What’s On

This event has been rescheduled from 15th February. All tickets remain valid.

Sivu recently released his incredible album Wild Horse Running, alongside trailer single Apollo, where his more acoustic leanings mixed with influences like Wild Beasts, Hot Chip, SBTRKT and Beck to devastating effect. While recording the album he assembled a crack team of musicians to bring the album to life and he’s bringing this home for the first time in celebration of the tenth anniversary of début album Something on High.

Watermelon Slim & Heavy Drunk & Guitarist Leonardo Giuliani

Fans of blues rejoice as US and UK artists Watermelon Slim, Heavy Drunk, and Leonardo Guiliani team up for ‘The Mississippi Delta Blues Experience 2024’ tour this October.
The tour will see the three artists play 10 intimate shows across the UK between Oct 2nd to 12th, starting and ending with unforgettable London performances.
Multi-award-winning Watermelon Slim was perhaps best summed up by the late Jerry Wexler (co-owner Atlantic Records, producer for Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin) who described him as “a one-of-a-kind, pickin’ n singing Okie dynamo”. He is a 2x winner of the Blues Music Award for Band of the Year and Album of the Year, as well as a 2x winner of MOJO Magazine’s no. 1 Blues Album of the Year.
https://ffm.to/travelingman

Sons of the South soul outfit HeavyDrunk has made waves with their signature raspy vocals and Americana infused sound. Their Mississippi delta blues, powerful gospel, and hard-hitting rock ‘n’ roll energy charged their 2023 album You Don’t Know Me which was released to raise awareness and funds for the crumbling grave of music legend Robert Johnson.
https://listen.heavydrunk.com/youdontknowmeuk

UK based independent musician, guitar player, and singer-songwriter Leonardo Guiliani joins The Mississippi Delta Blues Experience 2024 fresh off the release of his 2023 album Rogue. Produced by four-time Grammy award winner producer Tom Hambridge, Rogue showcases Guiliani’s talents inspired by the acoustic singer-songwriters and electric jam bands of the late ‘60s and the ‘70s.
https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCuJjCil4qkTA5k3ygcVqIZQ

Tickets on-sale from 10am, 16th AugustBorough Council +Special guests TBC
https://www.instagram.com/boroughcouncil_/

Borough Council are a three-piece band from Hastings. Their third single, ‘Strobe Lights’, was released on June 21st 2024 via Standing O/ Bath House Records. While on tour, they will be selling exclusive CD’s containing brand new music cut from rehearsal recordings. One track from the CD will be released on YouTube on August 14th via https://youtube.com/@boroughcouncil?si=W-I8O3UbWWfm_Ikc .

They will be releasing a short album in winter 2024.

‘A Band Called Malice – The UK’s favourite and most authentic tribute to ‘The Jam’ continue to take venues by storm as they cement their position as the number one choice for devoted fans of The Jam.

The talented musicians are the real deal and guarantee to take you back to ‘When You’re Young’ with their performances that give the same high energy, angst, aggression, passion and soul of their idols!

The high quality of their shows was rewarded with them being selected as finalists in the National Tribute Awards and have also been awarded a tour with the O2 Academy network.

They not only play the hits of Weller and co. but include B sides and album tracks rarely performed by other Jam tribute bands – Jam fans won’t be disappointed.

So – if you are ‘In the City’, find yourself in a ‘Strange Town’, are ‘Going Underground’ or are simply ‘A Boy about Town’ – you have to see A Band Called Malice whether you either loved The Jam or if you just want the exhilarating joy of a classic gig.

lotusbliss is made up of brothers Josh, Seth and Adam Gauton, who ditched sibling-rivalries to come together under one musical moniker, developing a sonic identity that fuses their small-town Canterbury roots with an ambitious cinematic soundscape. They’ve already grabbed the attention of BBC 6Music’s Tom Robinson and BBC Introducing’s Abbie McCarthy who has made them her “Record of The Week” twice now. lotusbliss have also received praise from the likes of Wonderland, Under The Radar, Atwood Magazine and EUPHORIA to name a few.

Their dedication reaps great rewards. Taking this new release slower than their previous three EPs, gathering up melodies and songs that predate even the formation of the band as each member stored their best work away for a project like this – “Deafening And Silent” is the result of a band that finally feel ready for take-off.

