PULSE - music and more, with Simon Donohue

A GROUP of Pendle popsters will be hoping for an Element of success when they play at an international showcase gig this week.

Zany youngsters Element will be taking a packed coach of supporters across to Manchester's Band On The Wall for the show on Monday night.

Part of the gig - said to be the focus of record company and music magazine interest - will be broadcast live on the internet.

Lead singer Jay, from Nelson, said: "This is a really important gig for us.

"We have sent 50 packages out to people in the industry in the hope that they will come along and see us. The packages contain demo tapes and information about the band.

"Some have spoken to our manager (Jay's mum Linda) and said that they will be coming along." The demo tape includes the tracks Success Story, Skeleton Kids and Stupid People.

Also on the bill at the recently-refurbished Swan Street venue will be Australians Kovak and Winewood, a band based in Los Angeles. Computer-generated images will accompany the music, organised by the WWBandsearch organisation.

Jay added: "We are really looking forward to this. It could be make or break or time for us."

Meanwhile, the band are currently at work in their own studios, the less-than-famous Regent Street sound centre in Nelson, with a view to releasing their first-ever CD sometime in the next few weeks.

Jay added: "There will be about seven tracks on it - all new stuff.

"It should be really excellent."

Maddy madness this Christmas

COLNE Municipal Hall will be the scene of traditional festive merriment on Thursday.

The visit of Maddy Prior and The Carnival Band provides an opportunity to kickstart Yuletide celebrations as their Carols and Capers tour comes to East Lancashire.

The show allows seasonal favourites such as The Holly and the Ivy and I Saw Three Ships to rub shoulders with carols, The Boar's Head and dance ditties like Old Joe Clark.

Medieval, ethnic and modern instruments are thrown together by the band who, lead by Maddy Prior's superb voice, energise the ancient material they tackle. Their refreshingly cavalier attitude has been a feature of the ensemble since they were put together for a Radio Two Christmas broadcast a few years ago. Born out of what was no more than a festive wheeze, their pairing has thrown up recorded output such as latest album Hang Up Sorrow and Care and this is now the band's third UK tour. Maddy said: "I love working with the chaps. It's just so different and they're so off-the-wall.

"Coming from a folk background I can relate to a lot of their dances and early music, but anything less like serious academic concerts when we tour you can't imagine."

For those thinking of going along, Prior offers an idea of what can be expected in Colne on Thursday: "When we go out at Christmas, it's all streamers, balloons and lunacy."

Music from the show is available on the album Carols and Capers, released on Park Records.

Salt to judges' taste

REGULAR Pulse readers will be pleased to know that Salt Of The Earth wowed the judges at a national battle of the bands competition last Saturday.

The East Lancashire outfit were named outright winners in the competition run by musicians' magazine The Band.

They will now play a celebration gig at the Black Bull, Burnley, tonight.

Winning means they get merchandise worth thousands of pounds.

The Band magazine has also promised to follow their progress, giving them valuable publicity during the coming 12 months.

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