Gigs 2010

Our Year in gigs
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AkKSNden2xJ9dDByWF9LNnVUbUhSZHozVVR3VnZkN2c&hl=en
We started the year seeing Glasvegas at Great Scott, at this point they were not yet being reviled.
Los Campesinos! came to the Paradise in February though the gig in Vermont with Sky Larkin surpassed this.
Operahouse came from nowhere to suprize with decent songs and performance.
The Duke Spirit at Felt yet again amazed us that Boston fails to appreciate this band.
Seeing Friendly Fires with white Lies in March confirmed that this is a band to raise the heart rate as you dance until you drop, while White Lies looked as if they were set to drop, they tried their best but were obviously ailing.
I lived the chance to see Late Of the Pier again, a wonderful night.
Travis at House Of Blues was shoddy beyond belief, such a waste of time and money.
We only got three chances to see Twilight Sad this year and each time tehy surpassed every expectation and left us exhaulted. This included their two support slots in MA and the AMAZING night of Brakes, We Were Promised Jetpacks and the Twilights all in one night at Great Scott.
Enter shikari caused gasps of astonishment at their energetic stage show- yes the first time seeing a guitarist continuing to play hanging from a beam during the show. not really our music but SO glad we went.
The Horrors and The kills underwhelmed when we saw them, been there seen that.
Franz Ferdinand at Lupos was way better than the Orpheum.
Bedouin Soundclash at The Paradise was fun unlike the stressful show last year at Harpers Ferry.
Cryptasize and Teletextile showed us two new bands we should keep an eye on.
New York dolls were just a pastiche of what a band should be while Black Joe Lewis is a misogynist who should be put down.
Lovvers at O'Briens, weird venue fun band.
Future Of the left are explosive and even if you arent a fan of the album I would suggest seeing them, so we did seeing them twice in 2009.
Micachu charmed both at Great Scott and SXSW, so in love.......
Slow Club same story oh why did we not realise this earlier and see them more......
We have Band- oh so good at SXSW and again to the non existent crowd at Great Scott.
We saw Hatcham Social four times this year, it never went smoothly but still tehy caught my interest and love.
We eventually saw The Maccabees, it was fun but would we travel 400 miles again, not sure.
Patrick Wolf, well he was Patrick and LOVED the catwalk at the middle East downstairs.
Japandroids love playing live and that energy is infectious, total rock ANIMALS :-)
Crocodiles were hard to categorize and may be a fluke.
Miike Snow, see them twice- dont bother.
One Eskimo knocked us off our feet, the album does not do justice to his voice.
more to come

SXSW 2010

and it starts

* And So I Watch You From Afar (Belfast,N Ireland)
* Broken Records (Edinburgh,Scotland)
* Chew Lips (London,England)
* Chris T-T (Brighton,England)
* Everything Everything (Manchester,Wales)
* Fanfarlo (London,England)
* Frightened Rabbit (Selkirk,Scotland)
* Good Shoes (London,England)
* Hey Colossus (London,England)
* Jackie Oates (Exeter,England)
* Marques Toliver (London,England)
* Middle Finger Salute (Blackburn,England)
* One Night Only (Helmsley,England)
* Pivot (,England)
* Rogues (London,England)
* Scanners (London,England)
* Serious Sam Barrett (Leeds,England)
* Shit And Shine (London,England)
* The Boxer Rebellion (London,England)
* The Jim Jones Revue (London,England)
* The Law (Dundee,Scotland)
* The View (Dundee,Scotland)
* The Wave Pictures (London,England)
* Todd (London,England)
* Tommy Reilly (Glasgow,Scotland)
* Trembling Bells (Glasgow,Scotland)
* Twin Atlantic (Glasgow,Scotland)
* VV BROWN (London,England)
* Wave Machines (Liverpool,England)
* Wolf Gang (London,England)

I am also expecting The XX and Miike Snow there as they are touring SO close to March.
Really excited about good Shoes and need to start listening to new bands. Oh and I kind of like the Law too and Fanfarlo are excellent.

Wild Beasts

Wild Beasts, who are an amazing band from Kendall, England (UK).
They have produced two excellent albums Limbo, Panto and Two Dancers which is one of my favourite albums of 2009. It may take a while to get acclimatised as the lead singer Hayden Thorpe sings in a falsetto though certainly belies any imagined imagery of feminine.
The good new (rather excellent) is taht Fenway Recordings are bringing them to Great Scott on Feb 24th. Be there or be very silly!

2009 review time upcoming

Not much time so I wanted to just brain dump some of teh lbums which have made me happy this Year
The Twilight sad Forget the night ahead
Grammatics S/T
Bombay bicycle Club
Wild Beast Two Dancers
Pull Tiger tail PAWS
The Xcerts In The Cold Wind We Smile
The XX S/T
The Big Pink A Brief History Of Love
White Lies To Lose My Life
Micachu Jewellery
Brakes Touchdown
Fight Like apes Fight Like Apes And The Mystery Of The Golden Medallion
Hatcham social you dig the tunnel
Jofo grace & the bigger picture

first draft

Division Day O'Briens Sept 18th

We saw Division Day when we went to see iLIKETRAINS in 2007.Then they impressed us when we did not go to see them inducing us to buy Beartrap Island.
so when they came back we went to see them. The music comes alive nad tehy play their hearts out, yes its an american band I respect, maybe not love but definitely respect. I would recommend this band to anyone looking to see a talented band play decent songs.

SoCo Polyphonic Spree The Paradise 17th Sept

DJ Lord of Public Enemy opened and made me unexpectedly very happy by playing Grandmaster Flash's Wheels Of Steel a song I haven't heard in many many years. SoCo gave us free drinks and sunglasses which made up for the fact that I really don't like Polyphonic Spree.

