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Vale Earth Fair 2015
Sunday, August 30, 2015 - 12:00
The big one! Tickets on sale now.
Sunday 30th August 2015 - noon to midnight at the Vale Castle, Guernsey.
The Line-Ups:
Castle Stage:
23:00 - FireFarm
21:15 - Jungle Brothers
19:45 - Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate
18:30 - Vienna Ditto
17:30 - Thee Jenerators
16:30 - Of Empires
15:30 - Bonsai Pirates
14:30 - Robert J. Hunter
13:30 - Kilig & Fernweh
12:30 - Schema
Compere: Grant Sharkey
DJ's Illiterate Husband and Vauvert Underground
Stage Against the Machine:
23:15 - To The Woods
22:00 - Pussycat and the Dirty Johnsons
21:00 - Lifejacket
20:00 - The November Five
19:00 - The Cryptics
18:00 - Tantale
17:00 - The Devil And The Deep
16:00 - Gay Army
15:00 - HONEST CROOKS
14:15 - Fly Casual
13:15 - Lord Vapour
12:00 - School of Popular Music Showcase
Compere: Graham Duerden
DJ Stace Odyssey
Busking Stage:
19:20 - The Rectory Hill Skillet Lickers
18:25 - Robert J Hunter
17:30 - Esther Rose Parkes Heinrichs
16:35 - Buff Hudd
15:40 - Blue Mountains
14:45 - Chloe Le Page
13:50 - Wondergeist
12:55 - The Bee Charmers
12:00 - Ukuladeez
Hosted by Gregory Harrison
Breakz n Beatz:
23:30 - B.Long
23:00 - Phil Tangent (Soul:R - UK)
22:30 - DJ Seany (Jersey)
22:00 - Mindset (RudeFM - UK)
21:30 - Sniper
21:00 - Smellz
20:30 - Luko
19:30 - Phil Tangent (Soul:R - UK)
19:00 - Furious (RudeFM - UK)
18:00 - Arby
17:00 - X-Cut
12:00 - Back to Back DJ Battle
Yoshi, Traceman, Instinct, Gomez, Killa
Dance Zone:
23:00 - DJ Mazza
22:00 - Tom Shearer
21:00 - Kieran Higgs
18:00 - Licence 2 Dance Takeover
Matt Greening, Turner, Willers,
Jimbo Jones, Sam Harris, Jim Robins
17:00 - Amelia
16:00 - Tric
15:00 - DJ Dorfmeister
14:00 - DJ Tammo
13:00 - Schmisco
12:00 - Sean Johnson
Pixie Stage:
22:30 - Flexagon.
21:00 - EqUiLibRium
20:00 - Heath
19:00 - Psynonysus
18:00 - Mr Justin
16:00 - Sephira
15:00 - Edyon
14:00 - Badger
12:00 - MerKaBa Tribe Mash Up
Confirmed acts include:
The Jungle Brothers
The Jungle Brothers formed in Manhattan during hip-hop's halcyon days of the late 1980’s. With Afrocentric lyrics and innovative beats, they pioneered the fusion of jazz and hip-hop, and also became the first hip-hop group to use a house-music producer. Proving themselves on New York's unmercifully hard talent circuit, the trio quickly amassed a respectable underground following.
In a small studio tucked away in Coney Island, the trio of Mike G, Afrika Baby Bam and DJ Sammy B eventually made the transition from talent show performers to recording artists in 1988, producing the world renowned classic album “Straight Out Of The Jungle”. From this came the seminal hip-house single, "I'll House You", a huge European hit which led to their first trip to Europe.
On their triumphant return to the States, rather than rest on their laurels, the trio went back to the studio to record the groundbreaking "Done By The Forces Of Nature" (1990) released by Warner Brothers, and they enlisted a group of friends that were on the same creative wavelength: De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Monie Love and Queen Latifah. The result was the loose, but influential collective known as the … NATIVE TONGUES
Further album releases followed with “JBeez Wit Da Remedy", “Raw Deluxe”, “VIP” and “All That We Do”, and a greatest hits compilation titled “This is…” released in 2005. In 2008, their single "What U Waitin 4" was ranked number 88 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.
The Jungle Brothers show no signs of slowing down, they can trounce their opponents and still rock a party with the freshness of their formative years and that's just how they like it."We've been through growing pains, but we've come through them constantly building our friendship, that's why we're still together after all these years", says Afrika.
In a genre where many talk of longevity, but few attain that level of durability, the Jungle Brothers have achieved just that without succumbing to passing fads that slide snake-like in and out of rap. They remain true to themselves and their beloved art.
