A series that invites special guests and celebrities to share anecdotes and stories regarding their first gigs and festivals and how those early experiences influenced their careers and lives. Hosted by Gordon Reid and Michael Woods. Produced by Andrew Halford.
Oh ma gawd we're back again! After a little break, DYRTFT is back, this week talking to Molly and Rob of the fantastic band Widowspeak. We get into their first arena shows, Backstreet Boys and The Rolling Stones. Then we dive deeper, talking club shows with Good Charlotte and Jet. Along the way there's some titillating Titanic talk (spoiler alert!), some backronym chat and of course we dive into first festivals, Bumbershoot '03 and Lollapalooza '05. Widowspeak released the excellent Honeychurch EP earlier this year on Captured Tracks.
Let the good times roll! This week we are joined by Bob (Shellac) and Carrie Weston (WLUW Radio,) who take us on a fantastic musical journey. Bob was introduced to live music through The Cars, later finding his musical inspiration through Volcano Suns. Carrie was made to attend a Jefferson Starship gig, then realised shows are actually good upon seeing The Psychedelic Furs a couple of years later. We also discuss broken arms, festivals, radio, moving to Chicago, Shellac, ATP, Considerate DJing, My Bloody Valentine, Fake IDs and they also flip the script on us and we share our first gigs for the first time. It's a wild ride! WLUW Radio
We welcome you to another episode of musical nostalgia! James McMahon was kind enough to take a break from searching for Bigfoot to join us on the latest episode, taking us on a journey through his life and experiences as a renowned member of the music press. He walks us through the many stories surrounding his first gig, Supergrass in Sheffield and his first festival V1996, but that's not all! There's so much more! Music press, music fandom and all of his fantastic projects he is working on right now. We won't deny it, this is a long one, but we found it all so enjoyable and enlightening, we couldn't rob you of any of it. Check out the many projects James is currently working on, including Spoook, Indie Heaven and the OCD Chronicles via his website. www.jamesjammcmahon.com
Your favourite podcast that doesn't falter is back! In this episode we are joined by Francine Gorman of JaJaJa and Keychange. Her formative gigging years were spent in the town of Northampton and her first show, Hundred Reasons (joint headline with Capdown) formed a life long love with live music. In this episode we discuss just how good British indie was in the early 2000s, as well as her first festival Reading 2003. We also spend a little bit of time discussing her beloved Huddersfield Town FC and delve into our new feature 'Toffolo Time', where mutual appreciation of the player Harry Toffolo is shared between Norwich and Huddersfield fans alike. Francine discusses the Keychange project, which aims to improve gender balance representation over the music industry, which is an incredibly important project we urge listeners to check out. Keychange.eu JaJaJamusic.com
The podcast is broken, our guest this week doesn't remember the first time! Fortunately that guest is comedian Ben Kane, who takes us on an amazing journey through his first comedy show (Paul Merton at a Nursing home). As well as many other shows including a performance of the Rite Of Spring, a piece which sparked his musical obsession. He also talks us through is first festival, the absolutely BARN STORMING Marlborough Jazz Festival, hold on tight! Ben Kane is the king of TDFR and host of Glee Club's excellent gameshow podcast Class Clowns.
The second season of DYRTFT continues on! In this episode we speak to Jess Clarke, who tour manages a lot of our favourite bands including Big Thief and Cloud Nothings. We complete our now government issued instructions of discussing her first gig and festival experiences, but also talk about how this has shaped her career path, from Bedford to Brighton to everywhere there is a venue, this is a fantastic listen.
This week our guest is the amazing Lou Paley from Women In Jazz, an incredible organisation that aims to bring more representation for women within the Jazz genre. We discuss her first show, The Maccabees at ULU, at a time when it was mandatory to wear bright Yellow Jeans at all British Indie shows. We then go off on a tangent about Drinking and Golf, before discussing Lou's first festival, Glastonbury 2009. Bruce Springsteen definitely played that one. Finally we bring the conversation to discussing how those initial shows lead her to a career working with Jazz musicians. www.womeninjazz.co.uk
Here we are, it's Season 2 Episode 5! This week we catch up with Adam Gnade. A novelist and purveyor of 'talking songs'. Of course we discuss his first concert, a festival in the Starlight Bowl in San Diego, California. We also learn that that first show was not necessarily the musical awakening of who he wanted to be and how that journey came to pass through latter musical experiences. We talk weird merchandise, Coachella, actual toilet venues, his often wild times with the band Youthmovies and how his passion with touring in the UK took hold.
This is Season 2 Episode 4 Roger Moore. Today we talk to the bloody lovely Toby L, who started the hugely successful promoters RockFeedBack 20 years ago and runs Transgressive Records, Who are responsible for signing Foals, Loyle Carner and Arlo Parks amongst many others you'll know. Toby's musical journey working has tapped into every corner of the music industry and he's recently formed Up The Game. Toby's first ever concert was Blur, when they were touring The Great Escape in 1996, he tells us about the impact this had on him and his life from then on in, he'd return to the loving live embrace of Blur many a time over his life, not least at his first festival V 1997. Co-hosted by Woody Woods and Gordon Reid.
