We are looking for weekly or monthly promoters to put on live music events at the famous Mass Club in Brixton London SW2

'STAGE BAR'VENUE INCLUDES:

*CAPACITY 250+
*LATE BAR
*27k NEXT ALPHA E RIG
*MID US VENICE 32 CHANNEL DESK
*HOUSE ENGINEER
*SECURITY INCLUDED
*BOX OFFICE
*HOUSE DRUM KIT AND BASS AMP SUPPLIED
*TIMES 8PM-MIDNIGHT (3AM BAR EXTENSION OPTIONAL)
*TOTAL COST OF THE ABOVE IS £150 INCLUSIVE (NO HIDDEN EXTRAS)
*YOU TAKE DOOR! WE TAKE BAR!

If you would like to view the 'Stage Bar' please do not hesitate to call me or
drop me a line when is convenient time for you.
Many Thanks!

Laura Phillips
Mobile: 07793 270555
Email: info@babalou.net


PAST GIGS INCLUDE

BIFFY CLYRO





Wed, Jan 20 2010
Written by: Clive Rozario
Photos by: Helen Boast

Rivmixx's Clive “Live” Rozario got his hands on tickets to Biffy Clyro's competition winners-only XFMLive Session. Here's the resulting live review...
After three critically acclaimed albums went unnoticed by most of the UK, it seemed safe to presume Biffy Clyro would forever be consigned to London’s smaller, more “atmospheric” venues. Then they reigned in the screams and experimental heavy-metal in favour of melody-driven choruses to make ‘Puzzle.’ Consisting of the kind of pop-music The Foo Fighters have been striving forever to make, it reached number two in the UK album charts. In an instant, Biffy Clyro were selling out bigger and bigger venues, including three shows at London’s Brixton Academy.
It was pretty special, therefore, for the 350 or so fortunate XFM competition winners to catch Biffy back in an intimate setting. Brixton’s Mass is a tiny venue within a converted church that has the decor of a student union (not a million miles away from the prestigious 4500 capacity Brixton Academy then). The crowd didn’t initially warm to support band Airship, possibly because they started their set rather late. Sounding like an Arcade Fire stripped of all their toys, they certainly won over some new fans by the end of their set, including Rivmixx.
Whereas last year’s Biffy Clyro tour included a mammoth 24-song setlist and a furious lightshow, this XFM Live Sessions show was short, sharp and uncomplicated. No lasers, no effects and no pompous, four-song encore. They played 14 songs in quick succession, predominantly from new album ‘Only Revolutions.’ Opening the set with the jarring combination of ‘That Golden Rule’ and ‘Living Is A Problem’ got the crowd head-banging, while the two tracks they played from 2004’s 'Infinity Land' (‘Glitter and Trauma’ and ‘There's No Such Thing As A Jaggy Snake’) got the elbows flying. By about mid-set the rising temperature of Mass had started melting the crowd’s faces (Ventilation? Please?). Luckily, Biffy slowed the pace down with such songs as ‘God & Satan,’ ‘Machines’ and new single ‘Many Of Horror’ before closing the set with their big, sing-along hit ‘Mountains.’ Ignoring most of their past singles (and completely ignoring material from their first two albums), the live debut of 'Only Revolutions' closer ‘Whores’ served as the show’s surprise highlight.
The crowd departed sweaty and grinning. Partly because the gig was free (thanks to XFM for that), but chiefly because they were well aware that the chance of witnessing Biffy Clyro’s frantic live-show in a small venue like this has become something of a rarity. Rivmixx predicts that they’ll be headlining the horrid, cavernous London O2 Arena within months.

SEE THE TRACK 'WHORSES' FROM THE GIG HERE ON YOUTUBE



BABYSHAMBLES



No band of recent times has split opinion as much as Babyshambles. But this, at last, is the moment both fans and doubters have been waiting for – because Babyshambles' second album 'Shotter’s Nation' showcases the band at their very best.
Peter Doherty: "I don't want to say anything that knocks any other records I've made, but this time around we've made a record that's simply a great record. I'm so proud of it… it's almost sad really that I’ve had trouble putting on records that I've made and this time it's really natural: we've made a record – let's listen to it and enjoy it."

Peter's being modest, though. Teaming up with legendary producer Stephen Street (Blur, The Smiths), this is the record that Peter Doherty and Babyshambles always had the potential to make. Recorded in just a few weeks in Olympic Studios, London, the songs display a breadth the band have always hinted at but never really captured on record.
Peter: "This time around we hit the nail on the head, whereas with ‘Down In Albion’ there were lots of nails flying all over the place. This time I was able to sing, and self-control was a bit more exercised all together."

