Thank you to everyone who made it to the Blow Up 20th Anniversary last week and to all the bands Baltic Fleet, Trans, Big Boss Man and DJ's who performed. It was great to see so many old faces from far and wide - it was a blast!
A Hip Hammond hybrid of 60's and 70's drenched R'n'B, Funk, Latin, Jazz, Soul and Pop. Big Boss Man are currently in the studio putting the final touches to their fourth album due out this year on Blow Up Records, and alongside brand new tracks expect such classics such as 'Sea Groove' and 'Party 7' which have won them fans worldwide. Their last album 'Full English Beat Breakfast' was described as:
"Effortlessly hip"**** - Echoes
"Their best album yet" **** - Record Collector
"Big Boss Man are back and groovier than ever"Clash
Described as 'psychedelic post-punk krautrock', GIT-Award winner and Liverpool Music Awards Nominee (Best Album 'Towers', 2013) Baltic Fleet is the moniker of multi-instrumentalist and DIY producer Paul Fleming (ex-Bunnymen) who recently returned with his second album 'Towers' which was described as:
"Immense. Fleming has upped the ante on an already stellar debut"Rough Trade Shops 'Album Of The Week' & 'Albums Of The Month'
"A sublimely cinematic blend of kosmische musik, dream pop" 9/10 Subba-Cultcha
"One of the finest records from Liverpool in years"Liverpool Echo
We're pleased to announce that Bernard Butler and Jackie McKeown’s new project TRANS will be playing on February 15th. They will shortly be releasing their second EP on Rough Trade Records.
This year saw the Blow Up Clublaunch a brand new residency at The Bussey Building in Peckham, London and in October the club reached it's 20th Anniversary (read more) - we'll be celebrating officially on Saturday 15th February 2014.
Over at Blow Up Records, 2013 saw Baltic Fleetwin this year's Liverpool GIT Award, be nominated for Liverpool Music Awards Album of The Year (along side Miles Kane and Ian Skelly) and perform at Yoko Ono's Meltdown. more / listen...
After a long haitus Alfa 9 returned with the stripped back West-Coast influenced second album Gone To Ground and swung back into live action. more / listen...
2013 also saw two debut releases for new signings Daiquiri Fantomas and David Woodcock. Sicilian experimental duo Daiquiri Fantomas released their debut album 'MHz Invasion' this August, including the fantastic 'Moogchile' described as 'Air meets John Barry'. more / listen... Essex-based singer-songwriter David Woodcock released his debut single 'Same Things', and the ltd. 7" 'Tease' more / listen...
Whilst Fay Hallam continued her UK & European tour dates in support of last year's 'Lost In Sound' more / listen... Meanwhile both Big Boss Man and The Bongolian have been touring around Europe, whilst The Bongolian returned for two storming sets at Blow Up this October and December.
Following on from the critical success of the second album 'Towers', this April Baltic Fleet won Liverpool's GIT Award (other nominees included Clinic, Dan Croll, Stealing Sheep and Wave Machines), and was invited to play the opening night of Yoko Ono's Meltdown this June at London's Southbank Centre:
"The judges believe that Towers captured the sprawling vitality of contemporary music and married this to a sonic landscape which is indicative of its birth. Flawless electronic melodies, breezeblock beats and an effortless futuristic edge"
Although Baltic Fleet is essentially the solo recording project of Paul Fleming, his live band have since played around the UK and Europe, shows including Liverpool International Festival Of Psychedelia, Soundcity, Sheffield Sensoria, Norwich S&V. This year they've played with Public Service Broadcasting (caught in action performing 'The Wilds' and 'Toire De'), Hookworms andThe Portico Quartetmore ...
This August Daiquiri Fantomas released 'MHz Invasion', the debut album from the Sicilian experimental Avant-Pop duo Marco Barrano and Dario Sanguedolce. A mainly instrumental cocktail of ideas with a Retro-Futuristic flavour, encompassing Prog, Sci-Fi movie soundtracks & Kosmische (youtube album sampler).
Single 'Moogchile' described as 'Air meets John Barry' receiving spot plays on BBC 6 Music from Don Letts, Gideon Coe, Radcliffe and Maconie and Chris Hawkins and Huey Morgan on BBC Radio 2. more ...
After a long haitus Alfa 9 followed their highly acclaimed debut with ‘Gone To Ground’ a much more stripped back affair, the most recent single from which 'El Morocco' was playlisted for 4 weeks on BBC 6 Music (1.9 million listeners UK & Worldwide) (other singles receiving numerous spot plays). They now haveBBC Radio sessions under their belt for 6 Music, BBC Stoke andBBC Liverpool.
The band have swung back into live action with dates up and down the UK including the Annual Liverpool Psych Fest and a support for Poltergeist in December more ...
