This article was originally published on Friday, June 1.
TT Fortnight is simply the best time to be in a band in the Isle of Man, as venues island-wide wake up to the atmospheric potential of live music pounding their rafters.
With the population temporarily swelled by thousands of bike fans in high festival and holiday-mode spirits, TT is also the best time to be in rock’n’roll audiences.
Pubs, bars, beer tents, campsites and makeshift outdoor stages all keep local bands busy and TT punters entertained, during one of the rare times each year that weeknights are as rowdy as weekends.
I haven’t the sapce (or the inclination!) to list all of the local music shenanigans over the rest of the festival, so here are a few selected highlights from the north, south, east and west.
Prime southern destination is The Bay in Port Erin, hosting Bushy’s stage on the beach. The line-up was listed in last week’s What Where When, and see www.bushys.com for more details.
To the east; three beer tents hog the Douglas headlines, but it is the return of Amber as a music venue that warms the cockles most.
Through Dark Horse Promotions and Sleepwell Hotels the Loch Promenade bar returns to the Manx music family by hosting a week of gigs starting with Mr Eliminator and the Deadly Vipers tomorrow evening.
On Saturday electro outfit Dusty Plankton play, the ska-tinged rock of Skeet on Mad Sunday, the riffy metal of Fletcher Christian Mutiny on Monday of race week, indie kids The Cosmos on Tuesday, and eccentric gypsy-folk rockers The Gentlemen’s Music Emporium on Wednesday, before visiting Norwegian blues rockers Thunderpantz play on Thursday and the final slot on senior race day is AC/DC tribute A Little Bit of Rosie.
Welcome back Amber.
In the north, Ramsey’s The Mitre hosts UK indie-peddlers Kaleidophone tonight, with Simon Campbell on tomorrow. Saturday sees two worlds collide as local diva Miss Dynamite plays ahead of our Scandinavian guests the aforementioned Thunderpantz.
On Mad Sunday songstress Sharr performs, as does alternative rock cover band 8 Bit Empire. For Monday evening bluesmen Walter Ego entertain, while on Tuesday – the day of the Ramsey Sprint – those Fletcher Christian Mutiny guys pop up again.
On Wednesday Thunderpantz get another bite of the apple, then on Thursday it is the turn of tribal-rockers Hoodoo Nation and on senior race day Skeet play before Fireball see out the end of the festival on the Saturday.
Go west; aside from Peel in Motion on Mad Sunday The Creek is again rock’n’roll head quarters for the Sunset City. It’s Walter Ego tonight, covers act Catch22 tomorrow, rockers 3Million on Saturday, Betty Swallocks and 9 Bar Gypsies on Mad Sunday, Shedmen on Monday, Yam Senior Band on Tuesday, AC/DC tribute Little Bitta Rosie on Wednesday, Barry Nelson’s Jeceris on Thursday, indie covers from Caution Runners on Friday, and Physcoholic on Saturday.
• Lee Brooks’ ramblings on the rumblings of the island’s music scene. You can help support the scene by contacting Lee at {mailto:lee.brooks@newsiom.co.im|lee.brooks(at)newsiom.co.im} or on 695674 with Manx music news, reviews and photos.
