Good Form Club

GOOD FORM CLUB IN 2009 AND 2010

2009-12-23T16:53:00.002Z

2009 has been a pretty cool year for us at camp GFC. We have achieved quite a bit but we hope 2010 will be more of a proactive year for us. Our highlights of '09 include seeing Blue Roses' self titled debut album finally released after working tirelessly on the project, putting on The XX and releasing Wonderswan's debut single 'Furrrpile'. Seeing bands that we love like Wild Beasts getting the recognition they deserve is also rewarding. We have put them on a few times and they are super nice guys and deserve their success.

2010 will see us programming monthly gigs and Leeds' coolest hang out Nation Of Shopkeepers, our first of which is Pens on 31st Jan (see poster) with support from Rent Boys and Blood Oranges. Look here for more info.

We are also putting on a new monthly club night at The Well called Hello Nasty which is gonna be way cool and will feature ace bands, djs and drinks promos for all you students. Wetdog (above pic) headline the launch party with support from Grass House and These Men on Thursday 4th February (more info to follow).

Good Form Club will continue to release records in the new year. We will be announcing details shortly so keep 'em peeled. Over and out. Merry Christmas everyone. See you on the other side.

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM GOOD FORM CLUB

2009-12-21T13:59:00.001Z

A few treats for you so that you don't get all bored over the festive period:

A fun Christmas single by supergroup Hunks featuring loads of cool bands like Pulled Apart By Horses, Sky Larkin, Copy Haho, Los Campesinos and more. The single is out now and proceeds go to charity. Buy it here.

Fucked Up along with Andrew WK, Ezra Koenig, Bob Mould, Yo La Tengo, Tegan and Sarah and more covering the christmas classic 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'.

Charlie Brown's Christmas special is king. The score by Vince Guaraldi is also amazing.

A live performace of RUN DMC's Christmas in Hollis.

TOP 10 SINGLES OF 2009

2009-12-20T17:32:00.001Z

This was a toughie but we had to choose 10. Here they are in no particular order:

GRIZZLY BEAR - 'TWO WEEKS'

JULIAN CASABLANCAS - '11TH DIMENSION'

DIRTY PROJECTORS - 'STILLNESS IS A MOVE'

THE DRUMS - 'LETS GO SURFING'

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE - 'MY GIRLS'

JOY ORBISON - 'HYPH MNGO'

THE HORRORS - 'WHO CAN SAY?'

CHEW LIPS - 'SOLO'

GIRLS - 'HELLHOLE RATRACE'

YEAH YEAH YEAHS - 'HEADS WILL ROLL'

TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2009

2009-12-19T14:45:00.000Z

Its been a great year for music and it has been hard to choose our favourite 10 albums........... so in no particular order:

YACHT - 'SEE MYSTERY LIGHTS' (DFA)

Appropriately poppy, catchy tunes with all their elegant lyricism intact, about summer parties that would actually want to play at a summer party. Fuck the Christmas dinner and get out the barbecue....

ST. VINCENT - 'ACTOR' (4AD)

The most lovely voice on any record this year. The sweet yet sinister record is like a collection of short stories which Annie Clark narrates leaving the listener overwhelmed.

FRYARS - 'DARK YOUNG HEARTS' (Bandstocks)

Moody intelligent lyrics, beautiful melodies and crystal clear synths. It's the best bit of Depeche Mode and The Velvet Underground, without all the smack.

DIRTY PROJECTORS - 'BITE ORCA' (Domino)

A big rock / wonky pop album that is artful and playful. An album full of textures from 3D choral vibes, minimal bleeps and electronics to African style disco and strings.

CURSIVE - 'MAMA I'M SWOLEN' (Saddle Creek)

A heroes return from everybodies second favourite band. Just doing, basically what Cursive do best. Writing clever emotional power pop music.

THE XX - 'XX' (Young Turks / XL)

Everyone knows how much we love The XX. We were there from the start listening to their early demos and we put them on earlier this year. Seriously check this record out for some lazy, laid back, chilled out action.

THE HORRORS - 'PRIMARY COLOURS' (XL)

Just a banger innit really. You've all heard it and if you haven't, go and fucking buy it, NOW.

GRIZZLY BEAR - 'VECKATIMEST' (Warp)

An absolute masterpiece from the Brooklyn based quartet. Listen to it you will be rewarded.

WILD BEASTS - 'TWO DANCERS' (Domino)

A beautiful, sweet and original recording. Full of ideas, intelligent lyrics, gorgeous melodies combined with two of the most distinctive voices in music today.

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE - 'MERRIWEATHER POST PAVILLION' (Domino)

The 9th long player from Animal Collective is upbeat and fun. A celebration of life that reminds us of a fucked up carnival with its amazing rhythms, synth sounds, drums and noise. Joy!

SINGLE OF THE WEEK: YACHT - 'PSYCHIC CITY'

2009-12-14T10:01:00.000Z

Forget the battle for the crimbo number 1 between rage and joe whats his face from X factor and enjoy this punctuated and repetitive cracker with nice and low bass from Yacht. Out on DFA.

SINGLE OF THE WEEK: FRANKIE AND THE HEART STRINGS - 'FRAGILE'

2009-12-07T14:28:00.000Z

A wonderful slow paced lament from Frankie and The Heartsrings. The band have been a bit ambiguous not having any music on their myspace so it is ace to finally hear something by them. The single is released on ltd edition double A side 7" via Rough Trade with 'Hunger' as the other hit.

WEST YORKSHIRE THIS WEEKEND

2009-12-04T15:12:00.007Z

Good Form Club's guide to the best gigs, club nights and erm........ vintage fashion fairs happening this weekend.

FRIDAY: RUFFIANS @ BRAFORD PLAYHOUSE, BRADFORD

Ruffians is Bradford's coolest new night at Bradford Payhouse which is fast becoming Bradford's hottest hang out. Expect to hear up tempo electronic pop from all over the world. Doors 7pm. Entry £3.

FRIDAY: MAMBO @ FAGINS, HALIFAX

A night of funk soul and electro. Doors 9.30pm. Entry is £3 with proceeds going to The Tanzanian Street Kids Project.

SATURDAY: PULLED APART BY XMAS PARTY @ THE COCKPIT, LEEDS

Pulled Apart By Horses are hosting one hell of a Christmas party at the cockpit on Saturday. They have asked some of their pals to play with them including Dutch Uncles, Chickenhawk, Friendship, Holy State, Dead Confederate, Swound and Castrovalva. 2pm. £9

SATURDAY: BABI-CHIN-FREE @ BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB, LEEDS

An Amazing free gig at The Brud featuring Ringo Deathstarr, Indica Ritual, Cowtown, Beards and Wrongbot. Doors 8pm.

SATURDAY: NO BONES @ NATION OF SHOPKEEPERS, LEEDS

Leeds' coolest club night with live performances from Good Form Club favourites Milk White White Teeth, Just Handshake's (We're British) and Blood Oranges. 8pm. £2 Entry.

SUNDAY: AFFORDABLE VINTAGE CHRISTMAS FAIR @ LEEDS UNIVERSITY

Over 40 cheap vintage stalls brought to you by England's biggest travelling vintage fair. 12pm - 5pm. £2 entry.

SUNDAY: VINTAGE FAIR @ IMPRESSIONS GALLERY, BRADFORD

Another amazing fair brought to us by our good friends at Rose and Brown Vintage. 12pm - 4pm. Free entry.

INTRODUCING: DOLPHINS

2009-12-03T14:08:00.002Z

Straight out of Bradford Dolphins capture the current mood of the city perfectly through their doomy, gloomy, dirty sound. The band are the perfect soundtrack to Bradford's derelict mills, empty shops and quiet streets. No local band have captured this as perfectly as Dolphins have. They have just finished their debut EP 'Evilution' which is available for free download and is out on ltd edition cassette in the new year. Dolphins are somewhat of a Bradford super group comprising members of This Et Al, Le Tournoi and Harmacy.

SINGLE OF THE WEEK: CROOKERS FEAT. KELIS - 'NO SECURITY'

2009-11-30T13:56:00.000Z

Always had a massive softspot for Kelis and it's great to see her back with this little banger. Italian progressive house / electro clash duo Crookers have been around for a while also and this seems to grind the two ingredients of a sturdy hip hop vocal and UK dubstep beat together to make a really special end product indeed. Plenty of WOOP WOOP's and Kelis's attitude performance makes this our track of the week.

TONIGHT: THE KABEEDIES @ 1 IN12 CLUB, BRADFORD

2009-11-28T13:24:00.004Z

Our good friends at Beep are putting on a sweet little gig over at the 1 in 12 Club tonight. Headling are The Kabeedies who have been getting some sick press from Artrocker (album of the month), 8/10 in Clash magazine etc. They play nice jangly indie pop that is pretty similar to Los Campesinos and Buen Chico. Support comes from Just Handshakes (We're British), The Luminaries and Sweedish Sleepover Experience. Doors are at 7.30pm and its £4 in.