One eskimO 16th Sept tt's

Sometimes you go to a gig and you aren't sure what to expect. For One eskimO I feared a quiet sedate performance that in my current state of exhaustion I may not fully appreciate.
And then the truth can set you free, This band does not give a quiet sedate performance they enliven the animate and they awe you. Kris's voice takes nuances that you never imagined.
point: this is how illegal file sharing should work, I had never heard of this band, the board I frequent listed this album, I downloaded and was interested. They came to town, I bought tickets without question and after this performance rushed to buy the album and give them my money. without the illegal download I wouldn't have a) bought the ticket b) bought the album. Now was that the wrong thing to do?

Esser The Paradise Sept 14th

Esser, I keep forgetting how young this guy is. His album is full of quirky songs that get under your skin. On stage the guy is a bit of a loose canon enjoying himself despite a minimal audience sending his beer flying a couple of times soaking us. Worth ten of his headliner's DataRock, I enjoyed this and will continue to hold him and his album dear to my heart.

Recaps: Hugh cornwell TT's Sept 13th

Ok, I know I know I have been remiss.
Oldies gig, seeing someone less than 30 here was a miracle. support well know in MA but basically boring. Hugh Cornwell looks old BUT he panders to us, he played duchess, Peaches, Golden Brown, Nice n' sleazy, Walk On By, No more heroes.
the guy plays guitar like a virtuoso. You watched him play for 90 minutes occasionally throwing out wry dry comments in the face of stupid comments sent his way. The guy is a rock and should be appreciated and lauded for all that is he is worth which is a lot.

Mae Shi with issues too!

Just saw the pitchfork article it seems the Mae Shi is no more

This will be the only Mae Shi in the band after this weekend

jeff shi
Originally uploaded by elaine layabout

Shamelessly stolen from http://pitchfork.com/news/35943-the-mae-shi-to-become-signals/


One more reason to get your ass to the Pitchfork Music Festival this weekend: It'll be your very last chance to see the Mae Shi, at least in its current form.

Since their inception, the dizzy L.A. spazz-punks have changed their lineup the way most people change color-coordinated T-shirts, so it's not exactly shocking that the Mae Shi's cast of characters would shift again. But what's interesting about this is that the band isn't just changing its personnel this time; it's splitting into two. After the Mae Shi's Sunday afternoon performance at the festival, three of the band's four members will split off and become Signals.

Some context: At the moment, the Mae Shi consists of Bill Gray, Jon Gray, Jacob Cooper, and founding member Jeff Byron. (EDIT: Byron informs us that those four guys are the Mae Shi's current touring linep, but the group also includes two non-touring members.) But after the festival set, everyone but Byron will depart, carrying on under the new name. Signals already has a MySpace and a Twitter.

According to their publicist, the Mae Shi haven't broken up yet. Byron will continue the band with a new lineup, though nobody's yet sure when the new band will be back up and running. No Mae Shi shows beyond the festival are scheduled right now.

At the festival, the Mae Shi will play old Mae Shi jams, but they'll also debut some Signals songs.
Damn!

Favours for Sailors split up

Earlier I wrote about a rumour that Favours for Sailors had split up.
The bad news is that it turned out to be true. You can only hope that they all go on to produce more bands of the same standard that they played at.
A statement released via their record label Tough Love reads...

"Dear FFS fans,

Sad news: our ship has been boarded by pirates, who have executed the crow's nest and made the starboard walk the plank. The rumours are true – FAVOURS FOR SAILORS HAVE DECIDED TO CALL IT A DAY.

However, we have ONE MORE GIG, at Tough Love's fourth birthday party, 25 July, at the Old Blue Last in Shoreditch. More details soon.

We'd like to thank everyone who bought our music, or ever came to a gig, especially those who came to several, and particularly to those who seemed to come to every show. Sorry if we were ever shambolic (but you didn't notice, right?). Special thanks also to Tough Love for releasing and promoting our mini-album Furious Sons, to Sally for designing the album artwork and to Rory for doing such a good job recording it.

Here's an anodyne statement for a press release: 'We're unsure of how to keep the indie rock dynamic interesting and fresh in our current incarnation'.

We will be posting a load of unreleased songs as soon as we can decide which ones won't land us with a string of libel cases.

xFFS"
statement shamelessly stolen from Drownedin sound (oops)

Bands performing career suicide

What is it with bands?
I know it isn't cool to sell out but I don't want to see talented artists starving.
I love Twilight Sad but the word prostitute in the single tends to put folks off especially the BBC and other radio stations. OK well at least there is always video right - wrong - a video of burlesque dancers wearing outfits where the women's aureoles of their breast are clearly visible not to mention flashes of buttocks from said women twirling wearing a thong.
Guys - do you want to starve to death? Oh yes its a class song too.
Then we have the cribs who give a song away called We were aborted which references masturbation.
Jeez I just give up.

Bad Rumours

Dananananaykroyd you better be wrong when you tweet this
RT @dananananaykroy: I think Favours For Sailors just spit up? :( :( :( :(
I so loved the EP they put out (bought it from emusic) especially I Dreamt That You Dreamt That I Loved You In My Dreams. Good bands splitting up should just stop it.

