This Velvet Feeling

The Velvet Hands: #BigInThisFeeling

Hands Up if you’re going to The Velvet Hands on tour! Image: Opia Photos for TheZineUK

November 2023 Headline Tour - with second album, ‘Sucker Punch’ and SO many gig favourites live on stage + an array of special guests.

Summer 2023 photography at Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage by Opia Photos https://www.instagram.com/opia_photos/

The calm before the (Truck Festival headline set) storm… image: Opia Photos

This month, October 2023, is the seventeenth anniversary of the UK’s No.1 live rock n roll music club, This Feeling. Next month, Zone Rangers, The Velvet Hands head off on tour - punking it live with This Feeling. Perfect!

THIS (VELVET SUCKER PUNCH) FEELING

01 LONDON COLOURS 14+
02 CARDIFF THE MOON 18+
03 BRISTOL THE GOLDEN LION 18+
04 LIVERPOOL JACARANDA 18+
16 MANCHESTER 33 OLDHAM STREET 18|+
17 LEEDS OPORTO 16+
18 BIRMINGHAM DEAD WAX
23 FALMOUTH CORNISH BANK 16+
25 PLYMOUTH UNDERGROUND 16+

Tickets https://thisfeeling.co.uk/thevelvethands/

Did someone say The Velvet Hands? Rock show fans, Dizzy Spell (TheZineUK) and John Kennedy (Radio X, The Remedy, This Feeling) by Opia Photos

There are so many artists who have experienced being #BigInThisFeeling - the time warp of 2020, 2021 and 2022 means humans are all three years younger and 2023 begins a brand new next world of potential. That’s the thing about following the cast and crew of a documentary… You should buy a ticket (check availability) and dive in. Hard working rockers, VH are fun as fuck.

A nice cold Signature Brew can of Roadie (and a Zeenagers badge!) while relaxing before the show by Opia Photos

We saw it. We heard it. We booked it.

The Velvet Hands played TheZineUK social, early doors, looking like tall school children. We spent their soundcheck time arguing with the band that Prince could not possibly have died, it’s Prince(!), then popped over to Sainsbury’s for some booze.

They - and various Cornwall crazy crew massive - rocked the roof off - and Velvet Hands have not left our collective affection. In December 2017, They returned to grace our first #MusicPeopleParty(with host DJ, Katie Owen) at The infamous Hawley Arms in Camden (that they continue to keep groovy).

Stage Style. always. Image, The Able Bruvz, by Opia Photos

2018

The Velvet Hands are one of the bands that inspire our 2024 Expo, Zeenagers and are no strangers to This Feeling’s artist development runway “Zone Airport”. The Expo byline is “2018, Where Do You See Yourself In Five Years Time?”

This particular year began when the above mentioned Katie did her first filmed interview for TheZineUK, with The Velvet Hands double lead singing guitarists, Toby Mitchell and Dan Able at This Feeling’s Water Rats Theatre. Before that year’s debut album, ‘Party’s Over’ was released, all the signs were that the party was only just beginning. For band, presenter and promoter, alike.
51 seconds YouTube: “We Love This Feeling”

Nearly stage time! Image by Opia Photos

In Spring 2018, The Velvet Hands played John Kennedy’s live music club, The Remedy, just before it’s finale (lucky it’s returned after lockdown!). There’s a relationship between this respected music guru and so many artists. Before their set, we were chatting the imminent LP and not only did John mention that the songs all sound like hits, but yes, he could be quoted on that.

Alongside widespread national music press, our DIY site said something at the time along the lines of “Hamburg era Beatlesey and Rolling Stonesey and Strokesy with overtones of The Undertones”.

Looks like John’s singing to The Velvet Hands, but it’s good to check the latest news when you’re hosting a best buzz bands stage like This Feeling! Image by Opia Photos

2019, Supporting Liam Gallagher and Fontaines D.C. is just a fraction of the story. 2020 The band will have no idea how much the song and video ‘When This Is Over’ meant to more than just my own mental health during lockdown, I’m sure… They’ve got so many sing-along-songs. Punchy…

Show Time! Image by Opia Photos

2021, we’re allowed outdoors a bit more! When False Heads couldn’t make their GET ON music TV taping slot ‘cos of Covid, The Velvet Hands stepped in. What a treat!

TheZineUK cover stars

We Kelly Munro (End Of The Trail) presenter Louise Schofield, PR, Lisa Knight and TheZineUK) got a taster of brand new song, ‘Holiday In My Head’, from the forthcoming next album. Film makers, Roobi TV heard me commenting that it “sounded like The Smiths covering The Sex Pistols”. What a freaking TUNE though. That’s gotta be in the Expo, right?

