As previously mentioned on The Quietus, we’ve got together with the one and only Wire to put on a series of events this Spring. These will coincide with the release of their new album Change Becomes Us and feature some of our and Wire’s favourite new artists. The concept is a similar one to when we put on Wire with Factory Floor and LoneLady at the Lexington a few years ago – Wire in the context of new music, always looking to the future. Drill:London – Wire:March takes place between March 21st and 24th at The Lexington, Cafe Oto and Heaven. Full details and ticket links below, for more on Change Becomes Us visit the Wire website.
The Lexington events offer a reflection of Wire’s pop side. Playing Thursday March 21st is Malka Spigel, whose LP Every Day Is Like The First Day was a written with her partner, Wire’s Colin Newman. He’ll be in her live band, along with To Roccoco Rot’s Ronald Lippok and Gil Luz & Uri Frost from Mambas. Openers It Hugs Back feature new Wire guitarust Matt Simms, while joint headliners with Spigel are Charlie Boyer & The Voyeurs, whose glammy, boys-with-bare-shoulders live sets have been rather tickling our fancy of late. The following night (March 22nd) will be headlined by long-time Quietus favourites Comanechi with Stranger Son and the aforementioned Mambas in support. On March 23rd, Toy will headline the Lexington with Secret Special Guests to be announced. When we first saw Toy at Field Day 2011 one of the most striking things about their set was the ‘Map Ref’ referencing psychedelic melodies at the heart of their epic builds. Colin Newman’s side-to-side head shake (that Elastica nicked along with ‘Connection’) in time with their ace set at Heaven last year suggests he agreed.
At Cafe Oto on Friday March 22nd there’s a loose, unconscious theme of place. On the bill are Edvard Graham Lewis and Klara Lewis, who uses sounds recorded in disparate cities around the world in her work. Then there’s Mute’s Land Observations, whose album Roman Roads was one of of our favourite albums of 2012, using looped guitar eddies to evoke the ghosts in the landscape left by the ancient transport networks of the Legions. The final part of the night will be Robin ‘Scanner’ Rimbaud performing a specially written piece with Gazelle Twin. Wire aptly describe Scanner as a "Flaneur Electrique", while Gazelle Twin explores dystopias of real and imagined worlds as brilliantly described in this feature she did for The Quietus. Stay tuned for information on the Saturday March 23rd event.
Drill:London – Wire:March concludes on Sunday March 24th at the Heaven nightclub. The Quietus Phonographic Corporation’s East India Youth will support, and Wire will play their new album Change Becomes Us in its entirety. The encore will be a performance of Wire’s ‘Pink Flag’ played by the pinkflag guitar orchestra, "a collection of individuals whose main connection to the band is that they are Wire fans." Ticket details are all below.
March 21st, 2013 – The Lexington
Charlie Boyer and the Voyeurs + Malka Spigel + It Hugs Back
Charlie Boyer moonlighting from Electricity In Our Homes in his new "pop" guise, co/headlining with Malka Spigel’s UK debut with her band featuring Wire’s Colin Newman, To Roccoco Rot’s Ronald Lippok and Gil Luz & Uri Frost from Mambas. The evening is rounded off with a performance by Matt Simms’ It Hugs Back, who have a new album out in March. Buy tickets here.
March 22nd, 2013 – The Lexington
Comanechi + Stranger Son + Mambas
Comanechi have long staked their reputation as one of the fiercest bands in London, with gargantuan riffs topped with Akiko Matsuura’s hectoring scream. Now joined by a drummer, they’ll be celebrating the release of new album You Owe Me Nothing But Love. Support comes from the equally unhinged dance noise of Mambas and psychedelic Stranger Son. Buy tickets here.
March 22nd 2013 – Cafe Oto
Gazelle Twin in collaboration with Scanner + Land Observations + Edvard Graham Lewis + Klara Lewis
Friday night at Cafe Oto unites an disparate group of artists with connection to Wire, all with a connection – of sorts – to ideas of place. Think Map Ref expanded. Klara Lewis builds her music from field recordings made in locations that range from Turkey to Germany and Russia. Mute’s Land Observations (a solo project of James Brooks, ex of Appliance) uses looped guitar eddies to evoke the ghosts in the landscape left by the Roman Road network. Finally, long-time friend of Wire Robin ‘Scanner’ Rimbaud will perform a unique collaboration with Gazelle Twin, whose music explores dystopias of real and imagined worlds. Buy tickets here.
March 23rd, 2013 – The Lexington
Toy + Special Secret Guests
Although their long hair suggests an early ’70s cosmic rock group, young Londoners Toy share with Wire a love of melodic psychedelia and songs that build and build before knocking you down. Last year’s debut album was a critical hit and their live show is something to behold. Support TBA… Buy tickets here.
March 24th, 2013 – Heaven
Wire + East India Youth + pinkflag guitar orchestra
