Pennyblackmusic Presents...Band of Holy Joy

Event information

Pennyblackmusic is delighted to invite The Band of Holy Joy back to The Macbeth after last January's show.

BAND OF HOLY JOY
Pennyblackmusic is honoured to welcome The Band of Holy Joy back to The Macbeth after headlining our date at the venue in January this year.
Formed in New Cross, south London, in 1984, Band of Holy Joy have seen some thirty band members pass through its doors in the subsequent thirty years, the one constant being Newcastle-born frontman Johny Brown.
Initially experimenting with cheap junk shop instruments, Cabaret Voltaire-style funk, post-punk, and industrial electronics elements - the latter partly a result of their friendship with industrial act Test Department - the nascent band initially released two self-issued cassettes, 'Favourite Fairytales For Juvenile Delinquents' and 'More Favourite Fairytales'.
Then they moved on to south London indie label Flim Flam for the 1987 album, 'More Tales From The City', before signing to Rough Trade for two albums, 'Manic, Magic, Majestic' and 'Positively Spooked' at the end of the 80s. Increasingly successful, both commercially and critically, this period of the band coincided with the unfortunate demise of Rough Trade as a label, who in 1991 faced bankruptancy and had to be bailed out; after renaming themselves Holy Joy and releasing 'Tracksuit Vendetta' in 1992, the band seemed to follow suit by splitting up the following year.
It would take just under ten years before the band (now back with their full moniker) would reform, releasing the album 'Love Never Falls', in 2002. In 2007, Cherry Red Records released a best-of album, 'Leaves That Fall in Spring'; since then, the band have gone from strength to strength, releasing a further five albums (the last of which, 'Exotic Listening', came out earlier this year), as well as touring the USA.
Along the way, their sound has expanded and refined, creating a hybrid of elements of folk rock, Celtic punk, European cabaret, electronics, epic pop, and others, all interspersed with literary and poetic references in Brown's impassioned lyrics. In addition, they have branched out, utilising theatrical song plays and exploring multimedia-based performances.
www.bandofholyjoy.co.uk

VINNY PECULIAR
Musician and poet Vinny Peculiar has been variously described as "an under sung national treasure" ['Uncut']; "a warm hearted Morrissey" ['Q'] and "the missing link between Jarvis Cocker and Roger McGough" ['Irish Times']. He's released eleven albums of outsider pop music to great critical acclaim and a new album release 'Down The Bright Stream' on his own Shadrack & Duxbury Records comes out in March.
Much of Vinny's work is autobiographical; songs are remarkably candid, honest, witty and laugh aloud absurd, and at the same time poignant and self effacing. You really need to hear them.
Peculiar has collaborated with Bill Drummond [KLF] on a series of house concerts; he's worked as an artist in residence [Belfast Cathedral Arts Festival]; and his various bands have included ex-members of The Smiths, Oasis, Aztec Camera and The Fall. Live shows herald comparisons to the likes of Eels, John Cooper Clarke, and the more pastoral elements of The Kinks.
http://www.vinnypeculiar.com

THE BLACK SITE
The Black Site formed after Bam Bam, a Californian native relocated to London, ran into Yorkshire-born C.M., who has previously moonlighted in Pennyblackmusic favourites Madam, Altai Rockets, and Sophia. The two were at a gig somewhere in the east of the city, with both hoping to cop a pint from each other due to dire financial circumstances. Without any alcoholic assistance, C.M. commented on Bam Bam's bitchin' white shoes. Bam Bam replied by quoting a Ted Hughes poem.
Thus began a strange partnership that's led to some awesomely raw punk-blues, recalling the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, early PJ Harvey, The Gin Palace, and The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion at their finest, all topped off by Bam Bam's commanding, cigarette-damaged voice, the sound of one too many whiskies and hell-raising adventures late at night, a half intoned, half-sung thing with dark secrets to impart. Produced by the mysterious 'H' from Switzerland, their demos so far rock like a mutha, culminating in a self-titled debut album.
Can their pussy do the dog? Definitely.
http://www.theblacksite.co.uk