LOUIS BARABBAS AND THE BEDLAM SIX (UK)
PRESSE PRAISE:
“Outstanding.” - DROWNED IN SOUND
“...so gloriously out of step with everything else around them. Intensely articulate and knowingly droll, theirs is a sound placed in the whiskey-stained jazz bar, the Tom Waits-goes-Gypsy vibe supplemented by the kind of theatrical performance from Barabbas that elevates the show above merely a rendition of songs.” – CITY LIFE MAGAZINE
“Unbefuckinglievably brilliant!” - Tom Robinson, BBC RADIO 6 MUSIC
“Rat Pack fuelled by the energy and spirit of punk independence, with a bunch of twisted tales to tell straight from Hell’s own cabaret lounge.”
– MANCHESTER MUSIC
“...reflect the fresh and vibrant sound coming from the centre of the creative hub that is Manchester.” - MUSIC WEEK
“An artist who just blows you away with sheer originality… music from the heart that is made for dancing but also leaves you thinking. Superlatives are not enough” - ECHOES & DUST MAGAZINE
“Such a unique talent...intelligent, witty and has a kick to rival any fine liquer. Simply awesome.” - Chris Holliday, BBC RADIO MANCHESTER
“Rousing, heart-breaking and foot-stomping in equal measures… a swirling, gritty mass of influences and ideas…their music is as likely to steal your soul as soothe it.” - Chris Long, BBC MANCHESTER
“Louis Barabbas is one of the hardest working musicians around… a Mancunian musical legend, so amazing!” - Sam Walker, BBC Radio 5 Live
“Absolutely bloody amazing!”
– Danny Goffey, SUPERGRASS
“Exceptional, unique and truly outstanding.”
– Andy Crane, BBC MANCHESTER
“...one of the best and unique bands for their music, theatre and entertainment that the UK has produced this century…” - USA WEEKLY
“A dynamite vest couldn’t have blown my tits off with such gusto… amazing live, truly catchy – if these folks don’t go to the moon I’ll finally accept there is no god.” – FRONT MAGAZINE
“...from spiced Cab Calloway jazz to gypsy folk and gritty blues… If the mad and exciting musical tales didn’t wake the neighbours, the surging howls of approval by the end certainly should have got the knuckles rapping the walls.” - WHISPERIN' & HOLLERIN' MAGAZINE
“Never before have we stumbled across such creativity, character and complexity.” – CHRIS MARTIN
“Brilliant… terrifying but brilliant.” – BYRON EVANS
*****
Louis Barabbas ist so vielbeschäftigt wie - seitig: Songrwriter (Bridie Jackson & The Arbour, Snowapple, The Bedlam Six), Labelchef bei Debt Records, Mitglieder der Un-Convention, Moderator bei Fab Radio International und Fresh On The Net, Mitglied des Komitees der Musician's Union - und Captain der Bedlam Six aus der Manchester. Am 11. März 2016 erscheint sein neues Album, "Gentle Songs of Ceaseless Horror". Ein Solo-Album mit Songs, welche so ganz anders klingen als erwartet.
Wer Louis Barabbas' Schaffen in den letzten Jahren verfolgt hat, der mag überrascht sein vom wesentlich sanfteren Klanguniversum, als bisher gewohnt von ihm: das bekannte Knurren und Knarzen, die explosiven Rock-Ausbrüche, die fast schon punkig-burlesken Elemente, die Elektrischen Gitarren und das flamboyante Possenreissen, all das findet man auf diesem Album nicht.
Vielmehr ist es geprägt durch eine akustische Instrumentierung und einer nachdenklichen und behutsam bekennenden Grundstimmung. Kurz: das Album ist mehr Leonard Cohen, Nick Drake und Lionel Bart Gentle als Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds oder Alex Harvey - und keiner ist mehr überrascht davon als Louis Barrabas selbst.
“For every erratic foot-stomper I write there tends to also be a slightly malformed wordy afterbirth” erklärt Barabbas. Dutzende dieser Songs hätten sich angesammelt, erzählt er weiter und eines Tages sei ihm aufgegangen, dass er ein komplettes Konzeptalbum vorliegen hatte. Ein Album voller existentieller Geistergeschichten. "I am well and truly out of my comfort zone here. And that’s definitely a good thing.” Wir können nur zustimmen, diese bisher unbekannte Facette dieser vertrauten, und wie gewohnten sprachgewaltigen, Stimme, gefällt uns ausgezeichnet.
*****
LOUIS BARABBAS' NEW ALBUM “GENTLE SONGS OF CEASELESS HORROR”
Louis Barabbas, Artistic Director of Debt Records, member of Un-Convention, presenter on Fab Radio International, Musicians' Union committee member, moderator for Fresh On The Net and captain of The Bedlam Six, releases his new solo album Gentle Songs Of Ceaseless Horror on Friday 11th March 2016, featuring contributions from Liz Green and Kirsty McGee.
Long time followers of the songwriter once described as “the Fagin-Nymph of Dirt Swing” may be surprised at the direction of this new record. There is no snarling or shouting, no electric guitars or posse chanting. It is instead the soundtrack to a man coming clean.
Some of the songs may be familiar, though certainly not in this guise. “Scarecrow” was originally written for Bridie Jackson & The Arbour (which became the entry that got them to the finals of the Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition in 2013 – and indeed became the festival’s hold music that year as well as enjoying frequent plays on Radio 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6). Another track “Widow” was written for Dutch harmony trio Snowapple and has been toured all around Europe, the USA and Mexico.
The other songs were written alongside Louis’ usual output for band The Bedlam Six. These tunes, however, are an altogether more furtive species. They are confessional, explorative and sparse, whilst still maintaining the usual lyrical playfulness celebrated in Louis’ past releases.
“For every erratic foot-stomper I write there tends to also be a slightly malformed wordy afterbirth” Louis explains. “After collecting a dozen of these together I found I’d unwittingly written an unintentional concept album of – to put it very pretentiously – existential ghost stories. I am well and truly out of my comfort zone here. And that’s definitely a good thing.”
Teaming up with producer Biff Roxby (Honeyfeet, Bedlam Six) alongside rhythm section Phill Howley (Liz Green, Shyfinger) and Joel Roberts (The Chaps, Lou & The Llamas) plus guest players Kirsty McGee, Fran Lydiatt, Fanny de Ruiter and Liz Green, Louis’ new album is a very different proposition from his usual flamboyant rock exploits. By turns reminiscent of Leonard Cohen, Nick Drake and even Lionel Bart Gentle Songs Of Ceaseless Horror is a surprise even to those who created it.
Released on Debt Records on 11th March 2016, there will be an accompanying tour of the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe through February, March and April.
TASTE-TIPS:
Eintritt: 25.-/20.- (ermässigt)
Kombi-Ticket: 65.- (3-Gang-Menü am 18:00 + Konzert-Eintritt)
Hinweis: Steh- und Sitzplätze, keine Platzreservation!
