Get to know: About Time

Searching around the internet, swamped by information, new bands, music, gigs. It's almost all too much. But sometimes you come across a real gem, a DIY collective doing the kind of things you normally only read about happening in the late 70s.

About Time is one of those things, a one day festival taking place in a Peckham warehouse space this Saturday, curated by fanzine Zine And Not Heard. Showcasing not one, not two, not three, not four, nope, fourteen brand new bands. All underground Bandcamp profile holders and nothing more, heading over from anywhere inbetween Edinburgh and the US.

There'll also be stalls from a selection of DIY labels and collectives. Artrocker caught up with one of the hosts Tommy to run through what's going on...

Can you talk to us about your fanzine and what you're about?
Zine & Not Heard is a mix of things; we started out as a paper music zine last September, primarily as an outlet to share friends art, photos and story-telling abilities, as well as our enthusiasm for all things emo. Last October, my best buddy/housemate Joel started getting involved and since then we’ve put on 7/8 shows in various locations at London, releasing a new zine at each. Joel and I used to put on shows in Nottingham and Sheffield respectfully, and after losing a ton of money we thought we’d consolidate to London and try something new, we’re amazed on how everything’s turned out! (Touch wood).
To put it in plain English we are zine/blog/distro who put on fun shows.



What was the inspiration behind this about time all day festival?
About Time is a phrase that generally means something long-waiting (though we’ve taken the phrase literally on the poster.) The lady pictured is Pat Simmons, the voice behind our beloved Speaking Clock from 1963 until 1985. Since day one we’ve always wanted to put on a festival that’s something more than your average all-dayer, we felt that Pat was perfect to be the face of it!

Who are the bands, how do you know them?
The UK emo/indie scene is buzzing at the moment! Everyone’s very friendly and lovely, essentially all the bands playing have either played for us in the past or have endured our drunk ramblings at a gig. Football, Etc and Your Neighbour the Liar played our tiny basement last Christmas, Bird Calls are our London pals who we can never get enough off, Ten Speed Bicycle we met through them. I Saved Latin we met through going to gigs in the High Wycombe area, Nai Harvest and Speedboat Salesmen are two-pieces from Sheffield and Manchester who are on tour and we love, Papayèr (Pappz) have played for us in the past so had to have them back. The drummer from Reno Dakota used in play in a band called Maths, which is how we found out about them. Human Hands Chaz runs a label called Eat A Book Records and they’re friends with just about everyone in the UK DIY scene so not having them play would give us bad image cred. Bouquet are a promising young emo band who we thought fit the bill real well, Sunday League and Cycle Schmeichel are the only two we haven’t met, but we’ve exchanged a lot of <3’s over the internet. Lastly, Joie De Vivre are one of our favourite bands ever, we felt The Bussey Building would be a perfect send-off for their UK stint of the tour. 



What should people expect from the stalls which are on offer?
We’re still confirming stalls but there should be lots of goodies to spend your hard earned pennies on! As well as the oodles of band merchandise, Zine About That are releasing their first ever zine, Belly Kids & Pornography for Cowards will be selling their ace publications, It’s Like Boo will be selling her plushies and Eat A Book Records will be dishing out records to buy. We’ve also confirmed the Lovehut from F-A-C-E for outside, a hand-built hut which you can attach post-it-note love messages to. There’s going to be plently to see and do!

What are your plans for the future with these kind of events and bands?
We always try to take on more than we can chew, but we definitely want to do another one next year! We have to thank the lovely Andy Malcolm who runs Strictly No Capital Records who introduced us both to a lot of the bands playing. Otherwise upcoming shows for Z&NH include Slingshot Dakota, Empire! Empire! (I Was A Lonely Estate), Native, Fago. Sepia, Suffer Like G Did, Bonehouse, and lots more. We want people to go to shows all year round as I think people start to forget just how good live music can be.

Check out the Facebook event HERE