more faces, Aug-Sept ’23
angst, neck chains & pulsing veins… a drummer, 2 stages, a narcissist in the toilet:
photos by Leroy Brown, Rob Trendy, Chris Hibberd &c
Barelife / MF / Nancy Cancer: the faces, June ’23
photos by Chris Hibberd (The Pipeline, Brighton, 29 June)
That was a phenomenal night – maybe one of the best ever. A superb gig with lovely people – oh the atmosphere! Thanks to Nancy Cancer for a terrific debut performance and Barelife for a throbbing industrial climax. Grunge, post punk, techno: all the good stuff. It’s gigs like these that make it worthwhile. More to come!
no sleep till…
Peer Hat – w/ Good Boy Nikko & Kodak Kid
Pipeline – w/ Nil By Habit & The Wondering Weskits
Paradiddles – w/ Jenny Hallam & Sam Cooper
Yuck Club – w/ Astoria, Pest, The Mooches & Elliot Cook
…Someone call an ambulance. Actually, no – that’s not a rigorous schedule at all, not really. It is pretty cool, though. Nice to get out of town; nice to get back to town. Nice to play anywhere. Nice to be alive!
visual riches, Oct ’21
A brief whizz of noise from Bar 42 the other week – song is Ugly Man.
Here’s the recent Eight Miles High Club gig in Brighton… had some good gigs lately, but this one had to be the most fun in a while – with 2) Fane 3) Melt Plastic Group & 4) the edge of an energetic crowd: all fantastic.
Eight Miles High Club on instagram
compilation album feature, plus GIGS
My track Envy The Birds (LP version) appears on this compilation from Aldora Britain Records, ‘King For A Day’.
In their own words of blurb, “AB Records is an e-zine and record label that promotes the music and work of authentic independent or underground artists from all around the world”, and – unlike some in this line – refreshingly legit and non-scammy… A shame that’s the exception rather than the norm… Anyway, there’s 25 tracks (mine’s 11th), including psych, fuzz, folk & coldwave; mine brings the art rock progressiveness, it says here.
It’s a song I’m proud of, and happy it’s getting a bit more exposure; incidentally, the slimmed-down radio edit just got a share on Point of View Promotions‘ Soundcloud, if you’d like to hear it with no second verse.
Gigs? Gigs:
(Looks a bit like I own shares in the Rossi Bar – sadly I don’t, it’s just the odd way these things work out sometimes.)
next gigs, Oct-Nov
The recent run of gigs went really well – as I may already have said, it’s so good to be doing this again and getting such an energized reception. The dream never rusted! There’s a few more to come over the next couple of months… situation permitting… in London (for Trust The Doc at the Amersham Arms), Worthing (Bar 42) & Brighton in November (Rossi Bar, electric line-up this time). Otherwise, am working on new material but that won’t see daylight for a while yet; working on life too, which… likewise, probably… x
So good to be back…
Bar 42, Worthing, 15 Aug
We did our first gig in about 18 months a couple of days ago.
It was hot, sweaty and loud – I’d almost forgotten how that feels. It went great, and I’m hyper-aware what a pleasure and privilege it is, after the shitty time we’ve all endured, to do this again. Personally, I dealt with the suspense by focusing on my recent album and working on a follow-up; but there was a point where many venues’ survival looked pretty shaky – as did the whole musical ecosystem where I occupy a marginal corner. And while the covid ordeal’s not over just yet, at least that part of it is. I’m very, very glad.
More to follow – something early September for Sad House Daddy in London first of all, then a couple of things closer to home. Details shortly! x
live at last: 22 Sept, Brighton
So I finally got the go-ahead for another gig in this our post-visitation yr 2021: I’m promoting this one, so you know it’ll be pharmaceutical quality.
After such a long lay-off it feels like a big deal, although the thing itself’s fairly low-key… Well I say that, but it features the immensely talented and fascinating Oli Spleen (with friends, in Gaslight Illuminati guise) & unique polymathic genius R Dyer.
