Bands
Pop Martyr
The Understudies
Lucky Soul
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Monday, 7 July 2008
Molloy, The Kick Inside, Sparky's Magic Piano, Indurain - The Enterprise
I walk in two songs from the end of Molloy's set, they look and sound new wave, the stripped down sort with 80s legwarmers and glitter star facepaint. All jaggy guitar and excitment. I wish I'd come earlier.
I'm sat at the side, scribbling, the DJ has put on the Scaremongers, ooh, that was the last time I saw Sparky's and now there's this cute girl sat right next to me. My mind races, reaching for a reason not to start a conversation, there's got to be some reason, think, think, think. Bugger.
Luckily some other guy comes along and engages. Success!!
I went for a wander down Camden way between bands, and had a think, the best I could come up with was "she looked very young" and "she was probably praying I wouldn't try to chat her up".
Aw shit, she's stood right in front of me.
Ooh, there are people off of the internet here, real internet people, not indiepop folk, but the sort of people with @ before their names.
The next band on are a four piece from Bristol, The Kick Inside, pretty neat, very stripped down sound, few effects, a little ska, but the vocals have something of the Morrissey about them.
Hard to judge stand out tracks, apart from the Wedding Present cover, but I'll have to give their MySpace a listen.
There are other notebook scribbling folk here, I have competition.
Joy.
Feel strangely obliged to write more than the other person.
So yeah, last time I saw Sparky's Magic Piano, it was at the old Gresham Flyers show where my dramatic rise to fame as a presenter for The Culture Show started. Whatever happened to The Scaremongers? I knew it, I knew the whole TV thing was just a publicity stunt for Armitage's book.
Pretty shameless really. If you wanna make it in the indiepop scene you gotta play lots of gigs, and indietracks.
Sparky's Magic Piano on stage. From left to right:- microphone with guitarist / effects / synth, then a glass of wine, xylophone (possibly glockenspiel) and smiley singing girl.
I love the way she smiles when she sings. Other people smile when they sing, but here she looks like just really likes singing. Also it coms across in the warmth of their sound, and every so often there are little flashes of dimples. eeep!
Guitar with reverb that builds and builds, but even then mixed so that its the same level as the glock.
Its happy music for overcast days. One day I'll buy the album.
Between bands, when not avoiding the cute girl, I've been lurking in quiet corners, only to have really tall people stood in front of me, and then their friends join them and crowd me out of my quiet corner.
I know a couple of people in the crowd, but none of these folk, for these chaps are the headliners, Indurain, and they are from Sweden.
The spend about five minutes too long setting up their kit, laptops and a projector. The screen is a sheet taped to the usual backdrop curtains.
My friend Robbie would love these guys, they sounded a little like Suburban Kids with Biblical Names, but with less computer geek and more arthouse cinema. Best sound of any of the bands of the night, dancy and rousing.
They get a friend of the band from some other band, I fail to catch the name of, up to sing, in French.
Is it all trying too hard? I found myself getting lost in the backdrop films, and not listening to the music, getting distracted.
When they finish, I slip out quickly without saying goodbye to my friends.
Not sure why not sometimes.
Bands
Molloy
The Kick Inside
Sparky's Magic Piano
Indurain
Photies
mine
tomb242
I'm sat at the side, scribbling, the DJ has put on the Scaremongers, ooh, that was the last time I saw Sparky's and now there's this cute girl sat right next to me. My mind races, reaching for a reason not to start a conversation, there's got to be some reason, think, think, think. Bugger.
Luckily some other guy comes along and engages. Success!!
I went for a wander down Camden way between bands, and had a think, the best I could come up with was "she looked very young" and "she was probably praying I wouldn't try to chat her up".
Aw shit, she's stood right in front of me.
Ooh, there are people off of the internet here, real internet people, not indiepop folk, but the sort of people with @ before their names.
The next band on are a four piece from Bristol, The Kick Inside, pretty neat, very stripped down sound, few effects, a little ska, but the vocals have something of the Morrissey about them.
Hard to judge stand out tracks, apart from the Wedding Present cover, but I'll have to give their MySpace a listen.
There are other notebook scribbling folk here, I have competition.
Joy.
Feel strangely obliged to write more than the other person.
So yeah, last time I saw Sparky's Magic Piano, it was at the old Gresham Flyers show where my dramatic rise to fame as a presenter for The Culture Show started. Whatever happened to The Scaremongers? I knew it, I knew the whole TV thing was just a publicity stunt for Armitage's book.
