Live Music Highlights – August 2011

Get your motherfucking chakras aligned Edinburgh, because polysynth polymath Dan Lopatin (aka Oneohtrix Point Never) is getting ready to remix your consciousness into the fifth dimension. Not content with being the driving force behind two of this year’s best LPs (Ford & Lopatin’s Channel Pressure and Frkwys vol.7, just released on RVNG Intl.), Lopatin will hit up Sneaky Pete’s on 7 Aug with the intention of leading you even deeper into his stunning electronic labyrinths. Get rearranged.

Grimes (aka Montreal’s Claire Boucher) has been creating some brilliantly ambitious and unusual music of late, synthesising classical vocal techniques, soulful hooks, synth pop and post-burial atmospherics into one impressive and unique package. Her support slot behind How to Dress Well (aka Tom Krell, whose haunted and desolate re-imagining of 80s and 90s RnB has been gathering increasing acclaim of late) guarantees an unforgettable evening at Glasgow’s Arches on 8 Aug.

Better known as that dude from Whitehouse, William Bennett’s latest project, Cut Hands, finds the perennial provocateur fusing trance-inducing African percussion with a more restrained and considered array of noise and drone elements. The results, as heard on the recent Afro Noise I album, are nothing short of breathtaking. The addition of thematically sympathetic video footage from Bennett’s private collection make this show at Edinburgh Sneaky Pete’s on 16 Aug a must-see for anyone who appreciates altered states.

Describing a band as ‘mild-mannered folk-rockers’ probably doesn’t fill you with very high expectations but when you’re as assured and accomplished an outfit as The Cave Singers you’re probably more than happy to let the music speak for itself. Their engaging, technically accomplished take on Americana can be sampled at Aberdeen Lemon Tree on 16 Aug, Edinburgh Cabaret Voltaire on 17 Aug and Glasgow King Tut’s on 18 Aug.

Kristin Hersh’s solo performances are now almost as ingrained in the popular consciousness as her work with Throwing Muses, and on 18 Aug you have the chance to see the veteran songstress perform in the intimate confines of Edinburgh’s Cabaret Voltaire. Her compositions may be simple and direct but the physicality of her poetry always makes for a spellbinding live performance.

Reclusive Canadian singer/songwriter Chad Vangaalen’s weird and wonderful soundworlds are all the more impressive for their relative simplicity, blending as they do surreal narratives with beguiling melodic themes. Definitely one of the most interesting weirdo folk/rock guys on the circuit right now, his show at Edinburgh Sneaky Pete’s on 19 Aug comes strongly recommended.

Ever dreamed about hearing The Twilight Sad knock out a version of Boys Don’t Cry? World in My Eyes? How About Gouge Away? Or maybe even Babooshka or A View to A Kill? Well dream no more, precious child of the 80s, ‘cause the Sad are letting Skinny readers select any song by The Cure, Depeche Mode, Pixies, Kate Bush or Duran Duran to be covered by the band at their acoustic gig at Edinburgh’s Electric Circus on 21 Aug. Tweet your suggestions @TheTwilightSad and @TheSkinnyMag until Monday, 15 August. Now you probably know that these boys make a hell of a noise when they’re plugged in, but their acoustic sets throw a whole new light on both their songwriting and the incredible vocals of frontman James Graham. Formidable support comes from two of Scotland's most inventive contemporary songwriters, RM Hubbert and Adam Stafford.

Lo-fi icons Sebadoh will play Edinburgh Cabaret Voltaire on 24 Aug with Fiery Furnaces drummer Bob D'Amico taking the place of Eric Gaffney behind the skins. Famous for oscillating between aggressive punk-ish barnstormers and alt-folk slow-burners, these talented old hands have an incredible back catalogue and always give a crowd their money’s worth.

Stirling-raised trouble-makers Hey Enemy don’t usually need any help with crushing venues and summoning cops, but on 26 Aug they’ve promised to cram the stage at Glasgow’s Nice N Sleazy with as much equipment as possible before reworking their chongs with help from some of the west coast’s finest noise-makers. Hei Ensemble is what they’re calling it and you can look forward to spotting familiar faces from the likes of Desalvo, Holy Mountain, Y'all Is Fantasy Island, United Fruit, Twilight Sad and many, many more. No way this will be anything other than a ton of fun.

Conjuring a sound that takes in soulful crooning, sassy RnB inflections and classic singer/songwriter traits is a difficult trick to pull off, but Joan as Police Woman makes it look easier with every year that goes by. Her arresting stage presence and charming personality are two more reasons to catch her live show at Edinburgh’s Liquid Room on 31 Aug.