The Contrast » News

Underground Review Poster

Marc A. Price — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 13:11:54 +0000

Wicked Cool have just released a poster for the Underground garage event at Hard Rock 2011 on Saturday 25th June in Hyde Park, London. you can see it in all it’s super cool underground glory by clicking on the detail below.

Poster for the Underground Review at Hard Rock Calling 2011

The Contrast at Hard Rock Calling 2011

Marc A. Price — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 10:17:15 +0000

The Contrast have been confirmed as guests on the Bandstand stage of the 2011 Hard Rock Calling Festival in Hyde Park, London on Saturday 25th June 2011.

The acts for the Bandstand stage have been hand picked by Steven Van Zandt himself and is as follows:

Look for twitter updates using this hashtag. #HRC2011

Curating the Bandstand Stage is Steve Van Zandt of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. Steve has chosen his best picks of up and coming talent, including UK New Wave powerpop-rockers, The Contrast.

via The Contrast – Artist – Hard Rock Calling.

David Plays solo and acoustic at Liverpool IPO

Marc A. Price — Mon, 16 May 2011 09:05:46 +0000

Due to circumstances beyond their control The Contrast will not be able to play the Liverpool IPO this coming Friday (20th May). However, in order not to disappoint the fans and the organisers that have supported the band a great deal over the years David Reid has decided to perform a solo acoustic set. Prior to The Contrast Reid cut his teeth as a young artist performing solo sets, so this rare solo outing will definitely be something to look out for.

Look out for a very exciting announcement coming soon regarding a forthcoming performance from The Contrast.

Liverpool International Pop Overthrow 2011

Marc A. Price — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 10:33:32 +0000

The Contrast are going down to Liverpool once again this year for their (seemingly) regular appearance at the Liverpool International Pop Overthrow festival. The band will hit the stage for two shows at the Cavern Club in Liverpool on Friday 2oth May. The first show is at 9:30pm on the back stage and they will be taking to the Main stage later on at 12:15am.

For more details check out our Upcoming Shows page.

http://thecontrast.net/live/the-contrast-in-liverpool-on-20-may-11/

http://thecontrast.net/live/the-contrast-in-liverpool-on-21-may-11/

More information will be posted on the official IPO page as soon as it is available, go to http://www.internationalpopoverthrow.com/.

The full schedule is listed below:

Tuesday, May 17: The Cavern Pub

3:30 Tao
4:15 Felix Langstieh
5:00 Evaney
5:45 Jack Mittleman
6:30 Bjørn Pellebakke
7:15 New Vinyl
8:00 The Red Comets
8:45 The Brights
9:30 Hijinx
10:15 Loser Token
11:00 SMASH Fashion
11:45 Rogue Frequency

Tuesday, May 17: The Cavern Club

Front Stage

6:15 Felix Langstieh
7:00 Rogue Frequency
7:45 Viperlace
8:30 Merry-Go
9:15 Duncan Townsend
10:00 Jack Mittleman
10:45 Junebug
11:30 Bjørn Pellebakke
12:15 54321

Back Stage

6:00 The Brights
6:45 Dagos
7:30 Hijinx
8:15 SMASH Fashion
9:00 Loser Token
9:45 54321
10:30 New Vinyl
11:15 Viperlace
12:00 Merry-Go

Wednesday, May 18: The Cavern Pub

3:30 Andrea Caccese
4:15 The Cocos
5:00 The Likely Lads
5:45 The Herron Brothers
6:30 Richard Batty
7:15 Focal Point
8:00 The Soundcasters
8:45 Dagos
9:30 The Dukes Jetty
10:15 Spygenius
11:00 Captain Wilberforce
11:45 20lb Sounds

Wednesday, May 18: The Cavern Club
Front Stage

6:15 Andrea Caccese
7:00 Gavin Kaufman
7:45 The Wags
8:30 Evaney
9:15 The Grande
10:00 The Likely Lads
10:45 The Soundcasters
11:30 The Dukes Jetty
12:15 Tao

Back Stage

6:00 The Wags
6:45 Spygenius
7:30 The Herron Brothers
8:15 Captain Wilberforce
9:00 David Sayle
9:45 Echo Lips
10:30 Susan Hedges
11:15 The Cocos
12:00 Night Parade

Thursday, May 19: The Cavern Pub

3:30 Rachel Dunn
4:15 Fun Of The Pier
5:00 Gary Stewart
5:45 Richard Snow & The Inlaws
6:30 Houdini Dax
7:15 The Method
8:00 Seagull Kinevil
8:45 Echo Lips
9:30 Jealous
10:15 The Bear Beats Band
11:00 Gavin Kaufman
11:45 The Targets

