Following its most triumphant sold outness back in February 2023 the annual Good On Paper Party returns for its eight year on Saturday 3rd February.
First launched in 2016 the GOP Party (not the American one…) acts as a fundraiser for this magazine of ours whilst bringing forth a hoard of artists, musicians, DJ's and more to celebrate the vibrant, creative scene which Stroud is increasingly becoming renowned for. As well as championing all things local we also invite performers from further afield to join the line-up resulting in an eclectic mix of live music and art.
For this year? Well we are going back to the past…
“You see us as you want to see us, in the simplest terms with the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain…and an athlete…and a basket case…a princess…and a criminal. Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours…The Breakfast Club.”
THE SUB ROOMS - BALLROOM
The main stage features the first UK show in over a decade by legendary French electronic composer and one of the pioneers of synthwave College (aka David Grellier) who provided Nicolas Winding Refn with the theme song for his acclaimed and award-winning film Drive with ‘A Real Hero’ feat. Electric Youth. From Brighton we welcome the double drumming, synth wielding electro-disco-noise-punk duo AK/DK and the nine-strong the Umlauts return to Stroud (which two of the members hail from) with their multilingual, post-punk/80s contemporary pop stylings. Following the bands there will be a DJ set by none other than renowned music journalist, author and DJ Joe Muggs..
COLLEGE
College is David Grellier, a legendary French electronic music composer, born in 1979 in Nantes. In the late '90s he acquired his first computer with which he produced several demos influenced by artists such as Jeff Mills and Aphex Twin, and labels such as Soma Records, Peacefrog and Warp. In 2007 he started Valerie, a blog that has evolved to become a record label and an expanding cultural network of international artists. 2011 saw Nicolas Winding Refn chose 'A Real Hero' by College feat. Electric Youth as the theme song for his acclaimed and award-winning film Drive, propelling College into mainstream consciousness and securing him support across publications such as Pitchfork, Consequence of Sound and The Line of Best Fit. College, in Grellier's words, was an attempt "to synthesise into my music the emotions of my childhood" and was greatly influenced by American 1980s pop-culture, "80's soaps and an aesthetic which I particularly like: colour, images, silvery films and the sun – images of Los Angeles, Chicago and all of the other cities that continue to fascinate me”.
AK/DK
AK/DK create improvised layers of fuzzed-up synths, delays and thunderous double drums. Known for their high-energy and structural abandon as a live act, their stream of largely improvised layers of fizzing arpeggios and crushing motorik drums has earned them places on stages and at festivals all around the UK and Europe. They've performed at Latitude, End of The Road, ArcTanGent and Green Man, and have toured with Dan Deacon, The Dandy Warhols, Fujiya & Miyagi and Zombie Zombie. The two-piece have always loved the motorik of Kraftwerk and Can, bands that revelled in the journey as much as the destination. They also describe themselves as “like a chunkier Devo” – and, yes, there’s a warmth to the textures of their music from the modular synths and other self-built pedals in their set up, while there’s a driving rhythmic constancy too.
THE UMLAUTS
There are few things in life quite as mesmerising or outrageously euphoric as the nine-strong Umlauts army effervescing in full force. Rebelling against labels, transcending borders of land and time - packed with twin vocalists equally competent in their skewering south-London drawl as they are in German, Italian or French - as in touch with the nostalgias of First-Generation post-punk or 80s pop as they are with the techniques of contemporary pop or big beat dance - the Umlauts are paragons of trans-europe excess, dripping with inarguable edge; ranging wildly from chaotic cool to bombastically exquisite order; invested with unhinging, socio-political bite, dancing in a rave of their own. The group played a memorable End of the Road Festival slot for their fourth ever show, and have since picked up slots at Wide Awake, Pitchfork Music Festival London and tour support with Shame, among others, as well as taking in airplay and plaudits from BBC 6music, NME, Loud & Quiet and more.
JOE MUGGS
Joe Muggs is best known as a music writer, having written for the likes of Mixmag, The Wire, FACT, The Guardian, Daily Telegraph, theartsdesk, Bandcamp and Boiler Room and is also the author of Bass, Mids, Tops: An Oral History of Soundsystem Culture, Crosstown Rebels: 20 Years of Madness, Magic and Music and another major new club music history for 2024 (to be announced in the spring). But he's also kept his hand in as a musician and DJ over the years, from the ultra-experimental to the party-rocking. You can be well assured he'll be leaning in the latter direction for the Good On Paper Party, and Stroud punters who've seen him play at Studio 18 or SVA in the past couple of years can testify that means 100% good times from start to end….
