Live music this month in Northampton

A taut month of musical propositions from the Sweet But Deadly Camp begins with Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage taking to The Black Prince stage on September 7, writes Sammy Jones.

Louder than War declared Mr Lewis to be, ‘Lou Reed’s natural successor as punk poet of the New York streets,’ which is a tasty soundbite, for sure.
Credible as a comic book artist and songwriter, Jeffrey began recording homemade cassettes at home in NYC as the world hurtled towards a new millennium.

By 2001, he had inked a deal with Rough Trade and he has gone on to play alongside the likes of Stephen Malkmus, The Fall, Dinosaur Jr and Roky Erikson. He keeps good company.

When the pandemic threw the world into uncertainty, Jeffrey carried on regardless – since then, he has digitally self-released DIY albums.
His PR says that, ‘With or without bandmates Jeffrey continues to wring folksy spiel and garage bohemianism from his ramshackle guitar, while incorporating his often politically subversive visual artwork and cartoons into live appearances.’

That’s as maybe, but when he swings into Northampton, it will be with his quartet; welcome Mallory Feuer on violins and keyboards, bassist Kait Pelkey and drummer Brent Cole.

Will they play the hooky track LPs (‘If the year was from the 60s it was probably good bang for your buck, if the year was from the 80s it was guaranteed to totally suck’)?

Fingers crossed. It’s a blinder. I share the disease for LPs and CDs…
Supporting the clever creative and his gang will be London-based anti-folkers David Cronenberg’s wife.

Friday the 13th is unlucky for some, but not for fans of Berlin psych-post-punkers The Third Sound who will spend the evening at the Abington Square venue.

Back in May they released their sixth long player, Most Perfect Solitude, which debuted a new line-up and a changing sound.
“There is a certain warmth to some of the songs that has not been there before, but they still flicker between light and shadows…” said band anchor, Hákon Aðalsteinsson, who also puts in the time as guitarist with The Brian Jonestown Massacre.

As for that elpee title? It’s lifted from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, and found by way of the film-maker Werner Herzog’s journal writings in ‘Of Walking In Ice’, which covers the former’s walk from Munich to Paris.

Hákon was reading the page turner whilst on the road himself: “Many of the songs touched on the theme of trips or some sort of travel, so I knew immediately that it was going to be the title,” he reflected, “When you are travelling or touring you can find yourself in a weird sort of isolation, whilst also often looking for solitude to get away from everything. And, sometimes, it is best to listen to music in that most perfect solitude.”

Killer Saucers from Hell and AV Sunset will warm up the stage for The Third Sound.
Former I Am Kloot frontman John Bramwell plays for you on September 21.
Almost a decade has passed since the Mercury nominees were ‘a thing’ and at the point when they bowed out, John was burned out: “I’d started to feel like an employee,” he remembered, “I just wasn’t functioning creatively, I wanted other experiences.”

And he went out and got them – performing far and wide, he toured in an old Camper van with his beloved pooch Henry.
Then lockdown came, which put paid to freedom. Like many of us, John said he felt ‘financially and mentally under duress,’ but the creative juices kept coming, and many of the themes on the current album, The Light Fantastic deal with travel and escape.

Now he’s back in the van with his band and you can enjoy the escape by catching him in the ‘fampton, or as the band invites, go trip The Light Fantastic.

The dandy highwayman will be on the doors for The Big ‘80s Party on September 28, with two rooms of ‘80’s joy’ promised, and a live set from Ant-Trouble is part of the offering.

The Adam and the Ants tribute will spin through all of those classic tracks that perfectly summed up a moment in pop culture – Stand & Deliver, Antmusic, Prince Charming, Goody Two Shoes. You know them.

The band will be in costume and promise all the manic energy you’d expect from the real deal.

Fancy dress is encouraged for this bash, so do your best 80s turns, people – ridicule is nothing to be scared of!
DJ Dean Graves will be among the disc spinners on the night, giving you the tunes from the decade to keep you on the dance floor into the early hours.

A little mention for the return of The Subways, who will play The Black Prince on October 1.

In 2023, they hit the road with Ash for a co-headline tour, and released their fifth studio album, Uncertain Joys, which saw new drummer Camille Phillips pull up alongside originals Billy Lunn and Charlotte Cooper.

Last year’s Black Prince show was a sell-out, and let’s be honest, this date will fly too. The early bird gets the worm, and the early Subways fan secures the ticket.

Go get booking at sbdpromotions.com