Truax travels the world with his collection of self-made instruments, the instruments that look like they’ve come straight out of a Tim Burton movie.

Here are some of the titles of his instruments: the Hornicator, Sister Spinster, Mother Superior, the Backbeater, the Stringaling, Mary Poppins…

Your ears will be filled with a sound of garage, punk and avant-guard/experimental noises, noises that only a man and his hypnotic tools can create. Your eyes will witness his man-made inventions come to life, creating beats, rhythms and surreal echos.

The Guardian said about his performance: ‘When he performs, it is a spectacle – the originality and seeming impossibility of what he does is much of the appeal.’

£3 only on the door.
Starts at 8pm.

The Railway Hotel, Clifftown Road, SS1 1AJ Southend-on-Sea

Portrait above: photo by Andrew Werner

MONKEY ISLAND will be promoting their new 10″ vinyl record release Defunctus Est- a double header with the Island’s mainman Pete Bennett’s The Dublo‘. It’s an 8-track album which is also downloadable.

Local band SON OF BUFF, also playing that night, said on their blog: ‘Monkey Island are fab – a heady mix of The Fall, The Clash, Sabbath – I always hear some Swell Maps in there too – very British, uncompromising and clever garage rock.’

Free admission.

Starts 9pm.

The Railway Hotel / 32 Clifftown Road  Town Centre, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1AJ

Singing Dog is: Gareth George – Guitar, Vocals / Patrick Auer – Drums / Duncan Boon – Bass

They describe themselves as ‘A blues-tinged melting pot, frothing with punk and metal, influenced by Lemmy, Jimi Hendrix and Maria Sharapova‘. And say about their name: ‘The name Singing Dog comes from frustration sparked by pun-laden news reports about “talented” animals: juggling gerbils, hamsters that whistle the national anthem, rabbits that explode at will… you know the sort of thing.’

Find out more about them on their website.

Starts in the main bar from 10pm.
Also The Lanterns are live upstairs from 9pm.

The Railway Hotel – website

With support from Andrew Moore (Tumbledryer Babies) and followed by Paul Lagden DJing afterwards.

Idea13’s asked Charlot:
How would you describe your music?
‘My music probably fits in the blues or folk genres, it’s basically what happens if you give any girl that lives in north London an ukulele and a record collection with not much recorded post-1966, I reckon, haha…’

What will you play on Friday?
‘On Friday I’ll be playing my acoustic uke named Betty and my electric uke named Buddy and a couple of cover songs but mostly stuff I’ve written over the last few years.’

Have you played at the Railway before?
‘It’s my 3rd time playing in Southend. 1st was at Chinnerys, 2nd was at The Railway. I really like it there it’s got great atmosphere and I always look forward to playing with The Tumbledryer Babies. Andrew Moore is a talented and inspiring songwriter.’

Gig starts at 10pm and is free.

Listen to Charlot Webster’s songs on her MySpace.

The Railway Hotel / Clifftown Road, Southend

This Sunday, Acadian Driftwood will perform at the Railway Hotel.

Starts at 2.30pm.

Acadian Driftwood is a Benfleet-based folk band playing cajun-inspired music. You can listen to few of their tracks on Myspace.

Acadian Driftwood members are Richard Baxter, Kate Baxter, Charlie Skelton, Peter Dunhill and Becca Moore. They’ve formed three years ago to both play Cajun music (the folk music of the French speaking people of Louisiana) and demonstrate and teach the dance styles of one-steps, two-steps and Cajun waltz.  They have played at several festivals with more in the bag for next year.

They specialise in the ‘traditional acoustic heritage of musicians like the Balfa Brothers, Denis McGee, Joe and Cleoma Falcon and the Hackberry Ramblers among others. It is a vibrant fiddle and squeezebox music driven along by guitar and tea-chest bass with percussion from the ‘tit- fer (or Cajun triangle) and washboard’.

The event will also include a Cajun dance lesson.

£5 on the door, children free.

Upstairs at The Railway Hotel/ Clifftown Rd SS1 1AJ

Rockingbirds is a country-rock band, originally formed in London in 1990. The band split up in 1995, but started performing together again in 2008.

