Issue 58
72 pages · tap a page to read its text
Also inside: Olan Monk Just Mustard Sharp Pins BLACK FONDU
Mozart Estate Makeshift Art Bar
They Are Gutting a Body of Water
Upchuck Sorry
RAGIL
Andy Pomarico
Issue Fifty-Eight documents the Autumn of 2025, but the band on the cover have dominated much of 'new band' conversation for the last twelve months or so. Manchester's Westside Cowboy find themselves in that middle ground where promise meets pressure and hype demands further substance. Now signed to Island Records imprint Adventure Recordings, the young, excitable four-piece are gearing up to share their second EP and play their biggest headline shows to date. In our interview, we go into the depths of their formation, grappling with scary major label stories and how they're sonically aiming for something closer to power pop than anything country.
London's Sorry have been longtime favourites, a group who have consistently delivered their art with growth but without compromise. At the band's heart is songwriting pair, Asha Lorenz and Louis O'Bryen, and for what may be the sixth or seventh time, and ahead of new album, 'COSPLAY', we chat with them inside
They Are Gutting a Body of Water made the trip from adopted home, Philadelphia to The George Tavern, London in June and since then have shared a string of tracks which led towards new album 'LOTTO' which is out now. Led by Doug Dulgarian, who's also the founder of label, Julia's War, we hopped on a call to discuss their UK experience of playing a '500 year old pub' and how their preference of playing in the round removes the hierarchy between artist and audience, and dispels any demand for performative entertainment.
Another group who have occupied a noisier space are Just Mustard. The Dundalk band have taken their time, with last record 'Heart Under' being released in 2022, and on 'WE WERE JUST HERE' the Partisan Records signed band have tried to focus on structure and bring forward more traditional 'rock song' traits vs what's come before. Telling us more about the new record, we interview Katie and Shane.
In London, BLACK FONDU is preparing to share his debut EP via Scenic Route. On 'BLACK FONDUISM', self taught producer Reggie aims to not only introduce his music but also a brighter outlook on life.
Described by Reggie as 'biblical' and by us, a spectacle. You'll be hard pressed to disagree with either side. In our conversation we discuss the new EP, switching up the set mid-set and how performing to those with crossed arms is like being in a gallery.
Staying in the capital, Lawrence of Mozart Estate (amongst many others) welcomes us to his favourite cafe. Armed with his own teabag and low appetite for both food and interviews with 'blogs', Lawrence welcomes us into his world and story ahead of new album 'Tower Block In A Jam Jar' which is out now.
Atlanta, Georgia is home to recent Domino Recordings signing, Upchuck. The band recently let loose for us at The Elephants Head, Camden, and have since released their new album 'I'm Nice Now'. Discussing the title almost as a mantra and a way to preserve our hope in a difficult time, we interview KT and Chris of the band.
Olan Monk is a musician from the west coast of Ireland, brought up by their piano teaching mother, educated within an Irish language school and learning the Irish tin whistle, the identity realised within the music will come as no surprise. signed to prolific label, AD93, the new album 'Songs for Nothing' is out in November. Taking our call mid-holiday, they tell us more about those formative years and the impact of location. Staying in Ireland, but heading to Belfast, we speak with Makeshift Art Bar, one of our favourite artists from a summer full of festival performances. Ahead of impending new music, we make an overdue call to the band to discuss the impact of acts like Swans, their search for the 'big pay off" and what we can expect next.
To finish us off, we chat with Lifeguard's Kai Slater about his 60's psych inspired side project Sharp Pins, discuss the rise and connection coming from the alternative singer-songwriters such as Cameron Winter and Dove Ellis, and introduce six brand new artists in this issues edition of Who Are You? This time we ask the basics to Bleech 9:3, SILVERWINGKILLER, Madra Salach, Spawner, Leatherette and Jeanie and The White Boys.
