My first August gig was Retrofin playing their home gig at the Bitter End in Romford. A new song "She's Going Away" got it's first outing and whilst most rock bands would sell their granny for a song like this compared to the material from "The Human Condition" it seemed like they were coasting. Knowing the band as I do this will change, move, evolve and, in six months or so, will be road hardened and much the better for it. The next night Rosered played her first gig for an age. Actually, she didn't. The gig was cancelled and the promoter didn't see fit to tell her. The evening was not a total waste as Rosered, PixieCam, Mr Stumpy, Ju-Jitsu Dave and myself went for some Chinese food in Soho.
All was quiet for a couple of weeks until an email from Yasmin saying:
"are you free on Thursday night? Care to try out an untested band with me at the Carling Islington Academy?"basically, I was made an offer I couldn't refuse. We missed the first band (Broadcast 2000), but got right to the front to see Joe Gideon and the Shark who are brother and sister Joe and Viva from the now defunct Bikini Attol. Joe plays guitars and tell stories, sometimes sung, sometimes spoken, sometimes shouted whilst Viva (The Shark) plays drums, keys and sings. Headlining this Timeout event was Polly Scattergood. Starting on stage alone she is joined by her band midway through the first song. She played a haunting song called "I've got a heart", it was so emotionally raw and I felt slightly uncomfortable about being that close to her as she played it. I'd say both passed any test Yasmin or myself could have set them.
The first week of September was barren but I made up for it through the rest of the month. Revere, supported by Sonver, headlined at Camden's Proud Galleries. It's an art gallery/bar/venue that I really didn't think I'd like. To get to it you go past the parts of the old stables market that has been demolished to make way for re-development. It is a strange venue: much wider than it is deep but has one of the best sounds I've heard. It really is superb and showcased both artist complex layered sounds to their fullest.
Later that week I had four gigs in four days, all free. Ed Harcourt played at Heavenly Records birthday party at the South Bank. There was a paying gig upstairs (Manic Street Preachers, I think) and the timings seemed to be so the paying customers could see the free stuff as well as the gap between Ed and the 22-20's was longer than most bands sets. This did give Pete and myself chance to read drafts of Yasmin's work for "B never too Busy to Be Beautiful" (the cosmetic/perfume arm of Lush). If I were to discuss this any further I would have to mark this blog as adult content so you'll just have to take my word for it. Saturday was a gorgeous day, just right for sitting in a park in East London, supping on a beer and watching some buskers raise money for cancer UK. Thankfully, Rosered had organised that very think so I headed over to London Fields in Bethnal Green where I spent a most relaxing afternoon and Rosered was able to raise about £80.00.
On Sunday there was a music Festival in Brick Lane. Arrows of Love headlined at 93 Feet East. They are Nima's new band after the break up of Hush The Many (Heed The Few). They were a band that I never got to see in their original lineup despite being prompted to do so by several people. This was only their second gig and was a touch rough around the edges. I liked them but I think the jury was out from the HTM fans in the audience. By far the best band of the evening was Milk Kan. Apart from the fans that came to see them I would seem to be the only person of this opinion. I was with four other people that night; two went to the back of the venue and two left completely to escape the mosh pit come hoedown forming at the front of the stage - I think they must be the musical equivalent of marmite. If you have a look at their myspace page they are listed as "Hip-hop/Bluegrass/Punk" and they do sound like the aftermath of an orgy between The Stanley Brothers, Public Enemy and the Slits. A few days ago I was asked if I really do like them or if I was just saying so to wind people up, trust me, I really like them and will be going to the Anti-Folk festival at the end of November to see them again.
My long musical weekend was completed with Kat Flint's album launch at The Social in Little Portland Street. Not your regular gig, the music was complemented by a miniature birdman competition. The rules were simple: make a toy soldier fly (pure throwing was barred). The winner for the longest distance seemed to strap his soldier to a frisbee and the winner for most style (judged by loudest applause) used an intricate paper bird. She probably would have got more distance if she'd have held it at arms length and dropped it but that mattered not as, fittingly enough, frisbee boy selected the transformers DVD "1st" prize and bird girl was left with the "2nd" prize of a piece of Kat's artwork.