The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos

2022, 42 Seconds of Boardmasters Festival. (YouTube) The Velvet Hands are Cornwall’s biggest punk band and they carry a torch for the locality, big up their peers and gig there whenever possible. Fair play to this band.

The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos

2023

Sucker Punch - The second album and gearing right back up! We all reboot as we claw our way around the increasingly culled star breaker circuit. As fans dig deep to escape to the best gigs (small venues, that is) during a cost of greed crisis and that ever impending doom vibe of reality. Rock and roll as a way of life has never been so essential.

The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos

The LP fuses riot-beat rhythm section, duelling guitars, duetting vocals - With hints of The Libertines, Gang Of Four, The Clash, The Stooges and The Velvet Hands, it's the latter band that mostly influence themselves.

The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos

Songs with a roar-along vitality from a band who come into their own with each release but take that to a moshpit level live on stage. Then Jim Morrisson grabs them by the Devil's Tail and boof, they're gone

The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos

We zoned into The Velvet Hands at This Feeling again this year.

Spring 2023 - Start the year at their Lexington headline in Oxfordshire. Great to see Lion Machine 23 again and absolute kudos for inviting the jaw dropping Sasha Assad onto the bill. An instant new favourite.

The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos

“There was loads of emotion for @thevelvethands and friends at their sold out and music industry busy n buzzy #suckerpunchalbum launch” (Insta clip at TheZine.UK) and fans of the bands know that there’s regularly a Party’s Over Party on stage for the crowd (clip at TheZine.UK TikTok)

The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos

Summer time and here we are in Oxfordshire where The Velvet Hands are headlining This Feeling Stage at Truck Festival on the Friday night and taking no prisoners. Ace to bump into many of the Zone Rangers community down the front, too! One of the key new music sites, Travellers Tunes, correctly reported “The Velvet Hands were and are the real deal.”

The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos

TheZineUK does, indeed, have about a minute or so of souvenir film clips from Truck Festival at our Insta. Documentary, innit! Much appreciation to This Feeling, as ever for the hospitality and good times!

The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos

Scenes are next coming to a show near you in November, if you’re lucky.

Zeenagers assemble! The Velvet Hands headline Truck Festival’s This Feeling Stage, 2023, image by Opia Photos

The Velvet Hands are a vanguard blast of newer wave rebellion to party to, joyfully, as civilisation falls.

AWEtumn 2023

Totally Biased (sue me) tiny percentage of what’s rocking the now and next for The Events Department, as Leaves Fall From Trees like music news gifts

2023. What A Time To Wish To Be Allowed To Be Alive!

But positivity IS happening in music. Despite The Overwhelming/Underwhelming Everything of Now. The (necessarily) DIY Sector of the Entertainments world is adapting with a star shaped twinkle cracking the cruelty-gloom. See our situationist, cut n paste tapestry weave, whimsically, for further details. Below are three degrees of celebration rather than six degrees of separation. Universe (“one song”) makes it so. Noisily enjoying, A-Z:

ALEX SPENCER

“I’m What The Future Becomes”.

Are people of all ages listening to what the artists are facing? Singing about? Caring about? (kudos, Just Stop Oil, for sharing support for ‘And Now The Weather’) by articulate synth punx, KILL, THE ICON! Do you listen and really HEAR?

In lockdown, Alex Spencer came to attention with videos of busking around Manchester and became part of this tale. In Summer 2023, post GCSEs, the wait was over, got to see Alex perform live (with Will Harvey from his band) at #SoccerSixFest - worth the wait and highly engaging. That #FootballMusic social day out was special day for all the Spencer family. Aces. More on that is still to follow.

For now the new single, ‘Do What I Wanna’, is a sing-along-think-along tune of the year and you just know it will be a stormer at the headline show in November. Best wishes always, Alex.

Hi. We’re a DIY multi media - more Rocking Pebble than Rolling Stone but welcome to our documentary of extraordinary artists! From the following, Vanity Fairy joined our magick folk faves. Thanks MASH! https://www.mashzine.com/

#ArtfulFest 2021 Day 19

ANNA WOLF

If you haven’t yet, do please listen to the EP, ‘Romance Was Born’, it’s an aural spectacle. Currently working on exciting new music with producer, Rex Roulette, Anna Wolf and her band performed a treat of a main stage live show for the launch of key interdependent promoter, KICK OUT THE JAMS, in a brand new grand new location at the world famous Hackney Empire! Two Palms was too good! It launches properly soon. #KOTJmusic already invited back for October, November AND December events!

