What’s On

A matinee student showcase raising funds for the Nurses and Doctors of Addenbrooke’s hospital.

With backing from Fred’s House.

This show is to be rescheduled. tickets already purchased will be valid for the new date (TBA) or you can request a refund from your point of purchase. Band statement:
“We are very sorry to announce that due to family reasons we will be rescheduling our gig next week in The Portland Arms, Cambridge.
We are sorry for any inconvenience caused. We are working on finalising the rescheduled date and will communicate that as soon as we are able. “

Taking their name from an antiquated and somewhat charming Irish term for lout, ruffian, or street urchin, Gurriers formed in January 2020, initially comprising Dan Hoff on lead vocals, Ben O’Neill on guitar and backing vocals, Mark MacCormack on guitar, Pierce O’Callaghan on drums and Emmet White on bass, who has since amicably left the band and been replaced by Charlie McCarthy.

Hailing from various parts of Ireland, Gurriers met in Dublin. They believed they were destined to connect creatively in a meaningful way, so they formed a band. We don?t need to dwell too much on how events in early 2020 temporarily stalled their progress. “All we wanted to do was be back in a room together and practice,” Dan Hoff recalls. “I remember one stage screaming into my pillow because of the extended lockdowns.?

Instead of doom scrolling on their phones, baking banana bread, or bingeing on box sets, Gurriers seized an opportunity to hone their vision and advance their ambition. Over numerous Zoom calls, they meticulously discussed every single aspect of the band, plotting strategies at a time when venues, studios, and rehearsal rooms were shuttered shut. The silence spurned the fledgling group on to make a bigger, more beautifully abrasive noise.

Miki Berenyi Trio are Miki Berenyi on vocals/guitar (Lush), Kevin ‘Moose’ McKillop on guitar (Moose) and Oliver Cherer (Gilroy Mere, Aircooled). The three musicians first worked together during Piroshka’s 2021 tour, Miki and Kevin being founder members, Oliver coming in on bass to replace Mick Conroy (Modern English) who had moved to the US.

When the global pandemic made touring impossible, Miki spent the lockdown months writing her memoir, “Fingers Crossed”, released in 2022 to widespread acclaim. To provide some musical accompaniment for the string of book events and signings, Miki Berenyi Trio was formed.

The band has developed a momentum of its own, touring with the Wedding Present and Gang of Four and sold out London co-headline show with Aircooled.

Price includes a 50p venue levy

Culture has always been essential to counter the rise of the far right. We are launching Love music Hate Racism Cambridge and coming together with some great acts to party with a purpose.

This first event brings together London based rising stars Lost Lyra, with Cambridge University bands Cool Ant and Loose Leaf. Poets will perform alongside the bands to create an amazing space of anti-racist music making.

Cambridge Fringe is a annual comedy festival and a vibrant platform for emerging and established artists to showcase their creative talents and engage with a discerning audience from all walks of life.

Held over two days and multiple venues. CLICK HERE for full line-up
And HERE for the Clashfinder

Take a look at the line up, book tickets and stay tuned for more announcements!

Sat 25th Portland Arms line-up:
12:30 13:20 Lily Phillips
13:40 14:30 Annie McGrath
14:50 15:40 TBA
16:00 16:50 Jordan Brookes
17:10 18:00 Dane Buckley
18:20 19:10 Ria Lina
19:30 20:20 Huge Davies
20:40 21:30 Glenn Moore
21:50 22:40 Strummers and Drummers

Cambridge Fringe is a annual comedy festival and a vibrant platform for emerging and established artists to showcase their creative talents and engage with a discerning audience from all walks of life.

Held over two days, 25th and 26th May and multiple venues. CLICK HERE for full line-up
And HERE for the Clashfinder

Take a look at the line up, book tickets and stay tuned for more announcements

Sunday 25th Portland line-up:
12:30 13:20 TBA
13:40 14:30 TBA
14:50 15:40 Dan Tiernan ***
16:00 16:50 Toussaint Douglass
17:10 18:00 Cally Beaton
18:20 19:10 Ania Magliano ***
19:30 20:20 Spencer Jones
20:40 21:30 Esther Manito
21:50 22:40 Nick Helm

‘Prima Queen’s ethereal sound, which shimmers with delicate vocal interplay and glacial instrumentation, takes them to regal heights’ NME

Transatlantic indie experts Prima Queen announce debut LP ‘The Prize’, packed with effusive, empathic melodies, ‘The Prize’ represents a fresh era for a band primed and ready to truly assert their individuality. The songs of Louise Macphail and Kristin McFadden play like a love letter to the radical power of friendship; to the fans who have revelled in the band’s bitingly charismatic storytelling, qualities which are showcased vividly throughout their entire debut record.

Described, accurately, by McFadden as an album that ‘screams empowerment and strength,’ ‘The Prize’ uses the pair’s fateful connection as a North Star for their shared journey towards growth. Tapping into the shimmering pop sensibilities of Haim and Jenny Lewis, an openness of spirit defines the 12 tracks, partly inspired by the euphoria the group experienced on stage over the past year while touring with the likes of Olivia Dean, Wet Leg and Whitney.

Having built a glowing live reputation through appearances at the likes of Glastonbury, SXSW and Pitchfork Paris in recent times, Prima Queen have already attracted plaudits from all corners of the press landscape (The Guardian, The I Paper, The Independent, The Times, NME, DIY, Dork, The Line Of Best Fit, Clash), whilst their previous five singles have all landed on the BBC 6 Music playlist (Steve Lamacq, Huw Stephens, Lauren Laverne, Craig Charles) to widespread praise.

