VRIJDAG 2 FEBRUARI

múm (ISL)
Together with Vashti Bunyan and Animal Collective, múm is one of the most successful mainstays of the Fat Cat label. Through playful and warm sounding electronics, enchanting melodies and heavenly arrangements, which we can hear on such brilliant releases as ‘Yesterday Was Dramatic, Today Is OK’ (2000/2005), ‘Finally We Are No One’ (2002) and ‘Summer Make Good’ (2004), múm knows how to satisfy a worldwide large audience. 2007 will undoubtedly be a fruitful year for múm, which will be injected by the release of ‘múm: The Peel Sessions’ late 2006, followed by a múm dj mix-cd – on occasion of the by now legendary múm djset during the Open Circuit:Fat Cat 2006 festival -, concluded by a new full-length release late Spring 2007. But first múm will headline both nights appearing for the first time in a reduced but challenging 5-piece lineup.
http://fat-cat.co.uk/fatcat/artistInfo.php?id=49
http://www.randomsummer.com/
http://www.myspace.com/mumtheband
LISTEN TO THE AUDIO-TRACK ON KWADRATUUR.BE: http://www.kwadratuur.be/audio.php?id=445


NINA NASTASIA (US)
The late John Peel (renowned former DJ for BBC radio) adulated the talent of this young woman at each given opportunity he had. Producer Steve Albini (Shellac, Big Black), known for his harsh and brutal guitar violence, claims to melt away completely at sounds of such angelic beauty. The album ‘On Leaving’ (September 2006) was Nina Nastasia’s debut on the successful Fat Cat label, after four albums on the American Touch&Go. We are really looking forward to see Nina Nastasia’s debut on Open Circuit: FAT CAT
http://fat-cat.co.uk/fatcat/artistInfo.php?id=108
http://www.myspace.com/ninanastasia
LISTEN TO THE AUDIO-TRACK ON KWADRATUUR.BE: http://www.kwadratuur.be/audio.php?id=442

THE TWILIGHT SAD (SCOT)
At the moment (November 2006) Fat Cat released the self titled ep of the Scottish The Twilight Sad only in the US. Luckily for us, The Twilight Sad is a true live sensation, just like their fellow countrymen Mogwai. Strong pop songs with a venomous injection is the trademark for this Fat Cat sprout. We try to avoid putting the words ‘post’ and ‘rock’ too closely together when talking about The Twilight Sad, but we don’t exaggerate with terms such as ‘shoegazer’ and (literally speaking) ‘wall of sound’. With Max Richter in charge of the recording process, 2007 will be the year of The Twilight Sad. We would like to open that year at the SHOTS-weekend at the Open Circuit:Fat Cat festival.
http://fat-cat.co.uk/fatcat/artistInfo.php?id=107
http://www.myspace.com/thetwilightsad

SILJE NES (NOR)
Silje Nes is a talented young lady from Bergen, Norway. Fat Cat’s Dave Howell convinced her to join the Fat Cat label just like he did earlier with bands and artists like o.a. Animal Collective and Our Brother The. Silje Nes makes intimate songs on guitar, toy and wind instruments, laptop and percussion, draped with a layer of fragile vocals. We leave any comparisons up to your imagination.
http://www.myspace.com/siljenes

GANG WIZARD (US)
Gang Wizard’s debut was a self titled 12” in 1997. Ten years later the releases are numerous, not to say uncountable. The debut album ‘El Cortez Buy Y’a Drink’ was released by 10 labels including Morc, Deathbomb Arc, Unread, Old Gold, Bbptc and Thurston Moore’s Ecstatic Peace label. With releases for Morc, Imvated and a possible collaboration with Kites for Ultra Eczema we can speak of a strong artistic link to Belgium. Gang Wizard guarantees a strong share of heavily altered guitar violence, improv and pure fun which is often compared to Dead C in overdrive. ‘Byzantine Headache’ is the newest release from Gang Wizard, out on Load Records (Lightning Bolt, Noxagt) and filled with adrenaline. Expect an adventurous live set at which solo and duo escapades will be plenty. Their place on the OPEN CIRCUIT: FAT CAT bill is assured.
http://www.gangwizard.tk/

