John Metcalfe returns to live action in November 2019 supporting Sebastian Plano at a string of dates. Tickets are on sale now.

November 2019 itinerary

Fri 8 - Courtyard Theatre, London Buy Tickets
Sat 9 - Colston Hall, Bristol Buy Tickets
Mon 11 - Brudenell Social Club, Leeds Buy Tickets
Tue 12 - Band On The Wall, Manchester Buy Tickets

Labels: gig, John_Metcalfe

London local John Metcalfe plays a free gig at The Bedford Arms in Balham on Thursday 13 July 2017.

John says on his Facebook Page: "Full band in attendance with Rosie Doonan, Daisy Palmer and Ali Friend providing glorious groove and gorgeous vocals. They look lovely too. And it's totally free so no excuse not to come with all your friends and say hello. On around 10."

Stage times

20.30: Tamara Hansson | Facebook

21:00: Liv Austen | Facebook

22:00 John Metcalfe

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The Bedford Arms
77 Bedford Hill
London SW12 9HD

Labels: gigs, John_Metcalfe

Ex-Factory Classicist and occasional Durutti Columnist, John Metcalfe's new album 'The Appearance of Colour' is out on 8 June 2015 via Real World on LP, CD and Digital Download.

"This is my most rigorous album to date. It's music of big contrasts but sonically unified with the intention to create a complete album with an intense emotional arc." - John Metcalfe 

A taster track 'Gold, Green' is available now via Soundcloud and when you pre-order the album via iTunes.



More info at john-metcalfe.co.uk and Real World.

Labels: album, John_Metcalfe, Real_World

Early heads-up for an exciting new season at Kings Place in London for fans of minimalist music. The 'Minimalism Unwrapped' season in Spring 2015 which will feature Steve Reich and also ex-Factory Classicalists The Duke Quartet playing Gavin Bryars, Max Richter and Kevin Volans.

Hunting:Gathering is in Hall One on Friday 22 May 2015 with tickets available now priced 9.50-29.50 GBP (including non-reserved Online Savers at the lowest price band) via kingsplace.co.uk.

Full programme

Gavin Bryars String Quartet No. 2 (1990)
Max Richter Infra 8 (2010)
Kevin Volans String Quartet No. 2 Hunting:Gathering (1987)

Labels: Duke_Quartet, Factory_Classical, gigs, John_Metcalfe

John Metcalfe (The Durutti Column) moves back into the live fold as he plays as a temporary member of The Smith Quartet with The National at sold out shows tonight and tomorrow at Alexandra Palace in London.

Labels: gigs, John_Metcalfe, The_Durutti_Column

The John Metcalfe Band will play a special concert at the very intimate (60 seats) Goldmark Gallery, Uppingham on Saturday 6 July 2013 at 8pm.

John Metcalfe was last seen curating and playing at the excellent Monomedia event at Kings Place in London and is currently recording new material at Eastcote Studios.

The Goldmark quite recently played host to Anna Domino and Snakefarm.

Tickets are priced £25.00 available direct from The Goldmark Gallery.

Goldmark Gallery
14 Orange Street
Uppingham
Rutland

Tel: 01572 821424

Labels: events, gigs, John_Metcalfe

A quick reminder about some time Durutti Column member John Metcalfe's Monomedia trio of events at Kings Place in London from 9-11 May 2013.

Composer, musician and arranger Metcalfe has brought together Matthew Herbert's New Radiophonic Workshop, Thomas Dolby, Goldfrapp's Will Gregory with Moog Ensemble, featuring Portishead's Adrian Utley. To finish it all off on Saturday night, The John Metcalfe Band will play - in the dark for heightened auditory perception.

The full line-up is:

Thomas Dolby: The Invisible Lighthouse
Thu 9 May 2013 - 7:30pm / Hall One

Will Gregory's Moog Ensemble
Fri 10 May 2013 - 7:30pm / Hall One

John Metcalfe Band & special guests + The New Radiophonic Workshop
Sat 11 May 2013 - 7:30pm / Hall One

Tickets are available now from Kings Place direct priced GBP 9.50-24.50.