Come see.
Feb gig review / visuals
“Matt played his guitar with menace tonight”
The gig went really well – thanks to Leisure Tank and headliners Skinny Milk. We got reviewed, too, courtesy Plugged In Brighton – link here. A brief video:
And a few pix (thanks to Mik Hanscomb. The out-of-focus shots of the other bands are mine – I’m a musician, not a photojournalist… clearly):
…Onward to the next one.
Feb gig & a new song on the radio
GIGS (rest of…) 2019
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
interview / LP review / August gig news
“We all choose our suffering. There is ugly suffering and there is beautiful suffering. You, I think, are somewhere in between”
That’s a quote from an interview I did with The Sound Lab, here. (One of the more… interesting audience responses I’ve had in a while, that was.)
There’s also a review of Vanishing Island in print and online in Devolution Magazine – a good one, check it out here.
…Another full-throat shout-out for the August gig:
GREENNESS (full band) onstage 10pm
“Hypnotic electro acoustic tunes creating a relaxed atmosphere with a whiff of Massive Attack / The Sugarcubes” – Breaking Glass Magazine
https://www.facebook.com/pg/greennessmusic/
https://www.greennessmusic.com/
MATT FINUCANE + band onstage 9.15
“The troubadour of disharmony, back to confront, provoke, and captivate in his unique way” – The Ring Master Review
https://www.facebook.com/Matt.x.Finucane/
https://mattfinucane.net/
LUCY FELIZ onstage 8.30
“A unique brand of melancholy folk that’s unforgettable in its intensity” – Line Of Best Fit
https://www.facebook.com/lucyfelizmusic/
https://www.losfeliz.co.uk/
Wed 7 Aug, The Prince Albert
£4 OTD
DOORS 8pm
MUSIC from 8.30 sharp
…After that, I’ve got stuff booked up till December, solo & electric band (and one acoustic duo gig). More on that to follow.
gig review, Real Music Club (July ’18)
Because reviews of my live performances are few and far between, here’s something from the Real Music Club‘s July Newsletter that’s worth quoting in full:
Fri 22 Jun, Real Music Club @ The Brunswick (Brighton) – w/ Nick Pynn & The Boy In The Cupboard
With thanks to David Page and Joe Bridge.
(Actually, there was one other recent gig review – of the electric band, by Plugged In Brighton, here.)
next gig / Monolith Cocktail & Plugged In Brighton / next gig
photo by Lewis McKale
The Hope & Ruin gig was superb – as were Pink Narcissus, Peter Cat and Lewis McKale. A wonderful night, and thanks to everyone involved.
Two more upcoming local gigs:
Wed 20 Jun, The Prince Albert – electric band (Octopuses single launch) – wegottickets
Fri 22 Jun, The Brunswick – solo acoustic (Real Music Club)
What can I say – I’m a greedy bitch. To soak up the folly, the gigs will be poles apart in sound, feel and setlist (very different venues too). For the first, there’ll be electricity, bass and drums; the second, I’ll be alone up there… After that, it’s oblivion for a little while.
Meanwhile, a track from the new EP’s featured on Monolith Cocktail’s Quarterly Playlist Revue, alongside Dr Octagon, Grimm Grimm and Crayola Lectern, to name a few – it’s an immersive, intelligently-structured listening experience; switch that phone off and strap in for a journey by tracklist.
An oldie, Lilith, features on the third edition of Plugged In Brighton’s Mixcloud in a rockier setting; Young Francis, Big Slammu et al bring the scuzz.
The two programmes are very reflective of the two nights – one’s adrenaline noise, the other’s a head trip. Explore!
Metal likeness, 25mm
Badges… badges everywhere
A strange feeling, putting yr image into a 25mm metal circle. How do bands cope with their gormless faces plastered all over T-shirts and other… “merch”? Come to a gig and take these damn things away.
