Friday 29 January 2016

Weirdo Zine Fest

We're still only in the first month of 2016 and we are tabling our first zine fest!!

In that there big London town this Sunday (30th January) is Weirdo Zine Fest

It's gonna be filled with the best zines and the best weirdos!
You'd be a fool to miss it!

More info HERE.

Tuesday 5 January 2016

My year in lists: Seleena!

I was determined to get my end of year list out within the first week of January, and I just made it.
2015 seem to disappear quicker than 2014 did.
I mot definitely think less procrastinating is in order for 2016.


Anyway, here it is, some of my 2015 highlights....

- GIGS! lot's of fun gigs happened in 2015, Girlpool, Gerard Way, Ex Hex, Sleater-Kinney, Babes in Toyland, Frank Iero, The Julie Ruin, Babes in Toyland, L7, Queer Fest, Martha, The Potentials, Jack Off Jill and loads more. It was of course the year of the reunion gigs!

-Zinefests. I tabled four times last year. A return to my favourite one in Sheffield, Leeds in an old church, the debut of North West zine fest in Manchester and at Ladyfest Manchester. I love doing zine fests because I get to sit behind a table eating snacks and selling things and buying things and seeing a bunch of great stuff but mostly hanging out with people I don't see often enough!

-Sleater-Kinney!!! Yes Sleater-Kinney returned and I didn't think I was gonna be that arsed about it, but it turns out I was! Saw them in Manchester and one of my favourite places to visit, Glasgow. They were amazing and spending a couple of days with a bunch of my favourites was even better.

-Amsterdam. I said it in last years end of year post, but the best thing about getting older and turning the big numbers I that it means your friends do too, so May saw me celebrate Alison's 30th birthday in Amsterdam. How I had never managed to get to Amsterdam before I don't know, but I shall be returning!

-Babes in Toyland. Another reunion gig that blew me away, going to London and Manchester meant I got t see a whole load of faces (it's nice to have events that pull older people out of the house!) also meant I got to see faces I only knew of online, it's great finally meeting people you've only spoken to in the virtual/postal world (hey Rachel!)

-SUMMER TOUR! this was probably the highlight of my year. August is always a fun month as three of my bests have their birthdays then, but this year was a dream. Yiiikes! decided we needed to play a gig, so what better way to force ourselves to do this than go on a week long tour of 6 gigs with two bands, that just so happen to be yr mates!
Got to hang out with my bffs and new bffs for a whole week whilst travelling up and down the country and playing songs! From the southern seaside to finally getting to the north east, this was like the best free holiday ever!


-Yiiikes! It's been a great year for Yiiikes! we didn't get any art out, but we made a bunch of great songs, toured, played a few gigs after the tour, had matching stage outfits and ace merch and most of all had fun doing it! SLIME POP FOR LIFE I.D.S.T.

-Zines. I didn't make anywhere near enough zines what I wanted to make, my infamous crisp zine still hasn't seen the light of day (watch out 2016) and I think I spent most of the year talking about what zines I was going to make. Did manage to put out the annual tradition of two issues of Sugar Paper, two issues of Poor Lass and a second issue of Brown Girl.

-Jack Off Jill. The end of a year of great reunion gigs came in the form of JOJ, a band I never thought I would get to see, a band who blew me away. Seeing them in Manchester and London, witnessing Jessicka perform and probably being one of the greatest front people I've ever seen. <3 font="">

-Slayerfest. Halloween is always one of my favourite times of year and in 2014 when we were trying to egg ourselves on to play a gig we made a pact to play on Halloween 2015. Our dreams came true when we got to play Slayerfest '98 (2015)!!!
Our great mates (and my new fave band) The Potentials, organised a night off great bands and disco dancing and Yiiikes! got to play, I also got to do a tap dance to the Buffy theme whilst dressed as a yellow crayon. Good times!


Other highlights include....
attending the indiepop wedding of the year where Bearsuit played, indie pop royalty attended, and had a great dance. Probably going to Karaoke more times then I ever have and adding more staples to my Karaoke repertoire aside from Lisa Loeb's Stay. Sorting my 'studio' space and making it more organised and inviting. Meeting Patrick Ness who was a total sweetheart. Remembering how much I love to make things and just staying home!


Photo of the year is this one with all my favourite weirdos....