Thursday, May 19: The Cavern Club

Front Stage

6:15 Seagull Kinevil
7:00 Twilight Birds
7:45 Gary Stewart
8:30 The Bear Beats Band
9:15 Sara Lowes
10:00 Agony Aunts
10:45 Richard Snow & The Inlaws
11:30 The Anydays
12:15 Modern Day Heroes

Back Stage

6:00 The Gutterfighters
6:45 Eskimo Blonde
7:30 The Targets
8:15 The Beat Rats
9:00 The Anydays
9:45 David John Jaggs
10:30 The Jooles
11:15 Sara Lowes
12:00 Jealous

Friday, May 20: The Cavern Pub

12:15 The Peppermint Beat Band
1:00 Cardinal Jack
1:45 Goodfellows
2:30 The Seasongs
3:15 Twilight Birds
4:00 Eskimo Blonde
4:45 The Kik
5:30 The Jooles
6:15 The Corner Laughers
7:00 Honeybug
7:45 The Sonic Jewels
8:30 Susan Hedges
9:15 Jeremy
10:00 The Breakdowns

Friday, May 20: The Cavern Club

Front Stage

12:15 Rachel Dunn
1:00 Fun Of The Pier
1:45 Squire
2:30 The Dirty Royals
3:15 The Foxes
4-6pm: Cavern Club tribute to Lennon/McCartney
6:15 Night Parade
7:00 The Montanas
7:45 The Suns
8:30 The Moons
9:15 Elgazelle
10:00 The Beat Rats
10:45 The Kik
11:30 The Len Price 3
12:15 The Contrast
1:00 Empire

Back Stage

2:45 The Sonic Jewels
3:30 Cardinal Jack
4:15 Goodfellows
5:00 The Peppermint Beat Band
5:45 Jacksonville Skyline
6:30 Houdini Dax
7:15 The Method
8:00 The Breakdowns
8:45 The Foxe
9:30 The Contrast
10:15 The Dirty Royals
11:00 Modern Day Heroes
11:45 Major Major
12:30 Big Deal
1:15 Emerald Park

Saturday, May 21: The Cavern Pub

12:00 Ben Dlugokecki
12:45 Emerald Park
1:30 Major Major
2:15 Beta Rays
3:00 The Len Price 3
3:45 Sparkle*jets UK
4:30 Longplayer
5:15 Steve Roberts & Zen Bank Of England

Saturday, May 21: The Cavern Club

Front Stage

12:15 Steve Roberts & Zen Bank Of England
1:00 4th Street Traffic
1:45 Sparkle*jets UK
2:30 Big Deal
3:15 Ben Dlugokecki
4-6pm: Cavern Club tribute to Lennon/McCartney
6:15 The Fuzzy Halo
7:00 Mellowmen
7:45 Radio Days
8:30 The Heavens

Back Stage

12:30 The Seasongs
1:15 Warm Morning
2:00 The Temponauts
2:45 Squire
3:30 Focal Point
4:15 The Carousels
5:00 Elgazelle
5:45 Empire
6:30 The Heavens
7:15 The June
8:00 Built On Tradition
8:45 Beta Rays
9:30 The Moons
10:15 Octubre
11:00 Ulysses
11:45 Mellowmen
12:30 Longplayer
1:15 Night After Prom

Sunday, May 22: The Cavern Pub

12:00 The Fore
12:45 The 286
1:30 Octubre
2:15 Fred’s House
3:00 Simon Eugene
3:45 The June
4:30 Ulysses
5:15 The Temponauts
6:00 Kelly’s Heels
6:45 Radio Days
7:30 The Mayflowers
8:15 Mini
9:00 4th Street Traffic
9:45 Set Alight
10:30 Bruise
11:15 Jacksonville Skyline

Sunday, May 22: The Cavern Club

Front Stage

12:15 Ross and The Wrongens
1:00 The Pearly Cubes
1:45 The Red Comets
2:30 Blake Jones & The Trike Shop
3:15 The Mayflowers
4-6pm: Cavern Club tribute to Lennon/McCartney
6:15 The Fore
7:00 Fred’s House
7:45 The 286
8:30 Warm Morning
9:15 Lovely
10:00 The Junipers
10:45 Neil Sturgeon and The Informaniacs
11:30 The Carousels
12:15 The Gutterfighters

