On your fest behaviour
ANTONY Genn has good reason to enjoy the great rock 'n' roll outdoors.
For it was his streaking across the stage at Glastonbury that earned the Jordanthorpe lad a job with former Britpop favourites Elastica.
This year the older and wiser singer is keeping his clothes on when he fronts current band The Hours on a return to Somerset.
"Technically, it wasn't so much a streak as a naked dance for the duration of a song," recalls Ant of his impromptu 'audition'. "It was like a case of 'is this person mad and druggy enough to play in our band?' I ended up playing keyboards and a little snare drum in the band.
"This time we're playing three shows across the weekend. If the sun is shining a festival is one of the most amazing places. Glastonbury with the sun out has got to be one of the greatest places on planet earth. But it's not just about music, it is the community of Glastonbury; about dossing around or acting ridiculous and seeing lots of bizarre things."
The Hours give previously limited edition single Ali In The Jungle a full release on July 9 ahead of a summer of al fresco shows, including Oxegen and Spanish festivals.
WIth seemingly more outdoor music gatherings than ever before – maybe another spin-off from global warming – there's plenty of opportunity for other homegrown talent to flee the post code and play to the masses on unfamiliar soil.
Those omnipresent Arctic Monkeys steal the glory for highest profile slot, headlining a night at Glastonbury. It sees the band join Pulp as the only other Sheffield act to have taken top spot at one of the world's largest and arguably most famous gatherings.
The Monkeys are joined by fellow citizens – and one-time band mates – Reverend & The Makers, Bison, playing a warm-up at The Boardwalk on Thursday, and The Long Blondes in the south west. Doncaster's Neon Plastix and Sheffield duo The Headliners also have a role.
Elsewhere Jarvis Cocker and The Hours, fronted by fellow former Pulpster Ant, are on at V Festival in Staffordshire and Chelmsford.
And the Carling Weekend once again has a decent representation from along the M1. After last year's Arctics place ahead of closing headliners Muse there are return visits from Little Man Tate, upgraded to the main stage, while that Reverend fella Jon McClure makes his debut at Temple Newsam and Reading. LMT, who hope to add to their five hits with new single European Lover in August, also play Scotland's T In The Park, as do The Hours.
Before all that Sheffield's Alvarez Kings are playing the O2 Wireless festival in London's Hyde Park this Sunday alongside the likes of Kaiser Chiefs and Editors.
"We entered a competition for the event and sent a CD in and it was picked along with 24 other bands out of a 1,000 up and down the country," say the band. "An event was held in Hastings where the 25 bands battled for a final place. Alvarez Kings was one of six that made it through before being voted winners of the event.”
Judges, including Spice Girls founder Simon Fuller, voted the band top for professionalism, originality and stage presence, something that has pushed them up the billing.
“Originally we won the competition to open the event today at 12pm, but we've been moved up the bill to 4.40pm on Sunday on the O2 Bubble Stage – apparently Kaiser Chiefs picked what bands they wanted to play on their day.”
A three-day version of O2 Wireless also takes place at Harewood House where Sheffield’s Steve Edwards is in the O2 Blueroom. He’s the voice behind massive 2.6m-selling dance hit World Hold On with Bob Sinclar and the French jock’s new single Together.
“I am going out live again so I was really excited to be asked to play O2 Wireless,” says the big man from Woodseats, who recently unveiled his new act at Runaway Girl. “We’ll be recording an album and the record labels can see it’s going to have legs.”
Steve was invited by former Sheffield Uni entertainments man Steve Homer, now a boss with O2 Wireless promoters LiveNation. “I said yes, but then had to find a band and rehearse it,” admits Steve, who has figured on hits by French dance act Cassius and worked with new Sheffield hero the Reverend.
Steve’s band features former Longpigs and Joe Strummer cohort Simon Stafford back on drums, Rumpus man Danny Lowe on bass, Sarah Jane on backing vocals, Bongo Burt on percussion, Brian Day on guitar and Steve on guitar and vocals. “Should be a great afternoon.”
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Weather for Sheffield
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Light snow
Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light snow
Temperature: -2 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
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