Music-Diary

Gigs to remember

[diaryofmusic]

SJ Esau (+Jemima Surrender +Tom OC Wilson) @ The Cube, Bristol

I could start with lots of praise for The Cube itself, a brilliant venue for everything you want to give some focused attention to (it's a cinema, so gigs will be seated events…). A well filled room promised a nice night. Tom OC Wilson opened in a very well entertaining way, just him and his e-guitar, delivering a nerdy storyteller style. If he ever happens to stumble over this entry, I hope he isn't offended, but for about half of his songs (especially the one about the stray cat) I wished he had swapped his guitar for a harp. Shortly after Jemima Surrender, a duo of a drummer and a guitar playing singer, performed their 'balladic fuzz with hooks and claws' - their own description nails it pretty much. They weren't as lightly to digest as the first act, but after warming up through their first two songs they had bloomed to something very worth watching and listening to. Singer Millie's voice is both fascinating and challenging, sounding like the first second after you've pitched down a 45 RPM single to 33 speed. She is clearly the driving force with nervous guitar strumming and restless lyrics echoed by the music. Some vague reminders of Tory Amos and Breeders here and there (only in a positive way). Maybe a little less reverb would have been even better. All in all, in a time of so many gender stereotyped folky women I was very happy to see some proper claws, smartness, courage, and hear some intended disharmonies.  The arrangements on stage for headliner SJ Esau looked very promising already: a mighty mixing unit, a full drum kit plus sheet metal plate, a cello, and a table of more electronic gadgets, one of them something I haven't seen yet: a row of nails in a board, probably electric, and a metal bow. I expected a theremin-like sound, but was proven wrong. Need to learn more about it! SJ Esau and drummer Sean Talbot started each placed to one side of the stage, an animation loop filled the screen in the background between them. Their music was as mind and body whirling as the animations - they took the audience on a rocket ride from the beginning and only SJ Esau's charming second starts of songs here and there or the odd older, quieter piece gave the opportunity to take a deep breath before they went on bursting, mixing, chanting, beatboxing, sampling, with a pinch of Hot Chip here, another pinch of Console/Notwist there. Pew, pew, pew - was on an adrenaline rush by the end of the gig. Great music and truly extraordinary drummer - incredible! I'd give a little extra-star for cuteness and style: at the merch table there were individually coloured sheets of paper serving as vouchers for everybody pre-ordering the soon to come vinyl version of 'Exploding Views'. Of course, I've got one! There will be more shows, btw., check out Songkick...

[diaryofmusic]

Bill Callahan (+Alasdair Roberts) @ The Royal Festival Hall, London

The show starts very traditional, with a most suitable pick to introduce the folk theme of this night with Alasdair Roberts. At the same time you might wonder how much of a political statement is behind this choice of a Scottish traditionalist singing about the good old days of the past. The audience’s attendance goes fully in line with the usual interest in Scotland I’ve encountered when talking to English people: Some lovers of hearty traditions approve as long as it doesn’t get political, but many are bugged or just not interested. So the huge concert hall is still rather empty, when Alasdair stands bravely in the middle of the huge stage, just the man, his pressed, traditional voice and his guitar. The staff at the entrances make sure that people only leave and enter between songs, so whoever wants to listen can enjoy the performance. Alasdair is definitive a skilful musician of his genre. And he doesn’t lecture the audience between songs, just weaves in shy, short entertaining remarks. But his genre is one that romanticises and stubbornly seeks sake in imagined pictures of the past. When new songs praise the hard physical work of harrowing the field and such, I feel rather uncomfortable. I don’t think those ‘simple’ times back then were better and I’m not keen on celebrating a hard life where only the rough survived, the day was dominated by hard physical labour and the individual wasn’t even in the situation to realise its being an individual, let alone his/her potentials and needs. But there is one song, I still like and luckily he chose to play it at the end of his set: Fair Flower Of Northumberland. Alasdair’s music matches Bill Callahan’s escapism and romanticism of the last years and Bill as well seems to sport country traditions judging from his look on stage wearing a checked shirt tucked into his jeans and a bolo tie. I can’t really complain, I’m guilty of physical escapism recently as well, and I know the relief it brings most of the time. That’s why this music appeals to me. But at the same time, it’s an intimate thing and you could enjoy such songs much more at an intimate, small gig. But hey, it’s Bill Callahan. Many want to see him play and when you buy a ticket for the Royal Festival Hall in London, you grind your teeth and can’t expect your ideal gig coming true. Sometimes a little distance might even help seeing things clearer.