SEMICONDUCTOR vs ANTENNA FARM (UK)
Fat Cat label boss Dave Howell gave the past Fat Cat editions an injection of raw electronics with his project Antenna Farm some of us still haven’t fully recovered from. For this years edition he conspires with Semiconductor, a British duo who released their delightful visuals on the viewers in kunstencentrum BELGIE before, during the Fat Cat edition of 2003. Big events and organizations like Sonar Barcelona, Transmediale Berlin and Tate Britain followed our lead. Their work, ranging from music videos for bands like múm and Dat Politics to installations that renewed visual and audio boundaries, that is the diverse experience Ruth Jarman en Joseph Gerhardt give the audience. Besides a unique cooperation with Antenna Farm, Semiconductor will be responsible for the visual transformation of at least one Open Circuit room...
http://fat-cat.co.uk/fatcat/artistInfo.php?id=110
http://www.semiconductorfilms.com/
http://www.phthalo.com/cat.php?cat=phth24

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ZATERDAG 3 FEBRUARI

múm (ISL)
See program friday 2nd of february

HAUSCHKA (D)
Volker Bertelmann aka Hauschka recently joined Fat Cat. He previously worked with the German label Karaoke Kalk. Bertelmann is a schooled pianist, but when seated behind a piano as Hauschka, his instrument quickly turns into a Pandora’s box of sounds. Results vary from small rhythmical soundscapes to subtle ballads rooted in East Asian harmonies and the minimalism of composers like Steve Reich, Philip Glass and Michael Nyman. Besides Hauschka, Volker Bertelmann is active in Music A.M.: a collective together with Stefan Schneider (To Rococco Rot) and Luke Sutherland (Long Fin Killie).
http://www.myspace.com/hauschka
http://fat-cat.co.uk/fatcat/artistInfo.php?id=112

ENSEMBLE (CAN/F)
Aphex Twin’s Rephlex Records was responsible for the release of ‘Sketch Proposals’ in 2000: a subtle hint of indietronics by Olivier Alary who went by the name Ensemble. Alary‘s reputation as an exceptional sound manipulator already made him cooperate with the likes of Björk and many others. Soundcrafting together is what Olivier Alary does best. For his Fat Cat debut by the name Ensemble he works together with Lou Barlow (Sebadoh/ Dinosaur Jr), Chan Marshall (Cat Power) and Adam Pierce (Mice Parade, Him...).
http://fat-cat.co.uk/fatcat/artistInfo.php?id=106
http://www.ensemble-home.com/
LISTEN TO THE AUDIO-TRACK ON KWADRATUUR.BE: http://www.kwadratuur.be/audio.php?id=443

THE HOSPITALS (US)
Drums, two guitars and vocals overwhelmed with tons of delay. The Hospitals (from California) don’t need anything more to serve you a spaced-out no-wavey noise-fest. They ripped apart songs by The Who, Royal Trux, Harry Pussy and The Kinks’ and on their album ‘I’ve Visited The Island Of Jocks And Jazz’(on Load Records. For more info see Gang Wizard) they show their love for smoking amps and killer riffs that make us daydream about the The Coachwhips at their best. The Hospitals were high on the priority list of Fat Cats Dave Howell and kunstencentrum BELGIE. With Gang Wizard hanging around as well, who knows what nightmares our daydreams might turn into. Or vice versa of course...
http://www.loadrecords.com/bands/hospitals.html

WELCOME (US)
60’s psych pop à la The Creation, The Beatles (Revolver-period), Syd Barrett’s Pink Floyd and a dash of alternative rock we know from bands like Unwound, Deerhoof and The Breeders... shake it well, broil it a short while and notice we hear a shot of Kool Keith and Harry Pussy remaining. That ‘s what Seattle based band Welcome is all about. After the ‘Sirs’ demo was found in the Fat Cat mailbox, there was no stopping them. Since September 2006 they‘re official members of the Fat Cat family and ready to conquer the European stages.
http://www.yrwelcome.com/
http://fat-cat.co.uk/fatcat/artistInfo.php?artist=Welcome
LISTEN TO THE AUDIO-TRACK ON KWADRATUUR.BE: http://www.kwadratuur.be/audio.php?id=444

SONGS OF GREEN PHEASANT (UK)
The debut album on Fat Cat (released September 2005) by Songs of Green Pheasant left us in silent awe after our first listening session. Echoes of Butterfly Child, Talk Talk / Mark Hollis, Simon and Garfunkel, Flying Saucer Attack, Jewelled Antler Collective, Richard Youngs and even Galaxie 500 came to mind. Needless to say we hadn’t heard so much beauty in quite a while. Because of that awesome album, Songs Of Green Pheasant would have been an important guest at the Open Circuit: Fat Cat in 2006 but fate was against us that year. By now, the bard from Sheffield has made a second album, ‘Aerial Days’, and he will première live on the European continent during the Open Circuit:Fat Cat-festival 2007. Yes, life can truly be beautiful!
http://fat-cat.co.uk/fatcat/artistInfo.php?id=99