The Insurrection is Coming!

 

The Insurrection is Coming!

From the 31st of March to the 12th April The Nerve Centre will be in FACT with music, discussion, performance and much more besides. More news of the schedule coming very soon!

 The Nerve Centre. 

Liverpool: 'City of Radicals' 1911 - 2011.

Saturday 4th December @ the Bluecoat 4.30-8pm

Nerve 1911 Calendar/2011: City of Radicals Launch 

Liverpool, ‘City of Radicals’ 1911 - 2011:

In 1911 society was in ferment, a series of city-wide strikes shook Liverpool and radical artists rubbed shoulders with inspirational workers' leaders. 

NERVE's 2011 calendar celebrates this centenary through images and significant dates. Come along and find out more about how the Bluecoat and others will be marking next year as 'Liverpool, City of Radicals'. Saturday 4th Dec 2010 The Bluecoat, School Lane.


 

Events will include:

4.30pm: Bed-In
A series of readings and performances under the theme ‘People Not Profit’, taking in
events from Liverpool’s radical past.

6.00pm: The Liverpool Socialist Singers bring their own form of radicalism to the
proceedings.

6.15pm:  Bread and Gruel (‘Blind’ Scouse). Get a taste of 1911.

6.30pm: ‘Have Your Say’.

How can you join the celebrations of Liverpool’s past in 2011? This is an opportunity
to put forward your ideas and get involved.

For more details see: www.catalystmedia.org.uk, or ring 0151 709 9948

Nerve Magazine
96 Bold Street
Liverpool
L1 4HY
0151-709 9948
www.catalystmedia.org.uk

The Nerve Centre.  

Catalyst Review: Wild Eyes and Mashemon at The Nerve Centre.

 Review: Wild Eyes and Mashemon at The Nerve Centre, 4/9/2010.

Taking to the shop window of the Nerve Centre, Mashemon are today joined by Richard M. Nixon. Well, a shop dummy with his face stuck to it at any rate. Alongside Tricky Dicky who is presumably there to provide Bez-style ‘vibes’, the duo kick off their first set with the New Order influenced ‘Facts’. The group quickly draws a sizeable crowd of slightly bemused looking passers-by, drinkers on a fag-break from Renshaws and Goths who have wandered out of Quiggins across the road. Continuing with Dull Boy, the track is a spin on the kind of 21st century T-Rex glam Goldfrapp used to do so well. The porn industry savaging ‘Sanity Check’ follows, ringing out like ‘Heroes’-era Bowie.

The band’s second set, this time performed indoors aided by a back projection screen is tougher and more guitar-heavy. Diverting into glitchy ‘Kid A’ style electronica at points, the intertwining of live guitar, bass and vox with triggered samples, synths and drums blend seamlessly. The band’s current ‘Removal Music’ LP is promoted by the brilliantly innovative idea of being free provided the recipient does a good deed in return. Suggestions in the accompanying text include tipping buskers generously and contributing to a tramp’s Special Brew fund.

Described in the Nerve Centre programme as a ‘psychedelic jam band’, The Wild Eyes are exactly that only without the tendency of some psych bands to disappear off into the melodic ether never to return. Opening with the same delay pedal glide as early U2 they move onto to Velvet Underground motorik beats and Dylan-style vocals in quick succession. Strongly influenced by the Nuggets collection, a digest of the greatest one-hit wonders, almost were’s and never-had-a-chance bands of the US underground in the mid 1960s, The Wild Eyes augment this with a large dollop of My Bloody Valentine style guitar clatter. The Nuggets tracks staple elements were the trebly aggression of The Who, the melodic nouse of The Beatles, The Stones’ swagger and a large portion of strangeness entirely of their own making and so it goes here.

The backdrop of the Nerve Centre and the varied crowd makes the group appear like The Yardbirds during their cameo as the in-house club band in Blow-Up. Battering through one track with drumming that would have done the Jesus and Mary Chain proud, the band’s economy is to be praised, singer-guitarist Huw wringing the maximum amount out of a single chord before switching briefly for the chorus to one other. Using the array of FX pedals at his feet sparingly so the sound doesn’t become saturated, he deftly steers the three-piece through the changes in tempo and texture with many of the tracks moving through various movements in the space of four minutes.