Back Stage

12:30 Bruise
1:15 Set Alight
2:00 Mini
2:45 Honeybug
3:30 Rinaldi Sings
4:15 Neil Sturgeon and The Informaniacs
5:00 Lovely
5:45 The Junipers
6:30 Ross and The Wrongens
7:15 Simon Eugene
8:00 The Pearly Cubes
8:45 William Seen’s Transport Music
9:30 The Pleasure
10:15 Junebug
11:00 Clockwise
11:45 Jeremy

Monday, May 23: The Cavern Pub

3:30 Van Susans
4:15 Durban
5:00 Kevin McGowan
5:45 Penguin Party
6:30 Blake Jones & The Trike Shop
7:15 David John Jaggs
8:00 Kyle Vincent
8:45 Duncan Townsend
9:30 Rinaldi Sings
10:15 Outbox
11:00 Maple Mars
11:45 The Imagineers

Monday, May 23: The Cavern Club

Front Stage
(Bongo Beat Records/Viper Label Showcase 10:00pm – closing)

6:15 The Pleasure
7:00 Clockwise
7:45 The Jardines
8:30 Penguin Party
9:15 William Seen’s Transport Music
10:00 The Good Intentions
10:45 Plastic Heroes
11:30 Mike Badger
12:15 Dave Rave

Back Stage

6:00 Van Susans
6:45 Kelly’s Heels
7:30 The Suns
8:15 The Fuzzy Halo
9:00 Maple Mars
9:45 Durban
10:30 The Montanas
11:15 20lb Sounds
12:00 Outbox

Tuesday, May 24: The Cavern Pub

3:30 Dan Clews
4:15 The Jardines
5:00 The Grande
5:45 The Fallen Troubadours
6:30 Postcards From Places That Don’t Exist
7:15 David Sayle
8:00 The Flaming Moes
8:45 The Whybirds
9:30 Super 8 Cynics
10:15 The Ladykillers
11:00 The Queue
11:45 The Vise

Tuesday, May 24: The Cavern Club

Front Stage

6:15 Super 8 Cynics
7:00 The Imagineers
7:45 Richard Batty
8:30 The Ladykillers
9:15 Kyle Vincent
10:00 Dan Clews
10:45 The Flaming Moes
11:30 Kevin McGowan
12:15 Built On Tradition

Back Stage

(Bongo Beat Records/Viper Label Showcase 9:45pm – closing)

6:00 The Whybirds
6:45 The Queue
7:30 The Vise
8:15 The Fallen Troubadours
9:00 Postcards From Places That Don’t Exist
9:45 The Good Intentions
10:30 Plastic Heroes
11:15 Mike Badger
12:00 Dave Rave

Liverpool IPO 2010

Marc A. Price — Tue, 18 May 2010 06:10:56 +0000

The Liverpool IPO is coming up again. From 25th May through to 1st June here are loads of great bands to choose from in Liverpool. Once again The Contrast will be gracing the stages of the Cavern Pub and the Cavern Club. on the same night (Friday May 28th). The full line up for the evening is below. The full schedule for this year’s IPO can be found at http://www.internationalpopoverthrow.com/schedule-Liverpool-2010.htm

Friday, May 28
The Cavern Pub

12:15 TBA
1:00 Focal Point
1:45 The Anydays
2:30 Boston Manor
3:15 Krakatoa
4:00 The Deccas
4:45 The Beat Rats
5:30 The Ace
6:15 The Dukes Jetty
7:00 The Madd
7:45 Popgun
8:30 Karl Morgan & The Click
9:15 High Child
10:00 The Contrast

Friday, May 28
The Cavern Club
Front Stage

12:15 The Seasongs
1:00 Kelly’s Heels
1:45 The Corderoys
2:30 The Gurus
3:15 Yani Martinelli
4:00-6:00: John Lennon 70th Birthday Tribute6:15 Paul Bevoir
7:00 Cola Jet Set
7:45 Detox Cute & the Beauty Junkies 8:30 The Ragamuffins
9:15 Feel Dizzy
10:00 The Hype
10:45 The Dukes Jetty
11:30 The Madd
12:15 The Fuzzy Halo
1:00 The Fast Camels
1:45 Rockburn
2:30 Stars in Coma

Friday, May 28
The Cavern Club
Back Stage

2:00 The Seasongs
2:45 Bang 74
3:30 Feel Dizzy
4:15 High Child
5:00 The Fuzzy Halo
5:45 Jeremy
6:30 TBA
7:15 The Corderoys
8:00 The Anydays
8:45 The Gurus
9:30 Bruise
10:15 Twilight Birds
11:00 Karl Morgan & The Click
11:45 DC Tempest
12:30 Krakatoa
1:15 Empire
2:00 The Contrast
2:45 The Movers

God of Malfunction Streaming

Marc A. Price — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 18:37:33 +0000

Wicked Cool have entered into an exclusive deal with various websites so that for this week only you will be able to hear the new album completely free of charge. This is excellent news for those of you that like try before you buy.

