XTRA MILE RECORDINGS SHOWCASE AT REEPERBAHN FESTIVAL ON 20 SEPTEMBER 2017 // FEATURING SKINNY LISTER, WILL VARLEY AND BEANS ON TOAST

Xtra Mile Recordings are excited to announce that they will present a fantastic three-band bill on Wednesday 20 September 2017 at Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, Germany. 

Taking place at the infamous Kaiserkeller venue, Xtra Mile Recordings will showcase some of the best talent on the roster with folk-punk sextet Skinny Lister headlining the evening with touring pals Beans on Toast and Will Varley bringing the bill to boiling point. Each artist’s live credentials are impeccable. There will also be a limited t-shirt and poster for the night, on sale at the venue. Take a look at the lineup and buy tickets here.

Xtra Mile has been increasing its profile in Germany, currently its third biggest market, with more airplay, building record sales and most of its roster now touring the country regularly. In the past year, and next couple of months, Frank Turner, Against Me!, Counterfeit. (nominated for Best Live Act at the Association of Independent Music Awards 2017), Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly., Skinny Lister, Beans on Toast, Will Varley, Ducking Punches, Rob Lynch and Seán McGowan have toured or will play Germany. Curating a stage at Reeperbahn represents another step towards a closer connection with the German music market.

Skinny Lister have been on a constant tear since the year began, from a European tour with the Dropkick Murphys to a US stint in March with Flogging Molly, before a widespread UK tour. They’ve played Glastonbury among other festivals in Europe, and will return to Hamburg with Beans on Toast on Halloween (31 October) during a headline European tour. They end the year with a massive UK co-headline tour with Beans on Toast, ending at Camden’s Koko in London on 10 December.

Beans on Toast hasn’t stopped all year either. He kicked off 2017 with a New Year’s Day show, joined the Flogging Molly Salty Dog Cruise, toured Germany (including a sold out show in Hamburg). In May he played UK pubs the entire month and has played over 22 festivals this summer including Glastonbury. He will also release his ninth studio album in nine years on his birthday, 1 December. 

Will Varley spent mid-January supporting Frank Turner on a big North America and Canada tour. He played a few German dates on a European tour with Valerie June in the spring before returning to the US to support Lincoln Durham throughout May. He heads back into the studio after the Xtra Mile Reeperbahn showcase to record his third album in three years before playing his headline UK tour in January and February 2018 taking in London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire.

And of course, all three played the Frank Turner’s AIM (Association of Independent Music) Award-nominated Lost Evenings festival, across four nights at Camden’s legendary Roundhouse back in May.

Reeperbahn Festival, established in 2006, is a four-day music festival and business to business industry conference for music and digital spread across venues in the Reeperbahn area of Hamburg, Germany.

#RBF17

AIM AWARD NOMINATIONS FOR FRANK TURNER'S LOST EVENINGS AND COUNTERFEIT.

The Association of Independent Music (AIM) Awards 2017 nominees have been announced and Xtra Mile acts are up for two awards.

Counterfeit. are one of five nominees for Best Live Act and Frank Turner's Lost Evenings at the Roundhouse is nominated in the Golden Welly Award for Best Independent Festival.

Both Best Live Act and the Golden Welly Award will be decided by a panel of judges. Winners for both the awards will be announced on 5 September 2017. 

Frank Turner has previous form at the AIM awards, having picked up both Hardest Working Musician and Best Live Act at the inaugural awards in 2011.

The AIM Awards are in their seventh year. AIM was set up to provide a collective voice for the UK independent music industry and the award winners represent the best in UK independent music. 

WILL VARLEY POSTPONES UK TOUR UNTIL JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2018 // RECORDING NEW ALBUM SOON

Having spent most of 2017 on the road, including dates with Frank Turner in the US and a European spring tour with Valerie June, Will Varley will be heading back to the studio to record a new album later this year, the follow up to 2016's Kingsdown Sundown.

Unfortunately, this has meant rescheduling the planned November UK tour for January and February 2018. All tickets for the autumn shows will be valid for the new year shows, all taking place at their scheduled venues. 

