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

Following its triumphant sold outness back in February 2022  the annual Good On Paper Party  returns once again for its seventh outing on Saturday 4th February 2023 across three venues in the centre of Stroud -the Sub Rooms, Tomari-Gi and Weven…

First launched in 2016 the GOP Party (not the American one…) acts as a fundraiser for Good On Paper; a local arts and culture publication (long live the printed word) 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 the magazine also brings performers from further afield to join the line-up resulting in an eclectic mix of live music, art and spoken word.
- Doors: 18:00 (bars + exhbitions at the Sub Rooms and exhibition at Weven)

THE SUB ROOMS - MAIN STAGE
Each month Good On Paper invites local musicians, DJs, venue owners, festivals, promoters and artist friends to curate a 34 track playlist for their readers and for vol.7 the lineup has been pulled from these virtual mixtapes which includes a headline set by genre-crossing Scottish composer and producer Anna Meredith (Emily Hall’s Playlist, Issue 87), London born now Stroud dwelling multi-instrumentalist musician, composer and producer Cosmo Sheldrake (John Best’s Playlist, Issue 73), Japanese musician and visual artist Yama Warashi (the Prince Albert’s Playlist, Issue 65) and the Stroud and Bristol based folktronica duo Orbury Common (Jazz Stroud’s Playlist, Issue 84)…Stone Club founded by artists Lally Macbeth and Matthew Shaw will also return to Stroud for a DJ set from West Penwith, Cornwall following their appearance at Hidden Notes Festival in September 2022 this time also joined by local all female Morris Dancing side Boss Morris.

ANNA MEREDITH

Described by Pitchfork as ‘one of the most innovative voices in British music’, Anna Meredith is a genre-crossing composer and producer whose work straddles the worlds of contemporary classical, art pop, electronica and experimental rock. She was awarded an MBE for services to music in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours List. After building an established career in the classical world and releasing two critically acclaimed EPs, she released her much-anticipated debut album, Varmints, on Moshi Moshi Records in 2016. The critical response saw 4 and 5 star reviews across the board from the likes of Wire, Sunday Times, Uncut, Q Magazine, The Line of Best Fit, DIY and the coveted Best New Music on Pitchfork. As well as being Loud & Quiet’s Album of the Year, Varmints also won the 2016 Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award. In 2019 she released the Mercury Prize nominated follow-up – FIBS – to critical acclaim once again, being named Electronic Sound’s Album of the Year, featuring in Pitchfork’s Best Experimental Albums of 2019 and the New York Times, alongside many other End of Year lists including Loud & Quiet, Paste, Stereogum and receiving 4 and 5 star reviews across the board. Anna’s band of virtuosic musicians sees her joined by guitar, drums, cello and tuba, They have spent the last 6 years touring the globe including sold-out headline shows at EartH, ICA, The Scala, Oval Space and Queen Elizabeth Hall in London as well as appearances at Glastonbury, Latitude, Transmusicales, SXSW festivals. 22:30 - 23:30
annameredith.com

COSMO SHELDRAKE

Cosmo Sheldrake is a singer, songwriter, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist from London. He collects and plays a variety of instruments, from the bass clarinet to the banjo. The music he makes with them, inspired by and often incorporating field recordings and natural soundscapes, is essential listening for anyone interested in hearing truly unique new sounds. Cosmo released his first single ‘The Moss’ in 2014, which was followed by the ‘Pelicans We’ EP in 2015 and his debut album The Much Much How How and I in April 2018. He collaborated with Bernie Kruase at The Great Animal Orchestra exhibition at Foundation Cartier in Paris and in 2019 he released a series of Wake up Calls, pieces composed entirely from recordings of endangered British birds. He has toured internationally, composed music for film and theatre, and in 2015 he ran a community choir in Brighton. He releases music through his own label Tardigrade Records. 21:20 - 22:00
cosmosheldrake.com

YAMA WARASHI

Yama Warashi is the vision of Yoshino Shigihara, a Japanese musician and visual artist whose past projects include cult favourites Zun Zun Egui (Bella Union), of which she was a co-founder. Inspired by Japanese folk dance, free jazz and tribal African music, and heavily saturated in psychedelia, Yama Warashi’s songs are lyrically outlandish and charming, melodically addictive and mythical; the band name translates from Shigihara’s native tongue as “small childlike mountain spirit”. 20:10 - 20:50
yamawarashi.com