Fay Hallam and Nasser Bouzida AKA 'The Bongolian' met when both playing a live show at Blow Up, and they soon discovered that they both shared a serious passion for 60's Hammond Beat and Soul. On 'Lost In Sound', their first collaboration, they immersed themselves in the music they both love, from Bossa Nova, heavier 70's grooves, Latin and Northern Soul, with a choice of classic instruments including old Rhodes, Wurlitzer and Hammond C3 keyboards and other vintage equipment, mixing in some analogue synths. The album was released to critcal acclaim and Fay Hallam continues to tour the album in both the UK and Europe with more dates lined up for 2014 more ...
"A great little pop record" STEVE LAMACQ, BBC 6MUSIC
"Essex has a bit of form when it comes to delivering maverick pop geniuses with a gift for mixing a smidgeon of music hall with a dash of 60s pop and creating inspired, but intelligent tunes"BRANDISH.TV
David Woodcock is a singer song writer based in his hometown of Southend-on Sea, who recently signed to Blow Up in 2012 and he has just finished recording his debut album, due for release early 2014
A pianist and prolific writer, with a strong local following around the pubs and clubs of Southend, he has been building up a solid songbook of sharp lyrics and great melodies that are have been distilled into his debut more ...
October 16th this year marked exactly 20 years to the day when doors opened to the Blow Up club for the first time. Since then it has become a bona-fide legendary club night, being at the centre of the early to mid Nineties Brit Pop explosion, cited as the catalyst and birth place of the Brit Pop scene and influencing the style and sound of a generation. Blow Up was voted as No.4 in Time Out's Top Ten Clubs of the 90s, one of '5 Classic Clubs of Out Time' by Vox Magazine (alongside The Blitz Club and Shoom) and as 'The club that changed the world' by Melody Maker. More recently Blow Up appeared in Time Out's London Calling which described the club as "the breeding gournd of the Brit Pop sound" and in NME's Original's Top Ten Britpop Moments. From its origins at The Laurel Tree, Camden Town (1993-1996), to Soho venues the Wag Club (1996-2001) the Metro Club (2002-2009), and through various London venues since (2009-2013), Blow Up is one of London's longest running club nights. We've hosted events in Europe, and further afield, with events in USA, Russia and Japan, whilst the Blow Up club compilations ('Blow Up A-Go-Go!' and 'Blow Up presents Exclusive Blend') have proved popular worldwide.
There is nowhere else quite like Blow Up, and in many ways it’s still unique. ‘Blow Up may be inspired by the ’60s,’ wrote Time Out years ago, ‘but their night could run and run.’ It looks set to do just that. Time Out London, January 2009
"Year after year, Blow Up just seems to get better"The Evening Standard No.4: Time Out's Top Ten Club's of The 90s
"The club that changed the world"Melody Maker
"This is the night which spawned a thousand bands, inspiring fashion designers and stylists to recreate the look for the mainstream"The Guest List
"Legendary"Time Out, Evening Standard, NME
The Roxy, Blitz Club, Shoom, Syndrome & Blow Up: Vox Magazine's 5 Classic Clubs of our Time
"The London clubland institution"The Guardian Guide
Just uploaded this week - Baltic Fleetperforming 'Toire De' from his new album 'Towers' back in May at Village Underground joined onstage by Public Service Broadcasting (Baltic Fleet's Paul Fleming later joined PSB for their last number 'Everest'). The sold-out show was supporting Public Service Broadcasting and they'll be playing with them again at Hebden Bridge Trade Club on June 22nd.
Last Friday we headed down to London's Southbank Centre to catch both of Baltic Fleet's sets at the opening night of Yoko Ono's Meltdown Festival as well as the lady herself in Yoko Ono's Plastic Ono band, joined onstage by Peaches.
Baltic Fleet's set was described by Bloomberg as "the psychedelic mid-point between Joy Division and Daft Punk". The band caught up with Sean Lennon at the aftershow too - check out the photos on Flickr.
Baltic Fleet performing new single 'The Wilds' (with a nod to Daft Punk) live at the Village Underground last month on. The sold-out show was supporting Public Service Broadcasting and they'll be playing with them again at Hebden Bridge Trade Club on June 22nd.
The Blow Up club headed back to the USA twice this year, with shows in LA, San Francisco and Sacramento. And in October Blow Up took part in the annual Oxjam series of shows in Leicester. Plus our London residency in West London carried on from 2011 with live guests including Sulk, The Fractures, Thee Faction, Fay Hallam, David Woodcock, B-Movie....
Read more below....
BALTIC FLEET 'TOWERS'...
