Boom Town for Crack Magazine

Friday night and I’m sat outside Milton Keynes train station, it rains as I watch as festival goers arrive and leave, I pick them out easily amongst the sea of trackies and 90’s emo kids. Concrete and glass surrounds, two and a half hours pass and finally a transit van comes hurtling around into the car park and into the bus lane. My suitcase is thrown in the back; a rum and ginger (heavy on the rum) is thrust in my hand and we’re off.


The festival; Boomtown Fair, the location; a field in the grounds of a classical show house built in the 1600’s, now home to Stowe School and a garden centre. We enter through an impressively long drive and there’s an obelisk in the distance. We’re ushered into park behind the Lion’s Den (reggae tent). In the van behind are Tom and Luke from Wales soon to be our wingmen for the weekend. Already a culture has been established, we trade cider for mushrooms and water for, well, other stuff. It’s a good trade and seals our friendship.

We are led into the night, I adopt the customary Friday night policy of getting totally obliterated sans supper, after my losing my mind in a dance tent post The Wurzels, I spend daybreak dry retching in the woods. Wide-eyed and belly aching we head back into town to explore the realities of daylight; failing to recover the brand new coat gifted to Lucy a day ago, she winces.

You can read more of my write up for Crack magazine by clicking here.

Year Old Crack

Crack magazine becomes one year old tomorrow and to celebrate everything they have achieved in such a short time, they will be throwing an almighty party at the sublime basement venue, Square club, Clifton, Bristol. The publication has not only increased in popularity and circulation since its birth, its done wonders for the Bristol music and arts scene. Bringing well deserved attention to emerging artists from the vibrant city, which bulges with creativity. In a world where PR stunts and record company funding can make or break a creative minds future, it’s encouraging that unbiased reporting based on talent alone remains the very essence of Crack.

Alas I will be supporting (at the bar) Kitty Bang Bang and her travelling stage show (monkey bike, fire, balloons, and Ballet shoes) at Big Chill Festival this weekend; otherwise I would be there in full force. To mark the occasion I would like to draw attention to a modest selection (top three) of my personal favourites, introduced to me by Jake and Tom. Be sure to give them the time they deserve for they were lovingly handpicked by the boys in order that our lives and ears can lead a richer existence. Let the celebration commence.

Trophy Wife - An Oxford Collective who also perform under the name Jonquil, I caught them live at one of Crack's infamous parties. They have a great sound and even better banal/arty promorional photographs, alas minimal youtube presence, you can however see them live instead, check there myspace for dates, as they are currently on tour.




High Renaissance Man - is Bristol Universities answer to Alan Partridge, if you can identify, then you're onto a winner/loser. Altogether thoroughly entertaining.


Francois and the Atlas Mountain - A haunting tale of folk at it's finest, captivating from the first listen, a true gem of Bristol. My ears have yet to experience the live performance, I get excited in anticipation, soon my friend, soon (just don't beat me to it).

My favourite track is Tour de France, however the graphics in this are fantastic

Back to the begining - get ur CRACK out...

Around a friends house the t'other day and one of my more recent friends, turned and quizzed me about a new magazine he'd seen entitled Crack, surprisingly to me, it seems a lot of Bristol or rather my new acquaintances walk round with there magazine senses closed. Crack has been around for nearly a year now and it's still being seen for the first time, five issues down, sixth one due out in the next month or so. Easily the strongest publication Bristol has to offer in terms of content, style and musical direction, which is why I put my writing behind it. Nothing quite matches it or even comes close, plus the two guys that set it (Jake and Tom) up are suitably sound, and rather hot too. With offices in Clifton they shirk off the 'we must be in Stokes Croft* to be perceived as cool', and take a more serious business approach (yes mate).
The magazine is heavily researched and has strong music and art leanings, with a focus on all things Bristol based. These boys love Bristol and pretty much know everything that goes on here that you need to know. I told Jake I was going to see the camera obscura whilst we were checking out Your Twenties last Monday - he looked slightly confused and a little disappointed as to why he didn't know they were playing, (for the record I meant the place not the band) this man is passionately obsessive, which is what you need to run a magazine. So for those that don't know already, get to grips, London folk you can download a copy here** and judge for yourself, it gives London mags of a similar size a serious run for their money. BIG UP! the Crack team!
* pretty much the perceived centre of Bristol for all things alternative (non-plastic based consumerism)
** well you could normally until I tried to and discovered the website is locked until re-launch - due in five days, so keep checking back!

Crack Party

Bristol isn't the centre of the universe as far a media is concerned, yet it still capable of withstanding one or two good publications. One of those is a self-starter, created about oooh six months ago, by Thomas Frost and Jake Applebee ambiguously entitled Crack. The magazine covers all manner of subjects with a focus on art and music, each issue features illustrations, live reviews, interviews aiming to unearth Bristol's rather plentiful talents*. * Disclaimer - it does feature artists outside of Bristol too, but only if they are really good.

You can download a copy of issue four by clicking on this link.



Saturday was issue IV party time, with a celebration hosted by the Crack duo and one of their Ma's, we headed up the hill with bicycle to the Square Club in Clifton, notably one of the few private members clubs in Bristol (nice choice of venue boys). Inside we were greeted with a rather attractive and excitable crowd, primed for fun. The venue was intimate indeed, erring on the overfull, yet maintaining its composure. Jonquil were the headliners for the night, an impressive five piece from Oxford with a relaxed and rather poetic delivery; complimented by an excellent sound, big up to the tech guy!


Afterwards we headed to the Skins party for Toddla T, yah, dancehall, yah, bashment, and unsuprisingly he'd gone a little dubstep for the evening - you never know what tune-age you're gonna get from that dude. Highly entertaining nonetheless, we jiggled around like idiots, fitting in rather well with the under 21's. FUN. It was my first and noteably my last Skins party attendance, still its always good to see what the fuss is about. Sick and screaming probably?