We at BeatReview.com love hard working promoters and we have asked the guys at ZOO POP to give us a run down of what they have been up to and what they have planned!
‘Zoo Pop’ is a live music night, set up by Ben Mcmanus and Dale Skinner. It was set up, as we are in a band called ‘Cat Mouse Cat’ and over the last year and a half we have been playing the local Cardiff music scene, as well as gigging around Britain. From playing so many gigs, by the end of 2009 we realized that we had made a lot of contacts, and met lots of bands who we have become friends with. Along with local promoters and contacts we have set up a prominent night in Cardiff showcasing local bands and top new acts from around the country
Previous Gigs
The original idea for ‘Zoo Pop’ was to showcase the bands we had met over the last year, and we put our first night on in Buffalo Bar on the first of February 2010. The line-up consisted of headliners ‘Elephants’ (Who are gaining lots of notoriety around London and Kent) ‘Ok’, ‘Farthing Wood’ (from Bristol) and ‘Cat Mouse Cat’. The night went down a storm, and we booked out Buffalo Bar again the following Monday night.
The second ‘Zoo Pop’ night happened on the eighth of February, and consisted of local band ‘Lucky Delucci” headlining (whom we are good friends with) ‘Silver Gospel Runners’, ‘Evening Chorus’. ‘Alphabet Backwards” (from Oxford, and also containing band member Josh Ward, who was the guy on the T-Mobile advert getting loads and loads of random musicians to play together at once)
Here’s the link to the advert: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=423859791&blogId=517271362
Again the night went down storm and was even more packed than the first one.
Other ‘Zoo Pop’ events have included nights sponsored by Brains beer in‘The Yard’ pub in the brewery quarter in cardiff,. The night was well publicized, with help from the ‘South Wales Echo’, Huw Stephens (from Radio 1) and ‘Brains Brewery’ (who own The Yard) The line- up for the Saturday night consisted of ‘Sons of Pioneer’, ‘Weird Naked Indian’, The Lay Lows’, ‘Bump City’, and again by ‘Alphabet Backwards’. The Sunday night consisted of local acoustic acts, ‘The Ped and Joe Show’, Anthony Wickham’, ‘Evening Chorus’, Cat Mouse Cat’ and local heroes ‘Under The Driftwood Tree’
We have also helped bands by doing album launch parties for them.‘Ok’ had their album launch party (who we are also good friends with too) on the twenty ninth of March. This proved to be our most successful event so far, as Buffalo Bar was so busy we couldn’t let any more people in by the time ‘Ok’ had come on. The place was also rammed with two hundred and fifty balloons, which we blew up before hand. Support came from ‘The Locarnos’ (from Bristol) and ‘Cat Mouse Cat”.
Our latest ‘Zoo Pop’ gigs have been showcasing bigger bands such as ‘King Charles’ (who has gained lots of attention in London on the local circuits, and in the ‘Communion’ scene. And just got off tour with Laura Marling and Mumford and Sons) Support came from ‘Stokes, William’ (also a part of the ‘Communon’ scene and local Cardiff scene, and ‘Houdini Dax’. Other gigs have included ‘Cats and Cats and Cats, and Springfactory
Future Plans
Zoo Pop’s main focus is to always showcase up and coming bands, from anywhere we can find, and locally. Although we are currently using Buffalo Bar as our main events night, we have just set up a monthly night in Gwdihw showcasing lo-fi bands and stripped down versions of local bands to support.
MAYBESHEWILL – BUFFALO BAR – OCTOBER 9TH
Our first October installment is at Buffalo Bar, featuring MAYBESHEWILL, the best Instrumental Post Rock band to come out of Oxford since….. well forever! Hailed by HUW STEPHENS and DROWNED IN SOUND, as well as spending the last few years supporting the likes of FOALS and THIS TOWN NEEDS GUNS, MAYBESHEWILL will literally blow you away!
And if that wasn’t enough, they’re being supported by the newly formed ‘&U&I’ featuring legendary ex Blakfish members!
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=103844326343727&ref=ts
SWN FESTIVAL – ZOOPOP STAGE – CARDIFF ARTS INSTITUTE – 23RD OCTOBER
As part of SWN festival, Zoo Pop have our very own stage at Cardiff Arts Institute on the 23rd of October. As excited as we are, we’re featuring five great bands on the saturday afternoon, with local favorites OK and JOHN MOUSE, as well as Oxford bred indie synth super group ALPHABET BACKWARDS, and much respected alternative rebels TO THE BONES. The main act is none other than Tom Gray (singer of Gomez)!!
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=149505785074205&ref=ts
6 DAY RIOT – BUFFALO BAR – 27TH OCTOBER
Our next venture into the realm of october gigs takes a musical turn, with the charming 6 DAY RIOT who are gaining a lot of notoriety on the music scene at the moment, supporting the likes of SETH LAKEMAN and other major figures.
“sunny harmonies, calypso beats, buoyant melodies and quirky lyrics. Unashamedly poppy and irrepressibly lovable” – NME
Support comes from underground alternative/indie greats ‘Kid Canaveral. Chewy pop-kids to savour, proving that life still twitches in the indie guitar-pop business.
Other support comes from local indie pop legends CAT MOUSE CAT, and ELLIE MAKES MUSIC.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=143416065694251&ref=ts
DIVERTING DUO – GWDIHW – 28TH OCTOBER
An evening of lovely lo-fi and acoustic folk rock.
The first of a monthly zoo pop event happening in GWDIHW the last thursday of every month.
Diverting Duo play beautiful minimalist dream-pop that will melt your heart. If you could sum up their sound, all you have to do is imagine a long warm reverb, some nice colours and the summer dusk. On tour from Italy, it’s a one of chance to catch this amazing band at their most intimate!
Support comes from NO THEE NO ESS – Dreamy Folk Rock at it’s best, No Thee No Ess combine luscious harmonies with country stylings that will leave you weak at the knee’s. Always a pleasure to listen to.
More support comes from Local hero Ivan Moult with a full band!!
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=144401155596818&ref=ts
Links
Here’s the links to the main zoo pop sites.
Myspace – www.myspace.com/zoopopcardiff
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=120902391297017&ref=ts
E-mail – zoopop@hotmail.co.uk
