Salutations de Marseille. I’m on holiday but I wanted to draw your attention to the fact that SHIFT Cardiff (somehow) turns five this month. They’ve got loads on to mark the occasion, not all of which I’ve included here. If you’ve never come down, now might be the time!
WED SEP 13: SECLUDED BRONTE, CHRIS PARFITT / TIM BROMAGE / RICHARD MC REYNOLDS / JON RUDDICK
Anglo-Welsh trio formed in 2002, Secluded Bronte are an improv gang who I love for their spoken word experiments, a few of which you can hear on their Soundcloud. Overlapping narratives might borrow from all manner of source material including literature, magazine copy, news reports, courtroom transcriptions, etc. the effect of which is dense, disorientating and, pivotally, quite funny. Whether this is what they’ll bring on the night is another story, given that their music has at different times been compared with Wire, The Specials and Sun Ra. Joining them is saxophonist Chris ‘Christ’ Parfitt of South Wales Improvisers, SHIFT resident Tim Bromage, Cardiff-based composer and multi-instrumentalist Richard McReynolds, and Jon Ruddick, who did a beautiful solo outing last time Svartit was in town
SAT SEP 16: ECSTATIC DRUM BEATS WORLD CUP W/ WENDY MIASMA, ECSTATIC DRUM BEATS, PAM ROSE COTT, MOLLY HARCOMBE, HADIJA CHOUDHURY, KATY WALL, KERRY LEWIS
Some will see this and conclude that when it comes to beating the Daft Bugger charges, SHIFT isn’t doing itself any favours here. Obviously, I’m bang into it: Bristol percussion magician Dan Johnson and many more assemble for a kickabout, where audience members are invited to play the tubs using the humble football. They’re promising five-a-side, a free kick contest and a penalty shootout; catch me kicking off in the technical area trying to sub off Noel Gardner. There will also be stalls for indy labels, arts and crafts vendors, and an exhibition featuring works by the likes of Pam Rose Cott, whose guided meditation ‘Objects to hide safely inside of: You become the Limpet’ I enjoyed, even if I couldn’t quite squeeze inside one of said limpets at last month’s AGORA exhibition in Penarth
SAT SEP 23: AN EVENING WITH MURIEL
Muriel is the brainchild of Cardiff musician and tattooist Zak Thomas, whose bedroom recordings have evolved into fully-formed arrangements; summer doesn’t last forever folks and Zak’s got the glazed, grassroots slow-pop you need to ease the transition. Join Zak and a host of local names who’ve helped bring his pastel-coloured visions to life. Also features an exhibition by Molley May, which in my confusion I thought was an insane decision / major coup on Zak’s part, but no, this person is very talented Bristol-based illustrator and not a former Love Island contestant
THUR SEP 28: WILL GUTHRIE, GWILLY EDMONDEZ, DAN JOHNSON, SLOW MURDER & TSTA DUO
Will Guthrie is an Australian, Nantes-based percussionist who’s worked with the likes of Oren Ambrachi, Sarah Hennies, Mark Fell, Keith Rowe and Ava Mendoza (I loved this record he did with James Rushford, a fellow Australian and keyboardist), as well as lead of the ENSEMBLE NIST-NAH, a contemporary hybrid gamelan / percussion outfit. Guthrie is a true world-builder, birthing entire galaxies over the course of his sets. Meanwhile, a huge welcome back to Gwilly Edmondez of YEAH YOU and, once upon a time, RADIOACTIVE SPARROWS, the greatest band Bridgend has ever produced. Zero idea what to expect from him beyond something typically unhinged
C’EST L’ENDROIT!
Since I’m abroad I thought some international signal-boosting would be nice, if nothing else to help out the next poor cunt who finds themselves googling ‘MARSEILLE PUNK NOISE POWER ELECTRONICS DIY’ in the thick of La Panier heat. The place you are looking for is LA SALLE GUEULE, an excellent co-operatively run basement space that pours tres, tres raisonnable pints and has a bathroom in very good nick
Better than that even is the help they lend people putting on shows. They’ve done this wonderful leaflet that explains every single step of the process, including the normal pitfalls, the etiquette, etc. You could be a complete newcomer and this would see you through. Stand out lines include ‘Burzum tees fuck off’, not a direct traduction as such but certainly in the spirit of the thing
Seems like they’re most active on Facebook and IG if you want a look, you can also check out Vortex from Mars on Facebook / IG for comprehensive listings in the area. I haven’t had time to see much, but it seems like a very well-knit, collaborative scene facing challenges which, although you see them all over the world, feel uniquely offensive to a place so close to life-affirming lawlessness as Marseille
THINGS I HAVE BEEN LISTENING TO
- Car Stories / Experimental Marketing Strategies for the New Age by Matt Norma and Deleware Dan: I’m not sure what the deal is but either Dan or someone close to him was involved in a very serious car accident recently and so anything you can chuck them (and you should, it’s class) would be helpful I’m sure
Through the Night is by Xavier Boucherat, a Cardiff-based musician, promoter and writer. You can listen to my music here. Through the Night is published monthly on Substack. You can subscribe below.
If you are a recording artist in Wales or from Wales making anything freaky, I’d love to hear your stuff, particularly if you’re from a group that traditionally lacks representation. You can email me at throughthenightwales@gmail.com
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