Will says:
“After much deliberation, we have decided to move my November tour to January and February 2018. I've been offered the opportunity to work with a really incredible producer (and) hopefully this will mean I'll have a new album for you all very soon.

Unfortunately, this is the only way we could make the dates work and although all tickets will still be valid for the rescheduled shows, I'm really sorry for any inconvenience this still might cause any of you.

I haven't made this decision lightly, but I feel like it will be for the greater good as I want to make the best record I can. I can't wait for you all to hear the new songs. See you all in 2018.”

The rescheduled dates are:

JANUARY
30 Birmingham @ O2 Institute 3
31 Nottingham @ Rescue Rooms

FEBRUARY
01 Leeds @ Brudenell Social Club
02 Edinburgh @ Le Belle Angele
03 Manchester @ Club Academy
06 Southampton @ 1865
07 Cardiff @ The Globe
08 Bristol @ Trinity Centre
09 London @ O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire

Will practically lives on the road, and 2017 has been perhaps even more busy than 2016, when he toured with the Proclaimers and supported Billy Bragg as well as performing on the Flogging Molly Salty Dog cruise. After starting this year on the road with Frank Turner in the US, Will embarked on a headline tour of his own in Germany before the European tour with Valerie June, including his first ever France dates. He also performed the Xtra Mile night of Frank Turner's Lost Evenings festival at Camden's legendary Roundhouse in May. He spent the rest of spring and the beginning of summer in the US supporting Lincoln Durham before hitting the festival circuit, wowing crowds at 2000trees, and Greenfield.

With so many shows under his belt, the wait until 2018 will be worth it, especially with brand new songs in tow.

CHRIS T-T ANNOUNCES SECOND LONDON FAREWELL SHOW ON 2 DECEMBER 2017 // FULL LIST OF FINAL DATES

Chris T-T has announced a second London farwell show after his final show at the Lexington sold out in just a few hours. Chris T-T will play one more London show, at the Courtyard Studio Theatre on 2 December 2017, the day before his very last gig. Tickets are available here. Come and see this wonderful songwriter perform his songs for the last time.

It's been 20 years since Chris T-T first made music and played shows by himself and under his own name. He marked this occasion by releasing his 39 track 'Best Of' collection, a double CD compilation with one disc collecting his most-loved tracks from his career, and a second disc full of unreleased rarities, alternate takes, B-sides and outtakes. Buy it here.

Chris has also spoken about the past 20 years with us. If you prefer reading, check out this interview where we asked Chris some medium-hard questions. If you have Spotify and want to listen to Chris interview himself, with some music thrown in, download or stream here.

Chris has a handful of shows left before the end of the year and he calls time on being Chris T-T in this form. These shows are:

22 July – Steventon @ Truck Festival (band) TICKETS HERE
27 July – Cambridge @ Cambridge Folk Festival (Chris is playing songs exclusively from Disobedience - Chris T-T Sings A.A. Milne) TICKETS HERE
15 Sept – Glasgow @ The Glad Cafe (solo, w/ Chissy Barnacle + Lovers Turn To Monsters) TICKETS HERE
TBA The Isle of Man @ TBA (solo)
30 Nov – Winchester @ The Railway Inn (band, support to be announced) TICKETS HERE
02 Dec – London @ The Courtyard Studio Theatre (solo-ish, w/ Roxanne de Bastion) TICKETS HERE and HERE
03 Dec – London @ The Lexington (band & friends, final show, no support) (SOLD OUT)

SEÁN MCGOWAN NEW EP 'GRAFT & GRIEF' OUT 8 SEPTEMBER 2017 // PREORDER NOW // LISTEN TO 'COSTA DEL SOLUTION'

New signing Seán McGowan will release brand new EP Graft & Grief on 8 September 2017. It will be out on silver vinyl, CD and digital. Preorder on all formats from our shop. You can also get it through Seán's website or on download only via iTunes.

The seven-track EP features the singles ‘No Show’, released late 2016, and ‘Apple Core’ released earlier in 2017, as well as new track ‘Costa Del Solution’ which you can listen to below.

With two poems book-ending Graft & Grief showcases Seán’s lyrical dexterity, knack for penning a catchy melody and laser sharp social commentary. 