WOW- Twilight Sad/ Brakes/ Jetpacks

Checking the Phoenix this jumps out and knocks me off my feet.
The Twilight Sad + The Rakes + We Were Promised Jetpacks | October 7 at Great Scott, Boston | $12 | On sale Thursday, July 9, at 10 am | http://www.ticketweb.com
actually its Brakes aka brakesbrakesbrakes.
Three totally amazing bands at a totally amazing venue.
Who cares about Macca the boys will be back in town.
The Jetpacks album These Four Walls is astoundingly good and the teases we have of The Twilight Sad album leaves me gasping.
Brakes? well what can you say about the band that gave you Cheney, love love love them.
Go or regret it forever.

Micachu Great Scott July 16th

Micachu's album Jewelery is an odd little thing. The first time I heard it I wasn't certain about it and decided to not bother any further.
Somehow the album made it into our SXSW mix and suddenly it became indispensable.
The album, written primarily by Londoner Mica, a unashamed tomboy, at first hearing is discordant with out of tune guitars, after a few listens you realize the complexity and depth behind each track.
The next test was with all the different sounds evident within the music was this a wonder of production or ingenuity by the musicians.
We opened SXSW 2009 by watching Micachu play Ms Bea's a low key gravel based back yard of the best kind of dive bar out east of the main 6th st drag.
There the trio pushed everything to recreate and surpass the songs we had heard previously. Totally won over I beg everyone to take a listen not once but twice then a third time then in awe I suggest you visit Great Scott for a precious evening in the company of three very young very talented musicians.

Fanfarlo $1 Album plus- Wow!

Fanfarlo seem to be a low key band but their album grows and grows on you plus they are linked to the equally wonderful My Sad Captains sharing a band member.
There is no greater bargain around currently than this deal which is available until Friday the 3rd where you get not only the album but four extra tracks and all at a great bit rate.
If you were curious now is the time to bite and you should be.
and on the note of cheap but legal downloads check out this website
http://www.tentracks.co.uk/
yes its from the UK but people from the US can use it using google checkout. You get ten tracks for one pound. Wonderful compilations from folks like Fat Cat, The Police Box and check out Teenage Lust's choices it isn't obvious but he is linked to the very young but wonderful Copy Haho one of the illustrious Awesome Pals collective.

Good Riddance

Though tragic was Michael Jackson's death a loss?
A filthy pedophile pervert who acted like a freak his whole life, Jackson was a monstrosity on par with Gary Glitter.
I was left cold by Thriller and see no loss in this pathetic creature leaving the planet. Hopefully a number of scarred children will some find some peace he is not around to molest them again.

Saying goodbye with sadness to: De Rosa, GoodBooks and Farrah

Goodbyes are always sad but I fet I wanted to put words to memory to respect the three above.
Farrah FM was there it seems in the background as I was growing up being the ultimate Charlie's Angel and she fought valiantly. I hope she is at peace and that her family find some too.
De Rosa announced their breakup, not death but a silencing of a decent Scottish band I had just started to appreciate as someone recommended their latest album. Sad to see a band evaporate as you start to explore their depths.
GoodBooks, it seems I have been adoring their music for at least three years now and never had the chance to see them. Control did not have a bad song on it and had some out of scope songs which stopped you in your tracks as you listened. Passchendaele, Alice, Walk with Me, Leni, The Illness, it seems there was no end to their talent.
teh lack of commercial success while britney and Hannah Montana thrive makes me want to vomit.
Goodbye guys alas I never knew you.


De Rosa Robin Song

Hatcham Social, TT the Bears June 23rd

I must be a horrible person, I have been meaning to write this forever in the off chance anyone reads this.
Hatcham Social have made an effort and are traveling up from NY and are playing support in Cambridge tonight.
They have an excellent album out, You Dig The Tunnel, I'll Hide The Soil, the British Indie band has a interesting sound which uses complex guitar work and lyrics way beyond the normal girl meets boy love song trash you normally find. The vocals are oddly reminiscent of Orange Juice's Edwyn Collins and the whole sound challenges but satisfies.
Amusingly the band seems to have duel obsessions with Lewis Caroll's Alice In wonderland and Crocodiles (mentioned in at least two songs).
Interesting facts from their Wiki page
Drummer Finnigan Kidd was still a member of Klaxons, but left in order to devote his time to Hatcham Social
The band are named partially after the Hatcham Liberal club on Queens Road, Peckham, and the Old English word 'Hatcham', meaning 'a clearing in the woods'
The Guardian describing them as 'irrestistible'
Tim Burgess (The Charlatans) called them 'a wonderful pop group with the world's coolest drummer'and has produced a single and their album
They are also linked to Faris from the Horrors.
If you read this before tonight please consider going, if we don't support excellent bands who deserve it and make an effort to visit we will be left with kack like 'No Doubt' and 'The Kooks' and deserve everything we get.

Patrick Wolf middle East Downstairs June 21st 2009

How long does it take for a grown woman to become a doe eyed fan girl? Seconds - what chemistry occurs when the becloaked ever dazzling bejewelled Queen took his stage and we fell at his feet. The atmosphere become one of adoration as Patrick strode out wearing the leafed cloak that has become a recent trademark. After a song or two Patrick took the cloak off and the grey black and white union jack like pant suit with cut outs became revealed. The zip opened to his navel and you saw the cluster of strange and obviously personal trinkets.
The setlist was the same as he is routinely playing but a novelty involved Patrick using the photographers and musicians ramp as a catwalk.
Highlights - Tristan fabulous as ever, Accident and Emergency reworked a little weird but fabulous, Bluebell, The Libertine, 'Who Will' which made me want to cry. Patrick started to touch hands, making girls happy but making sure he reached to touch a particularly pretty male concert goer that you could hypothesize is battling the same alienation that most homosexuals do when they find their own simple needs are shunned by the ignorant of the world. This is what SHOULD happen and caused my eyes to tear up.
The Magic Position was joyous event, with Battle having the audience to exhort against the indefensible of our society.
He came, he conquered, we fell at his feet and felt unworthy.
This is the event that makes modern music have some relevance.
I hope to have some photos up soon and probably many as he is SO photogenic.
Oh well gushing over for now and I just know these words are insufficient to describe last night.

