Monday 25 July 2011

STOKE SOUNDS FESTIVAL 2011


In case you haven't heard we're hosting a Festival on 30th July.

We have a new home in Fenton Park - Victoria Road (where the fireworks are) for a map click here.

Unfortunately there is no parking on site, but bus route 6 will take you there (Hanley)and back.

The stages open at 12 noon, so come and join the fun.

Main Stage - Indie and Rock Favourites
The Rivalry
6 Towns
Vellocet
The Control
Snake Eyes Jonnie
Dead Radio Society
Swim into Scarlet
Kill the Doctor
Oceans Between
surprise act

Out of the Box - New Bands and those slightly left of centre
Mauskramp
Midnight Lycan Party
Amateur Assassins
Another Rhythm Jesus
Kitten Pyramid
The Weird Head
OK Corral
Paper Tigers
Breaking Satellites
Chasing Traits
The Escape

Intermission Tent - Acoustic and electronica
Jo-EE-T
bitJAM
National Trevor
Giro Junkie
Phil Maddocks
Jim McShee
Sheena Bratt
Dominic Morgan

Do come along and enjoy the fun, - click here for the facebook event and help spread the word

Sunday 24 July 2011

QUILPY

1 Jan 1956-23 July 2011

Stoke Sounds is saddened to here of the sudden passing of Quilpy (Michael Cartwright) aged 56.Mick, or Quilpy, as he was affectionately known to most of his friends was an avid supporter of live music and staged regular gigs in the Burslem area at The Huntsman, The Green star and The Red Lion. Regardless of trends he was a passionate supporter of local music and a committed to promoting live music for the last two decades. Musician and Vale Fan he was held in high regard by local bands for his no nonsense approach.

On a personal level Quilpy was a good friend of mine and I had a deep respect for his attitude and achievements. Also for the help he gave to local artists.

He will be greatly missed by many people who held him in high regard and were lucky enough to consider him a friend. He gave much to the service of Rock N Roll and lived by it’s code

The deepest sympathies of the Stoke Sounds team go out to his wife Gill and his family at this difficult time.


Simon Bamford

Sunday 3 July 2011

Abyss @ The Full Moon 2nd July 2011

Review by Sian Eardley



A night at The Full Moon where the other bands pulled out, but where the mighty Abyss stepped up to the mark, it was clearly no daunting challenge for the young foursome. Seen merely a month ago, the guys hadn’t let anything slip, if anything, they were more meteoric. To look at you may not expect the fantastic goods that they have to offer for just-finished-high school-lads, but they are undeniably awesome and take you back to the feel-good classic rock anthem feelings such as Kiss’s ‘Crazy Nights’, which resonates throughout their whole cause. If only those with a couple of decades on them around here could learn to pull this off too, yet this is what truly sets them apart.


Notably, it was the drummer’s (Taz) last performance; going onto further adventures with a side project band, but for 16, and utterly amazing, he’ll have a promising future, so who can blame him…?



True, a lot of high school pals were there to cheer them on, and I remember those awkward adolescent years of rallying the support flag for those you fancy in bands, (mine was for local act ‘Deathscent’), but I could tell these girls weren’t just to be here to be seen at all, Abyss are bloody brilliant and the crowds were out to marvel.




Metallica inspired intros to the structurally beautiful ‘Breakout’ could only make Hetfield weep to know he could educate and motivate these guys to produce such quality and synergy. They had – had a bit of a jig around with their set since their last performance. Covers: ‘Crazy Train’, ‘Rock you like a Hurricane’, and ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ were rocking and got an adoring response from the crowd. Newbie titled ‘The Secret Song’ was a kickass Dropkick Murphy’s esque ‘Michael Finnigan’ and his chinnigan ways were a stroke of genius.



Though the drummer may be gone, one is due to step into Taz’s shoes and their future still remains bright and epic.

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