Its rare that I do podcasts on this here blog, maybe I should more often.
So here's a wee downloady thing of the music from the bands who I've seen this month
http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/9/17/1437857/LNFGIES_AUG-08.mp3
The Smittens - Sapphire
Ballboy - Donald in the bushes with a bag of glue
Pete Green - Best British band supported by Shockwaves
The Gresham Flyers - Student nurse
Wintergreen - Are our future
The Hermit Crabs - Feelgood Factor
The Deirdres - Claire are we safe
Secret Shine - Whats to come
Brontosaurus Chorus - The myth of love
Town Bike - Bad Girls
Pocketbooks - Don't stop
Half Tiger - Natalie now
The Kabeedies - Palindromes
Sunday, 24 August 2008
Pocketbooks, The Late Greats, Half Tiger, The Kabeedies - 333MotherBar
The Late Greats
Half Tiger
The Kabeedies
The Abnomalies, Town Bike, Brontosaurus Chorus, Keith TOTP and The Minor UK Indie Celebrity All Star Backing Band - 229
The Abnomalies
Town Bike
Brontosaurus Chorus
Keith TOTP and The Minor UK Indie Celebrity All Star Backing Band
Thursday, 14 August 2008
Lost Music: Air Formation, Secret Shine - The Grammaphone
At the Grammaphone, scribbling, Air Formation have just been onstage. Earlier in the day I read this American Elf strip, "When I think of things, I can see them in my mind"
So, on stage, its warm fuzzy shoegazery goodness, murmured vocals, early Boo Radleys, shards of Whipping Boy, Ballboy and Jesus and Mary Chain Boy. Brief ropey periods, finishing on a head lowered, backs to the crowd wig-out.
But in my mind I drift backwards, first to the pub a few hours ago, friends off of the internet, some I'd met before and some I only knew from website linkery. The music took me further back, to '93, to the playing fields in Walkden, playing soccer in scouts in the summertime. Grey darkening skies, deep green grass, friends or cellmates, innocent and long ago. Aye, that's what Air Foundation sound like.
I'd gotten lost on my way to the venue and by the time I arrived, I'd missed the first two bands.
Folk said they were less shoegazery and more shouty, but there was a mixed view on whether they were any good or not.
Final band of the night, Secret Shine, five folk on stage, singing synth girl, singing guitar chap. Less reverb and sustain than Air Formation, more distinct vocals.
Other folk there had seen them before, some many years ago, Secret Shine being an old Sarah Records band, but for me, it was my first time, no preconceptions.
There was an element of shimmering majesty, something epic from the past, shards of the shoe' and twee, but not enough to engage me.
So, on stage, its warm fuzzy shoegazery goodness, murmured vocals, early Boo Radleys, shards of Whipping Boy, Ballboy and Jesus and Mary Chain Boy. Brief ropey periods, finishing on a head lowered, backs to the crowd wig-out.
But in my mind I drift backwards, first to the pub a few hours ago, friends off of the internet, some I'd met before and some I only knew from website linkery. The music took me further back, to '93, to the playing fields in Walkden, playing soccer in scouts in the summertime. Grey darkening skies, deep green grass, friends or cellmates, innocent and long ago. Aye, that's what Air Foundation sound like.
I'd gotten lost on my way to the venue and by the time I arrived, I'd missed the first two bands.
Folk said they were less shoegazery and more shouty, but there was a mixed view on whether they were any good or not.
Final band of the night, Secret Shine, five folk on stage, singing synth girl, singing guitar chap. Less reverb and sustain than Air Formation, more distinct vocals.
Other folk there had seen them before, some many years ago, Secret Shine being an old Sarah Records band, but for me, it was my first time, no preconceptions.
There was an element of shimmering majesty, something epic from the past, shards of the shoe' and twee, but not enough to engage me.
Sunday, 10 August 2008
Saturday, 2 August 2008
The Pete Green Corporate Juggernaut, The Deirdres, The Smittens - The Rescue Rooms
Crikey, the sound in here is great. The wee promoter girl was hyping it before, and I admit I was sceptical, but she was right, The Pete Green Corporate Juggernaut are on stage and they sound awesome.
Stadium Pete Green. The songs re-arranged for the whole band rather than just solo stuff with a band accompanying. Everything I Do Is Going To Be Sparkly, Dr Beeching, Monday Morning, they all sound so cohesive now, so big it fills the room. There's only a few of us who can hear the lonely ghost of solo troubadour Pete behind the songs.
