Janet Roberts Photography

Every band needs a presspack! Either good old fashioned newspaper reviews in an envelope or an upmarket electronic email type that no one can ever open. Regardless of your chosen media, alongside your recordings of genre reinvention you need some photos. Yes, even the ugliest of bands need to be seen at some point. Need someone to bring out that Dale Winton tan your drummer is sporting? Need to really get under the bristles of your bass players beard? Look no further.

Above are samples of work from Janet Roberts, local photographer specialising in band photography. Janet will push you to find locations and scenes that really add to the atmosphere of a shoot. If you want pics that leap out from the AnR mans desk, amongst the shots of men in dirty parkas with half smoked cigs leaning against garage walls, this is your woman. And her prices are not too high either. More work available to view on the links below

http://http//myspace.com/jay_photography

http://http//janetrobertsphotography.com

Stockton Calling!

This coming weekend (3/04/2010) sees the first Stockton Calling festival arrive in, errr, Stockton. Like a northeastern sxsw, the festival is split across Stocktons three main music venues of Ku Bar, the Arc and the Georgian theatre. A wristband for all day access to all of the stages costs only ten pounds.



http://http//www.arconline.co.uk/detail.php?id=1918


My early afternoon pick goes to newbies Cattle and Cane, on at 1.45 on the Arc stage. I have gigged with these guys twice now and each time they have really amazed me. Laid back, melodic folk that really draws you in. Lying somewhere between Mumford and Sons and the Mamas and Papas, the price of an expensive pint from the Arc bar will really be worth it if you can sit back and take in the ethreal harmonies of this family based quartet.

http://http://www.myspace.com/cattleandcanemusic

4.15 at the Georgian Theatre I will be catching Jimmy and the Sounds, as I have meant to see these chaps for a while now but keep having prior engagements. Pure indie driven pop + hard work ethic = Success. Best to catch them now because your next glimpse will be from the back of a festival tent as topshop clad 18 year old girls scream in your ears and make you feel a little bit like you shouldnt be there.

http://http://www.myspace.com/jimmyandthesounds

Back to the Arc stage for the mighty Dirty Weekend at 6.45, fresh off the back of their UK tour for the single Sirens. Any band that has Roxy music as an influence is always worth a listen, however all too often it ends in a band trying so hard to be retro chic they forget that Roxy actually had killer tunes. (As well as some fancy outfits) Nice to see here then that no dodgy fashions are involved, just the killer songs.

http://http://www.myspace.com/dirtyweekendtheband

On top of this, Teesside DIY darlings The Chapman family, Detroit Social Club and White Belt Yellow Tag