So, the audience watched Bill Callahan and his three band members (guitar, bass, drums/percussion) play in the middle of that huge stage (Bill the only one standing), sitting civilised in our plush seats where we’ve been guided to by specialised staff with torches at the appropriate moment. Hm. But as soon as I hear Bill Callahan’s voice, I know, I’ve already been soothed and ignoring this ridiculous setting slightly conflicting tonight’s style of music, can even handle the frequent Santana guitar riffs and percussion excesses. Musically I’m fully relieved and reconciled with their wonderful version of One Fine Morning: Instead of leaving it to the ballad's light sweetness, they make way for the riders of the apocalypse, they build a density, it's pressing and pushing and de-constructing the sweetness. Definitely the musical highlight of the night. And there still was a spark of sarcasm when they played the good old Smog hit 'Dress Sexy at my Funeral’. When talking about his two hours at the Tate the afternoon before the gig, I realise, that we’ll never visit a gallery together. He wants more faces, I like the abstract. That might drive us apart in the long run, when sometime I might not commit to the lines ‘One thing about this wild, wild country / … / And anything less, anything less / Makes me feel like I’m wasting my time” (Drover) anymore…

[diaryofmusic]

Fishboy (+Jen Schande +Giant Burger +King of Cats) @ Power Lunches, London

What a fabulous night that was! Sorry, this time I'm too lazy to go into detail, but it was a night of ace music, even more special since Max Levy (King of Cats) was joined by Alanna McArdle (Joanna Gruesome, Ides), Fishboy mastermind Eric Michener did an improvised unplugged gig  on Jen Schande's guitar standing in the centre of the audience playing whatever people requested and making up parts of songs whenever he got stuck. I owe very special thanks to Jen who kindly topped up my vinyl shopping for my last fiver with a copy of all the other beautiful recorded music she had brought and a hug. <3! First gig of 2014 could be the best already! If you read this, you should really listen to and get music here  http://kingofcats.bandcamp.com/, http://allthingsschande.bandcamp.com/, http://yofishboy.bandcamp.com/, and http://giantburger.bandcamp.com/. And of course here: http://oddboxrecords.com/

[diaryofmusic]

A Night Of Heliocentric Duo Exchange @ The Blind Tiger, Brighton

A hot room with pressing humidity filled ready to burst with people, most of them expecting a rock performance by legend Thurston Moore.

The Galacto Fidelity Duo (poet, writer, and music critic Byron Coley & illustrator and comic artist Savage Pencil) opened the night. It was some classic poetry slam thing (middle-aged male frustration about society culminating in streams of aggression and frustration, wrapped up in a rhythm of words), added with a noise pattern.

Next up were Sub-Dwellers Duo, consisting of Karen Constance & Lauren Naylor. Again poetry and sound, but this time the words were much harder to  understand due to the accompanying sounds, which dominated the performance and continuous murmur from a slightly bored crowd waiting for the expected music gig ritual. I would have liked to see their performance in a room where people were sitting around and knew what to expect, so everybody would be prepared to listen. I felt a bit guilty, but gave up after half of it and went out for some fresh air.

When I returned, that night's star Thurston Moore and his co-performer Dylan Nyoukis had started as the Fireside Chat With Lucifer Duo. Finally they caught the audience's attention: Moore working on his guitar with an arrow, Nyoukis grunting, howling and screaming. It was closer to people's listening habits, but still quite a challenge for many of those Sonic Youth fans who gathered that night.

All in all it felt like an interesting opportunity I sadly could appreciate only half-hearted due to a setting that made it hard to give the attention needed.