John Peel, The Cribs, The gym

Reading the John Peel autobiography at the gym currently. It makes me smile, laugh silently and sometimes just want to cry that he is gone. I hope that he isn't looking down and cursing how the BBC is now destroying bands, I do hope he approves of Huw Stephens and Steve Lamacq who I see as our best replacements if such a thing could exist.
As a side note, is it good or bad to play The Cribs at the gym, you can hurt yourself but isn't that the point? (LOL!)
Secondary point listening to Mens Needs... I still find myself at the rawness and honesty of the changes that the Jarmans confess to in that album, I may be seeing meaning where there is none but then again I may just be listening.
If the rumoured wedding did happen I just hope Gary is happy now, they give so much pleasure to us who are we to not wish some back.

Jeff Lewis

When we did analysis of the bands we had seen last year, was it the Cribs that came out on top - surprisingly not - it was Jeff Lewis. I cant imagine anyone going to see British Indie bands and not bumping into Jeff doing support. He is a little subversive, yes I know he seems a roaring socialist who refuses to wear deodorant, but watch this guy and see if at least one track doesn't sneak into your brain, The Ramen Song is a beautifully understated song that will make the most hardened music snob smile.
The Ramen Song

His new album is pretty full of songs like this, and for those of us shell shocked by his comic that told of his romantic woes it has a bitter irony.
http://measureformeasure.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/a-year-in-love-and-music/
I downloaded the new album and already loved many tracks, not for their music finesse but for their honesty and sweetness.
so we trecked out to see him support Au Revoir Simone May 28th at TT The Bears. His brother and pal formed the junkyard and put on a 40 minute set that sped by. Roll Bus Roll was sweet
Roll Bus Roll

and the suicide song - So What?, was a little shocking , and a little catchy.
We finished the night by grabbing a few words, offering support and enthusiasm and more importantly by buying the new CD which we didn't need apart from to become legal.
Sweet!
Au Revoir Simone weren't bad but not enough to keep us there more than half an hour. Sorry Girls.

Crocodiles Middle East Upstairs May 21st 2009

Opening act was Hooray For Earth who we knew we had seen before but couldn't remember until we saw the guitar with the pedal strapped on it. They put on a solid show with decent guitar and bass which I felt showed they had grown and improved since the last time we saw them support Ra Ra Riot.
Crocodiles - what can you say? It was only the two of them so the drums etc were provided in a recording. But for a new band they had the performance down pat. The lights were completely off with the band using two red lights either side of the stage. Both guys wore dark clothes and wore sunglasses.
Did we see the next Milli Vanilli or MGMT. I am not quite sure, but they did leave me shell shocked in a good way.
They are not where they want to go but they are on the right road, watch this band to see what happens.

Momus Middle East Downstairs May 19th 2009

A show out of my normal sphere.
Momus, aka Nick Currie, gave a retrospective of his 30 year career on Tuesday night. With Aki Sasamoto, dressed in the kabuki stagehand costume performing at the same time, the show was a solid two and a half hours, I was tired watching so kudos to Nick and Aki for their performance. Starting from initial demos and even a song from 'The Happy Family' who were an off shoot from Josef K he worked through a 30 song set from his career. using his iphone to provide the music he performed what I presume has to be his favorite songs from his extensive back collection.
A weird mix of intellectual aesthetics, Nick is obsessed with literature, sex, pedophilia, necrophilia, penis's , homosexuality and all forms of sexuality that most people refuse to think about in public never mind discuss.
I did enjoy seeing The complete History of Sexual Jealousy parts 17-34 done live as this was the song that first interested me and made me investigate him when Napster hit. Seeing Bishonen live was also a highlight.
Momus - Hairstyle of the Devil


Momus - Little Apples

Tiring, different but unmissable.

Twilight Sad Translation

The definitive code (except Ye Ken)

Rabbit- And She Would Darken the Memory
Hit Single- That Summer, at Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy
Eyes Oot- I Became a Prostitute (new)
Downstairs- Reflection of the Television (new)
Faster- That Birthday Present (new)
Loud Quiet- Talking With Fireworks/Here, It Never Snowed
Sheep Dug- Cold Days from the Birdhouse
Mooth- Seven Years of Letters (new)
III- I'm Taking the Train Home
Sixteen Guys- Untitlled 28 (previously released on Killed My Parents and Hit the Road)
Ye Ken- ? new song? played on day 3 at MHOW

From the band themselves- http://twitter.com/thetwilightsad

new songs played last night= reflection of the television, that birthday present, seven years of letters, i became a prostitute
7:42 AM Apr 24th from web

sets from New York

Mon 27 Apr – The Twilight Sad @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Setlist

Downstairs

Faster

That Summer, at Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy

Talking With Fireworks/Here, It Never Snowed

Mooth

Eyes Oot

Cold Days From the Birdhouse

And She Would Darken The Memory



Tue 28 Apr – The Twilight Sad @ Music Hall of Williamsburg

Setlist

Downstairs
Hit Single = That Summer, at Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy
Eyes Oot
Sixteen guys = Untitled #28
Mooth
Rabbit = And She Would Darken the Memory
Sheep Dug = Cold Days From the Birdhouse
III = I'm Taking the Train Home

Wed 29 Apr – The Twilight Sad @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
Setlist

Downstairs
That Summer, at Home I Had Become the Invisible Boy
Eyes Oot
Mooth
Ye Ken
And She Would Darken the Memory
Cold Days From the Birdhouse
I'm Taking the Train Home

I hope that somebody finds this as useful as I do.

