| Author | Message | ||
     Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 491 Registered: 04-2005 |
Green Day in Toulouse I have to start by saying that my 13 old son (his first ever big gig) loved it! I was less enthusiastic. I know very little about the group (but the latest CD has been blasting out of my son’s bedroom for the last couple of months) and I would really like to hear from Americans on the board about how they are viewed in the States. They have a few good ‘anthem-like’ songs, but the majority are frankly clichéd sub Clash thrashers. And there appears to be a huge paradox about what my son tells me that they stand for (they were fervently anti-Bush, for the environment) and what the ‘show’ represented. Examples? There were some fascination projections of images and footage, but I am not sure that more than 3 people in the 9000 capacity crowd necessarily understood their meaning. Or even noticed them. Did the band select these? For a song (whose chorus ran ‘I don’t wanna live in the modern world’) we got some film of various violence across the globe, including London’s finest getting stuck into innocent bystander Ian Tomlinson during the G20 protests. And the projecting of old punk fanzines featuring Black Flag, Fugazi and Minor Threat? An attempt to buy some long lost credibility? But the reality of the evening was like one big pantomime for me; endless cries of ‘Toulouse are you ready?’ (ready for what we never found out) and ‘put your arms in the air’. I felt such a kill-joy for being the only person not waving my arms in the arm for 95% of the evening. Never in the history of popular music has such massive success come to those with such little originality or flair? Maybe I am too unkind? Or just too old? Postive comments ? Amazing lighting and special effects. Lots of audience involvement; having invited one fan on stage to sing I thought he would never leave; each group member got several hugs! The last 3 songs sung acoustically in the middle of the crowd by Billie Joe, lit by the light of several thousand mobile phones (lighters are obviously so passé these days) More to come... Souad Massi this Friday. Mulatu Astatke and The Heliocentrics in Bordeaux next Monday Edwyn Collins in Glasgow (with Malcolm Ross and the Low Miffs in support) end of October Olivia Ruiz – in Bordeaux. A family outing in December! | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 422 Registered: 10-2008 |
thanks for that andrew. my 14 yr old daughter is going to the gig in glasgow in a few weeks time. the gig was sold out, my daughter and her friend were distraught, i posted that fact here and some kind board member who happens to know butch vig has arranged for the 2 kids and my wife to be on the guest list. i will spare the board members blushes, but needless to say he has made two 14 yr olds incredibly excited in the run up to the gig. | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 492 Registered: 04-2005 |
Kevin, After I posted that message, I was checking out some on-line (American) newspaper reviews; the majority were incredibly positive and the fans' comments (lots of 'it was my first ever gig and the best day of my life') made me feel like an real old fart. Who am I to destroy such passion? | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 3149 Registered: 05-2005 |
Green Day are mostly dreadful in my opionion, but they must be doing something right as they've been around for close to 20 years now. You can do a lot with a bit of The Clash, a touch of SLF and a truckloads of chutpah. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 3150 Registered: 05-2005 |
That last sentence should read: You can do a lot with a bit of The Clash, a touch of SLF and a truckload of chutzpah. | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 495 Registered: 04-2005 |
6 hour round trip to Bordeaux to see the father of Ethiopian jazz Mulatu Astatke with London jazz collective, the Heliocentrics. But well worth the effort ! Some wonderful grooves and I have never seen a cello featured in music like that before. Actually even labelling the music "jazz" does it an injustice; it is almost beyond categorisation, but just incredible. Astatke's name is known to a new generation due to his music being featured in Jim Jarmusch's "Broken Flowers". And Bordeaux's beautiful people were out in force, perhaps helped by the fact that the CD 'Inspiration Information 3' has won a major award from a French magazine. The mother of the bass player lives in our village and had a got a phone call on Saturday from Barcelona asking if they could crash somewhere Sunday night en-route to the gig in Bordeaux. Only problem ? The Heliocentrics comprise 11 musicians. Mattresses were found and large pots of soup prepared; I contributed a large apple crumble (not everyday you get to cook for the "father of Ethiopian jazz"!). | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 768 Registered: 04-2006 |
mulatu astatke is great, the album with the heliocentrics isn't that much good (imo), but i regard you with envy taht you had the chance to see mulatu astatke live. | ||
| andreas Member Username: Andreas Post Number: 769 Registered: 04-2006 |
keith jarrett, 12th of october, 2009 berlin, philharmonie -solo piano- heavenly improvisations. but you need the power to listen extensively. tones, silence. sometimes really majestic. but the maestro showed also his egocentric side( a coughing one stopped the show in the first half, a red light -maybe from a camera- in the second half) instructing the audience about concentration, but also his funny side (''this is a good time to cough'', which half of the 2400 people used). stopped the show because of a tone he played on the piano wasn't right and the piano tuner had to come up on the stage. i would have enjoyed the show much more if there weren't all this interruptions. the music suffered thereunder (is suffered thereunder correct?). but the audience applauded and applauded and applauded and mr. jarrett went off the stage,came back, went off, came back, played a tune, went off, came back and so on and on. all in all a very ambivalent evening. an expensive,too. | ||
| bongo billy Member Username: Bongo_billy Post Number: 6 Registered: 06-2008 |
Danny And The Champions Of The World plus Alan Tyler And The Lost Sons of Littlefield at the Windmill Brixton Friday night. F*** knows how I'm gonna get home though | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 157 Registered: 05-2005 |
Kings of Convenience last night at the Barbican were superb, guitars and voices sounding perfect. They are really funny too, the between song banter was more Morecombe and Wise than Simon and Garfunkel. Great gig | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 3370 Registered: 05-2005 |
Please about that Cosmo. Am going to see them in Warwick this ebening. Really looking forward to it. | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 158 Registered: 05-2005 |
you are going to love it Spence, they lean heavily on the brilliant new album. It's mostly just the two of them but they are augmented for a section of the set by a stand-up bass player and a quite excellent violinist | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 3372 Registered: 05-2005 |
Cosmo, you were not wrong there chap! They were extremely good,. They came onto almost a standing ovation, they certainly went off to one. The rolled out the new album and tons of classice off their (s!) albums. The PA was brilliant, their voices sounded beautiful as did their intricate bossanova guitars and delicate picking. They as Cosmo says, have a real sense of humour too, they were actually playing up to the Warwick audience in playing doen the barbican audience saying that we were much more alive and 'better' than the London audience! I must admit, the place, as its on campus was packed full of students, but what really helped was that there were about 200 odd standing and the remainder all sitting down (including us), so the energy at the front, for a quiet duo must've been great. Any how, they were absolutely magical, I've been a fan for a very long time and to see and hear these guys in the flesh(and their bassist and viola player, who were exceptional too) was nothing other than heaven for me, and now my wife is a convert too! KOC rule! | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 160 Registered: 05-2005 |
