A selection of images from our recent shoot with Tim Dunk at locations in and around the city of Leeds >>>>
Category: Press
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JUX Features: Independent Leeds & Leeds-List
Matt spoke with Leeds-List and Independent Leeds about JUX festival, which takes place at the Brudenell Social Club on 20th February.
LEEDS-LIST
Matt spoke to Joseph Sheerin…..
“Brudenell Social Club is set to host a day of the best and brightest musical talent from the North as Jux Festival comes to Leeds.
Leeds’ newest all-dayer, Jux Festival is all about, believe it or not, juxtapositions. They like contrasts, placing musical brilliance side by side, just because they can – and with a line up like theirs, they’re doing a pretty bang-up job of making it a must-see.
It’s curated by two Yorkshire musicians, Matt Woodward of Galaxians, Azores, and the renowned Release Yourself parties, and Michael Ainsley of Yard Wars and The Ainsley Band. They’ll be taking over Brudenell Social Club on Saturday 20th February 2016, bringing some of the North’s finest musical talents under one roof.
Woodward told us just why they’re doing Jux Festival, “A festival is a good way to bring together bands who might never share the same stage, perhaps as a result of not being part of the same genre sphere, belonging to a different creative or communal ideology, or simply having stylistic differences. I think that in very simple terms we’d like to use the festival as a platform for bringing communities together, helping people to make new friends and creating awareness of different cultural movements.”
Topping the bill at Jux Festival is electronic duo Shift Work, who get their mitts on all kinds of weird and wonderful equipment to create addictive jams such as ‘Abandoned Hands’ and ‘SBFM. Having released on both Optimo Music and Houndstooth, their stock is strong, and they’re definitely a group you have to see live.
They’ll be joined by Woodward’s Galaxians at Brudenell Social Club, a local group that’s played nearly every venue in the city with their infectious brand of live dance, and Sheffield’s finest Blood Sport, who blend punk and afro-beat in a delicious manner you’ve probably not come across before.
Coming across from the other side of the Pennines, in Wigan and Chorley, Cactus Knife will deliver some heavy psychedelia at Jux Festival while Makanitza offer the chance to catch some vibrant Romani and Eastern European tunes, something that likely doesn’t crop up too often.
Milk Crimes is another Leeds band that’s played all over the city, and their irresistible punk hooks will make them a blast at Brudenell Social Club, playing alongside the inimitable Joanne, a live coder, who creates live music using computer software.
Michael Ainsley’s Yard Wars offer up some indie goodness at Jux Festival, Wakefield’s Mi Mye promise flashes of their remarkable alternative tunes, emerging Leeds group Take Turns show off their burgeoning talent and Jonathan Nash returns to the city with eclectic solo project Game_Project.
It’s easy to see why it’s called Jux Festival. There’s so much going on here that you’re sure to fancy something from what is without doubt an incredible line up of diverse musical talent, from all over the North – here’s hoping it’s the first of many.
INDEPENDENT LEEDS
Matt spoke to Jed Skinner…
“This February will see the launch of JUX, Leeds’ newest festival of music, bringing together active participants of some of the vibrant musical communities across the North and London.
Taking place all day on Saturday 20 February at the Brudenell Social Club, JUX will create a broad palette of music by juxtaposing artists who would be unlikely to play together on the same bill.
Cactus Knife – one of the acts making up JUX’s billCo-organiser Matt Woodward explains the reasons behind putting in the hard work to create a festival which brings such a mix match of artists together;
“We felt tired of generic and unchallenging festival programming: many of the same bands play the same festivals, and only artists who share a common sound are suitable to share a stage or a festival billing.
“We decided to create JUX to juxtapose bands who are musically diverse; to bring together acts that exist in separate communities, but might share some ethics or philosophies about creating art and producing music.
“Also, the word ‘Jux’ is sometimes used as a slang word meaning to rob or steal! We thought that might serve well as a double meaning, as a cheeky dig at festivals that don’t leave you feeling that they’re worth the ticket price”.
