An Interview with Placid

Today We’re joined by Paige, Scott, Luke and James from Placid who will be Opening our First Gig at The Brunswick Cellar Bar on the 10th of September! They describe themselves as “High energy noise for those who like to move”

So Placid, Tell us a bit about yourself? When did you start and how did you form? Did you know
each other prior? What would say makes your band different?

We formed in Rye but James and Scott joined the band later when we moved to Brighton, and we
knew each other from going to gigs and other stuff. We like to be different but that’s not what our
main focus is really, we just want to do what we like and if you don’t like it that’s cool but our aim
isn’t to please a certain audience we just love what we do and play live really. 

What do you hope to achieve through your band? Any inspirations or targets?

We just want to make good music and see people enjoy it and get something positive from it in their
lives.

Who would you say are your biggest influences?

We all listen to completely different styles of music, whether it’s the wytches or Janis Joplin we just
take our different influences and mash them together I guess. 

Where did the name Placid come from?

We liked the word and that was it really 

As a Punk Band how do you find yourselves in a modern day music scene that’s looking for new
things? Would you say it’s a help or a hindrance?

We don’t mind about what’s going on in the music scene as long as we get to write what we like
that's all that we care about, there's a few great bands out in the Brighton scene at the moment
like Swanmeat, Libra Libra and Our Family Dog and as long as there’s good music that's all we
care about 

You recently took a 3 month break from gigging? What was the reason and what have you been
doing in the meantime?

Our original bass player and drummer were no longer in the band so we needed to find new
members and we wanted to make sure that they were not just great players but cool people as
well and we are really happy with the outcome of it all and we’ve been recording a new single for
the emerging compilation album with small pond so we are very excited for that as well.

You said you rehearse in a shed in the woods? What’s that like?

It’s great we liked the atmosphere of it and we got to be louder as it was outside

What would you say is the best moment you’ve had so far in the band?

Our single release gig for our song “popularity” was our best moment by far it was a great gig 

And the worse?

When we aren’t playing 

Do you have anything special prepared for The Brunswick?

You’ll have to wait and see 

Thanks for joining us, Is there anything else you would like to say?

Fuck Boris Johnson 

Big Thank You to Placid who have joined us here today. Placid will be opening our Debut Gig @
The Brunswick Cellar Bar, Brighton on the 10th of September. In the meantime you can check
them out on Social media at

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/PLAC1D/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/placid_band/

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/artist/6FJfPGZQLnTYvNjnebSK32?si=M0LRKsr6SrynT95Ux33PZw 

Don’t forget to Like our Page (facebook.com/deadkawaiipromotions) for more news and updates!

An Interview with Hester Hawthorne

Today We’re joined by Hester Hawthorne. Local Burlesque Dancer & “Formerly New Zealand's
favourite stripping Muppet” who will be performing at our First Gig at The Brunswick Cellar Bar on
the 10th of September!

So Hester, Tell us a bit about yourself? When did you start Burlesque Dancing? And what got you into
it? What would you say makes you unique?

I started in burlesque over ten years ago now, though I have had several long breaks over that
time. I was a club stripper when I started and I loved getting up on stage. I had an interest in crafting
and costuming and desire to do something a little different from my usual stripping. Some people I
knew were putting on a show so I joined in. Right from the start they thought my ideas were a bit
weird and didn't invite me back so I went on to produce a couple of shows to offer opportunities to
other weirdos and somehow became part of the beginning of the Wellington burlesque scene.

What do you hope to achieve through your art? Any goals or ideas you’d like to do?

I have far more ideas than I could ever make acts from. Daydreaming about things I think would be
funny to do mostly naked is one of my major pastimes. Mostly I just want to get creative, have fun
and confuse, amuse and arouse the audience. 

Who would you say are your biggest influences?

Jo Weldon is who first inspired me. I saw a photo of her in her "Boobzilla" costume and it really spoke
to me. She's also a kickass older woman and super vocal about sex workers' rights.

In the UK I have been lucky enough to be mentored by Queen of Queerlesque, Rubyyy Jones and
while our styles are very different her input has really given me the push to be more brave and
ambitious in my acts.

You originally came from New Zealand? What’s the difference between performing there and in the
UK?

