9 MAY IS BALCONY FESTIVAL 4!

Balcony Festival 4 is in aid of The Trussel Trust Foodbank Charity. Hosted by journalist, Louise Schofield, this series has proved a digital success of the UK Lockdown. Stay safe and come meet us at the Joyzine YouTube channel Live Stream Show from 1 pm GMT on Saturday 9th May. The united nations of interdependent tipped artists and allies return with another essential and engaging entertainment extravaganza for a much-needed cause. 

Facebook Event with Artist/Charity info/updates  
https://facebook.com/events/905050393308422/

020-05-09-Balcony-4-960x1024.jpg

TheZineUK are highly excited to welcome The DSM IV to our stage. In human history’s biggest year. The debut LPs are extra special and a band inciting hysteria (supporting Sleaford Mods and The Libertines and at their own sold out Lexington show) deserve eye-on x ear-on ATTENTION! Their LP is preceded by the aircraft hanger sized ‘Killing Your Time’ – their third release, it’s majesterially magnificent. Look forward to an intimately personal and exclusive Balcony Festival appearance. 

In their own words;  “We’re psyched to be able to play some tracks 4 u, THE DSM IV début album will be released later this year. We can’t wait to see you soon at a live, live show! In the meantime, thnx so much to TheZineUK for supporting bands & fellow music hedz by making this possible! Be wise, stay strong”

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

Saturday 9th May 2020 from 1pm (Stage Times On The Day!)
Nadia Sheikh on The Benumu Stage
Hurtling on the LOUD WOMEN Stage
THE DSM IV on The Zine UK Stage
Keel Her on The Sonic Tonic Stage
BERRIES on The Crocroland Stage
Foundlings on The Bechdel Sound Test Stage
Lara Smiles on The GigSlutz Stage
Jenny Moore’s Mystic Business on The Joyzine Stage
Nuha Ruby Ra on The Louderthanwar Stage
Foxpalmer at The Quarantini – Live Virtual Bar Stage
Rosehip Teahouse on The God Is In The TV Zine. Stage

As our documentary’s story unfolds, this latest episode is a mixture of faves and new friends weaving into the tapestry. You will know our collaborators from TheZineUK tale, and from previous Balcony Festivals. Also some of this episode’s stars (like Berries and Nadhia Sheikh) all golden threads. Absolutely EVERY set at these shows is an ear opener! The first three events have already made a mark on the year, as well as raising funds to help others.

Personally, I bloody LOVE team Balcony. As a collective of music sites and promoters we are all completely different in style and taste. At a time when Hate Island’s Hostile Environment is dividing and infighting during tragedy, the Fertile Environment is taking seed with social inclusion and, frankly, some of the BEST talents around. Tell your friends and seeya in chat land on the day!

Words: Caffy St Luce

SAVE OUR VENUES (AND FUTURE)

s-o-v-gulps.jpg

Do you care about music? Click Music Venue Trust‘s Save Our Venues link asap! https://saveourvenues.co.uk/ (or… The Entertainment Industry wrecked).

No rising star venue circuit, means no future head-liners/awards winners, economic, cultural and reputational benefits (creative self employment and social collusion included). SERIOUSLY.

“Venues are the vital first stop for a band to build its fan base, confidence and character on stage. Unforgettable memories from all the venues we’ve played, sadly many are shut now. Lets try our best to keep the scene alive.” The Gulps (@TGulps)

Since announcement, artists and audiences alike have galvanised an online collaboration with local communities, national and independent media – plus venues themselves (many of which I’ve visited as fan/crew, inspiring Music Tourism. Many of us spend much of our lives in positive vibrations).

Follow and amplify #SaveOurVenues on social media. Don’t stop.

Join the #FIGHTBACK at   https://saveourvenues.co.uk/#/

Join the #FIGHTBACK at
https://saveourvenues.co.uk/#/

Like our NHS, our venues are a life blood of modern life that goes beyond passion to the genuine civilisation of being in a space where music people are. Our own documentary evolves in small venues with real stories of artists rising to lockdown’s hiatus.

These are essential multi purpose spaces that enhance any town or city. Often with iconic history and anecdotes worthy of a national treasure plaque.

We are ALL in some trouble or other now. Sad and scary days with a bleak outlook. Lockdown is Safety First, but what we do now shapes everything towards Day Zero of the new “normal”. Even the slightest help makes a difference, brightens the near future.

