Staffordshire talent showcased at Hippy Horror Festival

               

Staffordshire’s musical talent showcased its strength at the Hippy Horror Festival in Stoke-on-Trent this weekend (October 26-28).

On a weekend where the ice-cold weather only spurred people on, hundreds gathered to hear local acts at the Foxfield Railway in Blythe Bridge.

Hippy Hippy Shake Company owner, Richard Buxton, organised the extravaganza following the success of the Easter festival, Hippy Haze.

Stoke band Six Towns, recently nominated for MTV’s Brand New Unsigned Artist 2013, performed on the Saturday evening in striking skeleton costumes.

Bassist Matt Litherland said: “We played Hippy Haze back in April and it was cracking the first time Rich Buxton put it on.”

“We’re influenced by anything with guitars really; Kasabian, Oasis, Led Zeppelin. All the cliché ones,” said guitarist Simon Harry, “Rock ‘n’ roll is what we are.”

Moral Panics frontman Daniel Johnson. 
Pic: Maanik Chadda

Singer-songwriter Emilio Pinchi was also praised by his fellow acts.

The 18-year-old from Liverpool recently released his EP, Popular Myth and Conflict.

“We saw Emilio Pinchi and he was cracking,” said frontman Liam O’Brien, “for a guy who stands there on his own with an acoustic guitar it’s just fantastic.”

With drummer Josh Morris, the band will be at The Sugarmill in Hanley on November 15 as part of Radical’s Rising Presents.

The Get Alongs, The Control and The Rivalry headlined the festival on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday respectively.

Fans and acts were dressed to scare with their Halloween-themed costumes.

Dressed in bloody boiler suits, four-piece 3’s a Riot were preparing for their Saturday support set.

Lead vocalist Joe Tomasso said: “We played Hippy Haze earlier in the year and we were the main support to The Get Alongs, and now we’re main support to The Control.”

Guitarist Toby Simcock added: “I loved Emilio Pinchi’s set. The Motives were good, as well as The Control, Translucid and Fat Mess.”

Drummer Dan Thompson and bassist Dan Aydon make up the band that will perform at Sheffield’s O2 Academy on December 1.

Stoke rockers Moral Panics have been gathering plenty of attention lately and attracted the largest ‘mosh-pit’ of the festival at the time for their closing number.

“It was impressive,” said lead vocalist Daniel Johnson, “I saw quite a few people that I’d never seen before singing the words to old songs as well as new songs.”

Once they have headlined The Sugarmill on December 17, the band is set to record an album early next year.

The Hippy Hippy Shake Company sell milkshakes and smoothies in their Newcastle-under-Lyme and Hanley stores.

Moral Panics drummer Eden Longson said: “I must support his (Rich Buxton) business more than anybody else! Every time I go to Newcastle-under-Lyme I go to the Hippy Shake.”


                                 

Video by Sharna Swaby and photo slideshow by Jovi Mullen.

Q&A with Clock Opera's Dan Armstrong

Clock Opera's debut album Ways to Forget. Pic: clockopera.com

Clock Opera keyboard player Dan Armstrong caught up with Folkopops after the London band performed at Stoke-on-Trent’s Sugarmill on October 22. Guy Connelly (lead vocals, guitar, samples), Andy West (bass, guitar) and Che Albrighton (drums) make up the rest of Clock Opera.

Folkopops: How would you describe your music?

Dan Armstrong: Describing our music is difficult and failing to do so has led to some interesting attempts from other people. Putting those to one side, I would say something along the lines of intricate, energetic, euphoric, electronic humanity. Sorry.

Where do you get your influences from?

Personally I look for other realities that appeal to me and try to understand them. Terence McKenna would be a good example of that. Or Alan Watts. Whether or not such greatness has much effect on my life is another question. I hope so. Ultimately though, most influences are not gotten but force-fed. Adverts, patriotism, a corporate birth certificate; these things I did not pursue...I have the jingle for Curry Motors in my head. Any affect that has on the next song I write is entirely out of my hands.

What makes you tick? What makes you produce the music that you do?

In my view the most valuable thing an individual can do is explore and make sense of their own reality. It's the nearest thing you can get to truth. I believe making art of any kind is part of that process. The particular form your art takes is an attempt to express your reality.

You were brilliant supporting The Temper Trap in Camden, what was it like supporting the likes of high profile bands also including Maximo Park and Marina and the Diamonds?

Thank you. Sometimes supporting big acts is like being AFC Wimbledon playing away at Chelsea in the 3rd round of the FA Cup. You believe you have a better, more ethical club, that you enjoy it more, but the bank balances don't reflect that. Other times, you respect the opposition fully, lose on penalties and have a big bath together.

How do Moshi Moshi and Island Records support you career?

They are two separate institutions. I could give two answers of course but your question invites a side-step and I'm taking it.

How was it getting such positive reviews from the likes of The Guardian and having The Lost Buoys played as a background 2012 Olympic song? 

An interesting reality. The Lost Buoys video came out today. Take a look/listen.

Has everything so far hit you yet?

I try to run away before I get hit.

Have you played in Stoke before and are you looking forward to it?

We love performing our music and Stoke, as with Japan, will be no exception. A good friend of mine tells me he likes The Sugarmill as a venue and I trust his judgement.

Clock Opera's debut album Ways to Forget is out now. Visit their official website, Facebook and YouTube.

The Lost Buoys is set for release on November 5, watch the video below:

                

Cream of Staffordshire talent set for Hippy Horror Music Festival

Preparations for the 3-day festival have undergone,
Pic: Daniel Rowlands

The annual Hippy Horror Music Festival will feature a range of Staffordshire’s best musical talents across three days.

The festival, organised by the Hippy Hippy Shake Company, begins today and will end on Sunday evening (October 28) at Foxfield Railway in Blythe Bridge.

More than 40 local acts will be performing as part of the largest line-up of unsigned artists ever to perform at a single event locally.

Popular upcoming acts will include The Get Alongs, The Control, The Rivalry, and Six Towns, who were recently nominated for MTV Brand New Unsigned Act for 2013.

Managing director Richard Buxton, said: “The image of our milkshake bars has always been based around music-based icons and themes, so it made sense to get involved with the local music scene.”

The company has two shops, one in Hanley market in Stoke, and the other in Newcastle-under-Lyme town cetnre.

HippyHaze, a similar event that took place at Easter, proved a great success earlier in the year.

Richard added: “HippyHaze was a great success for us, so we decided to put Hippy Horror on in order to provide the younger community with something different to do at Halloween whilst supporting young musicians.”

Food and clothing stalls, face-painters and a bar will be available for fans to enjoy.

Festival-goers are encouraged to attend in Halloween fancy-dress.

Full weekend tickets can be purchased on the door for £28 whilst Saturday and Sunday tickets are available for £15. Friday day tickets are £7 and all include camping.

Check out the Facebook event for more details about the line-up.