Magazine to play at The Edge Festival

Aug 11 2009 by Andrew Welsh, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

A SHOW by new wave legends Magazine will be one of the highlights of The Edge Festival, the contemporary music arm of the Edinburgh Festival.

The re-formed rockers play the HMV Picture House on August 30 as the event, which got underway last weekend, reaches its climax.

Formed by Howard Devoto after he left punk band Buzzcocks in early 1977, Manchester outfit Magazine enjoyed cult status during their original four-year existence up to 1981.

Their debut single Shot By Both Sides is rightly regarded as a classic and their first album Real Life is still widely admired as one of the best in the post-punk canon.

A massive influence on scores of leading acts over the past 30 years, including Blur and Manic Street Preachers, Magazine reunited for a British tour in February with virtually their full ‘classic’ line-up.

The exception was guitarist John McGeoch, who later joined Siouxsie & The Banshees and Public Image Limited, who died in 2004.

He was replaced in the reformed band by ex-Apollo 440 star Noko, who previously played with Devoto in Luxuria.

Magazine’s other members are ex-Bad Seed and soundtrack maestro Barry Adamson on bass, Dave Formula (keys) and John Doyle (drums).

The Edge, which started at the weekend, has already seen gigs by The Stranglers, David Byrne and Calvin Harris and will feature further performances throughout this month from the likes of Young Fathers, Broken Records and Biffy Clyro.

Tickets for the Magazine gig on August 30 (doors 7.30pm) are available from Ticketmaster, with more details available at www.theedgefestival.com