Spence, they had a Steinway to use at the Barbican (which is apparently tuned by Steinway before every show) so if the crowd were better in Warwick I bet the piano wasnt! was that a viola? I thought it was a violin? | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 3373 Registered: 05-2005 |
T'was a Steinway!! Maybe it was not sure viola schmiola!;) To add to the injury Cosmo this I just spotted on their guest book: "Guys, what a great concert last night in Warwick. I am as pleased as punch to have been part of OFFICIALLY a better audience then London. Maybe it's because we are closer to Bergen? " | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 161 Registered: 05-2005 |
The Barbican is a great venue but all seated and quite stuffy,formal and serious an atmosphere. I personally thought the London crowd were too lively, it was nice when they sang along at bands prompting to Know How and clicked fingers to another song but once the clapping along to every song whether prompted by the band or not starts I begin to shift uncomfortably in my seat. As you say Spence the instruments and voices were beautifully amplified and I wanted to hear them and I didnt pay to listen to a large group of people clapping vaguely in time. But maybe I am just a curmudgeonly middle aged man. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 3374 Registered: 05-2005 |
I like the barbican. I know what you mean re crowd too lively, in places it did get like that, but only after the first 40 mins, and some it was encouraged by KOC, they showed good spirit and a real sense of humour, as you say Morcambe and Wise! What was cool was when the crowd started clapping, old Erland would ease them into clicking fingers did you notice! Funny that, it was like saying, Christ stop that out of time clapping and get subtle!! I think the setting of last night's gig helped create a free open atmosphere, it was almost like going to a reading rather than a show, which was nice. I used to wish KOC were more prolific, but after last night's gig, I am not so sure. 3 albums in 10 years, doesn;t seem enough for the 'fans' but quality control intact, I prefer it this way, add to the mystery. | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 162 Registered: 05-2005 |
agree entirely on output, what about Versus though can we count that as a half? the version of Failure that they did themselves on there with horns etc is fabulous! | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 3375 Registered: 05-2005 |
Yeah I like that album, it was a great idea at the time as they were only one album in! | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 569 Registered: 05-2005 |
Hoping to get tickets on wednesday for the Decemberists January 19 2010. | ||
| C Gull Member Username: C_gull Post Number: 148 Registered: 05-2005 |
saw Bad Lieutenant last night - 3 ex members of New Order (Barney, Steve Morris and the bloke who joined them later (Ken?)) at Digital in Brighton which is an excellent venue. Got to say they were very good - I last saw New Order 27 years ago - we've both aged a bit. Started with a lot of new album stuff which was good before a couple of recentish New Order songs, a bit of Electronic and then blistering renditions of Out of Control and Temptation. Finished with an encore of Transmission. Top night and seemed much better to have some new stuff mixed in with the classics unlike many of the reformed bands around at the mo (e.g. Pixies last week). | ||
| Jonathan Evans Member Username: Jon Post Number: 350 Registered: 04-2005 |
C Gull I'm off to see Bad Lietenant tomorrow, the bloke who joined NO late was Phil Cunningham (Think he was in a band called Marion in the 90s, but not too sure). I'm glad you enjoyed it. Just for information - noticed Robert's got a couple of performances in Germany in December. Cheers Jon | ||
| C Gull Member Username: C_gull Post Number: 149 Registered: 05-2005 |
Jon - be interested to hear if they vary their set list - apparently three possible encores were listed - think one was Bizarre Love Triangle but could not read the rest of the set list. I guess you are seeing them in Manchester - expect they will get more of a hero's return welcome there than in too cool Brighton! | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 497 Registered: 04-2005 |
Or gigs not to go to. Edwyn Collins in Glasgow shifted to December. Not sure why it is postponed, so hope that he is OK and not had a relapse. I was taking my son as we happened to be in Scotland on holiday. Just not possible for December unfortunately... | ||
| Mark Leydon Member Username: Mark_leydon Post Number: 265 Registered: 05-2005 |
James Hunter last night at The Basement in Sydney. British soul singer who talks like Bob Hoskins and sings like Sam Cooke. Wonderful show. Backed by a crack band featuring a horn section and a totally mental hammond organ virtuoso. It's a retro-soul thing for sure. But Hunter is such a charming and charismatic performer is hard not to get swept up in it. And what a voice. Close your eyes and it really could be Jackie Wilson or Sam Cooke up there. | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 3383 Registered: 05-2005 |
Jeff Whiteaker in London. Yes, hooked up with ol Jeff in London on Tuesday. We made our way around the city gassing about music and music and music and, er, music, had bags o fun, shared a few ales here and there, really enjoyed jeff's company, Jeff is a great guy, simple as that. | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 465 Registered: 10-2008 |
oh get a room and just be done with it ffs!!! no seriously, its great that you met up. two guys from two different continents meeting up because of a shared love of a little band from a third continent. | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 500 Registered: 04-2005 |
It’s kinda like seeing Keith Jarrett playing in your local pub. For the past few months local jazz pianist Yonathan Avisahaï has been playing almost every Friday night in a bar in the town of Saint-Cyprien (a few kilometers down the road from us in the Dordogne). Sometimes friends turn up and join in (the amazing percussionist Bachir Mouhali being a most welcome visitor) and sometimes it is just solo piano. There is no entry fee and you can stick around for the 3 hours or so that he plays with just one beer if you want. Yonathan’s eclectic repertoire includes French chanson, jazz standards (sublime version of ‘Georgia on My Mind’ last week), Yemeni folk tunes and his own compositions. And a lot of simply astounding improvisation. There is probably an average audience of about 10 people (and usually a dog). We are blessed. | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 231 Registered: 05-2005 |
Saw Wilco in Bruxelles on Friday. I’m not a specialist of the band (the first cd I’ve heard of them is Sky Blue Sky...). They played most of the last record and a lot of older stuff in front of a large surexcited audience. Good. http://img691.imageshack.us/img691/5931/ dscf7859.jpg http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/2452/ dscf8025.jpg On sunday it was Grizzly Bear in a big and beautiful venue also in Bxl. They seemed impressed by the place and the big crowd. If not unforgettable, the concert was ok and I would have been sad to miss the band of the year on tour. http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/8766/ds cf8238.jpg http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/7264/ dscf8268.jpg | ||
| Charles Coy Member Username: Coy Post Number: 159 Registered: 10-2006 |
..Robert at book signing Readings Carlton last Wednesday, played 3 songs,including a new one...brilliant hour spent, then to LLoyd Cole at Thornbury Theatre ...stunning night.. | ||
| Mark Leydon Member Username: Mark_leydon Post Number: 267 Registered: 05-2005 |
Blitzen Trapper at the Metro in Sydney last night. Great gig from a fine band. They cover a lot of territory from Okkervil River style indie rock to Fleet Foxy vocal harmony stuff - all done with sytle. | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 589 Registered: 05-2005 |