On Thursday night, I was just gonna leave this there for Friday’s proof read, but … I woke up this morning (da da dada!) and there’s a new single on the horizon for October 19th!

This date holds deep significance to me, and I couldn't wait any longer to share this song with you.
"MOTHER" touches on the painful experience of losing someone dear and the journey to rediscover hope amidst the darkness. It's a raw, honest portrayal of the vulnerability we all face when dealing with loss. Unlike songs that merely say, "everything will be fine, just hold on," I wanted to create something that acknowledges the difficulty of death and the acceptance that it's okay not to be okay.
I hope "MOTHER" provides solace to those who listen, letting you know that you're not alone in your grief. Be sure to pre-save the track using the link below, and mark your calendars for October 19th

Anna Wolf
https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/annawolf/mother

#ArtfulFest 2023 Day 19 recommendation

COLOSSUS

‘The Gods Hate Colossus’ has literally just appeared on Earth. It’s a debut rock music EP that is as sparked in variety as their line ups and as passionately energised as what I’ve seen of their live shows (on line). An audio-textured mix of whipcracking rhythms, Classically hard rocking threads that call to mind Scrap Iron Scientists with a twist of Fat White Family - and art punk psyche harmonies. It just sounds like it’s own genres though. As debut EPs go, this is an inventive incentive to turn up the volume!

What a tapestry! Rob Homewood is the artbeat visual of the EP based on a band photograph by Andras Paul.

John Clay is part of the three way conversation with Nishant Joshi of previously mentioned KILL, THE ICON! and Chardine Taylor-Stone of BIG JOANIE (both bands woven into this doc).

If you haven’t read this, please do. Bring love. You won’t be uncomfortable unless yer a toryhearted bot, but I doubt you’d be reading the wibblings of TheZineUK (which is headed by working class women from Cruella-oppressed backgrounds) if you were! Maybe you’re on side, if so, bonus!

Well done #20YearsOfJoy. Now bring on 26th October. The Artful Party. Fonda 500 playing their finale London show and three new-release bands - Bugeye, Feral Five, Colossus - soundtracking the future with new releases. GOD IS IN THE TV and JOYZINE celebrate twenty years of existence while raising £ for Hope Not Hate anti racism charity!

The latest Moon Faeries to visit #SELondon are Nova Twins fans, Luna Tick Tock and Moona Lisa. They’ll be at the show. You can be too, for a fiver (in total!) from https://www.wegottickets.com/event/589723

God Is In The TV and Joyzine are both blessed with teams of quality writing and photography. New and alternative music reporting, reviewing, interviewing, thought piece articles, releasing hugely acclaimed compilation albums, musical downloads and staging live events! Happy Birthday, both. Again, it’s an interdependent thing.

Incidentally, Joyzine’s Rupert Hitchcox designed and photographed the entire Chapter 1 of TheZineUK. Late 2013, we went to meet a trendy publication in Shoreditch for tips. Showed them the mock up and they sneered that it was nothing special. Originally, the words off and fuck sprang to my mind, in no particular order, but I got over myself and we enjoyed a beer together with them. There’s no competition, they’re huge and doing it right.

We’re definitely different to the on-brand design concept that we may achieve one day. For now, TheZineUK is perfectly imperfect while creating in the wild.

That time TheZineUK were based at The Ministry Of Fluff n Dreama… Gordon Raphael is on the bus chatting all sorts with Ragged Cult Magazine. He also reviewed The Strokes at Hyde Park from side of stage. It was viralled across The Guardian, NME etc Heck I think somebody even remembered to credit TheZineUK - nah, y’aint seen it all before. Listen to all these artists. You may like a song and wahey!

Our first front page (uploaded mid March 2014 - some of our faves still in school) was taken with 15 minutes to capture Rhiannon The Nightmare stunning the main hall of the National Portrait Gallery (fast forward to now, she’s an award winning film maker) and the last page is of teen band, Floodliners, on the bar of Amersham Arms in a scene out of the TryLife TV drama. The bass player is now one half of Elton John faves, Nova Twins (currently on tour with Muse) and the drama is an international, top tier interactive youth powered tech sensation of international acclaim with (goes to check) 6.9 million followers on fakebook. We’re not all bad.