Pretty shameless really. If you wanna make it in the indiepop scene you gotta play lots of gigs, and indietracks.
Sparky's Magic Piano on stage. From left to right:- microphone with guitarist / effects / synth, then a glass of wine, xylophone (possibly glockenspiel) and smiley singing girl.
I love the way she smiles when she sings. Other people smile when they sing, but here she looks like just really likes singing. Also it coms across in the warmth of their sound, and every so often there are little flashes of dimples. eeep!
Guitar with reverb that builds and builds, but even then mixed so that its the same level as the glock.
Its happy music for overcast days. One day I'll buy the album.
Between bands, when not avoiding the cute girl, I've been lurking in quiet corners, only to have really tall people stood in front of me, and then their friends join them and crowd me out of my quiet corner.
I know a couple of people in the crowd, but none of these folk, for these chaps are the headliners, Indurain, and they are from Sweden.
The spend about five minutes too long setting up their kit, laptops and a projector. The screen is a sheet taped to the usual backdrop curtains.
My friend Robbie would love these guys, they sounded a little like Suburban Kids with Biblical Names, but with less computer geek and more arthouse cinema. Best sound of any of the bands of the night, dancy and rousing.
They get a friend of the band from some other band, I fail to catch the name of, up to sing, in French.
Is it all trying too hard? I found myself getting lost in the backdrop films, and not listening to the music, getting distracted.
When they finish, I slip out quickly without saying goodbye to my friends.
Not sure why not sometimes.
Bands
Molloy
The Kick Inside
Sparky's Magic Piano
Indurain
Photies
mine
tomb242
Saturday, 5 July 2008
Holiday Romance, Seawolf, Bamboojuice, Kristeenyoung, The Gresham Flyers - Water Rats
Shit, I forgot its one of these eight bands on the bill places. God knows who I've missed. The first band I caught, Holiday Romance, possibly sound just like Echobelly, but sadly the sound man had them mixed like a fog horn.
I only caught their last few songs, the singing girl was kinda cute in her fluorescent pink skirt. More of that sort of thing.
Next up... Bamboojuice, sounding refreshingly like Europe, strangely homoerotic too, the red hot call and response thing turned me on a wee bit
The main singing chap keeps twitching, I'm not an expert on tardive dyskinesia, but if thats what it is, I'm sorry.
Sometimes they sounded like Living on the Edge-era Aerosmith.
Kristeenyoung on next, a two piece, they looked rockabilly as did half the folk in their crowd. A little Kate Bush or Queen Adreena-ish, angry singing girl. Just drums and a keyboard. She wear a hat at a jaunty angle and a dress made of over-sized jigsaw pieces.
Moments of singing like Jennifer Rush or possibly The Yeah Yeah Yeahs innit
Ooh, MJ Hibbett is here, its always a good gig if he's in the crowd. I missed his monthly acoustic thing at The Lamb last week, but he's got a gig next week at The Cross Kings.
The sun was shining brightly earlier today, I was listening to the new Just Joans EP and I know their love is true. But right now, at this gig, I love the Gresham Flyers so much. I want to hold them tightly and smell their hair as I nuzzle their neck and clamp both my hands on their ass. We'd hold each other for just a moment, just so we can remember what could have been.
But you know, I was wandering home after this gig, but before I'd typed up all this, with their Higher Education in my ears and my eyes all welling up with its beauty, then they came as floods of tears when I listened to the lyrics of Shiftwork for the first time. Oh god, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.
They hit the stage, Waz is wearing two ties and there appears to be a new drummer in place. the place is pretty much packed to capacity and the crowd are going crazy. I know, cos I was there.
They play most of the new album, Sex With Strangers, in the shops around the 21st July, and a couple of songs I swear aren't on it.
Played live, Shiftwork really suits Waz's voice and reminds me of The Younger Younger 28s done properly. Also loving Sharon's yelps in Cricket Bat. The last minute addition of wrestling face masks made it all the more perfect.
Ooh, ooh, they played that one that starts like Another Girl, Another Planet. I love that one, no idea what its called.
Alas, no time for an encore, the next band need to set up. Twats at the bar, once you've been served, you can fuck off, especially if I'm waiting in the queue behind you.
The final act I see before I fuck off are possibly called Seawolf. They sound like The Owsley Sunshine done in the style of Oasis's Importance of Being Idle or maybe just Status Quo meets Bruce Springsteen.
And with that I step out of Water Rats and plug into my ipod.
Other reviews of this gig
MJ Hibbett
I only caught their last few songs, the singing girl was kinda cute in her fluorescent pink skirt. More of that sort of thing.