Visit the campaign site, watch the Play At Home gigs, spread the # and website address far and wide. As this movement grows, it would be heart warming to see the biggest artists throw their cash and weight into the bottom rungs of the ladder, trickle down style.

For now, DIY people power is the majority of this force and what an impressive community of belief, already!

“The situation is dire, government support has been exhausted, and it now falls to artists, music fans, local communities and the wider industry to take action.Put bluntly, without these venues the opportunities for artists and audiences to connect in a meaningful way at a local level will simply disappear in a lot of cases. If they go they will never come back.” (Music Venue Trust) 

Read the statement in full and donate at https://saveourvenues.co.uk/#/

Words: Caffy St Luce

ELLIE MOON – ‘PROMISE IT WON’T BE BORING'

Liverpool and Madrid bred musician, Ellie Moon was Tidal ‘Indie Britain’ front page news with her second single, the joyful, retro tinged ‘Promise It Won’t Be Boring’… future accolades are calling. We want to know more pre-Moonisms! Interview by Kelly Munro:

Tell us – how long have you been making music?

Ellie : “This sounds so cheesy, but like most kids when I was little I’d always make songs up and also used to write little poems and stuff like that…

BORING-768x768.jpg

…I suppose that fascination followed me through teen-hood, when the traditional angst kicked in and forced me to “like-totally-express-myself” (fortunately not through the medium of dance, but in song form). I remember one of the first songs I “properly” wrote was when I was about 15. It was most definitely super cringe and about some love interest that wasn’t even real… haha”

What have been some of the highlights, so far, on your musical journey?

“I think this project is actually the most exciting thing I’ve probably ever done. From leaving school and going on a journey of artistic and self-discovery, growing up alongside this project over the past couple of years. Maturing with the music to some extent. A lot of the songs are almost like time stamps of new life experiences. Also creating and recording the EP meeting all the cool people along the way.”

Your latest single is called ‘Promise It Won’t be Boring’. Have you ever broken a promise? If so, tell all!

“Surprisingly not, I mean not as an adult haha! I do have a big mouth and a dying urge to gossip sometimes. I’m always the friend everyone comes to off-load to and I take that duty very seriously. 

It’s like I’m harbouring all their secrets with no one to tell. So instead I channel it into my writing a lot of the time. And if anyone asks: “is that song about me?” I always say “Noooo! It’s just a story I made up”.

Tell us more about the single, ‘Promise It Won’t Be Boring’. Is there a meaning behind the song? A story attached to it?

Listen to "Promise It Won't Be Boring": https://smarturl.it/EllieMoonPIWBB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisiselliemoon/ Twitter: https://twitter.com...

Yes there is! The song was actually inspired by a wild weekend I had up in Glasgow visiting some dear pals of mine. Lyrically it’s the antithesis of a party anthem and I wanted to convey that sense of impending doom you feel at the end of a night out – but the reality is the next day is never as bad as we like to make it out to be.

I also wanted to capture the fact that we as young adults love drama and hangovers, the drama of a hangover, drama in general….. and have an unwavering sense of invincibility and originality. 

Are we invincible? Yes, of course. However, we are typically not as original as we like to think we are and I have tried to capture this by paying homage to, and recognising the inspiration of, previous generations in a number of ways – via the “retro” production on the track, referencing the music of The Beatles and one of my favourite quotes from Bowie which is where the song title actually came from “I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise that it won’t be boring”.

Your forthcoming EP is called ‘Moonisms’. What is a Moonism?

“Whilst working on the project, specifically the past year or so, the more I was writing and kind of understanding in which direction I wanted to go as an artist the more of the same little phrases were cropping up. I suppose it’s kind of like my own idioms that I use normally I would put into my lyrics. I’d show people my songs and they’d comment on the way I phrased things and sort of coined the term ‘moonism’ for these little turns of phrase. I would say a “moonism” is the tongue in cheekiness of the lyrics.”

What albums do you never get tired of listening to?

Blue – Joni Mitchell
Hunky Dory – David Bowie
Speaking in Tongues – Talking Heads
Alright, Still – Lily Allen
Melodrama – LORDE
Yesterdays Gone – Loyle Carner
Bad Contestant – Matt Maltese
Voyager – Moonchild
Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band – The Beatles

What can we expect from you this year?

Planning to keep recording and releasing music and getting a band together to play live whenever we are able to.

We look forward to live moonisms!

https://www.instagram.com/thisiselliemoon/

https://www.facebook.com/thisiselliemoon/

https://twitter.com/thisiselliemoon\

Words: Kelly Munro