an enveloping warmth that grows and grows... if you close your eyes — and this is the sort of music that makes you want to close your eyes — you might mistake it for some pastoral moment in Debussy" - disquiet.com
randomNumber
Forest of Sound's favourite one man laptop genius comes back to regail us with his excellent and deeply inventive brand of electronica. There's a reason that he's so energetic in his performance - his music is brilliant. Simple. As.
"randomNumber creates a mesh of emotive, brooding harmonies drawn and quartered by complex, beat-heavy rhythms. It's digital music with a human heart at its centre. Robson’s hyperactive beat mechanics and alchemical sound manipulations are bound together with a keen sense of melody shaped by his many years of playing in the Leeds alternative music scene, most notably as drummer for Hood (which culminated with their release Home Is Where It Hurts)." - last fm
The one after that...
Sunday: 13/07/2008 @ The Brudenell Social Club, Leeds. Doors 8pm. In association with The Brudenell Social Club .
£7 adv / £9 on the door. Tickets available at Jumbo Records , Crash Records , and Seetickets .
Join the Last FM fun here .
Efterklang
A Danish collective on the excellent Leaf label , Efterklang are astounding on record - a fusion of electronics, sea song, rock and ambience that envelops you slowly and beautifully. Live, they take this core of beauty and project it with such force in to the audience that it takes on a whole new life - every emotion amplified, every note laden with passion.
Last time they played Leeds they captivated 250 people in a packed out Brudenell Social Club. If you caught them last time, you know you can't miss it again. If you didn't... well, you know what you have to do...
"Efterklang, live and on record, are rarely less than an incredibly moving and inspiring listen. If you’re yet to let them breach your taste defences, watch the bombs explode below ‘til your heart pops in time." - www.drownedinsound.com
Bracken
Oh. My. Yes. Bracken, being a "a collective of like minded individuals spiralling in an uncertain and ill defined orbit" led by Chris Adams (aka co-founder of legends Hood ) make simply stunning music - walls of ambient sound, dark dub bass and atmospheres, destroyed and re-claimed found sound, beats that range from over-powering to perfectly understated... all topped with vocals and lyrics from a man who knows his own heart. FoS are HUGE Bracken fans, 'cause they're f**king amazing.
"...[Bracken] perfects the mixture of atmosphere and dub thump. The density of the sound - a soup of horns, organs, guitars, reverb-soaked vocals - sounds like screwed-and-chopped background noise. But in a good way. There are untold details to sift through, melodies to follow, in the washes of pirate-radio static... warm and icy, mechanical and natural, at the same time. " - www.pitchforkmedia.com
James Yates
You may recognise James from his skin hitting duties in the jaw droppingly good The Pattern Theory . So it'll come as no surprise that his solo show is something to behold - organic electronics, perfect drums, spot on percussion and mad-as-a-hatter inventiveness. Four Tet or Battles are reference points... but Master Yates makes them sound like worthless s**t. On his own. You have to watch this guy. If you don't believe, listen to 'Yammystar' on his MySpace . You won't resist it's charms.
(By the way - the sublime illustrative genius that aesthetically signifies our events [the bloke who does our poster designs] can be found here .)