Shift Works- one of the acts making up JUX’s billJust a few of the bands which will be taking to the iconic stage on the day are, Game_Program, Galaxians, Blood Sport and Shift Work – two guys from London, working on analogue gear out of a studio built in a former stable. They’ll be bringing hypnotic, looped vocal oddities, spiralled drum machines, strained key stabs and deftly arranged percussion. It’s a line up which definitely requires you to bring your dancing shoes!
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Galaxians Interview at The Garden Party 2015
Here’s our interview with Leeds Living after our show at The Garden Party in September.
What are your impressions of The Garden Party so far?
J: We just got here at about 4 o’clock; it’s heated up a bit now.
M: It seems like a nice vibe!
How does playing a festival differ from playing your own show?
J: It’s just a lot more people, a lot more atmosphere!
M: I have to confess, I don’t normally like playing festivals; you know you have to get on and get off quite quickly and it can be quite stressful but it’s been really nice here; as long as there’s a nice vibe and people are with us when we play, it’s cool.
What’s been your best live experience in Leeds so far?
M: Well I don’t think there’s one thing that we can say is the best ‘cause every time we play it’s different but when we played the two Beacons festivals that we did were a real highlight. Gigs: we’ve played Wharf Chambers, we like that; they’re intimate and small.
J: I think the best one for me was probably Tom Tom Club at The Brudenell, about two years ago. That was amazing. Just meeting those guys was amazing.
What up-coming shows have you got in Leeds?
J: We’re playing Headrow House on 23rd October, which we’re excited about because Golden Teacher (who they’re playing with) are fantastic and Headrow House is a new venue.
What influence has the Leeds music scene had on your being a duo?
J: For me, it’s being able to meet people who were musicians first, in bands second, so loads of people that are in more than band; it’s that sense of collaboration, especially around the Hyde Park area; there’s a lot of creativity.
M: I think musically, we’re not necessarily as influenced by Leeds other than its strong club culture, like the DJs. But what I am influenced by is that Leeds has a really strong sense of community and I think that’s a really big thing, especially in dance music. It’s about unifying people and having a shared experience. It’s not about stardom or hierarchy.
What do you have in the pipeline?
J: We have a new album coming with quite a lot of tracks; we have vocalists now like Emma Mason who we’re collaborating with, possibly even live in the future, and we’ve got guitar on the new album from John Nash who’s in Cowtown and Hookworms. A bit more of a disco/house analogue kind of direction too. And a European mini tour!
M: We’ve gone out of our comfort zone a little bit more this time: vocalists, lyrics…
With thanks to Chris Haywood and Ryan Crossland
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GALAXIANS at The Garden Party // Tetley Gallery 30.08.15
“By putting local boys Galaxians on your bill, you’re almost guaranteeing a party that shimmers and glitters like a roller disco ramped up to 11. Warbling synths, wobbling bass and beats that’d make even the most resistant of bodies shake, Galaxians are something of a secret weapon. No matter who they’re billed with, from Tom Tom Club to Horse Meat Disco, their modern disco-house vibes are enough to enrapture any and every audience put in front of them.” The 405 // Garden Party preview: 5 Bands We Want To See
“I’m personally looking forward to Roisin Murphy, as well as Little Dragon and Todd Terje. On the DJ front it has to be Craig Charles, Joy Orbison and finally having Kerri Chandler play for us. Special shout to Bambooman and Galaxians, two local outfits who will be performing on The Skinny stage.” Matt Long // festival organiser // About To Blow
“At the Skinny Stage, Galaxians succeed more-so than Craig Charles to counter the mid-day festival blues. As soon as the two-piece Leeds-based outfit takes to the stage, those sitting down take to their feet. Jed Skinner somehow coolly manages to replicate the sound of a four-layer melody section using two synthesisers. Matt Woodward on drums keeps the manic synth output locked to a sleazy groove. The pair’s most recent four track EP, Personal Disco Component, is much appreciated. One or two sporadic rays of sun even get involved in the party.” Review: Sunday At The Garden Party // Skiddle
Excerpts from ‘Electroads’ by Galaxians
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Galaxians write piece for Time Out
Jed was asked by Simon Fogal of I Like Press to produce a piece about Galaxians’s favourite venues and bands in Leeds, ahead of our appearance at The Garden Party festival, situated in the Tetley in Leeds.
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