ORBURY COMMON

Orbury Common is more than Bristol and Stroud-based musicians Josh Day-Jones and Emlyn Bainbridge. It’s a place rooted in their collective imagination, a warped parallel to our own world, with its own strange cultures, customs, landscapes and landmarks. Of their new EP, the pair say: “This record is an imagining of how the traditional ‘dance’ music of Orbury Common would sound: songs to accompany ecstatic ceremonies and strange, fire-side customs. It’s a bleary stumble through the nightlife of Orbury Common and aims to draw parallels between ancient rituals and raves, between holy temples and the dancefloor. It explores the primitive and visceral impulse to dance, and imagines scenes of communal frenzy, flailing limbs and vague humanoid shapes partaking in warped, beat-driven worship in the dark…” 19:00 - 19:40

STONE CLUB

Recreating prehistory since 2021…

Founded by artists Lally MacBeth and Matthew Shaw, Stone Club was set up as a place for stone enthusiasts to congregate, to muse and most importantly to stomp to stones. Stone Club believes the journey is as important as the destination and encourages people to pause and think about place in new ways; connecting ancient sites through community and conversation aimining to bring new perspectives to prehistory in a collaborative and inclusive way. Follow Stone Club through the prehistoric portal and find yourself transported through music and film to Ancient Britain. In 2022 they performed at various festivals including Green Man, Sea Change, Camp Good Life and Hidden Notes and joined he Mercury Prize nominated Gwenno on her UK tour. For the GOP Party Stone Club will be spinning tunes from around the world from folk to electronica with visuals from their homeland in West Penwith, Cornwall. 00:00 - 01:00
stoneclub.rocks

BOSS MORRIS

Boss Morris is an all female Morris Dancing side that sprang up out of the five valleys of Stroud, Gloucestershire in 2015. The twelve-strong group of dancers now regularly hops and performs across the UK with their unique take on the traditional English Folk dance. Boss Morris is an eclectic group of professional performers, dancers, musicians, artists and a horde of magical beasts who create tailored performances for vibrant and exciting events. Boss is well known by folk and artistic communities alike, with audiences and fans from far and wide. Alongside building strong roots in their local community and the wider folk scene, Boss also work extensively with prominent artists and musicians; touring and performing with bands, featuring in music videos and performing at music festivals. 
bossmorris.com

TOMARI-GI DJ SESSIONS

Across the road at Tomari-Gi; a Japanese Kitchen and one of Stroud’s most popular eateries/hubs, there will be a series of DJ sessions in their intimate upstairs space featuring sets by one of Stroud’s independent record shops Klang Tone Records, former radio producer and now Senior Director of Mixcloud’s Creative team Xanthe Fuller, music author/lecturer Ben Wardle (author of Mark Hollis: A Perfect Silence), Jazz from the High Priest and Keep It Cosmic a new duo featuring Kaoru Blackstone and Mat Blythe with more tbc…

Klang Tone Records: Klang Tone Records’ Sean Roe will play a set drawn from his collection of Japanese Records - mixing Jazzy beats, Anime Soundtracks, Psychedelic Pop, ritualistic shaman chanting and Angsty Enka - all stirred together in a hot pot of Nippon flavoured Weirdness. Toe tapping and gentle swaying of the hips will be encouraged! 22:00 - 23:00
Xanthe Fuller Xanthe is a long time music lover and maker of mixtapes. Her clubbing days started in jungle raves and hip hop nights around London until music became her career. For a while she was a radio producer for BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra and 6Music and these days she’s Senior Director of the Creator team at Mixcloud. Until recently she hosted a monthly radio show on Soho Radio playing more genres than should be squeezed into a 2 hour set including anything from disco, to balearic to dub. 23:00 - 00:00
The High Priest: Stroud based DJ and Jazz connoisseur the High Priest (aka Derrick McLean) presents a tribute to the late great Pharoah Sanders...20:00 - 21:00
Ben Wardle: Writer and former A&R, Wardle will be playing from a teetering pile of 7"s, many of which you will recognise and start humming along to. You may eventually throw caution to the wind and wave your hands in the air ...21:00 - 22:00
Keep It Cosmic: A Stroud-based audio-visual extravaganza duo, balearic house DJ Mat Balearic and visual and performance artist Kaoru Blackstone. Mat's soulful and eclectic sounds with Balearic vibes spiced up by Kaoru's trippy visuals and earthy handdrumming will take you on spiritual journey...00:00 - 01:00

WEVEN - EXHIBITION/FILM SCREENINGS/Q&A’S
Opposite the Subs and just a few doors down from Tomari-Gi Stroud’s Folk Arts Cooperative Weven will be hosting an exhibition featuring ten different artists, film screening with Lally Macbeth and Matthew Shaw from Stone Club and Q&A’s with artist Ben Edge and morris troupe Boss Morris all held in their brand new space which opened in December last year.
- Please note space is very limited for the Q&A’s + film screening so we suggest you get there early to secure a seat!