#Zeenagers are Generation Tremorists - All Ages And Backgrounds who are not falling for the whole Earth x Earthlings hating bullshit of the 1% - they don’t even know we exist so as the tides rise seize their yachts for your luxury squats

Maybe it’s because we live and love music world life, that in mid-March 2024, it’s TheZineUK’s tenth anniversary. Zeenagers Expo will let anybody (who is interested) decide if our new whimsical express is on point or not. Now do please go and re-read this page another day, if you likebbecause it will shape October (Artful month) which aims to create a physical event within a year.

Q: Will we succeed? A: We will try to. It’s a situationist kismet cosmic magical mystery tour, just come with… Are friends Electric? Now is the age of

ELECTRIC ENEMY

A pulsing blast of a hip-swinging rhythm that arrives into this tale via new single, ‘Fear’. BombPop Beats (bombastic, poptastic electro rock with alien invasion choir harmonies)! “I wrote, performed, recorded, produced and mixed this song about a panic attack i had” says Electric Jim. Dive in, hear him out as there’s a collection of massive tunes! Get IN! https://linktr.ee/electricenemy

MIMOSA

‘All The Time’ an Autumn single from a band who are a shade of 1970s Americana alternative rock outfit from Chesterfield with a driving rhythm paced, “sing it with me”, guitar-wigged-out shiner. Click here for the freshly unveiled video.

Mimosa are another name among a myriad of music industry who are part of Soccer Six Fest 2023 (which is part of our story) and graced the stage with a confident rock show swagger for which fans and friends had travelled miles to cut crazy, indie-disco shapes on the dance floor. The UK tour rolls on with this cumulative energy, via BBC Radio Sessions, festivals and tour dates to even greater heights as the year unfolds. A gig at Blackpool Tower?!!!

MOSES

“I’m very close to quit”… (2020) A Rock Opera In Real Time. Musicians from Eastern Europe, Ireland, South Korea form rock band. Build the seeds of a massive reputation. Brexit then Pandemica then ailments and finances hit hard. So glad that they don’t quit. Special kudos to The Wizard of Wolverhampton, producer Gavin Monaghan. A spiritual guide to many in the magical Magic Garden Studio. Fast forward to 2023 where new songs for 2024 were premiered on USA dates and the latest of their releases to hit a landmark, ‘Who Needs The Money' has passed half a million Spotify streams with no playlists in support. #ThatBandMOSES - mostly unknown but blessed with anthems for grand occasions and amazing followers who are a cross between a street team of recommendation and a gig-choir.

Look out, level playing fields, at all the names I’m blubbyblabbing here.
The Fertile Environment is a reality.

RUBY J

After hearing a world exclusive play of the energised Northern Soul tingled single ‘Home’, on John Kennedy’s X-posure Daily radio shows, I was lucky enough to experience the close range live performance at This Feeling’s Test Transmission 003 event that same evening.

With a soulful vocal distinction that I feel Ami Winehouse would enjoy, Ruby is an artist I’d like to hear sing ‘Goldfinger’ or ‘Hey Big Spender’ by Shirley Bassey. Another special artist on the runway of This Feeling’s “Zone Airport”. Yeah, the No.1 Live Music Club in the land staged something special. (cont./…)

Billie tinted Blues: https://linktr.ee/rubyjofficial

Pay attention to Music Venue Trust - if you don’t already - or you’ll no longer see a bill of live sets that you will later pay at least ten to twenty pounds EACH to witness at a later date. For instance…

Test Transmission 003 - Fitzrovia (Central London)

On 26th September you could have enjoyed Spangled, Beverly Kills, Billy Otto, Harri Larkin (introduced to our story by the above mentioned Gavin Monaghan!) AND Ruby J all on one bill for a tenner. Intimately in an inclusive welcome from This Feeling, their team and expanding community - while rubbing shoulders with banger-spinning, star heat-seeker, DJ and Host, John Kennedy, alongside more music industry influencers.

Four of the photographers in attendance - Jon Mo, Rhona Murphy, Keira Anee and Alan Wells - are also appreciated contributors to TheZineUK’s tale/heritage - look out for their highly rated work! Talking of involved interdependent media, Mike from Travellers Tunes is a prolific writer and scout.

Uniqulture. Interdependence. It works.

Yet again, an unforgettable, fun and enthralling evening. First time catching Harri Larkin, Beverly Kills and Billy Otto in the flesh. Superb. Quick taster clips of random adventures https://www.tiktok.com/@thezine.uk and https://www.instagram.com/thezine.uk/

Billy Otto and Harri Larkin, 2023 - This Feeling/TheZineUK

People travelled from all over the country and continent for This Feeling. Music Tourism.