Hard to believe we know but it is true, Kirk Brandon has now been leading SPEAR OF DESTINY for over 40 years.

SPEAR OF DESTINY were formed in 1983 after the demise of Kirk Brandon’s post punk iconic rockers THEATRE OF HATE. (Brandon had also, before TOH, been the main man in every punk rockers favourite band of that era, The Pack)

The current line up of Spear is the longest serving to date and features Adrian Portas (New Model Army / Sex Gang Children), Craig Adams (Sisters of Mercy / The Cult / The Mission) and Phil Martini (Jim Jones and the Righteous Mind )on drums. During 2019 the line up was boasted by Saxophonist Clive Osborne. Long time Brandon collaborator Steve Allen-Jones completes the band line up on keyboards..

Post Pandemic has seen SOD play some fabulous club shows and festivals including sell out shows at the iconic 100 Club in London, Manchester Ritz and Glasgow Oran Mor. SOD’s performances at Sign of the Times, Rebellion and Kubix festivals have heralded fantastic reviews “Festival Stealing Dream set” wrote The Northern Echo.

For SPEAR OF DESTINY 2025 will be the year of ‘Janus”. Janus The Recordings are the choicest cuts from the band’s two biggest selling albums, Outland & The Price You Pay. 24 tracks re-recorded and re-imagined, beautifully packaged and presented on Double Vinyl, Extended Double CD and Download. Janus The Tour will pull a set list from these fantastic new recordings.

The BBC’s Jeremy Vine says, “@kirkbrandon is one of our greatest musical geniuses”

John Robb’s Louder Than War “Spear of Destiny are criminally underrated and are one of Britain’s best, Boys Own, punch the air, grandiose Rock’nRoll bands.”

Mojo wrote: “Kirk Brandon is on of the UK’s best kept secrets”.

On SOD’s previous studio album ‘31’(Thirty-One).
BBC Radio’s Jools Holland: “possibly [Spear of Destiny’s] best album in 20 years”

Louder Than War: “9/10 Brandon puts his all into every song with epic bombast, coming across as a tragic rock n roll anti-hero. He is the Wagner of rock n roll. And the haircut’s still pretty cool”

Aberdeen Voice: “Forty years together makes for flawless musicianship, a unique sound, and some remarkable riffs and harmonies”

With support from SCANT REGARD
Will Crewdson presents Scant Regard, a solo one-man whirlwind of pure unadulterated guitar driven energy. Also known for his guitar work with Adam Ant, The Selecter, Johnette Napolitano, Bow Wow Wow, Tom Jones, Gaye Bykers On Acid, Rachel Stamp and Flesh for Lulu, Will rams home all his experience into this mind-bending apocalyptic amalgamation of epic soundtrack proportions. He deftly merges synth sounds and beats with the classic twanging guitar sounds of guitarists such as Duane Eddy and Link Wray, adding to this a smattering of post punk energy and attitude to wrap it all up in a blood stained bow.
https://www.scantregard.com

Remorae is an interdisciplinary collective of artists brought together by the Folkatron Sessions recording
project (featured by Songlines Magazine, BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 2, 6 Music, Soho Radio, and Folk Radio
UK). Exploring traditional musics through experimental processes, their EP Flourish in Green (2024) is
the culmination of many years of playing with musical forms and modes of collaboration in unique
constellations of artists, and represents a pivot-point in the group’s creative practice, re-centring
improvisation and live performance.
Described as ‘eclectic’, ‘genre-bending’, and ‘an English Lankum’, Remorae intertwines strings, close
harmony vocals, and electric guitar with live electronics to create soundworlds that shift between
ambient, pulsing, cinematic and intimate, sometimes shimmering and glitching, sometimes raw and
strange.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7ylfM4py6s

Eliza Delf & The Wilderness will be showcasing music from their eagerly-anticipated new album Feast due for release in late Spring 2025.
Their music joyfully trespasses across the carefully constructed genre boundaries of indie, gothic folk noir, and progressive art rock. The songs are full of darkly imaginative and fiercely untamed imagery, and unsettling stories.
Flair, virtuosity, subtlety, and creativity are the hallmarks of their live performance – all underpinning the dramatic and mesmerising vocals of Eliza. At times hushed and fragile, at times soaring and spine-tingling, at all times captivating – Eliza commands the stage and enthrals the audience.

Shonen Knife’s front girl Naoko was inspired to form the band by Beatles, Ramones, Buzzcocks etc. in Osaka on December 30, 1981. The origin of the band name is an old brand name of a pencil sharpener knife.

Their first album “Burning Farm”, released on Zero Records in Japan in 1983, was reissued on legendary American label K Records in 1985.

Their one and only unique sound got popular in North America, UK and Europe; and their first major album “Let’s Knife” was released in Japan, the US and UK in 1992.

Shonen Knife keeps on releasing their rockin albums and touring constantly worldwide!

Wrong Jovi are the UK’s newest and finest tribute to rock legends Bon Jovi. Described by tribute band expert (Channel 4’s The Convention Crasher) and TV celebrity Justin Lee-Collins as “the best Bon Jovi tribute band in the world”, Wrong Jovi features some of the UKs finest professional musicians. With a set list crammed full of sing-along anthems, live favourites and rarities, audiences are guaranteed the ultimate Bon Jovi experience.

With attention to detail in sound and performance, The Wrong Jovi show is second to none.

Private event in venue, pub open as usual.