The Twilight Sad

I tend to think in black and white when it comes to music.
Travis was just too blah, Fran Healy needed to realize that three guys yelling do not make a mountain and having them thrown out was just juvenile leaving a real foul taste in your mouth.
Noah and the whale, twee yes, Anni Rossi nice not scintillating not annoying, Ferraby lionheart a snoozefest.
Noah? still quiet but somehow they get under my skin and make me relaxed rather than annoyed, sweet very sweet, lots of new songs very nice night.
Noah and The Whale new song (name provided by NATW)

Noah and The Whale new song Our window

Noah & TW doing Girlfriend In A coma

Friday we went out of our way to be there early, most folks thought this was Mogwai show, we knew better. The bad recording from North Carolina does suck but even stinking fetid water is a boon to the person dying of thirst. The recording gives us the first chance to hear the new songs.
James is cleaner shaven, Andy sports a buzzcut and a beard almost unrecognizable and we get Dok joining the crew.
Simply stated the new songs are amazing they really work live, James has a different stage presence now less introverted less prone to running to the back of the stage and refusing to interact with the audience (which actually still created an effect you remembered). I would give anything to know what he murmurs to himself in those spaces where the music resounds and you see his lips move fervently without vocals being added.
To stand there and just let those notes resound and echo within you feeling the frustration and intense emotion emoted is just beyond words.
oh btw disclaimer - I LOVE this band just in case you hadn't guessed.
We stayed for a few mogwai songs but that wasn't why we were there. We did manage to catch a few words with James and Craig.
Saturday we went out to Northampton Pearl St Ballroom to our second chance to see them.
As we heard the songs twice they seemed even better, 'We are on a hiding to nowhere' everybody's wearing black clothes while I'm wearing brown' the simple lyrics I mention don't encompass the joy of hearing these new songs and starting to notice the finer points.
When I see them I am always filled with wonder at the power of the guitar and the finess that Mark shows on the drums creating the noise necessary but having the sense to leave sparseness where it counts.
Then later you talk to them and how do you express the wonder when they are as down to earth and chatty to the Nth degree.
Enough of my lovefest, I havent loaded my photos yet - thanks Pearl St for being cool about me flouting the no camera rule seeing I didn't use flash.
Set lists

Busy, busy busy

life is hitting me in the face, as well as loving music I love chinchillas (rodent, look it up), all eight of mine. One is fourteen and feeling sorry for himself, one had bladder stones and is recuperating from major abdominal surgery and scaring me daily and another has broken his leg and amputation is incipient.
While going crazy at home music has decided to come back to Boston, I try but I can't get 95% of American music but the Brits are back in town.
Travis hit House of blues tomorrow, a rash buy means I see them at long last when I am probably past such pastoral sounds. Is it harsh to wish they would just play good Feeling end to end seeing they had balls then?
Oh well in between nursing my fuzzies I will go and see how they deliver. I just don't like wimpy and IK don't like HOB, too cavernous too yucky!.
Bat For lashes- boo hoo - just canceled Natasha was real nice at Great Scott, I was looking forward to seeing the new album done live.
Wednesday I get to see Noah and The Whale, twee as f*ck but joyous and fun, why not? I say yes.
Then Friday and Saturday, joy of joy I get to see Twilight Sad again. This band just gets better and better the more you listen to them, SO MUCH BETTER than FR! (oops sorry guys) I have missed seeing these kids. Hoping against hope tehy will be manning the merch table, as I want to touch base.
They are the BEST band around you are not listening too, if you haven't listened incessantly try now and do NOT stop.
oh yeah and mogwai also play those two nights, I do wonder if I will like them.
also coming up enter shikari and cut off your hands but that's for a later blog.

Paul Haig Day

Around the web people are joining in with Paul Haig day see The Vinyl Villian for details
Apart from telling the DMCA to screw themselves there is a very good reason to do this.
Paul Haig is EXTREMELY well respected musician more so in Scotland, even more so in Edinburgh.
Josef K put out quirky pop on Postcard Records which I was far too young and dumb to appreciate. Then minding my own business I heard and totally and utterly fell in love with his solo record, Heaven Sent. Go on listen and see if you too do not fall in love. I bought the 7", the 12" and most of his albums all based on undying adoration for this jewel of a song.
Paul Haig Heaven Sent


The man is also a gent who has stood behind the idea of blogs supporting rather than killing music - see the Vinyl villian

Listen to Paul's new single, Reason by getting it here
here

Sky larkin/ Los Campesinos

Despite my life going belly up over the weekend (my pet got sick) we still made our way up to South Burlington, Vermont to the only place and date that was possible to see Sky Larkin play their first American tour with the fun band Los Campesinos!
Higher Ground must have a capacity of about 400 and the bands managed to get a reasonable turnout.
Sky Larkin as always put on a sweet performance, Katie charming as always, Nestor frenetic fury but grinning incessantly and doug providing the strong bass that provides the strength that you can miss within the music until you listen a few times and it hits you.
Fossil,I, Pica, Summit, Beeline all amazing and my only regret is not hearing Keepsakes. It was also nice to catch up and hear their thoughts on SXSW.
Los Campesinos! if you read their blog you already know the basics of what happened, Tom's pedals broke in different sequences causing the band to work like crazy to keep the concert moving.
As the band came on for an encore they gave up on the normal format and Tom, Gareth, Neil and Aleks all went into the crowd ending the gig on a frenzy of crowd participation which enthralled everyone. It wasn't perfect playing but it was an amazing performance which made everyone feel privileged to have been at the gig.

