When: 7.30pm on Thursday 28 January 2010
Where: Dulcimer, 567 Wilbraham Road, Chorlton, Manchester M21 0AE

We’re delighted to present an intimate show by Marble Valley, the main project by Pavement drummer Steve ‘Westie’ West.

Marble Valley is the project of drummer Steve West. After attending high school with future Pavement bandmate Bob Nastanovich, he studied art before relocating to New York City and working as a security guard alongside another future Pavement collaborator, frontman Stephen Malkmus. West joined Pavement in 1993, making his recording debut the following year on the acclaimed Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain, and continuing on the three albums that followed.

As the seminal lo-fi band’s days came to an end, West had already begun to make music as Marble Valley. His first album, the hard-to-find Sauckiehall Street, appeared in 1997, while Sunset Sprinkler followed three years later. After a six-year break, the third full-length record, Wild Yams, was released. It was re-released in the UK in 2008, just prior to the arrival of fourth album Slash & Laugh, which was recorded at Island Studios in Amsterdam and released on Sea Records in the UK and Matador in the US.

Marble Valley, meanwhile, are now a six-piece band featuring ex-Pavement sound engineer Remko Schouten and former Salako member James Waudby. They have toured Europe three times, including with Silver Jews – a band with whom West also played. In May, he returns to the drum stool for Pavement’s reunion – including for their curation of All Tomorrow’s Parties. This is therefore likely to be your last chance to catch Marble Valley for some time.

‘Westie and co. turn in an eclectic set of the sort of indie rock you’d expect from the Pavement camp: sturdy songwriting, loose playing, catchy melodies, and smartass posturing’ – Pitchfork

‘Sauckiehall Street an undiscovered gem in shambolic slouchrock’ – DrownedInSound

Tickets available from the bar, Piccadilly Records, Ticketline.co.uk and on 0161 832 1111.