Next up... Bamboojuice, sounding refreshingly like Europe, strangely homoerotic too, the red hot call and response thing turned me on a wee bit
The main singing chap keeps twitching, I'm not an expert on tardive dyskinesia, but if thats what it is, I'm sorry.
Sometimes they sounded like Living on the Edge-era Aerosmith.
Kristeenyoung on next, a two piece, they looked rockabilly as did half the folk in their crowd. A little Kate Bush or Queen Adreena-ish, angry singing girl. Just drums and a keyboard. She wear a hat at a jaunty angle and a dress made of over-sized jigsaw pieces.
Moments of singing like Jennifer Rush or possibly The Yeah Yeah Yeahs innit
Ooh, MJ Hibbett is here, its always a good gig if he's in the crowd. I missed his monthly acoustic thing at The Lamb last week, but he's got a gig next week at The Cross Kings.
The sun was shining brightly earlier today, I was listening to the new Just Joans EP and I know their love is true. But right now, at this gig, I love the Gresham Flyers so much. I want to hold them tightly and smell their hair as I nuzzle their neck and clamp both my hands on their ass. We'd hold each other for just a moment, just so we can remember what could have been.
But you know, I was wandering home after this gig, but before I'd typed up all this, with their Higher Education in my ears and my eyes all welling up with its beauty, then they came as floods of tears when I listened to the lyrics of Shiftwork for the first time. Oh god, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.
They hit the stage, Waz is wearing two ties and there appears to be a new drummer in place. the place is pretty much packed to capacity and the crowd are going crazy. I know, cos I was there.
They play most of the new album, Sex With Strangers, in the shops around the 21st July, and a couple of songs I swear aren't on it.
Played live, Shiftwork really suits Waz's voice and reminds me of The Younger Younger 28s done properly. Also loving Sharon's yelps in Cricket Bat. The last minute addition of wrestling face masks made it all the more perfect.
Ooh, ooh, they played that one that starts like Another Girl, Another Planet. I love that one, no idea what its called.
Alas, no time for an encore, the next band need to set up. Twats at the bar, once you've been served, you can fuck off, especially if I'm waiting in the queue behind you.
The final act I see before I fuck off are possibly called Seawolf. They sound like The Owsley Sunshine done in the style of Oasis's Importance of Being Idle or maybe just Status Quo meets Bruce Springsteen.
And with that I step out of Water Rats and plug into my ipod.
Other reviews of this gig
MJ Hibbett
Monday, 23 June 2008
Wee Pop: The Darlings, The Mexican Kids At Home, Little My, The Just Joans - The Enterprise
Moments later on the other side of town, I wander into The Enterprise in Camden. the street outside was packed, but inside its kinda quiet, three barmaids leap to my service. Upstairs the venue is packed.
On stage are two people, The Darlings, a singing ukelele girl and a hairy egg-shaker chap. They sounded a little like Hello Saferide. I only caught the last three songs of their set, which is a shame cos amongst their recorded output, they have the best cover of AC/DC's You Shook Me All Night Long, which I've probably missed. I'd been listening it on iTunes all weekend.
Its sweet but generic music.
Next up are a really hairy five piece, The Mexican Kids At Home. They had one of those sitting on a wooden box percussion chaps, its been months since I saw one of them. There was a twee gentleman too, playing melodica, harmonica, keyboards and occasionally "doo doo doo" backing vocals. Topped off with boy and girl harmonies they were ace.
Rather looking forward to seeing them at Indietracks, sunshining, crowd of hundreds.
Its odd, its a really comfortable crowd compared to earlier today. Lost Music, Wee Pop, Pocketbooks, Just Joans, Bobby McGees, them French kids, Bowlie folk from last night. My nerves have calmed and I feel serene.
Its been an unsettled couple of days on the internet, my naked bike ride photies getting hundreds of views on Flickr, my art website rocketing up the Technorati authority rankings, then my origami video on BoingBoing. I've reached the top or at least the upper reaches, there's no more I can do. It does nothing for my tangible self-esteem.
Next on stage, the penultimate band of the night, Little My. Tonight they are a seven-piece, and they wear animal costumes. The bunny on bass is particularly cute. They sound a little like Bearsuit, but without the mania. Some of the songs are pretty neat and would be good listening on the coach home.
I think though, they sound too much like they're used to playing with loads of folk on stage.
One extra thing in their favour, they're bitter about not playing Indietracks and bitterness fucken rocks.