Courteeners

What does it mean if you leave adoring fans in the snow while you take hissy fits and demand better flowers to use in your stage act? What about if you decide to charge $35 for any T-shirt (which cost you max $5) or $50 for a tie, what if you demand your support band match your extortionate charges. what if you demand your staff to follow your dietary demands and fire anyone who dares to eat meat on a day when they work for you? Ok for the last you could also be Paul McCartney
For all the rest that makes you the world's most arrogant pain in the neck ever who OBVIOUSLY HATES his fans, AKA Morrissey. BTW don't bother to make nasty comments I will not publish them.
The hassle of having to endure this was a huge pain, The Courteeners are a band I have enjoyed for a while (circa 9 months). They put on a nice show last sunday at the House Of blues, which BTW i think is a huge nasty pit of a place. It may have decent sound and lighting but it is more of a soulless warehouse than Avalon ever was.
All the obvious songs like 'Not nineteen forever' were played but also a new song. I truly wish them to come back and play a real venue but this was a stop gap.
We did stay for two Morrissey songs but couldn't bear the awfulness of the spectacle for a minute longer.

Recently - White Lies etc

5 concerts in eight days.
Start with Soft Pack/White Lies/ Friendly Fires
The Soft Pack pka The Muslims, better than when we saw them at CMJ, decent guitar driven rhythms well received. still not my thing but WAY better than most support bands.
White Lies, wow, record label look after your band will you? Harry looked just wiped. I swear when he closed his eyes and clung to the mike stand he was praying for strength to get through the performance. The rest of the band were not as exhausted and there was an underlying feeling that the band were pulling together to do their best to hold together a lead singer exhausted and unable to hit the higher notes. The hype is starting and the silly little girls are starting to scream and harrass the band. Still the band put on a brave show and tried their hearts out winning over new fans in the hardest of circumstances.
Wearing my Mumm-Ra t-shirt, Tommy B got a kick out of seeing my support, coming over as the show finished to make contact.
Friendly Fires, such a wait, 5 months late, the four guys, including Rob lee who only plays with them live, provided a stunning show. The crowd danced like crazy starting with a momentum which caused sweat to pour off both crowd and band. Though the energy slacked slightly as the gig went on during the encore the band went into the audience causing a rapturous response.
We managed to talk to White Lies afterwards, Jack relishing the attention of the female fans but happy to turn more serious when he recognized us showing the fact that everyone is still firmly grounded. Charles was friendly and showed humor laughing about the fact they were probably not 'Indie' enough for us to go see at SXSW. We did spend a long time talking to Tommy just chatting about music and how life has been for the guys recently.
Sweet Gig, lovely chance to catch up with White Lies who prove themselves to be human, grounded and getting better as time goes on, and amazing to have the chance to catch Friendly Fires and dance like crazy at last.
BTW watch for White Lies playing House of Blues this September.

Depeche Mode

the new album is out there. In 1981 the band was ultra poppy, then their major songwriter left. As the albums came out serious subject started to be dealt with in poppy poppy tunes, state of the world (Construction time Again the whole album), undeserving trust in god (Blasphemous Rumours), lack of the press taking life seriously (New Dress) etc etc. I can't even start to consider how long I have been listening to these guys, they have dealt with loss of members such as would cripple other bands. they have also dealt with serious drug addiction from Dave Gahan. The new album may take some time to attach itself to the gut the way the other albums have but this is a band still breathing, still functioning still being relevant. Reminds me I must go back and indulge in the early music............

British Invasion

White Lies arrive at the Paradise on Saturday amidst a huge wave of hype. Harry the lead singer, channels the baritone of 80's pop star Julian Cope from Teardrop Explodes in a way that causes middle aged folks to flock to their concerts amongst the teenagers brought in by the Gossip Girl use of EST.
White Lies started life as Fear Of Flying, but when they wrote Fear of the Fairground they saw a new pathway and morphed into White Lies. With Harry lacking the ability to reproduce the keyboard sounds from the studio they brought in the rather excellent Tommy B from Mumm-Ra, a cult UK band from Bexhill on Sea.
Exploring a cache of songs about love and Death they rise above cliches, creating rhythms that sequester themselves in your head until you love them despite any qualms about loving the music the record companies want to throw down our throat.
If you were one of the 30 or so folks who were ahead of the curve and saw them at Great Scott in October you would have had a chance to talk to them and find them as charming as they are adorable.
Friendly Fires also play. FF were supposed to play in Boston in October supporting Lykke Li. Under the manipulations of their record label they blew off the gig to wow CMJ. BTW when asked about this they did apologize profusely!
The album is a classic danceable classic, Paris and Jump In the Pool are outstanding almost hiding the fact that the other songs would be the highlights of another lesser band.
The Soft Pack (previously known as the Muslims) in any other circumstance would be headlining, and seeing the lineup of the Paradise currently would be able to do so easily. a Bluesy guitar based rock sound many have lauded this band to the roof, personally when I saw them I could take or leave them but as US band ago they certainly are up in the upcoming new bands.
On Sunday , the most overblown UK star hits the most overblown Boston venue. Morrissey play The House Of Blues. why mention it? because an excellent band The Courteeners from Manchester UK, play support. A UK guitar based band in the vein of Oasis and Stone Roses, the raw vocal and catchy pop tunes have you humming their songs for long periods. We paid the exorbitant Morrissey fees just to see The Courteeners.

