A Very Merry Christmas Zine

My new Christmas jumper worn in rather camp fashion

So it’s the time of year where people actually have ten minutes to take a breather and start reading zines, blogs, magazines and even the Radio Times.

It’s been a great year here at ShadowPlay Towers, there’s been plenty of great music and festivals (see Field View Festival and our stint hosting craft sessions at Greenman) and even an issue of ShadowPlay itself. Having a think about my New Year’s Resolutions last night I decided not to put in my annual stipulation about a certain amount of hours spent working on ShadowPlay or issues per year, instead opting to say – look, let’s see how it goes and enjoy writing ditties about music, art, films and getting drunk and doing silly things if and when I fancy it. 

There’s always a noticeable guilt around many an editor’s intro to a fanzine I find, as if every month that real life gets in the way of cutting and sticking is an insult to the reader. Really a zine should be a special treat to a writer and a reader and fingers crossed that’s what we can be in 2012. Hope you all have a very merry Christmas and a rather fantabulous New Year. I’ll be heading to Nottingham to scoff chocs, binge on new music and maybe even do a little writing. I’ll leave you with a rather daft photo of me in my first Christmas jumper – have a good un! Alex

The Lovely Eggs: Foul-mouthed fun

Got to love a good merch stand

Great to see a packed gig on a Monday night for the sweary indie pop magic of The Lovely Eggs. The northern pair were hosting "a right party" to celebrate the release of their new single Allergies and a free gig at the redone hipster hangout that is The Old Blue Last was very welcome. 
The band constantly play on their Lancastrian routes and, given I've only seen then play in London, it's probably possibly unfair to say they overdo it. 

What has seemed footing is the initially sterile London crowds melt in the face of their truncated, sweary punk pop everytime. 

The duo are tighter than Jesus' carpenters vice and their "what you would call two songs stuck together and what we would call a medley" about bowling alleys and reporting for The Lancaster Guardian is charming.

A buzzing, lively gig and just what the folded arms of London town this Monday needed to loosen up. 

As a treat, here's The Lovely Eggs' most perfect piece of pop...