Listen to them on MySpace – here.

With support by Cusack & Plantman.

Doors: 8pm.

Tickets are just £5 – available from WeGotTickets.com and over the bar at The Railway Hotel.

Time: 1:00pm – 6:00pm

The Southend Pier Festival will be a day of live music, dancing, food and let’s hope sun! With local bands playing live and a few from out of town, bring ya beach bags with ya and make a day of it.

2 STAGES  (A Shangri-La stage being one of them hosted by Tom Burgess).

Bands/musicians that are playing include:

Phil Burdett
The Lucky Strikes
Tumbledryer babies
Dooyah
D66 (Dag)
Plantman
Micky Denny
Sophie Burrows
Owen Williams
Phillious Wiliams
Wendy Solomon
Seasiders
Steven Rudd
Skinny Love
ArtGruppe
Toby Sligo
Darren Jones
Melanie Jacobs
Son Of Buff
J.D Smith
Tuppenny Bunters
Wobbly Lamps
Tim Sully
Tom Burgess

There will also be busking going on along the walk way, so if you’ve decided to walk it, check out the various acoustic sets going on.

Vegetarian food will be served – Halloumi burgers, vegan burgers, falafels and more.

The only fee to pay is the entrance fee. These are as follows:

Pier Train: Adult £3.60; Child/OAP £1.80; Family £9.30

Pier Walk & Ride: Adult £3.10; Child/OAP £1.80; Family £8.00

For more info, call The Railway Hotel – 01702 343194

This is part of R. Stevle Moore’s first ever European Tour with Tropical Ooze. Support comes from a talented Southend-based Plantman.

Over the last 40 years, the legendary R Stevie Moore has dedicated his life to the crafting of hundreds of home recorded albums and sound diaries, most of which have been released on his own self-run label. His mastery of song craft, combined with an impressive ear for production and an unmatchable work rate, have resulted in a good degree of underground recognition, although mainstream success has managed to consistently elude him until now.

Improviser, composer, arranger, producer, musical conceptualist, comedy writer, vocal stylist, filmmaker, sketchpad artist, drama example, self-taught instrumentalist and bon vivant, R.Stevie Moore was born 1952 in Nashville TN to famed Elvis bass player Bob. Since ‘66 rsm has recorded nearly 2,000 songs on over 400 very original homemade albums of alarmingly idiosyncratic variety and styles, often considered a seminal pioneer in the DIY ethic.

“RSM is the guy that never gave up, and we are better for it. Before and since brilliant DIY poppunk singer-songwriters there was R.Stevie. You are now in the know. Act like it.” – Doiken (Jacky Black)

“R. Stevie Moore is a true original” – All Music Guide

“Highly influential” –The New Yorker

“A national treasure.” –Rolling Stone

“Moore may well be the most talented musician never to have release a record on a major label.” –Pitchfork

Book your tickets on WeGotTickets – limited, so hurry.

TUESDAY 28 June
Magic (1978) – A pukka film about a failed ventriloquist and his dummy assistant ‘Fats’. 8pm in the bar.

WEDNESDAY 29 June
Paul Lagden DJing live in the bar from 8pm

THURSDAY 30 June
RAILWAY HOTEL EDINBURGH PREVIEWS
THOM TUCK + TONY LAW
7:30pm. £5 entry
(See links attached)

FRIDAY 1 July
Tuppenny Bunters- Playing live from 8-10pm
Jay Smith- Spinning records from 10-1am. Jay plays a selection of Psych, Freak-beat, Blues and Garage.

SATURDAY 2 July
Paul Lagden DJ set.
Live at 9pm.

SUNDAY
Jive/Swing all dayer!
If you want a one-day crash course, beginners classes are from 1-5pm. £5 for the session.

Evening: Jive/Swing dance / A swing Dance Cabaret by Chelmsford & Southend Hoppers / DJ Dan da Man playing all tunes from the swing era.

Doors open at half 6. Tickets are £8.

For more info, see The Railway Hotel’s WEBSITE

Southend Fringe Festival runs from April 14th – 21st 2011. Tonight it’s Tom Conway with support from Phillious Williams and Darren Jones at the Railway Hotel.

