Supernormal is in trouble - a great festival

Supernormal poster, a photo by mattstevensguitar on Flickr.

I got this email yesterday:

"We regret to inform you that Supernormal is in potential jeopardy.

Because we are an unfunded project entirely organised on a voluntary basis, ticket sales are make or break us being able to put the festival on. SUPERNORMAL has been presented with some serious up-front costs that have to be paid. Ticket sales to date won’t cover the basic costs needed in order to put the event on - we need to sell another 250 tickets before 7th August, but this limit can easily be surpassed and the festival can be assured of happening with everyone’s support. And with last year to go by and with everyone involved for this year’s SUPERNORMAL it will be a real shame it doesn't."

Supernormal is a great festival I'm proud to be playing. Buy a ticket, get involved - see you there :)

Info @

http://www.supernormalfestival.co.uk/

"Supernormal is a surprising new addition to the festival circuit.

An experimental, artist-led event, set in the magical looking-glass world of Braziers Park.

Explore a spectacle of cult live music, performance, discussion and cutting edge contemporary art in the sprawling ramshackle grounds.”
"Taking place in the sprawling ramshackle rounds of the 17th century mansion that is home to Braziers Park School of Integrative Social Research (BSISR), Supernormal investigates the power of multiple arts practice to reshape the festival format through collective action thus continuing the tradition of counter-cultural activity established by BSISR, Britain’s oldest secular community that dates back to the Second World War. As well as being the childhood home of Ian Fleming and Marianne Faithfull, the likes of Alexander Trocchi, R.D.Laing
and John Latham have all contributed to the revolutionary Braziers spirit.

The first SUPERNORMAL in 2010, headlined by Faust, was a heady, refreshing weekend of magic and mayhem, and this year’s event builds on its spirit by welcoming a host of guest curators, including Rocket Recordings, Heidi Heelz (Dice Club), and visual arts curator Matilda Strang, who have assembled a fresh, diverse and sparkling array of cult musical attractions and curiosities, from the legendary
psychedelic transgressions of Skullflower, paragons of ethereal experimentation Cindytalk (fresh from Ray Davies’ Meltdown), glam visionaries David Devant & his Spirit Wife and the last ever show by improv iconoclasts The A Band, to new talent like Gnod, Flats, Toy, Teeth Of The Sea, Gum Takes Tooth and Maria And The Mirrors, with surprise headliners and alarming special guests still yet to be
announced. Meanwhile, everything from an Anat-Ben David (Chicks On Speed) collaboration with Dirty Electronics to a Sing-A-Long-A-Wicker-Man event, from a 36-hour continuous musical perfomance from Hákarl and friends to a performative lecture entitled Post-Colonial Cannibal will be taking place amidst the verdant English countryside.

SUPERNORMAL is an intimate event for an exclusive audience of five hundred, allowing the exploration of the site and out-buildings where a whole range of events will take place. Not run for profit, it is organised and curated by a small network of artists and musicians who share the aims and ethos of this truly alternative event, and takes place on an eco-site with fresh running water, eco toilets and hot
outdoor showers with a wooded camping area.

For more information contact Sam: supernormalfestival@gmail.com

And visit:

http://supernormalfestival.co.uk

http://www.facebook.com/supernormalfest

http://supernormalfestival2011.blogspot.com

http://www.braziers.org.uk/

http://www.braziersworkshop.org/

http://www.twitter.com/SUPERNORMALFEST"

Fierce and Dead video and a gig with Jon Gomm

First watch this great video that features music from The Fierce And The Dead - which once again prove that listeners make better videos than bands

The gigs for Relic start next month, its all go. Its only been a few months since the Ghost ones finished, I need to get the new set tight. It'll take a while. Its difficult trying to get it tight while leaving room for improvisation. One gig that looks like it will sell out very quickly is:

http://www.wegottickets.com/event/127594

Which is me supporting Jon Gomm an amazing acoustic guitar player. About Jon:

Jon will be playing songs from his 2 albums, plus some new stuff due to be released as singles this Autumn.

"Once you get over the jaw-dropping manoeuvres and technique, you will be rewarded with some spectacularly beautiful songs." Blues and Soul magazine

“Sheer bloody genius… sublime, impassioned songwriting” Sandman Magazine

“We have seen the future of acoustic guitar playing, and it is called Jon Gomm” Blues Matters

Listen and watch at http://www.jongomm.com

Its all go. I'm really excited about it all thou

Thanks

Matt

Tom Baker says watch a free streaming gig tomorrow :)

Tomorrow I'm doing a streaming online gig - watch on your computer at:

Cafe Noodle Online Venue

I'm on at 7PM UK time but the full line up of amazing performers is:

5pm Steve Moyes

6pm Chrissie Caulfield

7pm - Matt Stevens

8pm Glenn Bassett

9pm - Pierre Masse

10pm Stephen Goodman

World times for the start of the event are here.

After that Cafe Noodle will be closing, hopefully there is talk of someone else taking the concept forward but the ning will cease to be. Its been lots of fun doing it and I've met some lovely people and some AMAZING acts have played.