Then finally, one of the most eagerly awaited bands of the indiepop scene, The Just Joans. The buzz of anticipation in the crowd is palpable. I'm biased mind, I've seen them from the start, Adam J Smith passing me their demo cassette, the first gig, a sell out show in a tea room in Glasgow, bursting into London last year. I've seen them get better and better, more confident, more comfortable in their skin.
They're a six piece now, Fraser on bass, Doug on keyboards, Chris on lead guitar and sometimes accordian, Rowan on percussion, sharing vocal duties with Katie, and centre stage, David Pope.
A fine set, with new songs and old ones, polished so they sparkle. The songs are getting better than the old ones.
They have a new EP out on Wee Pop, new songs, "What Do I Do Now" will stick in your head for months, how do we pencil them in for T in the Park '09, joined on stage by Louise Wener. And their even newer song, "You're not gonna pull" is going to set the indie dancefloors on fire.
They name-checked me, they name-checked me. Thanking Thor and Camila from WeePop for their breakfast, and Trev Lost Music for putting on the gig, and then me. My eyes welled up, I was gonna start greeting.
Its been one of those weeks, its been one of those weekends, its been one of those days. But the Just Joans, they made everything okay.
Bands
The Darlings
The Mexican Kids At Home
Little My
The Just Joans
On stage are two people, The Darlings, a singing ukelele girl and a hairy egg-shaker chap. They sounded a little like Hello Saferide. I only caught the last three songs of their set, which is a shame cos amongst their recorded output, they have the best cover of AC/DC's You Shook Me All Night Long, which I've probably missed. I'd been listening it on iTunes all weekend.
Its sweet but generic music.
Next up are a really hairy five piece, The Mexican Kids At Home. They had one of those sitting on a wooden box percussion chaps, its been months since I saw one of them. There was a twee gentleman too, playing melodica, harmonica, keyboards and occasionally "doo doo doo" backing vocals. Topped off with boy and girl harmonies they were ace.
Rather looking forward to seeing them at Indietracks, sunshining, crowd of hundreds.
Its odd, its a really comfortable crowd compared to earlier today. Lost Music, Wee Pop, Pocketbooks, Just Joans, Bobby McGees, them French kids, Bowlie folk from last night. My nerves have calmed and I feel serene.
Its been an unsettled couple of days on the internet, my naked bike ride photies getting hundreds of views on Flickr, my art website rocketing up the Technorati authority rankings, then my origami video on BoingBoing. I've reached the top or at least the upper reaches, there's no more I can do. It does nothing for my tangible self-esteem.
Next on stage, the penultimate band of the night, Little My. Tonight they are a seven-piece, and they wear animal costumes. The bunny on bass is particularly cute. They sound a little like Bearsuit, but without the mania. Some of the songs are pretty neat and would be good listening on the coach home.
I think though, they sound too much like they're used to playing with loads of folk on stage.
One extra thing in their favour, they're bitter about not playing Indietracks and bitterness fucken rocks.
Then finally, one of the most eagerly awaited bands of the indiepop scene, The Just Joans. The buzz of anticipation in the crowd is palpable. I'm biased mind, I've seen them from the start, Adam J Smith passing me their demo cassette, the first gig, a sell out show in a tea room in Glasgow, bursting into London last year. I've seen them get better and better, more confident, more comfortable in their skin.
They're a six piece now, Fraser on bass, Doug on keyboards, Chris on lead guitar and sometimes accordian, Rowan on percussion, sharing vocal duties with Katie, and centre stage, David Pope.
A fine set, with new songs and old ones, polished so they sparkle. The songs are getting better than the old ones.
They have a new EP out on Wee Pop, new songs, "What Do I Do Now" will stick in your head for months, how do we pencil them in for T in the Park '09, joined on stage by Louise Wener. And their even newer song, "You're not gonna pull" is going to set the indie dancefloors on fire.
They name-checked me, they name-checked me. Thanking Thor and Camila from WeePop for their breakfast, and Trev Lost Music for putting on the gig, and then me. My eyes welled up, I was gonna start greeting.
Its been one of those weeks, its been one of those weekends, its been one of those days. But the Just Joans, they made everything okay.
Bands
The Darlings
The Mexican Kids At Home
Little My
The Just Joans
Sunday, 22 June 2008
LOLRUS ILX festival: The Red Bulldozers, Pinefox - The Windmill
The shitting Lolrus ILX Alldayer. Its too warm.
Father, my soul is lost, deep inside there is furious anger and bitterness. I am in foul mood. This you already knew, but just to be crystal clear, unlike the usual stodge of my prose, I ouht to explain, in detail.
