Sweet Sweet Records

Ralph has been known to enjoy the odd festival but interest in Dot To Dot this year was heightened by the news that Sweet Sweet Records were hosting a stage on May 26th and Ralph's long-time favourites Duke and The Darlings were taking to it.

Manchester's fiercely independent Sweet Sweet Records will host a stage at the national Dot To Dot Festival 2017.

Sweet Sweet Records will host seven acts at No1 Watson Street on Friday May 26th as part of the Manchester leg of the three-part Dot To Dot Festival.

Music will start at 4pm with darling of BBC Introducing Liam McClair and climax with the neo-soul grooves and vocal moves of Alice Gasson, with an eclectic mix of lauded local acts in between. A free album with songs from all the acts is available to stream on Spotify: 

Curated and organised by local independent label Sweet Sweet Records, the stage at No1 Watson Street boasts a wide range of musicians, and an even wider range of craft beers, with 12 taps, including Manchester beer heroes Cloudwater and Blackjack, and over 50 bottles. Attendees can also savour any of the craft pizzas on offer, with the All Day Breakfast pizza perfect for curing hangovers and getting you gig-ready.

The Sweet Sweet Records stage at No1 Watson Street is situated across from the main stage at Royal Albert Hall, and a few minutes away from other festival venues.

Alex Reed, founder of Sweet Sweet Records said: "It is simply the best way to celebrate what is happening in and around Manchester. Awesome local music and local food washed down with brilliant local beer.　We have hosted many gigs for many acts, many of which in breweries, but this is the most exciting combination to date."

Tickets are only available pre-event and can be purchased here: http://bit.ly/2mPGpaf

The full line-up for the Sweet Sweet Records Stage at No1 Watson Street is as follows:

4pm　Liam McClair

5pm　Hannah Ashcroft

6pm　George Fell

7pm　KITS

8pm　Duke and The Darlings

9pm　South Island Son

10pm　Alice Gasson

No1 Watson Street is a craft pizza and craft beer bar right in the heart of the Peter Street/Great Northern area, with a big and tasty range of both.

Sweet Sweet Records started in 2010, offering a small roster of acts a chance to share their music. Manchester-proud, the label dedicate most of their time to arranging unique events for local acts who really deserve a bit of a fuss. Residencies have included Brewdog Manchester, The Brink, Seven Bro7hers Beerhouse and Beer Nouveau Brewery.

Alex Darling

Ralph's been a long time fan of the alternatively poppy stylings of Manchester band Duke And The Darlings these last few moons, so when news of a solo venture by Alex Darling filtered in over the ether it was time to have a word.

Shooed Away is the first of two solo releases for Alex Darling and features vocals from soul singer Alice Gasson, and guitar from both Iwan Jones from Clockwork Radio and Luke Wilkinson from DATD. The song is a departure from the energetic alternative pop of DATD, as it delves tenderly into the evocative subjects of familial estrangement and existential bewilderment.

With thanks to Nicola Jaye - MCR Photographer

Although Duke and the Darlings are set to release a new single, recorded at Abbey Road Studios on Sweet Sweet Records, Alex was keen to emphasise that these separate releases are - "a necessary step in progressing musically. Thinking outside of the usual box and working with talented artists from other genres has ushered my songwriting forward."

Ralph pressed on: How easy/difficult do you find it to steer a seemingly more introverted course with your music as opposed to DATD's bouncier style?

Alex: "It is the side of my writing that has always existed, but never really surfaced. The DATD track House of Cards and a song you won't have heard, The Click (currently being mastered at Abbey Road Studios) were more introverted songs played through the means of the band, but naturally that gave them more dynamic and a latent energy; there was a decision by us all not to force that energy that comes so naturally for a band onto Shooed Away because it was that bit more tender."

Ralph: Is there a cathartic element to the solo writing?

With thanks to Nicola Jaye - MCR Photographer

Alex: "All of my songs come from the same place. Some of the loudest songs we play in DATD are some of the most personal. The most cathartic aspect of performing a song is making sure the energy of the music matches the sentiment behind the song. But there was a different type of catharsis in having gone through the process of releasing a solo song." 

With thanks to - MCR Photographer

"For someone who has been in bands his whole life, it was uncharted territory. Some songs take over your headspace until they are completed and this is definitely one of those: there was a real sense of release once we had committed all of the ideas in my mind to tape."

Ralph: Corrie or Emmerdale?

Alex: "I'm not a telly kind of a guy, but my mate is currently in Emmerdale as a detective so I should probably so that. That said he has been in Corrie too, so I'm torn! I grew up with mum watching all of the soaps but never fell in love. Fuck it, Corrie." 

Ralph: What do you feel Alice's soul-fused vocal brings to your musical table?

Alex: "Rhythm and groove. Her voice is phenomenal and effortless, but the way she plays around the beat is what made me think of her when I needed that female vocal. Although it is pretty much a swooning lullaby, there is a lot of syncopation in the guitars that Alice plays off. Her range, too, opens up the sonisphere of the track as my vocal on the song is more narrative and contained." 

Ralph: Plans for more solo releases and maybe even an album?

Alex: "There is another song already under way, I Won't Change. It was performed live with DATD when we played SoFar Sounds Manchester and it was brilliant for that intimate setting. But that was a one-off, a unique show. The song definitely has a second life, but in my head it sounds very different to the night." 

Ralph: Any solo gigs/single launch planned?

Alex: "DATD have too much going on with the Abbey Road singles, UK dates soon to be announced and new songs being worked on for EP number four. I want nothing to get in the way of DATD. The two solo releases planned were not about doing what the band does but on my own, it was about challenging my songwriting and orchestration."

Ralph: Hot Pot or Scouse?

Alex: "Lancy with brown sauce." 

Ralph: Considering collabs with any other artists with different stylings? 

Alex: "Just you watch this space..."

So there you have it, a little insight into the musical world of Alex Darling and the eagerly awaited release of Shooed Away on October 3rd...having had a sneak preview I can tell you it's extremely pleasing on the ears with the vocal counterpoint between Alex and Alice a delight...shades of The Beautiful South...watch this space indeed!