Happy New Year Comrades of the Cat!

Hoping you’ve slid or leapt or catapulted yourself into 2009 with ease and excitement!

We’ve a lot lined up for you over the coming months but just to let you know some highlights.

The ever-popular Words return on Saturday 17th and one to definitely hear/watch on Sunday is Kin

Here’s what has been said about her recently…

Kin makes crunched up, red-lit, guitar driven electronica/indie/folk/punk backing up an experimental vocal style and has been described as “…the best female vocalist in Manchester right now” (Cath Aubergine – Manchestermusic.co.uk)

Kin and her band – Howard Jones on drums (Bottomfeeders, Calvin Party) Ding on bass (Bobbie Peru, Frank Black, P.J. Harvey and many more) and Jon on keyboard, bleeps, contact mic and kaoss pad – have been raising Mancunian and Londoner eyebrows. She has been played on BBC Manchester radio, BBC6 Music and has appeared on Channel M’s City Centre Social.

“Kin makes taut and surprising music that underpins her beautiful cracked vocals brilliantly. She uses sparse touches as sharp as knives to draw you into both maelstroms of dizzying emotion and mists of delicate delights which leave you satisfyingly drained and wanting more” (Chris Long – BBC Manchester Radio Producer)

Check the website for what else is coming up and we hope to see you all soon! the blue cats xx

bluecatcafe.co.uk – myspace.com/bluecatmusic

HO HO HO Comrades of the Cat!

Yuletide greetings to you from our little corner of Area 51! Hoping you will be stopping off at Chez Chat Bleu at some point over the holidays (or several points, or one extended point or rotating, never-ending points…) There’s lots of reasons to get down to 17 Shaw Rd… will just mention a few:

For band Myspaces please see the Blue Cat Calendar

TONIGHT (Friday) – The Yellhounds will be taking the stage to rock you gently into a smiling festive, glass-clinking mood, warm yourself up and get ready!

TOMORROW (Saturday) – We’ve officially named this Blue Cat Christmas Party night so if you are coming equipped with reindeer antlers and bunches of mistletoe this is the night to do that. The very entertaining TILLER will be delivering some of his witty ditties on a variety of topical subjects dear to all our hearts. Highly acclaimed local Singer-songwriter PHIL DAVIES will also be performing so get down early and join us for mulled wine, mince pies and lots of mad laughter (HO HO HO!)

THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW (Sunday) – THE WORDS are back for another splendid night of very catchy tunes which will have you “humming along after your first listen and leaving you with a sense of contentment you’d previously never thought possible”. CRAIG BUTTERWORTH joins them.

BLUE MONDAY will be happening for the second last time this year so you probably should be there if you can! NOT NED are coming to rock you on Tuesday 23rd. Then it’s Christmas Eve (Woohoo!) So where will you be?

Finally, there’s really only one party worth getting excited about on New Year’s Eve. A whole host of dead, dying, deceased and deranged characters are making arrangements to be at the Blue Cat that night. YOU too can be one of them! So get into character and come and prop up the great big rock and roll bar in the sky, rubbing shoulders with the strangest cast of characters ever assembled under one roof in Heaton Moor! Tickets available in advance from the bar or on the door (£5)

Happy Christmas and Happy Hogmanay and see you all there!

Love the Blue Cats xxxx

America has woken up and the winds of change are about to sweep across this planet in crisis.

Come celebrate the dawn of hope this weekend at the Blue Cat – we have lots happening and as it sure feels time for a shake-up we have just launched a new website and our feline presence has now infiltrated Facebook so if you feel like shaking paws with us let’s all befriend each other in yet another virtual world…

Speaking of which – you can also view the aftermath of the spaceship that landed somewhere in Heaton Moor last Thursday on our new site (we did warn you, but did you listen?!).

So, aside from a new website and a new world (s) what else have we got to tell you about? Well, Chris Helme will be back for another impassioned performance on Sunday. Last time he played we heard many hushed comments such as “best singer that’s ever stood on that stage” while many of us just stared in wonder. It was a magical night and if you can be there we promise you’ll be glad you came. I think there is still a supply of flying saucer (sweets) behind the bar and maybe even some blue smarties so there’s just too many reasons not to get down to the Cat on Sunday.

