Levi's One To Watch!
Kicking off the 2008 LOTW shows in style, the much acclaimed Birmingham 3 piece Johnny Foreigner are taking to the stage in Liverpool, for what promises to be a blistering night of frenetic, joyous, pop.
Their bewildering sound is brimming with Sonic Youth-like guitars, yelpy boy-girl vocals and a solid rhythm section. Recently signed to Best Before Records, their debut EP was released to much acclaim. This limited release has now sold out and the band have just returned from New York where they have recorded their debut album proper, produced by Machine (Fall Out Boy, Armor for Sleep)
Rough Trade had this to say about them: “Johnny Foreigner play noise pop with scratchy guitars and lo-fi busy beats. They sound like a mix of Huggy Ber, Help She Can’t Swim, and Cap n Jazz. Essential.”
www.myspace.com/johnnyforeigner
In support is 20 year old Sam Isaacs from the West Midlands. Think Spinto Band, Ed Harcourt and Bright Eyes, and you will be closer to imagining Sam’s blend of “Beautiful, pounding love pop” (NME)
Having self released two mini albums, both of which received national radio play, April saw Sam release a split 10” on Mannequin Republic – the new label of Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly’s Sam Duckworth. Sessions followed on Radio1, Radio 2 and XFM. Sam Isaac’s debut single “Sideways” was released on 10th December by Big Scary Monster Records and Alcopop! Records.
www.myspace.com/samisaac
Now in its fifth year, Levi’s® OnesToWatch® has firmly established its reputation as a reliable indicator for artists about to hit the big time. With five monthly shows at Barfly venues across the country LOTW has been introducing stellar line ups this year so far with charged performances by The Noisettes, I Was A Cub Scout, XX Teens, Scouting For Girls, We Are The Physics, Tokyo Police Club, Air Traffic, The Pistolas and The Envy Corps among many others.
Levi's® has been bringing raw music acts from the suburbs into the public consciousness for over two decades now. The LOTW music programme, which launched in 2004 as a series of monthly gigs at Barfly venues across the UK, has been a natural extension of this long affiliation with music, showcasing the best in new talent and giving a unique opportunity for emerging artists to play to a discerning audience.
Acts to date have included an astounding number of success stories, prompting a reputation for LOTW as both a channel for new talent and a reliable gauge for the future music scene. Featured acts include The View, The Fratellis, Scissor Sisters, Bloc Party, Hard-Fi, The Kaiser Chiefs, Arctic Monkeys and The Kooks to name but a handful.
As well as the gigs, additional Levi's® OnesToWatch® events have included the Channel 4 documentary, ‘Levi’s® Ones To Watch®: Editors, The Kooks and Kubichek’, which snuck behind the scenes of the LOTW 2005 tour, and the 2006 LOTW student tour featuring The Mystery Jets, The Fratellis, Forward Russia and Humanzi, which sold out three of its five nationwide dates.
December 2006 saw LOTW launch its own, instantly successful channel on web video giant, Youtube.com, featuring constantly updated, exclusive footage from many of the best gigs.
For more information see eu.levi.com/lotw