Earlier in the day I went to the Lords cricket museum with my dad. It was something we'd talked about doing for years but never got round to. We'd got the opportunity to get in half price as we'd been the the FP Trophy final between Essex and Kent in August. Partisan though I am, Essex winning was not the be all and end all for me: I wanted a good game. I got the win but not the game. Kent batted appallingly and the result was never seriously in doubt: the Eagles won by 5 wickets A tour around the home of cricket really is a must for any fan of the game. The Long Room, the dressing rooms, the real tennis courts, the media centre, all amazing. The only disappointment was the Brian Lara exhibition in the museum, it looked a mess. Whilst watching a little real tennis, there was a guy playing the guitar, just sitting and strumming, not what I'd expect at Lords. At the end of the tour, the guide noticed the guitar badge on my Jacket (I was in full gig attire for Kat later on). He asked if I was a music fan and then said:
"Do you know who that was playing the guitar?"I confessed I didn't.
"Well", he said, "That was the lead singer of" *pause for effect* "Boney M!"How was Kat going to live up to that? I did want to point out that the lead singer of Boney M was female and the bloke who sang was the producer not the guy on stage who danced, but as there are probably several versions of the band doing the rounds I suppose he may well have been right.
The next week I discovered the secret of invisibility. All I have to do is go to gig wearing my work clothes and people look right through me as if I'm not there! this happened at The Luminaire (now my favourite venue) when I went to see Polly Scattergood again. The Lumi is in Kilburn, an area of London I've always shied away as I've always believed it is difficult to get to and even harder to get home from. Nothing could be further from the truth as (according to the tfl journey planner) takes only five minutes longer to get to than Camden. In reality it probably takes less time as it's only one change for me and there's no arsing around making sure you get on the right branch of the Northern Line. If I were to sit down with a blank sheet of paper and design a venue for 250 people I'd not be able to improve on the Lumi. It has unobstruced views of the stage from just about everywhere, a couple of seating areas for those with tired limbs, a big bar with friendly, knowledgeable efficient staff and a mission statement. Yes, a venue with a mission statement. I used to work for a very large multinational corporation so I've seen plenty of these things up on walls in fancy frames, all saying pretty much the same thing. This is the Lumi's:
That should be mandatory at all venues and any transgressor should be banned, for life, with no right of appeal, ever. Even though I knew from the moment I walked up the stairs and into the place that this would not be my last visit, I didn't expect to back the next night. A poster at the top of the stairs was announcing the Hayes Carll would be playing the next day. I only knew of one of his tracks, the amusing "She Left Me For Jesus" (the sort of track Shel Silverstein would have been proud of) but also knew he'd been compared to Steve Earle,Townes Van Zandt. This should have been enough for me but there were four or five other gigs I already wanted to be at including Retrofin at The Purple Turtle. I was still undecided as I was leaving and a guy overheard me and asked if I was going to see Hayes. I told him I didn't know and he told me he was very good. I agreed so he asked why I wasn't going then? I explained the number of gigs I could go to and he offered to put me on the house list if I turned up tomorrow. The guy was Andy Inglis who runs the Lumi, turning him down seemed rather rude and my indecision was ended.
I know there's a couple of months of the year left but unless Chatham County Line do something pretty amazing next month this will be my gig of the year. The comparisons with Steve Earle and Townes Van Zandt are completely justified (as are the ones with Guy Clark and Ray Wylie Hubbard). Hayes played a hour and a half set with songs from all three of his albums "Flowers and Liquor", "Little Rock" and this years "Trouble in Mind". He mixes up the tempo honky tonk songs "Highway '87" with the slow tearjerkers "Long Way Home" pickin' ragtime numbers "Good Friends" and the outright funny "Chickens" all are linked seamlessly with tales from Arkansa and Texas.
