God Zeus' Domain: Gigs/Concerts/Shows

Gig 26 (Interpol and To My Boy)

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 01:56:42 GMT

This will go down as one of my best moments on this crappy planet. Not THE best, but one of. (Yes this planet's crappy. Shut up.)

When?
15th May, 2007

Which Part?
KOKO (again)

Whappen Den?
One word: Interpol! They were the ONLY reason I was considering heading to Reading Festival. Luckily I managed to squeeze into the '7 minutes before sold out' window for this gig. Which in itself was handy, seeing that I didn't get a Friday ticket for Reading to begin with. Bastards.

To My Boy (Official/Myspace)
Oh yes, the ‘don’t you dare try stopping it’ indie-boy electro rockin’ scene gets yet another addition. There’s only so much frantic electro I can take, and I clearly remember thinking, “Where the hell’s Interpol!” Now that I’ve had the chance to revisit these guys, they’re not that bad…in small doses. (This was a laugh. Embedded was disabled, so here's a link)

Interpol (Official/Myspace)

First of all, Z my friend, never, EVER compare Interpol to The Killers! The Killers = smelly dog poo. Crazy speak like that can get you killed on the mean streets of Camden baby. Yeah…so I’ve heard. Don’t quote me on that.

In a nutshell? Interpol didn’t disappoint. Not only did they debut some of the stuff off their new album (wasn’t released at the time), but they played ALL of the songs I wanted to hear! Don’t you hate when a band skips that one track you absolutely love? They had the sell out crowd in a trance. I’m shitting you not here folks, but the girl next to me was in tears for most of the show! We spent the latter half of the show drinking and hugging, but that’s another story. Hypnotic droning guitars has always been my biggest attraction to this band, and there’s something about experiencing it live that makes it that much sweeter. Ladies and gentlemen, if you are serious about your indie rock and can catch these guys live…friggin’ do it! (how’s that for a rubbish review?)

Band Count To Date
83

Gig 25 (Deerhoof with Psapp)

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 21:34:17 GMT

Still playing the catch-up game with gig updates are we? Yes. Yes sir we are.

Gig 25 – Deerhoof supported by Psapp

When?
2nd May, 2007

Which Part?
The ever popular KOKO in Camden

Whappen Den?
All round general niceness really. The unexpected gem that was Psapp and the sheer intensity of Deerhoof. They do make odd bedfellows, but I’ve seen and heard weirder combos (with varied results).

Psapp (Official/Myspace)
Uhh, they’ve got this weird thing for cats, (I’m not really a fan of our feline friends, but whatever) and it comes across in their music. There’s a playful, upbeat, lighthearted nature about Psapp that I dug. Couldn’t help shake that ‘familiar feeling’ as their lead singer kinda sounded like Portishead’s lead at times, which isn’t a bad thing at all, mind you. Combine that with great backing music and a wacky selection of instruments (children’s squeeze toys and kazoos) and you’ve got yourself a lot of new fans. Planning to catch them again actually.

Deerhoof (Official/Myspace)
The second wave of Vikings descend upon you and yours bringing a whole new world of hurt and pain. They slaughter your wife and children, shag the sheep and burn your house down. Screams and cries mix with smoke and death. You’re unable to move, as your legs were severed during the first wave of attacks. By this point, you pray for death. “It’ll be much simpler this way”, you plead silently to the gods above. Your salvation comes in an unexpected form. The Viking clan leader dismounts and approaches with sword in one hand and bouquet of flowers in the other. He kneels next to your battered body and in an angelic voice, sings the words, "Panda Panda Panda". His sword soon finds its way into your chest. Through bloodied eyes, you watch as he daintily skips back to his horse. “That’s odd”, you think. Now all turns black.

Umm yeah. That’s just one of an infinite number of crazy-ass stories one can conjure up after listening to Deerhoof. They’re loud, harsh, beautiful, simple, catchy, complex, confusing and much more rolled all into one. God knows they ain’t sorry for it either! Half the time we just stood there wondering, “What have we gotten ourselves into?” Their Japanese lead singer would bridge sessions of ear destroying guitar noise and psychotic drumming with high pitched, totally contradictory vocals. We were awestruck, and by the end of the night, totally impressed. Deerhoof, I salute you! (I’ll also be sending my hearing aid bill, so look out for that).

Band Count To Date?

Gigs 23 & 24 (Air and Mindless Self Indulgence)

Thu, 31 May 2007 20:08:33 GMT

A litle more of the late gig reports…but we’re used to it by now right?

Gig 23 – Air with some guy…

When?
16th March, 2007

Which Part?
The Forum

Whappen Den?
Apologies for not catching the guy’s name folks. J and I got there late. Our unnamed solo guy with acoustic guitar put on a good performance, but he did seem a bit out of place given the following act. More power to him for being brave though!

Air (Myspace)
Despite all the foolish reports by many a dumb music journalist, the gig was great! It’s Air you idiots. If you wanted to get all sweaty and head bang and what not…maybe this gig wasn’t for you!