"Immense. Fleming has upped the ante on an already stellar debut," Rough Trade Shops 'Album of the week' & 'Albums of the MONTH'
"Exceptional motorik beats"NME
"A sublimely cinematic blend of kosmische musik and dream pop" 9/10 Subba-Cultcha
"Something very special indeed"Crack Magazine
"One of the finest records from Liverpool in years"Liverpool echo
"A wonderfully well rounded and complete album" Louder Than War 'Album Of The Week' & an Album Of The Year
AN ALBUM OF THE YEAR: LOUDER THAN WAR, VIVE LE ROCK, CRACK MAGAZINE, LIVERPOOL ECHO, RESIDENT RECORDS & MORE...
On Friday 26th October we're back with our friends at the excellent Club Underground at The Grand Star Jazz Club - LA's best indie night! Plus get your costume ready, as this week they'll be celebrating Halloween. Great Music, Candy, Costumes, Groovy Ghoulies, Spooky Photobooth, Horror Film Screening, Prizes & Halloween themed drinks!
And then on Monday 29th October we're back again in San Francisco at the lovely Monarch. Blow Up founder/DJ Paul Tunkin + rotating DJs Galine Tumasova (Shake Appeal) + Major Sean (Tailor Made, Club Leisure) + Liam Caton (Shake Appeal) and a special live performance by excellent The Bang girl group!
Plus as its our 19th anniversary party there'll be some Blow Up vinyl give aways at both events, so get down early!
Blow Up Records is excited to be part of Oxjam this year, with 3 artists Baltic Fleet, The Bongolian & David Woodcock all appearing live as part of the Leicester Music Takeover on October 20th:
Mod Soul New-Wave & Britpop Action For Pop Stylists!
Blow Up returns to SF and to the Monarch with a great line-up of DJs from the SF scene: Carlos Perez (Tailor Made), Major Sean (Tailor Made, Club Leisure), Galine Tumasova (Shake Appeal) & Russel Quan (Teenage Dance Craze) and a live show from The Chuckleberrys.
Plus FAY HALLAM & THE BONGOLIAN Record Release Party! (Blow Up Records) This is a brand new collaboration between Fay Hallam (Makin' Time, The Prime Movers, Phaze) and Blow Up Records' Nasser Bouzida (The Bongolian).
Friday 27th April - Los Angeles - Underground @ Grand Star Jazz - Info / Facebook Saturday 28th April - Sacramento - Townhouse Lounge - Info / Facebook Tuesday 1st May - San Francisco - Monarch - Info / Facebook (Friday 4th May - London - Ginglik - Info / Facebook)
Blow Up in association with Record Club / Club Underground / Shake Appeal is excited to announce another return for Blow Up to California in 2012: On Friday 27th Blow Up teams up with the Club Underground again in LA in their new home at the Grand Star Jazz with Blow Up DJ/Founder Paul Tunkin and Club Underground DJs Larry G (aka Supercrass), Diana M. (Sweater Girls), Liz O. ( Bang!), Bip Jeffington (Bang!, Beat It). Running since 2001, Club Underground has been the premiere Britpop, Indie, Eletro Pop, Twee, Post-Punk, Soul, Sixties and New Wave party in Los Angeles... ...Followed the next day on Saturday 28th at The Townhouse Lounge in Sacramento, with DJ Paul Tunkin, Record Club's Roger Carpio, a live set from San Francisco's Cellar Doors plus a light show by George Holden (lightshow artist since 1966 and one of the pioneers in the field. He first worked with Abecrombe Lights featured by Bill Graham at the original Fillmore West and Winterland shows in San Francisco) and an art show by the talented Galine Tumasova who collaborated with Blow Up's Claudia Arnold for the ace series of club posters this year... ...Followed by San Francisco on Tuesday 1st May at The Monarch with DJs Paul Tunkin and a great line-up of DJs from the SF scene Carlos Perez (Tailor Made), Major Sean (Tailor Made, Club Leisure), Liam Caton (Shake Appeal) & Galine Tumasova (Shake Appeal)! Sponsored by Ben Sherman (thanks Mikey Tashjian!) ...followed by Blow Up back in London on Friday 4th May at Ginglik with a special anniversary show for B-Movie... phew!
BLOW UP returns to Sacramento! With Cellar Doors (San Francisco) live, DJs Paul Tunkin (Blow Up founder) & Roger Carpio spinning Pop Stylism, 60′s Soul, Beat, Garage, Funk, Ska, Soundtracks, Electronica, Library Music colliding with British Pop, Glam, Indie-Pop and New-Wave. Plus a light show by George Holden (a lightshow artist since 1966 and one of the pioneers in the field. He first worked with Abecrombe Lights featured by Bill Graham at the original Fillmore West and Winterland shows in San Francisco). Art by Galine Tumasova!
Some Blow Up highlights of 2011, including HMV's Next Big Thing back in February, another return to the USA and Japan, Latitude Festival in July, The Bongolian's fourth album and the club finally coming of age (b. October 16th 1993).