Blackeyed Susans at the Basement in Sydney Friday Feb 5. A mate got the centre and front table...WoooHoooo! They have a new box set out with rarities including McComb singing on demos of "Ocean of You" (amongst others) Ravi and Anooshka Shankar at the Opera House in March. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 3300 Registered: 05-2005 |
Bought tickets for Dinosaur Jr and Pavement yesterday. The gigs are six days apart in March. | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 621 Registered: 05-2005 |
Saw the Church on Saturday night. I had planned to see the support, Belles will ring, too but the venue wouldn't answer the phone earlier in the day and their website had no times. As it was we got there just as the Church launched into Tantalised, apparently 15 minutes late! So much for the ol' 10.30 start for the headline. They didn't, as Steve Kilbey put in his blog, transcend but some songs live have had me digging out mainly old naughties albums that I didn't like (such as Forget Yourself) and reappreciating them in a new light. Marty looks like Rasputin and widdle diddled over too many songs - prime culprit being Myrrh where Peter's Ebow was replaced by Marty. I'm finding Steve Kilbey to be the living embodiment of (appropriately) a Salvador Dali painting - the metamorphosis of narcissus! He actually talks to the audience, "mach shau"'s, takes the piss out of himself, SINCERELY thanks the audience (instead of the petulance of the early years especially) and dares to get involved - nee EMOTIONAL, about his songs. He struggled with some notes in some songs but I guess it's towards the end of the tour. I spent up big on the churchmerch! | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 626 Registered: 05-2005 |
I'm going to the Pavement gig in March but I don't have anything by them! I heard Wowee Zowee years ago but can't remember too much about it. Where would be a good place to start exploring? | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 220 Registered: 05-2005 |
Geoff, Brighten the Corners is probably a good door in, all the albums are great in my opinion and they get more poppy and 'conventional' as they go along. Slanted and Enchanted the first album is great and experimental, Terror Twilight the last (and wrongly maligned) album is very different in sound and feel but contains Spit on a Stranger which is an amazing and very beautiful song. I am going to ATP in Minehead in May to see them and am very excited at the prospect. | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 526 Registered: 04-2005 |
Geoff, I'm a big fan of 'Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain'. I first saw Pavement at the time of 'Slanted and Enchanted', complete with the unique(!) presence of drummer Gary Young. I went to the gig because a friend's band was the support, having never heard Pavement before and was blown away. They were wonderful... | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 1446 Registered: 08-2006 |
I'd probably vote for "Crooked Rain," too, Geoff, although Cosmo's right - you can't go wrong hunting around the Pavement catalog. I'm hoping to catch them sometime this summer. It's been a long time. | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 558 Registered: 10-2008 |
cosmo nails it geoff, but as regards the albums getting more poppy as they go along i can only think that he forgot that wowee zowee came out after crooked rain. wowee zowee is their "difficult" album but is apparently the favourite album amongst pavement-heads. gutted that the glasgow gig is sold out. | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 222 Registered: 05-2005 |
fair comment kev - it's not quite as linear a pop development as i suggested, lazy of me (i should have been a music journalist), i love all the albums and 'father to a sister of thought' on wowee zowee is a personal favourite | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 628 Registered: 05-2005 |
Thanks guys. I'll see if I can track down a copy of Crooked Rain. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 1864 Registered: 10-2004 |
Keep in mind I can't stand Pavement, but loved them as a teenager when I first saw them open for Sonic Youth when Slanted and Enchanted came out. That being said, imho, Crooked Rain and Slanted are probably the best places to start. Even at the time I wasn't into anything that came after those. It's funny, I listened to Slanted about a year ago, for what was the first time since probably 1994, and I was surprised at how bad I thought it was. They have not aged well at all for me. I was at least expecting a bit of a nostalgic experience, but it left me cold. They were a fun live band, though (even more fun when Gary was still their drummer), so the reunion shows should be interesting. | ||
| Mark Leydon Member Username: Mark_leydon Post Number: 286 Registered: 05-2005 |
Agreed Jeff. I was listening to Crooked Rain a few weeks ago and was suprised how badly it had dated. I used to love the shambling, dissonant way their songs would start before resolving into focus - but it all sounded a bit dull to me now. And Stephen Malkmus's slacker vocal style sounds really contrived to my ears now. Still - they were a great live band in their day and some of these 80s/90s reformed bands play better now than they did in their heyday (e.g the Pixies). | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 3362 Registered: 05-2005 |
Geoff, there's a 23 track single disc best of Pavement coming next month. Might be worth waiting for that. Their US label Domino is having a competition to guess which 23 tracks have made the cut. When I was picking my favourites I was surprised how many of them are on Wowee Zowee. I still think Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain is the best though. The only one I never really liked was their last album, apart from the great single off it, Carrot Rope. I'm going one of the nights in Sydney. Second night I think. | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 225 Registered: 05-2005 |
Geoff, there's nothing wrong with the last album Terror Twilight other than it's their most conventional/least quirky and no disrespect intended to Padraig there are other good songs on it than Carrot Rope includiong the previously mentioned and very very beautiful Spit on a Stranger which is possibly my favourite Pavement song and definitely brilliant | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 562 Registered: 10-2008 |
i always liked "major leagues" from terror twilight. | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 226 Registered: 05-2005 |
Major Leagues is a cool song Kev, it's underrated as an album. My wife came to Pavement late and Terror Twilight is her favourite followed by Brighten the Corners, in fact they are the only two she listens to. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 1448 Registered: 08-2006 |
I remember being disappointed in "Terror" when it came out (disappointed being relative - Pavement were my favorite band at the time and the bar was pretty high) but every time I've put it on since I've enjoyed it. If I still rate it as their weakest album, it's only because I loved everything that came before it so much. I heard a best-of was coming out, Padraig. Seems kind of silly since 1. They didn't make that many records and 2. If you dig Pavement, you should really own all, or most, of them. Personally, I'd like to see a compilation of their best B sides (and there were some great ones). There's a whole 'nother great Pavement album lurking out there. Hope someone puts it together some day. | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 563 Registered: 10-2008 |
rob, the reissues of the studio albums are chock full of b sides, rarities etc, as well as having fantastic packaging. well worth shelling out for the albums again. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 3365 Registered: 05-2005 |
I'll give Terror Twilight another go one of these days Cosmo. Rob, I think that's the whole point of the best of, to entice the kids who will be new to Pavement to go buy the back catalogue too. And, as Kevin said about the b-sides, there's very little left that weren't on the reissues. I gave away all my original Pavement CDs after buying the re-issues. It's good to spread the love around! | ||