The finale however stretches things out to epic proportions. Beginning with a long-drawn incantation that recalls early Verve before sparking into life and speeding up, they squeeze the life out of a three-note guitar riff made vast by the cavernous reverb FX. Concluding their set in just over half hour which has seemingly felt like a quarter of that amount of time, The Wild Eyes’ pupils are fixed firmly on the future whilst acknowledging the sound-sources of the past.

Review by Richard Lewis. 

Video by ?

Merseyside Social History Course: Places Still Available!

To everyone out there, here's a chance to get the last few places on the Merseyside Social History Course. All fees go towards the upkeep of Nerve and you'll be helping the magazine and learning of Liverpool's highly interesting history as well. Simply contact Ritchie at 0151 709 9948 or contact him via the e-mail address above to get more details!

The Nerve Centre.

Rat Hole Radio at The Nerve Centre.

Life isn't always a bucket of peaches.

Unfortunately, despite a great desire, a sheer need to catch up on home life meant that I couldn't be at The Nerve Centre on the evening that Rat Hole Radio, and the newly christened 20lb Sound, broadcast and played live there. However the wonders of digital technology meant that I could listen in the comfort of my own armchair, with a strong Italian coffee and dimmed lights whilst the whole thing happened. Happily, my famously temperamental connection stayed put for the whole show and that meant that I enjoyed it immensely.

The slightly late start vigorously apologized for by host Dan Lynch on several entertaining occasions resulted in a fascinating half hour of guitar chords and half-heard asides that if mixed well enough could be entertaining in it's own right as a part of The Nerve Centre's gallery itself. Eventually, technical issues were resolved and Lynch's always cheery voice welcomed us to the podcast where the usual eclectic mix of Creative Commons sourced music was played for listeners as far away as Amsterdam and of course Liverpool.

20ib Sound eventually began to play their set and the acoustics of The Nerve Centre lent an appealing reverb to their guitar lead songs as they performed to what could have been called an intimate audience of "hardcore" Nerve Centre regulars and cardboard cutouts that were apparently "getting down" to the bands riffing with songs such as "Getting Away With It" or the affectionately titled "Jimmy Carter." Had I been present in person I'm sure I'd have had an even better time, but what better a testament to digital technology's power than this?

To quote one of the band, "That was quite good, wasn't it?"

Sebastian Gahan. 


P.S: If anyone has any photo's of those dancing cutouts, I'd like to see 'em!

Today at The Nerve Centre: C.A.N. Liverpool and Critical Mass.

On the day that Liverpool descends into a now traditional mad melange of tribute acts,  music and drunken hoards roaming the streets, The Nerve Centre presented a day of discussion, films, workshops and activities presented by Climate Action Network Liverpool and Critical Mass. Our doors were graced by many visitors, ideas were discussed with much vigour and some bicycles were repaired as well! Some pictures from the day are below:

Placards of declaration.

A day of eco action.

For the lucky, there were free flowers to plant!

Serious discussion at The Nerve Centre.

The circle of discussion in black and white.

The discussion circle in color.

Gesticulated Debate.

The Nerve Centre is for everyone!

Critical Repairs on a bicycle.

Yes, I tried an experiment with monochrome today, but I think it worked out well. Don't forget tomorrow is a day off for us Nerve people, but come back on Tuesday for more art, discussion, inspiration and who knows what else!

The Nerve Centre.

Photography by Sebastian Gahan.

Arthur Adlen and Val Walsh: Poetry, Politics & Difference.

POETRY, POLITICS & DIFFERENCE.
Two poets expose and explore their differences and their commonalities.

Arthur Adlen and Val Walsh share and interweave their poems as prompts for discussion about lives, love, social issues, poetry and politics!

This is a unique, hybrid event: part performance, part workshop, part discussion.

Come with an open mind to this interactive and exploratory event.

Thursday 26 August 2010 @ 3 00 - 5 00pm.

The Nerve Centre 

Today at The Nerve Centre.

Well, today was busy and a lot happened even though it seemed like just an ordinary Tuesday. For a start, our film season continued with a diligent audience enjoying the informative movie We Feed The World. 

We Feed The World is shown at Nerve Centre.

This was followed by a much debated and well attended presentation from Marina Gruiec on the benefits of Veganism, with much head nodding, follow up questions and debate afterwards. 

There was also the usual guests popping in for a chat, new visitors a plenty and the start of an ongoing retrospective of The Nerve Centre that was baptised with glue and collage by myself.

Marina fields questions from the audience.

