Category: News

Tour Diary: Oxford Purple Turtle

Oxford… You are one funny ass city.

Bit of a strange day all in all. As we had nothing going on we decided to stay in Bristol for an extra day, Mitch was ace putting us up for one more night just dossed out after a seriously heavy session and watched the footy.

Drove into Oxford which got Pete fairly riled as it was his turn to take the wheel, one way systems, no-through roads a seemingly inaccessible venue and thousands of rich people on bicycles (we added extra points).

Venue was open, no PA, no tech, no promoter and not a lot of anything else. 1st technical issues of the tour encountered with a bass amp that had an annoying high pitch wine and then halfway through sound check Pete’s snare broke. Luckily for us Mask Of Judas are bloody ace and helped us out. We’re playing with them tonight in Chichester at the Chichester Inn and again on Sunday night at The Hydrant in Brighton.

First night that Purple Turtle have put on a live band in years according to the bar staff who were very excited by that premise, unfortunately it wasn’t publicized and the turn out was the four bands playing and a few taggers on.

Played in the dark with a few disco laser lights, which kind of helped. The funk we were all in for the day proved beneficial and a rather visceral set came out of it.

HTBM, Purple Turtle Oxford

HTBM, Purple Turtle Oxford

We parked the van up next to the most amazing mobile take away. Everyone had chips with something from cheese, falaffal and gravy. Pretty special stuff. No real surprise that when nobody could finish their huge portions (bar Pete and Ant) Ant then polished off the remains.

Did our thing but due to the inability to just park up and kip we decided to do a bit of the driving leg for tomorrow and spend the night in Fleet Services. Andy took over driving again. Eventually he will work out the difference between the M4 and M3, second time this week we’ve made a slight detour.

Did give us a bonus of all of us getting a shower this morning before heading into Chichester.

Tour Diary: The Hatchet Inn, Bristol

After a great day just milling around town and stocking up on supplies (hoodies mainly, bloody cold in the van at night) the lads performed a couple of tracks at the Bristol Institute of Modern Music, it was really great to get asked to come in as Anthony, Gaz and Pete are former students of the Brighton Institute of Modern Music.

Here There Be Monsters at BIMM

Here There Be Monsters at BIMM

Then its full steam ahead to The Hatchet Inn. Tonight Terrathorn are taking duties of first on. Main support came from local(ish) crew Hope Of The Hated. Wow, absolutely incredible. Kind of a mix of Glassjaw, bit of modern tech, very spazzy, very cool.

Hope Of The Hated, The Hatchet Inn Bristol

One of the best sets for Here There Be Monsters tonight of the tour. By the time we get back to Brighton this is going to be a savage machine.

Here There Be Monsters, The Hatchet Bristol

Here There Be Monsters, The Hatchet Inn Bristol

We head out for a night on the town with a few people that came to the show including the greatest ginger man on Earth Luke, who not only works in one of the most aces independent comic shops in the center of Bristol, but can pull off some killer gips.

The guys kick back with some new friends in Bristol

Although our host Mitch decided to hit the hay a little early than anticipated, we party to the wee hours. Good fun. Oh, and there’s a Booze Bros in Bristol. Savior.

Champions league tonight, then Purple Turtle, Oxford with Excessum and Mask of Judas tomorrow.

Day Off

Yesterday we hung out in Winchester for the morning watched the Rangers game (Pete got a bit jumpy) then headed to Bristol where today Here There Be Monsters are doing a showcase at the Bristol Institute of Modern Music before bringing it to the masses at The Hatchet Inn tonight.

Sunday Roast, nothing better.

First showers since Friday and a hard floor changed out lives. Not looking forward to Oxford where we will be having to sleep in the van again.

Tour Diary: The Railway, Winchester

Our Derby host Andy is a God. Absolutely amazing company, hilarious and the best host we’ve ever had. Plenty of tea and toast before heading onto the 1-way system of Derby city center.

We’ve spent more hours on the M1 this weekend than anywhere else. Seriously grim accident on the M1 meant we were sat pretty much at stand still for a good hour. A few wrong turns (not problem with the GPS but with the people looking at it!) but we managed to find our way to the Railway Inn in the scenic surroudings of Winchester.