| Jonathan Evans Member Username: Jon Post Number: 366 Registered: 04-2005 |
Its a while since I posted in here, so I'll just move on to the up and coming gigs. I've got tickets for the low anthem, magnetic fields, james and the temper trap (also Frank Sidebottom, but I'm not too sure that counts). Cheers Jon | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 631 Registered: 05-2005 |
Saw the Decemberists last night at the Metro in Sydney. Great band and a great show. They were having a ball. Apart from Neil Finn, I've never seen anyone "play" a crowd like Colin Moloy - he had one side versus the other in singing refrains and at one stage, after the band had all gone down onto the stage "asleep", he got the whole audience to do the same! They played quite a bit from the Crane wife but not Yankee Bayonet despite requests from the crowd. To top it off, second song of the (one) encore was a cover - Bye Bye Pride which they had apparently just learnt for the occasion. My Go Betweens/folk-rock summer continues on Saturday night with Robert at Anita's theatre - 5 minutes up the road! I'm not a huge solo Robert fan like some of you but I will try and get the set list for posting on here. | ||
| Charles Coy Member Username: Coy Post Number: 172 Registered: 10-2006 |
Robert is in Melbourne, March 10 at the Toff in the Town, performing solo as stated in the 'Beat' issue January 20. Quote 'Robert will be performing solo allowing him to delve into his vast catalogue and that of the Go-Betweens'...will be there. Tickets through Moshtix | ||
| Andrew Kerr Member Username: Andrew_k Post Number: 528 Registered: 04-2005 |
One to possibly avoid ?! Or early April fool ? Got an e-mail announcement from a promoter about a Lou Reed 'Metal Machine Music' concert in April in Paris ('Un concert instrumental et experimental'). Must admit to never having felt the need to listen to the original recording, based on what I have read over the years. The evening is with Ulrich Krieger (saxophone and electronics) et Sarth Calhoun (live processing and continuum fingerboard (wtf?)). Lou's agents contacted my agents to see if I was available for vacuum cleaner and power drill, but I already have a nasal hair plucking session arranged for that evening. Still, good to see that ol' Lou is not about to retire quietely quite yet. | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 633 Registered: 05-2005 |
O.K. Before I forget in the morning. Just back from seeing Robert with Jens Lekman ...........and Joanna Newsom. I came out after seeing Jens to find that they had finally set up a merch desk. There were several copies of Robert's book and a note saying that he would be out after the show to sign things. MAD dash home (7 minutes door to door) to get my copy of the book and all my Go Betweens LP covers from the 80's! By the time I got back, the warning dings were just finishing - whew...hadn't missed a song but the bouncer at one door wouldn't let me in! Finally got in. I learnt later I missed "He Lives My Life" as the first song - BUGGER. My favourite Robert song apart from Delray. Anyway, since Robert wrote it in the front cover of my book(!), the set list went like so... He lives my life Pandanus Born to a Family I'm so happy (for you) - new song. VERY GOOD. More Go Betweens Robert than solo Robert. Spirit Darlinghurst Nights Surfing Magazines (GREAT!!!!! Seemed to go on forever with crowd clapping and singing and finishing with Robert adding names of local beaches!) 121 He played by himself for the first 3(?) numbers and then introduced Glen Thompson on snare! Speaking to him after the show, he agreed with me that Liberty Belle was the classic (and wrote on it "In London 1985") and that it was Grant who farted! He said he might have something out next year and that he was playing/collaborating with some guy - I can't recall who - I was half asleep after Joanna Newsom! Jens Lekman might be worth pursuing. He played with a female bongoist(?) and vibed stuff like early Aztec Camera and Orange Juice and Go Betweens. His last couple of songs also had a pre-recorded accompaniment. The last song was really good - nearly a Miracles Motown flavour to it. Which of the 3 should I get if I really like that last song??? Anyway. Joanna Newsom. Very tiny. Very short dress. I didn't mind her too much actually but I kept smirking with Jeff's comment about her voice - she DOES sound at times like a young version of Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies singing! Her harp playing at the start could have just as easily have been done using an acoustic guitar - it was standard folky stuff. At other times she made it sound like a piano although she also played piano later. Her drummer could have been mistaken for Mr Bean - SERIOUSLY!!!! She had some guy on guitar, wooden flute and other stringed things (Balalaika?) plus one person each on violin, viola, trumpet and trombone. I didn't mind it but I had trouble staying awake - especially after songs about Daddy Long Legs spiders! | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 1747 Registered: 09-2006 |
Al Stewart, with longtime compatriot Dave Nachmanoff, creating a lovely and exciting weave of sound out of two acoustic guitars. A fine, fun evening. | ||
| Michael Bachman Member Username: Michael_bachman Post Number: 1728 Registered: 01-2005 |
Kate Rusby is coming to North America, and I intend to travel to the Great White North and see her in concert March 20th at the Aeolian Hall in London, Ontario! | ||
| Matsrep Member Username: Matsrep Post Number: 96 Registered: 10-2005 |
Geoff: I'd go for the EPs collection "Oh You're So Silent Jens", although all his records are good. I do not know what his last song was. Maybe The Opposite of Halleluja? If so, go for latest album "Night Falls Over Kortedala" which have that song on it and other groovy things. Geoff wrote: Jens Lekman might be worth pursuing. He played with a female bongoist(?) and vibed stuff like early Aztec Camera and Orange Juice and Go Betweens. His last couple of songs also had a pre-recorded accompaniment. The last song was really good - nearly a Miracles Motown flavour to it. Which of the 3 should I get if I really like that last song??? | ||
| Lewisdhead Member Username: Lewisdhead Post Number: 54 Registered: 01-2007 |
Hot Chip in Berlin in March. | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 638 Registered: 05-2005 |
Saw the Blackeyed Susans last night at the Basement in Sydney. Front row seats(!) with dinner served!! Man has he got one smooth voice. They ripped it up quite a bit with a twin guitar attack. I asked for In the Pines but no luck. they did play Ocean of You though REALLY WELL - beter in fact than on the record. Next, the Church, Pavement and maybe Ravi Shankar!! | ||
| Charles Coy Member Username: Coy Post Number: 177 Registered: 10-2006 |
Ian McCullough was at his best at the Palais in Melbourne, Thursday 4 Feb, 'Killing Moon, Seven Seas, the Cutter, My kingdom, Rescue, Shroud of Turin' were worth the ticket alone...Echo on..next ACDC 11 Feb , then British Sea Power 19 Feb with Robert 10 March...I am having a good year... | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 994 Registered: 08-2004 |
Sounds great Charles. Mac can't/won't sing like he used to. Which I guess is down to the smokes. | ||
| peter ward Member Username: Peter_ward Post Number: 108 Registered: 06-2005 |
The Low Anthem at The Academy in Dublin. What a talented bunch, swapping instruments all night from double bass to woodwinds, brass, pump organs, a saw, electric guitars and harmonica combined with beautiful harmonies. They played tracks from their two albums to date, some old american folk/blues covers and a handful of new songs. You could hear a pin drop during some of the sublime quieter moments like "Charlie Darwin" and you could scarcely believe it was the same singer belting out the bawdy roots covers. Support act, Brown Bird came on to make it seven on stage for some unplugged stuff,save for a single old fashioned mic. They also introduced some audience participation, (you gotta have a gimmic these days) asking the audience to ring each other and hold both phones together on loudspeaker, produced an earthy night of the locusts sound effect at the outro to one of the songs. Well worth the Monday night trip. | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 639 Registered: 05-2005 |