More info at the official John Metcalfe Facebook page

Labels: Adrian_Utley, events, gigs, John_Metcalfe, Thomas_Dolby

John Metcalfe curates genre-busting week at Kings Place, London on 9-11 May 2013.



The ex-Factory Classicist and ex-Durutti Columnist musician and arranger John Metcalfe presents a radical listening experience with his new Monomedia curated week. He'll perform in the dark, joined by Matthew Herbert's New Radiophonic Workshop, Thomas Dolby, Goldfrapp's Will Gregory with Moog Ensemble, featuring Portishead's Adrian Utley.

Thomas Dolby: The Invisible Lighthouse
Thu 9 May 2013 - 7:30pm / Hall One



Will Gregory's Moog Ensemble
Fri 10 May 2013 - 7:30pm / Hall One

John Metcalfe Band & special guests + The New Radiophonic Workshop
Sat 11 May 2013 - 7:30pm / Hall One

Tickets are available now from Kings Place direct priced GBP 9.50-24.50.

Labels: events, gigs, John_Metcalfe

Beyond The Loop is 4 nights of modern classical and contemporary music brought to you by John Metcalfe and running from Wed-Sat 7-10 October at swanky Kings Place in London.

"British mould-breakers blurring the edges of electronic and contemporary music"

Featuring: The Durutti Column | The Bays | Simon Hale | The Heritage Orchestra | The Duke Quartet | Plaid | Red Snapper | Ensemble Bash | Jon Hopkins feat. Davide Rossi | The John Metcalfe Band

Full line-up as follows:

Wednesday 7 October

Ensemble Bash 7.30pm
Red Snapper 9pm

Thursday 8 October

The John Metcalfe Band 7.30pm
Jon Hopkins (with visuals by Myogenic) 9pm

Friday 9 October

The Duke Quartet 7.30pm
The Durutti Column 9pm

Saturday 10 October

Plaid 7.30pm
The Bays / Simon Hale / John Metcalfe / The Heritage Orchestra 9pm

All concerts in Hall One, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London N1 9AG

To book tickets priced from £6.50 ring 020 7520 1490 or visit kingsplace.co.uk

Meanwhile check out the newly-updated/created John Metcalfe website and Facebook group.

Labels: John_Metcalfe, The_Durutti_Column

From kookydisc.co.uk:

Kooky Records is proud to announce the next album release by The Durutti Column will be the studio version of A Paean To Wilson which was premiered live at the Manchester International Festival in July 2009. This stunning instrumental suite was specially commissioned for the MIF and represents Vini Reilly's special personal tribute to Tony Wilson who died in August 2007.

As with the live line-up featured during those shows, The Durutti Column is again augmented by John Metcalfe and Tim Kellett on this full-length studio album.

This CD-only release will first go on sale at the King's Place concert on 9 October 2009 at which the band will again be playing A Paean To Wilson live. A general release will follow but the date for this has not yet been confirmed. Watch this space for more information. Tickets are still available for this gig via kingsplace.co.uk (including Saver Seats for a bargain £9.50).

The album package will include a bonus disc featuring the Heaven Sent (It Was Called Digital. It Was Heaven Sent) mini-album previously available as a digital download via Tony Wilson's F4 Records.

Labels: John_Metcalfe, The_Durutti_Column, Tony_Wilson

From thedurutticolumn.com:

The next album release by The Durutti Column is a 6-CD limited edition box set on Kooky Records entitled 'Four Factory Records'. Containing the first four classic albums released on Factory Records, all newly remastered by Keir Stewart from the original master tapes, the set comprises:

The Return Of The Durutti Column
LC
Another Setting
Without Mercy

There are also two very limited bonus CDs:

Demos/Studio - demos, versions and outtakes from the period
Live - recordings from London, Glasgow, and Brighton 82/84

All this plus a package of interviews with the key protagonists from the period including Vini Reilly, Bruce Mitchell, John Metcalfe, Keir Stewart and Tim Kellett.

Advance copies will be available for sale at the Manchester International Festival shows 15-17 July 2009. It will then be available in all good record shops (actual and virtual) and direct from Kooky from September 2009. The project will be a total edition of 1,000 copies of which a limited number will include the two bonus discs.