The hardest thing about moving here has been that nobody knows who the hell I am! Going from
having producers who knew and trusted me to be in their shows to being a total newbie to the scene
here has been tough. On the other hand I have had some fabulous opportunities that I wouldn't
have had in New Zealand, like traveling to perform in different countries.

You like to combine Cosplay into your Burlesque acts? What inspired that and what’s the creative
process behind it? What challenges does it present compared to traditional Burlesque?

I have never been a proper cosplayer but I have always been a nerd and it just made sense to me to
make acts based on my interests. My first act was inspired by the ballroom/dream scene from
Labyrinth. Later I discovered that it was called Nerdlesque and others were doing it.

The biggest challenge with it for me has been making it appeal to both fans of the work the act it is
based on and those with less knowledge. People who haven't seen the film Alien have quite a
different reaction to my Ellen Ripley act than those who know it.

How mainstream would you say Burlesque is in this current time? Or would you say it’s more of a
niche/ acquired taste?

I spend so much time around burlesque and cabaret people that I sometimes forget that most people
have only the vaguest notion of what it can be. It's definitely more mainstream than when I started
but when people find out that I'm a burlesque performer I do feel like I need to manage their
expectations before they picture me as some glamorous showgirl type.

What would you say is the best moment you’ve had so far in performing?

It's hard to pick just one, to be honest. I guess my career highlight would still have to be when
Bazuka Joe (boylesque/nerdlesque superstar) told me he liked my act. 

And the worse?

I've had my share of missteps and costume malfunctions but nothing ever catastrophic and it's
exhilarating to pull through and still entertain.

The only time I have ever not enjoyed a performance was when I just could not get the audience to
engage. Dancing round half naked to a silent, unsmiling audience is a really uncomfortable experience.

Do you have anything special prepared for The Brunswick?

I thought since this is a new venue and audience for me that I would bring the act that is most "me".
It's the act I've performed longest and in four different countries and should be a fun and perhaps
unexpected interlude between the bands.

Thanks for joining us, Is there anything else you would like to say?

Only that I'm looking forward to seeing everyone on the 10th!

Big Thank You to Hester for joining us today. Hester will be performing at our Debut Gig @
The Brunswick Cellar Bar, Brighton on the 10th of September. In the meantime you can check
them out on Social media at

https://www.instagram.com/hester_hawthorne/

Don’t forget to Like our Page (facebook.com/deadkawaiipromotions) for more news and updates!

Interview with Flote Sulu

Today We’re joined by Hayden, Ben and Jon from Flote Sulu who will be Opening our First Gig at The Brunswick Cellar Bar on the 10th of September! They are new on the scene and looking to show their new sound to the world

So Flote Sulu, Tell us a bit about yourself? When did you start and how did you form? Did you know each other prior? What would say makes your band different?

Our Singer/Guitarist- Hayden formed the band. He wrote a bunch of songs including 'The Jackal' and 'Reign & Tower', recorded demos and started advertising for like-minded musicians. This took a long while to find the right musicians for what he had in mind, but eventually Ben our Bassist came on board, and shortly after, our Drummer Jon joined. Our chemistry in and out of the studio is electric and we just have a blast writing and playing together. 

We are different because of our characters and what our music means to us.

What do you hope to achieve through your band? Any inspirations or targets?

We have big ideas for Sulu but for now we want to put on an entertaining show and create music that excites and inspires us.

Who would you say are your biggest influences?

Amongst a few, the list includes: Sigur Ros, True Widow, Chelsea Wolfe, Colour Haze, Sleep, The Used, Tool, Om, The Doors, The Cinematic Orchestra etc. The list goes on...

Where did the name Flote Sulu come from?

Simply a play on words following a conversation but it can mean whatever you want it to mean.

You describe your genres as Sludge/Alternative/Post-Rock and Stoner? How do you combine these altogether? How does a standard writing process go?

We just write songs that excite us. We have written solidly for about 6 months. Usually the seed of an idea comes from our Guitarist Hayden and he sends them over for Ben and Jon to listen to before jamming them, but on occasion we just jam in the studio.

Being a new band to the scene how are you finding things? Do you think it’s a help or a hiderence?

I feel there isn't a simple answer to that. The local scene is struggling at the moment due to popular venues moving or closing down. Time will tell I guess.