I am pissed off for the following reasons:-
I'll do a pie chart later to illustrate how much each of these things have pissed me off right now.
Thank fuck I get to blow this joint and head to the Just Joans gig later, even then, they're playing the cunting Enterprise. This shit never lets up does it.
Time passes and there's still no sign of the cunting cockknocking Ken Reddozers playing. However, here's a picture Ken drew of me and him spunking over Rosie Rabbit. The mind boggles.
Christ I need a piss. I should have gone in Camden.
Its not all gloom and doom and trouble. Tricity Bendix led me away to a small park nearby where there was actually a real life windmill. A windmill in the middle of London, and a fine looking windmill too. I took photies.
Back at the venue, food is coming out of the barbeque and there's some band on stage soundchecking. They have flutes and sound like fourth era B&S.
Soon they fuck off and make way for Red Ken's Cockdozers, well, just Ken stood centre stage with his guitar, waiting patiently for his laptop to reboot.
There was banter, awkward self-aggrandising banter that the crowd just ate up. Crowd of familiar internet folk and folk from other bands.
My natural shyness keeps me from mingling and also these moodswings are playing hell with my ability to communicate.
He did a rather fun re-working of Johnny Cash's Jackson, but about Brixton, and his evergreen Christmas song, "Christmas So Cold", that went down a treat. This could almost be the hotest day of the year.
Its a quick changeover for the next band, catching off gurd the folk out back, snacking on the barbeque and the folk out front enjoying the sunshine. Not sure who the band is, the band list has gone to shit and I could have sworn some of them stormed off refusing to play.
They're a five piece with keyboards and flute. A bit Rick Wakeman prog rock with what sounds like the singer from Butcher Boy and Moody Blues epic adventure of the mind.
I feel immensly uncomfortable and leave.
Bands
The Red Bull Dozer s
Pinefox?
Father, my soul is lost, deep inside there is furious anger and bitterness. I am in foul mood. This you already knew, but just to be crystal clear, unlike the usual stodge of my prose, I ouht to explain, in detail.
I am pissed off for the following reasons:-
- Ken was clear to stress that The Red Bulldozers start at 5pm, it is now half past. I'd been swimming naked with friends in Camden Lock and had to leave them early to be here.
- I was stood at the bar for a long time in urgent need of a drink and the lone barman missed me a few too many times.
- I could have sworn this was supposed to be a free show, but alas I was mugged for a fiver and now have not enough money to buy a drink
- The club night last night, HDIF, was shit for the second month running, the music was shite, the dancefloor was full of people standing and talking and the girls were intimidating
- Folk spreading shit about me on the internet
- Stress at work
- I appear to be invisible
- My trusty black leather jacket is falling apart
- This fucking notebook
- My finger hurts
- And this one time I discovered that if I search for my name in google, but spell it with a 1 instead of an l, there were folk talking about me on ILX
I'll do a pie chart later to illustrate how much each of these things have pissed me off right now.
Thank fuck I get to blow this joint and head to the Just Joans gig later, even then, they're playing the cunting Enterprise. This shit never lets up does it.
Time passes and there's still no sign of the cunting cockknocking Ken Reddozers playing. However, here's a picture Ken drew of me and him spunking over Rosie Rabbit. The mind boggles.
Christ I need a piss. I should have gone in Camden.
Its not all gloom and doom and trouble. Tricity Bendix led me away to a small park nearby where there was actually a real life windmill. A windmill in the middle of London, and a fine looking windmill too. I took photies.
Back at the venue, food is coming out of the barbeque and there's some band on stage soundchecking. They have flutes and sound like fourth era B&S.
Soon they fuck off and make way for Red Ken's Cockdozers, well, just Ken stood centre stage with his guitar, waiting patiently for his laptop to reboot.
There was banter, awkward self-aggrandising banter that the crowd just ate up. Crowd of familiar internet folk and folk from other bands.
My natural shyness keeps me from mingling and also these moodswings are playing hell with my ability to communicate.
He did a rather fun re-working of Johnny Cash's Jackson, but about Brixton, and his evergreen Christmas song, "Christmas So Cold", that went down a treat. This could almost be the hotest day of the year.
Its a quick changeover for the next band, catching off gurd the folk out back, snacking on the barbeque and the folk out front enjoying the sunshine. Not sure who the band is, the band list has gone to shit and I could have sworn some of them stormed off refusing to play.
They're a five piece with keyboards and flute. A bit Rick Wakeman prog rock with what sounds like the singer from Butcher Boy and Moody Blues epic adventure of the mind.