Kooky has tried to make this lavish package available at a sensible price. If you can't make the MIF shows, please check back at the end of July when Kooky will start taking pre-orders for mail order.

Labels: Factory_Records, John_Metcalfe, New_Order, The_Durutti_Column, The_Other_Two

John Metcalfe has revealed that Paean to Wilson, the piece he has collaborated on and will perform with The Durutti Column at the Manchester International Festival on 15-17 July 2009 is "a major 70 minute work". Commenting on the fact that the work is instrumental Vini Reilly said that "I want the work to be purely instrumental, my 'awful schoolboy poetry' style of lyrics discarded, to realise Tony's greatest wish for my work; to finally be as he really would have liked it to be; music in its purest form."

John has been a busy chap, what with arranging the strings on Peter Doherty's new album Grace/Wastelands and continuing to play live, most recently last night with The Bays at King's Place in London.

John's also on tour with Peter Doherty, tonight at the O2 Academy in Birmingham, Thursday at the Academy 1 and 2 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Friday at the Picture House in Edinburgh and Sunday at Troxy in London.

Labels: John_Metcalfe, The_Durutti_Column, Tony_Wilson

The full line-up for this summer's Manchester International Festival which runs from 2-19 July 2009 was announced today. The highlight for Factory Records fans is a 3-night residency by The Durutti Column who perform a specially-commissioned work in honour of the late Tony Wilson.

The Durutti Column (Vini Reilly, Bruce Mitchell, Keir Stewart and Poppy Morgan plus special guest John Metcalfe) will perform the new instrumental work A Paean for Wilson written by Vini Reilly.

The venue will be The Pavilion Theatre tent in Albert Square with shows taking place at 8pm on 15-17 July 2009. Tickets priced GBP 16.50 (9.00 concs) are on sale from Thursday 19 March at 15:00 GMT from mif.co.uk or by telephoning 0844 815 4960. No per ticket booking fee (transaction fee applies).

Other MIF highlights include Kraftwerk plus Steve Reich at the Manchester Velodrome, Elbow with the Hallé Orchestra at the Bridgewater Hall, Lauri Anderson and Lou Reed at the Palace and De La Soul at The Ritz.

Labels: Factory_Records, John_Metcalfe, The_Durutti_Column, Tony_Wilson

In no particular order...

A Darker Sunset - John Metcalfe
A Thousand Words - Styrofoam
Auteur Labels - Factory Benelux
Another Way To Die - Jack White and Alicia Keys
Consolers of the Lonely - The Raconteurs
Death Magnetic - Metallica
Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! - Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Flight of the Conchords - Flight of the Conchords
In Silico - Pendulum
Letter From God To Man - Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip
Low - Flo Rida
Mountain Battles - The Breeders
Only By The Night - Kings of Leon
Retrospective - The Retro Spankees
Sunlight To Blue... Blue To Blackness - The Durutti Column
The Age of Understatement - The Last Shadow Puppets
The Seldom Seen Kid - Elbow
The Weekend Starts Round Here E.P. - The Parks Dept.
Third - Portishead
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends - Coldplay
We Started Nothing - The Ting Tings
Wearing My Rolex - Wiley

Labels: Auteur_Labels, Cerysmatic_Factory, Factory_Benelux, John_Metcalfe, labels, The_Durutti_Column

In 1987 a video of a live performance by The Durutti Column emerged through the normal channels open to collectors. If you were in Manchester (in the pre-internet age), this meant a trip to the Record Peddler on Swan Street, VHS tape in hand.

The video itself features a full rehearsal by the band, comprising Vini Reilly (guitars, keyboards), Bruce Mitchell (drums, percussion) and John Metcalfe (violin, xylophone and drums), playing on the dancefloor of the Hacienda.

The technical details according to Rob Stanzel's (FAC 2.26) The Durutti Column - Vini Reilly site are:

Date: 16 August 1987
Duration: 68 minutes
Label: Structure Moderne SM16 (unreleased)
Tracklisting: Arpeggiator, What Is It To Me, Jongleur Grey, When The World, Miss Haymes, Jacqueline

In the notes it states "allegedly shot by Claude Bessy". Bessy was a French chap who was Factory's in-house videographer and Structure Moderne was a small French label so this has made sense over the years. However, it has recently come to light (courtesy of the internet age) that the video was not shot by Claude Bessy but rather by Pascal and Sylvie, two Parisians.

