Your friendly neighbourhood cowpunks really appreciate all of your support and patience, not just in regards to Book Yer Ane Fest but for all the support and solidarity that we’ve been shown over our thirteen years of evolution. Where we go from here, who can say, but as we prepare ourselves for the impending voyage into the unknown, we’d like to thank everybody for all of the love and support we’ve been shown and shared over the years. In these times of existential crisis, its heartwarming to know that we participate in a community whose concerns are greater than mass consumption, greed and status.
We are absolutely over the moon to share that BOOK YER ANE FEST XII, held at Abertay Student Centre and Conroy’s Basement over the weekend of Friday 30th November through Sunday 2nd December, was an overwhelming success. Despite being one of the most logistically challenging festivals yet, especially considering that some members of the collective had been away on a two month Tragical History Tour immediately prior, we feel that it was one of the most coherent and smooth-running experiences to date. While we accept that there are always improvements that can be made and lessons to be learned, we’d like to think that we did a pretty good job of keeping things running smoothly.
As such, we are delighted to share that, despite being the most expensive festival that we’ve held yet, we have managed to raise a record-breaking £1850 for charities. The money has been divided between our five main charities; Dundee Foodbank, Dundee Refugee Support, Royal Life Saving Society, Young Minds UK and Addaction Dundee; with three further donations being made to charities we support; Samaritans, Dundee Women’s Aid and LGBT Youth Scotland.
None of this would have been possible without the love and support of so many people; all of the incredible bands and artists who came to play for us and share in the experience; all of the rad MTAT volunteers, we love you guys and couldn’t do what we do without you; all the staff at Abertay Student Centre and Conroy’s Basement; Mitch, Scotty and all the crew at Audiowave Soundhire; Rainbow Music; Dundee Music Studios; all of the labels, artists, merchants and charities/campaigns that came to be involved in the Punk Rock Flea Market; Chef Bois for the wonderful catering; Brewery 71 for the booze; all the volunteers for the Vegan Bake Sale; everyone who attended, danced, laughed, cried, played tombola, gave a cuddle, got involved; it is truly a beautiful thing.
We’ve been running Book Yer Ane Fest for ten years now and, if ye were there on the Sunday, you’ll know that the future is yet unwritten and there was some debate whether or not things would be happening in future. While we have no crystal ball, we can tell you that BOOK YER ANE FEST XIII is happening, again at Abertay Student Centre and Conroy’s Basement, from Friday 29th November through Sunday 1st December 2019. What happens after that is anyone’s guess but one thing is for sure; ye gotta go to know.
Book Yer Ane Fest XII; The Comp remains online at Bandcamp for free/pay-what-you-want download. Any contributions will be added in an ongoing fashion to our TINS FOR TUNES campaign.
We’re currently having a bit of a clear out at COWPUNK HQ and have some absolute bargains going on the merch pages. The full 108 release back catalogue, including all releases from 2018 including the “What World Was Still?” LP from Kaddish, the “Aphorisms” LP from Tragical History Tour, the “…In Potential” LP from Please, Believe alongside releases from Goodbye Blue Monday, Vanilla Pod, Uniforms, Terrafraid and heaps more, is currently available from our Bandcamp page with 25% off. We’re also having a sale on our Bigcartel page, so dive deep for the bargains of the year. There are still a handful of MTAT 2019 Season Tickets left also.
Music; bit.ly/2w34gEK
Swag; bit.ly/2KfMB3e
2019 Season Tickets; bit.ly/2HwP6wm
AIRSTREAM FUTURES (USA)
We are absolutely delighted to welcome these high-octane ass-kicking indie punk rockers back to the basement for the first MTAT Monday night tear-up of the year. Featuring members of Chicago punk legends The Methadones, The Bomb and All Eyes West, their debut “Spirale Infernale” LP is rammed with fizzy punk bangers full of rage and Devon Carson’s radical vocals. Last seen in Dundee at the original Summerpunks in 2017. we couldn’t ask for better company for our first show of the year. The new 7″ on Little Rocket Records is a zinger.
http://www.facebook.com/airstreamfutures/
http://airstreamfutureslrr.bandcamp.com/
MEAN CAESAR (ENG)
These gruff melodic London-via-Newcastle punks made a whole heap of friends over Book Yer Ane Fest weekend and we’re beyond stoked to be welcoming them back so soon as they join their Little Rocket labelmates on their UK Tour. Top drawer 90s punk like yer granny used to make when she spun her Leatherface and early D4 records.
http://www.facebook.com/meancaesar/
http://meancaesarlrr.bandcamp.com/
WOOLEN
Fresh ecossemo punks featuring members of Gay Panic Defence/Our Smallest Adventures bring their shout-y, twinkly, anthemic lo-fi indie/punk rock jamz back over the bridge with their hardcore hearts wrapped in warm stripey winter jumper. We eagerly await the arrival of the first EP.
MONDAY 21ST JANUARY 2019
Conroy’s Basement, Dundee
Doors at 7.30pm, wrapped by 10.30pm
Fiver advanced, six quid on doors.