[diaryofmusic]

Kosmic Krash @ Herstmonceux Observatory

Extraordinary location, a cloudless sky, meteor showers, VJs, DJs, and musicians - a fantastic night curated by Saint Leonards' Kave Gallery.

Of those many interesting performers to see I only witnessed

HIMMEL,

No Middle Name,

Agathe Max and Cyril M.,

and the fabulous Negative Pegasus.

A very unique night!

[diaryofmusic]

Japandroids @ Dingwall's, London

Nothing , but rock was to be expected from this first of two sold out gigs of Canadian duo Japandroids, their last two shows of the European tour. A nice-sized venue on a very hot summers day, filled mostly with guys, many of them wearing skimpy shirts or checked shirts and beards was very expected either. The band was in a brilliant mood, I bet they are most of the time on stage, being this super-nice, loveliest rock band ever. Within minutes after they started the place turned into a big party, no stupid sexist remarks from anybody, endorphin songs all night, singer and guitarist Brian King running, jumping, charmingly  entertaining, and finally stage diving, while David Prowse sang and exploded behind his drum set. Maybe one moment caught the mood of that night best: When King was occupied with some technical problems, a young guy climbed the stage, ran over to him, planted a kiss on his cheek and ran off again in ecstasy while King took it as a compliment and part of the party. A very special treat was an improvised version of "I Quit Girls" after a request by a fan before the gig started. And for anybody who wants to know what exactly we were jumping, dancing, screaming, crowd surfing and smiling to that night, here's the setlist. Went home with a big smile on my face and two records in my arm. Aww.

[diaryofmusic]

Sly & the Family Drone (+Slum of Legs +Plurals) @ The Green Door Store, Brighton

(@ Leeds, img from Sly & the Family Drone's Facebook page)

This time I witnessed Slum of Legs complete set - they were even better than last time: more presence and comfort on stage, more outgoing, hence their songs got fueled by some extra energy. More of this, please!

When Plurals started, tiredness after a nice day in sunny Brighton had grabbed me already. But somehow their music matched my slow brain and randomly floating thoughts. They sat on the stage's ground building up patters and drifting curtains of sound with slowly rising intensity to end after reaching the musically climax - time to channel my attention back to the lovely, well-filled venue.

Sly & the Family Drone's preparations for their set already promised an inclusive, intense performance: within 30 minutes a sea of drums, cymbals and electronic equipment filled the floor where shortly before an audience had been standing and watching artists performing on stage. This classic structure was broken and reassembled: people gathered around the band and on stage while there was a heavily darkish sound wave  growing from the crowd's centre. When it fully filled the room drum sticks, drums and cymbals were handed out to random members of the excited crowd and the last barrier between performer and audience was finally smashed. People would join in not only with those given instruments, but using bottles they've just drunk from. It felt like the band brought music back to its cultic hypnotic roots levelling and uniting a social group, a strong drive taking hold of everybody involved. Unfortunately this motion of dissolving into a group is exactly what puts me off. But my own (un)social mindset left aside, this has been an amazing, mighty, and ambitious show. Wow.

[diaryofmusic]

Splitting The Atom XV @ Green Door Store, Brighton

This was my second time attending Splitting The Atom, an all day event of experimental freeform improvised electronic noise music. Again there were many exciting, grave, irritating, noisy, entangling, even funny moments. And again I'm very happy to have come across this very unique pool of creativity, sound sculpturing and diy spirited music nerdiness.

[diaryofmusic]

Cloud Boat (+Nadine Shah) @ The Lexington, London

Photo by Sarah Tsang, The Upcoming

Eat Your Own Ears put up a fine night! Entering the venue the audience was treated with a free cd of Nadine Shah's song "Dreary Town" remixed by Cloud Boat (free download here). An evening of great music was to come and with my obligatory purchase of Cloud Boats new and first album (this was it's release show!) after the gig I got offered stickers and a cupcake (!). Sweet!