"You Don't Know The State I'm In"
The Personable Persona of the Alternative Singer-Songwriter
They Are Gutting a Body of Water
This Cemetery Is All We Got
The World Is A Beautiful Place & Am No Longer Afraid To Die
Truck Violence | Clutter 93 Feet East - 04.11
Two Shell
Mechatok | Silver Gore | Isaiah Hull Here at Outernet-05.11
Hannah Jadagu
Yves Jarvis | Bells Larsen 93 Feet East-05.11
Unwound
Divide and Dissolve | deathcrash KOKO-05.11
Ali Sethi & Nicolás Jaar james K
Marie Davidson Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith | RIP Magic Barbican-06.11
Los Thuthanaka Nazar | Pollyfromthedirt ICA-06.11
Saul Williams meet Carlos Niño & friends
Erika de Casier | Malibu | Nick Leon Loukeman | holybones
Dalston Takeover Panchiko Indigo De Souza underscores Jay Som Momma Great Grandpa hey, nothing Body Meat Con Teethe Full Body 2 Slate 1 Renny Runo Plum Nadia Kadek | Will Paquin Alex Aman +more
Various Venues - 08.11 a Diver
Laurie Anderson Lonnie Holley Elaine Howley Maria Sommerville
GAYE SU AKYOL BY @ANDREIAARTT
AMYL AND THE SNIFFERS ⚫ ADULT DVD ⚫ ALTIN GÜN⚫ BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD DRY CLEANING ⚫ FAMOUS GETDOWN SERVICES GOB NATION ALL-DAYER KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD⚫ LAMBRINI GIRLS MADMADMAD MERMAID CHUNKY⚫ MODEL/ACTRIZ NABEEL SCALER SEARCH RESULTS SLATER SPAIN SUPER JET KINOKO⚫ STELLA ⚫ THE SICK MAN OF EUROPE WEAK SIGNAL⚫ WITCH WOMBO YUUF AND MANY MORE
O2 Academy Brixton, London Friday 31 October Sold out
OCT ionnalee | iamamiwhoami HERE @Outernet Monday 13 October
Marissa Nadler St Matthias Church Friday 31 October
NOV
Thursday 2 October Sold out Friday 3 October Sold out Tuesday 14 October Sold out Wednesday 15 October
Performs Music From The Penguin Cafe Orchestra
St Matthias Church Friday 17 October Sold out
Steam Down Islington Assembly Hall Wednesday 5 November
Joep Beving
St Martin in the Fields Friday 7 November Sold out
Jessica Winter The Lower Third Tuesday 28 October mark william lewis
O2 Forum Kentish Town Tuesday 27 January
Electric Ballroom, London Wednesday 25 February Sold out
O2 Academy Brixton, London Thursday 23 April Sold out Friday 24 April Sold out Saturday 25 April Sold out Sunday 26 April
London & Beyond birdonthewire.net
CLARA LA SAN SAT 8 NOVSOLD OUT SUN 9 NOVSOLD OUT
TUE 11 NOV SOLD OUT THE GEORGE TAVERN
THU 20 NOV SOLD OUT FRI 21 NOVSOLD OUT ST PANCRAS OLD CHURCH
THU 27 NOV SOLD OUT HOXTON HALL
REMOVER TUE 11 NOV SOLD OUT KOKO
DEVENDRA BANHART WED 12 NOV SOLD OUT UNION CHAPEL
NIKI COLLET THU 27 NOV THE DIVINE
CHILD + THE BANNED THU 13 NOV SOLD OUT SJQ
FUZZ LIGHTYEAR WED 3 DEC THE LEXINGTON
SOPHIA STEL THU 13 NOV SOLD OUT
ALEX G 14 NOV SOLD OUT EVENTIM APOLLO
TUE 9 DEC SOLD OUT WED 10 DECOLD OUT THU 11 DEGOLD OUT THE OLD CHURCH STOKE NEWINGTON
NATALIE WILDGOOSE MON 17 NOV ST PANCRAS OLD CHURCH
CATE LE BON TUE 18 NOV SOLD OUT THE BARBICAN
THE ANTLERS WED 11 MAR EARTH THEATRE
YE VAGABONDS THU 11 JUN 2026 ROUNDHOUSE
So Y
oung
I'M NICE NOW
THE NEW ALBUM LP | CD | DIGITAL
OUT NOW
Domino
Thu 11 December The Waiting Room, London
My name is Paul Banks, I'm from Raheny on the north side of Dublin, and I make contemporary folk music.
Could you tell us the story behind your most recent single?
I wrote our debut single 'Blue & Gold' about a petty gambling habit of mine. The song is fairly tongue in cheek.
Could you tell us something you really hate?
Upmarket pubs or hotel bars that have a stone finish on the tables so your pint glass clatters off the table whenever you place it down.
