This week's Limbo sees a special all-Edinburgh triple bill, as The Fusiliers make their welcome return joined by newcomers Autosafari and Myshkin.

THE FUSILIERS were last seen at Limbo back in January and we've been trying to get them on again ever since, so accomplished was their sound and so polished their production aesthetic. You could count on one hand the number of unsigned Edinburgh bands that have an attitude as professional as this bunch of likable lads and it's a pleasure to work with them as much as it is to watch them perform. And, when they unload their entire arsenal, The Fusiliers demonstrate a rock sound that seems genuinely destined for day-time-radio decimation.

AUTOSAFARI were introduced to us by their manager, the indefatigable Hannah Brodie, who badgered us so much we had to listen to their demo, a demo we came to appreciate for all its classic-rock-referencing jubilation. Think Nirvana, the Pixies, REM, Radiohead, Dead Kennedys, Neil Young, Husker Du and a ton of other classics: taut, loud and very impressive.

MYSHKIN similarly came to our attention via a mutual friend, who met the band at their rehearsal studios and passed on their demo with some enthusiastic banter. They're barely out of the starting blocks but have a keen ear for a lyric, a tune and a punk sound that should ingratiate them to fans of Iggy Pop and The Stooges. A perfect warm-up act, then.

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The Fusiliers were last seen at Limbo back in January and we've been trying to get them on again ever since, so accomplished was their sound and so polished their production aesthetic. You could count on one hand the number of unsigned Edinburgh bands that have an attitude as professional as this bunch of likable lads and it's a pleasure to work with them as much as it is to watch them perform. When they unload their entire arsenal, The Fusiliers demonstrate a rock sound that seems genuinely destined for day-time-radio decimation.

myspace.com/wearethefusiliers




Autosafari were introduced to us by their manager who badgered us so much we had to listen to their demo, a demo we came to appreciate for all its classic-rock-referencing jubilation. Think Nirvana, the Pixies, REM, Radiohead, Dead Kennedys, Neil Young, Husker Du and a ton of other classics: taut, loud and very impressive.

myspace.com/autosafari




Myshkin similarly came to our attention via a mutual friend, who met the band at their rehearsal studios and passed on their demo with some enthusiastic banter. They're barely out of the starting blocks but have a keen ear for a lyric, a tune and a punk sound that should ingratiate them to fans of Iggy Pop and The Stooges. A perfect warm-up act, then.

myspace.com/myshkinmusic

Last week was very special. And it wasn't just us who felt that way, as we've heard nothing but praise about last week's Limbo, from the dedicated folk who travelled through from Glasgow, to all three bands (James Pants, Found and Penpushers) who enjoyed performing, to the people who texted, emailed and otherwise messaged us afterwards to say how much they liked it (or heard from friends that it was a winner). So, thanks to everyone who made it down. With cult stars The Aliens playing their rescheduled show up the road AND Swedish popstrel Lykke Li in town, it was quite something to see so many ace people at Limbo, off-stage as well as on, and one of those rare occasions when the party literally didn't stop until the lights came up.

Penpushers go on first and, having only announced to us during sound check that they're making this their farewell show, we're expecting a poignant moment or two. They don't disappoint but they don't make a meal of it either, instead getting stuck into doing what they do best. Kris and Gary deliver the lines - and what lyrics too, so different, so much more thoughtful and atmospheric than so much out there right now - and Kimo and Bryan deliver the cuts, the scratches and the tunes. And together it's as complete a package as ever they offered, taking a few people present right back to those days in the late nineties when DJs Plus 1 (now part of quite a well-known DJ crew called The Scratch Perverts) and Extra (that's Bryan) were known as The Dynamic Duo and resident at Kulu's Jazz Joint (aka Henry's Cellar Bar) on a Tuesday night and countless musicians would get up and grab the mic or turn up with an instrument. Penpushers conjure up a dark, introspective mood with the deftness of real magi and they've got some pretty deep messages to convey too, but they do all this with as much humour as seriousness in their spells. They don't lift the spirits so much as offer a melancholy sense of awe at the wondrousness of it all, like small children exploring a new playground - innocent but simultaneously adventurous and knowing. Apparently the various members of the band are going their separate ways to focus on new projects, so keep an eye on myspace if you're keen to see how that unfolds. Best of luck to them all.

myspace.com/penpushers

Found can move. And they do so once again. They've not had the benefit of any sound check at all today, so it takes them a while to - parp, strum, crash, zing, grunt - make sure all their microphones and amps are working ok and sound the way they should, which is always a chalenging experience if you're at the back of a dimly lit room trying to keep everyone vaguely entertained by playing a few records through the din. Then the spot-lights go up on stage and singer Ziggy is asking, 'please can you turn that light off?' Found are not afraid of the limelight but they're not big on fuss and drama either and one the lights have returned to a warmer, more measured level, a cool, laid-back mood swiftly pervades. Found crack into their tried and tested material and deliver some ace new moments too. A small misunderstanding over their visuals, which (it later transpires) contain a deliberate twelve minute black-screen intro sequence to allow the band to get ready before they roll, good and proper, means they perform their set to the backdrop of some attractive ballerinas Dave has prepared earlier and edited on a continuous loop. In any case, Found carry it off with their characteristic aplomb, all quirky electronics-meets-psyche-rock flair with some hummable songs to boot, and everyone seems to enjoy it immensely, as they receive quite a reception from the large crowd. One musician bounds up to the booth afterwards to announce that he'd 'never seen them before' and 'aren't they just great?' 'Well, yes, we like them too,' but we need to get James Pants on right now...