What would you say is the best moment you’ve had so far in the band?

Always playing live.

And the worse?

Luckily too new to have a worst, but it's in the post.

Do you have anything special prepared for The Brunswick?

We will be unveiling a new song called 'Beast'.

Thanks for joining us, Is there anything else you would like to say?

We look forward to blowing some heads with the rest of the band's.

Big Thank You to Flote Sulu who have joined us here today. Flote Sulu will be opening our Debut Gig @ The Brunswick Cellar Bar, Brighton on the 10th of September. In the meantime you can check them out on Social media at

https://www.instagram.com/flotesulu/
https://www.facebook.com/flotesulu

Don’t forget to Like our Page (facebook.com/deadkawaiipromotions) for more news and updates!

Interview With Cylus

Today We’re joined by Josh from Cylus who will be Headlining our First Gig at The Brunswick Cellar
Bar on the 10th of September! They have recently announced their New Debut Album REAPER that
will be released on Friday 18th October 2019.

So Cylus, Tell us a bit about yourself? When did you start and how did you form? Did you know each
other prior? What would say makes your band different?

“We formed in October 2017 less than a month after starting our first year at university. Originally
we started as a Rage Against The Machine cover band but quickly became an original band after only a few rehearsals when we noticed the chemistry we all had together. We didn’t know each other before starting the band and it’s been amazing becoming great friends along the way! I’d say what makes Cylus stand out is we don’t stick to one (sub) genre - our debut album ‘REAPER’ covers nu-metal, rap metal, metalcore, groove metal, death metal and rock. I’m blessed to be working with the amazing musicians that make up the rest of the band, we’re all so comfortable together so we play to the song as opposed to tickling our own egos.”

What do you hope to achieve through your band? Any inspirations or targets?

“We hope to one day be able to make a living from this. We’re all so on the same page and have recognised that if we keep working hard we can make something great from this. A long way to go so the short term goals is just to keep gigging and start touring, keep writing and making as many contacts within the industry as we can.”

Who would you say are your biggest influences?

Gojira. Without a doubt have influenced this band more than any other artist so far. We’re all big fans of them and if you don’t know their music, go and listen now, you won’t be let down! Also Lamb of God, big up them for being sick.”

Where did the name Cylus come from?

“Former guitarist and founder of the band Connor Wyatt (now playing in Pipeline) was just driving when the word popped into his head. We had to come up with a name ASAP for a uni performance so after two weeks of us all trying, he came up with this and it just stuck. It doesn’t mean anything - to my knowledge - but it’s a cool word.”

How did it feel producing a Debut Album? Was there any challenges you had to overcome?

“Well, big love to our good friend Tom Chalk for working on this Album with us. He’s one of the safest guys and amazing at what he does. We just did the recording, he’s put in the hard work making us sound good! But it’s taken us about two years to get this ready, we’ve been writing and writing and writing and finally decided it was time to compile into an EP. Once we got underway we decided it
would be better to do an album and that’s it! It’s been a crazy experience but all the hard work is
about to pay off.” 

When you were writing did you have anything you wanted to achieve with certain songs or any
particular messages?

“We had no plan when we started writing aside from one song. “Better Life” is the song I knew was
going to be written. It’s about my approach to life after losing my best friend to a battle with cancer
at the age of 15. Ethan was his name, he was a drummer and we were playing in a metal band
together, since the age of 11 until he passed away, and he even convinced me not to give up guitar
at the time. I owe everything to him and this song was a tribute to him and a reflection on how I
wished I’d been at certain points in our long friendship. It took me over 4 years to finally get around
to writing this song, but I knew that we’d have a song inspired by that on the album. 

Another standout song, is “Flay”. It’s easily the heaviest tune on the album, an absolute beast of a
song, our favourite live and it sounds HUGE in studio.” 

Have you had anything come up that put the band in jeopardy? How did you overcome it?

“We’ve had various members come and go as most bands do when starting up. Back in March, our
old bassist left us less than two weeks before we had some gigs due to some personal issues. A
week before the gigs Liam (Guitar) let us know he wouldn’t be able to make the shows due to
important family matters and so Alex (Bass) stepped up to learn all of our songs in two weeks and
producer Tom Chalk helped us out by playing guitar and having to learn everything in one week.
That was probably the most stressful period for us, everything was up in the air and we really hate
cancelling shows and will do everything we can not to do that.” 