A research of how it works was furthered by the back room that TheZineUK was born in (Amersham Arms) staging an event by 122MM in July. It was filmed by the above mentioned John Clay of Colossus. One of the bands performing was…

STILL TRAFFICO

This morning, this band released a giant bird that flies. Up. There’s something beautifully “SHACK in the Strawberry Fields Forever’ shadowing the single, ‘Seagulls’, which introduces this North/South Uniting band to a wider public. A sultans of swinged urgency within beseeching vocals, chord play rhythms and guitar chimes.

Turns out that the above mentioned 122MM (122 Music Management) are based in SELondon and we are on a wavelength, tune wise, so when up’n’comers, The Outers, were invited back to Amersham Arms, we all went together, had a brill night out and a proper social with the band (ha ha, I left them all in the beer garden until the early hours!). The Outers next show was launching a single in Hackney, supporting headliners, Still Traffico. A totally quality evening under a big big moon. Both bands. Both barrels.

My impression of Still Traffico was that their psychedelic structured layers sounded like a fresh feeling familiar for a few bars before a tango of textured tangents. No drugs required, a bit like a scene from 1980s cult TV, Twin Peaks, where the guitar band call in to the strange place, having got lost on tour and we freaks dance odd moves. Still Traffico describe themselves as ‘railway pop’ and they are, indeed, a little off the rails. Credibly.

I enjoyed myself too much, stayed late after instead of shooting for the last train and found myself on my own magical mystery night bus tour, occasionally loudly stating “I Am Moon”. Proudly weird, this is how September 2023 began. How it ends. All day long…

THE KAIROS

I want my Mummy! There’s a monster in my ear! It’s ‘Suspend’ the new single from The Kairos!

As all these random paragraphs are actually connected (uniqulture WEAVES), this is a band that were thriller killer at Test Transmission 001 on March 1st 2022. My first sighting. Dived straight in. That was a night not to forget: A new European war just declared, a rail strike thronged the doomy hearted streets with sponsored walks to get anywhere - and still a beautiful evening of noisy joys at close range - TheZine.UK insta: A “few secs of 'Money Mind' “A punky blues tint of Hamburg era Beatles”. (cont/…)

Now it’s Autumn 2023. Our mate, Louise Schofield’s increasingly busy schedule includes an (entertaining, of course!) session and interview on Spill The Sound - the bath balls reveal music TV show made in Manchester. The opening track played is ‘Suspend’!

Music journalists who go to gigs, DJ, present radio/TV shows, live events/Festivals, interview musicians they’ve put at ease - and just LOVE it. Yeah, they make our world go round. Go Lou, a perfect #NoKairoNoParty match! The UK tour is about to rock off for this band on a roll, get in The Thick Of It!

https://www.thekairosband.com/

THE OUTERS

At the end of last year, The Outers danced into TheZineUK’s ears with an insistently hooky pop TUNE ‘Danger Signs’. They were playing the launch of Bad Apple Club (no, not a policeforce disco) in Shoreditch’s Old Blue Last, supporting previously mentioned MOSES - and the song just stuck.

Their set was an instant winner, thrillingly festive and the perfect special guests for such lively headliners. The Outers are an uplifting band who are determined that you enjoy their gigs as much as they love playing them. Works for me. It’s early doors but their potential is seeding.

Yup, grabbed them to play Pop Of The Tops 2023 in Spring. They made a video for ‘Danger Signs’ in Summer and along the way, each show won fantastic feedback. Not just me, then. For Autumn, there’s a lyric video to the new single, ‘First Sight’, mentioned in the shout about Still Traffico, above… and to a noticeably bigger crowd.

https://linktr.ee/theouters2

Entwined, I tell ya!

Untwining, here is a bucket list band to tick off with a live show some day soon, hopefully.

All hail VENUS GRRRLS - Their new single, ‘Liar Liar’, is a skyward facing gongbanger of a pop strut. Huge if true. Guess what? It’s true! Leeds leads! Watch/Hear (YouTube)

https://orcd.co/liarliar-venusgrrrls by Misha Warren

ZEENAGERS EXPO - mid March 2024.

Wish us luck putting events together during the creative copromotions of the situationist virtual festival, Artful (Oct 1st-31st). What are your visual artists, film makers, illustrators, VJs of choice to soundtrack? Who or what is your #ArtfulFest 2023?

September 2023, Anna Wolf at the Bob Vylan social

newer wave of art punx having cheap fun on the outside looking outwards. Over and out.