Aged respectively 48 and 51, and fans of the Factory Records label since its earliest days, they tell the true story of The Haçienda Rehearsal Footage:

"In August 1987, Pascal & I travelled by car thru the UK with three friends. We went to London, Manchester, Liverpool, Blackpool and Glasgow. All of us were fans of the Factory label, so while in Manchester, we obviously made what we used to call "The Magical Factory Tour". Both Pascal & I had Sony V8 cameras, so we filmed a lot of places such as the old Factory club in Hulme, the 86 Palatine Road house & Marie-Louise Gardens in Didsbury, etc, etc, etc... and of course the Hacienda.

"Back then, our friends' project was to create an independent video label, called Structure Moderne. They had the idea, the project, but no cameras. Pascal & I had. So, with them or only for us, we filmed a lot of bands, both in UK and France. About a year and a half after this trip, we've lost contact with these guys, for various reasons too long to explain here, but in Aug 87, thanks to the various local contacts our then friends had managed to get, we got special authorisation to film, amongst many other things, the empty Hacienda in full daylight, and The Durutti Column, who happened to be rehearsing there on that day.

"I, Sylvie, had already met Vini Reilly twice before: in Paris at the Bains-Douches Club where I had interviewed him for a local fanzine, and briefly in London, after a DC concert at the Venue. I don't exactly remember how the whole discussion went on that afternoon at FAC51, but the band was OK for us filming their rehearsal. So, I shot their whole performance from the upstairs balcony, and Pascal from downstairs, walking all around them. Thus, in our archives, we have 2 x 68 min of rushes footage, which has never been edited since. Of course, the overall quality of this recording is not very good, especially the sound (80's analog cameras with built-in microphones...) but it's obviously a gem for any DC fan.

"Recently, we have started to transfer all our old 1980s V8 archives onto DVDs, and also created a YouTube channel so as to share them. Yes, these are good memories!"

Indeed, aside from the Hacienda rehearsal footage you'll find further rehearsals with A Certain Ratio and Happy Mondays, plus New Order live in Paris, plus much more.

Thanks to Pascal and Sylvie for getting in touch and sharing those good memories.

There are some video stills and two new stills (courtesy Pascal and Sylvie) on the Haçienda Rehearsal Footage page.

Labels: A_Certain_Ratio, FAC51_The_Hacienda, Factory_Records, Happy_Mondays, John_Metcalfe, New_Order, The_Durutti_Column

Kings Place is the first new concert venue in London since the Barbican. It opens on 1 October and two of Factory Classical's most celebrated alumni are helping to launch proceedings.

John Metcalfe curates Beyond The Loop featuring The Duke Quartet, Max Richter and The John Metcalfe Band. There is a further performance by The Duke Quartet later in the year. Plus, Graham Fitkin (FACT 346 Flak) presents The Multiplier Series of concerts focusing on single instrumental timbres.

Sadly 'Factory Music' on 9 December has nothing whatsoever to do with Factory Records.

More info and how to book at www.kingsplace.co.uk.

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Metcalfe: Beyond The Loop
Wednesday 1 October
Hall Two
Curated by John Metcalfe

"An extremely rare chance to hear three of the UK's most distinctive and absorbing ensembles and composers in one space. World renowned for their passionate dynamism, the Duke Quartet perform Steve Reich's iconic Different Trains, followed by pianist-composer Max Richter and ensemble playing his hugely powerful and haunting music from the acclaimed CDs Songs from Before and The Blue Notebooks, both on Brighton's seminal label Fat Cat. John Metcalfe's band, featuring outstanding musicians from the electronic scene, produce searing strings and beats coupled with electric intimacy and lush cinematica. Not to be missed."

The Duke Quartet plays Steve Reich's Different Trains
Time: 14:45

Max Richter plays Max Richter
Time: 16:00
[Max Richter, piano Louisa Fuller, violin Natalie Bonner, violin John Metcalfe, viola Chris Worsey, cello Ian Burdge, cello]

The John Metcalfe Band plays John Metcalfe
Time: 17:15

Unfortunately, Beyond The Loop is already sold out but check with the venue for returns.

