JIM CARROLL'S NEW MUSIC SPECIAL:Coming this year to a playlist or stage near you; Jim Carroll previews the the best new sounds, hot from the stages of the Eurosonic festival in Groningen
THE WORD IS well and truly out. For the last few years, the Eurosonic festival in Groningen has been where you will find astute festival promoters, booking agents, broadcasters, journalists and other music business professionals at work and play.
Over two nights, those 2,500 or so delegates join with thousands of locals to walk, run or cycle around this lovely Dutch city to check out more than 200 European bands, book them for festivals, write about them or stick them on the radio.
As acts such as Lykke Li, The Do, Franz Ferdinand, First Aid Kit, White Lies and SoapSkin have discovered, playing a show in Groningen in January can pay off royally in terms of future gig bookings and media profile. Given the slump in revenue from album sales, any such additional income streams are more than welcome.
Although Eurosonic has been running since 1999, when it grew out of a European Broadcasting Union travelling showcase called Eurorock, 2010 was the year when it hit a new stride.
For a start, there were far more people in attendance and the festival sold out in advance. These delegates weren’t just here for the beer, and it was clear from conversations over the weekend that a lot of business was being done. The presence of a large contingent of UK agents was also telling as the penny drops about Eurosonic’s significance on the music calender.
If MIDEM in Cannes is where the record industry traditionally goes to slap backs and sign deals every January, Eurosonic is now firmly established as the European live music industry’s annual big weekend away.
By day in the Oosterpoort convention centre, there were panels and discussions on issues of concern to the industry. At sessions on tapping into international touring funds, new business models for radio, how to book gigs in Norway if you’re not a black metal act and agents defending themselves, the atmosphere was frank and business-like. Yes, the music industry is changing, but there are many here who are doing their damndest to keep abreast of those changes.
By night, it’s all about what’s happening on 28 stages around town, with a new cluster of venues a few minutes’ cycle from the main drag coming on stream this year to provide increased venue capacity.
What’s noteworthy about Eurosonic is that the quality of the acts, regardless of genre, is at a remarkably high level. Strict quality control when it comes to issuing invites means only acts who can actually benefit from an appearance get to show their wares at Groningen. There’s no room here for bands who need to spend 20 minutes fannying around at the start of their set tuning guitars or who can’t play like demons.
For the acts who do make it to Eurosonic, all eyes are on the European Talent Exchange Program (ETEP). This innovative scheme has been using European Union cash to send rock’n’roll bands all over the continent since 2003. ETEP acts get to play at foreign festivals and enjoy media support and exposure on the back of the show.
The talent search begins each year at Groningen. In 2009, 71 acts who played Eurosonic showcases went on to make European festival appearances, including Fight Like Apes, who got six European bookings from their trip to the Netherlands.
There’s always a considerable Irish showing at Eurosonic, due largely to the hands-on involvement of 2FM producer Ian Wilson in establishing the event in the first place. Irish acts who made their way by plane, boat, train and rental van to the festival this year were Imelda May, Delorentos, And So I Watch You From Afar and Villagers.
The latter two received several mentions in the despatches when the initial ETEP talent meeting was held the morning after Eurosonic. Others who can expect to spend some of the forthcoming summer on the European festival trail include The xx, Jaako Jay, Joensuu 1685, La Pegatina, Marina The Diamonds and Popopopops.
Between now and the summer, though, many other acts who had a blast in Groningen can expect to get an enquiry about their availability from any number of the 60 European festivals who had bookers in attendance last weekend. Not a bad pay-off for a 30-minute set in the Netherlands.
THREE TRAPPED TIGERS
TTT specialise in Venn-diagram rock where elements of free jazz, improv, hardcore and electronica all coalesce happily into one monster heavyweight sound. Raging with the machines, TTT delivered a powerful, pulsating live experience. Expect to see them at a bunch of the more interesting and out-there summer hops.
www.myspace.com/threetrappedtigers
ROCKETTOTHESKY
Glorious spooktronica from Norwegian singer, performer, poet and novelist Jenny Hval and her two-man band. She’s already released two albums showcasing her leftfield, intense, broody, dreamy pop and probably added hugely to her fanclub with this memorable appearance which took in folk, minimal and classical strands.
www.myspace.com/rockettothesky
EVERYTHING EVERYTHING
This Manchester-based band have been turning heads since they released the Suffragette Suffragettesingle back in late 2008. Beefy, brainy, sharp as a tack, shiny indie pop, Everything Everything let rip live and really take your breath away. Recently signed to Geffen, they're still developing at a rate of knots. Watch them fly.
www.myspace.com/ everythingeverythinguk
MARIA TIMM
Twisty-pop from Danish singer Maria Timm and her rocking band. Previously spotted in action at Hamburg's Reeperbahn festival, Timm is gaining quite a rep for her Lykke Li/Ladyhawke/Tom Tom Club-like sound thanks to debut album The Planand tunes such as Dirty Place.
www.myspace.com/mariatimm
STORNOWAY
Wide-eyed pop from Oxford troubadours who are perfectly positioned for any forthcoming folk revival. Featuring a chap with a doctorate in ducks, a Russian translator and a medical doctor, it's their pure vocal harmonies, deceptively simple melodies and shining narratives which had a packed room humming. Best of all, recent single Zorbingis just one of a clutch of must-hear tunes.
www.myspace.com/stornoway
SEABEAR
Songs of heartbreaking beauty and simplicity from this bunch of Icelandic ramblers led by Sindri Már Sigfússon. Hushed, soft-toned songs from both their The Ghost That Carried Us Awayand forthcoming We Built A Firealbums had Eurosonicscouts swooning with delight.
You should always keep an eye on quiet ones like these.
www.myspace.com/seabear
JOENSUU 1685
Three young Finns who share a surname (Joensuu) and a fondness for psychedelic pop, heart-of-darkness drones and wall of sound shoegaze extravaganzas. Their live show was big on feedback, noise and startling riffs, a combination that will always have people going Hoera!at Eurosonic.
www.myspace.com/joensuu1685
AND SO I WATCH YOU FROM AFAR
It took just one track for Groningen’s Vera club to fall head over heels in love with ASIWYFA. Within three tunes, that fabled venue had been transformed into a heaving mosh pit. A dynamic, explosive and thrilling set from the Northern Ireland band shortlisted for the Choice Music Prize for their self-titled debut album. One of the big hits at Eurosonic ’10.
www.myspace.com/andsoiwatchyoufromafar
PONY THE PIRATE
High-energy, gleeful pop with plenty of baroque and brass flourishes from a wild Norwegian combo (three couples and two single dudes) channelling the best bits of Arcade Fire and Los Campesinos! without falling foul of the plagiarism laws. A band you’d happily walk the plank for.
www.myspace.com/ponythepirate
JAMAICA
French band formerly known as Poney Poney who are in thrall to 1970s FM rock hooks, melodies and guitar solos. Justice’s Xavier De Rosnay is helping out in the studio and he may have also had a hand in steering their brilliant tongue-in-cheek stageshow. What Daft Punk would sound like if they were a rock band.
www.myspace.com/ithinkilikejamaic