We are Bleech 9:3, we are from Dublin Ireland and we make rock and roll music.
What led you to start writing and performing songs, and what brought you together?
With any band I guess you're looking for a group of people that share the same vision. Baz and I (Sam) met through sobriety, we met in an AA meeting back home. There was an immediate bond through that and we started writing music together almost straight away - but it was a while before we really copped on and started the band. Baz and James are brothers so they had been playing together all their lives, and Luke and I have been making music together for the past 5 years.
We are Yushang and James and our band is SILVERWINGKILLER, based in Manchester/Salford. Yushang is originally from Shanghai, China. James is originally from Peterborough in the East Midlands. We make music for the attention deficit generation, it's loud, it's in your face, it's electronic but it's raw punk for normal people. We like to think it's music that fits in a decaying future.
Could you tell us the story behind an upcoming single?
We have a single called 'JING'AN TEMPLE', which is a real place in Shanghai. We were both there one time to give our respect to Guan Yu (the Chinese deity of Loyalty, of whom is a symbol for Triad gangs). At the temple we felt we disrespected him, later that evening we found trouble in the streets and ended up in a fight that sent the both of us to hospital, we were cursed. Months later we officially formed SILVERWINGKILLER and ended up back in Jing'an Temple where we begged Guan Yu for his forgiveness. He gave us our blessing and that's when SILVERWINGKILLER started getting opportunities. We owe it to Guan Yu so he ended up on the cover.
Could you tell us something you really love?
We love video games, violent movies, Star Wars, but also bubble tea and hotpot.
WHO ARE YOU
Hello! We are a band from Copenhagen called Spawner, consisting of Jonas, Ella and Johan. We write grungy folk and pop songs that combine our differences, merging vocal harmonies with fuzzy guitars. We are inspired by a lot of Danish songwriters that we grew up listening to. Our own sound taps into this nostalgic universe, while the lyrics particularly relate to our time and life right now.
What led you to start writing and performing songs, and what brought you together?
Actually, the songwriting process started as a school assignment, where we were put together in a group. We all go to the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, studying composition and songwriting. We wrote 'Can't find you' for that assignment, felt ecstatic about our musical chemistry, and wrote the rest of the album in the coming months. Before the assignment we were already starting to form a friendship, having just met each other at school. What initially brought us together was definitely a shared humour. We were laughing all the time.
Could you tell us something you really love?
We really love guitars, Nathan For You, halloween and drawings of animals living in tiny cozy houses with fireplaces. Also, good food and going to other people's concerts.
We are Leatherette from Bologna, Italy- a quintet formed by Andrea, Francesco, Jacopo, Marco and Michele. We make rock music with a punk, free and experimental attitude- a kind of warped, deconstructed rock filtered through the chaotic gaze of five people who have always listened to a lot of different stuff on the internet. And we've always loved the indefinables: Pixies, Guided by Voices, David Bowie, Sonic Youth... artists who constantly escape definition.
Could you tell us the story behind your most recent single?
Our new singles 'Lovers Drifters Foreigners', 'Hey There' and 'Cold Hands' from 'Ritmo Lento' somehow represent a synthesis of the album's spirit, both musically and lyrically. They explore change, emotional conflict, and the contradictions of feeling lost and free at the same time.
Could you tell us something you really hate?
We hate boredom, competition, judgement and deadlines.
I'm Jeanie Crystal from Jeanie and The White Boys. I'm from Birmingham and we make punk blues rock n roll heard it all before kinda crap.
What have you been up to lately?
Couple of meltdowns, constant bickering and a few soul destroying jobs to pay the rent.
Could you tell us the story behind your most recent single?
Our most recent single 'Queen Bee' is about those dirty bastard robbing royals.
19.11 BRISTOL, LANTERN HALL 20.11 LONDON, ELECTRIC BRIXTON
29.11 MANCHESTER, THE DEAF INSTITUTE 02.12 BRISTOL, STRANGE BREW
25.02 MANCHESTER, NEW CENTURY HALL 26.02 LONDON, ROUNDHOUSE
22.04 LEEDS, BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB 25.05 MANCHESTER, THE DEAF INSTITUTE 26.04 BRISTOL, THE FLEECE 29.04 LONDON, SCALA
HERE!
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