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The Multiplier Series
Curated by Graham Fitkin
Tue 28 October and Tue 16 December 2008
Hall Two
8.00pm
Ticket prices from 11.50 GBP

"Composer Graham Fitkin has put together a series of concerts focusing on single instrumental timbres, monochromatic if you like, eschewing necessary orchestration. Whether it's a string quartet, four pianos, two basalt stones or three accordionists, each evening looks at how multiples of similar instruments are a potent musical force."

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London Chamber Music Series
Sun 2 November 2008
The Duke Quartet + Tom Kerstens
Hall One
6.30pm
Tickets 16.50 GBP, Saver Seats 9.50 GBP

"The Duke Quartet is joined by guitarist Tom Kerstens in a concert of bowed and plucked string music. Britten's last quartet is followed by the Quintet by Cuban composer Leo Brouwer. Schubert would have often heard his lieder played on guitar by friends in the private house concerts in Vienna: his famous 'Death and the Maiden' Quartet based on the lied of that name, completes the recital."

Labels: Factory_Classical, Factory_Records, John_Metcalfe, labels

John Metcalfe's new album 'A Darker Sunset' is out now on The Big Chill Recordings and will be launched with a gig at the 100 Club in London on 24 September 2008. Tickets priced 8.00 GBP available from wegottickets.com.

The full album tracklisting is:

Echo Valley
Shock Of Recognition
Felt Unseen
Copper Beech
Whole Day Nearer
Otama
Nothing More True
Parkstone
As She Fell
You Call My Name
Undertow
Higher Lighter
Constant Filter
Otama (Palm Skin Remix)
Whole Day Nearer (Sawhney Remix)

The album is available for the bargain price of 6.32 GBP on iTunes UK (in the superior iTunes Plus format).

Labels: John_Metcalfe

John Metcalfe's long-awaited new album 'A Darker Sunset' will definitely be out later this year on The Big Chill Recordings. In the meantime here's a quick rundown of what John and also The Duke Quartet are up to this Summer.

John is composing a new 10-minute piece for guitarist Tom Kurstens and his G+ ensemble for performance at the South Bank Centre in July.

On 6 June 2008, John will be composing live with Simon Hale, The Bays and members of Norway's Bit20 ensemble in Birmingham's Custard Factory as part of the Integra Festival, a 3-year project led by the Birmingham Conservatoire in the UK and part financed by Culture 2000. Show starts at 7.30.

The Duke Quartet will be in residence at the Dartington Summer School from 9-16 August 2008.

The Dukes will be closing Brighton's Soundwaves Festival performing Bartok String Quartet No 6, Part Fratres, Philip Venables String Quartet and a new work by Rolf Hind. The concert takes place in the Pavilion Theatre on Sunday 29 June 2008 at 7.30pm.

Labels: John_Metcalfe

from john-metcalfe.co.uk:

"We have an outing at Ginglik on the 9th February. Described by Time Out as "An ace bunker bar chokker full of warmth and character", it's in Shepherd's Bush, London. Should be on around 9.30 and it's only a fiver. Hope to see you there."

Labels: John_Metcalfe

The Bays and The Heritage Orchestra with composers John Metcalfe and Simon Hale will tonight play a unique improvised gig reports Pascal Wyse in The Guardian.

The improvised music played by The Bays will be fed into a computer and analysed by a program called Sibelius. Metcalfe and Hale will then write orchestral parts as the piece progresses. John Metcalfe says "There's an element of danger, that's for sure. It's scary, but I'm looking forward to it. I think what we do will affect how the Bays play - they will have to make fewer changes, and perhaps evolve the music more gradually; otherwise we might get left behind. One composer will do woodwind and brass, the other strings. Halfway through, we'll swap."

Bays drummer Andy Gangadeen (who also plays in Metcalfe's live band) says "It's a bit like the TV show Curb Your Enthusiasm. There is a huge amount of improvisation in there, but I didn't realise it at first. After knowing that, somehow it makes it more special."

It all sounds pretty good. Pret-ty pret-ty pret-ty good.

Labels: John_Metcalfe

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