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DAN MANGAN + BLACKSMITH: improvised video for ‘Pretty Good Joke’- UK tour in April!‏

February 19, 2015

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DAN MANGAN + BLACKSMITH

– REVEALS ‘PRETTY GOOD JOKE’ VIDEO
– UK TOUR IN APRIL
– ALBUM CLUB MEDS OUT NOW ON CITY SLANG

“An album rich in sounds and moods.” – **** The Observer
“Once you turn on and tune in to these meds, it’s pretty hard to drop out.” – **** The Guardian
“Mangan emerges a songwriter re-energised, unashamedly impassioned and literate.” – 8/10, DiS
“Beautiful and intriguing at the same time” – The 405
“An unexpected gem” – ***** Guitarist Magazine
“A bold move from a rapidly developing talent” – **** Q Magazine
“Very impressive stuff.” – 8/10, Uncut

In conjunction with Vancouver’s Playground and thirty five members of the public, Dan Mangan + Blacksmith have created a live video for Club Meds album track ‘Pretty Good Joke’. Playground’s mandate is simple. They take a band, an audience, and give them one goal – create a song together in an hour, and then record it in one take. On January 29, that was exactly what happened when Dan Mangan + Blacksmith and thirty five non-musicians from Vancouver recorded ‘Pretty Good Joke’ live off the floor at Gastown’s iconic Warehouse Studio.

The audience played xylophones, marimbas, pianos and formed a choir, with additional help from an incredibly talented group of musicians in their own right that includes JP Carter (trumpet), Dawn Pemberton (vocals, choir leader), Rob Hamilton (guitar), Cory Curtis (bass) and Zach Grey (piano). Club Meds co-producer Colin Stewartcame in to help record, mix and master the final audio. Produced with the support of TELUS, the result is a beautiful piece of art that slowly reveals itself over the course of the song.

Dan Mangan concurs. “Quite the trip to see 40 strangers hit eighth notes for about five straight minutes. What a cool experience. Big thanks to the Playground crew for pulling it all together”

Watch the video for ‘Pretty Good Joke’:

On January 12 Dan Mangan + Blacksmith released their acclaimed new album Club Meds on City Slang.

The follow up to 2011’s highly acclaimed, multi JUNO-Award winning Oh Fortune sees the Vancouver-based artist return and officially join forces with his long-time, now integral, band members from the Vancouver experimental music scene to play under the moniker Dan Mangan + Blacksmith.

Blacksmith is Kenton Loewen (drums), Gordon Grdina (guitar), John Walsh (bass) and often JP Carter(trumpet), Jesse Zubot (violin) and Tyson Naylor (keys). They bring an unmistakable character to Club Meds; a stark glassy edge that swells and sways like a roaring ocean. Through a fog of analog feedback loops and synths, the band’s performances breathe deeply and steadily like a dragon at rest.

Dan Mangan + Blacksmith UK tour dates:

Apr 24 – Manchester, UK – The Deaf Institute
Apr 25 – Glasgow, UK – Oran Mor
Apr 27 – Leeds, UK – Brudenell Social Club
Apr 28 – Bristol, UK – The Thekla
Apr 29 – Brighton, UK – Komedia
Apr 30 – London, UK – Islington Assembly Hall

Links:

Club Meds album stream on The Guardian
Vessel video on YouTube
Vessel on Soundcloud
Dan Mangan official web site
Dan Mangan on Facebook
Dan Mangan on Twitter
Dan Mangan on Instagram
City Slang web site

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