The Contrast’s new album God of Malfunction will be available for free streaming all this week on the below websites:

Spinner Music: http://www.spinnermusic.co.uk/new-releases#/10

The Street Date: http://www.thestreetdate.com/the-contrast-god-of-malfunction/ — this one seems to be USA only

MSN: http://music.msn.com/music/listeningbooth/ a direct link to the stream is here.

All the streams are exclusively running just for one week. It can of course be purchased from the Wicked Cool store.

New The Contrast T-Shirt

Marc A. Price — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:51:25 +0000

Wicked Cool have produced a new t-shirt to coincide with the release of “God of Malfunction”. This fab design features the band and the variation of the band logo that I use on this site.

100% preshrunk cotton (6.1 ounces), in a metro blue, with a stunning, three color design (in dark red, orange, and red). Double-needle stitched. Seamless color. Taped shoulder-to-shoulder. Seamless collarette.

http://www.wickedcoolrecords.com/shop/bands/the-contrast/the-contrast-god-of-malfunction-t-shirt-men.html

Also available bundled with the CD of God of Malfunction http://www.wickedcoolrecords.com/shop/bands/the-contrast/the-contrast-god-of-malfunction-blue-t-shirt-cd-bundle-men-pre-order.html

Amazon.com: Coming Back To Life: The Contrast: MP3 Downloads

Marc A. Price — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 15:42:03 +0000

The first single from The Contrast’s new album “God of Malfunction” is now available for download on Amazon.com.

The track was recently voted “Coolest Song in the World” on Little Steven’s Underground Garage.

God of Malfunction Pre-order [updated]

Marc A. Price — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:02:34 +0000

The new album by the Contrast “God of Malfunction” is now available for pre-order direct from the Wicked Cool website. The album is available as either a CD or a Digital Download, these options both come with the possibility of bundling with a cool new t-shirt design. It is also possible to order the t-shirt on its own.

All digital downloads are MP3s are 320kb quality and DRM free so can be enjoyed on any type of MP3 player.

Check out the Wicked Cool records page of The Contrast’s goodies at http://www.wickedcoolrecords.com/shop/bands/the-contrast

[UPDATE] God of Malfunction is also available to pre-order on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

New Wicked Cool Press Release

Marc A. Price — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:51:07 +0000

The below is a new press release from Wicked Cool regarding the forthcoming album by The Contrast “God of Malfunction”.

Little Steven behind the board for energetic Brit-band The Contrast
Official Press release – February 25 2010:
The Contrast’s ‘God of Malfunction’ (Wicked Cool/ April 13): Twelve More of “The Coolest Songs in the World”
The Contrast “could be the first great 21st century power-pop band” (Houston Post, 4.10.08), and they offer further proof on ‘God of Malfunction,’ their 6th album and first for Little Steven Van Zandt’s Wicked Cool Records, out April 13.

Little Steven has been the energetic Brit-band’s champion since 2002, when he touted their track “Mystery #1″ as the “coolest song in the world’ on his “Underground Garage” radio show. In fact, during 2007, Steven put together a compilation of his favorite Contrast tracks for Wicked Cool and called it “Perfect Disguise – Introducing The Contrast.” Now, with Van Zandt as Executive Producer on a studio album for the first time, The Contrast were bolder, and ‘God of Malfunction’ delivers twelve of the best, jangly, guitar-driven, power pop gems of the band’s career.

Their spirit is perfectly captured by the album’s first single, “Coming Back to Life,” with its memorable chorus: “We are strange, getting stranger // We won’t change, we’ll screw the danger // Coming back to life.”

See a video clip of “Coming Back To Life” here:

The band’s distinctive Rickenbacker jangle and chime is back, along with other vintage guitar and keyboard sounds, enhanced this time by cello,theremin, mellotron, treated electric piano & Eno-esque ambient textures – “whatever it takes,” says Glasgow-born lead singer/songwriter/guitarist David Reid.

Says Little Steven: “This is The Contrast’s most creative and ambitious work to date.”

# # # #

For more information on The Contrast, Wicked Cool Records and Little Steven Van Zandt, please contact Diana D’Angelo (ddangelo@shorefire.com) or Chris Taillie (ctaillie@shorefire.com) at Shore Fire Media
http://www.shorefire.com/clients/wickedcool/