Relive the magic of our 40th anniversary celebrations with this newly edited video by Rob Curry. Featuring performances by Giant Sand, Kristin Hersh, members of The Dream Syndicate, Josephine Foster, Vanishing Twin, Islet, Graham Reynolds, Marta Del Grandi, Monde UFO, BAS JAN, Immaterial Possession and Jane Weaver.
On Saturday, April 27, 2024, we commemorated our 40 years, most of which have been spent in Hackney, with a spectacular event. Fourteen of our acts performed to a packed, sold-out, and attentive audience. The whim-induced Giant Syndicate, a band led by legendary Fire Records Alumni Howe Gelb (Giant Sand), Kristin Hersh (Throwing Muses) and Steve Wynn (The Dream Syndicate), tore down the Earth Theatre in Hackney, closing a ten-hour, multi-act, psychedelic extravaganza.
The impressive lineup included Josephine Foster, who temporarily set aside her psych-folk roots for a journey into dark-wave ambience. Imported bands like Immaterial Possession and Monde UFO commanded the stage as if they had been doing it for years, while Bas Jan and Islet made the space feel that ever bit more like home. Film composer Graham Reynolds connected the daytime and evening bills with liminal luminescence before a show-stopping collaboration with Italian musician Marta Del Grandi, who then delivered an unforgettable solo set.
In the midst of all this, members of The Dream Syndicate gave a stellar mid-afternoon matinee performance, highlighted by a delightful duet with Jane Weaver. Of all the headliners, no voice in music can fill a room quite like Kristin Hersh’s. Giant Sand returned to both form, and their first London show in years, with eccentric and emotional effect.
All performing artists:
The Giant Syndicate
Giant Sand
Kristin Hersh
(Members of) The Dream Syndicate
Josephine Foster
Vanishing Twin
Islet
Graham Reynolds
Marta Del Grandi
Monde UFO
BAS JAN
Immaterial Possession
Jane Weaver
Directed by Rob Curry
Camera operators Richard Mitchell, Daniel Smith
Hosted by Stewart Lee and curated by label boss James Nicholls
Projections by Innerstrings