I feel immensly uncomfortable and leave.
Bands
The Red Bull Dozer s
Pinefox?
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
Rip It Up: Pocketbooks, Davey Strange, Goodnight I Wish, Harvey Williams,The Postcards, Lodger, Theoretical Girl - The Socia
The Londonist website has a weekly gig round up, all the must see shows of the forthcoming seven days, with ticket prices from £8 (Pete and the Pirates) to £45 (Yazoo). This grossly misrepresents live music.
Tonight I am at The Social for Rip It Up, the Edwyn Collins/ Orange Juice tribute night, entry is 50p.
First on are Pocketbooks with a cover of "Consolation Prize". Andy the singing chap is a bit more fey than Edwyn was, and over on guitar Ian really gets into his guitar noddling. When they finish, the audience rise as one with the muttered cry of "What? Only one song each?".
How long ago was that Stephen Merrit / Magnetic Fields tribute night? That was a fair three songs each, it gave the bands time to find their groove. I'm apprehensive about the rest the night now.
I've just bought me a new notebook to write these reviews in, and have just given myself a papercut.
Davey Strange is on stage next, I don't know what the song is. I only know two Orange Juice / Edwyn Collins songs, maybe two and a half; Rip it Up, Girl Like You, and that Adidas one.
'Goodnight I Wish' were on next, a two piece, took ages to set up.
I just realised, my mobile phone is out of battery and I've no memory card in my camera, so no blurred black n white piccies tonight. Its all a bit of a shambles.
Not only are the bands all playing one song sets, but there's a 20 minute changeover time. Luckily some bands have dropped out, otherwise we'd be here all night.
Next up is Harvey Williams playing Dying Day. Tender keyboard /piano driven number, from a bearded seated gentleman. Kindof slow and not sure now it fitted with the faster songs DJ Ian from HDIF played before and after.
There's a familiar crowd in tonight, all HDIF, indiepop and Twee Ass-Fuck.
Ooh, next band have a quick turn over time, two guitars, bass and drums. They are The Postcards, playing Consolation Prize, mincing it up with spot on Edwyn vox. A bit boomy bass heavy where I was stood,but it was too crowded to move about much.
Not convinced by this new notebook, recycled paper, from Paperchase / Borders on Oxford Street. The paper's too dark to see writing on when I'm lurking in the shadows of a gig and the covers are too floppy to rest on. They flex unless you're resting on a hard surface. There's fucking hundreds of pages mind, so I could be stuck with this for a while.
The Lodger, have travelled all the way down from Leeds to play their one classic Orange Juice song, Can't Help Myself. Last time I saw The Lodger was at The Windmill in Brixton, it wasn't my cup of tea so I retired to the beer garden to chat to Tricity about Bowlie and ex-girlfriends spreading rumours.
Tonight though, its a spot on cover, with guitar all ajangle like the past 25 years were but yesterday.
Somewhat surprisingly the final act on stage tonight is Theoretical Girl also doing a cover of Can't Help Myself. I find myself wondering what happened? How come no one did Girl Like You or Rip It Up, or thatone about Adidas shoes. Did all the bands just assume someone else would do them and avoided the obvious? Was it a conscious effort to avoid the crowd pleasing favourites? Didn't anyone want to please the crowd?
Theoretical Girl's version was a shimmering backing tracked take on it with the girl playing a chorused up twelve string electric and jousting with her own pre-recorded backing vocals. It sounded like a misty dream sequence.
Ian HDIF and Twee Ass-Fuck DJs are pencilled in to take the crowd to closing time so I make a sneaky getaway, with a mind to record my own Orange Juice cover... here
Bands
Pocketbooks
Davey Strange
Goodnight I Wish
Harvey Williams
The Postcards
The Lodger
Theoretical Girl
Tonight I am at The Social for Rip It Up, the Edwyn Collins/ Orange Juice tribute night, entry is 50p.
First on are Pocketbooks with a cover of "Consolation Prize". Andy the singing chap is a bit more fey than Edwyn was, and over on guitar Ian really gets into his guitar noddling. When they finish, the audience rise as one with the muttered cry of "What? Only one song each?".
How long ago was that Stephen Merrit / Magnetic Fields tribute night? That was a fair three songs each, it gave the bands time to find their groove. I'm apprehensive about the rest the night now.
I've just bought me a new notebook to write these reviews in, and have just given myself a papercut.