What would you say is the best moment you’ve had so far in the band?

“Probably the first time we played “Flay” live. It’s just so heavy, the outro breakdown gets me every
time hahaha!”

And the worst?

Probably the time we had to get Alex and Tom for the gigs, that was a very stressful time.” 

Do you have anything special prepared for The Brunswick?

“It’s our first gig since the beginning of June as Rogelio (drummer) lives in tenerife but lives in
Brighton during term time. We’re absolutely stoked for this and we get to play our entire debut album
in full on the 10th of September! We can’t wait...I’ll also bring some party poppers…”

Thanks for joining us, Is there anything else you would like to say?

“Thank you for having us! We’re very grateful to be on this show and humbled by the other amazing
artists playing with us. The only thing left to say is come to the show, it’s going to be nuts, go and
follow and support all the other performers, and also check out the album when it drops!”

Big Thank You to Cylus who have joined us here today. Cylus will be headlining our Debut Gig @
The Brunswick Cellar Bar, Brighton on the 10th of September. In the meantime you can check them
out on Social media at

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialCylus/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cylusband/?hl=en
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1INxLBoVyVSZXXtSgKuZxu?si=iFuUBXBCSY-eUyEKRwCMGw

Don’t forget to Like our Page (facebook.com/deadkawaiipromotions) for more news and updates!

x

FIRST GIG! CYLUS + SUPPORT! @ The Brunswick Cellar Bar 10th September

Ladies & Gentlemen & All those in between!

Dead Kawaii Promotions is proud to announce it's Debut Gig with Special Guests Cylus @ The Brunswick Cellar Bar!

DKP is a new small production company that focuses on providing an alternative experience compared to your standard gig and are looking forward to our Debut Gig. For our first gig we're offering Brighton Metal from all Genres as well as Burlesque Entertainment & Special Guests to make your night memorable.

Venue: The Brunswick Cellar Bar
Date & Time: 10th September 2019 (Doors Open) 6:45
Entry: £5 OTD

We hope you can make it and make sure to check out our acts before you come!

CYLUS (HEADLINERS)

Brighton based Groove Metal band Cylus bringing some huge riffs that will get any room moving. Debut, full length album 'REAPER' out in October, this gig will include the entire album played live!
FFO: Gojira/Lamb of God/The One Hundred

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialCylus/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cylusband/?hl=en
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1INxLBoVyVSZXXtSgKuZxu?si=iFuUBXBCSY-eUyEKRwCMGw

KATIE MANOR

Katie Manor Debuts in Brighton with an all new set list of songs and a visual show to accompany. Inspired by the likes of Crossfaith, Enter Shikari, Prodigy & More Katie's Blend of Electronicore, Metalcore & Kawaii Metal is sure to entertain all.

Check out her Spotify for more tracks.

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2ClVPK8SGOULPwYF34Hqam
facebook.com/katiemanoruk
instagram.com/katiemanoruk

PLACID

PLACID are a 4 piece punk/alternative rock band formed in East Sussex and rehearsed in a shed in the woods, high energy noise for those who like to move, exposing all stains and filth through music, raucous sounds to get you through decrepit times

www.facebook.com/plac1d/
https://www.instagram.com/placid_band/
https://twitter.com/Plac1dBand

FLOTE SULU

Flote Sulu is an original project from Brighton. We write music that inspires us, and which is influenced by Alternative/Sludge/Post-Rock/Stoner and Desert Rock.

https://www.instagram.com/flotesulu/
https://www.facebook.com/flotesulu/

HESTER HAWTHORNE (BURLESQUE DANCER)

Hester Hawthorne is an introverted exhibitionist with a penchant for the ridiculous. Formerly New Zealand's favorite stripping Muppet and second favorite burlesque sheep, now amusing, confusing and arousing audiences in the UK and Europe.

https://www.facebook.com/hesterhawthorne
https://www.instagram.com/hester_hawthorne/

JASZ VEGAS (HOST)

Magician, Mermaid and Host. As seen on BBC’s Award Winning TV Show, Killer Magic. National Reality TV Award Winner and Miss Mermaid East Sussex.

Jasz Vegas