It was during one of these stories; about the devastation caused by Hurricane Ike that had hit Crystal Beach in Galveston TX a week earlier, that I was at first angered and then saddened by one of the crowd who shouted "Play blowin' in the wind". Maybe I'm over sensitive to hurricane:, maybe that's because I've been in one; maybe it's because I've witnessed the havoc they wreak first hand; maybe it's because I've friends who've lost property or maybe it's because I've a friend who wishes it was only property that she'd lost. It's all this and, if that makes me over sensitive, so be it. Hayes just shook his head and said "not funny". He should have asked for this
Rosered played at an open mic in Camdens Bar Uno the following week. I'm not a huge fan of open mics as there is a fairly high chance of seeing performance of a lesser standard than I'd like (hence booking people like Rosered to ensure there is a certain amount of high quality music on show). Despite him thinking so, the highlight of the evening was not the guy who couldn't tell the difference between playing the Royal Albert Hall and the arse end of a bar in Camden, not, for once, was it Rosered's divene "Divine" but this from the lass who runs the night:
"I was going to be in a Ramones cover band but couldn't be bothered to learn the chords"I had to travel west the next night, to the Troubador in Old Brompton Road for the London launch of The Musgraves. Formerly known as The Mathew Bennett Band I first saw them earlier this year at Canal 125 in Kings Cross. They've lost the country edge that I loved and are now a more folk/pop band with ridiculously catchy songs like "Last Man Standing" and "So Sofia". Matthew Bennets voice is the bands ace in the hole and it is heard best on the ballad "Seventeen Days". They're back down in London in November and December. The Musgraves were really good, the canapes and sambucca shots were gratefully accepted and the Troubador is not a bad venue (too many chairs and tables for my liking to get it up to Lumi standards) but the crowd were far and away the worst ever. The guy at the Hayes Carll gig was a dick, pure and simple, but this was worse. Saul Ashbey came on after The Musgraves (they, suprisingly, opened the evening) he could have been good, he could have been bad but the crowd did not stop talking for the entirity of his set, and they had the gaul to clap between songs, why? how did they know if they were any good? The promoters didn't do him any favours by getting him on stage within minutes of The Musgraves finishing giving no-one any time to get a beer a say hello to people who got in late, but even so, this was rudeness of the highest order. To his credit, Saul finished his set. I bought him a beer and, when he gets back from New York, will get to hear him properly.
I was back up in Kilburn the next week to see Sonver again. This time it was at "The Good Ship" which is probably the strangest venue I've ever been in. I can think of no good reason why the layout of this place works and, if it were full, it probably wouldn't. As you walk in the place there is a large bar area and the stage is at the back, down stairs but open so you look down on the band. There is also a sort of mezzanine seating area where you can look down on the band from a greater height. I felt like I should be giving either a thumbs up or thumbs down at the end of each act with a thumbsdown meaning the lions would be released. After their set I was introduced to a couple of the members of the band and one, Ben, said that he'd read my last blog and thanked me for sticking with them and for my honesty. That is actually one of the main reasons I've pulled my finger out to write this as it is always nice to know someone does read what you have to say.
I'd bought my tickets for Arrows of Love at the Scala back in May when they were still Hush The Many. I do wonder where I would have stood if I had asked for a refund as they were not the band I paid to see. They were much better than at 93 Feet East and will certainly see them again. They were supported by Wild Boar (a redneck Ed Harcourt) who did songs about monster trucks and the size of Henry Rollins' neck - utterly wonderful - and Beans On Toast a guy standing on a stool with three chords and three song types: drink, drugs and love (previously sex) - also utterly wonderful.
