Buzzin Music Blog

A Factory Night at Plan K, Brussels

A Factory Night (and then again)…

Factory Records, founded in Manchester in 1978 by Tony Wilson, Peter Saville and Alan Erasmus, was one of the most important independent record labels. With collaborators as talented as Rob Gretton, Martin Hannett and Mike Pickering, Factory Records launched such famous bands as Joy Division, New Order, The Durutti Column and Happy Mondays as well as many other influential artists.

Although defunct since 1992, Factory Records remains a visible presence. Its influence on the present-day cultural landscape is huge, from rock to dance music, and also design aesthetics.

In December 2007, an event called A Factory Night (once again) was organised as a tribute to the Factory Nights at Plan K between 1979-1982. The event was sold out and filmed for DVD by LTM Recordings.

A Factory Night (and then again) goes a step further with concerts, DJ sets, exhibitions, signing sessions and film screenings. The concerts will be followed by an afterparty celebrating the sounds of Factory.

A Certain Ratio
Manchester, 1978. A Certain Ratio originally formed part the post-punk movement, but soon added funk and dance elements to their sound, best heard on classic singles such as Flight, Shack Up and Knife Slits Water. A Certain Ratio released five albums on Factory Records between 1980 and 1986, followed by four on A&M. As the post-punk explosion grew in the early 21st century, the band found themselves appearing on compilations and recommendation lists and returned to gigging, returning in 2008 with a new album Mind Made Up.

Section 25
Founded in Blackpool, Lancashire, in 1978 by the brothers Larry and Vincent Cassidy, Section 25 are a key Factory band. From their post-punk debut album Always Now to British electronic dance music pioneers with the album From A Hip, which including the classic  Looking from a Hilltop, they influenced many bands. Active again since 2006, the band tours and records. After a short European outing with Peter Hook in 2008, Section 25 released their sixth studio album, Nature + Degree, combining electro, post-punk and post-rock styles at their best.

Biting Tongues
Emerging out of the grey dawn of post-punk Manchester in 1979, Biting Tongues blend electronics, text and dance beats to compelling effect. They are renowned for their unique high-energy live performances and experimental video projects. In 2003 the original Biting Tongues reformed to perform selected shows. With their Factory back catalogue available on CD, the band is currently enjoying some long overdue credit for their innovative pre-digital slicing and dicing of sound, text and vision.

The Wake
The Wake formed in Glasgow in 1981, recorded mini-album Harmony for Factory the following year, following by several singles and second album Here Comes Everybody. In some respects, these represented a missing link between the sound of Postcard Records and early Factory. Post-Factory, The Wake recorded for another cult label, Sarah. After two album collaborations as The Occasional Keepers, a new album by The Wake will be released on LTM in December 2009.

The Names
Brussels, 1978: Marc Deprez, Michel Sordinia and Christophe Den Tandt form The Names, released Belgian single Spectators of Life before joining Factory to relaes the album Swimming and three singles, including Nightshift and Calcutta, all produced by the legendary Martin Hannett. They returned in December 2007, performing at the A Factory Night (Once Again) event ahead of recording a new studio album, Monsters Next Door. At A Factory Night (and then again), The Names will play a special short set accompanied by a string quartet.

DJ sets & Afterparty
In between concerts, short DJ-sets will revisit the sound of Factory and its influence on past and present music. An afterparty will follow after the last concert.

DJ’s: Graham Massey (808 State, Biting Tongues), Tom Moderne (LTM, Crépuscule), Gore (Cruise [Ctrl]), Muffin (Club Terror), X-Pulsiv (Pilgrimage).

Exhibitions & Signing Sessions

Kevin Cummins
Kevin Cummins is the man behind many iconic rock photographs. For twenty years he worked as a photographer for the NME. September has seen the release of Manchester. Looking for the Light through the Pouring Rain, his ode to his hometown and its musicians, whohave dominated British pop culture since the late 1970’s including Joy Division, The Fall, Buzzcocks, New Order, The Smiths, Happy Mondays & The Stone Roses.

Philippe Carly
Philippe Carly is a firmly established Belgian photographer. In the late seventies and early eighties, he photographed all major artists of the alternative scene. His photographs were abundantly used in numerous publications and his website New Wave Photos is famous. Philippe Carly will present his new book of photos taken at the Plan K.

For more information and where to buy tickets, visit www.lefantastique.net/factory