TONIGHT: PEGGY SUE @ ROYAL PARK CELLARS, LEEDS

2009-11-27T13:53:00.005Z

For those of you in Leeds tonight be sure to catch folky Trio Peggy Sue at The Royal Park Cellars. Earlier this week our good friends at Chess Club released Peggy Sue's debut single 'Your Mama' and an album is to follow in 2010. Support comes from Mariners Children and GFC favourites Blood Oranges. Check out the video of their Rob Da Bank radio session to see what they are all about. Word

SINGLE OF THE WEEK: FLORENCE & THE MACHINE - 'YOU GOT THE LOVE (XX REMIX)'

2009-11-16T09:17:00.001Z

First made famous by Candi Staton and The Source way back in 1991 (later re-released in 97) 'You Got The Love' was an instant Dance smash peaking at number 3 in the UK charts. Florence and The Machine's version peaked at 27 and we at GFC were not that keen on her cover at first but it slowly grew on us. What we do love is this remix by The XX. It's kind of like a cover of a cover. It is a bit more lethargic sounding and the throbing bass sounds amazing. Far better than Florence's original effort. The track is released this week on download only.

TONIGHT: HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE @ THE TREEHOUSE CAFE, BRADFORD

2009-11-11T15:00:00.004Z

The Treehouse (Ash Grove near the Uni) has been showing the occasional film for a while now and tonight they go all animation on us with Hayao Miyazaki's 'Howl's Moving Castle.' Entry is £3 and you can bring your own booze. It kicks off at 8pm. View the trailer to see what its all about.

BRADFORD 1 GALLERY

2009-11-10T14:22:00.002Z

The Bradford 1 Gallery is situated on Centenary Square above the amazing Tulsi restaurant. Its been open a while now and we are often guilty of overlooking it. Next week sees the launch of the very very interesting exhibition 'Plastic Culture: Legacies of Pop 1962 - 2008' which features the work of Warhol and Koons. There is also another exhibition currently showing by Chiz Turnross titled '1000 bird paintings.' Keep reading to find out more.............

'Plastic Culture: Legacies of Pop 1962 - 2008' (13.11.09 - 04.02.10)

Plastic Culture looks at the visual and cultural impact of the 1960s Pop Art movement upon subsequent generations of artists in Japan, the UK and the USA. It demonstrates how the pioneering work of Andy Warhol enabled artists to work using new media and technologies, and to approach painting and photography with a set of concerns and attitudes led by technological innovation. It also shows that what came after Pop Art was not simply a celebration of consumerism. Plastic Culture breaks with the convention that Pop was an Anglo-American phenomenon by acknowledging the influence of Japan as a newly emergent force in contemporary art.

The exhibition includes a number of internationally acclaimed artists including Andy Warhol, Mariko Mori, Machiko Edmonton, Rachal Bradley, James Howard, Tony Oursler and Daniel Sturgis. Exhibition Preview: Thursday 19th November 6-8pm.

1000 Bird Paintings (Ends on 22nd Nov)

To coincide with Bradford's Darwin Festival, the gallery hosts '1000 Bird Paintings' - the work of Liverpool Biennale artist Chiz Turnross. As part of the exhibition, the artist has produced some new paintings of the finches Darwin encountered of the Galapagos, plus 30 paintings purchased for the permanent art collection of Bradford

Museums, Galleries and Heritage.

SINGLE OF THE WEEK: ANIMAL COLLECTIVE - 'BROTHER SPORT'

2009-11-09T13:38:00.001Z

Hyptnotic, progressive, Soweto street choir influenced track with sweet synths and big beats taken from the wonderful album 'Merriweather Post Pavillion.' We don't think Animal Collective have an official video for this so we posted up a live performance from LA. Brother Sport is out this week on Domino records. Amazing.

BRADFORD THIS WEEKEND: MEURSAULT + DARREN HAYMAN

2009-11-08T16:37:00.006Z

Two great gigs this weekend!

Homemade presents @ The 1 in 12 Club - Friday

An amazing lineup brought to you by Bradford's not for profit folk promoters Homemade. Headlining is Scottish folky / electronica band Meursault with support from bluegrass performer Serious Sam Barrett and Bradford Folkers Wilful Missing. Kick off is at 8pm and door tax is £4. Vegan food will be on sale from the cafe.

Darren Hayman @ The Theatre In The Mill - Saturday

From 1996 - 2002, Darren Hayman teetered on the brink of indie stardom as the frontman of Hefner. He has since had a successful solo career. Darren will be playing the Theatre in The Mill with his new 4 - piece band this coming Saturday. Expect music from the solo records, a smattering of Hefner songs and no doubt some boxfresh new material. Support comes from This Many Boyfriends and The French Defence. Doors are at 8pm and tickets are priced at £8 / £4.50 (concs)

BRADFORD ANIMATION FESTIVAL 09

2009-11-07T15:52:00.000Z

Bradford Animation Festival is back next week @ The National Media Museum. It is a festival that embraces animation and gaming with something for everyone. Feature films include 'Coraline,' 'Up' (both in 3D) and Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mister Fox. There will also be guest lectures from animators Priit Parn, Joanna King, Framestore and more, competitions, awards, workshops and even a live performance by 8 bit artist Pixehl8. This year's Bradford Animation Festival runs from 10th - 14th November. Click here for more info.

INTRODUCING: BLOOD ORANGES

2009-10-30T11:02:00.005Z

The latest band on the Leeds scene are Blood Oranges. Consisting of two girls and one boy they play lo fi indie pop that evokes memories of the C86 scene that is sometimes like The Wedding Present sometimes like The Pastels. Their is that lovely girl / boy vocals that we love so much in music and the recordings are innocent and shambolic and quite romantic. The band have only been together for two seconds and they have already bagged themselves some top supports in their home city with the likes of Vivian Girls and Peggy Sue. We are looking forward to catching them live soon.

INTRODUCING: KINDNESS

2009-10-09T10:37:00.004+01:00

Totally excited about Hackney band Kindness right now. Their latest single Gee Up has a nice lazy soul/funk vibe with a lovely repetitive bass line. It is out now on Moshi Moshi who have a knack of discovering and introducing the world to hot shit. Hope you all enjoy the video.

FIGHTING COCK: THE BEST JUKEBOX IN BRADFORD?

2009-10-05T15:11:00.005+01:00

The Fighting Cock has long had a reputation for serving the best in local real ale and continental lagers. It has always had a pretty good jukebox but recently got a super slick new one. Last Thursday I was browsing through the playlist and was surprised to find the names of bands that Good Form Club and other Bradford promoters have put on in the past. Sky Larkin, Duels, Forward Russia, Los Campesinos, British Sea Power all had singles on the jukebox along with loads of newer bands all of which I can't remember (I was pretty drunk on the Yakima, a pale ale made in Ossett that is brewed with American Hops). Of course the jukebox had all the rock classics such as Journey and Foreigner etc but its selection of new bands was amazing. I think Ill be spending more time in the FIghting Cock now that I know they have some great music to compliment their extensive range of ale. Win Win.

TWO AMAZING GIGS AT THE 1 IN 12, BRADFORD THIS WEEK

2009-09-16T16:13:00.009+01:00

Two amazing gigs at the 1 in 12 Club this week. You guys should try and make at least one of them!

THEORETICAL GIRL - Wed 16th Sept, 8pm, £4

Theoretical girl is Amy Turnnidge from Southend On Sea, a place that produced an amazing scene which includes The Horrors, These New Puritans and Ipso Facto. She plays dark pop music influenced by goth and 6o's girl groups and has played with the likes of Maximo Park, Good Shoes and Kate Nash. Its a pleasure to have her stop by and play in Bradford.

Support comes from one man pop machine Napoleon IIIrd, Swede like popsters Just Handshakes (We're British) and Bradford hopefuls Minus Jack.

For more info click here.

SPODNI PRADLO - Thu 17th Sept, 8pm, £4

It is sad news indeed that Spodni Pradlo, Bradford's most promising band, are spliting up. They have had a great innings and have played with Wild Beasts, Mae Shi, No Age and Lightspeed Champion. Not even offers from record labels could tempt them to stay together. This will be the last chance to see this world, dance pop machine and it will be a gig of mixed emotions.

Support comes from Pat Dawson and Biscuithead and The Biscuit Badgers.

For more info click here.

GFC001: WONDERSWAN - 'FURRRPILE' OUT ON 5TH OCTOBER

2009-09-08T19:46:00.013+01:00

We are pleased to announce the following:

Straight from wowing crowds on the BBC Introducing stage at Reading and Leeds, WONDERSWAN have announced details of their debut single 'Furrrpile' which is to be released on new Leeds based label Good Form Club. Recorded with Ross McGowan (Dananananaykroyd, Copy Haho), Furrrpile perfectly showcases the Leeds' four piece's love of early 90s loud guitars and melodies, turning the topic of a bizarre sexual fetish into an amazing noise.

Highlighting the band's celebrated lo-fi ethos, b-sides 'Times Divide' and 'Cut It' were self-recorded by band on 4-track tape recorders, two quid microphones bought off eBay and pieced together on a laptop.

