Re-arrange the following words - ROPE, STORE, PONY, UP, SECOND, SINGLE, LAUNCH

Well it's a trick. You don't actually need to re-arrange them, but it would probably only make sense as a headline had you already known the following :-

1) ''Rope Store' is the name of a popular contemporary yet retro-infused band based in Norwich,

2) 'Pony-Up' is the name of a regularly promoted music night at Norwich Arts Centre featuring exciting new bands and artists, and with very reasonably priced admission.

3) A 'single' is what bands would release in the days before i-Tunes, MP3, and Spotify. It was a 7" vinyl record with one song on each side. Sometimes a second, or even third, single would precede the release of the 'album' -  up to six songs on each side of a 12" vinyl record. Nowadays any new song receiving extended promotion or enhanced radio play can be referred to as a single without need for any form of physical product to be made available for purchase.

So, if you put the three together, you would understand that we had 'Rope Store' appearing at a 'Pony-Up' night on Saturday to launch their follow-up single. And yes, as they are a retro-influenced band, they do still release 7" vinyl records. Simples.

But, because this is a 'Pony-Up', we still have two support acts to enjoy before 'Rope Store' take the stage.

Mr David Viner

First up is the very formal-sounding Mr. David Viner who sits on a chair and sings, whilst at the same time playing an acoustic guitar. He was originally spotted back in 2003 whilst selling merchandise for The Von Bondies. Their front-man, Jason Stollsteimer, heard his songs and signed him to his own record label. His songs appear to cover the darker side of life, like love, death and drinking, so when his song for Valentines's Day is introduced as 'I Love You', we have already worked out that it will probably cover death and drinking as well. It is. It's actually called 'I'd Love to Kill You'.Seriously though - David Viner's songs have a dark wit and lyricism that holds our attention for the full thirty minute set. Nick Cave meets Jake Thackeray.

SuperGlu

Essex band Superglu have already played at Norwich Arts Centre on several occasions over the last year, and we love their energy and enthusiasm. They've even bought along a Go-pro camera to record tonight's audience and performance, but haven't worked out how to make it work. It doesn't spoil our enjoyment one iota, and there is also a big new backdrop featuring the new logo and colourway. Their best known song Diving Bell is saved for last, but new song Latvians is showcased alongside tracks from their EP Horse.

 

Rope Store have again played Norwich Arts Centre before in the last year, as well as gigs at The Murderers and an initial single launch at The Brickmakers last December for All of You ( http://www.outlineonline.co.uk/music/live-reviews/rope-store-b2 ). They write all their own material, and take inspiration from everything retro from the Shangri-Las to Style Council. And they release proper singles on proper vinyl, which they record themselves on analogue equipment in their own studio. How's about that then pop-pickers? Not 'arf.

Tonight's launch is for That's Not Good Enough and even if the pressing plant again have again failed to deliver the goods in time for the launch, Jason, Gemma and the band run through another magical set that takes inspiration from the sixties, seventies and eighties. Dominic and Ciarán from local funk jazz and soul collective Lobster join in for the second half of the set, adding even more richness and depth with the extra saxophone and trombone added into the mix.

Rope Store

So, even if we couldn't buy either of their singles (at least it gives us time to save up for a record player) we can at least troop through into the café-bar of the Norwich Arts Centre and let Jason entertain us on the decks until it's time to go home.

NORWICH, ROPE, STORE, SATURDAY, LATE, NIGHT, SMASHES, RECORDS.

'Like' Mr David Viner at https://www.facebook.com/iammrdavidviner/?fref=ts

'Like' Superglu at https://www.facebook.com/supergluband/?fref=ts

'Like' Rope Store at https://www.facebook.com/ropestoremusic/?fref=ts

Rope Store Headline Norwich's Tilting Sky Saturday

Emerging from the safety of a recording studio housed within a former nuclear bunker hidden somewhere in Norwich, Rope Store came and set up stall within Norwich Arts Centre on Saturday night as headliners of Craig Hill's 'Tilting Sky' event. For some, myself included, it was the first chance to check out this intriguing group of retro-popsters headed up by a certain Mr Jason. Others seem to have been in on the secret for some time, and are here to renew the acquaintance.

Tilting Sky have, as usual, pulled out all the stops to pack the evening with musical talent. Whilst I couldn't get in to see the wryly-named Tom Happy kick off proceedings, and only managed to hear local four-piece Mallie from the foyer, I was there complete with pint in hand ready to enjoy Sargasso Trio member Emily Winng and her band perform  immediately before Rope Store. I've seen her once before (at Gravy Records Summer Party) accompanied by the band, and the result is a ballsy mix of summery alternative calypso, with a lyrical prowess that really grabs your attention and keeps it throughout her set. Whilst Sargasso continue on hiatus, its good to know that Emily is still out here performing.

Emily Winng

A total of nine musicians take the stage to perform as Rope Store tonight. Mr Jason oversees everything from right of stage on guitar, lead vocalist Gemma Dietrich commands the centre ground, whilst around her the rest of the band arrange themselves, with two saxophones to the fore, and keyboards, bass, drums and guitar squeezed in somehow at the back.

Having heard the tracks that Mr Jason and Gemma have produced down in the bunker, I am already in love with the authentic re-creation of the 60's style that they have achieved by recording straight onto 8-track with analogue equipment and by using just the one microphone. Having got the attention of Tom Robinson, amongst others, with 'Get Me Out' and 'Stop', they have since added the poignant 'Never Too Late To Love', and the gorgeous 'That's Not Good Enough' to the content of their Bandcamp page. Can they cut it in front of a live audience, albeit a friendly Norwich Arts Centre crowd, before setting off to the likes of the trendy Blues Kitchen in Shoreditch in September?

Well, if last night was anything to go by, they'll smash it. Bill, on sound, has managed to get the levels of everything just right, and the choice of retro dressing by some and essential 't-shirt and denim' by the rest creates just that right balance that shouts homage rather than pastiche. We all know that it is the music that is paramount, but neither are we so naïve not to realise the importance of appearances either. Gemma's monochrome outfit of leather jacket, tu-tu style skirt and trainers, brings a contemporary sassiness to the overall look.

 

Their performance throws in elements of everything from Style Council to Hendrix, and takes in the vocal styles and  60's gaiety of Parisian chanteuse Françoise Hardy as well as Swinging London's Marianne Faithful and Motown's Diana Ross. But in the same way that Sundowners and Melody's Echo Chamber take the psychedelic pop influences of the 20th century and spin them into a current seam, Rope Store have that contemporary appeal that should go down a storm with the hip city slickers of London Town. Personally, I loved everything about them.

We will find out how they fared in Hipster-land when they return to play The Murderers in Norwich on October 9th.

Buy some, or all, of their recorded tracks via their Bandcamp page at http://ropestore.bandcamp.com/ , and keep up to date on social media via https://www.facebook.com/ropestoremusic or https://twitter.com/ropestoremusic