JB has been quiet of late; I couldn't make his last gig as it clashed with Ed Harcourt at the Southbank so was especially looking forward to this. The Worlds End in Finsbury Park (strange name, doesn't seem remotely like the end of the world, now The Worlds End in Tilbury that's appropriately named) is surprisingly easy to get to, serves a good pint of London Pride but is not really suited to live music. It has one of those awful stages with a balustrade around it and it is an open pub so the music competes with football on the TV, people having a Sunday night pint and a chat, and Wii tennis games being played. It is free and Broken Toy Music know how to pick really good artists so is well worth a visit. Mr Newman celebrated his birthday the previous day and when Sam and myself got into the pub he was nowhere to be seen. I must confess I was doubting if he'd make it as Rob Cowan played a particularly long set. This, by the way, is no bad thing. Rob Cowan should always play a long set, especially when it contains songs as good as "Denmark Street" and "Alice in Sunderland". Sam checked, he would be here, was running a little late, would now be playing last rather than first. He got in about an hour and a half after he should have been on stage, obviously feeling the effects of the previous nights revelries. "I Fought The Floor", "Ophelia" and "Moonshiner" all had a certain extra relevance in the circumstances. For me though, "Skin" made my night. I'd not heard it live before only on his demo album. I had requested it on his facebook after he apologised for not getting back to messages and asking if there was anything he could do to make up for it. I'd not actually sent a message that he'd neglected to reply to but we were treated to a song that most had probably not heard before.
Revere had their video launch of "The Escape Artist" at Cargo the following week. With it's high vaulted ceilings it was the ideal setting to show off this magnificent piece of film (and the others that accompany all their tracks). The sound wasn't as good as The Proud Gallery but I really liked the place. I must confess I had no idea what the video meant; it was quite beautiful, very moving but I just didn't get it. Afterwards, three of us looked at each other not wanting to admit this. Eventually I said:
"My name's John, I really liked that video but didn't understand it at all"The same response came from Helen and Fiona: I think we all felt better after that confession.
My final gig of the month was Polly Scattergood at the Ginglik. The Ginglik is a converted public toilet at the end of Shepherds Bush Green and, therefore, somewhat unique amongst London venues. Yasmin bought me dinner at a chinese restaraunt before the gig; really nice, spicy, mainly vegetarian food - very good. Polly was a class above the other acts playing. Jenni Alpert was good; a couple of jazzy songs, a poppy one played at the keyboards and one sweet country ballad. I broke two of the ten commandments of concert behaviour during Polly's set. Firstly I requested a song (no, not Freebird) and, secondly I sang along to it. In my defence, the request was in response to Polly finding out she could only play four songs not eight and she asked what she should play, and I did sing very, very quietly. I've got a heart is my song of the year, it may not be a cheery number but it is a thing of beauty. I would very strongly suggest you have a listen to it on her myspace page now as her debut album is finished and the demo version may get replaced with a properly produced one.
The observant amongst you may have noticed that I've moved away from Vox to the more popular blogger. There are a couple of reasons for this but mainly it's because all my favourite blogs are written this way. I can add a very handy widget called a "blogroll" so you can easily read how proper people like Heather at Fuel:Friends and the team and MOKB do it. I also want to personalise the page more than I could in vox. I've an idea for a banner which I will try to create myself but may need some help for those versed in photoshop and want to add the odd MP3 track where appropriate. James McMurtry's "Hurricane Party" being a case in point. The link I've put up only lasts for 7 days but I am working a better way for future blogs.
"The times they are a-changin'" here in Jacketsville. At the end of the month I write my first proper review. This is thanks, primarily, to the madness (sorry kindness) of Yasmin, who initially gave up a reviewing slot for me and Helen, who agreed to let me write with her without having read anything I'd done (I do think madness is waht it is) but also to Heather at Fuel:Friends who sets the standard that anyone who writes anything about music should aspire to, Ben of Sonver and Yasmina, who has provided continual words of encouragement when I was fighting over the right thing to say.
Best Regards
The Jacket
PS
The title of this blog? It's not the album, it's the track. You want it? search through my blogroll, it may still be there.
