Carpenter Brut: Release Party

A great opportunity to catch a live performance by the mighty Carpenter Brut thanks to the good people at Arte.

Our favourite purveyors of 80s horror soundtrack electro-rock star in a performance at an American high school gig we all wish we were at some time in the early 90s.

Carpenter Brut recently released their soundtrack for Blood Machine, a 50-minute SF film collaboration between the band and director Seth Ickerman that follows up their Turbo Killer music video.

The film's in the final stage of production and the soundtrack is available on digital platforms, and to be released on vinyl later this year.

Meanwhile, this live set has all the 80s/early 90s movie style elements in place, with a set that's not a million miles from Nirvana's Smells like teen spirit video, and an audience who have come straight from teenage late-night movie central casting, with a little bit of appropriate narrative suspense to add to the flavour.

French flavour at Coachella 2018

The bill for this year's Coachella festival in California sees a noticeable number of French artists this year.

It's a big event, arguably the most prominent music festival in the USA. Given its proximity to LA, it's a major platform for artists aiming to establish themselves in the entertainment industry and to mix with some of the biggest showbiz industry figures.

Remarkably one French act playing this year doesn't really need to establish himself, given that he's already sold more albums than most artists could ever dream of and established and repeatedly broke the world record for concert attendances. But Jean-Michel Jarre has always been a forward-looking artist and has made a career of a pioneering new ideas.

For all his heritage, he's probably aware that many of the well-heeled young Americans won't have heard of him, but given his electronics not only laid the foundations for much of the contemporary music but also continues to push the boundaries and create music every bit as interesting as many younger acts, he should have no trouble convincing the crowd he's a million miles away from a nostalgia act.

French electronics also feature with Carpenter Brut, no strangers to this blog, who play further down the bill on the opening day.

Honorary French artist Benjamin Clementine plays too, Ibeyi are playing in the Sunday and a sharp eye also reveals Petit Biscuit also on stage on day three.

True, none of the French acts have billing over Eminem, Beyoncé or The Weeknd

Coachella festival is held on two weekends, April 13, 14 and 15 and the following weekend April 20, 21 and 22, with the same artists playing each weekend.

Carpenter Brut: UK Tour

Carpenter Brut begin a short run of UK dates with a show in Glasgow tonight.

The music a blend of rock, 80s electro, video nasty soundtracks. In short, there's much to love there. Hollywood should green light a raft of films just for the purpose of using Carpenter Brut in the soundtrack.

The Trilogy album from 2015 which compiles his three previous EPs was repressed on vinyl recently, but has already sold out . Another pressing is expected later this year.

The tour sees Carpenter Brut, in the form of Franck Hueso with a guitarist and drummer, play Milton Keynes, Bristol, Manchester, and London and then on to Dublin in Ireland.

After this, they'er  off to North America for an extensive series of dates in March.

Carpenter Brut are also on the bill for the Download festival in Paris on June.

New Acts: Carpenter Brut - Anarchy Road

An apocalyptic and cinematic video by Carpenter Brut for the track Anarchy Road.

The music is an epic piece of widescreen electro that features on their EPIII release that came out last month.

Carpenter Brut take electronic music to somewhere darker than it normally goes, influenced by 80s horror movies, retro synths and metal.

In a recent interview he said he was inspired  by Depeche Mode for this track.

Carpenter Brut release their debut album trilogy next month, a triple album on on Neuropa / No Quarter records.