Davey Strange is on stage next, I don't know what the song is. I only know two Orange Juice / Edwyn Collins songs, maybe two and a half; Rip it Up, Girl Like You, and that Adidas one.
'Goodnight I Wish' were on next, a two piece, took ages to set up.
I just realised, my mobile phone is out of battery and I've no memory card in my camera, so no blurred black n white piccies tonight. Its all a bit of a shambles.
Not only are the bands all playing one song sets, but there's a 20 minute changeover time. Luckily some bands have dropped out, otherwise we'd be here all night.
Next up is Harvey Williams playing Dying Day. Tender keyboard /piano driven number, from a bearded seated gentleman. Kindof slow and not sure now it fitted with the faster songs DJ Ian from HDIF played before and after.
There's a familiar crowd in tonight, all HDIF, indiepop and Twee Ass-Fuck.
Ooh, next band have a quick turn over time, two guitars, bass and drums. They are The Postcards, playing Consolation Prize, mincing it up with spot on Edwyn vox. A bit boomy bass heavy where I was stood,but it was too crowded to move about much.
Not convinced by this new notebook, recycled paper, from Paperchase / Borders on Oxford Street. The paper's too dark to see writing on when I'm lurking in the shadows of a gig and the covers are too floppy to rest on. They flex unless you're resting on a hard surface. There's fucking hundreds of pages mind, so I could be stuck with this for a while.
The Lodger, have travelled all the way down from Leeds to play their one classic Orange Juice song, Can't Help Myself. Last time I saw The Lodger was at The Windmill in Brixton, it wasn't my cup of tea so I retired to the beer garden to chat to Tricity about Bowlie and ex-girlfriends spreading rumours.
Tonight though, its a spot on cover, with guitar all ajangle like the past 25 years were but yesterday.
Somewhat surprisingly the final act on stage tonight is Theoretical Girl also doing a cover of Can't Help Myself. I find myself wondering what happened? How come no one did Girl Like You or Rip It Up, or thatone about Adidas shoes. Did all the bands just assume someone else would do them and avoided the obvious? Was it a conscious effort to avoid the crowd pleasing favourites? Didn't anyone want to please the crowd?
Theoretical Girl's version was a shimmering backing tracked take on it with the girl playing a chorused up twelve string electric and jousting with her own pre-recorded backing vocals. It sounded like a misty dream sequence.
Ian HDIF and Twee Ass-Fuck DJs are pencilled in to take the crowd to closing time so I make a sneaky getaway, with a mind to record my own Orange Juice cover... here
Bands
Pocketbooks
Davey Strange
Goodnight I Wish
Harvey Williams
The Postcards
The Lodger
Theoretical Girl
Saturday, 14 June 2008
HDIF: Darren Hayman and Jack Hayter, The Voluntary Butler Scheme, Saturday Looks Good to Me - Luminaire
I'll cover the overarching LNFGIES narrative later in the review, just be patient.
I wandered into the pub to see Ken from The Red Bulldozers getting a big jug cocktail with three straws for rapid consumption, on the telly the Netherlands just scored against France, and a few minutes later, outside, I meet my friend Paul from the Martial Arts, who bears news that world domination is one step closer, The Plimps were played on Radio Six earlier, just after The School (download snatch MP3 here)
Inside the venue, The Voluntary Butler Scheme is on stage, an array of keyboards and synths and half a drum kit obscuring a lone floppy haired chap doing warm and tender tunes, sounding a little bit one man bandish, especially when he pulls out a uke and a kazoo.
Okay, at first I wasn't so taken, but the last few songs were pure genius with a loop pedal. Some folk do loop pedals badly, but VBS is this century's answer to Beck, but dub, comedy, novelty and blues. Elements of White Town maybe, and judicious use of novelty toy effects.
The last song was brilliant, the throbbing blues run through, with the devil in the oven and a droning bass around the 5Hz bowel loosening frequency which will never be audible on MP3 or your iPod headphones.
Chatting with Paul about the next steps in world domination, persuading Londonish promoters to take them onboard perhaps. The room is filling up, folk off of the internet are nearby and the Wee Pop gang are in the room.
Saturday Looks Good To Me on next, a wee bit too loud and the mix was a bit off when we stood at the back, but Paul dragged me into the warm embrace of the music at the front. A three piece guitar/keyboards band, wholesom and much like you'd expect a Hefner support act to be.
Sorry to be a pain, but a few songs in, I noticed something which probably happens all the time, but here its one of two overwhelming things I noticed during the set. The guy singing rests his nose on the microphone. Look out for it if you ever see Saturday Looks Good To Me. Like I've seen singers jam the mic into their gobs, but I've never noticed the nose thing. The next song they played after I noticed this bears heavily the phrase '...everybody nose...'