SXSW recap

lets break this down to three categories
Amazing and much better than expected
-- Slow Club, Micachu, Bang Bang Eche!, Fanfarlo , rolo Tomassi - great to watch
amazing expected to be amazing
-- Danananaykroyd, General Fiasco, Fight like Apes, Sky Larkin
were ok but wanted them to be amazing
-- hatcham social, Let' wrestle

SXSW Day 5 Sunday 22nd

Slower - thank goodness - we were about fit to drop
PRE Beerland
The Mae Shi Beerland
The Boxing Lesson Austin Art Garage
Pop Unknown Austin Art Garage
Out From Animals Austin Art Garage
Afterward - I heard murmurs that Out From Animals are the result of a talent show conteest for a record deal - true story? if so please tell.
A couple of songs from Out From Animals





And a song from the Mae shi
this band are frenetic and cause mayhem - I tried to catch some of it but forgive me for the poor quality that is always a side effect of their performance.

SXSW Day 4 Saturday 21st

Talk To Angels Yorkshire Party Latitude 30
Paul Marshall
Rolo Tomassi
Sky Larkin
Wild Beasts
Polly Mackay Liverpool Party Latitude 30
The Lost brothers
wave machines
my sad captains ethiopian restauranr
innercity pirates volume
dirtblonde emo's annex
theoretical girl latitude 30
slow club volume
longview cedar street
friends electric latitude 30
your vegas maggie mae's

Sky Larkin Pica


Slow Club I was Unconscious at Volume

SXSW Day 3 Friday 20th

black Cherry Beauty bar
the shys
chief
angry versus the bear
skibunny bd rileys
fight like apes
fighting with wire
fanfarlo emo's annex
women fort
hatcham social
the miserable rich hilton
manhattan love suicides karma lounge
fanfarlo prespetyrian church
scissors for lefty wave rooftop

SXSW Day 2 Thursday

Turbowolf dirty dog bar
Dana dirty dog bar
the lost brothers latitude / irish party
beat poets
general fiasco
fighting with wire dirty dog bar
the homosexuals rusty spurs
jay jay pistolet hilton
mumford & sons hilton

peggy sue parish
wild beasts latitude
hatcham social latitude
teh electric city wave
we have band latitude
fight like apes rio

SXSW Wednesday 18th Day 1

start
Micachu at Ms Bea's
Future Of the left
Bad Veins
We were promised Jetpacks at spaceland throwdown at Maggie Mae's
Esser Fader
Post War Years
Abe Vigoda
Graham coxon
Micachu
Let's wrestle
Pete and the pirates
The cheek
Wave Machines
Nacional
Dananananaykroyd
Sky Larkin
General Fiasco

SXSW Tuesday 17th day 0

managed to get Fort wristband and pure volume passes.
We only got to the Dartz international Party at Friends.
Bang Bang Eche - pretty amazing
We should be dead - good
Poly Mackay and the Pleasure principal not bad.
we also saw the golden dogs from canada but they were brutally awful.
today should be busy

Update

So its SXSW next week. That's when you get in two minds - one one hand you want your favorite bands to have a good showing but on the other you want to be able to run from place to place to get a great view.
they have found my soft spot Jarvis Cocker is talking and of course may play. I hate large shows that the crowds love but this is one I would break all the rules for.
But for small bands I am looking forward to seeing
Pete and The Pirates, Sky Larkin, Danananaykroyd, Hatcham Social, The Cheek, Late Of The Pier,Esser, General Fiasco, Fighting with Wire, Fight Like Apes, We Were promised jetpacks.
Curently I am having heart attacks trying to figure out how best to see the most novel bands that are worthwhile.
I know it will all work out but teh anticipation is pretty extreme.

Gig review

Its been busy, probably busier than its going to be for a while with the recession preventing the normal amount of bands coming over.
Friday teh 13th was Titus Andronicus and Los Campesinos! at the Paradise. With high expectations of a raucous expectations I felt Titus let us down, fun but no craziness described from other gigs. Titus did you decide to phone it in.
They did play Roadrunner by Jonathan Richman which was fun.
Los Campesinos! how I love thee. I have listened to their music ever since someone pushed 'It started wit ha mixx' my direction before they properly released anything. They are listed as Twee pop but 'We are Beautiful we are doomed' though with poppy tunes has bitter lyrics and hard guitar and rhythms behind the twee. Adorable!
Again they did not disappoint with seven people on stage there is always something going on and someone being fascinating. Gareth, at times clutching at his asthma inhaler, daned around, belted out the lyrics at a rate of knots and played xylophone and bashed at drums - Wow. Gareth enthused at their welcome, had memories of an emptier Paradise last time - though I thought it sold out then too. He claimed they palyed longer than normal and just kept playing. Gareth's trip through the audience kept folks amused and on their toes while Tom crowdsurfed with everyone around trying to make sure he was held aloft.
Fun fun fun.
Sunday - middle east upstairs - shrinking Islands were an acceptable support not entrancing but fun to listen to. Depreciation Guild remindedme hugely of Evangelicals which isnt a bad thing.
Then came Pants Yell! - sorry I LOATH this band. Why is it acceptable to sing bad lyrics in a flat tone, give it up and please make a vow never to sing on stage again.
Pins Of being pure at Heart, middle east really butchered a lot of the vocals and I still can't see the total picture here - OK but not stellar.
Tuesday Great Scott was Operahouse. Very happy to see them play and it was a nice set - there should have been WAY more folks there - watch this band.
The Duke Spirit - radio gig at Felt on Thursday. Said it before its so not fair Leila is beautiful, stylish, friendly, sings like a demon, puts a on a great show and the songs are amazing - how can one person be so talented.
seen them many times now and its never enough and they never let you down.
I hopefully will have some pictures up soon that show some of the energy that was there.
Delta Spirit tonight review later I hope
I love duke spirit and you should too.

