‘Hey guys, here’s my dream list.’ Mark Lanegan only needed one night to think it over and then give a whole hearted ‘YEAH’ to accepting his first curatorship ever(!), immediately putting forward his wish list. And for those enamoured with mathematical curatorship-figures: 80% of his famous wish list has already been agreed to and there is more to come! Any comment, Mr. Lanegan? ‘I'm really psyched now!’
Impossible not to have present: the C O – C R E A T O R S of ‘Bubblegum’, such as co-producer Alain Johannes and fellow countryman Aldo Struyf who are both also to be heard on Lanegan's magnus opus. Those who say Mark Lanegan Band also instantly notice the big B E L G I A N C O N N E C T I O N. As Lanegan did also insist on taking on board both guitarist Lyenn and Crayon Sun (Aldo Struyf’s brand new band).
Mark Lanegan is a musical all-rounder. Even at AB, he already has appeared on stage in a handful of different forms. After this weekend, that number will have increased by a few P R O J E C T S. With certainty: Black Phoebe, the post-punk-inspired band that he shares with his wife Shelley. With a bit of luck: the dark electronica of Not Waving, with whom Lanegan will hopefully jump on stage (seeing as he recorded the enthralling album ‘Downwelling’ with him, under moniker Dark Mark).
Remarkable: Lanegan’s great love of (C O N T E M P O R A R Y) E L E C T R O N I C A. Not only is Not Waving a part of it all, Serbian factory worker Abul Mogard and British broken techno adept Regis also assume their positions behind the turntables. Or what do you reckon about the deliciously distorted electronic beats of (ex-The Icarus Line) Joe Cardamone’s Holy War? Lanegan on Cardamone: ‘He’s like a brother to me.’
Had to be here too: C O N T E M P O R A R I E S AND S O U L T M A T E S like Dylan Carlson, known as enigmatic frontman of the doom/drone band Earth. Carlson: ‘always grateful for a chance to see my oldest friend Mark’. Their friendship was once photographically immortalised in the legendary drag photo with Kurt Cobain. Lanegan shares his love of Jeffrey Lee Pierce with Kid Congo Powers (ex-The Cramps, ex-The Gun Club and ex-Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds). They will soon be seen in the yet to be released Jeffrey Lee Pierce documentary ‘Elvis From Hell’.
Another S H O T of R O C K N R O L L to finish up with? Lanegan gladly throws in the psychedelic rock of Teeth Of The Sea on top of it all and the abrasive guitars of Hey Colossus. And the programme isn’t even complete yet!
What does our gut-feeling say? Mark Lanegan’s ‘Bubblegum Fest’ will be a blast!
Wham! Bam! Thank You Mark!
Don't miss out on this exclusive weekend. Tickets for Saturday 09.05 are still available here. Tickets for Sunday 10.05 available here. See you there?