“With such a high profile act this year’s Vale Earth Fair is going to be something really special”, said Vale Earth Fair Collective member Rob Roussel, “we can look forward a truly unforgettable show from the JB’s at the Vale Castle in August”.
Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate
Keeping with the international flavour, this year’s Vale Earth Fair will also see the welcome return of New York’s Joe Driscoll, who is joined by Sekou Kouyate and their band.
The often overblown expression “music is a common language” has never been more appropriate in the case of Joe Driscoll & Sekou Kouyate. US-born, England-based Driscoll speaks no French and Kouyate, who hails from the West African country of Guinea, little English. When they were brought together at the Nuit Metis festival in Marseille in 2010 and given a week to produce a concert, music was the only way they could communicate.
It turns out, they had a lot to “talk” about, and their first meeting sparked a collaboration that led to the formation of a band, the recording of an album, over 120 concert dates across Europe and rave reviews. Driscoll contributes the rapping, looping, beatboxing and songwriting talents he developed growing up in New York. Kouyate, already a phenomenon in African music circles, has blown minds and ears with his hypersonic electrified riffs on the kora, bringing the exalted West African harp into the 21st Century with use of distortion peddles, effects and previously-unimagined technical prowess. In France, Kouyate is known as the ‘Jimi Hendrix of the kora’ because of his unique style of playing with various effects, in a variety of genres, and with an extreme intensity.
Together, Driscoll and Kouyate blend hip-hop, spoken word, funk, and soulful, accessible rock with Afrobeat, reggae and irrepressible African grooves. “Its world music at its very best” said Rob Roussel
By teaming up, Driscoll and Kouyate have created a sum that exceeds even the large whole of its individual parts. According to Driscoll, “We’ve been raised in very different cultures in so many ways, but we share a lot of the same interests musically. Sekou was raised in the African rhythm and traditions, yet has always had a passion for reggae, hip-hop. I’m kind of the other way around. At the heart of it, we both just make the noises we love; we listen to each other, and try to flow in harmony. I think we just bounced off each other in so many ways: rhythmically, melodically, with craftsmanship. Through this, we found we had a language between us and that philosophically we were on a lot of the same pages as well.”
FireFarm
Individually, the FireFarm three have spent years writing and touring in underground dance scenes of almost all types, in the UK and internationally. While collectively becoming frustrated about the narrow minded 'genreism' inherent in a lot of the scenes, and also the ignorance surrounding other types of electronic dance music outside of those scenes, they decided to come together and sculpt a mechanism to bridge the gap and thwart the 'Divide and conquer' dynamic that is subduing a deeper unity in the rave culture and on the dance floors.
The result is a high octane, genre spanning, euphoric yet explosive live show. Combining many styles of modern underground dance music with epic, verging symphonic builds and arrangement, and a variety of vocals styles, they deliver their music with the stage presence to match. With absorbing, interactive, simultaneous, synchronised visual projections, the live show hits hard and builds continuously thought the set in tempo and intensity until its grand apocalyptic finale.
Currently FireFarm are dividing their time between touring clubs, festivals and parties, and writing new material in the studio ready for their forthcoming debut album.
Vienna Ditto
Vienna Ditto got together at the beginning of 2009, bonded by a love of dirty Chicago blues, dark psychedelia and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. A hastily-recorded demo from their second rehearsal was picked by Linda Serck on BBC Berks and ended up being played on Huw Stephen’s Radio One show, earning the band an appearance on the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury 2009 (the band’s second ever gig). They have since been given a Maida Vale session for Tom Robinson on BBC6, and have appeared on Channel 4’s excruciating Hollyoaks Music Show.
Their debut single ‘Long Way Down’ gained airplay on Radio One, BBC6 Music and XFM and was given glowing reviews in Q Magazine, Artrocker and The Fly.Vienna Ditto come under the obscure genre 'Voodoo Sci-Fi Blues', and will also be performing at the Vale Earth Fair's legendary wind-down gig at the Thomas De La Rue pub on Monday 31 August - its gonna be surreal!
Pussycat and the Dirty Johnsons
Put out a saucer of milk and some moonshine, 'cos Pussycat And The Dirty Johnsons are coming...
The formidable Pussycat is renowned for prowling the audience whilst the adrenaline fuelled Dirty Johnson boys pound out the
ir infectious brand of Dirty Rock'n'Roll. Like all cats they are hard to pin down and have been described as one of the most incendiary live bands in the UK.