It might seem as though things happened very quickly for Divorce. The Nottingham four-piece, who once described themselves as “Wilco meets Abba”, formed in the pandemic and played their first gig supporting TV Priest in October 2021. That led to them becoming label-mates at Hand in Hive (alongside the likes of Dama Scout and Tancred) who released their debut single in February 2022, the on-edge country-punk escape anthem “Services”. Their debut EP, “Get Mean”, arrived that December: less an intentionally curated collection than a breathless attempt at containing their first four singles, in and of itself a portrait of a band developing in real time – and one that earned them BBC Radio 6 playlisting and acclaim across the UK music press.

PLEASE NOTE: This is an early show, with doors at 5pm, and an expected finish of 9pm.

Ariel Posen’s music occupies the space between genres. It’s a rootsy sound that nods to his influences – heartland rock & roll, electrified Americana, blue-eyed soul, R&B, Beatles-inspired pop – while still moving forward, pushing Posen into territory that’s uniquely his own. He turns a new corner with Headway, a solo album that finds the songwriter taking stock of his personal and musical progress.

Shunya (aka Alan Keary), Seb Rochford, and Dudù Kouate are all unique solo artists in their own right. When Shunya isn’t playing around the world with genre-defying cellist / singer Abel Seloacoe, he’s crafting his own sound using distorted violins and drum machines. When Seb Rochford isn’t collaborating with Brian Eno you’ll find him on stage doing experimental solo drum sets. When Dudù Kouate isn’t shredding with legendary free jazz group Art Ensemble Of Chicago he’s likely at home inventing new instruments that sound like alien birds.

This show will encompass all three musicians’ individuality – glueing it together via improvisation and on the spot re-imaginings of each artists’ pre-existing songs. Expect unhinged electronics, free jazz, meditative soundworlds, contemporary classical compositions, and West African grooves.

Colonel Spanky’s Love Ensemble

Come for the name, stay for the tunes! Colonel Spanky’s Love Ensemble are a dancey, brassy 10-piece band putting their unique twist on pop bangers from throughout the decades. Specialising in sax solos, short shorts, and shenanigans!

Join us for a multi-game tournament on classic arcade games tbc, as well as retro console classics on the SNES, Mega Drive and arcade cabinets. Played live and loud from the iconic Portland Arms venue.

Free entry to the tournament for those wanting a challenge as well as machines on free-play for the spectators and casual gamers to try!

Prizes including merch, free drinks and Portland Pounds to the winners!
Register your interest by dropping us a line on our socials or email us at post@theportlandarms.co.uk

Phoenix Road +Coppola +Guests TBC

Cambridge’s very own Psychedelic Modrockers PHOENIX ROAD write, record and perform superb original songs with a classic late 60’s vibe..

Intricate tales of love, loss, life and death are woven with scathing commentary on today’s political landscape and put to music, with insanely catchy melodies, three part harmonies, heavy guitars and a rock solid rhythm section.

Two studio albums have been recorded and released on Alley Club Records and 2023/24 will see more releases and live shows.

The PHOENIX ROAD sound really is very much their own, but you may be able to hear shades of early Velvet Underground, Kinks, Who, Stones – alongside a sprinkling of Supergrass and a twist of Norther Soul.

https://www.phoenixroad.net/

This show has been cancelled by the promoter. Ticket holders will receive a refund.

The Alley Club Presents… 2 Tone – 45th Anniversary DJ Night
WOW! Has it really been 45 years? Yes! And the 2 Tone Record label led the way in the late ’70’s Ska/Reggae Revival.
Come and celebrate the best genre of music there is! Enduring, easy to join in and dance to and FUN, 2 Tone music still leads the way!
(yes, the label was so influential to so many people, that it’s become known as a genre of music,
similar to Blue Beat, Tamla Motown and Stax/Atlantic).
DJs Sawty, Ska Bar Steve & Gonzo will be playing the best in ORIGINAL 2 Tone and Ska Revival on original. chunky and sometimes crackly vinyl, with an emphasis on Madness, The Specials, The Selecter, The Beat, Bad Manners, The Bodysnatchers and many, many more!
Also, expect sounds by associated bands such as UB40, The Equators and more!
This is the music that paved the way for a third wave of Ska (mixed with more Punk) popular in the USA and
many UK artists such as Amy Winehouse etc.

Don’t forget The Alley Club goes Mod (@ The Portland ofcourse!) on 8th Nov ’24 with the truly amazing, young Nottingham band Sharp Class. They could be bigger than The Jam!

http://alleyclub.co.uk/

All Glammed Up – 70’s Glamrock night

Let’s transport ourselves back to the 70s with a night filled with glam rock music, outrageous fashion, and groovy vibes!

https://youtu.be/yBJxN0ba184?feature=shared

An evening of acoustic music and poetry performances