Nadine Shah, enthusiastically praised by the media recently, played with an ensemble of drums, bass guitar, guitar, herself sitting behind an e-piano facing the crowd. Despite a mean flu had gripped her head & chest, she bravely sang her way through the set. Therefore her voice might have been a little lower and rougher, which rather added a plus meeting my taste. Nadine has this air of a classic musician with a very strong voice. There were some poetic moments comparable to the Villagers' voice and brain Conor O'Brien. Between the songs her funny, tough personality lightened up the slightly gloomy atmosphere created by the music - heavy, sad songs, "To Be a Young Man" the most outstanding. For everybody heartbroken and willing to drown in their sadness I recommend listening to her cover of "Cry Me a River". And if you happen to see her, please don't be shy and try some friendly heckling - Nadine seems to feel more comfortable with some emotional human reactions than well behaved silence.

Cloud Boat: I wouldn't have seen myself excited about a gig where incense sticks and candles where lit on stage before the band appeared, but was convinced that this is easily possible. Samuel Mensah described Cloud Boat's performance on The Upcoming precisely, pls have a read.

Compared to the first time I've seen this band supporting James Blake in Glasgow in 2011, they've developed musically without losing what I thought was appealing about them. And they've grown to some extend on stage either, creating a special atmosphere with reduced lights, a large moon-like screen, and those earlier mentioned candles and incense sticks. They aren't outgoing stage personalities, but that wouldn't match their music and is not at all a bad thing. If you have the opportunity to seem them live, you can be sure to totally drown into their wonderful sound, only here and there moderated by very kind, gentle young artists - such a pleasure! Here's a small taste of it: "Drain" live at the Lexington.

[diaryofmusic]

Mount Kimbie (+Yola Fatoush) @ Bussey Building, London

Aw, what a pleasant night! Great venue, many nice people, gripping music! It was  my first time at the Bussey Building - a real find: music and theatre venue oozing creativity in it's rather austere facilities and friendly, quick bar staff.

Yola Fatoush started a bit confused and insecure, but very sweet. They began rather quiet and were facing constant audience mumble, which they answered with a mighty bass and more and more intense electronic sounds at some point and to my great pleasure. Despite one or two technical problems and irritations, I really liked what those two mixed, sang and sampled - unfortunately not many others in the audience seemed to share this view and there were only a couple of restrained cheers and mild applause.

The crowd's mood totally changed as soon as Mount Kimbie entered the stage - everybody was excited to hear the promised new pieces of these highly loved musicians on their home territory. And indeed, from start to the last tone of the encore: It was pure pleasure soaking up their sounds and smoothly dancing along. They are really good at keeping the balance between electronica and organic musical elements, sprinkling in two brass musicians, live drums, guitar, bass and vocals here and there. Whenever I felt a slight tickle of almost too much electronic monotony, they broke it with one or more of those elements. This night made everybody look forward to the new album and proved the band's ability of creating driving modern sounds, but still warm and alive to feel emotionally attached.

[diaryofmusic]

Woods (+Fenster) @ The Lexington, London

Arriving on a summer's eve in London: smooth warm air, happy relaxed people, here and there a breeze of Italian language as I enter the Lexington. Bravely resisting the bar man's efforts to sell me a larger glass of wine & waiting excited for the music to come.

Fenster: A four piece band, interesting to watch for there was much variation in instruments, band members swapped instruments and positions and whenever you felt you could put a label on their music, they turned and made you search for another one. Here and there a Belle & Sebastian reminder, sprinkles of The Jesus & Mary Chain in major key, a hearty handful of surf indie rock and a proper kraut rock base - does this fit on a label?!

In between bands, the music got pretty retro and reached my personal cheesy climax with Demis Roussos' band "Aphrodite's Child" - The Four Horsemen. Pew, long time since I heard that at Wednesday night's "oldie disco" more than 17 years ago...

Woods: Ok, retro sounds and kraut rock reminiscence should have prepared me for this show - but expectation is a peculiar thing. Woods played like they had agreed on properly rocking the Lexington tonight. Starting off very folky they soon spun elaborate old school rock patterns and singer Jeremy Earl pressed his falsetto voice onto it. To my misfortune this is not really what I love about this band: the delicacy of the voice rarely had a chance to come out, the warmth, soothing sounds were lost to blurry, sweaty rock vibes. Putting up an interesting, varied band like Fenster first, made Wood's genre twist look slightly pale: if Fenster were kraut rock's grandchildren, Woods sounded rather like its pre-puberty children: working with what their rock parents have given them, but not yet in a stage to distance themselves and evolve. Don't get me wrong, they played their music technically without any reason to complain, and they've already proven to be great, interesting musicians -  it's just that I hoped for something different tonight and they didn't press the right buttons with their genre choice for me.