myspace.com/foundtheband



Alongside a hip-hop-not-hip-hop crew like Penpushers, this evening's couldn't really have been a more natural Edinburgh bill for an act like James Pants, who so willfully defies categorisation and yet who also does this with so little of the po-faced sense of self-importance that other 'experimental' acts often exhibit and so much more of that childish sense of fun that both support acts also have in spades. But happy accidents such as these are what make music so exciting sometimes and, as Mr Pants (who must surely have been well aware of just how ridiculous his name sounded to a UK audience when he decided to embark on that career move) seems to know, as he takes to the stage with his band, all four of them, dressed in the most comical outfits we've seen since The King And I last screened on TV. He must surely continue to be aware of the aforementioned comedy value, as he has the whole room bending down to touch their toes and limber up for what's about to follow. And what follows is a lotta fun, with Pants's unusual singing voice and those crazy boogie riffs sounding just like they did on his record and, wow, his band can really play. It's an entertaining combination and a good antidote to all the self-regarding pish that passes public censure these days. But, when Mr Pants turns around at the end of the night and deadpans, 'yeah, but we're totally serious,' well, that's just the icing on the cake. If only more Americans were like James Pants.

myspace.com/jamespants

James Pants, Found and Penpushers pictures by Nic Rue

Following the Edinburgh triple-bill this week, next week's Limbo is a glorious Glasgow triple-bill! The Facebook event is here.

The One of the finest bands on the Scottish circuit just now, Popup have been keeping a pretty low profile this year, having put the finishing touches to their debut album and then immediately started work on their sophmore output without pausing for breath. Bar a headline spot at the recent Dunstaffanage festival and a few foreign jaunts, it's been all (studio-bound) work work work with very few live outings.

With singer-songwriter Damian Gilhooly's distinctive west-coast accent it would be easy (but lazy!) to bracket them with current media darlings The Twilight Sad, Frightened Rabbit et al. However, Popup's irreverent sense of humour and witty lyricism sets them apart from angst-ridden Scots miserablists such as these, and listening to jaunty break-out early singles Lucy What You Trying To Say and Chinese Burn it's clear there's much funk in this group's swagger, as Damo's childhood passion for Prince (in addition to Deacon Blue, Nirvana and The Fall) quite clearly attests.

'Popup live like wolves on the outskirts of popular culture, protecting a territory it would not make sense for others to invade. They arrive, like foxes, without invitation at the gates of towns and cities, hoping to be fed without fuss. They sing at times as an owl will to his prey, at times as a panda will to her reluctant mate. They are the sound of birds migrating, of nature's irregular beat. They move like man's heart racing, as the blood drains to his feet.' (band's myspace)

myspace.com/popuptheband




It's the return of those aces, Isosceles, who impressed everyone at the second ever Limbo and then came and did the same again in March of this year, before their spot in the T Break tent at TITP saw them hailed by the promoters as one of the acts of the weekend and we're very pleased to have them, their beautiful Hammond organ and all of their fabulous plastic flamingoes back ever since. They're now hotly tipped for the top by industry insiders, recently inking a deal with the highly reputable 13 Artists Management company (alongside mega-stars such as Arctic Monkeys, Maximo Park, The Divine Comedy, Sigur Ros, Bloc Party, Kate Nash, Ian Brown, Radiohead, Portishead and Supergrass, among others). Style-wise, they talk about R & B, soul and rockabilly but we're reminded of classic UK bands such as Madness, if they were fronted by Edwyn Collins and had just been to see Beck. This is British pop at its most energetic and entertaining and, as they enter the studio to re-record their debut single and consequently take it out on tour, if Isosceles haven't made a national dent by next Spring, we'll eat our pork pie hats.

myspace.com/isoscelestheband




'Mixing up experimental folk songs with fast country rhythms and foot-stomping ho-downs, the result is unique, adding loop pedals and organs to make a tapestry of noise enhanced by perfectly timed howls and hollers! Woodenbox with a Fistful of Fivers formed in Glasgow in January 08. Since then they have had airplay on Radio 1, Radio 2 among many other local, national and international stations. The summer saw the band play at the Connect festival, Dunstaffnage festival and the best of Your Sound at the Edge Festival. Their debut single, Twisted Mile, was released in August and has helped them build a loyal following. The band are currently recording some new material and working on some new sounds to add to their set.' (band's biog)

myspace.com/awoodenbox

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MAILING LIST

FACEBOOK/MYSPACE

Limbo has active Facebook and Myspace pages. Join our Facebook group here or befriend us over here at MySpace

ALSO COMING UP

Also coming up at Limbo: Popup, Isosceles, Woodenbox, Cancel The Astronauts, Babygod Clint, Punch & The Apostles, Haight Ashbury No Pasaran, Zoey Van Goey, Over The Wall, Callel, Pumajaw, Sparrow & The Workshop, Easglewowl, Come on Gang!, Kid Canaveral plus loads of other buzzing brand new acts.

Check out all our forthcoming bands here

CHEAP DRINKS!

Don't forget you can take advantage of £2 bottles from any of the Voodoo Rooms' three bars by showing your Limbo wrist-band to the bartender.

REHEARSAL SPACE?

The Black Spring Rooms: competitive prices, friendly service, easy access and no fuss for as little as £7 / hour; free parking on site + six bus routes to service it in Leith. More info here

VENUE INFO

Limbo takes place at The Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street, Edinburgh.

Times: 8.30pm - 1am *
First band 9.00, second band 9.45, third band 10.30

Entrance: £5/£4 *

Ph: 0131 556 7060 (venue) / 0131 477 6916 (promoter)

* except where otherwise advertised

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