Unfortunately I no longer have the time and resources to run the site - I'm playing live more and the Fierce And The Dead is happening. If you are interested in Fierce And the Dead stuff (my band project) there is a cracking half page review of the album in the new issue of Classic Rock Presents Prog.

Please tell your friends about the gig tomorrow and lets make it a fun send off!

Thanks for all your support.

Matt Stevens

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com

Supernormal

Supernormal Invite, a photo by mattstevensguitar on Flickr.

The first of the Relic gigs is: (3pm on the Friday is when i am playing)

And in Fierce And The Dead news....

Well first of all - thanks so much to everyone who has pre-ordered Relic, the new solo record- it really means a lot to me. Less than 50 left if you want one from:

BANDCAMP!

This version features a extra disc of demos and out-takes that won't be available digitally in a cardboard sleeve, numbered and signed.

The Fierce and The Dead have a new second guitarist, Steve Cleaton. He is a great player, amazing musical ears, he worked all his parts out himself even the really complex chordal parts. Me and him spent Friday last week going through each song, it worked really well. Full band rehearsal tomorrow and gigs in September, which is cool. Can't wait to play this stuff live.

The new Classic Rock Presents Prog features a half page really supportive review of the new Fierce And The Dead album, which is great. They compared us to Can, The Fall and Radiohead. Brilliant, very well written review. We have hit an new level of obscurity :)

We're getting there. This has been a good year. One of the most frustrating things is for all the stuff that does come off a lot doesn't but its best to focus on the positive. I'm so lucky to make this music and have a supportive audience.

Ta :)

Bandcamp Number 1

Bandcamp, a photo by mattstevensguitar on Flickr.

Yesterday morning I sent out the pre-order information for the new album Relic to the people on my mailing list. We sold over half the pre orders in 24 hours and it topped the Bandcamp charts. Crazy. Thanks so much, i was amazed. Completely. You can order it here: http://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/relic Delivery won't be til SEPTEMBER and they are strictly limited, numbered and signed :)

The Life Of A Social Network

206684_10150139981593994_591633993_6576627_330387_n, a photo by mattstevensguitar on Flickr.

Not sure what this is for.

Oh i get it, but the features are a bit limited and there is no one on here.

Brilliant, all my friends have joined.

Like the new features.

This is brilliant.

Too many people and features.

Why have i got thousands of friends requests/event invites/annoying messages?

This social network is rubbish.

Ohh whats this, a new network?

Do you remember when we used to use.......

My Inspiration - Dave Cleaton

SuBVerSioN - Wine It.

A few years ago HMV did this thing where you had to pick a celebrity and say how they inspired you. This is someone who inspired me - Dave Cleaton. Gone but not forgotten, bloody decent bloke, inspirational musician. Seriously talented. We miss you man.

Prog Rock Vs Progressive Rock

IMG_0472, a photo by mattstevensguitar on Flickr.

Recently I've noticed a lot of arguments online about "prog rock". Its getting a bit crazy.

The argument goes like this:

"Prog Rock" is genre that existed in the 1970's and was played by the likes of King Crimson, Yes, Genesis Etc. There can be no more because it only existed in the 1970s. Some prog zealots accept the later "neo-prog" movement Marillion, IQ, Etc. These guys are generally very angry and don't want the term "prog" associated with anything later - even for example Porcupine Tree. (yes prog is a genre where some fans are actively against progression!)

"Progressive Rock" is a bit more interesting. My definition of this is "interesting and ambitious rock music". It goes from King Crimson to Mahavishnu Orchestra to Can to Talking Heads and Dead Kennedys to Radiohead and Cardiacs, Mars Volta, Tortoise and Battles.

None of those terms really matter.

Its probably best to just enjoy the music - although its odd some fans of "Progressive" music hate progression and want "prog" to die when the old bands do. Very weird.

BTW - I know my music isn't proper "prog". I'm not sure what it is.

Matt Stevens & Alun Vaughan - Islwyn Bootlegs

That night in Islwyn. Me and my friend Alun Vaughan on bass playing a couple of epics :)

More live free music - a full album of it ere.

Demos for Relic (new album)

Relic Demos by mattstevensguitar

A set of demos for the new album. Hope you enjoy them. Pre-Order details soon.

Fierce And The Dead - practice 1

Fierce And The Dead - practice 1, a photo by mattstevensguitar on Flickr.

We rehearsed. It sounded good, which was pleasing. We had a laugh. We remembered our friend Dan who passed away last year.

The Fierce And The Dead is my band project with Kevin Feazey and Stuart Marshall. Its been in the planning stages for about 18 months although I've been trying to get a band together for about 5 years called The Fierce And The Dead (if dig around on the web you may find some "odd" demos with different line ups pre Kev and Stu).

The album came out in May and sold really well, amazing really. We hit 1000 downloads quite quickly and entered the Bandcamp charts weird. Its very different to my solo stuff. Or perhaps not.

Anyway we're playing live soon - which is cool. Its weird for me being in a band again, I'm sure I'm irritating, I'm used to doing things my way and being in a band, especially one thats a real collaboration like this is always going to be a bit of a compromise. You can hear The Fierce And The Dead @

http://fierceandthedead.com/

Have a look :)