A NOTTINGHAM ODYSSEY

No time to rehearse for this one, despite our best efforts. All sorts of things conspired against us, but we set off to Nottingham a bit late, negotiating traffic and the heat with our customary good nature. It's a long drive down.

We were the last of the performers to arrive. Tripazoid's three VCS3s were already in place on tables set in a triangle configuration so each of the players (Jez, Steve and Stevo) could face each other.

Secret Nuclear's neatly digital compact set up was on a table at the side.

We were informed we'd be playing last, so we set our stuff up and pushed the table against the wall until the other performers had finished their sets. Obviously we had the traditional technical problems: A missing lead that no-one else could lend us and a shortened version of the video instead of the one we were supposed to play to. Apart from these slight oversights, everything was hunky dory.

Tripazoid's three VCS3s swooped and whooshed as though their electronic souls were sentient in themselves. As if even without the players manipulating them they would have still performed of their own accord, but probably spiraled off into an unknown sonic abstraction beyond human comprehension. The band seemed more like lion tamers trying to keep these unruly beasts from running wild and destroying everyone's fragile minds.

After the freeform tide of analog plasma that Tripazoid exuded, the precision and clarity of Secret Nuclear stood out in stark contrast. Crystal tones of bright neon created a kind of cold war digital sense of paranoia. Alpha. Beta. Gamma. Delta. A machine voice against a grid of shimmering fluorescence.

We played a set which varied between abstract, ambient dreaminess, clattering, metal rail-track sounds and motorik beats with a propellent bass moving everything onward. Considering the technical issues, it hurtled along nicely and we arrived at our final destination without major stoppages. There were no leaves on the track.

It finished with me lip syncing to the voice of an old fellow summarizing the devastating impact of the Beeching cuts to regional railway lines. The End.

From a personal point of view I was dead chuffed to see my good friends Aubrey Eels & The Baron (Ian Hamilton and Richard Hart) had come to see us. I've been in bands with Ian and we've written songs together which are still being performed live by the pair, although in adapted and updated forms. I don't know what they made of the evening, but I was gifted a tiny remote camera as a prize from Ian, but I can't make it work yet.

Also Alan and Steve Freeman from the legendary Ultima Thule record shop in Leicester, and the equally legendary Audion magazine attended, I suspect because they could share a room with three VCS3s. Anyway, they'd written a full review by the next morning. Bloody Hell! It'll appear in Audion 84.

The journey home was blighted by road closures, detours and sat nav fluctuations, but we were home by about bleeding 2am and nobody died.

HOLY TERRORS

Currently we've been performing our live gigs alongside a video projection which has raised a lot of interest. The films we've used are edited segments of a portmanteau video co-directed by our friend Mark Goodall (alongside Julian Bradley) and released by Obsolete Films in 2017.

Filmed in Whitby, the DVD has its own soundtrack created by composer David Chatton-Barker of Folklore Tapes. We edited three of the six stories to fit within a half hour timespan (The Cosy Room, The White Powder and The Ritual). We also removed their entire soundtracks so we could play our own partly improvised compositions in a live situation. 

Thank you Mark for giving Ammonites permission to radically adapt and mute your work, we really appreciate your kindness.

If you wish to buy a copy of this excellent DVD, it may still be available to purchase. I'd suggest emailing holyterrors@btinternet.com.

For more about the author of Holy Terrors contact The Friends of Arthur Machen: www.arthurmachen.org.uk

Here's a very short clip of us performing Holy Terrors at Cafe Etch, Middlesbrough recorded by Gary Widdowfield...

NEXT GIG IMMINENT

This is our next gig at TQ Live with All The Heavens Were A Bell and TSR2. Upstairs at The Globe, Newcastle. Expect stuff that plays havoc with your senses, and have a chat with like minded patrons in the bits inbetween.

MIRADOR

The gig at Cafe Etch on 29.11.24 is destined to be a fabulous event, but unfortunately Firebox and The Doctor have had to pull out. As a token of love and support we will be playing their unique music between acts. Get well soon Linda.

That gap has allowed us to ask MIRADOR if she'd be happy to play after her magical set which opened the recent Switched On festival in Whitby. Happily she said yes, and her folktronic trips into haunting landscapes of love and loss will sound beautiful in such an intimate venue.

You can listen to her latest release here: The Ritual by MIRADOR

NEXT GIG: SWITCHED ON FESTIVAL

Whoopee! It's official, we are going to play this fantastic three day festival in Whitby.

I don't know when, but at some point over the Friday, Saturday and Sunday we'll debut our new project Holy Terrors. More information imminent.

CAFÉ ETCH, MIDDLESBROUGH 29.11.24

This is a confirmed gig, but obviously if other dates crop up in the meantime, they'll appear above this. Stay tuned. There's a chance of us playing at Switched On in Whitby In November, but there's no confirmation of that yet.

After the Wind Eye gig at Cafe Etch, where Ammonites performed the Water/Wind/Fire soundtrack, we've been invited back by Mike Guess. This time we'll be playing something new as part of a 3 band extravaganza.

We'll be joined by Firebox and The Doctor (Andy and Linda to their friends) who will be offering up the extraordinary sonic marriage of Linux powered electronics and clog dancing. It's not something you see or hear everyday.

Also York's TSR2 (2 Simons and a Brian) will offer knob twiddling sound massage. They're always keen to discuss wires, plugs and cables with anyone too. Their latest CD Birdstrike is out on Wormhole World.

The cafe sells lovely chips, tea, coffee and beer in a handsome building that used to be an engraver's shop, hence the name. It has a back room where the bands play, but you can wander between the cafe and the gig as you wish.

It'll be a night of innovative music in an intimate setting.

T SHIRTS?

 Would you like an Ammonites t-shirt?

Unfortunately you can't, because we haven't made any. However, if we did make some, they might well look like this. 

The drawing was done by our friend Russ drawn on the spot as we were playing a gig in Whitby. Its spontaneity is what makes it special. As you can see, it's unavailable in two colours.