I was going to see the Bunnymen in Sydney Charles but they played, on cue, the first day back at work. Been there - done that - no thanks! Last time I saw them was 2001 and they were magic. Spence reckoned the new album was shite that also influenced my decision. They have had too many crap albums since the first reformtion album. | ||
| Lewisdhead Member Username: Lewisdhead Post Number: 55 Registered: 01-2007 |
To Peter Ward. I was at this gig too. Small correction, it was Vicar St, unless that is also called the Academy, me being from the sticks I genuinely don't know. Anyway, a blissful beautiful gig. Great night. Glad you enjoyed it, I think most people came away very happy. | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 569 Registered: 10-2008 |
havent the bunnymen been shite since the second album? | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 2258 Registered: 03-2005 |
I'm fresh back from the Wild Beasts at the Troubadour. Fortunately Spence made me aware of the fact that they were playing here and his enthusiasm prodded me to go when I otherwise probably would not have. First, I'd have to say that the sound on "Two Dancers" does not do this group justice. I was not expecting the two vocalists--especially the guy doing the majority of the falsetto--to sound BETTER on stage than on the record but so it was. It was quite interesting to discover that those lovely sounds on the lead guitar that were my favorite feature of "Two Dancers" come from a Burns guitar. The lead guitarist played nothing else; I believe a Hank Marvin model in the new reconstituted company's product lineup (I discovered vintage British-made Burns guitars over the last year and have been building my own most recent recordings on their unique sounds.) They played the songs from "Two Dancers" that I would have wanted them to play: Fun Powder Plot, Hooting & Howling (VERY effective on stage), All the King's Men, We Still Got the Taste Dancin' on Our Tongues, and Empty Nest. I think they included at least one more from that album too but that's what I remember right now. Plus, of course, they did some things from their first album which--judging from them--is probably a better album than "Two Dancers." I'll be getting it. They ended with a song I'm guessing is called "Cheerio, Chaps!" or something along those lines. It was an excellent set and the usually blase Los Angeles crowd was genuinely enthusiastic which seemed to really surprise and please the band. I'm sad to have to say that the Troubadour was more thoroughly filled for the Wild Beasts than it was for the Go Betweens' last show there in 2005. There were two support acts, a ho-hum too-kiddish-for-my-taste group from Canada whose name I didn't get and an entertaining outfit from San Francisco whose debt to the Postcard and C86 bands was frankly and proudly on display all through their set. I think they were called Magic something-or-other. I'm assuming you'll know who I'm talking about, Jeff. | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 235 Registered: 05-2005 |
I have tickets for Wild Beasts in Portsmouth and based on Randy's review and Spence's previous championing of them live I cant wait! I dont usually respond to Kev's one liners but cant let the Bunnymen one go - Ocean Rain (+ Angels and Devils) is undoubtedly the Bunnymen's peak and so the answer is no they werent shite after the second album (but I wouldnt be so quick to defend their post OR output) | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 570 Registered: 10-2008 |
this is gonna sound like i'm a grumpy git with a dose of SAD or something, but here goes anyway. i posted my dislike of wild beasts here months ago and strangely enough i played two dancers yesterday(via napster) to see if a few months without hearing it would uncover hidden depths, or even some good songs. it sounded even worse than i remember. i just dont hear anything that raises them above your average indie guitar band. if anything that annoying jimmy somerville-esqe vocalist brings them down even further than that. we cant all like the same things i guess. on the bunnymen. james, i was a massive bunnymen fan up t the 3rd album. what a disappointment that was, although to be fair this was a purple patch era for them as far as singles go. in their defence this was a "difficult" album and in a way they should perhaps be credited for not going the route of simple minds and u2, however unfortunately the songs were mostly weak imo ocean rain was another departure but one which i didnt think suited them. i prefer the psychedelic rock band bunnymen which this album certainly isnt and apart from killing moon i just couldnt love it. after that i just lost interest, but again each to their own, and i can see why people loved ocean rain - it just wasnt for me as my interest was focused on the US bands of that time, so perhaps saying they were shite after the second album was a bit strong, maybe should have said they were personal let downs. | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 997 Registered: 08-2004 |
I'd say more Billy Mackenzie than Jimi Somerville. Backed by Sigur Ros. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 2260 Registered: 03-2005 |
The Billy Mackenzie comparison seems more apt to me but I didn't think of that at the time because I'm still VERY slowly dipping my toes into the legacy of the Associates. I can't really overstate the degree to which the falsetto vocals work on stage, or at least on the Troubadour's stage. They projected. They had the ambience that flattered them. And thanks to the fact that the vocal duties are shared with the other guy--(the bruisier-looking guy with the short hair; I'm going to have to learn these people's names) the vocals never faded out in the set. On "Two Dancers" (the album) they sound weak and a little lifeless; on stage they were strong. Another criticism I had for "Two Dancers" (the album) is that the material on it is too uniform. The handful of things the Wild Beasts played that were from the first album careened across a much wider range. A couple of them were positively rhapsodic. I suppose they were the best songs from the first album but, again, I'm now expecting that the first album will suit me better than the second album. Next time they enter the studio they should get themselves a better dial-twiddler. | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 2261 Registered: 03-2005 |
Oh, the dull Canadian band--well dull for me anyway--are called Still Life Still, and the entertaining San Francisco band with the Postcard/c86 fixation are called the Magic Bullets. Familiar with them, Jeff? | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 571 Registered: 10-2008 |
looks like the post punk fixation for up and coming bands has passed and we've reached postcard/c86. there is a band called the drums from the usa who are currently waxing lyrical about all things postcard. i love the postcard era, its "my" era. however, in general c86 for me was a pretty fallow period, and i know saying that here pretty much puts me in the stocks!! | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 1880 Registered: 10-2004 |
Never heard of 'em, Randy. | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 241 Registered: 05-2005 |
Midlake yesterday in Brussels. All those bearded musicians, it's like world music from Texas! They were seven and four guitarists. Their last songs reminds me America, not a bad thing but they remain on a thin line to sound like all those old and bad bands from the 70s. The concert was good (better than two years ago). http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/4083/ dscf9616.jpg Support act was Sarah Jaffe and surprise, she was in company of the great Robert Gomez on diverse instruments. This guy has released my preferate album of 2009. http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/165/d scf9593.jpg All in all a pleasant and quiet evening. So quiet we decided to buy tickets for the forthcoming Killing Joke's concert at the same place. | ||
| Charles Coy Member Username: Coy Post Number: 178 Registered: 10-2006 |
