May's edition of The Wagon's Wheels sees the return to The Grapes of the mighty Hopper Ward, a solo outing for local favourite Dave Woodcock and we welcome York country punks Boss Caine. Doors open at 8pm and entry is just £3.
***THE HOPPER WARD***
Doncaster's experimental country popsters The Hopper Ward make their return to The Grapes. Influenced by the classic songwriters of the 60's and 70's, American folk, rocksteady, psychedelia and Yorkshire Tea, and with a regular line up featuring banjo and stylophone, it's fair to say this is not your average band. Tonight they'll be showcasing some new material. Hard to pigeon hole, but a band you'll find even harder to forget. A favourite of BBC Radio's Steve Lamacq who picked up on the song 'SAD' which is taken from their recent 'Trigger' EP.
"A Brilliant blend of acoustic gold and lonesome melodies"
Doncaster Free Press
"Teeming with individualsim and creativity. The vocals melt and swoon, like the classic voices such as Johnny Cash"
Yorkshire Pick-Up
http://www.myspace.com/thehopperward
***DAVE WOODCOCK***
Dave Woodcock's songs deal unflinchingly with love and its consequences - happiness, unhappiness, loss, loneliness and drinking. He used to front "alt rock folk country blues punks" Taste of Shotgun before combining all his influences to create something unique with his new band, The Dead Comedians. Comprised of a noted bunch of musicians in their own right, the line up features Chris Murphy (Chris Murphy & Boxer Genius), Lee Bradley (Viva High Rollers), Andrew Wood (Pisco Sour Hour) and Tommy R. Jones (every other band in Sheffield). Woodcock has been compared favourably with the likes of Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Lou Reed and Joe Strummer, with one reviewer commenting: "Blinding....Dave has an onstage presence which few can touch, naturally laid back and cool straight out of a Clint Eastwood movie" (soundaloud.com). The band are currently in the process of finishing off their soon to be released debut album 'In Defence Of Penny Dreadfuls'. Tonight however sees Dave alone as he prepares for the release of his forthcoming solo record 'Born To Play This Role', some tracks from which can currently be heard on his MySpace page.
"the perfect soundtrack to whisky-fuelled solitude. Full of woe? Damn straight. **** (four stars)" Exposed Magazine.
http://www.myspace.com/davewoodcockmusic
***BOSS CAINE***
Boss Caine was initially a name that York cowboy GT Turbo used for his solo acoustic material having split from the now legendary punk rock and rollers The Nosedivers.
Having moved to London and started writing what would become Boss Caine songs he recorded and gigged with friends from Sevenball and Dave Greaves around the capital. After a year in the big smoke GT moved back up north and started up Dusk's now legendary, Sunday night open mic night. This, and many gigs at Fibbers Barfly, introduced him to many kindred spirits from a now buzzing York scene. Members of great bands such as Cardboard Radio, The Yards, The Federals, Colour of fire etc.. all passed thru the acoustic scene alongside world weary storytelling buskers and bedroom songwriters. Before long the bond of musical friendship between some of these people led, via many an all-night jam session, to Boss Caine as it is now!
Encountering local musician Adam Rogowski busking GT realised it was time to take the haphazard sprawling Boss Caine collaborative talent pool to the next level. They started gigging together and loving each others older material, started out on some new stuff. The wealth of songs they now have to draw on is immense, as is the list of people wanting to join them as they record these ventures and kick out the jams the world over.
Over the last year or so they have opened shows for the likes of Guillemots, Alabama 3, The Deadstring Brothers and Corb Lund.
"Angst ridden dylan-esque lyrics, raw brash style and oozing charisma, individuality and rock and roll attitude!" - BBC N.Yorks
"A serious and established rock 'n' roll band. Very clever smooth acoustic guitar work gives way to some slick rock drums. The songs are true to the country and bluegrass aesthetic, well crafted lyrics, going from country and bluegrass to almost stadium rock!" - The talk Magazine
http://www.myspace.com/bosscainemusicuk
Facebook Event Page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=12929722573