October Madness

Midway through a very intense October burst of shows. But then November and December are looking bleak so you have to do what you have to do.
Glasvegas canceled at Great Scott on Monday due to visa issues, me being me I started a myspace conversation which ended up with a guest list offer for Saturday in New york mercury lounge (sold out show) which we took them up on - Nice one boys!
Tuesday was Amy Macdonald, chosen because I wanted to figure her out. Pleasant and interesting Amy doesn't have the strongest voice (yes I am spoiled by women like Annie Lennox, Horse Macdonald (look it up and weep you hadn't heard of her before) and of course the wondrous Leila from Duke Spirit.). But when you throw in a cheap ticket price and the wonderful Great Scott (I LOVE this venue) it was a nice night.

Wednesday brought Evangelicals plus The Parenthetical Girls and Matt Mays who I had never heard of. Empty for PG but what a wonderful show they put on pure cabaret but lovable. Third time seeing Evangelicals, full of technical issues but there is something gut which I love about this band that I could never describe but only urge you to go with an open mind and fall in love.
Thursday and Friday was the Baltimore Round Robin experience, not our thing but had to go to experience, liked eyes night MUCH more than feet night but very glad to support music that is off kilter and different.
Saturday we drove down to New York sweating that we would actually be on the guest list. YES we were and sat for ages while the NY scenesters and drunkards decided to deign to come to the sold out show. Wild Light supported and were well, wild light, oh well. angela mcclusky was a secondary support and while fun I have heard better female scottish vocals - see above.
Glasvegas, now let me get hit by criticism, I think they need to gig some more and figure out how to put over their material. Of course the scenester crowd did kill any buzz. loved it anyway.
Would I have missed it- NO WAY!
Just about to go see Locksley tonight and Wedding Present tomorrow then Wire Wednesday and Delta Spirit friday oh well tons to do.......
As I said November sucks!

The Wombats Boston 2008

Wow, last year there was 25 of us, this year there was a rowdy sold out crowd full of drunken college boys. The boys lapped up the energy and put on a great show, minor complaint (and I know it was because of equipment issues) no 'How to pack your bags' no circuit board city'. All the songs we love - accapella, kill the director Joy Division, Patricia, First Wedding and of course Backfire.
So happy to see folks picking up on them, though I still want to see them in small places.
I hurt because of the wild crowd (note being at the front with a stage at knee level with frat boys behind you is DANGEROUS) but cant stop beaming. Were you there? No? then you missed the best show in Boston this year.
Gilrs Boys and Marsupials which opened the show


Little Miss Pipedream from last night

Interesting Gigs coming up

Thank goodness for the Canadian Virgin festival, it is bringing over UK acts leading to a sudden deluge of decent acts.
Forgive me for it seem like I have gone insane planning gigs. My most painful decision is that in all honesty I cant really skip work next week to go to see Sky Larkin in New York, oh why couldn't they play a Saturday?
BUTTTTTTTTTTTTT.We do get Does it Offend You, Yeah?, The Wombats, The Pigeon Detectives, Sons And Daughters, Laura Marling and Johnny Flynn, Stereophonics, Noah and The Whale, Glasvegas and last and by no means least - oh my God after years of waiting I actually get to see................
drum roll please......................
James! Despite what every American thinks the song we die to hear is Sit Down not Laid.
So something to look forward too.

SXSW2009

YEAH! The SXSW 2009 website just opened. I know its only August but now I have SXSW 2009 to look forward to, my chance to see more small bands than any other time in the USA.
My mood is temporarily HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY!

Subways at The Paradise

WOW, I was tired, miserable, pissed off because work sucks and MGMT and Ting Tings had been fun but not that much fun.
Then came the Subways. Half Panto, half showmen/women, 100% performers.
Its not often you burst into a concert and dance and smile your way through the whole delightful thing. Having already heard the yet to be released album I loved even the songs which many folks didn't move to.
These guys write bright bouncy, hard rocking guitar, bass and rum rhythms to make your butt move and make your spirits soar.
Miserably attended so that half the Paradise was shut off the idiots who paid a fortune to see MGMT should have been there on Saturday to see what a real band can do.
Absolutely loved you guys.

BBC harms the ability of british bands to be heard abroad

For the past four years I have been listening to British radio on the internet being British, or more accurately Scottish. This means rather than listening to US crap radio new crap and horribly regurgitated garbage I have listened to radio like Steve Lamacq, Huw Stephens and Vic Galloway. This means I hear interesting new music rather than dross.
This week the new BBC iplayer was fully loaded. They claim to have upgraded radio quality but this is only for UK residents. For folks listening to abroad they have downgraded the quality to 64kbps which sounds dreadful.
This listen again feature has lead me to hear new British bands and many others also find new music this way then go to see them when you travel abroad and buy the CDs as imports.
We also buy the CDs when they are released over here and crappy US radio will not play them due to not fitting into a defined format.
BBC has stabbed british bands in the back.
You should fight this it will hurt british band's ability to expand beyond British shores.

Gigs in full

if anyone is interested all my gigs can be seen here, only 2007 and 2008 up so far
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pCzROSjpfVWz4ePNEPYdLLw&hl=en