Hells Bells, the work social club took me to ACDC, tour currently in Melbourne..went 11 Feb.....mmm think I am glad I went..it was a Stadium Band doing a Stadium show...interested to know what the Board musicians view is of their (ACDC) riffs, rants and Angus solo's..the sound struggled at first 60000 in an indoor stadium...the second half improved..a lot of yelling though....Robert March 10 will balance me back again.. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 3379 Registered: 05-2005 |
I love AC/DC Charles. I wish I had a ticket for the Sydney show. | ||
| Rob Brookman Member Username: Rob_b Post Number: 1462 Registered: 08-2006 |
After Michael Jackson died, I did a search to find out how many copies Thriller sold and was surprised to find out that Black in Black was no. 2 in worldwide album sales (right above "Dark Side..."). I knew AC/DC were big, but never knew they were THAT big. | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 1766 Registered: 09-2006 |
Yeah, they've been one of those hugely-popular-but-still-slightly-under- the-radar bands for a long time. Incidentally, they were the first band I ever saw live - opening for Aerosmith in 1976, complete unknowns in the US at the time. My eardrums were quivering shreds after just the first song. | ||
| Allen Belz Member Username: Abpositive Post Number: 1767 Registered: 09-2006 |
As far as my opinion on them in general, I think they have some classic tunes and riffs, though I can find it hard to sit through an entire album these days. Back in Black is probably their best, though I preferred Bon Scott as their vocalist. Like Roberts Forster and Christgau I find their rank (and sometimes slightly violent) sexism a real turnoff, though. | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 242 Registered: 05-2005 |
You can watch Xx live tonight in brussels. It begin at 20 h 45', in one hour normaly : http://www.abconcerts.be/fr/abtv/p/detai l/the-xx | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 721 Registered: 07-2006 |
i saw the pains of being pure at heart last night. i thought they were great, if not shockingly derivative. which only made me like them more. the frontman has the same belle and sebastian t shirt as me... *thump thump thump* | ||
| Mark Leydon Member Username: Mark_leydon Post Number: 288 Registered: 05-2005 |
Yo La Tengo last night at The Metro in Sydney. So good. The most eclectic set I've ever seen from a live band - from 15 minute motorik epics to 3 minute pop gems. Ira Kaplan plays the most amazing freak-out guitar (and synth!). Great opening set by Songs who just get better and better live. | ||
| Charles Coy Member Username: Coy Post Number: 179 Registered: 10-2006 |
British Sea Power at the Corner in Richmond, Melbourne, Friday 19 Feb.. Loved the rich guitars and exceptional skins with dreamy base lines...Yeah I like it...now Robert March 10.. | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 243 Registered: 05-2005 |
Spoon in Cologne yesterday. I had read somewhere they were not very good in concert but yesterday in Lüxor (of Go-between's fame...) they were truly brilliant... An irresistible band for me! http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/2854/ds cf9990m.jpg The day before I was in Brussels to see the birdwatchers of Shearwaters. They 've presented their brand new record, with some great songs on it. The concert I've find it also very gooood! http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/2544/ dscf9939i.jpg Got my tickets for Nada Surf and Wild Beast. | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 239 Registered: 05-2005 |
Wild Beasts last night in Portsmouth were mesmeric,they exceeded my expectations which were high. They really do sound significantly better live. Two great singers (Billy MacKenzie and Paul Buchanan in the same band!), I loved every second of it from the Sylvia Plath intro tape to the Cheerio Chaps refrain at the end. The dopey looking mod drummer locked in to the groove, the guitars absolutely soaring in to a glissando reverb heaven. If I am ever in Scotland when they play I will force Kev at gunpoint to come and watch them do their wonderful thing. | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 580 Registered: 10-2008 |
james, i'm sorry but this band are a closed book for me. i have heard enough of their damned songs to maake my mind up that i cant stand them. at work we are lucky enough to be able to listen to bbc6 music all day long and barely an hour seems to go by without that idiot wailing his tuneless rubbish :-) i kid you not, i would rather listen to joanna fricking newsome (whose new album is having selected tracks played every few hours recently on bbc6), or even that demented banshee florence and the bloody machine!! to get back to wild beasts, the song that annoys me most is something about dancing on tongues. and its not just me, others at work hate them too. in fact mumblings like "bloody hell,even the editors are better than this" are common place. billy mackenzie?? you're having a john macenroe there surely!!! | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 240 Registered: 05-2005 |
Kev, I was only kidding, I wouldnt waste the time or bullets on a lost cause. Presumably the 'tuneless'remark is a joke as a lot of your preferred stuff is literally tuneless! I actually like the new Joanna F Newsome new album alot (but found Milk Eyed Mender incredibly irritating)and it reminds me of Kate Bush and Joni Mitchell both of whom I love. With regard to the neasayers at work I distinctly remember being surrounded by similar protestors at college when Party Fears Two came out and was played on the common room stereo. As for the Editors they are dull, wannabe stadium bores and not on the same planet as Wild Beasts. | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 581 Registered: 10-2008 |
james, agreed on the editors. but, in one of those bizarre scenarios where somebody puts that gun you talked about to your head and gives you a choice of sitting in a room and having to listen to wild beasts or the editors on a loop i know who i'd choose. yes, i do detest wild beasts that much. kate bush? even worse than joanna fricking newsome :-) | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 3466 Registered: 05-2005 |
Now then ladies... Cosmo, of course, it goes without saying, tho it shall be said...I'm with you! | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 1892 Registered: 10-2004 |
I saw the Wild Beasts in SF a few weeks ago and it was a great show. They are truly one of the few bands writing genuinely interesting and tuneful songs right now. The guitarist generates an awesome and beautiful sound, while the drummer has a really cool and distinctive style. The singing sounds better live, too. Of all the contemporary rubbish being hyped these days, Wild Beasts are by far the most promising in my view. Also, no one, NO ONE, is worse than Joanna Newsome. It's scientifically not possible. | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 582 Registered: 10-2008 |
y'know, they are on domino records which makes me think they must have something, their roster of bands is pretty top notch and the reissue stuff they've put out is awesome. i'm going to listen to the album later on using headphones, so no distractions but i'm not too hopeful. its the guys voice that irritates me, and thats a crucial part of any bands sound. | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 1893 Registered: 10-2004 |
Kevin, maybe you need to play it through a karaoke machine instead! I mean, not liking a particular singer is a valid complaint. I'm sure I might some value in Joanna Newsome's music if I could hear it without her wretched singing! | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 2280 Registered: 03-2005 |
Kevin, you could conceivably try "Limbo Panto" instead of the current album. It's more varied, more musically diverse. I personally like it better than "Two Dancers" which I find a bit too, well, dancey. But they are still better yet live. Both voices are really great live. I'm curious where they go next musically. Will they get caught in schtick or will they keep exploring? So far I've managed not to hear Joanna Newsome. | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 644 Registered: 05-2005 |