Gig Alert

OK now I safely have my tickets in hand I can let others know about what promises to be one of the best shows this year - forget The Killers or Morrissey this is the one.
Friendly Fires/White Lies/ The Soft Pack at The Paradise March 28th.
Friendly Fires produce the most amazing dance/pop music, I defy anyone to listen to Paris or jump In the Pool and not smile.
White Lies, what do I need to say, and they have the stupendous Mumm-Ra's Tommy B too.
Then The Soft Pack, used to be The Muslims. cant say they impressed me at CMJ but the world and blogosphere loves them.
Just go buy tickets now before it is too late.
But you can only buy tickets at Livenation.com don't even try Ticketmaster.

White Lies The Price Of Love at Great Scott October 2008

Music snobbery

Yes, I can act as music snob, hating on folks who 'discover' bands late. But I think I have good reason. I spend most of my concerts going to see bands in empty rooms or almost empty. In those moments I talk to the bands, weary from 8 hour drives still pushing themselves to play to 75 or less people because EVERY fan is a lifeline to them. Buying them drinks, talking to them and enthusing about their music, knowing all the lyrics. These mean a lot to bands early on, sometimes its the only thing that keeps them going. Why do hugely talented bands play to empty rooms while over hyped talentless kids and sometimes that is not figurative (Cough Miley) fill stadiums.
Why do people find it easier to only listen to what the badly written over sanitized over marginalized media pushes. Its not a race BUT WE HAVE TO SUPPORT BANDS as they start. Otherwise they give up and the music we lose I hate to think of. That's why I hate on people who only want to go to sold out shows. Yes I download like crazy but I went to 116 shows last year- do you think I gave back a little? Maybe.
I just wish people - particularly college kids would pick a club and listen to a song from every band there and then go see the best. Going to see tons of shows is manageable when most shows are less than $15.
Anyway thats my rant for the day. Oh and watch this blog and go see all the bands I do!

SXSW 2009 updates

Wow, our moaning worked, many many more bands announced.
Best - Johnny Foreigner, Answering Machine, Sky larkin, The whip, We were promised Jetpacks, broken Records and General fiasco. But time to start hitting myspace hard to listen to bands.
I want to like Rolo Tomassi and danananykroyd but not sure those bands will hit the spot but big love for the bands mentioned above.

The Guggenheim Grotto & Frightened Rabbit

Bloggers telling you about music and giving samples does NOT kill music, anything but.
I heard about this band in the blogosphere and find they are doing a
residency at the Lizard Lounge.

Marketed as indie folk music I think this music is worth a try and will be there on Thursday to determine what the real situation is.

Sunday finds Frightened Rabbit back in Boston at their favorite venue, mine too boys. As this will be the 8th time seeing them in slightly over a year I have to admit to extreme prejudice here. At their best when they are most dangerous and off beat they are a joy to watch.
In Philadelphia in March, Scott went into a free fall of a monologue about the cd preorder which I curse that I didn't film, it was classic, oddball and wonderful. Grant, the gentle drum destroyer, who shows fury of immense proportions to those poor skins just causes awe. As anyone who goes to live gigs knows drums are a precarious beast who are always moving collapsing and generally reacting to the energy outburst. This with Grants anger is always a powderkeg to watch.
The bad news is that it has sold out, but only recently so you had forever to get your tickets so hopefully you will be there.
Scott promises that we will get Floating in The forth this time so here's hoping.
This is Poke from their July gig at TT's

SXSW 2009

my google doc
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pCzROSjpfVWwsiTZAxgfSIA

just the bands I want to see that I know are going - to be updated

Glasvegas etc

Glasvegas played Great Scott on Sunday.
We managed to get there in time to see most of their very elongated soundcheck and a quick chat with Rab. Amazing how such a big intimidating guy can be such a sweet kid.
Wild Light were as usual, well maybe a little less blah.
photos here
Glasvegas Setlist

When Glasvegas played this time Flowers and football tops actually came off, in NY they steamrollered through it never really seeming to be in the same place, this time a long slow intro allowed them to pull together and gel. But we did get the infamous Glasvegas light show - ie pitch black. The crowd were enthusiastic, good for Boston, but with a couple of real weirdos. The woman who grabbed James' towel then shouted out about getting all his DNA - you are just creepy as hell. He really isnt that desperate to go with a whack job. It wasn't funny it was just enough to make your skin crawl. And the guy next to me who wanted to gyrate over a three person area, what gives? I really dont like having that personal contact in a non frenetic atmosphere. Yes at an arctic Monkeys gig you get close enough to find out what side guys are dressing on but enough!
Nice to hear stabbed which it seems they have moved back into the set and Come Back home from the Xmas EP.
I asked Rab about the Demo blog issue and he really feels powerless, (shhhh he tells me he sometimes gives away copies of his own album - Bad Rab!)
I did the normal and sat and talked Scottish bands afterwards, nice to hear the guys up Sons and Daughters and Twilight Sad.
Sweet night, and Rab promised guest list spots for next time (March 31st at the Paradise) though we will probably buy them to be safe.
Glasvegas say they are set for SXSW, a tour through to Coachella, then coming back in August.
It will be nice to see them again and again.

photos here
Glasvegas playing Stabbed at Great Scott



Glasvegas playing Please Come Back Home at Great Scott