[diaryofmusic]

Why? (+Halls +Doseone) @ Islington Assembly Hall, London

As I entered the rather empty concert room, Halls - a trio with drums, bass guitar, synth, laptop & live vocals - were playing on the venue's high and almost detached stage. I only heard their last two songs, one rather low pop, the last one louder, pulsing, clicking, promising. It wasn't enough to get a proper impression, but after listening to their music on soundcloud it seems I've missed a set of beautiful music in the tradition of James Blake, Could Boat and such.

So far I wasn't impressed with this evening at all: artists arranged far away on a high pedestal and a stiff atmosphere evaporating from the venue: Haven't seen so many people taking care of security and administrational tasks yet: counting, checking, observing, correcting, advising, directing - and they all MEANT IT, no fun or smiles involved. So far it felt like attending an official party in a bank. Stiff, but ace toilet seats - wooden thrones even for larger bottoms!

Watching a young drunk couple eating each others faces literally for hours and bonding about this wet marathon with staff and other people around me, I was happy when the evening moved on to the next artist: Doseone. As soon as this incredible energy pack stormed the stage all stiffness and lethargy was gone! A pink shirted muscle wizard with a high pitched voice, playing around with your prejudices and gender ideas - bitchy, smart, loud, gigantic, fun, pithy. He got the scattered people moving towards the stage and finally there was excitement all over the room! Loved his performance and his "I love haters" belt. For a little taste of it listen to his appearance @ the Bailer Room, LA.

This fast pace was unexceedable. So headliner Why?'s performance seemed a bit heavier in comparison. They fully filled the huge stage with their songs and instruments: two drum sets, an organ, synths, bass, guitar in a circle, while singer Yoni Wolf walked up and down the centre stage. All in all a very likeable, good performance, without greater excitement though.

At the end of the night I was a bit irritated by this load of male muscle aesthetics by Doseone and parts of Why?, there was even a joke about Yoni's soft figure / belly of earlier times. This whole thing about shaping your body through a strict routine puts me off. There's more than enough pressure in life to my taste and I wouldn't want to put even more energy into self control - rather enjoy and indulge as much as possible! But I know that for many people this whole body shaping thing is a way of gaining control they might feel they've lost over other parts of their lives. Well - enogh of pseudo-psychological yak-yakking. All in all a great night!

[diaryofmusic]

R. Stevie Moore (+Keel Her) @ Blind Tiger Club, Brighton

(picture from www.myoldkentuckyblog.com)

Keel Her: The electro trash experimental whatever one woman project I expected turned out to be a 4 piece band - blues rock band even. A fat funky bass, an ambitious boyfriend playing one of two guitars and leading on stage. Maybe my 20 minutes sneak on soundcloud wasn't proper preparation. Feel sorry to say, but the stuff Rose did on soundcloud (on her own?) sounded much more interesting than the collaboration with the boys on stage. Hope to catch her playing on her own at some point somewhere.

R. Stevie Moore: Joined by three enthusiastic, skilled and adjusting musicians on guitar, drums and synth / guitar, R. Stevie Moore provided us with free jazzing blues rock noise, a poetry slam interlude and rocking rock rock rock for the last part of the show, finished off by his band driving the music to its bits just to slam it all together in a grand finale - oh yes! Great fun, hearty music, lovely awkwardness - I wish I could have had more red wine!

Lots of extra appreciation goes out to the  Riots not Diets DJ for a constant supply of most pleasant tunes around the live sets!

[diaryofmusic]

Les Mistons, three young guys, opened that night playing keyboard, drums, guitar. Beyond backing vocals and playing his instrument, the keyboarder seemed to be the heart of the band helping out with sound and technical issues for all of them. They played wavy electro pop. They finished with their most impressive song, all three of them playing drums combined with some keyboard a vocals. Being a rather young band as they are they will be interesting to follow.