O.K. The "taste" Nazis of the board - limber up your fingers!!!!!!!!! I have got to say that I saw "THE CRAPPEST" band (that wasn't my own or a friends) band EVER!!!!!!! PAVEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Where to begin????? You know that first half hour of playing with a a bunch of people where NO ONE except the songwriter knows how the song goes AND the players have only been playing for a short time? You know, where you try to jam but you keep losing the key that you are playing in...and you know it and WINCE? You know those bands that cover up any ability to play by stepping on a fuzz box that makes the bass fart and the guitars taste like soggy Weetbix? You know... the singer who jumps around like a (seriously) autistic person - each move more "odd" than the last and not seemingly connected to any "feeling", "rhythm" or "melodic progression"? The one everyone looks at and goes "w!nker" - the one who dresses up in Santa clothes with a Nazi swastika crudely draw in fading texta on their forehead as they yell "Satan!!!!!"!(They actually DIDN'T do this last episode - but this mates band did!) You know - all those things that you learn within the first hour of playing (EVER) is NOT music? And here is band that has obviously made a career of it!!!!!!!!! Talk about the Emperors new clothes!!!!!!!!!! The mate who took me to Pavement had previously accompanied a bunch of Bunnymen tragics to the 2001 gig in Sydney. He was talking after Pavement and he said he had to "push past" his unfamiliarlty with the songs of the Bunnymen to appreciate them. Yes, but at least the Bunnymen actually DO HAVE SONGS! They are not, obviously, trying to get up your nose and not be liked. Play A MELODY. Sing IN TUNE. Stop playing DISSONANTLY. FINISH songs. If you don't want to be liked, alright then, I won't like you! Pavement.......oh dear!!!!! NOT MUSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mind you, I am getting A LOT of value NOW out of thinking back to last night at how ridiculously unmusical it all was! | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 1895 Registered: 10-2004 |
Geoff, that is perhaps both the best review and most hilariously apt description of Pavement I've come across in a while. That really made my afternoon! | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 583 Registered: 10-2008 |
sounds like my kinda gig | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 3406 Registered: 05-2005 |
Pavement in Sydney last night was great. Hearing Gold Soundz and Cut Your Hair made me feel young again. Range Life was awesome. We Dance was maybe the highlight of the night. Stephen Malkmus suddenly jumped over Steve West's drum kit at one point. It was funny! West stood up and said something like "Now that's what I like! People jumping at me!" Malkmus also twirled his guitar around him a few times during one of Scott Kannberg's vocals. That seemed a touch petulant in a "don't look at him, look at me" kind of way. Bob Nastanovich's drumming and percussion were great. His vocals and general behaviour were "colourful" to put it mildly. Mark Ibold was his usual solid on bass and kept the rhythm and his composure when all the others appeared to be losing theirs. Some of my favourite ever songs played by one of my favourite ever bands. A wonderful night, even if they occasionally overdid it with the onstage banter. | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 584 Registered: 10-2008 |
sounds like my kinda gig | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 242 Registered: 05-2005 |
Soft Hearted Scientists on Saturday at Hendre Hall near Bangor in Wales. Lovely old stone great hall on Menai Staits, there was an open fire in the venue. The gig was for BBC Radio Wales and there were 5 bands on in total, Mechanical Owl were one of the supports and worth a listen for any fans of Grandaddy, Grizzly Bear (and a few other bands with Neil Young type vocals).The Scientists themselves were godlike and good to see them with a decent PA and mix, perfect venue and perfect gig for me. | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 243 Registered: 05-2005 |
by the way Geoff wouldnt it be the Emperor's old clothes by now? The Taste Nazis sounds like a good band name | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 587 Registered: 10-2008 |
look away now geoff. pavements compilation has been released today and most of the reviews i've read so far have been glowing to say the least, but none more so than this http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/1400 2-quarantine-the-past/ pavement are one of the greatest US bands of recent times. no matter what geoffy thinks ;-) | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 1896 Registered: 10-2004 |
Because everyone knows we have to tailor our tastes according what the critics say! | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 588 Registered: 10-2008 |
hey, thats why i love wild beasts and joanna newsome dontcha know ;-) | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 1897 Registered: 10-2004 |
I think Newsome is a primary example of why I stopped paying attention to what the critics say. | ||
| Mark Leydon Member Username: Mark_leydon Post Number: 289 Registered: 05-2005 |
Caught The Cribs with Johnny Marr while back in Wellington New Zealand last week. What a god-awful band! I guess like a lot of people I was there for Marr and did'nt really know much about The Cribs. They really are one of the dullest acts I've seen for years. They play a generic brand of hectoring, declamatory punk-pop that might have been OK circa 79-80 (think The Members) but now sounds hopelessly pedestrian. The vocals, musicianship and song-writing is local battle-of-the bands level. I really have no idea what Marr is doing with them. His guitar playing was OK - but it was hard to reconcile the guy on stage with the genius who conjured magic with the Smiths for all those years. Can't believe he needs the money. Maybe he just enjoys playing - which is great - by why The bloody Cribs?! | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 3411 Registered: 05-2005 |
Pavement in Sydney - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgZmDOkE9 GY | ||
| Lewisdhead Member Username: Lewisdhead Post Number: 58 Registered: 01-2007 |
Hot Chip in Berlin on Fri night coming. | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 591 Registered: 10-2008 |
got tickets to see wilco in glasgow. havent saw them since the ghost is born tour and missed the last two glasgow shows, so underwhelmed as i was by the last two albums. however, they are great live and still one of my favourite bands. gig not till september. cant see them having a new album out,maybe a retrospective? either way, it should be a varied show with less focus on the last two albums. | ||
| TROU Member Username: Trou Post Number: 246 Registered: 05-2005 |
Et hop! One more ticket sold for Natalie Merchant in Bxl (my seventh concert this year!).. And waiting for a Sarah Blasko concert near me, she's in Europe. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 3415 Registered: 05-2005 |
Dinosaur Jr last night. Some songs were great - Freak Scene and Feel The Pain in particular - some less so - Lose just droned on and on and on. | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 595 Registered: 10-2008 |
dinosaur jr are one of those bands you are "supposed" to like. more often than not over their career i dont like,get,or rate them. sludgey,droney, stoner,metal nonsense more often than not i find. | ||
| Andreas Severins Member Username: Andreas_severins Post Number: 142 Registered: 11-2007 |
@Trou: hi Trou, Sarah Blasko will come to Cologne on april, 20th... (a nice club near the live music hall called Die Werkstatt) I will be there and some colleagues will join me! | ||
| Charles Coy Member Username: Coy Post Number: 184 Registered: 10-2006 |