Another show down two blinding sets from Here There Be Monsters and Terrathorn.

Relatively good crowd, first on were to be polite, dedicated but terrible. Nice people as always, but another poorly picked out local slot.

Spent the night in the van. Cosy…. bloody uncomfortable bit of a giggle…

James from Terrathron hung back with us for a few drinks, top chap and wicked front man. This week’s going to be fun.

Sat in a spoons because Winchester is too classy for a greasy joe, big of brekkie, a brew and then it’s off to Bristol. Maybe we’ll find some Penguins.

Tour Diary: The Old Bell, Derby

First day of the Hulk Smash Tour goes smooth like butter.Van is a pile of shit, but hey, you get what you pay for. Several hours spent in Brighton collecting band members, then apparently doing shopping for the next year, and then sitting in the traffic on the M25 only to find more of it on the M1.

Derby is our first stop which turns out is an amazing little town . It would seem drinking is the favored past time and with prices that would make any southerner weep for joy who can blame them.

The Old Bell in Derby, an amazing venue frequented by true rockers hosts tonight’s proceedings. One of two rock bars in the town we are informed, the Bell has a killer space, it’s massive, and the sound is incredible.

The local support are somewhat curious. Lighthouse turn out to be as un-original as their name suggests and not in keeping with the bill are about as AOR, as you can get. Female vocalist, acoustic guitars, they didn’t belong here today, but they did pull in a fair few people, who promptly left as Terrathorn began a smeltering set. The guys will now be joining us for 5 of the dates this week including tomorrow night on their home turf of Winchester and The Gaff in London next weekend.

Terrathorn, The Old Bell Hotel Derby

Terrathorn, The Old Bell Hotel Derby

The turn out is good, and HTBM blitz a solid set featuring some new tunes. We got shit loads of video and pics already but you’ll have to hold on until we get a decent internet connection.

Here There Be Monsters, The Old Bell Derby

Here There Be Monsters, The Old Bell Derby

Tour Prep – New song, new video

I’ve just been in the studio with Here There Be Monsters listening to the final set for the tour which kicks off with a warm up show tonight at Dublin Castle in London.

Here’s a little sneak peak at a new track, I am sure it already has a title, Once I know – you’ll know.

Tonight – Dublin Castle

HTBM are banging one out alongside Aghast and Smoking Hearts at Dublin Castle this evening.

We look forward to checking out the infamous Thrash B4 Gash tattoos from Smoking Hearts, some spandex mayhem from Kristian of Aghast and we will try to keep PK on his leesh, or at least behind the drum kit tonight… I said we’d try.

Inherent CD launches HMV Digital

HMV recently launched their UK digital download store and Here There Be Monsters Inherent EP is one of the first releases to appear.

This is part of the 7Digital network, so it is also available through there. We are so impressed with the service they provide for releases, we’ve stuck the widget for the player where you can buy it from in the sidebar.

Here There Be Monsters in HMV Digital

Welcome To Barbados, have a nice day

We were rather kindly given a CD a few weeks back which contained a recording of the Here There Be Monsters set from their support slot with 7 Year Kismet at the Freebutt earlier this year.

Taken by Adam Powell, it’s now on the youtube video channel along with some other classics.

If you’re too excited to click through to the world of Youtube (I know I am) then you are in luck. Look down there!

Unleash The Dogs!!

Yes! Hello! Welcome to the official Black Match Records blog, a record label run by two dedicated members of the Brighton Metal Scene, vocalist Anthony Giles of Here There Be Monsters fame and photojournalist Andy Parker AKA Avangelist Photography.

There’s not much else to say at the moment. The Inherent EP by Here There Be Monsters was released back in February 2010 to great praise and is available via the official HTBM merch shop on CD (there’s also some T-shirts too), and your usual download spots like iTunes, Amazon, Napster, Tescos and the like.

News for April

We are currently nailing down the last two dates on the Hulk Smash tour with Here There Be Monsters and Terrathorn which spans the UK between April 16th – 25th.

We will be putting the full listings up soon.