With the high impact raw energy of their live shows artfully captured in the studio by producer Alex McGowan, their debut studio LP 'Exercise your demons' received many great reviews, the eagerly awaited power-packed follow up LP 'Dirty Rock'n'Roll has been receiving the same accolade since it's release in February 2013, comprising 11 blistering tracks the band - now a trio after deciding not to have a bass player - have kept the new album exciting and fresh, they've also brought in double bass skills of Phil Bloomberg (The Polecats) to guest on a couple of numbers!
Formerly in a band just called The Johnsons, this Basingstoke based power-trio are fronted by Puss Johnson (origins dubious and unknown), with founding guitarist Jake (Feckle,Lube), and drummer Antz (The Krewmen). Inspirations are wide and varied for each band member but all share the same fundamental taste in music.
Their first video 'Trouble With The Devil' (directed by filmmaker Oliver Harrison) has received over 32,000 hits and the last three years has seen the band play over 150 shows, including 5 UK tours and some great festival slots. They've supported the likes of The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Thee Oh Sees, The Fuzztones, Mad Sin, The Creepshow, The Polecats, Bow Wow Wow, The Meteors, The Rezillos, The Vibrators and The Urban Voodoo Machine, as well as playing with great touring bands DragSTER, Trioxin Cherry, The Dogbones, Atomic Suplex and 100% Beefcock and the Titsburster
Bonsai Pirates
The Bonsai Pirates are a 5 piece folk-pop-indie-pirate act, with a bit of French Rap thrown in for good measure. Their aim at every show is to get people up, dancing, singing and smiling. They sings songs of love, booze, the sea and tattoos, perfect for any festival or venue!
Of Empires
Guernsey rock band and this year’s MTV Brand New Unsigned winners, Of Empires, have signed a worldwide publishing agreement with Metropolis Music Publishing. Metropolis, best known as the West London based studio, has worked with artists including Queen, Michael Jackson and Amy Winehouse. The studio has recently launched a new publishing division, with Of Empires being their latest signing.
Creating a buzz ever since the release of their debut EP at the end of 2014, praised by The Guardian as “stomping, slow-motion riff-rock with snarling vocals and terrace-worthy choruses”, the band recently played to a packed out Komedia at last week’s Great Escape Festival in Brighton, Europe’s largest festival for new music.
The band’s single “I Want You To Get Mad”, recently aired on the Huw Stephens show on Radio 1, thanks to BBC Introducing Guernsey and the video also playlisted at the beginning of the year on MTV Rocks. The band’s notoriety has caught the attention of many, including The Rolling Stones legend, Ronnie Wood and British rock idol, Adam Ant, who personally invited the band to open his sold out shows at Brighton’s legendary Concorde 2 and Northampton’s Roadmender.
Robert J Hunter
Another welcome return to our shores is Robert J. Hunter who combines his gruff, powerful and distinct voice with rustic, wild bluesy thud of overdriven guitars to create a truly unique sound. His debut single, ‘Demons’ has reached number one in the UK Itunes Blues Chart, and his debut album, ’Songs for the Weary’ is out now and has received rave reviews worldwide and blues chart success.
Heavily influenced by Peter Green, Tom Waits and Nick Cave to name a few, Robert is no stranger to the stage, performing in bands since he was 14 in Alderney, Channel Islands where he was born.
”Rob has grown over the past year or so into a consummate performer, seemingly playing almost non-stop somewhere or other, and this had lead to him becoming the sort of person who, it seems, is incapable of putting on a bad show” - Tom Girard, BBC Introducing.
Thee Jenerators
Guernsey's only garage punk band Thee Jenerators take to the stage promoting their 5th album 'The Devil's Chords' comprising Stuart 'Ozzy' Austin on drums, Jo Reeve on bass, Garrick Jones on Keyboard/sax and vocals and Andy Sauvage on guitar and vocals, up front is Mark Le Gallez on vocals and tambourine, expect a full frontal assault with loads of energy and rhythm. The band has been going for about 13 years and has certainly not mellowed as it has got older a few line up changes over the years but the soul and heart of the group and commitment to rock and roll has never wavered.
Formed in 2002 in Guernsey THEE JENERATORS began when Mark Le Gallez (The Risk) decided to pick up the guitar and form a Garage band. After one extremely loud and shambolic but fun gig, Mark dropped the guitar to concentrate on lead vocal duties.
Gigs ensued leading to a trip to Toe Rag studio in London to record an album. 10 tracks cut live in 4 hours. Jenerator X (released on Twist Records) was a raw Garage Rock’N Roll shindig. Single Mystery Man became an instant floor filler and got rave reviews.