"A beautifully shambolic fuzz laden racket...the sound of beautiful chaos, Pavement meets Dinosaur Jr." The Guardian

"A pure piece of early 90’s nostalgia with laid back vocals and scuzzy guitars, full of melancholic optimism. In short, they sound like avid Pavement fans, but this can only be a good thing." P.i.X

To celebrate this momentous occasion, Wonderswan will be playing at Nation Of Shopkeepers, Leeds on Saturday 3rd October with support from Medusa Snare and The Acutes.

You can pre order a copy here.

SPECTRALS FIRST GIG

2009-08-27T14:55:00.003+01:00

Two days a go we witnessed Spectrals' first ever gig along with half of Leeds. It was billed as the most anticipated debut gig by a Leeds band and it sure lived up to it. Louis and his band were tight as the Stax rhythm section and they bashed out their northern surf numbers. Exciting times!

CHARLES DARWIN EVOLUTION SCULTURE

2009-08-19T23:53:00.004+01:00

Not long left to see this spectacle that is a sand sculpture of Charles Darwin. Every year Bradford's Centenary Square has some kind of interesting installation and this year it is a lot of sand in the form of the guy who wrote 'On Natural Selection'. There is even a 'Beagle Bar' and a varied programme of performance to support the project. This like finishes in a few days and already has had an extention due to popularity. see it.

THE XX album out now

2009-08-17T00:02:00.000+01:00

The only British album worth getting in a fit about is out today. woot. XX by The XX (confusing) is lo fi sounding, spacious and totally amazing. The album was recorded in a tiny room down at XL records by the band themselves. exploring space and 'less is more' is a key element of the album like some kind of modernist painting. Maybe like a Mondrian. The album is chilled out but still has that killer melody, bass line and guitar hook. Pure genius

THE XX AND LOVVERS HAVE SINGLES OUT THIS WEEK

2009-08-10T16:30:00.001+01:00

Two bands that have played for us and that we love very much have singles out this week so go out and buy 'em already.

THE XX - BASIC SPACE

Basic and spacious this is lo-fi pop genius. A lazy summer sound with lovely vocals and instrumentation.

LOVVERS - OCD GO GO GIRLS

Garage punk at its best. Soundls like the stooges and for some reason we're hearing Supergrass in there too. Caught by the fuzz or some shit like that.

INTRODUCING: SPECTRALS

2009-08-10T15:21:00.004+01:00

We have just come across a cool band from Leeds called Spectrals. They are a crazy reverby, fuzzy teen beat combo who write lovely messy pop songs. Spector meets a poppy Jesus and Mary Chain. They have some pretty sweet gigs coming up with Teen Sheikhs, Male Bonding and The Hipshakes. Check em out here.

GRAMMATICS vs BLUE ROSES PHOTOS

2009-08-05T19:20:00.006+01:00

We put the coolest gig on this Monday gone at Nation Of Shopkeepers. What was supposed to be a chilled out accoustic jam session between Owen from Grammatics and Laura from Blue Roses turned out to be a sold out once in a life time spectacle. Sorry for those at the back who couldn't hear or see too well but we did advise to arrive early. Thanks to Bart Pettman for the photos.

SINGLES OF THE WEEK

2009-07-20T08:32:00.003+01:00

WILD BEASTS - HOOTING AND HOWLING

Pompous pop from the Kendal four piece.

FEVER RAY - TRIANGLE WALKS

Odd but wonderful pop with cheap but good beats.

LEMONADE - BIG WEEKEND

Psychadelic, balleric infused dance record with a world flavour.

DJANGO DJANGO - STORM

Trippy, folk, blues similar to that of The Beta Band

SAM TAYLOR-WOOD @ THE BRONTE PARSONAGE MUSEUM

2009-07-17T08:59:00.000+01:00

First exhibited at the White Cube gallery in London, Sam Taylor-Wood's photographic body of work 'Ghosts' returns to its spiritual home in Haworth. The photos were shot around Haworth way at Top Withens where Emily Bronte's 'Wuthering Heights' is supposedly set. Bleak, moody, romantic and atmospheric. Taylor- Wood's critically acclaimed project is a must see. The exhibition runs till' the 2nd of November.

BRADFORD THIS WEEKEND: NO HANDS // BOLLOCKS TO POVERTY // ZINE FAYRE

2009-06-19T13:25:00.007+01:00

FRIDAY - NO HANDS @ THE POLISH CLUB

No Hands returns after a month off in May. We will be joined by a few special guests. Little Nothern Music Club will host downstairs spinning vinyl from stax to guitar pop. Upstairs will see the usual mix of brand new and old party tunes that span the whole spectrum of music from No Hands residents plus garage and punk from Rockers and Rollers and 60s psych from UFO club djs. Downstairs opens at 8pm with upstairs opening at 10pm.

SATURDAY - BOLLOCKS TO POVERTY @ THE BEEHIVE

The second ever Bollocks to Povery brought to us by the boys and girls at Beep magazine. There will be 30 bands playing all for £7 including Johnny Foreigner, Birdman Rallies, Just Handshakes We're British, Hey Panda and Alt Track. Well worth the money. It kicks off at 12pm and tickets will be available on the door.

SUNDAY - BRADFORD ZINE FAYRE @ THE TREEHOUSE

Three rooms of distro and workshops featuring discussions and the like. You will get the chance to peruse through hundreds of zines that touch a wide range of subjects like photography, craft, feminism, history, social commentary, politics and more. There is live poetry and an open mic session too. From 1pm. More info here

ALBUM OF THE WEEK

2009-06-15T16:47:00.004+01:00

VA - MUSIC SOUNDS BETTER WITH HUW

Not so much an album but a compilation featuring some of the raddest bands that are sure to be big in 2010. The compilation was put together by Radio 1's Welsh champion of new music Huw Stephens. All the buzz bands are on it: Dinosaur Pile Up, Banjo or Freakout, Tubelord, We Have Band and Holy State as well as some bands I have not come across before such as Sweet Baboo and Gold Panda. The album has every thing from loud guitar noise from Pulled Apart By Horses, lofi folktronica from Gold Panda, bleeps and afro guitars and such from Gold Teeth and a bit of electronica from Young Fathers. Like all compilations not every song is a winner but it remains consistent compared to most. I think it would have been an ace idea to release the compilation on tape but it is only available for download :(

BRADFORD UNESCO CITY OF FILM

2009-06-12T15:36:00.001+01:00

Surprisingly Bradford is the first ever city in the world to be awarded the title of UNESCO city of film. A strange choice indeed. What about LA? What about Mumbai? What about Cannes? Don't get me wrong. We're not complaining. We think it is a great positive for the city how it has been awarded such a title and will hopefully bring in more tourists and will boost the local economy. Of course Bradford has a film connection. We've got the great National Media Museum which hosts interesting annual festivals such as Fantastic Films Weekend, the world cinema extravaganza Bite The Mango, Bradford Animation Festival and Bradford Film Festival. Cult classics such as Room at The Top, Billy Liar , Monty Python's meaning of Life and Rita Sue and Bob Too were all filmed in Bradford. The latter is set around the city's Buttershaw estate. Actors Rodney Bewes, Peter firth and Timothy West all have local connections and Full Monty and Slumdog Millionaire screenwriter Simon Beaufoy was born in Keighley. Fairy Tale: A True Story and Calendar girls are all based on true events that happened around the Bradford district. In your face Hollywood and well done Bradford.

ALBUM OF THE WEEK

2009-06-09T09:24:00.006+01:00

DIRTY PROJECTORS - 'BITTE ORCA'

Bitte Orca is Dirty Projectors' fifth album and follow up to critically acclaimed and Domino debut 'Rise Above'. It is a big rock album with a lot going on - it is artful and playful and quite frankly oddball. Along with Animal Collective and Wild Beasts Dirty Projectors are proving that unconventional wonky pop is the way forward and they have won over the man him self David Byrne for their efforts. Infact Dirty Projectors could be the Talking Heads of this generation. Bitte Orca is a fusions of sounds from minimalist bleaps and electronics, 70s rock, strings, african disco. The use of layered vocals gives the album a kind of 3D choral vibe. Bitte Orca is one of the most interesting and complex (in a good way) albums that we have heard this year.

NATION OF SHOPKEEPERS PHOTOS

2009-06-07T10:12:00.008+01:00

Hi All, as you know we were asked to DJ at the launch night of Nation Of Shopkeepers along with Lovefoxx from CSS amongst many other cool people. Dinosaur Pile - Up and Old Romantic Killer Band were playing live. It was ace. We also put on our own night the following Monday (Bank Holiday) with live performances from The XX, Post War Years, Brontide, Mi Mye, Pengillys, Just Handshakes (We're British) and Twisted and dj sets from Rob Webb (Drowned in Sound, NME), Jumbo Records and Golden Owl. Here are a bunch of photos from the Good Form Club Bank Holiday Monday do. Enjoy :)

PHOTOGRAPHY TWO TIMES

2009-06-02T20:16:00.000+01:00

There are two great exhibitions on in Bradford at the moment. Two real knockouts. Two world champs.

First Up is Don McCullin - In England at The National Media Museum. McCullin, One of Britain's greatest photographers, presents a personal portrait of England which spans over 50 years. Often dark and uncomfortable McCullin's work captures the gap between the rich and the poor. Some great photos shot in Bradford feature. The Exhibition runs till 27th September.