We’ll see you there and we should be recognizable this time! Blue Cats xx

Please note: We recently set up a new Mailing List and sent out invitations to join. If you didn’t receive the email please join the List again from the Blue Cat Website

You may recently have heard about a UFO spotted at Heathrow in the National News but did you know that our very own Stockport is an absolute hot-bed of unexplained sightings and assorted weird phenomena? (Check local police files if you don’t believe us!)

You don’t need to live around here to detect the peculiar vibe swirling in the ether, particularly late at night. We’ve observed (and been observed) for a long time at Blue Cat Cafe and we’re here to tell you THEY ARE ALL AROUND YOU!

We’ve seen the odd handshakes, the webbed feet, the antennae tucked beneath woolly hats. We’ve heard the whirring engines in the small hours, seen the search lights, smelt the chemicals, heard the strange music. They are amongst us now and probably watching you reading this! We figured though, rather than alienate the aliens, perhaps we should extend the webbed hand of friendship with these other-worldly creatures who’ve been keeping an eye on the residents of Heaton Moor.

So on THURSDAY 30th OCTOBER we are hosting AREA 51 night at the Blue Cat. So as everyone feels “at home” we hope you will all dress in your best intergalactic clothing, charge your batteries up and come join us for possibly the strangest night at the Cat EVER (and yes, we know that’s quite a challenge!).

There will be live music and live DJ-ing (all keeping with the AREA 51 theme). We have heard rumours that the mothership is hovering close by and that they MAY choose this night to reveal themselves. The trouble is, how will we be able to tell who is alien and human? And are our thoughts even our OWN? Come and investigate if you dare!

Take off is at 7pm til late. We’ll see you there (if you recognise us!) Love the Blue Space Cats xxxx

October looks set to be a full, fun and unforgettable month on our calendar. Here are the highlights:

We kickstart the month with another visit from the Casino Allstars (2nd Oct) – the debut gig last month was an outstanding success so if you missed that get down for this one if you can.

Then on 4th October we have Cars and Trains rattling in straight in from Portland, Oregon – a wonderful blend of folk and electronica. Support will come from the enchanting Kid 4077 who has lately been causing quite a stir at Blue Mondays…

Comedy returns on Sunday 5th Oct – advance tickets available at the bar (myspace) Been very busy lately so a good idea to get them ahead of the show!

Following on from that we have IN THE CITY – check the ITC page to see who’s playing this year.

Other hotly tipped bands this month include The Words (9th) Answers on Postcards (11th) and Not Ned (17th)

One to definitely try and catch on the 16th are SALFORD SHEIKS – ASSASSINS OF SORROW! (website) The Salford Sheiks is a fizzy combination of good-time Skiffle and bath-tub Blues headed up by CP Lee, founder member of satirical Rock band Alberto Y Lost Trios Paranoias. Also in the Sheiks is the Albertos’ guitar maestro John Scott, and playing alongside them are Gary ‘National’ Atkinson, Bob ‘Ragin’ Cajun’ Dickinson, Dave ‘Bass Player to the Stars’ Lunt and effervescent pirate Jolly Roger on trumpet. Their blend of swinging harmonies, laugh-out-loud comedy, absurd antics and toe-tapping rhythms brings joy to all who surrender to their sultry sounds.

Trio Valore are coming back on the 20th – their last performance caught on camera and caught in most of our memories as the highlight of the year to date suggests that this will be a night to stencil in your diary – check them out here How do we follow Trio Valore? Well, there’s only one way and that is a night called AREA 51 (30th Oct) the details will be with you shortly and the truth is wafting towards you… be afraid but not too afraid to come.

Regulars please note no Blue Monday on 6th or 20th of Oct due to IN THE CITY and Trio Valore. Blue Monday (Open mic night) still happens every other Monday.

We would also like to announce that drum lessons are now available in the studio – more info here

We look forward to meeting and greeting and entertaining you all!

Love the Blue Cat Gang xxx

Blue Cat Website
Blue Cat Myspace

We’d like to introduce you to…

The Casino Allstars

An experienced Soul Band that decided to side-step the usual format for so many (Atlantic, Stax, Motown etc.) Instead, they bring you a great mixture of Northern Soul Anthems straight out of The Twisted Wheel & Wigan Casino – the two most legendary Soul Clubs ever.

The band have been heavily influenced by Northern Soul DJ’s and Band members Paul Kidd & Brian Walker (Lead Vocals, Bass Guitar). They have hand-picked between them classic Northern Soul numbers ranging from uplifting up-tempo, mid tempo Latin and mid tempo Beat Ballads to please just about everyone.