Episode three sees us have a great chat with Marcus Harris, someone who played a part in key nights out that so many of us will remember and don't remember growing up. He's worked with The Lexington, White Heat Club and promoters Snap, Crackle & Pop with many a story to tell from. However, he does also tell us about his first gigs and festivals, because he does remember the first time! From NOFX to Gatecrasher, from Andrew W.K. to Wireless... he may also still be waiting for his latest order of punk plimsolls he made in 2007 but that didn't stop him being a great guest. Co-hosted by Woody Woods and Gordon Reid.
In episode two, DYRTFT took a long look at an Ocean Colour Scene, then realised illustrator Dan Mumford was on the call and rearing to talk us through his first gigs and festivals. Dan is a hugely influential illustrator who's iconic style has been shown in galleries all over the world and his mad client list includes Star Wars, Terminator, Aliens and many musicians and bands like Pearl Jam, Blink 182 and Kiss. We speak with Dan about Ocean Colour Scene, where it took him in his musical journey, film soundtracks, ANOTHER edition of Reading Festival and get very distracted by the glory of the Aliens franchise. Rest assured this episode is not as front loaded as Moseley Shoals, so sit back and enjoy. Co-hosted by Woody Woods and Gordon Reid.
Do You Remember The First Time is back with Season 2! After a longer than planned break, Gordon and Woody return to discuss first concert and festival experiences with their favourite people in the creative industries. The first guests of season 2 are Max and Rob, two plucky lads who are independent London promoters as Egyptian Elbows. We tackle the subjects of Stereophonics, Test Icicles, Big Day Out, Danny Alves and how you would go about sneaking into Reading Festival in the 2000s. Co-hosted by Woody Woods and Gordon Reid.
This weeks guest is Josh Holliday, the editor behind indie music site Dots & Dashes A self confessed labour of love, Dots & Dashes has been a stronghold and trusted source for quality independent music for over ten years and we explore how is first forays into music helped shaped his career. Josh's first is a DYRTFT classic: Catatonia homecoming mega concert and his first festival is one of a recurring theme on this podcast. Reading Festival. As we discover both Josh and our very own Gordon Reid were both in attendance and share stories and anecdotes on some lovely times as well as some healthy debate on the state of music journalism. Co-hosted by Woody Woods and Gordon Reid.
Tuning in from Portland, Oregon, this weeks guest is the one and only Aaron Draplin. There are many podcasts out there featuring the man himself but none quite like this one. The hugely successful designer and keynote speaker is known for his relentless speaking tours around the globe, his work for the likes of Nike, Google, Obama and a whole host of musicians you'll know. He's also the man behind the insanely popular Field Notes and has a book 'Pretty Much Everything.' We don't talk about any of that. Draplin instead tells us about his last gigs before lockdown including a huge arena Jack White show and a tiny Swervedriver gig. There's a host of anecdotes from his first ever show which was Circle Jerks, stories of growing up in Chicago, living in Portland and the scenes that developed there in the 90s. His first festival was the first Lollapalooza. Are you still reading this? What are you waiting for? Go listen to it! Co-hosted by Woody Woods and Gordon Reid, produced by Andrew Halford.
We are joined by Elaine Robertson of Old Blue Last Beer, who also happens to be a transatlantic hospitality legend. Her first gig was Skatefest 1995 also known as the very first edition of the Warped tour. Elaine attended the Toronto show on this tour, taking place at the CNE and featuring L7, Quicksand and loads of others. From here her journey takes her to working in hospitality at the legendary Mod Club, which then leads her to her first festival, SXSW 2006! Co-hosted by Woody Woods and Gordon Reid, produced by Andrew Halford.
We speak with Franco Allen of Booze House Tales fame on his very own stories of Musing and Boozing at concerts. As a man known for being regularly found at pubs, clubs, and many a venue, his gigging life surprisingly began with Muse at Earl's Court in 2004, a show that our host Gordon also attended. From there we travel to Primavera in Barcelona for his first festival experience in 2007. It's a boozy cruise involving backstage work passes, Fun Faxes and the best venues in London for grabbing a drink while taking in a show. Co-hosted by Woody Woods and Gordon Reid, produced by Andrew Halford.
We speak with Ben Rimmer, a musician from Oxford best known for his time in the bands Trophy Wife and Jonquil Ben grew up in Oxford and somehow avoided Radiohead until 2001, when he fell into them in a big way. From this his love of electronic music also grew, leading him to unique first festival experience the likes of which we doubt will be seen again during this podcast. Co-hosted by Woody Woods and Gordon Reid, produced by Andrew Halford.
We talk to Flash Taylor, Ultimate Power co-owner, Music Publishing A&R and club promoter about his first show and festival. The story begins in New Zealand in 1990, His first gig was not one we expected: NZ band The Chills, who we recommend checking out. His first festival, none other than Big Day Out Festival 1994 with a lineup including Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, The Breeders to name a few. Flash tells many an anecdote from his years in the industry, backstage gossip, meeting Morrissey and his love of The Jesus Lizard, their singer David Yow and his many off stage antics. Co-hosted by Woody Woods and Gordon Reid, produced by Andrew Halford.