I’d never forget my first encounter with the French duo. Many a year ago, a friend of mine lent me a cassette (remember those things?) with Moon Safari and Premiere Symptomes. I remember the precise moment of aural orgasm as well…in my car, at the lights in Curepe Junction! I’ve been an instant fan ever since! (Uhh, not sure if I ever returned that cassette) Anyone that even wants to think about breaking into the world of ‘intelligent’ electronica should give those albums a listen. Nuff said.

J had a stint in a wine bar back in Australia, and apparently they played Moon Safari a lot. She never realized it was Air till a copy of the album turned up in her Christmas stocking last year. Turns out she’s a big fan too. Nice eh?
<End ramble>

So anyways, the band went through their expansive collection of tunes, including oft underrated stuff off 10,000 Hz Legend. They slipped in some of the newer goodies off their new one (new at the time of the gig), much to my delight (screw everyone else). I can officially give this one the ‘good times’ stamp of approval!

As it turns out, Air’s been included in the O2wireless fest! Twice as nice for me will do, thanks

Gig 24 – Mindless Self Indulgence

When?
30th April, 2007

Which Part?
Mean Fiddler (grotty but well known metal venue)

Whappen Den?

Mindless Self Indulgence (Myspace)
Pure frickin’ madness. They pulled a Deftones on us…kept us waiting for ages, were the only band on the bill for the night, but rocked our pants off! I will make note of the diverse crowd that night. You had your metal heads and Goths, mixing with the indie and casual rock crowd. I’ve seen some piercings in places that’ll leave you wondering, “WTF?” (in some cases, “I wanna try that”). It’s a rare thing to appeal to such a mixed crowd, but such is the weird power of this band.

MSI went through their paces with utter confidence. They played, they filled the between-song-gaps with idle chit chat to the crowd and they played some more. Never a dull moment with these guys either. Their bassist stage dived, which I’m sure wasn’t a good idea since she was proper groped. The lead singer went walkabout, and ended up scaffold climbing. They dissed the crowd, made fun of the whole 'encore' system (which I totally agree with) and swore alot. Hell, they even dedicated a song for "All the cool black friends we wish we had". Sigh, such shenanigans. It was also at that point that I was fondled by that kid's mother. LONG story folks. Ask me in person!

In the end, they’re a guilty pleasure band, and I love ‘em for it!

(Viewer discretion advised)

Band Count To Date
81

(Notice how my 'reviews' are becoming less of an actual review and more of a ramble? OK, twas just checking)

Gigs 21 & 22 (Nine Inch Nails And LCD Soundsystem)

Tue, 15 May 2007 00:12:32 GMT

Here’s what you get when you lapse with your gig reviews…one big ass post that has to be split up into three smaller parts...that no one will really read all the way through anyway!!! If you do, pat yourself on the back. You’ve done well. I’ve gone through a box of ticket stubs, and megabytes of emails to ensure I got supporting acts and dates/venues correct. See, I made the effort dammit!

Ok, curtains up time

Gig 21 – Nine Inch Nails with Ladytron

When?
7th March, 2007

Which Part?
Brixton Academy

Who Play?
Nine Inch Nails with Ladytron. Now I love me some Ladytron, but opening for NIN? Who’d-a-thunkit?

Whappen Den?
Ladytron (Myspace)

Pretty good, considering I’ve only know two songs by them (Destroy Everything You Touch and He Took Her To A Movie). They’ve got a nice electronica/rock thing going on…and the two female front leads are easy on the eyes. Unrelated facts, but worth mentioning. I totally enjoyed them, but the predominately metal head crowd seemed to have had their doubts.

Nine Inch Nails (Myspace)
I was both happy and disappointed with NIN’s showing, but in retrospect it’s understandable. Aside from Closer, I’m a ‘new school’ NIN fan. So there I was expecting more tracks from The Fragile and With Teeth…only to get loads from earlier albums. Oh well. The atmosphere was fairly ‘intimate’, compared to all the live DVD performances I’d scene. No fancy audio-visual hoo-ha’s to distract from Trent’s brutal energy. Added bonus? Some tracks off the killer new album Year Zero…that most of us had already heard thanks to the internet blog scene

Gig 22 – LCD Soundsystem with Prinzhorn Dance School

When?
15th March, 2007

Which Part?
Astoria

Who Play?
LCD Soundsystem with Prinzhorn Dance School

Whappen Den?
Prinzhorn Dance School (Official)
Uhh OK. I know they’re generating some good underground buzz across the board, but I’m sure I’m missing the plot here. Their minimalist sound was cool for me up till the 3rd or 4th song. After that, it was Red Stripe knocking back time. I calls it like I sees it.

LCD Soundsystem (Myspace)
F*ckin’ amazing! Absolutely loved this band since ‘Daft Punk Is Playing At My House’, and I’ve never looked back since. Been using their CD as my morning wakeup call for the last year and change, so it’s well embedded in my sub-conscience! Their set was loud, sweaty and the best damn fun I’ve had in a long while…and, AND it’s the first time a band played the songs that I really wanted them to play! Cuts from Sound Of Silver and their self titled debut were well received by all. It was impossible to not get your dance on! It was my night, and I rocked the hell outta that sucker! Cheers Mr. Murphy and co!