Also exhibiting is Clothes for Living and Dying by Margareta Kern at The Impressions Gallery. Two contrasting bodies of work shot in Bosnia and Croatia. Clothes for Living Documents teenage girls and their graduation dresses that are modeled on those that western celebrities wear. As the title suggests Clothes for Dying is slightly more depressing. Old ladies are shot next to their chosen outfits they wish to be burried in. Nice. Not much time left to see this one as it closes on June 14th.

BLUE ROSES I AM LEAVING OUT TODAY

2009-06-01T17:05:00.007+01:00

Laura Groves aka Blue Roses has released her second single from her debut album but it is not the first time I am Leaving has been available on 7". The first time the single was out was way back in 2007 and the launch was an intimate affair upstairs at The Beehive. The latest version includes a brand new song Moments Before Sleep as the B side. You can buy it from here.

BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND @ NATION OF SHOPKEEPERS

2009-05-23T16:55:00.025+01:00

This weekend we move to our new Leeds Home: Nation Of Shopkeepers. Tonight we are djing at the launch party in along with Lovefoxx (CSS dj set), Dinosaur Pile Up and Old Romantic Killer Band. We had a preview of the venue the other night and it looks like a cool joint. Loads of Good artwork and in general it is a lovely space. Its run by the same guys that run Stag & Dagger, Lock Tavern in Camden and The Amersham Ams so expect a wide range of interesting and creative events. Find out more by taking a look see at their website.

We are back at Nation Of Shopkeepers on Bank Holiday Monday for this FREE event:

GOOD FORM CLUB // BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY // 25 MAY // 4PM // FREE

LIVE: THE XX // POST WAR YEARS // BRONTIDE // MI MYE // PENGILLY'S // JUST HANDSHAKES (WE'RE BRITISH) // TWISTED

DJS: ROXY COTTONTAIL (NYC) // JUMBO RECORDS // DROWNED IN SOUND // THE IRON WAGON // GOOD FORM CLUB // GOLDEN OWL

PLUS: RECORD FAIR (12PM - 4PM) // FREE STUFF

THE XX

The XX released their latest offering Crystalised / Hot Like Fire on Young Turks earlier this year and have been receiving high praise from the likes of Zane Lowe and Steve Lamacq. Believe us. They are going to be big!

http://www.myspace.com/thexx

POST WAR YEARS

Off kilter pop. Their debut album is out next week and they have just received a lovely 7/10 from the NME.

http://www.myspace.com/thempostwaryears

BRONTIDE

Ex I Was A Cub Scout. "Brontide are mathy and marvelous, danceable without being dumb. InstruMental in all the right ways" - Drowned In Sound

http://www.myspace.com/brontidetheband

MI MYE

Leeds/Wakefield's premier superband featuring members of Middleman, Forward Russia and The Research. Most of you will know what the crack is with Mi Mye presuming you haven't been in space or a coma but if you don't then watch the video to recent single 'The Last' here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CU2NRzFboXM http://www.myspace.com/mimye

PENGILLY'S

Folk pop fun from new band of Ric Hollingbery who is part of Emmy the Great's band. They are mega ace. http://www.myspace.com/thisispengillys

JUST HANDSHAKES (WE'RE BRITISH)

This is UK indie pop at it’s best. Leeds based band, Just Handshakes (We’re British) marriage all the best bits of late 90’s Life Without Buildings era indie with the likes of Emmy the Great, Johnny Flynn and Florence and the Machine.

http://www.myspace.com/justhandshakeswerebritish

TWISTED

New Leeds band with members of Facel Vega / Held By Hands / Shittalker playing garage punk meets 80s DC post hardcore

http://twistedleeds.blogspot.com

BRADFORD TONIGHT!

2009-05-22T17:22:00.002+01:00

For those of you not at Stag and Dagger over in Leeds there are two great shows here in Bradford.

The Bacchae are playing at The New Beehive with support from Rent Boys as part of the now legendary Rockers & Rollers club night. Have a look at The Bacchae's video for their latest single here:

Over at The Love Apple The Old Romantic Killer Band are gonna be doing their thing. woot woot. Video for Lovers Pass:

Tough choice kids. Both gigs are £3 in.

THE BROKEN FAMILY BAND IN SESSION ON BCB!

2009-05-20T18:07:00.004+01:00

Yep! BCB have gone and done it again. Im still quite amazed how they get some really interesting bands on in session. Tonight it is the amazing Broken Family Band. Take a listen here from 8pm! Who else have they got up their sleeve for future sessions!

THE WAVE PICTURES ON BCB

2009-05-06T09:56:00.004+01:00

The Wave Pictures are live in session tonight on local radio station BCB. The bands 2008 album Instant Coffee Baby was one of our favourites of the year. Listen in from 8pm by clicking here.

LIVE AT LEEDS

2009-05-01T09:55:00.008+01:00

LORD AUCH - Brudenell Social Club 2pm

Everyone is talking about it. Everyone is going to it. Live At Leeds, now in its 3rd year, is fastly becoming the most important music event in the city showcasing both national and local talent.

All 3 Good Form Club affiliates are playing. Blue Roses have their own show today at the Brudenell Social Club with support from friends Jeremy Warmsley and Fourteen Corners. At The Brudenell on Saturday Wonderswan (12pm) and Spodni Pradlo (7pm) will be playing as the all day wrist banded event.

SKY LARKIN - The Cockpit 5pm

Here is a list of bands you should check out on the Saturday!

12pm - Wonderswan (Brudenell Social Club), Yonderboy (Joseph's Well)

1pm - Broadcast Society (Joseph's Well), Piskie Sits (Elbow Room)

2pm - Just Hand Shakes (We're British) (Cockpit Room 3), Tigers That Talked (Joseph's Well), Lord Auch (Brudenell Social Club)

3pm - Flashguns (Faversham), Wild Beasts (Joseph's Well), FrYars (Brudenell Social Club), James Yuill (Holy Trinity)

4pm - These Monsters (Brudenell Social Club)

5pm - Sky Larkin (The Cockpit), ABC Club (Leeds Met SU), 7 Hertz (The Packhorse)

6pm - Slow Club (The Cockpit), Old Romantic Killer Band (The Cockpit Room 3), Pulled Apart By Horses (Joseph's Well), Holy State (The Packhorse)

7pm - iLiKETRAiNS (The Cockpit), Youves (Joseph's Well), Spodni Pradlo ( Brudenell Social Club), Brontide (The Library)

8pm - Wintermute (The Cockpit), Dinosaur Pile-Up (Leeds Met SU), Castrovalva (The Packhorse)

9pm - Future Of The Left (The Cockpit), Grammatics (Leeds Met SU), Eskimo Twins (The Faversham), Mumford and Sons (The Brudenell Social CLub)

10pm - The Maccabees (Leeds Met SU), Mi Mye (Brudenell Social Club), Cowtown (The Packhorse)

11pm - Good Shoes (The Brudenell Social Club)

TEEN SHEIKHS

2009-04-30T09:27:00.000+01:00

Everyone should go listen to Teen Sheiks. No lie. They are awesome. They are brand new and only played their first show 2 weeks a go but Im sure people will be hearing more about them in the coming months.

BLUE ROSES debut album out now!

2009-04-29T09:06:00.000+01:00

The long awaited Blue Roses self titled album is finally out and its bloody good. We're not the only people to think so either. Check out the nice reviews:

"...a dizzyingly beautiful set of delicate folk songs... "Contemporary Classics""

NME (8/10)

"this album has a timeless quality that suggests the arrival of an artist with a rosy future."

THE SUN (4/5)

“A haunting record, full of unexpected instrumental textures that course beneath Groves’s extraordinary voice and eerie, elusive lyrics”

SUNDAY TIMES CULTURE (4/5)

“The female singer/songwriter shelf may be crowded but you won't regret clearing a spot for Blue Roses”

METRO

Blue Roses has some really interesting gigs coming up in the next few weeks incluing her album launch at The Brudenell in Leeds and a special performance at Apple's UK flagship store on Regent Street, London.

To find out where Laura is playing click here

To buy the record click here

New Issue Of BEEP out

2009-04-22T13:20:00.009+01:00

Bradford fanzine BEEP celebrates its 6th issue and 1 whole year of being in in print. That is some achievement. They celebrated their release with a gig at the 1 in 12 club that featured The Kabeedies. We missed it but heard it was ace.

The issue features interviews with Little Boots, Master Shortie, Matt from Art / Goes / Pop, Superpowerless and Minus Jack. There is also a fashion shoot from trendy Leeds Boutique Best Vintage. Great work Beep. Keep it up!

Beep is available in the usual hang outs around Bradford but you can also read it online by clicking here.

BLK JKS + SPODNI PRADLO @ THE BRUD THIS MONDAY!

2009-04-19T18:15:00.003+01:00

South Africa's psychedelic dub rockers BLK JKS are headlining the Brudenell Social Club this Monday. The Band who are signed to the amazing Secretly Canadian have been receiving critical acclaim of late and their debut EP was produced by Secret Machine's Brandon Curtis. This show is gonna be crazy!