A number of line-up changes have followed, and keyboards and sax have been added to give their sound a new dimension, but live you always get raw energy form Thee Jenerators. Photo courtesy of Tom Girard.
The November Five
The November Five provide the essential antidote to the insipid rise of Merchant-Ivory boy-band folk-rock, with a sound which is a classic blend of indie, 60's garage and a healthy dose of punk attitude. Creating a rock'n'roll noise that's made when MENSA meets ASBO, The November Five's debut album, If You're Satisfied You Are Dead, was released to universal acclaim.
But don't just take our word for it - here's what the press says:
"The November Five hold the flame for all we hold dear about rock 'n' roll." Louder Than War.
"'If You're Satisfied You Are Dead' is an atmospheric opening salvo from a band with great promise" - Uncut
"If you like the incendiary music of The MC5, The Stooges, The Birthday Party, Jim Jones Revue or The Cramps then go get their singles and album. Even better still, go watch them live as you will not be disappointed in the slightest." Shindig magazine
“The November Five are gathering momentum and things are only going to get bigger. Their incendiary politicised debut is highly recommended” Vive Le Rock.
Work is now in progress for their second album - stay tuned!
Kilig and Fernweh
Kilig and Fernweh are a new band from across the water in Jersey, who are causing a bit of a stir. Accomplished sets have been well received at a number of venues across Jersey, including the Folklore festival earlier this year – one to watch for the future…
Schema
Meet Schema - The Terrace Bar house band. Their sound is based around acoustic and electric guitar, bass, drums and vocals, with occasional keyboards. Lots of themes are thrown in the mix, including elements of jazz, funk, blues, country, reggae and indie. A seemingly impossible mix, but it works.
They also like to get drunk, predominantly by drinking Breda - a rocking good lager. They certainly proved that as young teenagers opening the Vale Earth Fair in a previous incarnation called Dave many years ago!
Honest Crooks
SkaPunkReggaeDrunk - an apt description for new local three piece the Honest Crooks. With their first live performance only a couple of months ago, they are quickly building a reputation on the local live scene as something a bit special. Playfully arranged covers mixed with well constructed originals, they confidently blend reggae, ska and punk rhythms to great effect.
Lifejacket
Formed in 2011, Lifejacket is a Guernsey-based alt-rock trio with a distinctive brand of original rock music that lends itself effortlessly to energetic live performances.
The band's groove-laden rhythm section underpins a gritty guitar sound and acerbic, pop culture inspired lyrics -- often packaged into punk-esque tempos and structures.
With Andy Sauvage on guitar and vocals, Claire Mockett on drums and John McCarthy on bass and backing vocals, the band draws on diverse influences to conjure up a hybrid but consistent style. Typically dubbed by critics as "post rock" or "hard indie", the band cites musical influences such as Joy Division, The Pixies, Manic Street Preachers and Mclusky while taking much of their thematic inspiration from film and literature.
After more than three years of playing frenetic live shows across their home island of Guernsey and being heckled mercilessly to play their crowd-pleasing zombie outbreak survival guide Brains, the band finally saved the game and recorded their long overdue first album Let's Get This Out of Our System and Move On. The aptly named eight track album, produced and mastered in its entirety by the band's Andy Sauvage, sought to capture the spirit of the band's live energy while adding a subtle depth to the instrumentation.
Tracks from the album have already enjoyed multiple airings across the BBC Introducing radio network, with BBC's Tom Girard describing the three-piece's debut album as "certainly one of Guernsey’s top rock records of 2014". More recently, the song Covers featured on Radio One on the Huw Stephens show.
The Devil and the Deep
The Devil And The Deep formed in March 2013. Consisting of Steve Bouchere on Vocals, Guitar, and Synths, and Jonny Parkes on Bass and Vocals, both formally of The Morves and The All In Human Trainwreck. Justin Vooles on Drums, and Ian McCoy on Synths, DJ, Producer and owner of THaF Records.
The Devil And The Deep's tracks include 'She's Beside Me" featured on Ásatrú.. the recent Icelandic surf clip by Surfer Ian Battrick
The Cryptics
BERGERAC’S FAVOURITE BAND, The Cryptics, formed in the year 2000 on the sunny island of Jersey. They proudly hold the title of Jersey’s only Garage band - in a field of crusty troubadours and bland cover bands - regularly treating their audiences to a savage blend of Garage, Twist, Beat & Frat.
To The Woods
Fronted by the larger than life character of Bobby Battle, expect "Stoner-Infused Grunge Rock Echoing The Sounds Of The Early 90's With A Hint Of British Indie" - BBC INTRODUCING.