Band Count To Date?
78

Gig 20 (The Black Keys With The Black Angels)

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 14:09:39 GMT

By the way…there was a gig 18 and 19 but not only have I forgotten who I went to see, I’ve also forgotten what my 2nd reason was going to be. The brain just ain’t what she used to be. (I blame wine)

When?
Tuesday 27th February, 2007

Which Part?
The one and only, Shepherds Bush Empire. Pretty good venue really.

Who Play?
The Black Angels and The Black Keys

Whappen Den?

Oh baby, was this a good show. There’s a very special place in my heart high energy two member bands. The Black Keys, The White Stripes, Death From Above 1979…all good in my book. What was not so good was being stuck behind two chain smoking couples. You could tell they were all on the ‘you bring your friend, I’ll bring mine’ dating scene. They talked and giggled through most of the act. Fack orf home then I you wanna dry hum his leg! Not in front me, with yuh chain smoking ass. Steups.

So about the bands…

The Black Angels
Cue: modern psychedelic rock act with lead vocalist with a kinda/sorta Placebo sound. Cue: head bobbing and smiles all round. I listened to their myspace stuff and thought they were kinda ‘meh’. Here’s a band that sounds best live, me thinks. Their songs are long and dreamy, occasionally kicking into a brief claustrophobic noise session, but always settling down quite nicely. Very talented bunch. Very good live act. Cue: good start to gig.

The Black Keys
No muddling words here…they frickin’ great! The wall of sound these guys had going for them was incredible. (Kudos to the sound engineer on the night). What I love about The Black Keys is the distinct soul and blues influences they’ve openly embraced. It also helps to have the instrumental skill to back it up. The drummer was pounding the crap out of his kit, while lead guitarist/vocalist kept things lively with crunching chords and nimble finger work. It always amazes me how one’s singing voice and one’s actual voice can differ so vastly. Hmm.

So, this will definitely go down as one of the best gigs I’ve been to. Let’s see how the NIN one goes tonight. Cue: Bloodshot eyes and ringing ear drums tomorrow. Good times.

Band Count To Date?
74 (Includes the bands from gig 18 and 19)

Links

The Black Angels
The Black Keys

(Not from the night, but you'll get a taste of them live)

Gig 17 (CSS with 1990s, Shy Child, Shakes and Help She Can’t Swim)

Fri, 29 Dec 2006 22:27:45 GMT

Disgustingly slow and lazy. If you asked me to sum up today in four words, that’s what they would be. What better way to pass the time, than with a cup of Tetley and a few clickity-clacks of the ole keyboard. On with the show!

When?
Friday 8th December, 2006

Which Part?
The Forum, Camden

Who Play?
CSS, 1990s, Shy Child, Shakes and Help She Can’t Swim. Where DO these young ‘uns come up with their band names?

Whappen Den?
Good gig. No. Great gig! My first real indie electronica/art rock do since I’ve been here. The music, the fashion, the mix of people…you name it, it was perfect. Hey, met M at that gig, so it was all good!

Oh, there was one bad bit…no photos. Why? Apparently, SLRs are considered ‘professional equipment’ and therefore not allowed. There’s nothing that gets a heart beating ten times faster, than having to leave your baby in the hands of a stranger. Well there’s sex.

Help She Can’t Swim
Here’s the proper way to open a show of this kind. Loud, fast and ass kickin’! Ignoring the last few songs that started to get a bit repetitive, they did a good job of belting out some decent jams.

Shakes
Oh yeah, thoroughly enjoyed this electronica duo. They had the crowd going! Couldn’t help think of LCD Soundsystem at times though (not a bad thing). Be sure to check the ‘Sister Self Doubt’ track on their myspace page.

1990s
The only straight rock band of the night. A bit on the pop side, but there was enough to keep ‘em inline with rest of the line up. They kinda have a Jet style about them. Won’t be a bad thing I wasn’t so sick of Jet right now. Oh, that ‘You’re Supposed To Be My Friend’ song…try getting that out of your head!

Shy Child
Another duo, but this time out of NY in the US, and another sweet mix of electronica and vocals. How cool was this band? Well, the guy on vocals had one of those keyboard/guitar thingys. 80’s style baby. Get these guys, some friends, some booze and you’ve got one hell of a shindig on your hands! No seriously, get these guys…and let me know where you live.

CSS
The band of the night for me, and they didn’t disappoint. Given the fact that I only came to this show based on the two tracks I heard on Woxy.com, I’d say they’ve done well to win me over (I am a tough nut to crack). Badly translated Portuguese to English lyrics? Check. Ultra hyper leading lady that wore at least four layers of clothing so she could keep teasing the crowd as she stripped? Check. Good times? Check and check. Who wouldn’t wanna make love and wait for death from above?

Band Count To Date?
67

Links
Photos of the gig here

CSS
1990s
Shy Child
Shakes
Help She Can’t Swim

Gig 16 (Jointpop & Others)

Wed, 22 Nov 2006 15:45:04 GMT

Hey hey, it’s my first ‘not from my bedroom’ post! