Sunday 25 January 2009

The Hillfields - The Buffalo Bar

I wrote this review once before, just while the band were on stage but deleted it by accident. To be honest the review was more about my girlfriend's absence and me glancing at the stairs in case she appeared. The main bit of the review about the band was that the photographer chap's camera flashed a green checked pattern before taking photies, I hadn't seen that before. I know my camera does a red thing before the autoflash, so I keep it switched off.
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Also I love the Hillfields. The matching shirts. The singer who looked a little like he'd been Gomez in the 90's. The stark instrumentation. If I were in a band with other people I'd want to be the Hillfield's bass player. Aw man, if The Deep Fried Wolfknuckles hadn't been on a garage trip we could have been the Hillfields. Even the guitar was neat, all open chords, and half-set capos, I'd never seen that before.

The set seemed a tad short.

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Saturday 24 January 2009

The Plimptons - Ocean Colour Resurrection

And then, almost right on cue, you've got the Plimptons's new single launch at The 13th Note in Glasgow. Its one of these ones where they give out the CD for free and there's a screen set up for the video.

Kind of like a Mighty Boosh skit, there's something odd about how the sound is mixed though.

The Gresham Flyers - Buffalo Bar

Its been ages since I last saw the mighty Flyers, I love those guys so much it hurts right here.

This has got to be the largest sector of my Facebool friends gathered in one place since the ole Blueveins alldayer, and at least two of my top five favourite bands playing.

The mighty Flyer, a swift run through of their new material. Shaza's keyboard noodles still send my head two steps to the left.

If my girlfriend were here she'd get the lyrics. And then a selection of their regular numbers, day I'm going to find out the name of that one that starts like Another Girl Another Planet.

For more objective review, please see this one. For something more specific, they had more treble than usual and the crowd were more familiar with their material than usual, dancing and singing along.
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Their final song was a Bruce Springsteen cover, a more recent number 'Magic', which is on a soon to be released tribute album (hmm, did uncle Darren play one the other night, or am I thinking of Ballboy). Quite a departure from the acoustic original, but well worth a listen.

I'm writing this on the bus home, its been a weird night, starting off with a little turmoil, but an interesting safety-net. Its so cold right now, but my head's stuck in the mid-decade, we were there then, aye.

Other photies here

Friday 23 January 2009

Town Bike - The Buffalo Bar

Not sure about new drummer, a bit stuttery.

I just wrote this great exhaustive review of the last band, the Hillfields, but then clicked delete instead of send. Then I got this really long and deep text from the girlfriend. She's not here and no matter how often I glance at the door, she's still an hour away.

Ooh I recorded me a cover of this song, Trouble Fucken Rocks, its here.

So I've seen this mob too often to review them objectively. All the songs so familiar, its just a matter of finding the sweetspot to stand in, where the acoustics are just right.

I wish she was here,

So much

Other photies here

Jeans Goes POP - The Buffalo Bar

I so want to get drunk tonight, booze and booze and booze. I've got something in my eye.

Floppy haired chap in a velvet jacket, seated, playing keyboards with a kick snare and two kick bass drums. A couple of mics too, one all compressed, one more normal.

My girlfriend isn't here, I'm sad.

Christ, who does his banter sound like? One of these apologetic midlands comedians.

Sings a little like Jack White and more so when he straps on a guitar.

Ooh taping down keys, that's clever, gives a droning backdrop to his struming. The compressed microphone reminds me of White Town, but with a Livin' On The Edge Aerosmith bass drum.

Young Stacy is here, Jona from Wintergreen and from earlier in the decade, Dr Debbie of Scotland.

I feel like '95, I don't know what happened with the girlfriend. Its the doubt and insecurity that gets me.
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Jeans Goes POP's Chaz n Dave-ish moment isn't exactly the best soundtrack. And also count really do with a rabbit rabbit rabbit refrain, but Jeans' chickens out.

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Friday 16 January 2009

Goonite: The School - Bardens Boudoir

The DJ puts on B&S's immortal 'Lazy Line Painter Jane' and for a few seconds I got that was there the feeling of nostalgia for Glasgow, same as when I hear 'The only one-eyed gnome' by The Charlatans, I think of Manchester. Hmm, DJ follows up with Feelgood Factor. Anyhoo, so me and Pnos were bestest mates in school in Bolton, he headed to Cardiff for uni and I headed to Glasgow, some time at the end of the last century he joined The Loves. Time passes and Liz from The Loves leaves to form The School. Has it really been 36 years?

Right now, I love The School, I'm all soppy and loved up in real life and when they roll up on my ipod I go gay for them.

Crikey, the crowd are noisy. Folk near the stage, Shoreditch girls mostly, they're doing the cheek-thrusting dance step.

Aw man, I love The School, but the crowd are so painfully noisy, chattering over the music, I'm going home.

Sorry Goonite.

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Goonite: Voluntary Butler Scheme - Bardens Boudoir

He's got his keyboard painted red and has the sockets he doesn't use taped over.

Pretty sure last time I saw him he was a one man band but this evening there's a whole mob on stage, takes away some of the magic. It sounds a chunk more bombastic then when was solo. The drums, the drums.

Is it still in the same spirit as before? Maybe.

Its less of a change then Just Joans had when they went from bedroom composer to six-piece.

Its less mechanical than before.

I was chatting to Camila WeePop earlier, well she's stood just next to me now, she was saying in this venue you can feel the bass in you stomach. Right now, leaning against a wall, its giving the music a hypnotic quality.

As I understand it, the VBS come from the same stable as The Loves and The School, I hear shades of the Orgon Box. Ooh I've got it, 'Robert Johnson meets Jackson Five' or maybe Jackie Wilson, damn, I typed that before they started a cover of 'your love takes me higher'. It sounds great mind, all retro future 21st century.

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Hands On Heads - Bardens Boudoir

First time I came to Bardens, I wasn't impressed with it as a venue, the space in front of the stage is too small and everywhere else in the venue provides a crap view of the band. This evening I'n here early and have found a perch just to the left of the stage.

I recognise no one, but its still early doors and there's four bands to get through.

First up are Hands On Heads, a four piece, fast lead guitar noodling, wee Korg keyboard, bass and drums. The singing chap occasionally sounds like late Britpop's Space, but the over all sound is more like Urusei Yatsura.

They're fast and noisy and a little poppy.

Ooh, did I mention the lumberjack shirts? They wear them.

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MJ Hibbett - The Lamb

As I said earlier, its been a while since I came along to one of MJ Hibbett's totally acoustic shows, could be some new songs. To my right sits my beautiful girlfriend, I'd forced her to listen to my ipod for months so she should be familiar with some of the vibe, to my left sits a chap I recognise from the crowd at Indietracks, not sure if I've ever seen him online. We mutter something about 'the other place'.

MJ Hibbett's in a jolly mood, he swiftly briefs the audience about what we're going to hear old and new songs, some stuff off the new not yet released album.

'Theme from Dinosaur Planet' is better than last time I heard it, the audience participation and prog solo have improved.

The wee song about what happened to Main Site IT Guy after 'It only works because you're here' fills my heart with sunshine. I'd always identified more with him than the main protagonist, like Gunter from Friends.

I've to say, the newer songs he played 'Where do all the women go?' and 'Where are all the good men?' has got to be some his strongest material yet, the latter even has a Tim Berners-Lee reference. Or it could just be I've reached a snug station in life and these songs resonate more now than they would have done five years back.

He finishes the set with 'Easily Impressed', a jaunty upbeat number which my girlfriend points out is a marked contrast to the night's first act, Superman Revenge Squad.

She also described Hibbett as rapacious and says that I'm a recidivist.

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Orange Nichole - The Lamb on Lamb's Conduit Street

Two American people performing, they say there's usually more of them, but this evening we have standing up singing acoustic guitar girl and seated guitar chap. Ooh, make that twelve-string guitar chap.

Lots of songs about travelling.

Quite nice. Very pastoral and laid back.

Towards the end there's a neat song about Larry Tate from Bewitched played by David White. Eight quirky points I reckon, and then some more points for the song about being a fan of unspecified Britpop stars.

It would be interesting to hear them play with the full band, we're promised harmonica and hurdy gurdy.

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Wednesday 14 January 2009

Superman Revenge Squad - The Lamb on Lamb's Conduit Street

Aw man, I haven't been here in months, I got off at the wrong station, Goodge Street instead of Russell Square, and had to run several blocks to get here. Luckily I'd just downloaded the re-issued Grand Theft Auto 2 so I was well prepared. Just got to fight the urge to pull over a car and wrestle the driver out.

There was quite an eye-opening discussion going on about Oyster cards. The frequencies they go at and the call and response crypto business rather than them just being like a magic barcode thing. And that mob who cracked the technology, but they used electron microscopes which is kind of cheating.

The first act tonight Superman Revenge Squad, I'd heard of them before via God Is In The TV website thing.

The songs all follow the same theme, a bit self-involved. Very white.

He's just a young chap sat with acoustic guitar. Sounds like that Stuart James chap who did that 'Waifs and Strays' song kind of like rapping but with more guitar.

If you like down-beat thin navel-gazing acoustic guitar stuff, you'll love Superman Revenge Squad.

Other blog posts
Superman Revenge Squad

Sunday 11 January 2009

Camden Calling: Adrian Roye and the Exiles - The Cavendish Arms

I swear I've seen this mob before, possible at Monkey Chews. Cello, drums, electri-acoustic guitar chap with dreads singing and cute girl on five string bass. Ooh and I spy bongos on stage, this could be fun.

Its smooth luxurious flowing music, the chap sings almost like Dave McAlmont or terence trent darby mixed with other influences. Brief moments of boy/girl harmonies.

They do bit of the old instrument swapping -they are obviously professional musicians so cello chap plays the bass that he's always wanted to, bass girl's on guitar and singing chap straps on the bongos. I wonder if the drummer chap is sad about missing out.

Ooh, three person harmonies, wasn't expecting that.

"I really like them" says the girl to my left. She's videoing them too.

Eep, brief snatches of uncalled for vocal riffing. Luckily its just in one song.

Its pretty chilled out stuff, I see early computer graphics of lush landscapes flying by with this as the soundtrack. Does that make sense?

A bit funky towards the end of the set, kind of neat with a monster bongo wig-out and a mellow Kate bush cover . I swear I've seen them before.




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Camden Calling: Mada and Wolfgang - The Cavendish Arms

Its a bit arty. So you've got your band providing some stable rhythm, Nina's friend Steve on trumpet centre stage, whilst stood to the left is Mada, dressed in black, hair unruly, clutching a shef of notes and lyric sheets.

He's like a howling gale outside, branches druming against a window during a nighttime storm.

The trumpet makes it somewhat jazz, but I can't help but think of the more darker numbers from Jesus Christ Superstar.

Camden Calling is an organisation. to improve the access of homeless and vulnurable people have to mainstream music and popular culture, aye.

This mob on stage are doing an improvised set, its Steve's first time with them, but I recognise some of the tunes from the other month. Gnatty guitar noodles and yeah, the trumpet adds depth, but its all in the shadow of Mada's booming lyrics.

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After Mada's set, the backing mob, Wolfgang, minus trumpet, just a three-piece, they go solo for a couple of songs.

Some neat guitar effects pedal-work. They sound like eighties hard rawk, wee moments of Springsteen.

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Thursday 8 January 2009

Darren Hayman and the Secondary Modern - The Luminaire

Ooh, its one of those gigs, Andy from Pocketbooks is here with Nat, and Alice from Arthur and Martha, behind me is Enid Coleslaw and off to the left is my favourite particle physicist.

On stage is Dazza and four members of the Secondary Modern. Some stonking work on the fiddle and spazzing out on guitar.

I've had one or two pints and ma heid is drifting away from the task in hand. Is this to be Darren Hayman's gift to me, not the music or the sound, but the power of time travel. To lose myself in memories?
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For more on what they sounded like please refer to previous Darren Haymen reviews here. A couple of Hefner songs, b-sides and a-sides alike, keep the crowd on fire

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Wednesday 7 January 2009

The Wave Pictures - The Luminaire

Missed the first song or two, nattering outside in the cold.

Storming rock n roll, with arch nasal vocals like Suede or Kingmaker or something.