□世界を変えたパーティー。-メロディメーカー誌- （The club that changed the world - Melody Maker）
ロンドン・クラブ・シーンが最もホットだったとされる90年代――そのまっただ中、1993年にパーティー【blow up】は〈The Laurel Tree Pub〉においてスイングしはじめた。主宰はPaul Tunkin。カムデンにあった2階建ての小さなパブで開催されていたパーティーながら、毎週土曜〈The Laurel Tree Pub〉の外には、長い長い行列が作られていった。その人気は年々大きくなり、Select誌やTime Out誌、Vox誌などの有力メディアでも取り上げられ、〈Cream〉や〈Ministry of Sound〉といったロンドンを代表する大型クラブに肩を並べるほどの人気を誇るようになった。その常連にはブラーやパルプ、スウェード、ステレオ・ラ ブ、ジーザス＆メリー・チェインから、スパイス・ガールズ（！）にいたるまでさまざま。その後は〈Wag Club（1996-2001）〉、〈The Metro Club（2002-2009）〉など場所を移しながら、現在も〈THE ALLEY CAT）にて、Paul Tunkin、Ian Jacksonのふたりによって続けられている。
歴代のレジデントDJには、Paul、IanそしてAndy Lewis（現在はポール・ウェラー・バンドのベーシストでもある）が〈blow up floor〉で60年代のモッド・ミュージック、インディ・ポップ、ノーザン・ソウル、ブルー・ビート、ニューウェーヴなどをプレイ。〈jet set floor〉では、The Karminsky Experience（1993から1995年の間プレイ）、Nori（池田正典、1995から1998の間プレイ、彼が日本へ帰国した後はカーミンス キー兄弟が再び〈Wag〉の閉店まで担当）らが彼らの友人たち、Martin Green(Smashing/The Sound Gallery)、Keb Darge(Deep Funk)、Jazz Man Gerald(Jazz Man Record)、Soul Jazz Record Crew等をゲストに迎えてさまざまなライブラリー・ミュージック、ファンク・レアグルーヴ、ムード・ミュージック等をプレイ。またレジデントDJたちは 【blow up DJ's】としてブラーなどのツアーDJ、フェスへのテント参加、そしてNMEブリティシュアワード・パーティーでのDJなども担当し、主宰のPaulは レーベル《blow up records》を立ち上げ、レアなマテリアルを扱ったコンピやパーティーのクラシック集、そして多くのバンド／アーティストをレーベルから世に送り出す など活躍の場を広げていった。
This June Blow Up teamed up with Leisure (San Francisco), Club Underground (LA) and Lipstick! (Sacramento) - thanks to everyone in California for making this trip the most memorable yet!
Blow Up USA Poster by Galine MoDemoiselle Photos clockwise from top left: RO (Raoul Ortega), CA (Claudia Arnold), RO, Galine MoDemoiselle, RO RO, CA, CA. Centre: RO. With special thanks to Raoul Ortega Photography
Blow Up will be seeing out the last night at Latitude Festival on July 17th in the Comedy Arena…
"A wild celebration from the other side of Pop where the Kinks, Bowie, Blur share the dancefloor with current newcomers Pete & The Pirates, British Sea Power and Metronomy, all alongside Blow Up's trademark mix of Swinging Soundtracks & TV Themes (The Italian Job to Barbarella), 60s Exotica & Electronica (Jean-Jacques Perry), 60s Club Soul (Motown, Stax etc.), Northern Soul, Beat, Mod Jazz, French Pop (Jacques Dutronc, Bridget Bardot) and New Wave (XTC, Wire). Club founder & DJ Paul Tunkin will be joined by long-time co-resident DJ Mr. Ian Jackson who both guarantee to keep you dancing 'til dawn (well 2am!)"
Stay tuned for Blow Up's 18th Birthday later this year.
Big Boss Man return once again to Spain with an 11 date tour this March including Madrid, Barcelon, Alicante, Leon and more. See all dates here to see if they're coming to a town near you. They'll also be paying a visit to France in April (St. Nazaire) and June at the annual 'Riviera Affair '60s Mod Weekend' in Nice.
They'll be performing tracks from their first 2 albums Humanize and Winner, and from their critically acclaimed new album Full English Beat Breakfast!
Blow Up comes to Oxford for a special one off at The Cellar this January - Resident Blow Up DJs Paul Tunkin & Ian Jackson will be bringing you a mix of Orgasmic Pop 60s Mod Soul New Wave action. Plus special live guests Blow Up Records' The Bongolian.
Blow Up is pleased to announce the first of a series of Birthday Shows to celebrate it's 16th Anniversary. Starting with two one-off shows on the East and West Coast of North America. More dates tba for 2010.