Support comes from our good friends Spodni Pradlo who are firing on all cylinders at the moment.

NATION OF SHOPKEEPERS

2009-04-19T17:21:00.007+01:00

Nation of Shopkeepers is a brand spanking sexy venue opening up in Leeds by the people behind North London institution the Lock Tavern, music promoters Adventures in the Beetroot Field, Field Day and Stag and Dagger Festivals, as well as the Amersham Arms in New Cross, Bungalows and Bears in Sheffield and Start the Bus in Bristol. We are super excited about the wide range of events that the club will host which includes comic book nights, gigs, hip hop karaoke and bingo, club nights, art exhibitions, record fairs and lots, lots more. And whats ace is that most of the events are FREE. Crazy times.

If you didn't think it could get any better then get this... creative agency YCN will be giving the venue a once over and making it look the dogs rod.

The launch night is on 22nd May with a special DJ set from Lovefoxxx from CSS as part of The Stag and Dagger festival. We can't wait!

For more info join the facebook group by clicking here

NORTHERN SOUL LEGEND @ THE BEEHIVE

2009-04-18T16:51:00.003+01:00

Legend Ginger Taylor will be performing a special dj set down at The Beehive, Bradford this Sunday to mark the 1st anniversary of the venue's northern soul night! Ginger was a resident at the Wigan Casino in its heyday in the 1970's and still djs in Britain, Spain and Italy.

The event will kick off early at 2pm and finish at 8pm and there will be a free Northern Soul compilation for the first 100 through the door. Door tax is £4. Get your talc and bowling shoes at the ready.

Watch this 70s documentary on northern soul in the 70's and the decline of industry in the Wigan area:

RPM @ THE PM BAR, SHIPLEY feat. My First Tooth this Sunday!

2009-04-03T13:26:00.007+01:00

Sunday sees another great gig put on by the guys at RPM. This will My First Tooth's third gig in the Bradford area and they seem to have built quite a following. Their anti-folk/alt country songs are magical. The band will be supported The Delvaux and followed by DJs playing vintage vinyl in a relaxed atmosphere. It kicks off at 7pm and is only £2 in. Bargain

THE BEEHIVE this weekend

2009-04-03T12:59:00.005+01:00

Two great nights coming at The Beehive this weekend and both on them are FREE.

FRIDAY UFO CLUB - 60s rock, pop, psychedelic night. Kicks off at 11pm

SATURDAY DAYBREAKERS (live) Amazing proggy blues band followed by Rusty Hat DJs

MAMA @ South Square, Thornton

2009-04-03T00:32:00.007+01:00

We're really excited to see what the Bradford College's MA students have been up to when they exhibit their work at South Square tomorrow night. We particularly like the work of Jo Billingsley whose work is influenced by underground comics. We're trying to run a feature on her so keep popping back.

Heres the blurb:

Private view 3rd April. Exhibition runs till the 27th April.

MA students of the Bradford School of Art and Media assemble to reflect and comment upon current work in progress. In a world which is increasingly saturated by visual imagery the focus of artistic interpretation is questioned and forms an exciting arena for analysis and learning.

Set within a dynamic, evolving city centre which boasts an exciting creative history in textiles and prominent architecture, Bradford School of Arts and Media has gained nationwide recognition for hosting and training highly significant and internationally recognised artists David Hockney and sculptor Andy Goldsworthy. Today, within this unique environment, Bradford College celebrates over 150 years of successfully providing education and training.

"Education offers its participants engagement with knowledge, ideas and thinking; the art school was the historical template for this, and today is still at its vanguard." Simon Ford [Lecturer MA Visual Arts]

The MA MA exhibition gives a practical and exciting demonstration of the ethos carried within the MA Visual Arts course at the Bradford School of Art and Media. Students are encouraged to develop a high level of professionalism, expertise and scholarship in pursuing their MA interests, where they are constantly inspired to respond not only to the pioneering work of British artists' and cultural innovators but also to seek inspiration from global practice.

South Square Gallery provides the opportunity to present an interesting breadth of work from the students in a range of media, from sculpture, to photography, print and film, culminating in a diverse and exciting realisation of work in progress.

BLUE ROSES in Q magazine

2009-04-02T13:38:00.000+01:00

That's right, Laura aka Blue Roses had her first full page feature in Q magazine this month so go out and bye it people!

WHATS ON?: Bradford this Weekend

2009-03-27T11:43:00.011Z

Bradford is looking pretty ace this weekend but its a great shame that 2 great nights are clashing on Friday :(:

FRIDAY

Sneeze @ The Love Apple feat. That Fucking Tank + Hey Panda + Garfunkel & Simon

Sneeze is a brand new monthly club night @ The Love Apple. The launch night will bring heavy as hell instrumetal riffs from That Fucking Tank, Disco Punk from Hey panda and Yorkshire anti folk from Garfunkel and Simon followed by Sneeze djs playing and indie electro crossover set. The lineup for future Sneeze nights looks just as good as this one with Wintermute, The ABC Club and The Old Romantic Killer band all confirmed.

Rockers & Rollers @ The Beehive feat. Guilt Pursuit

Bradford's darkest club night going from strength to strength. This month has a cock rock theme so expect to see spandex and the like. Playing live will be Guilt Pursuit who do the whole sparce, dark, post punk thing very well indeed.

SATURDAY

Repetition @ The Treehouse

Don't know much about this but Repetition is a new poetry and anti-folk night. This month's launch features Danny James, Kriss Foster, Sally Jenkinson, Garfunkel and Simon, Jed Forward, Johnny Clifford and Bec Moran. It's great to see something different happening in Bradford and we're looking forward to the first one. Its Bring Your Own Booze too!!!!!!

Tighten Up @ The Waggoners, Queensbury

A melting pot of Classic soul, Funk, Northern soul,Rare groove and R & B. Remember to bring your dancing shoes.

RECORDS OF THE WEEK

2009-03-23T13:58:00.000Z

This week's favourites. Thanks again to Rough Trade ,where you should buy all your records, for the descriptions:

ALBUM: GRAMMATICS Gramatics

Grammatics formed around april 2006 in a terraced house basement just outside Leeds city centre. They soon found that they shared many mutual loves...argument, doing things in the most difficult possible manner and general pretentiousness. Chances are if you've been to any European festival or indie-themed club night over the past 18 months you'll have seen this four-piece in the flesh at least once, and having steadily honed the majority of the eleven songs that make up 'Grammatics' over this period of time, they've unashamedly unleashed one of 2009's most astounding, and in many ways unparalleled albums. It ranges from mysterious ballads to instinctive angular pop songs. The incorporation of strings into many of their arrangements give the tracks a different feel than if they'd stuck to the standard guitar, bass, and drum approach. For fans of Arcade Fire, Radiohead, Wild Beasts or Patrick Wolf. On Dance To The Radio.

ALBUM: THE DECEMBERISTS The Hazards of Love

'The Hazards of Love' is a refreshingly substantial listen in a culture plagued by throwaway blog hits. It is set to become an anomaly in an age where the album is supposedly dead! The album plots an extravagant tale rooted in ancient language and imagery of a woman ravaged by her lover who is able to change his form between animal and man. The result is musically and lyrically rich with elaborate orchestrations that explode like baroque fireworks. The Decemberists are joined on this record by Lavender Diamond's Becky Stark and my Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden and there are cameos from Jim James of my Morning Jacket, Robyn Hitchcock and The Spinanes' Rebecca Gates.

EP: THE KILLS The Black Balloon

2008 saw the return of one of rocks most unique and enigmatic duos, The Kills, with their third album 'Midnight Boom'. VV (Alison) and Hotel (Jamie) have long symbolised what draws people to rock 'n' roll, downright cool and sexy, and with songs that most other rock 'n' roll acts can only dream about making. 'Black Balloon', one of the stand out tracks from 'Midnight Boom', is the haunting tale of having to say goodbye to a love and shows a side to The Kills that many aren't familiar with, a gentler, more melodic side. The limited 10" (1000 copies) comes backed with exclusive b-sides '44' and 'Weedkiller'.

WHATS ON?

2009-03-18T17:26:00.008Z

Here are some recommended gigs / nights that are coming up over the next few days!

WEDNESDAY

Articulate @ Mine (Leeds Uni) An exhibition come party with art and photography from Kraffhics, Jon Stanley Austin, Ryan Spacey, Jordan Amer and more plus live music from Cowtown.

Yo! Majesty + Napoleon IIIrd @ The Faversham, Leeds Hyped Florida lesbian rap duo with support from Wakefield's one man band Napoleon IIIrd.

THURSDAY

Cowtown + Chops + Superpowerless @ The Subculture, Leeds Excellent line up of DIY bands

FRIDAY

NO HANDS @ The Polish Club, Bradford feat. Mi Mye (live) Bradford's best club night with added band.

Strangeways @ Wire, Leeds 8th birthday party celebrations of the coolest alt club in Leeds

Daedelus @ Brudenell Social Club, Leeds Pioneering live DJ on Ninja Tunes

SATURDAY

Wonderswan @ The Cockpit 3, Leeds Lo-Fi Slackers headlining what is to be a sell out show.