The above members play along side with Big Al (Lead Guitar) Dexy (Keyboards) The Wizard (Sax) and Snuff or The Iceman on Drums. They bring to you a sound never produced or performed by any other live soul band before.

Although they have only been together performing since January 2008 they have already amassed a huge following, so come along and find out why at the Blue Cat this Thursday 4th September.

Don’t forget Blue Cat Comedy returns on Sunday 7th with IVAN BRACKENBURY’S HOSPITAL RADIO ROADSHOW and ROGER MONKHOUSE!!

Lots more delights are being dreamt up to entertain you over the coming weeks including IN THE CITY, the return of the fabulous TRIO VALORE and the night you have all been waiting for with equal amounts of dread and excitement. Yes, AREA 51 night is morphing into shape and will manifest fully on October 30th. Things WILL never be the same! More details coming soon!

Love, The Cats xxxx

Hello Friends of the Feline!

Quick reminder that IN THE CITY music festival is scheduled to happen October 6th + 7th this year.

ITC is the world’s premier unsigned music event! A bold statement, but a true one: over fifteen years, In The City has seen now-legendary gigs by Oasis (Manchester Town Hall – 1992), The Chemical Brothers (Jabez Clegg, Manchester – 1995), Daft Punk (Aboard the Fitzcarraldo, Dublin – 1996), Coldplay (Cuba Cafe, Manchester – 1997), The Darkness (The Kings Arms, Salford, Manchester – 2002) and Nine Black Alps / Arctic Monkeys (Manchester Academy – 2005) Bands we guess you’ve heard of right?

And never forget, though all manner of wonderful things make up our annual music industry shindig, at the end of the day it’s all about the music.

As ever, we will be organising our own fringe event OUT OF THE CITY here at the Blue Cat. A quick look at the ITC links on our website will give you an idea of the talent that has pranced across the stage in years gone by. If you would like to take part in this years event please get in touch as soon as possible and declare your interest. Preference will be given to bands who have played with us before but we are interested in hearing from any unsigned acts making exciting new music.

If you haven’t played before please send a demo and brief bio to us.

Contact: mary@bluecatcafe.co.uk
Address: Blue Cat, 17 Shaw Rd, Heaton Moor, Stockport, SK4 4AG
Also contact us at the Blue Cat Myspace

Check our website for what else is coming up at the Cat in the coming weeks: bluecatcafe.co.uk

See you soon!

Blue Cat xx

The Indigo Road will finish their short tour of the North West with a gig at the Blue Cat Cafe in Stockport on Thursday 7th August. The band will play BBC radio slots in Manchester and Leeds and will be showcasing new material including the forthcoming single Monkey on the Bus as well as current favourite Simple. Fronted by Heidi Jo Hines, daughter of ex-Wings guitarist Denny Laine they have been building a following in London following their formation by song writer Mark Herbert in April. Catch them here, Thursday, for an intimate performance at the Cat with support from local singer songwriters Chris Layhe and Peter Walsh.

Til later

Love the Blue with splashes of Indigo Cat People xx

theindigoroad.co.uk
bluecatcafe.co.uk
myspace.com/bluecatmusic

Legendary Musicians; Steve White, Damon Minchella, Seamus Beaghan aka. Trio Valore inc. are playing a small warm up show at the Blue Cat Cafe in Heaton Moor on Wednesday 16th of July.

Expect some very special guests… (sorry we are sworn to secrecy on this one!)

With credits including; Paul McCartney, The Who, Paul Weller, Iggy Pop, Morrissey, Ocean Colour Scene, The Style Council, Death In Vegas, Supergrass, Babyshambles, Jimmy Page, Young Disciples and Oasis you know what you’re getting.

The media following is huge already, whilst the boys prepare to release their new studio album “Return of The Iron Monkey”.

Try and make it down – you won’t be disappointed – the biggest thing to hit Shaw Road since Mani dropped his nebuchadnezzar and mixed kebab outside the Kush in late 2003.

A fiver on the door for some proper funked up grooves… myspace.com/triovaloreinc

Also, Russian Roulette (the finest rock and roll riot this side of the Iron Curtain!) will be finally launched on Sunday 13th.

For more info see: myspace.com/russianroulettesundays

So, all in all, comrades, skip through the (un)seasonal puddles and get down to the Cat.

See you shortly!

Blue Cat xxx

Blue Cat Myspace