…But there are several more to come, including a third go with Safehouse in the Wildcard Quartet, end of June. Details here, as they become available. Anyway, ask me for a badge and you can have one.
11 June gig, Hope & Ruin, and other stories
My next full-band gig’s on Mon 11 June at the Hope & Ruin, with Pink Narcissus, Peter Cat & Lewis McKale. I’ll be onstage from 8:30, with a new drummer and new songs – truly, playing with the big boys…
Before that, there’s a return to Mr Wolf’s in Bristol (tomorrow!) and another go at Bar 42 in Worthing (electric this time). I chase the phantom wherever it leads, till the oil runs out and the lights go off.
I love a blog entry studded with enticing blue links. So – another track from the new EP can be heard on the second Mixcloud from Plugged In Brighton, along with loads of other really good hard stuff. Listen at leisure.
Cargo gig pix Dec 17
from the 69X End of Year show at Cargo, London, 16th Dec ’17
photos by Paul Newman
last 2017 gig: Cargo LDN, 16 Dec, 10-hour homeless charity benefit
A big title, but then it’s a big day. Runs 12 – 10:00pm on Sat 16 Dec, promoted by 69X Music, features:
Amber Anderton/Elliot Falla/Danny Martin/Spidasense/LegPuppy/The Wax Lyrical Sound/Act of Love/40 Shillings On The Drum/LaFlamme/Lauren V/Nemesis…
Plus film crew, a “surprise guest” and me – kicking it off at noon.
Proceeds to homeless charities http://www.streetlink.org.uk/ | http://dotslondon.co.uk/ | https://www.mungos.org/
A good one to go out on for 2017, then.
Here’s a short fb vid:
EP launch & gig
My new EP comes out today (25th Oct), and I’m doing a gig on Sun 29th for Brighton Noise to mark the launch. It’s beyond cool to be asked to play by them – plus ChrySalliss Presents – on a bill with Cali Santo and local legends The Long Goodbye.
Following that, there are more gigs across the UK: check back for updates.
EP can be found on Bandcamp here
plus Amazon, Apple Music & Spotify
BBC session free download
Here’s a free download, moved across to Bandcamp from Soundcloud.
It’s a BBC Introducing: South session with my previous live band (including links by DJ Melita Dennett – these were included in the original files they sent me afterward, and add a pleasing sense of the captured moment).
Live-wise, my next gig’s in Brighton at Campbell Rd Studios, for these guys:
Feel free to pig out on all of the above.
electric band PIX
Some photos of Thursday’s full-band gig. Mik and Steve sounded great – dead showbiz.
gig, Thur 13 April – with electric band
Octopuses (Bouncy Castle single launch!)
alt indie dance from the bottom of the (Brighton) sea
https://www.facebook.com/octopusesband/
Matt Finucane + band
chanelling Lou Reed stylings with backing band
https://mattfinucane.net/
AK Patterson
folk singer songwriter…
https://m.facebook.com/akpatterson
live at the Prince Albert on Thursday 13th April
Doors Open: 8pm
Entry: £4
tickets on the door only
email: dazedawake@gmail.com
Halloween GIG of inspired madness
be afraid
Got no idea what to expect – here’s a link.
It’s At The Coach House, and therefore will be mental & beyond… Also ties in neatly as a celebration of Lilith coming out.
…And as an exaltation of the evil spirits of the unclean dead rising to destroy the living, of course. All good wholesome fun.
Kind words from Shindig Magazine, radio play & GIG
recommendation indeed
Shindig Magazine had some good words for Lilith – see above.
Doing a free gig in Brighton tonight at Molly Malone’s for StrungOut Music. Onstage early, 8:30ish, which means I’ll probably still be sober.
You can hear Lilith on RoundSound Radio – looks like a good show, all kindsa stuff going on. That’s from 8pm this eve.
Finally… got a nice (brief) write-up from SupaJam, complete with Soundcloud link.
So that’s 3 different ways you can check out the song for yourself, since I’ll also be playing it live: have a reckon.
