When: 7.30pm on Saturday 4 November 2017
Where: Low Four, Old Granada Studios, Security Lodge Entrance, Quay Street, Manchester M3 4PR

We’re delighted to be working with Simon Joyner for the first time – at Low Four Studio!

Simon Joyner is among America’s best songwriters, so says Gillian Welch, Conor Oberst, Kevin Morby and others. With his new double LP, Step Into The Earthquake, the songwriter strikes for the personal while acknowledging that the times they are a-changin’ around us again. In fact, things are leaning shitty right now, and the characters in Joyner’s songs experience the dissolution of comfort amid anxious concerns regarding our turbulent times.

Joyner traverses the human predicament, in general, and the American psyche specifically, using fiction to tell difficult truths. Characters struggle through personal crises while absorbing America’s currently failing experiment.

To record, Joyner’s band, the Ghosts, holed up with longtime collaborator, Michael Krassner (Boxhead Ensemble), in Omaha’s ARC Studio, developing songs from skeletal foundations to full-on group efforts. Hence, each compositions’ power comes equally from the lyrics working in tandem with the subtle arrangements.

Joyner’s vision may be dark but it stops short of nihilism. Where do we go from here? The best move towards answering that question is knowing where we stand right now. Joyner’s expansive album offers a poet’s truthful view, however disconcerting, that to survive whatever is coming for us, we have to confront and understand it first. So, go ahead and step into the earthquake.

‘Omaha has given us the reigning heir to Henry Miller’s dark emotional mirror, Townes Van Zandt’s three-chord moan, and Lou Reed’s warehouse minimalism: his name is Simon Joyner’ — Gillian Welch

‘Simon’s always been a secret handshake amongst me and my peers. He’s a pioneer. He’s helped pave the way for many people, myself included. He’s an artist in its purest form – for his only concern is crafting a perfect song – which he’s done time and time again’ — Kevin Morby

Main support comes from Glasgow’s Vital Idles. Vital Idles are Jess, Nick, Matthew and Ruari (formerly of Night School/Slumberland heroes Golden Grrrls). In 2015 they leapt fully formed from the fertile intersection of Glasgow’s visual art and music undergrounds. Their early live shows were a revelation, all ecstatic dancing and incisive tunes that betrayed an affection for the pioneering run of 7″s from the dawn of Rough Trade and the more pop slanted sounds from the worldwide DIY boom that followed. Fans of Kleenex, Primetime and The Smiths are urged to take note!

Opening this show are Secret Admirer, the solo project from Nick Ainsworth of Former Bullies and Dinner Party fame. In 2016 he released a 20-song self-titled tape via Belfast’s CF Records.

Completed in 1962, Low Four was built as part of the original Granada Studio. The live-room was originally connected to a control room above and was where The Beatles rehearsed for their first ever TV appearance. In its heyday, it was used to record theme tunes and soundtracks for classic ITV dramas such as Jewel in the Crown, Brideshead Revisited and Sherlock Holmes, often by sections of the Halle Orchestra.

Nowadays, it is used as a professional recording studio, and also streams one-off live performances by the likes of Jane Weaver, Mew, Jesca Hoop, Dutch Uncles, Polica, Alexis Taylor and Everything Everything.

This is a 14+ age restriction show. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.

This is a co-promotion with Comfortable on a Tightrope.

Buy tickets now. Tickets are available from Piccadilly Records, Vinyl Exchange, WeGotTickets.com, Ticketline.co.uk and on 0871 220 0260.

Attend on: Facebook