For Karin Park drums, sound mirrors, synth, keytar, and some white and metal machine for samples were put up on stage. A guy in a white cowl and a pig mask performed an introduction and left the stage again. Then Karin Park and her brother David did the rest of the set. In leggings, black lacquer hot pants, a black top / blouse and a necklace made of blonde hair she was both visually and acoustically a joy to watch. David was slightly the incarnation of the stereotype of a Norwegian rock musician: a blonde thatch, bearded, black t-shirt and muscles. He wore a very cool gadget, a little box on a strap to regulated samples and background sound with, tied to his leg. They made a great team, the Lexington was packed and people loved the performance: Darkish emotional wavy songs, sounding related to some degree to the Knife. One beautiful, fragile encore and a nice night ended happily.

[diaryofmusic]

Ace Bushy Striptease (+Slum of Legs +King of Cats +The Middle Ones) @ The Prince Albert, Brighton

Again too late to see the first band getting on stage (though I did my best to fight wind, rain and snow and break my personal walking record from Hove). 6 piece "grrlgruppe" Slum of Legs made a good start for the night. Equipped with a set of drums, a violin, bass, guitar, keybord, and a small theramin - you always win me over with a theramin - and books they filled the stage with good old DIY indie spirit in the best way.

King of Cats - my personal highlight of this night. Three young guys, unique singing, loud, fragile, lovely. Looking forward to any kind if vinyl! Much too much verbal understatement between the songs for such a good band!

Next up were The Middle Ones: Quiet, charming, very likeable women duo. Nice and more intelligent than many other similar projects, but very indie girl music. Need more discord or aggression these days...

Justified headliner were Ace Bushy Striptease - a lovely live band, very indie, a sweet, energetic and winning charm offensive on stage. They would have left me with a pinkish fluffy warm feeling in my stomach, if I haven't still been in a slightly doom Swans mood...

[diaryofmusic]

Swans (+Xiu Xiu) @ Concorde2, Brighton

Arrived too late for Xiu Xiu, damn early start. j. Stewart played street sounds (cars, revelling guttural voices passing by) in the background while performing heavy hearted songs, dressed ace in suit and tie, neat hair cut. Got you where it beautifully hurts.

And shortly after: Swans. Michael Gira is obviously the leading figure, an angry conductor of a bunch of grey wolves and hairy folk hippy guys and a wide awake and alert drummer. Amazing performance, each band member unique and part of the whole thing. Their performance builds up on each one's skills and communication (mostly with Gira) when to twist and turn. An intense music marathon, grabbing your insides, dragging you in with its deep drone humming. So damn impressive.

Makes me wonder why this kind of music is such a male domain, want to make music like this with women!!!

[diaryofmusic]

Charley Bickers (+Abi Wade + BirdBrother) @ Green Door Store, Brighton

BirdBrother, a 60s inspired folkrock once duo now quartet. They play songs very true to their taste and inspirations, though for me their best moment was their cover of Dead Flowers. Authentic, alright, not too exciting.

Abi Wade was the reason why me and a friend went to this gig. Her set of songs (most of them on her cello, and two on e-piano) was the best and most innovative performance of the night. She's not only playing her cello, but simultaneously providing percussions: each foot is busy playing a drum and a tambourine, her hand switches between slapping or picking the strings and knocking, beating or scratching the cello's body. She brought people closer to the stage and even caught the attention of the earlier steadily murmuring crowd in the back. An exciting performance, a charming artist with admittedly whiskey fused braveness. Rob Orchard took a nice picture of her performing.

Charley Bickers' folky songs seem to be - similar to BirdBrother -  stuck in a certain music period: Bickers' looks and his music are very indie Brit pop, in spirit a distant cousin of the late Paul Weller. He played with a band of three, but took great care to stay in control of it all, creating funny moments like wandering back and fro between the pedal for the smoke machine and the microphone instead of leaving the fog control to the bass player next to the machine. Very pop, a bit monotonous after a while, answered by a constantly growing murmuring from the audience.