From the 60s' Doors-y groove of ‘Crumb Begging Baghead’ to the jazzy brushed-drum splendour of ‘There She Goes’ this is a band who've dusted themselves down after countless scrapes to produce what is Peter Doherty's most fully realised set of melodies to date.
Stuffed with lyrical insights, Peter Doherty and Babyshambles have poured their heart and a huge array of influences into ‘Shotter’s Nation’, producing an album that's as spontaneous as anything they’ve done before but swells with a series of tunes set to win over doubters.

Adam Ficek: "I think Stephen captured it really well. It's clean enough but it still has that raw edge in the middle." Clearly the band’s relationship with Stephen Street was built on mutual respect. Peter: "After a some fumbling around and dustbin kicking, he looked me in the eye. The ground rules were laid: it was alright from then on."

Formed by Peter Doherty in 2003, initially with an intentionally fluid group membership, Babyshambles finally settled on a regular line-up in Summer 2004 after the implosion of the Libertines. In January 2005, Adam Ficek joined on drums, replacing Gemma Clarke. The band released their debut album, ‘Down In Albion’, in November 2005. Guitarist Mick Withnell joined in 2006, replacing Patrick Walden. He is, according to Peter Doherty, "the finest ska guitarist in the UK".

In 2006 the band headlined Loaded In The Park on Clapham Common, London to great acclaim and followed this with the release of the four-track EP 'The Blinding'. The video was directed by filmmaker and punk chronicler Julien Temple. In November 2006, the band – continuing the tradition long established during Peter’s days in the Libertines – gave away mp3s of songs in progress to fans via the internet for free. Finished versions of some of those songs are on this album.

Peter: "We really didn't know at the time that these songs were ever going to be finished or even end up on any album. Some did and obviously they're the same titles but I don't think you've ever heard anything like it sounds on the album, particularly ‘Delivery’ which I don't think I've ever sang in tune live.. haha!." ‘Delivery’, the lead single, is a rollicking hymn to escaping the daily grind. Peter: "It's about some kid in a brewery leaning up against the wall, getting told off by his boss time and time again for not being there when the crates got delivered and at the weekend he'd put on his favourite Fred Perry and just go out and get battered and have a scrap and find a girl and then do it all over again on the Monday. It's kind of about escape as well - escaping the mundane kind of nine to five. That song’s a magic carpet with lots of kegs of ale on it."

A broad range of influences shine through on this album, from the Kinks, through to punk, Stone Roses, a touch of Soul 2 Soul, 80s' indie, Madness, Blondie, Motown, Britpop and even one inspired by their UK number four hit single ‘Fuck Forever’. Lyrically, the album captures the many facets of Peter's character: storyteller, lyricist, street poet, hopeless romantic and chronicler of British life. From capturing the feeling at sunrise after a night on the tiles, to delving into a self-destructive 20 year marriage (‘Baddie's Boogie’) this is an album of rare emotional breadth. The album even manages to immortalise Peter's doodle invention (and ‘Down In Albion’ cover star) French Dog in one of the album's highlights 'French Dog Blues'. All songs are written by Peter Doherty, with contributions from Mick, Adam and the band. On ‘Unbilotitled’, Peter’s old mucker Wolfman wrote some of the lyrics (the pair penned a top ten single in 2004 with 'For Lovers').

The album's finale is the delicate beauty of 'The Lost Art Of Murder', played acoustically and accompanied by UK folk legend Bert Jansch, with whom Peter sang during his recent two night stint – ‘An Evening With Peter Doherty’ – at London’s Hackney Empire. Drew: "They recorded it with Bert playing the guitar and Peter singing along so Bert's acoustic part and Peter's vocals were recorded at the same time. Peter put some arpeggio guitar over it. A lot of people think that's Bert when they first hear it. For a bit I was in the room with them playing double bass and I thought "you know what, man, this song is gonna sound beautiful as it is", so it thought I'm not going to push it. I just got up and left them to it." This fragile bird of a song alone shows Peter to be one of the great singer/songwriters of the past 20 years.

So this is it, twelve songs of range and depth that highlight their songwriting and playing prowess brilliantly. ‘Shotter’s Nation’ is a record for fans and newcomers alike with each listen revealing new complexities in the arrangements. Forget the obsessions of celebrity media: this is about the music. This is the album that Peter Doherty and Babyshambles have always promised to make. ‘Shotter’s Nation’ was recorded at Olympic Studios in Barnes, west London and produced by Stephen Street (Morrissey/The Smiths, Blur). The album has already been hailed in the press, with the NME proclaiming; “It is a concise, invigorated and coherent collection of punch-packing pop songs. Babyshambles have far exceeded all expectations. This record is the work of a bunch of musicians hell-bent on making the best record they have in them”.