Filthy Dukes + Chew Lips @ The Faversham, Leeds Live set from these electronic whizz kids.

Buffet @ The Bradford Playhouse A fun party night playing allsorts.

SUNDAY

Day of rest

MONDAY

Tunng & Tinariwen @ The Irish Centre, Leeds A collaboration blending effortlessly the cryptic folk of Tunng with Tinariwen's desert blues.

TUESDAY

Wintermute + Flowe + Just Handshakes (We're British) @ LMUSU A genre bending line-up feat 3 great Leeds acts.

15th Bradford International Film Festival

2009-03-17T10:17:00.007Z

We're a bit late on this. Friday was the launch of the 15th Bradford International Film Festival at the city's national media museum. The Festival showcases a multitude of vibrant cinema including premieres and previews, retrospectives, plus Uncharted States of America, our acclaimed showcase for new independent filmmakers from the USA and CineFile the documentary strand which records the world of movies and moviemakers.

Good Form Club's highlights include the British Premier of Is Anybody There? starring the great Michael Caine and a conversation with James Bond Producer Michael G Wilson.

The Festival runs till' the 28th March. For full details click here.

SUPERPOWERLESS

2009-03-16T19:43:00.004Z

Check out this video from Bradford Uni Students Superpowerless. 8 bit magic. :

Records Of The Week

2009-03-16T17:07:00.006Z

Yep, this is a new feature of ours. Every Monday we will give you a lo down on our favourite new single and album of the week that we think you, the good people, should listen to. We are too busy to review them ourselves this week so we have used descriptions courtesy of Rough Trade Records. Cheeky ;)

ALBUM: BLACK LIPS 200 Million Thousand

Garage rock veterans, the Black Lips follow up the widely successful 'Good Bad Not Evil' with the release of '200 Million Thousand'. Simple, straightforward songwriting mesh perfectly with the Black Lips distinctive howl to create a time capsule rife with nods to simple pleasures and a world of worry. it's vintage lips from start to finish. A snotty 14-track celebration of unadorned rock n roll and no-bullshit songwriting. Let the good times and party start once once more. On vice records...

SINGLE: HOCKEY Too Fake

Hockey, who hail from Portland, Oregon release their debut uk single 'Too Fake' through Virgin Records on a limited edition 7" only. The band's debut album will be out later this year. What does Hockey sound like? Imagine a spoonful of Lcd Soundsystem a splash of The Strokes and a big melodious dollop of guitar - fuelled energy. Who does Hockey like? Everyone from Talking Heads, William Blake, Frank O'Hara, and M.I.A.

EVENTS

2009-03-10T14:27:00.011Z

Thu 12th March

Three Trapped Tigers + Situationists + Cowtown + Nope

The Packhorse, Hyde Park, Leeds

7.30pm - £4

THREE TRAPPED TIGERS

“the act fans of quirky, glitch-filled drum 'n' bass have been awaiting, this glorious, analogue, synth-led trio of tigers will have you crying into your spilt milk in 2009. If you pre-order their thumping, melodious EP now, you will be one of the few to be ahead of the game. Dischord + Warp = a listener's dream come true”

Drowned In Sound
"Produced by Strokes knob-flicker Gordon Raphael, this'll make fans of Lightning Bolt, Battles and Aphex Twin cream themselves"
NME

SITUATIONISTS

"the kind of guitars and vocals that give people hope that some of the indie pap in the charts might just get edged out for tunes that you don't mind going round in your head. "
Artrocker
"With their vocal harmonies and sweet guitars, they have the potential to steal Hot Club De Paris, crown"
The Fly

COWTOWN

"Cowtown are a four piece space station of guitar spaz rock fused with electric lemon casioisms from ls6 Leeds. with short snappy tracks fit for a sonic king cowtown will provide anybody with a valid reason to turn up your stereo and dance like a maniac dressed in stripey knitwear" Contact Music

NOPE
Andy That Fucking Tank and Steve and Gus from Mucky Sailor playing Krautrock style, repetitive grooves. Think a hybrid between Stereolab, Paradise Lost and Neu!...

*****************************************************************************************

Fri 20th March

No Hands Feat. MI MYE (live)

The Polish Club, Bradford

8pm - FREE

Bradford's best and most affordable club night is set to be extra special this month with the addition of a band to help shimmy proceedings.

Mi Mye are a lovely bunch formed by Jamie Lockhart in North Scotland, who first wrote a few songs with a fiddle, a melodica, and guitar. A forever eclectic super-group style line-up, currently accompanied by members of Middleman, The Research & Forward Russia - get down early for this!

Mi Mye on stage upstairs at The Polish Club Bradford at 10pm, followed by No Hands DJ's til late.

THREE TRAPPED TIGERS

2009-03-04T18:54:00.005Z

Three Trapped Tigers is the brainchild of Maestro Tom Rogerson. Some of you may recognise Tom from playing piano for Emmy The Great or Jeremy Warmsley, amongst others, on one of their tours and no doubt he will soon gain recognition for being the leader of a truly great band. Three Trapped Tigers are an instrumental band playing electronic music on traditional rock instruments with jazz and prog sensibilities. Bands that come to mind when listening to the band are Weather Report, Holy Fuck and Battles to name but a few. They are getting some huge loving from NME, Drowned in Sound and Time Out London at the moment. Everyone should go and buy their debut EP which was produced by The Strokes knob-flicker Gordon Raphael.

Three Trapped Tigers are playing for us at The Packhorse, Leeds on Thursday 12th March. Click here for full details

BLUE ROSES: DOUBTFUL COMFORTS OUT TODAY!

2009-03-02T16:27:00.001Z

That's right kids. Good Form Club affiliate Blue Roses (Laura Groves from Shipley) has released her debut single today on Salvia / XL records. It sounds amazingly haunting and features the use of a Kalimba.

You can purchase it by clicking here.

Read what The Times said by clicking here.

REVIEW: Brontide + Phantom + Wonderswan + Nope + Garfunkel & Simon @ 1 in 12 Club, Bradford

2009-03-01T13:43:00.002Z

The 60 or so people who turned up to the 1 in 12 Club, Bradford, on a wet and windy Friday 13th (Feb) didn't leave disappointed. If only more people were there to witness one of the best shows I've seen in Bradford for ages (we're biassed. we were involved in the gig). We were too slack to take any photos of the night so we have borrowed some from a google search and the Budvar may have tainted our memory but here is our recollection of the night:

GARFUNKEL & SIMON

Garfunkel & Simon are not a 2 piece song writing partnership from Brooklyn. In fact Garfunkel & Simon is just Patrick from Bradford's Monty Casino with an acoustic guitar and a gob full of young wit. He took to the stage early in front of an early crowd who remained silent through out his accute set. Patrick takes lead from anti folksters such as Jeff Lewis but with a Yorkshire accent. The subject matter behind his musings are that of Bradford City, David Cameron and library fines. Patrick ends his set with a song he claims to have written with pal Bruce Sprinsteen titled Born in the B.R.I. Garfunkel & Simon is/are a welcome addition to Bradford's music scene.

NOPE

Nope blasted out a 1 song set that lasted no longer than 15 minutes. They are a bit of a super group who include members of That Fucking Tank & Mucky Sailor. No lyrics just 100% prog. We cant think of owt else to say about these apart from they were awesome and they could do with writing another 15 minute song.

WONDERSWAN

Yes. Everybody knows by now how much we love Wonderswan. In fact we are pleased to announce that we will be releasing their debut single Furrrpile late spring / early summer of this year. Exciting or what? The room fills up with more folk before the band blast through their set of slack, scuzzy pop songs in a slack and scuzzy manner. Maybe tonight they were just too loose for some of the crowd but thats what some people love about them. The Guardian recently wrote that they are "a beautifully shambolic fuzz laden racket...the sound of beautiful chaos, Pavement meets Dinosaur Jr." Wonderswan's Hey Nature will appear on Dance To The Radio's first of a series of 12" compilations which is out in early May.

PHANTOM

This is the band that we were looking forward to the most. Phantom are a 2 piece dark party machine from London. The band are late on stage but then finally pulsating drums and synth triggers explode before a distant voice echoes around the room which is coming from the sound booth. Suddenly, like a bat out of hell as Meatloaf would say, singer Tic darts through the crowd from the sound booth and leaps on to the stage. Dancing like they do in London. Yelping like a mad dog. Swapping between baritone and bass. The 2 piece power through a set with vivacity with the help of triggers and synth like we haven't heard before. Phantom's sound is fucked up but we heard a lot of soul, 80's pop and funk, which seems to be the trend in the capital at the moment (see The XX, Jack Penate, Golden Silvers etc), but a lot more progy. Every song sounded like a winner to us but check out Risks on their myspace page.

BRONTIDE

Things are running late by the time Brontide get on stage but this did not spoil the vibe of the evening. Brontide, which is a new project for William from I Was A Cub Scout, played mathy, progressive, instrumental, riffy, melodic, rhytmic tunes very loudly. Their sound is reminiscent to Don Caballero and Battles. They didn't converse inbetween numbers choosing to just bash out the set without coming up for air. Our favourite tune was Crunk Annansie with its delicate and repetitive guitar intro followed by syncopated bass and washed down with Heavy as fuck riffing. Tight!