GLOAMING

In the midst of some of the gloomiest days of the year let us revel in the dusk and early black. We will bask in the sun's decline and wallow in its weakness. Embrace the Gloaming…
Gloaming is a group exhibition ft works by Alex Merry, Ben Edge, Daniel Sparkes, Georg Wilson, Huhtamaki Wab, Kate Merry, Lily Cheetham, Milligan Beaumont, Rhian Harris-Mussi and Ruby Kester, the first to be hosted by Weven in their new multi-purpose venue in the centre of Stroud. Their shop and workshop space will be transformed into a gallery displaying a combination of painting, drawing and sculpture, with a night of talks and films curated especially for GOP vol7 party ft Ben Edge and Stone Club with workshops running throughout the week in support of the central exhibition. Gloaming will be the moody little sister to 'Estival', Weven's first group show which celebrated the height of the midsummer sun and the joy that its strength can bring. Gloaming will be a brooding and short lived exhibition which celebrates these murky grey days, perhaps lacking light and warmth but still providing comfort in its caliginous blankets. 18:00

BEN EDGE IN DISCUSSION WITH BOSS MORRIS - TALK + Q&A
Ben Edge is an artist, songwriter and folklorist, who over the past 7 years has been obsessively painting and documenting the seasonal folk customs of the British Isles. In 2021 his ‘Frontline Folklore’ series was exhibited alongside, Simon Costin’s ‘Museum of British Folklore’ collection at the Crypt gallery of the St Pancras new church, in an exhibition titled ‘Ritual Britain’ that attracted over 10,000 visitors with extensive media coverage and viral exposure across social media. Ben is currently working on his latest series ‘Children of Albion’ focusing on contemporary folklore practices of Britain, which will feature a painting and film of Stroud’s very own all girl progressive Morris Dancing side, Boss Morris. 20:00

STONE CLUB  - SCREENING
A selection of films inspired by the ancient landscape, performance and magic; from megaliths in Kernow to mythical creatures in Cymru…Let Stone Club take you through the portal to Ancient Britain! 18:30

THE SUB ROOMS - GEORGE ROOM

Downstairs in the George Room Good On Paper Covers Exhibition also returns featuring the works of Alex Merry (Gucci, Boss Morris + album covers for Shirley Collins, Sam Lee and Trembling Bells) , Joe Magee (the Guardian, Time Magazine, Bill Bailey), Rosalie Day, Imogen Harvey-Lewis, Emily Joy, Eleanor Harper, Mark Levy, Dan Rawlings and Adam Hinks (Hidden Notes, Good On Paper) who created brand new, bespoke art for the covers of the magazine from March 2022 to Feb 2023, issues 82 to 93.

New for 2023? Steal This Exhibition…Alongside the covers a collection of artworks, posters, photographs and images amassed from the last seven years of the magazine. Prints from previous exhibitions, ltd edition risographs, photos from GOP Parties, lineup posters from events put on by Good On Paper which ticket holders can unpin/unstick/rip off and take home with them, changing the exhibition as artworks disappear from the walls…

THE SUB ROOMS - BOX OFFICE

Busking In the Box Office! Didn’t make the line-up? Here’s your chance to play the GOP Party. Head downstairs for Busking In The Box Office - a take over of the Sub Rooms ticket selling, merchandise room.  No buskers licence required (we are in Stroud afterall), backline provided just bring your A game. Music, spoken word, poetry, comedy…And for the audience? Well you might just catch something that will be your next favourite thing. Could be shit, could be great. And for a good cause - a buskers hat will be present raising money for the Trussell Trust.

REFUNDS:
UNFORTUNATELY PURCHASED TICKETS AND BOOKING FEES CANNOT BE REFUNDED. WE RECOMMEND YOU TRY AND PASS THESE ONTO A FRIEND/FAMILY MEMBER OR VIA TWICKETS. PLEASE NOTE WE ADVISE YOU NOT TO BUY TICKETS FROM STRANGERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS MOST OF THESE ARE FAKE, CANNOT BE VERIFIED AND WILL NOT GIVE YOU ENTRY TO THE EVENT.