It will be ten years to the day on November 2nd 2019 since the record 'Empty, Derivative Pop Songs' was set free upon the world (wide web, mainly, but also HMV Oxford St and Banquet Records) by my band 4 or 5 Magicians. While sales figures didn't quite match the highly positive reviews (to say the least - I still have a box of 700 CDs at my mum's house), we had a supportive and grounded label in Smalltown America, and besides, nobody was really buying anything then anyway, right? We were in the middle of a UK tour on the day of release and had big plans for 2010 of touring Europe and recording a follow-up record titled 'Serious, Political Rock Songs' (we wouldn't have actually called it this). As it happened, four days after the album's release, my father died. Long story short, the live band from the album release dissolved not long after, and following a tour with a patched together new lineup, I split the band up for good in October 2010. We did our last "last ever show, promise!" show in 2013. We've not been out to play since.

Well, it's nearly ten years since our album came out and I miss playing so I figured, f*ck it, why not, and have booked a show for the exact 10th anniversary of the album release. We're still young enough to make a racket, but probably old enough that we'll (finally) play the songs at the correct speed live. Hell, this may even be the greatest show we ever did play! I'll be dusting off my old yellow guitar and clearing my throat and will be joined by... my long time musical collaborator Sam Clarke on lead guitar; Gareth Jones (formerly of old Magicians gig chums My First Tooth) on drums; and bass player from my post-Magicians one gig wonder project Point Scoring, Amyas Varcoe on bass.

For those that have never heard of 4 or 5 Magicians, which I realise is most people in existence, we were relatively successful for what we set out to do (have a great time and have people who like good music like our music). We were single of the week on four different shows on three national BBC radio stations (1, 2 and 6) and described at various points by actual paid journalists of fair to strong reputation, as: "The British Pavement", "The UK's answer to Guided By Voices", "The new Manic Street Preachers", "The indie-rock Streets", "Kate Nash's annoying little brother" (I'm actually three years older than Kate Nash), and many, many more things. All of these people were wrong, but you get the idea.

We will be joined by my favourite band of the little scene we were involved in at the time, William. I've always described them as sounding like a band you half-remembered existing in the canon of great 90s alt-rock bands, but actually never did. They just sound like they should have. Sort of a bit like early Placebo and Idlewild meets proper emo like The Promise Ring via early 90s Merge stuff like Superchunk and Archers Of Loaf. But in reality they are completely unique and utterly brilliant for it. Their 2008 debut 'Self In Fiction' remains one of my favourite albums to this day. This is their first show in what must be well over three years and I'm delighted to have them on board, to the point I probably wouldn't have bothered doing the show at all if they didn't want to do it. So big thanks to Mark, Dan and Gavin for getting involved.

Also getting involved are the super-duper Life Drawings, fronted by original 4 or 5 Magicians bass player and very nice young man, Jon Wood. Picking up plaudits left, right and centre at the moment, and rightly so. If you like The Fall you will love Life Drawings. That probably also works the other way too - if you love The Fall you will like Life Drawings.

Completing the lineup we have Melva, a rip-roaring collaboration between new Magician Amyas Varcoe, Adam John Miller and Harry Foster. Expect a mix of Mountain Goats, Silkworm, Guided By Voices, Swans and Sonic Youth. Sometimes sad, often extremely danceable.

There will be some form of "DJ" after the bands playing "the hits" until about 1:00am. Bands will finish by 11:00pm to allow old people to get home, and old people that live near the venue to get some sleep.

Come down and party like its 2009. Can't really remember exactly what that entails, but I think it's essentially drinking a lot so we meet our minimum spend at the bar, and having a wonderful time while doing this.

Dan x