Penny Broadhurst is one of the BBC's Next Big Things
The BBC World Service held a competition for performers of their own original songs. There were thousands of entries from over 88 countries worldwide. My song, Chemist Goods, was selected as part of the 20 strong international shortlist. A global panel of renowned musicians and industry types are now whittling the list down to five finalists. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
Free CD at Saturday's gig, plus guest appearance on podcast
If you like any of the following or even if you don't, you should come to this gig at the Cardigan Arms, 8pm, Saturday 24th Nov (this Saturday!):
Good lyrics, The Fall, The Smiths, Kirsty MacColl, Jonathan Richman, PiL, Pixies, Jacques Brel, Pet Shop Boys, creaking appliances, crackly films, hoary old synths, fizzy pop, Jeffrey Lewis, Kate Bush, Huw Stephens, The Wedding Present, Julie Doiron, Nellie McKay, lab coats, disco, snarling, harmonies, hooks, Calderdale, the seaside, The Beach Boys...and of course the acts themselves.
Blah Blah Tin give all their music away for free and will stun you with their visual, lyrical and musical concepts (and make you dance to their beats). With ironing boards as standard.
The Wind-Up Birds mix Lydon with Morrissey, Malkmus with MES for an intelligent punk-post-punk noise.
Penny Broadhurst makes witty, catchy pop full of harmonies and spark. Proper singing, proper performance.
Ian Cockburn of Leeds favourites The Seven Inches lays his heart bare with humour and hooks to spare.
PLUS: Exclusive free 1 track Penny Broadhurst CD while stocks last at the gig THIS SATURDAY. "You Wish You Were My Man" is a radical remix by 586 of an original song I have since totally changed in terms of arrangement and style and some of the melody. So it's like a completely different song, especially as 586 did some cool and crazy cut and paste action. If you like Lycanthropy-era Patrick Wolf, 586, Penny Broadhurst, cowbells, 80s electro, French disco and such, you'd do well to turn up early to the Cardi.
Penny is also on the It's A Mean Old Scene podcast new episode, which has a live session from Pushbike Army and music from Simon Armitage's band. Click here for more info.
Whisperin' & Hollerin' give the Allons-y! EP a solid 8 out of 10. Remember, the EP is limited edition and all copies are numbered and signed - there aren't many left, so get yours now. Click here for the ace review.
In other news: Alan Raw's BBC Raw Talent show has for many years been supporting bands across Yorkshire and Humberside by playing their music, inviting them on to play live sessions (mine is on January 13th), helping them with gigs, and being involved heavily with the Unsigned stage at Leeds Festival. More Leeds-based music has been given exposure through that show than the rest of Leeds-based broadcast media and it isn't even broadcast from this city! York has its own Raw Talent/Introducing show, presented by the mighty Matt Seymour, and Sheffield is getting its own. Leeds relies on the Humberside show and a fabulous show it is too. Alan and his producer Katy Noone work tirelessly for the music of Yorkshire and Humberside and now even fewer people are going to hear the fruits of their labour.
The show is based in Hull and broadcast on BBC Radio Humberside, and it used to be broadcast on Radio Leeds's FM frequency on Sunday nights. Then it only made the DAB version of Radio Leeds. Now if you live outside of Hull you can't catch this amazing show apart from on the internet, and the RealAudio stream is a bit rubbish. No, a lot rubbish. Plus how many people are dedicated enough to listen through the tin can internet streaming of a non-local radio station? Only the hardcore like me and the other artists Alan has helped.
Please if you have a minute email or phone or write to Radio Leeds and ask them to restore at least the DAB broadcast of Raw Talent, if not the FM version too. Otherwise Sunday nights will never be the same again.
BBC Leeds, Broadcasting Centre, 2 Saint Peter's Square, Leeds, LS9 8AH BBC Leeds e-mail: leeds@bbc.co.uk BBC Radio Leeds: 0113 244 2131
Autumn strikes with the twelfth episode of the Instant Classic podcast, hosted sparkily but inexpertly by writer and musician Penny Broadhurst. All MP3s have been made available for free legal download by the artist or label - the Radiohead album doesn't count, skinflints! This episode features tracks from Chopper Harris, Lisa Moorish, The Rosie Taylor Project, Wintermute, Sarandon, i concur, Adapter Adapter, Jackson Analogue, Armchair Songs, The Dirty Projectors, Language Of Flowers, worriedaboutsatan and The Plimptons. Not in that order. Tracklisting as always available at the shownotes - http://www.pennybroadhurst.com/instantclassic
You’d be forgiven for thinking that the disgustingly talented Broadhurst - ex-performance poet, Ladyfest Leeds organiser and successful podcast hostess, to say nothing of her not-so-secret ambitions to hitch a ride in the TARDIS in a future episode of Doctor Who - had enough strings to her bow, thankyouverymuch, but her reinvention on new EP Allons-y! (one of my mum’s little catchphrases) is very satisfying indeed.
Snatching back the term “indiepop” from a bunch of twee mummy’s boys with floppy fringes and guitars, Penny Broadhurst is a fully-fledged indie pop star. A trouper who can put on an energised show after a six in the morning train journey, and the only act I’ve ever seen to pull of a laptop backing with aplomb. “Chemist Goods”, the track which best showcases Broadhurst’s vocals, in front of a live band would be something else though.
Even the tweenage scenesters were up dancing by her cover of “Don’t Get Me Wrong”. And if that isn’t a recommendation, I don’t know what is.
Lisa-Marie for [last year's girl] - click here for the rest of the review