Sapnin' this weekend?

2009-02-27T17:37:00.010Z

Man, there is loads of stuff on this weekend in the Leeds / Bradford area. We usually forget to tell everyone what is on but here is a list of what you can do after a hard week at work:

Friday

Hockey + Passion Pit + Bear hands @ The Brudenell Social Club, Leeds. The most talked about tour of the year so far headlined by Portland, Oregon's hippest electro vegans.

Rockers & Rollers @ The Beehive, Bradford. Bradford's longest running alternative night. Expect to hear 60's garage, punk and dirty rock n roll tunes in a grotty little cellar bar.

Tim & Sam's Tim & The Sam Band + The Birdman Rallies + Biscuithead & The Biscuit Badgers + Wilful Missing + Garfunkel & Simon @ The Polish Club, Bradford. A Lovely evening of folky bands followed by some of Bradford's best djs.

Saturday

The Little Northern Music Club @ The Polish Club, Bradford. Djs playing 60's, indie pop & soul at what is fast becoming Bradford's hottest nightspot.

Spodni Pradlo + Fourteen Corners + The Gospel According To John @ The Faversham, Leeds. Bradford's favourite indie / world band play their first headline show in Leeds. Expect to dance like a cossack at the same time as doing the limbo. Us Good Form Club lot are djing along with the Bad Sneakers residents.

Sunday

RPM @ The PM Lounge, Shipley. Vinyl from the 50's - now is to be spun all night with a live performance from local wippersnappers The Swing Movement

STEINSKI TALK AT THE NATIONAL MEDIA MUSEUM THIS WEDNESDAY

2009-01-26T18:03:00.006Z

Legendary Hip Hop DJ and producer Steinski is doing a talk at Bradford's National Media Museum this Wednesday. Anyone interested in Hip Hop or DJing should attend. We're dead excited to listen to a true pioneer talk about his work. Blurb:

Steve Stein - aka Steinski - is an acknowledged master of the art of collaged sound design. Originally a computer programmer, Steve was one of the founders of New York Hip Hop. Many of the recordings he produced with Douglas Di Franco (aka 'Double D') are classics of old school cut-up DJ work. Steinski still produces mesmerising and complex collages of sound, often as live mixes. He will be discussing his life and work.

Entry is free and booking is not required. It kicks off at 6pm.

NO HANDS LAUNCH PARTY!

2009-01-16T15:13:00.009Z

No Hands is a new monthly club night / social that Good Form Club are excited to be involved in. We are battling the credit crunch by offering FREE entrance, cheaper booze than Wetherspoons and an open DJ policy to bring you all kinds of music. No Hands is also looking for illustrators and designers to submit work for flyers and to display at our events. The launch Party is this Friday @ The Polish Club, Edmund Street, Bradford. We will posts some photo's of the launch party in the next couple of days.

For more info join the Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=112990780579&ref=ts

TOP 5's of 2008

2008-12-10T14:35:00.008Z

Ok. 2008 is nearly over so we thought we would do one of those lists detailing our top 5 albums, singles and gigs of the Year. By the way this was a tricky thing to do!

TOP 5 ALBUMS OF 2008
1. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
2. No Age - Nouns
3. Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
4. Bon Iver - For Emma, Forver Ago
5. Wild Beasts - Limbo, Panto

TOP 5 SINGLES OF 2008
1. M.I.A - Paper Planes
2. MGMT - Time To Pretend
3. White Williams - New Violence
4. Golden Silvers - Arrows of Eros
5. Black Kids - I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You

TOP 5 BRADFORD GIGS OF 20081. The Hop feat. Sons & Daughters, Lets Wrestle, Slow Club, Johnny Foreigner, This Et Al, Grammatics, Cutting Pink With Knives, Ox.Eagle.Lion.Man, Paul Marshall, Monty Casino, Alt Track, Blue Roses, Fourteen Corners and more! @ The Love Apple & Delius
2. Fucked Up @ 1 in 12
3. That Fucking Tank + Pulled Apart By Horses + Uprights @ Rosse, Saltaire
4. Wild Beasts + Blue Roses + ABC Club + Spodni Pradlo @ The Love Apple
5. Dinosaur Pile Up @ The Love Apple

TOP 5 LEEDS GIGS OF 2008
1. Nasty Fest feat. The Mae Shi, A Place to Bury Strangers, Monotonix, Wonderswan, Dinosaur Pile Up, Cadence Weapon, Spodni Pradlo, Soiled Mattress & The Springs, Pulled Apart By Horses, Slow Club, Yeasayer, No Age, Hey! Panda and more @ The Fav
2. Fleet Foxes @ Brudenell Social Club
3. The National @ Leeds Met Uni
4. Silver Jews @ City Varieties
5. Saul Williams @ The Hi-Fi Club

THE CRIBS PLAY BRADFORD!

2008-12-08T12:42:00.001Z

That's right kids. Wakefield's finest indie pop band The Cribs play at St Georges Hall on Sunday 8th February. This will be the band's third gig in the city and the first with Jonny Marr on guitar. Tickets go on sale this Friday and can be bought from St Georges Box Office by calling 01274 432000. Get your ticket sooner rather than later as its sure to sell out!

FIST BUMPS

2008-11-18T19:19:00.005Z

The latest Bradford act to excite us is one man band Fist Bumps. The man behind the mask is Lanre Bakare, a talented young lad who has studied academic courses across the country and has now returned to his home city. He has his own blog Domestic Dust as well as writing online articles for Vice and The Guardian.

Lanre describes Fist Bump's music as "Lazer Bass, Future Blap, Sub Low or wtf you want to call it." His laid back, lo-fi, squelch-noise takes influences from Portishead, The Knife, Wu Tang Clan and fellow Bradfordian TS7. Its not quite Bassline and not quite Postal Service but its quite ace. Fist Bump's debut show is at Good Form Club's Christmas party @ The Beehive on 20th December. More details to follow!

BRADFORD ANIMATION FESTIVAL + ERASERHEAD @ THE NATIONAL MEDIA MUSEUM

2008-11-12T18:50:00.007Z

Just when I thought Bradford could not get any better this week (see post below) it does. The National Media Museum has always been one of my favorite ways to waste time in the city. I used to spend hours in TV Heaven watching old documentaries about The Velvet Underground and David Hockney and deleted sitcoms such as the not so PC Curry & Chips starring Spike Milligan. The museum has regular photography and TV related exhibitions as well as 3 world class cinema screens showing IMAX, blockbusters, world and art house movies.This week The museum is holding the 15th annual Bradford Anim ation Festival. BAF 2008 is packed with special guests, sneak previews, retrospectives, workshops and competition screenings culminating in the BAF Awards on Saturday 15th November. Other highlights include a talk with The Simpsons producer/writer Al Jean and a screening of Yellow Submarine. The festival runs from 12th - 15th November.

Also on at the museum's cinema this week is a screening of David Lynch's cult classic Eraserhead. Awesome! Ill be there on Sunday for the 5.45 showing followed by a bit of Jazz at The City Varieties for my pal KC's birthday.

BRADFORD THIS WEEKEND

2008-11-10T17:16:00.014Z

Bradford has been quiet lately but this weekend is jam packed with ace things to do in the city. On Friday That Fucking Tank and Pulled Apart By Horses play The Rosse in Shipley and Buen Chico, Spodni Pradlo & Monty Casino play The 1 in 12 followed by loadsa cool DJS. Then, of course, on Saturday it is Good Form Club @ The Beehive.

Here are the peculiars:

Fri 14th Nov: That Fucking Tank + Pulled Apart By Horses + Uprights @ The Rosse, Shipley

THAT FUCKING TANK

Loud guitar and drum duo who have taken their instrumental

progressive math-rock all over Europe. Think Hella, Oxes, Springsteen, Lightning Bolt style rock to move your legs to.

PULLED APART BY HORSES

Leeds based new grungers building a huge following for th

eir booze-fuelled chaotic live shows. Mudhoney, Rage against The Machine, Trail Of Dead, The Who energy fest.

UPRIGHTS

Leeds / Bradford early nineties homage with dirty bass and tunes. Think Butthole Surfers, Tar and Nirvana.

ENTRANCE IS FREE but donations are excepted for petrol money. Sounds fair enough to me.

Fri 14th Nov: Claptrap zine launch feat. Buen Chico + Spodni Pradlo + Monty Casino + Djs @ The 1 in 12, Bradford

The launch of Claptrap zine is just what Bradford needs right

now since the demise of popular publication MONO. As a celebration of this 'eulogy to Bradford' they are putting on this amazing gig/party. playing live:

BUEN CHICO

Fuzzy surf Pop to make your limbs fall.

SPODNI PRADLO

A smogersboard of danceable noise from all over the universe.

MONTY CASINO

Perhaps the last chance to see everyone's favourite Bradford 3 piece. Witticisms, power riffs and flexed muscles

Plus some of Bradford's finest djs: Willy Nilly, Viruss, John Jones & The Beatniks Movement and Outlive Live. £2 in.

