Gina Stone and Last July at Dark Waters

Gina Stone

Lincoln based singer-songwriter Gina Stone, who owns the accolade of festival opener for this year’s Dark Waters, is no stranger to the alternative scene, having found success for her unique and enchanting blend of Dark Electronica through her debut album ‘Woven’ and EP ‘Magnetic’. Currently working on new material for her second album, Gina featured recently in a special Nightbreed Radio ‘In Conversation With’ Interview show as well as enjoying airtime on both ‘The Snuff Monkey’ and ‘Metal Mumin’ Radio Shows.

Growing up in London, Gina started her musical career with late 80′s glam rock band, Scarlette gigging locally around London well into the early 1990s. In 2006, Gina resurrected four of her ‘Scarlette’ songs, dragging them kicking and screaming into the noughties, she entered the studio and laid down four totally updated version of those original songs.

Gina Stone – ‘Moonchild’

In 2007, Gina teamed up with musician-songwriter, Matt Whately and began a writing project known as Whately & Stone. Having played a live session on BBC’s Lincolnshire Radio, all things seemed to be falling into place, until Matt decided to leave the project. Continuing alone, driven by her sheer determination and hunger for success, Gina forged on and in 2010 self released her debut album ‘Woven’ achieving widespread recognition and collecting impressive reviews from all corners of the alternative scene.

Gina has played many events locally and in October 2011 hosted her EP launch party in Nottingham, with support from local band The Realm.

Photograph by Paul McDermott-Brown

www.myspace.com/ginastone13

Last July

Last July, from Cambridge, have been making their presence known for some years having played across the country, most notably in 2009 at Whitby’s Gothic Weekend to a packed Resolution Hotel. In 2011 they opened for Die So Fluid at York’s DV8 Festival and with their own ‘Blackberry Fair’ mini-festival they shared the stage with Rhombus, Luxury Stranger and Screaming Banshee Aircrew amongst others.

Vocalist, Alix’s powerful harmonies have been penetrating eardrums for as long as she’s known she has  vocal chords, and once harnessed, this formidable weapon has formed the basis of several bands including ‘Fruit Tree’, ‘Skelliga’ and ‘The Texas Chainsaw Orchestra’. Dvae’s keyboard playing started back in his school days and he became a founding member of 90s pop group ‘Slamm’. Following several ‘single’ releases and tours of the UK he left to concentrate on a new solo writing project ‘Summer Never Comes’ of which ultimately became the morphogenesis of Last July.

The band’s guitarist, Nevla, has seen tours of duty with fellow Cambridge band ‘Rome Burns’ as well as session guitarist for All Living fear in 2009/10. Guitar being something of a first love, his passion for crafting interesting and complex rhythm sections, compliments the band’s electronic feel giving a darker edge to their music. Most recently the band have acquired a fourth member, Heather or “H” as she prefers to be known on bass and another musician shared with Rome Burns, H played her debut gig at Whitby Gothic Weekend last Friday with Dark Waters being only her second live outing with the band.

Last July have an EP and one single releases to their credit and are currently working on their long awaited debut album, planned for release later this year.

www.lastjuly.co.uk

Last July – ‘Nothing Else But You’