Fri 15 April – 7.30pm, £4 Live music.

“I write songs about: People, their emotions, attitudes and episodes in their lives. I do not write songs about: My soul in torment. Over the last ten years I have recorded 3 CDs, played gigs with the likes of Clive Gregson, Jez Lowe, Jeffrey Lewis, Thomas Truax, Hank Wangford, The Arlenes, Kirsty McGee and Pete Morton, all over the South and South-East (and beyond). Probably my most treasured memento of any of them is the Certificate of Marriage and Divorce I was presented with by Hank Wangford.” – Tom Conway
“…..Richard Thompson with the lyrical sensibilities of Loudon Wainwright. “In Your Own Words” and “The One That Got Away” are classics of their genre, akin to Thompson’s “Beeswing” ” Rock’N'Reel/R2, Sept/Oct 2009.

Sat April 16, TAP Gallery, 4pm and 8pm, £4
Theatre. Outloud productions presents a comedy inspired by William Bayle Bernard’s play of 1833.
When Rachel discovers there’s more to her father’s death than meets the eye, she journeys to Egypt in search of answers. Armed with the Ancient Book of The Dead and the help of her father’s partner, no harm can come to her… or can it? A shocking discovery awaits her in the Valley of the Kings.
Tickets can be purchased on the door, by telephone: 07946 357521 or via email: info AT outloudproductions.co.uk. More information.

Sun April 17, Railway Hotel, 3pm-6.30pm, FREE ENTRY
Family friendly gig afternoon. Also in the small room there will be a swapshop – bring your old clothes, books and CDs (or dare I say it vinyl), hand them in at the desk for tickets and then cash in your tickets for someone else’s cast offs! Discover a whole new look/author/sound for free! Live music from 3pm.
Bands confirmed:

Kerry (from Carterhaugh doing a solo performance)
Eva’s Dream
Percy Furkettle Trip
ArtGruppe

Music from 3pm – 6.30pm. More information

Mon April 18
For 24 hours we invite you all to look around your local area and find ways to make the mundane and the ugly more exciting, beautiful and life enhancing. Obviously we ask that you don’t do any damage, break any laws or tamper with anyone else’s private property, but that still leaves the gate wide open for creativity. We ask that everyone photographs their efforts and emails the pictures to us at southendfringeATgooglemailDOTcom, wherein we will be making an online gallery and possibly displaying hard copies of the photos at a future event. All submissions will be handled in strictest confidence and no real artists names will be revealed, so make sure you include a pseudonym if you would still like credit! Get thinking and planning now, and we’ll meet you on the street.

Mon April 18, Railway Hotel, 7:45pm – 11:00pm
As part of the Fringe Festival, we are offering dance classes for absolute beginners in Jitterbug, Lindy Hop and Jive. No partner, special clothing or experience necessary, just turn up. Full details on jiveswing.com or call +44 (0)7946 396777.

Weds April 20, Railway Hotel, 7.30pm, entry by donation

DIY or DIE: How To Survive As An Independent Artist (2002) Documentary directed by Michael W. Dean exploring the Do It Yourself ethic through interviews with American artists, musicians and performers including Lydia Lunch, Jim Rose, J Mascis, Gwar, Ian MacKaye, Ron Asheton and many more. (55 mins, contains some nudity/swearing)

Thurs April 21, Railway Hotel, Doors open 8pm, £5
Featuring: Kommissar Hjuler and Mama Baer, Ninni Morgia and Silvia Kastel and Liberez.
Kommisar Hjuler and Mama Baer bring an eclectic mix of performance art and sound poetry to Southend on Sea, Kommissar Hjuler and Mama Baer are husband and wife German polymath artists who express themselves in an array of often weird and absurd styles; in the past they have explored adventures in the family home in bizarre and Dadaist ways or performed old hits stretching the song to the limits of its endurance. For this tour they are joined by the Italian duo Ninni Morgia and Silvia Kastel who explore a cross pollination of free-jazz, noise and psych on guitar, vocals and synth. Also in support are Southend’s Liberez, an on running collaboration between John Hannon and Peter Wilkins who will be bringing their own brand of dark and foreboding music to the proceedings.