Robert played the Toff in Melbourne last Wednesday night, passed him on the stairs,he commented on whats the 'vibe' like..? Grey suit, black shirt and he was swooning and swaying during his solo show. Couple of new songs, a lyric from one was 'I have this notion that if I swim the ocean , a wave will take me to you...'they were great tunes and licks..he told some stories, he was enchanting and whimsical, determined and brilliant. Three encores lots of bowing, full house loved it..the new album when it comes will be worth the wait.. Its was odd, he did 'Streets..'and it was workmanlike and as we knew it, the crowd sang the 'shine' bits, however I suddenly felt, Demon Days was not on the list nor was Ghost Town, whilst he spoke of Grant in some of the briefs between songs, maybe the chapter on those songs is left for us to revisit...its not sad, its just his life. | ||
| cosmo vitelli Member Username: Cosmo Post Number: 245 Registered: 05-2005 |
Wild Beasts again in Bournemouth on Friday were wonderful, younger crowd it seemed than Portsmouth (you notice these things when you get to my age) at a smaller venue - tremendously exciting show. They are cool as f*** | ||
| Geoff Holmes Member Username: Geoff Post Number: 645 Registered: 05-2005 |
Couldn't agree more about Dinosaur Jr skully! Saw Ravi Shankar last night IN the Opera House. Amazing...especially at 92(?). Outside on the steps was Massive Attack! A late night in ye olde Sydney town! | ||
| Mark Leydon Member Username: Mark_leydon Post Number: 290 Registered: 05-2005 |
Hey Pádraig - just a heads-up that The Bats are playing a one-off show in Sydney on Friday April 23 at the Oxford Arts Factory (on Oxford St). Last year they were terrific at the Hopetoun (RIP!) - and I know you're a fan. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 3424 Registered: 05-2005 |
Thanks Mark. I'll almost certainly be there. I saw them in the Annandale in 2003, which was a great show, | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 3437 Registered: 05-2005 |
Scottish singer Eddi Reader tomorrow night and ex-Men At Work man Colin Hay on Wednesday. I think after these two I'll already have seen as many gigs this year as I saw all of last year. | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 3438 Registered: 05-2005 |
Slight exaggeration up there. I just checked the previous gigs thread here and I saw seven gigs last year and four so far this year including the two this week. | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 726 Registered: 07-2006 |
i just saw the pixies play doolittle. astounded. first time i've wanted to listen to something that isn't third all week... they sounded fucking incredible. without a doubt the only time i've ever seen a reformed band and not regretted it slightly afterwards, if not during the set itself. come back and do bossanova! | ||
| Mark Leydon Member Username: Mark_leydon Post Number: 292 Registered: 05-2005 |
I was at the Pixies Doolittle show in Sydney the Sunday before last. They were great. But I thought the pacing off the show was a bit awkward - opening with some obscure B-sides before playing the whole of Dolittle and then a sort of 'best of' encore. The momentum dragged a bit at times during some of the Dolittle set - but I guess that's almost inevitable with these sort of album shows. On the plus side the band were in amazing form and the sound was terrific throughout. A planet of sound indeed! | ||
| Andreas Severins Member Username: Andreas_severins Post Number: 149 Registered: 11-2007 |
Shows to come/tickets bought: Wild Beasts on april 17th in cologne Sarah Blasko on april 20th in cologne Field Music on april 29th in cologne Beach House at Amsterdam Paradiso on may 26th ...and diverse Jackie Leven concerts... | ||
| joe Member Username: Dogmansuede Post Number: 727 Registered: 07-2006 |
yeah the opening was a bit odd, and debaser was strangely underwhelming. from the moment he bellowed the first "tame" i was well-sold. holiday song encore was nice. though we missed out on u-mass and break my body! | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 3440 Registered: 05-2005 |
Eddi Reader was really good last night. Her band included ex-Bible man Boo Hewerdine, who also played an excellent support slot before Reader. Hewerdine was hilarious, and Reader was pretty funny too. We were the youngest people at the gig! | ||
| Charles Coy Member Username: Coy Post Number: 185 Registered: 10-2006 |
Andreas, I may well be in Amsterdam at that time, 26 May are there tickets available (Beach House), rechecking travel log...just thought I would ask.. | ||
| Andreas Severins Member Username: Andreas_severins Post Number: 150 Registered: 11-2007 |
@Charles - I have sent you a mail... | ||
| peter ward Member Username: Peter_ward Post Number: 112 Registered: 06-2005 |
Some value creeping back into the gigs... Grizzly Bear/Midlake/Camera Obscura and Villagers (Domino's first Irish signing) on same bill for 35euro in Cork, Ireland this June. In general, prices have settled down a lot over the last year. At one stage a band on their second album was costing almost this price for a show until punters started voting with their feet. Next up is Wild Beasts on Saturday night, really looking forward to this one. Appears a lot of posters have caught them on this tour and enjoyed. Joe, I caught the first night of the current "Doolittle" tour and they blew my head off! It all got a bit mass Kareoke at times but that was no fault of the bands. A good reformation. Best year war successful reformation shows for me was 2001 when I saw three of my favourite bands that I thought I would never get to see all play great shows within the same year..Roxy Music/Television and Big Star (as described by Padraig elsewhere) Worst reform story was one that I missed but had a mate of mine cringing in mortification for them was House Of Love some years back, not always a good idea to rethread history. How were Hot Chip in Berlin Lewisdhead? | ||
| XY765 Member Username: Judge Post Number: 664 Registered: 01-2006 |
Peter I saw House of Love performing their first album a few years ago (as is the current trend) and it was great! Not much else on at the moment though I have a ticket for Wilco's Belfast show in September and as Peter mentioned the price was just under €30, last time I saw them in Dublin it was nearer €50. Have my eye on the Wedding Present performing Bizarro in November in Dublin. Another year or so should see them do Seamonsters which would be great. | ||
| skulldisco Member Username: Skulldisco Post Number: 612 Registered: 10-2008 |
i ordered 3 wilco tickets for glasgow in september at £25 each( of course by the time all the "add ons" came in to play it was a total of £400 :-) ). i was surprised at the ticket price, i was expecting about £40 rather than £25. the boom and bust prices(i blame the stones and the who etc) have thankfully subsided | ||
| Pádraig Collins Member Username: Pádraig_collins Post Number: 3447 Registered: 05-2005 |
I saw Colin Hay in Sydney on Wednesday night. I was expecting it to be just him and an acoustic guitar, but it was a full six piece band including him. The gig was superb! I can't remember the last time I saw so much joy on so many people's faces. I was also amazed by how many women were there. I hope this doesn't sound sexist - it certainly isn't meant to - but there was a higher percentage of women there (maybe 35-40 per cent) than I think I've ever seen at a gig. Most seemed to be in groups of two or three with other women. Colin Hay has obviously got something that women want from a performer that other male singer songwriters don't. He played Land Down Under but made no mention of the recent court case which has stripped him of half its royalties (google it). He played several songs from the first two Men At Work albums - Who Can It Be Now?, Overkill, It's A Mistake etc - and they all sounded great. Hay has a powerful voice which loses none of its potency live. His band were all very good musicians too. The night ended with Be Good Johnny, which was appropriate as I'd been waiting all evening for it. A wonderful show. | ||
| Simon Withers Member Username: Sfwithers Post Number: 168 Registered: 08-2005 |
I'm off to see The Undertones in London on Friday - for my job. I work for a cycling magazine and before the gig I'm interviewing the drummer, Billy Doherty, who's a keen cyclist and who according to Wikipedia (so it must be true) came up with the band's name. Should be fun, as the Undertones were responsible for some of my all-time favourite lyrics... "He's got a degree in economics, maths, physics and BIONICS!" |