Sat 15th Nov: GOOD FORM CLUB @ The New Beehive, Bradford.

Thats right. Our monthly shindig is this Saturday @ The Beehive. No bands just djs playing the likes of:

MIA, Vampire Weekend, Dizzee Rascal, Holy Fuck, Fucked Up, Golden Silvers, Pavement, El Guincho, The Sonics, Chromeo, Black Kids, New Order, LCD Soundsystem, Klaxons, Daft Punk, Foals, The Smiths, Modest Mouse, Pixies, Paul Simon, The Stooges, Prince, Beirut, Mahala Rai Band, Roxy Music, Smog, Joy Division, Modern Lovers, Le Tigre, Interpol, Fela Kuti, Noah & The Whale, Beastie Boys, The Cars, Peaches, Kocani Orkestra, Bikini Kill, The Gossip, The Kills, The Shins, Crystal Castles, Architecture in Helsinki, M83, No Age, Fleet Foxes, Bjork, Wire, Roxy Music & more!

We have about 20 of our compilation cds left that we forgot to give out last montht. First come first serve!

NEW YEARS EVE!

2008-11-09T15:07:00.000Z

Its getting to that time of year again when people start to think how they will spend new year's eve. Here are two of our suggestions:

1. Bad Sneakers New Years Balls @ The Faversham, Leeds!

Leeds' hottest club night, Bad Sneakers, is putting on a party to end all parties on NYE featuring the city's coolest bands and djs including Pulled Apart By Horses, Dinosaur Pile Up, Wintermute, These Monsters, Youth Attack, Bearded Slave and Johnny Strangeways. Tickets are £12.50 and can be bought from the usual outlets.

2. PUSH @ The Astoria, London feat. Noah and The Whale

For those of you who live down south we recommend that you get yourself down to The Astoria for PUSH's NYE party. There is a live performance from Noah & The Whale plus dj sets from Abeano, Young & Lost Club, Popcorn, Lord Auch, Corblimey, El Fatso and more to be confirmed. Tickets are £20 which aint bad for London Prices.

SPODNI PRADLO @ MONSTER MASH UP HALLOWEEN PARTY!

2008-11-01T14:12:00.006Z

Last night we threw a Halloween Party @ The Love Apple, Bradford. In attendance was Peter Pan & his foe Captain Hook, Alex from Clockwork Orange, the twins from The Shining and other A list celebs. Headlining The Party were Spodni Pradlo with DJ sets from BD1 LiVe, Le Tournoi, The Uppercut Club and of course us, Good Form Club.

All the cool kids in Bradford and Leeds have heard of Spodni Pradlo but for those not in the know here goes it: SP are a a motley crew of seven intelligent teenagers who fuse music from all 4 corners of the world with perfect indie pop. They play Sax, ukulele, Clarinet, Bass, Drums, Guitar and Trumpet. Think Beirut, Mr Scruff, Los Campesinos, Mahala Rai Band, Mystery Jets and some more. They got that vibrant energy and are the perfect party band who make an interesting racket.

The winner of the fancy dress competition was a woman, tree ghost thing (we don't even know what it was). Runners up were a CCTV camera and a cowboy (Clint Eastwood or Brokeback Mountain we didn't know).

GENTLE FRIENDLY

2008-10-20T16:22:00.003+01:00

Gentle Friendly are a kick ass two piece from down London way and have been compared to, by Drowned in Sound, Abe Vigoda and a "less frenzied" Animal Collective. We agree with the web zine and No Age, and Fuck Buttons also come to mind when hearing the noise that is (not so) Gentle Friendly.

Basically the band are wild, pulsating, hypnotic drums and squelchy, bleepy electronics with yelps and wails over the top. Fucking crazy.

Good Form Club say check em out. Hopefully they will be playing a Leeds date soon.

LOVVERS @ The Packhorse, Leeds (09/10/08) // PARTY TIME // CATCHING UP WITH JEREMY WARMSLEY

2008-10-14T14:13:00.004+01:00

I put on my first show in Leeds last week and it was cool as. Four great bands played (LOVVERS, Wonderswan, Cissy, Jon Jones & The Beatniks Movement) and the 80 or so people crammed in to the tiny upstairs room of The Packhorse witnessed one of the most sweaty shows in Leeds this year. There was pogo-ing and everything.

I was working the door most of the night but managed to pop in and out to catch some action. First up were Jon Jones & The Beatniks Movement. Veterans on the Bradford scene they are now getting their name about in Leeds. Every time I see this band they improve and are now settled after numerous line-up changes. They played a tight set of distorted fuzz metal/garage/punk at the pace of the Leeds to King's Cross train. Not only do Jon Jones sound the business they look the business too with their leather jackets and messy barnets.

Next up were Cissy and I must admit they were the bazarist, weirdest band I have seen in a while. In a good way of course. They sound like Booker T & The MGs playing with The Pop Group. Kinda Post Punk gone Soul. And there's Jazz in there too. They got that whole Fela Kuti thing going down. Its also progressive in approach. Crazy shit.

Our favorite's Wonderswan took to the stage with a slack performance, stopping and starting their songs. But it didn't matter cos they were great. The fact that they are slack adds to their charm and the crowd loved it. They remind me a bit of Pavement or The Wedding Present who happen to one of my top 10 bands of all time.

By the time Lovvers were on people could barely move. Packed like sardines. Lovvers sped through their set. Choosing to play on the floor they were right in the audiences faces. Screaming and jumping into anyone who made eye contact with them. It was a no nonsense 'punk rock' performance with no nonsense tunes that share the same attitude as those by Nirvana, The Stooges and Les Savy Fav. It was a wild performance and I'm glad that I put them on. Their EP Think is out now on Wichita and you all should buy it.

After the show I ended up at a party with Henry from Lovvers and the boys from Wonderswan where I bumped in to old friend Jeremy Warmsley. He played at the party but I just missed his set so we caught up in the kitchen while Cowtown were rocking the lounge. Jeremy is a great talent and I do feel he is one of the greatest singer / songwriters of our generation. God knows why he ain't bigger than he is. His latest album, How We Became, is magnificent. I leave a bit after I see a girl being carried into an ambulance by paramedics.

THE XX

2008-10-10T13:32:00.010+01:00

The XX are are an understated, minamalist and hauntingly soulful South London Quartet. They make excellent lo-fi, laid back, new wave pop with dead simple instrumentation, sampled beats and boy-girl vocals. Obvious influences would be The Cure, Massive Attack and Coco Rosie but they also claim Missy Elliot to be an influence so their sound is a real fucked up fusion of things. They are going to be releasing records through our good pals Young Turks.

" The xx are a hot to trot teenage quartet from SW London who play bafflingly ace moody hip-pop with bass so thick you could cut it with a carving knife."
Leonie Cooper - The Guardian

ITS ALL GONE TATTS UP!

2008-10-08T12:50:00.010+01:00

There is a great Tattoo exhibition on at the moment at Cartwright Hall in Bradford. It's curated by local poet and artist Joolz Denby and Im pretty excited to check it out. Not only does the exhibition display countless photos and information of tattoo's there is also tools of the trade and sculptures on show. There is a section touching on other forms of body modification; From corsets to piercings and more. For those of you who have tattoos should attend. For those of you who don't you should also attend, you might just learn something! The exhibition runs until November 30th. Check it out!

FIRST POST // TUBELORD + BLAKFISH + HEY PANDA! @ 1 in 12, Bradford

2008-10-07T18:52:00.016+01:00

Crikey Moses! This is Good Form Club's very first post. I've been putting it off for days, weeks, for nearly a month now and to be honest with you I don't know what to write, which ain't encouraging as I plan to post something every single day.

I'll start with my memory of a gig I attended at The Bradford 1 in 12 Club not so long back. Saturday 6th September to be exact. Outlive Live put on the gig and playing live were Tubelord, Blakfish and Hey Panda.

Its all a bit hazy and my memory ain't what it used to be. The 1 in 12 club is of the social variety run by anarchists. They have a sporadic programme of events, sell veggie food and sell cheap booze. Budvar and Okocim are both £2 for 500ml. bargain. Fucked Up played there just a month a go and the venue has every potential to host regular touring bands.

I arrived late (I had to go to the Beehive first to flyer) so I missed Hey Panda, which is a shame cos I like them. I've seen them a few times before and they put on a killer show, sometimes performing topless. They got disco - punk vibes a bit like The Rapture and are one of Halifax's hottest bands along with ABC Club and The Hornblower Brothers.

Next on the bill were Blakfish and all that I can remember about them that they were loud. Very loud. My ears were bleeding so much so that I went outside to phone the lady.

Headliners Tubelord pulled out of their previous date with Bradford so it was good to see them finally play in the city. The Kingston trio sound like they share similar influences with Hot Club De Paris with extra added balls in the sense that they have the whole stop, start, change of time signature thing but miles more hardcore. East coast style.

The night ended with me playing pool and drinking cheap Budvars with the guys from Outlive Live. I can't remember much else. Resolve!