Masters of Budvar present
-at-
The Labour Club, Earl Street, Northampton NN1
-on-
Friday 7th July 2006


our headline performers
RAY
Ray are a London-based quartet of great elegance and emotional power. They released their first album, First Light, on Rough Trade in 2005. Produced by John A. Rivers (Love & Rockets/Felt/JBC/The Specials), it is a lush, brooding piece of work with some great songs in the Tindersticks/Nick Cave mould; but it was only on seeing them live at the end of December that Masters of Budvar really came to understand quite how good Ray really are. Thanks largely to the inspired guitar playing of Mark Bradford, Ray really sprawl across a song in the best possible way, bringing to mind all the positive aspects of the early Verve, creating a fine setting for the Neil Bradford's rich, engaging singing. And if the lyrics don't cause you the occasional splutter of amused and embittered recognition, you're too young. Ray release their second album, Deep Blue Happy, on Pito Records on Monday 10th July.

"Sublimely melodic" - The Guardian
"Almost flawless...Ray's first-time touch is breathtaking." - Q Magazine
"Loveliness galore for those lugubrious nights of the soul." - Rocksound
"We need bands like London foursome Ray more than ever." - The Fly

Artist Website: www.raytheband.com
Artist Website: www.myspace.com


our special Guest from Los Angeles, California
THE BLACK WATCH


John Andrew Frederick - singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer and polymath - has led The Black Watch through more than ten years and almost as many albums of sparkling, literate songwriting and shimmery psychedelic pop. Adored on LA's super-hep Silver Lake scene (yea, even as it moves down the road to Echo Park), The Black Watch have been compared to everybody from the Beatles (an undeniable influence) to My Bloody Valentine.
Last year, after an appearance at the International Pop Overthrow at Liverpool's Cavern Club, UK label Pink Hedgehog released the magnificent album The Hypnotising Sea, which also spawned the single Inner City Garden. With a new album, Tatterdemalian, in the can, John Andrew Frederick will be bringing new songs and old, all performed with the wit, grace and charm of a true original.

"Inner City Garden, the title track from their new EP, has my vote for best song of the summer." - LA Weekly

Artist Website: www.theblackwatchmusic.com


our Superstar DJ
PAT FISH


All right, so it's a bit of a cop-out to do this, but - hey - these artists don't come for free, you know, and our man Fishy needs to limber up for the impending DJ death-match at Saturday's Battle Royale.
Fishy still wishes he'd played Rock Me Amadeus last year. Or lied about it, at least.

Usual rules and regulations, people...

Admission Free
Bar open until midnight
First band onstage 9:15pm
Friendly people, pretty lights, good vibrations
We hope to see you there.

Credit: pat