'No Show' puts zero-hour-contract, minimum-wage drudgery into riotous perspective, rebellion in half-arsed job performance, revenge in furiously-paced folk-punk whilst 'Apple Core' draws gentle echoed gallops while Seán spits lyrics at a pace, a rowdy chorus nailing his unexpected eloquence. 'Dog Tag' flows from chin-up confidence to raw honesty and 'Clear Conscience' rumbles with drum rolls under soft guitars. Finally, new song 'Costa Del Solution' is a bright, sunny jangle set upon high street despondency and twists the cliché of a beach holiday escape.

Graft & Grief is an impressive showcase for his rollicking full-band set of socially spot-on songs; an insight into realities of being young and musically-motivated in modern England.

Photo by Dean Paul

Coinciding with the release, Seán will play his biggest headline tour to date playing with a full band.

Dates are: 

SEPTEMBER
08 Manchester – Jimmy’s
09 Nottingham – Bodega
14  Bristol – The Exchange
15  London – Sebright Arms
16  Southampton – The Loft

Seán has felt part of the Xtra Mile family for a while now, through his regular touring with the likes of Frank Turner, Skinny Lister, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly, Rob Lynch and Beans On Toast.  Over the past 6 years Seán has been steadily building up his now considerable fan base by being near a constant force on the touring circuit as well as supporting Billy Bragg and performing packed out slots at Glastonbury and The Great Escape.

Raised on a diet of The Clash, The Jam, Specials, Billy Bragg and other such politically-charged, punk-ignited British pop, 21-year-old Seán self-released two EPs, either given away or sold on a pay what you want basis at shows, plus two slices of teenage Southampton life entitled ‘Come Unstuck’ (featuring Frank Turner on backing vocals) and ‘Swings & Roundabouts’, released as a double A-side 7”. Writing has already begun on the album, due to arrive sometime in early 2018.

facebook.com/seanmcgowanmusicuk / Twitter - @seanmcgowanuk / www.musicglue.com/seanmcgowan
 

SEÁN MCGOWAN SIGNS TO XTRA MILE RECORDINGS // HEADLINE UK TOUR IN SEPTEMBER 2017

Xtra Mile Recordings is pleased to announce that the extraordinarily talented Southampton-born singer Seán McGowan is joining the Xtra Mile Recordings family. Plans for new releases, including his debut album, are already underway and a headline tour has been booked for September 2017.

Seán McGowan wearing an Xtra Mile t-shirt and he's happy about it. Yes.

Seán has been on Xtra Mile’s radar for a while now through his regular touring with the likes of Frank Turner, Skinny Lister, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly., Rob Lynch and Beans On Toast as well as supporting Billy Bragg and performing at Glastonbury and The Great Escape. Over the past six years Seán has been steadily building up his now considerable fanbase by being a constant force on the touring circuit and through word-of-mouth. His own headline shows are now selling out across the country and this year he will play his biggest full-band tour.  

Dates are:

SEPTEMBER
08 Manchester @ Jimmy’s
09 Nottingham @ Bodega
14 Bristol @ The Exchange
15 London @ Sebright Arms
16 Southampton @ The Loft

Speaking of the signing, Charlie Caplowe – MD of Xtra Mile Recordings says: “To be honest, I had to look through all our contracts to double check that Seán wasn’t already signed to Xtra Mile, such is his deep-rooted affinity to the label and the acts! Seriously though, we can’t wait to get cracking with this. Seán is incredibly talented and a lovely bloke to boot. The world can and should be his oyster and we are massively excited to work very closely with him to that end.”

Seán adds: "I made a decision when I got into music. I wanted to do things for the right reasons with the right people. Signing to Xtra Mile is the right thing to do with the right people. From the roster to the staff – it's just spot on. I'm unbelievably over the moon right now. I never thought I'd really get anywhere with this. I'm so grateful for the opportunity and can't wait to get started. It feels like home already, how it should be. The highlight of my career to date. Here's to many more with my new family! "

Previously, Seán has self-released two EPs, either given away or sold on a pay what you want basis at shows, and three singles. Stay tuned for news on brand new music very soon.

facebook.com/seanmcgowanmusicuk / Twitter @seanmcgowanuk / musicglue.com/seanmcgowan