This site has been following Pete Green's progress from floppy hair popster, to frontman with the mighty 'Juggernaut beside him, right there on the cusp of world domination now. If only the NME don't take offence at Best British Band Supported By Shockwaves.
Actually I keep meaning to say, whilst its a fine sentiment behind his song Hey Dr Beeching, the sort of paradoxes that would arise from what he proposes are seriously bad. If Stephen Moffat ever hears of it there'll be an interesting bank holiday special next year.
He does a wonderful speech before the final song, The Day of the Popshow, about how Indietracks doesn't have to end, you don't have to be at a train museum in the Midland, you just have to go to shows, start a fanzine, start a band and do it. There was barely a dry eye in the place.
Next up in this post-Indietracks popfest are The Deirdres, as utterly shambolic as always, bristling with their youthful energy and occasionally songs they haven't rehearsed for months.
Sophie's magic sentient feedback guitar and the chap who was forever runnig round the stage finding neglected instruments to play before running back to a microphone, any microphone to sing his next line.
The drums were a bit too loud this evening, and there were other bits of the mix that needed tweaking. Luckily the folks in the crowd still had the sound from Indietracks in there ears, The Deirdres can do no wrong. The was crowd surfing, there was reaching to touch Russell, and it was quite spectacular when Sophie actually took a run up and launched herself into the mosh pit.
Its the final night of The Smittens' UK tour, there's a little sadness in the air. As they point out, many folk in the crowd have followed them around for the past two weeks.
Crikey, I think I've seen Colin and Dana play seven times since they got here. Am I going to miss them or just back to business as usual? The Smittens were my summer holiday.
These songs I'd never heard before, now so familiar, 100 Roses, Gumdrops, the one where they try to get the audience to pretend to be bumblebees, Stop the Bombs, with the Pocketbooks, those dudes are crooks lyric, made me squeee a little.
There were hip hop bass noises coming from the club upstairs that only Dana could here at first then the rest of us, but it didn't distract from the stream of magic on stage, the instrument swapping and the joy.
I think Sapphire ought to sound a little more like Belle and Sebastian's Sleeping the Clock Around.
They finished with Gentlefication Now! (The La La La Song), a fabulous one for singing along to. But even afterwards, when the rest of the band were packing up, Colin was still playing some song about Justin Timberlake that he didn't know the words to, just for some guys in the audience.
It was a long drive home from Nottingham back to London, my ipod on shuffle, Sapphire comes on, and smiled a little.
Stadium Pete Green. The songs re-arranged for the whole band rather than just solo stuff with a band accompanying. Everything I Do Is Going To Be Sparkly, Dr Beeching, Monday Morning, they all sound so cohesive now, so big it fills the room. There's only a few of us who can hear the lonely ghost of solo troubadour Pete behind the songs.
This site has been following Pete Green's progress from floppy hair popster, to frontman with the mighty 'Juggernaut beside him, right there on the cusp of world domination now. If only the NME don't take offence at Best British Band Supported By Shockwaves.
Actually I keep meaning to say, whilst its a fine sentiment behind his song Hey Dr Beeching, the sort of paradoxes that would arise from what he proposes are seriously bad. If Stephen Moffat ever hears of it there'll be an interesting bank holiday special next year.
He does a wonderful speech before the final song, The Day of the Popshow, about how Indietracks doesn't have to end, you don't have to be at a train museum in the Midland, you just have to go to shows, start a fanzine, start a band and do it. There was barely a dry eye in the place.
Next up in this post-Indietracks popfest are The Deirdres, as utterly shambolic as always, bristling with their youthful energy and occasionally songs they haven't rehearsed for months.
Sophie's magic sentient feedback guitar and the chap who was forever runnig round the stage finding neglected instruments to play before running back to a microphone, any microphone to sing his next line.
The drums were a bit too loud this evening, and there were other bits of the mix that needed tweaking. Luckily the folks in the crowd still had the sound from Indietracks in there ears, The Deirdres can do no wrong. The was crowd surfing, there was reaching to touch Russell, and it was quite spectacular when Sophie actually took a run up and launched herself into the mosh pit.
Its the final night of The Smittens' UK tour, there's a little sadness in the air. As they point out, many folk in the crowd have followed them around for the past two weeks.