The second overwealming thing of the thing, was nothing to do with the band, I was glancing about the stage, how although it was raise, there were steps leading downwards to it, I don't know why, but it reminded me of The Cathouse in Glasgow. And I remembered the last time I was there, Nastily was my companion and there was chaos in the shadows. We'd just been to see 300 and it was the start of our relationship.
All ages ago now, and miles away.
Darren Hayman and Jack Hayter take to the stage to play Hefner songs. Regular and dedicated readers of this blog will already be familiar with my previous Darren Hayman reviews here and here, there's a bit of a continuing narrative.
I stand near the front blocking the view of the folk behind, and although I there are many fine songs, I don't engage. I recognise the odd song, but this is essentially a Hefner greatest hits set, for the fans, for the folk who saw them countless times and bought countless EPs and albums. The sing along and notice when Darren forgets his lines, they cheer when he plays their favourite songs.
After the show, there was to be a How Does It Feel club night, but most of the crowd wander off, and whilst some stick around nursing their drinks, they too drift away until the DJ kills the music, and there are less than a dozen souls left.
To my right is Paul from the Martial Arts and his friends, and to my left are some friends off of the internet and the girl.
Bands
The Voluntary Butler Scheme
Saturday Looks Good To Me
Darren Hayman
I wandered into the pub to see Ken from The Red Bulldozers getting a big jug cocktail with three straws for rapid consumption, on the telly the Netherlands just scored against France, and a few minutes later, outside, I meet my friend Paul from the Martial Arts, who bears news that world domination is one step closer, The Plimps were played on Radio Six earlier, just after The School (download snatch MP3 here)
Inside the venue, The Voluntary Butler Scheme is on stage, an array of keyboards and synths and half a drum kit obscuring a lone floppy haired chap doing warm and tender tunes, sounding a little bit one man bandish, especially when he pulls out a uke and a kazoo.
Okay, at first I wasn't so taken, but the last few songs were pure genius with a loop pedal. Some folk do loop pedals badly, but VBS is this century's answer to Beck, but dub, comedy, novelty and blues. Elements of White Town maybe, and judicious use of novelty toy effects.
The last song was brilliant, the throbbing blues run through, with the devil in the oven and a droning bass around the 5Hz bowel loosening frequency which will never be audible on MP3 or your iPod headphones.
Chatting with Paul about the next steps in world domination, persuading Londonish promoters to take them onboard perhaps. The room is filling up, folk off of the internet are nearby and the Wee Pop gang are in the room.
Saturday Looks Good To Me on next, a wee bit too loud and the mix was a bit off when we stood at the back, but Paul dragged me into the warm embrace of the music at the front. A three piece guitar/keyboards band, wholesom and much like you'd expect a Hefner support act to be.
Sorry to be a pain, but a few songs in, I noticed something which probably happens all the time, but here its one of two overwhelming things I noticed during the set. The guy singing rests his nose on the microphone. Look out for it if you ever see Saturday Looks Good To Me. Like I've seen singers jam the mic into their gobs, but I've never noticed the nose thing. The next song they played after I noticed this bears heavily the phrase '...everybody nose...'
The second overwealming thing of the thing, was nothing to do with the band, I was glancing about the stage, how although it was raise, there were steps leading downwards to it, I don't know why, but it reminded me of The Cathouse in Glasgow. And I remembered the last time I was there, Nastily was my companion and there was chaos in the shadows. We'd just been to see 300 and it was the start of our relationship.
All ages ago now, and miles away.
Darren Hayman and Jack Hayter take to the stage to play Hefner songs. Regular and dedicated readers of this blog will already be familiar with my previous Darren Hayman reviews here and here, there's a bit of a continuing narrative.
I stand near the front blocking the view of the folk behind, and although I there are many fine songs, I don't engage. I recognise the odd song, but this is essentially a Hefner greatest hits set, for the fans, for the folk who saw them countless times and bought countless EPs and albums. The sing along and notice when Darren forgets his lines, they cheer when he plays their favourite songs.
After the show, there was to be a How Does It Feel club night, but most of the crowd wander off, and whilst some stick around nursing their drinks, they too drift away until the DJ kills the music, and there are less than a dozen souls left.
To my right is Paul from the Martial Arts and his friends, and to my left are some friends off of the internet and the girl.
Bands
The Voluntary Butler Scheme
Saturday Looks Good To Me
Darren Hayman
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