E-tickets; bit.ly/2HwP6wm
ISSA GODDAMN MULTI-RELEASE EXTRAVAGANZA!!
Hot live bands all celebrating something:
Savage Mansion
– ALBUM RELEASE SHOW
“West coast-tinged pop gems” from Glasgow’s slacker-rock poets.
FFO: Pavement, Parquet Courts, Teenage Fanclub
holy snakes
– E.P. RELEASE SHOW
Hot, buttered, garage soul fronted by “the Howlin’ Wolf of East Coast DIY”
FFO: White Denim, Sheer Mag, UMO
Buffalo Heart
– LEW’S BIRTHDAY SHOW
Lo-fi, post-hardcore indie music from a chefee with love to give
FFO: Neutral Milk Hotel, Weakerthans
7.30pm Doors
£6 Entry
HEAVY HEART (France)
Incredible uplifting super melodic punk rockers from Nantes, France return to Dundee fresh from releasing their stunning new “Love Against Capture” LP through Guerilla Asso and Brassneck Records. Passionate, heartfelt and sincere, Heavy Heart overflow with melody, skyscraping triple-vocal harmonies and one of the tightest, most high-energy live shows you’ll see in the basement this year. They just generally rule; love and transformation through punk rock.
http://heavyheartnantes.bandcamp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/heavyheartnantes/
QUENTIN SAUVÉ (France)
From the hardcore fury and chaos of French legends Birds In Row and As We Draw comes the haunting atmospheric post-folk/acoustic emo of Quentin Sauvé, with gentle acoustic guitars and bruised vocals displaying a sensitivity and melancholia somewhat hidden in the violence of his previous projects. Raw, captivating, ethereal; an existential examination in hushed tones.
http://quentinsauve.bandcamp.com
http:/www.facebook.com/pg/quentinsauvemusic
THE MARX
Loud and literate lessons in well-dressed garage punk rock’n’roll from these Dundee troops returning to rip up the basement for the first time this year. With their debut EP in the offing, The Marx bring an art school sensibility to the ancient art of heads-down rock’n’roll riffing, like Elvis Costello covering The Hives in a sweaty library.
https://www.facebook.com/themarxband/
DOG EARED
Fresh blood! We’re stoked to welcome these brand new three-piece punk rockers from Dundee to their first ever basement show. Play it fast, get it wrong, play it faster. Yass!
http://dogeared111.bandcamp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pg/dog.eared.111
MONDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2019
Conroy’s Basement, Dundee
Doors at 7.30pm, first act sharp.
Fiver advanced, six quid on doors.
E-tickets; http://bit.ly/2HwP6wm
An Uplifting Evening of Acoustic DIY Indie/Punk Goodness
After the success of their last UK Tour, we are delighted to welcome the touring acoustic ensemble of London punks Fresh (Specialist Subject Records), Leeds singer/songwriter Tea Leaf and London-based Me Rex to Dundee for the very first time. Featuring collaborations and group performances, each night of tour is unique, in the tradition of the finest touring roadshows; think The Carter Family on The Revival Tour drinking tea instead of whisky.
Fresh (Specialist Subject Records, ENG)
One of the most exciting melodic emo/punk bands to emerge from the fertile London DIY scene over the last few years, we’re delighted to welcome to Dundee for the first time in this unique form (solo/acoustic/collaborative). The self-titled debut LP from 2017 is jammed full of poignant heartelt fizzy bangers, last year’s “Daytime / Nightime” 7” an absolute pearler. FFO; Latterman, Bikini Kill, My Chemical Romance
http://freshpunks.bandcamp.com
http://www.facebook.com/freshpunks
Tea Leaf (ENG)
Intimate and emotive acoustic indie storytelling with clarity, depth and nuance from Leeds-based singer/songwriter. With stark poetic imagery chronicling depression in a minor key, Tea Leaf refracts the confessional lyricism of John K. Samson through a melancholic northern lens. The “Disappear” EP comes highly recommended.
http://tealeaf.bandcamp.com/
http://www.facebook.com/tomtealeaf/
Me Rex (ENG)
Swirling and boisterous electronica-tinged sing-a-long anti-folk with a sense of mischief from London Town. Super hooky and full of nagging melodies, wry and witty tales of our imminent destruction have rarely sounded so delicious. The whole dinosaur-themed back catalogue is full of DIY pop gems, like a bedroom Devo with a wifi connection.
http://merex.bandcamp.com
Opus Fluke
Introspective “plinky-plonky” lo-fi/folk/pop with bite, beautiful guitar work and soothing understated vocals from Dundee singer/songwriter. A long-time collaborator in the Dundee underground, we’re very pleased to welcome them back into the circle of songs in the basement with that sweet’n’lo-fi.
http://soundcloud.com/avrilsticks/bite
Tuesday 26th February 2019
Conroy’s Basement, Dundee
Doors at 7.30pm
Fiver advanced, six on doors.
As this is an acoustic show, please be mindful of performers and those around you who may wish to enjoy the show uninterrupted. Usual house rules apply, don’t be a bozo.
Tour poster by Lewis (@leercat)
BE RADICAL, SPREAD JOY.