Crikey, I think I've seen Colin and Dana play seven times since they got here. Am I going to miss them or just back to business as usual? The Smittens were my summer holiday.
These songs I'd never heard before, now so familiar, 100 Roses, Gumdrops, the one where they try to get the audience to pretend to be bumblebees, Stop the Bombs, with the Pocketbooks, those dudes are crooks lyric, made me squeee a little.
There were hip hop bass noises coming from the club upstairs that only Dana could here at first then the rest of us, but it didn't distract from the stream of magic on stage, the instrument swapping and the joy.
I think Sapphire ought to sound a little more like Belle and Sebastian's Sleeping the Clock Around.
They finished with Gentlefication Now! (The La La La Song), a fabulous one for singing along to. But even afterwards, when the rest of the band were packing up, Colin was still playing some song about Justin Timberlake that he didn't know the words to, just for some guys in the audience.
It was a long drive home from Nottingham back to London, my ipod on shuffle, Sapphire comes on, and smiled a little.
Indietracks review round-up
Crikey, according to the stage times thing there were 67 bands scheduled to play, but with folk playing the Twist and Spout and on the platform I reckon 80 is closer to the mark.
In the past couple of days I've written 29 reviewy things, but someof them were a bit half hearted - sorry.
Luckily other folk on the internet were there and have posted reviews online...
Sweeping the Nation - Comprehensive review of Saturday
Indie-MP3 - Says the vibe from last year remained intact
George the 23rd's Journal - Didn't like the food
Rhythm_isa_mre - Saw too many bands to remember
eFestivals - Not so many bands but lots of sunshine
This is Nottingham - Thought the Church was rather warm
Ripley and Heanor News - Interviews a couple of the organisers
Sweeping the Nation - Manages to cover a lot of Sunday's bands that I missed
Chance of Sunny Spells - Rather fine array of photies from Saturday
Chance of Sunny Spells - Campsite festivities and photies from Sunday
Hey Hey Honeypop! - Dancing lots on Saturday
Hey Hey Honeypop! - Marvelling at Colin Clary's hips
Anorak - There's a whole thread of memories and photies
Kiss me, I've Quit Smoking - Missed a couple of bands on Saturday
Kiss me, I've Quit Smoking - But pulled it back on Sunday
Drowned In Sound - Their post-Indietracks thread
John Marshall - Some cracking photies from the chap who seemed to be everywhere
John Marshall - Thrills and spills on Sunday
Ready Art Brut - Doesn't get on well with sunshine
Ready Art Brut - Not a fan of Anorak either
Kitten Painting - Some fine photies too
Indie MP3 - Quick rundown of the Friday night
Indietracks photie pools
on Facebook
on flickr
IndieHorse's photies
Will add more as I find them
In the past couple of days I've written 29 reviewy things, but someof them were a bit half hearted - sorry.
Luckily other folk on the internet were there and have posted reviews online...
Sweeping the Nation - Comprehensive review of Saturday
Indie-MP3 - Says the vibe from last year remained intact
George the 23rd's Journal - Didn't like the food
Rhythm_isa_mre - Saw too many bands to remember
eFestivals - Not so many bands but lots of sunshine
This is Nottingham - Thought the Church was rather warm
Ripley and Heanor News - Interviews a couple of the organisers
Sweeping the Nation - Manages to cover a lot of Sunday's bands that I missed
Chance of Sunny Spells - Rather fine array of photies from Saturday
Chance of Sunny Spells - Campsite festivities and photies from Sunday
Hey Hey Honeypop! - Dancing lots on Saturday
Hey Hey Honeypop! - Marvelling at Colin Clary's hips
Anorak - There's a whole thread of memories and photies
Kiss me, I've Quit Smoking - Missed a couple of bands on Saturday
Kiss me, I've Quit Smoking - But pulled it back on Sunday
Drowned In Sound - Their post-Indietracks thread
John Marshall - Some cracking photies from the chap who seemed to be everywhere
John Marshall - Thrills and spills on Sunday
Ready Art Brut - Doesn't get on well with sunshine
Ready Art Brut - Not a fan of Anorak either
Kitten Painting - Some fine photies too
Indie MP3 - Quick rundown of the Friday night
Indietracks photie pools
on Facebook
on flickr
IndieHorse's photies
Will add more as I find them
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