THE SUB ROOMS - BOX OFFICE
Six local DJ’s will be taking over the Sub Rooms Box Office (which will include a popup bar) playing everything from Roller-Disco Boogie, Hip Hop, Synthwave to electro grooves, early rave and electro arcade funk. All 80s. Underneath the original stage sign from Top Of the Pops…
MONOBROW
Monobrow is the proprietor of Sound Records and one of Stroud's best loved DJs. He is co-host of disco/house warehouse night Loose Joints and resident on Bristol's Noods Radio. Expect a heady mix of 80s pop, electro grooves and early rave classics...The spirit of acid house is strong in this one…00:00 - 01:00
DISCO D’OLI
Disco D’Oli brings you a selection of deep, groove-led vinyl that distils the collectivist, loving spirit of house as it emerges from disco. Midwife DJ Oli holds the space for peace, liberation and healing - feel reborn on the dancefloor! 23:00 - 00:00
DUBBU
Born and raised in the GL5 postcode explains why Dubbu's love for Stroud runs so deep. Having spent his formative years experiencing his parents love for music it was certain that it would feature so heavily in his future. HipHop has always been a mainstay in his musical life and it's where musically his heart lies, although Funk, Soul & Reggae feature heavily in his sets.22:00 - 23:00
MENDOZA
Will Mendoza has been djing for aeons and his freeform cross-genre all-vinyl dj sets are a regular occurrence in and around Stroud. Will is one of the founders and organisers of Stroud Block Party and is the resident DJ at The Long Table in Brimscombe. He's bringing a set that features 80's tracks that embraced the advent of advancements in technology through the use of synths, drum machines and samplers in a manner that mirrors the development of arcade video games in this golden era. Mr Mendoza was heard to say he will be, "locked and loaded with 'electro arcade funk' to set things off, sweatbands are advised but optional"...21:00 - 22:00
MULLY JOWERS
Grower of veg and player of synths with wooden sides, Stroud based occasional musician Mully Jowers is a producer at leading experiential art collective Marshmallow Laser Feast, working on various immersive installations combining giant projections, interactions and sometimes VR in venues and spaces across the world. Mully will be driving his Sinclair C5 down from Randwick to play a set of Synthwave (also called outrun, retrowave, or futuresynth).20:00 - 21:00
MZ MONIQUE
Mz Monique was exposed to a wide variety of music from a young age. Being born on the Caribbean island of Dominica, where genres of music such as Bouyon, Calypso & Soca are in heavy rotation. Moving to the UK at the age of 4, she went on to be influenced by the music played in the family household by both her parents and her older brother & sister, from Jimmy Cliff to Doug E Fresh and even Prince. For the Good On Paper Party, her DJ selection will also reflect this musical diversity, with a throwback to the days when the only way to DJ was with analogue sounds! Expect hints of Roller-Disco Boogie & 80s Hip Hop infused with a Caribbean flavour!. 19:00 - 20:00
POPUP RETRO ARCADE
THE SUB ROOMS - GEORGE ROOM
Us Good On Paper Boy(s) will be turning one of the rooms in the Subs into a Popup Retro Arcade ft a hoard of original machines from the 80s! Step into something akin to Flynn’s Arcade in Tron, the Mall Arcade in Fast Times At Ridgemont High, Golf N Stuff Family Centre in Karate Kid or Cafe 80's in Back To the Future 2. Eat the dots. Avoid the ghosts. No coins needed. It’s going to be pretty rad. 18:00 - 00:00
MARK LEVY 80’S POSTER EXHIBITION
THE SUB ROOMS - GEORGE ROOM
Stroud based illustrator Mark Levy has been creating illustration, game design and animation within the entertainment and amusements industry for over 20 years. He has also contributed to the Poster Posse, Posterspy and Gallery 1988, officially licensed artwork for Stranger Things, Power Rangers and John Carpenter’s Halloween and featured in books including Film On Canvas: If Fine Artists Made Movie Posters, Underexposed: The 50 Greatest Movies Never Made, Stranger Things: Visions From The Upside Down as well as poster designs for the films The Remnant, As I Am (Philophobia) and Last Christmas. He is also co-curator of the annual Stroud Film Festival movie posters exhibition. For the GOP Party Mark will be exhibiting a series of his re-imagined, alternative posters of iconic 80s films and TV shows including brand new work.
STROUD SKATE CREW
THE SHAMBLES
Stroud skate crew was born in 2022 when a few Stroud friends rediscovered their roller skates through the Bristol jam skate scene - Bump, SkateTemple, Rouleete noir... Inspired and looking for skate mates, they decided to foster a Stroud skate scene! Stroud Skate Crew have now put on 2 skate jam parties at Stroud Brewery and continue to encourage Stroudies to get their skates on and discover the joys of this growing skate family. As part of the Good On Paper Party on Sat 3rd February Stroud Skate Crew will be taking over the Shambles Hall in the centre of town for an 80s rollerdisco. Get your skates, leg warmers, Lycra and wrist guards on ( Health and safety first!) and jam on down to your favourite 80s movie soundtracks...Please note: You must bring your own skates!! 17:00 - 19:00 (free for GOP Party ticket holders/£5otd for general public)
INSERT ART HERE
LANSDOWN GALLERY
For the cover of our 100th issue back in September we thought we should at least try something a bit different. So we extended an open invitation to artists of any age across the Stroud District to take the first page of the 100th edition of Good On Paper, rip it off and create their own work over the top of it. Illustration, cartoon, painting, poem, story, calligraphy, photography, charcoal, collage, woodcut, screenprint, paper pulp - any medium they might like to bring into being on top of a 200gsm piece of paper in a 25cm by 19.5cm frame.
Our experiment involving our readers and the community at large (or you might just think we forgot about the cover art for a mighty milestone of an issue when it came to the deadline - it had been been a busy summer) paid off and we received over 100 submissions which will all be exhibited as part of the Insert Art Here exhibition at Lansdown Gallery from Sat 3rd until Sat 10th February. All the submitted covers will be for sale raising funds for local charities.
Alongside the Insert Art Here exhibition will be the covers from the last 12 issues ft Harvey Steele (94), Tom Sears (95), Joe Magee (96), Dennis Gould (97), Both Laughing (98), Kate Williamson (99), You? (100), DiSect (101), Akira Roe (102), Alex Merry (103), Dom Thompson (104) and Adam Hinks (105).
Opening hours: Sat 3rd 10am-4pm / Mon 4th - Fri 9th 11am-2pm / Sat 10th 10am-4pm