May 9th Cityscape Presents line-up announced
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There is an international flavour to the next Cityscape Presents at Bolton’s Octagon Theatre on Saturday 9th May which features Denver/ Manchester band Blind Atlas and Belgian singer/ songwriter Maxwell Watts.
Blind Atlas came together through a shared love of drinking, melancholia and the Flying Burrito Brothers. Comprising Ross Thompson (Lead vocals and guitar), Adam Jones (vocals and guitar), Cameron Baxter (vocals and bass) and Christian Jacobs (vocals anddrums), Blind Atlas have become familiar faces on the Manchester circuit, notching up headline slots at some of the most iconic venues in the city, as well as supporting the likes of Liam Frost and Detroit’s Deadstring Brothers.
One point fans of the band will attest to is their ability to expertly combine the traditional melancholy of the classic Northern sound with the boozy soul of American alternative country. As they themselves put it: “If we had to describe the type of music we play it would be our own version of alternative country with more of a 21st Century vibe.” And Cameron recently described the sound to one journalist as being “quite a unique conflict of British and American musical styles”. Hailing from Colorado, frontman Ross was quick to inject his own roots into their music, making it more akin to Neil Young than Morrissey. “It’s like a melancholic overload! There’s this battle of Americana versus Britannia – and it’s producing some really amazing music.”
Support comes from the multi-talented Maxwell Watts and his quartet. Maxwell Watts was born and raised in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. He was brought-up in a classical music background along his older sister Gillian ( a Mezzo-Soprano Opera singer ), his younger sister Katrina ( a cellist ), his mother Evelyn ( a music and history of Art teacher ). He moved to Manchester in the late nineties to study a sound engineering course at Salford University and lived with a group of other musicians and art students from all different parts of the globe; Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Nigeria, USA: “The house became a real creative platform with open music jams. Musicians from Salford University would come in and out to join in with the grooves”. From this background Maxwell went onto form a band, Oddness, and now has a great quartet currently performing the Americana, folk, jazzy acoustic side of his personality.
The line-up is completed by Ben McGarvey, a rising talent on the Manchester acoustic circuit whose last album, Too Busy Framing prompted the Manchester News to say, McGarvey has locked himself away in his bedroom and crafted songs of true otherworldly magic and splendour. Bursting with beautiful acoustic melodies and hooks…”
The night will be compered by comedienne Katie Mulgrew.
Brad B Wood, founder of Cityscape Records, said: “These nights are proving to be a real success with the past three selling out. This is another quality line-up featuring three acts I’m really happy to have found. I’m sure they’ll all go down well with our regular audience.”
Thanks to an Arts Council fiunded scheme, there are a limited number of free tickets available to under 26s – contact the Octagon box office for details.
Listen to the bands here: www.myspace.com/blindatlas , www.myspace.com/maxwellwattsmusic and www.myspace.com/benmcgarvey
The next Cityscape Presents will take place on 20th June featuring Kirsty McGee & Mat Martin and Alex Hulme before returning in the autumn.