It will go on display soon and if anybody from the Nerve Centre wants to contribute to it, they are more than welcome! 

Swing on by tomorrow, technically the 25th August as tomorrow never comes according to someone, to meet Marina again for a display of her hand drawn children's books at 2pm and from 3pm a discussion with Philosophy in Pubs on Scouse humour. 

It promises to be a good day!

Photos: How! Why! DIY Aftermath.

Last Sunday, How! Why! DIY invaded The Nerve Centre for a day of technology DIY that was well received by all, and caused many a fight at the kids table, happiness for visitor Carol, a Liverpool resident who received a lovely new computer thanks to the event acquiring ten computers from a local University that were due for disposal until they were rescued and fully reconditioned with all the necessities the modern computer user could need to be redistributed. Says Carol:

"My computer broke down, and my mate lent me a laptop. It was knacked though! News From Nowhere pointed me to the event (at The Nerve Centre) and How! Why! DIY gave me a new computer. It's got loads of games and soon I'll have the internet and be on my way again! I went to the Spiritualist Church before I came to the event today and wished for a new computer as I'm a bit broke at the moment and it came! Everyone at The Nerve Centre was so helpful in helping me get it back home and I couldn't be happier!"

If everyone who comes to The Nerve Centre, and the How! Why ! DIY event, was this happy then we've done our job and more. This was especially the case with the kids table, where fights of the happy kind were occurring over the Drawbots, pictured below:

The Drawbot Family atop their work!

Thanks would like to be put out to Bold Street Coffee for kindly donating the cups used in these critters production and the ever brillinat Rennes for donating the pens that made such a multitude of brilliant and evocative pictures, some of which can be seen at the entrance to the basement. And, in the pictures below.

Piles of art on cushions!

Wheels within wheels.

Sad Eyes.

Our Guest Book gets fuller!

The Fortunascope, borrowed from Casamia.

This little bot showered me in bubbles on a few occasions!

Windows alternative ubuntu was distributed. Try it out!

No wonder fights broke out if that's what these Drawbots can do! Needless to say much more went on, as you can see from the other shots, and if you were here we'd love to hear your opinions on the event as well!

The Nerve Centre.

Photos by Sebastian Gahan.

Catalyst Review: An Introduction to Philosophy in Pubs

Adam Ford reviews a Philosophy in Pubs session at The Nerve Centre:

The "second Enlightenment" took a step forward at the Nerve Centre on Wednesday, as a dozen Liverpool philosophers got together to discuss life, the universe, and everything.

The session was much more free-wheeling than a typical Philosophy In Pubs enquiry, which zeroes in on a particular subject that is then dissected over a couple of hours and a couple of pints. But this was clearly the intention of facilitator Rob Lewis, who led us through an intriguing maze of topics with a light touch, introducing newcomers to the world of PIPs.

The concept is simple enough: "to allow people a space to express and discuss their ideas and thoughts, and to learn from each other in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere". But the possibilities opened up by such a set-up seem endless, and the opportunity is precious precisely because it seems so rare in early twenty-first century society. But why is this? Well, I have my ideas, but maybe there’s an enquiry in it...

Read more.

The Nerve Centre.

Events: Origami Workshop with Shinobu Gahan.

As an introduction to Shinobu Gahan's origami workshop, which will feature the making of crane's, or 鶴 (tsuru), we present a brief introduction to origami and it's origins:

According to The Japan Origami Association, origami originated in the Heian era, around 1000BC. The upper classes would wrap presents ornamentally using what we could describe as an ancient form of wrapping paper. 

Cranes, or tsuru, are said to live for one thousand years according to Japanese Folklore. In reality, their lifespan is somewhere around fifty years and they have become a symbol of longevity in Japan.

The movie Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes (Sadako no sembazaru) features a girl named Sadako who is diagnosed with Leukaemia and begins to fold one thousand cranes believing, on the suggestion of her friends, that doing so will grant her wish of getting better. Sadly, she reached around six hundred and never finished her task. Her friends made the remainder of the cranes after her death and buried them with her in her grave. It is said that anybody who folds 1,000 cranes will have their wish granted, for example recovery from illness or injury. 

Cranes are also a symbol of peace. The 65th anniversary of Hiroshima occurred on the 6th of August and many cranes are made on this day in memory of the people who lost their lives in the bombing that still affects the world today.  

See Shinobu's workshop at 1pm on Saturday 21st August in The Nerve Centre.

The Nerve Centre