Ooh, uncle El Presidente from Fortuna Pop is here, and I think I spy the ladies from Twee As Fuck.

Reverb-rich American FM guitar solos from the wagon train, with extra noodles.

Songs for the people who had a bad Christmas, stressing its not a 'fuck you' to those who had a good Christmas.
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Maybe tones of Hefner in the style of the songs. Aw man, that's not right, who do they sound like.

Chap stood nearby in a flatcap, looks like Dennis Pennis.

Is it wrong to like the drummer's singing a little more than the guitarist singing? Or it could just be my ears prefer the lack of drums.

On-stage banter comes across as a bt smug to me, but witty so that makes it okay.

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The Loves - The Luminaire

Aw man, I think I've arrived at the venue. The only people here are from the bands or young John Lennon from The Beatles who is working on the bar tonight.

I've recently started going out with a girl from another planet, like she's not off of Bowlie or from the indiescene or anything. With her, everything is new and exciting, the gigs she goes to the people she knows, its all out of my sphere.

So here I am to see The Loves once more, how many times have I seen them, how long have I been a fan? Crikey, I wrote them into my novel Shag Times about eight years ago, and still I follow them. Likewise tonight's headliner Darren Hayman, regulars to this blog will have followed me following him for years. This is the sort of gig I go to.

Its really cold in here, but the place is starting to fill up.

I'm quite like the Flight of the Concords's fan, but I guess I'm near the line.

They're looking very dapper tonight, all suits and cleanly shaven. They're playing tighter than usual too.
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Same songs as the other month when they played the Buffalo. All on fire from last night's 6Music session.

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Ryland Bouchard - Wilmington Arms

Loud, stompy music from Ryland Bouchard. Sounds like The White Stripes Hotel Yoba. Stabby acoustic guitar and bum tish drums.

Richer and warmer sound than the other bands, quite a contrast.

Ooh, he's got a beard and not one of those stubbly one's like the other bands. I wish I could grow a decent beard. And he's got one of those guitars with violin hole in it.

Gentler songs later on in the set, almost lulling me to sleep, drummer taking it easy.

Tuesday 6 January 2009

Allo Darlin - Wilmington Arms

Joined tonight by a guitarist Hexicon, centre stage is the pixie Elizabeth Darling armed with ukelele.

Very stark songs, starting of with her Stephen Hawking song, science and uke, yay

Aw man, they floor us with a killer cover of the Ramones' 'I wanna be sedated' its going to be on a Atomic Beat Ramones compilation CD at some point. if you've heard Allo Darlin's version of 'you shook me all night long' you know what to expect.

There's a whole blanket soaked in warm honey load of friends and associates joining them on stage, usual percussionist Virginia, Will from the previous band, the other chap from the previous band, then some othe chap possibly from the Pipettes on vocals for the penultimate song.

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Moustache of Insanity - Wilmington Arms

I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've seen the Moustache of Insanity. Although Will, the beardy chap, was one of the chaps playing on the platform at Indietracks last summer.

Crikey, its cold out.

On stage its "Sparkly, and cosy" according to the missus. Will's got a loud electric guitar, the other chap, wearing a bear hat, and clutching a Casio VL One starts off on vocal duties. Ooh both wearing cardigans, tight trousers, floppy hair.

The 'bom bom bom' refrains are neat and used frequently. I thought "Cheese and freckles" was my favourite song until they played "My baby's sixteen thousand kilometers away", it was the build up and the starkness that made it.

If I had a job and money and stuff I'd buy the Wee Pop compilation CD with them on it. As it stands I' d feel awkward quiding the missus for it.

Verdict from the missus - "Eighties pop rock"

Sunday 4 January 2009

LNFGIES TV 2008 Week 01

Videos of bands playing next weekend's gigs, on Last Night From Glasgow Indie EyeSpy TV


Its like a TV channel of your favourite bands you can actually see in real life.

You've got...
On Tuesday at the Wilmington Arms
On Wednesday at The Luminaire Courtesy of Track and Field
On Friday at The Luminaire courtesy of HDIF:-
Also on Friday at The Buffalo Bar courtesy of Twee As Fuck:-
and then on Saturday at The Buffalo Bar courtesy of Guided Missile:-