The Surrey Sonar

Semester 2 Print assessment. The Surrey Sonar is a music and entertainments paper centred in Guildford created by Tim Pilgrim, Emily Black, Heather Newland and myself Louisa Seaton (Wizzi).

It contains informations on newly licensed radio station Kane FM, up and coming heavy metal band Black Iris, music event Om Bongo, new 'SAW' attraction at Thorpe park and various news in briefs on events happening in the area.

Below are the stories I wrote that made this page:

A modern Robin Hood story

Local summer festival-goers reunited at the Robin Hood pub in Guildford to raise money at a charity gig night.

Advertised on facebook the night featured an array of psytrance, dub and psychedelic music performed by well-known musicians and DJs from the Surrey area. Included were sets from members of the popular Psychedelic trance band Wobbly Squadron who appeared as a major act at Guilfest last summer.

Organiser Ade Goldsmith, 28, said: ‘This gig is really about bringing back old faces from the summer to raise money for the most important cause out there, climate change.’

Goldsmith, manager of Wobbly Squadron, is also in charge of the PR and booking bands in the Dance tent for July music festival Guilfest was happy to reveal the February 12 gig raised £75 for Coolearth. The charity itself works with local communities to secure forests at risk of being destroyed and spends donation money on ‘safeguarding our climate.’

This was the first of two charity gigs held in Guildford this spring with the next on March 27 at the Star Inn pub.

Dean Scott, 41 also known as DJ Yoda from Guildford, said: ‘It’s really good knowing you’re playing your tunes for a good cause and I hope having a bigger venue next time will attract more people and larger donations.’

The gig itself was free and a donations bucket was handed around the tiny venue shortly before the last act played. The decorations gave the event a mini festival feel with UV lights and banners sporting the Ying Yang symbol.

http://www.facebook.com/OmBongo

Surrey stars surface

Local metal band Black Iris are set to impress with the release of their fully mastered EP.

Famous for re-mastering old Queen hits and producing their last album, Josh McRae has now done Jack Leatherbarrow, Ed Forbes, Simon Parker and Johno Madgwick the ultimate honour in mastering their tracks.

McRae is currently working with Bob Geldoff but was not too busy to journey to Maple House Studios, Sunningdale, to master hits like ‘The tangled web we weave’ and ‘Only just begun’ for Black Iris.

The band said they were excited about their new EP but guitarist Johno Madgwick, 24 said: ‘Nowadays it’s easy to get a good sounding EP but difficult to get people interested.’

Madgwick has played alongside Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers and has been with Black Iris for nearly four years. Madgwick revealed the band were in talks with a new record company involving John Cope who has worked with the likes of Eric Clapton and 60s rock legends Genesis.

Black Iris, who have gigged with Breed 77 and The Blackout are playing at Freefest for the second time this coming summer. When asked about how the band were received Madgwick said: ‘The biggest compliment is when people who don’t actually like rock and metal turn around and say it’s really good. In a way that seems to be a more honest opinion.’

http://www.myspace.com/blackirisMusic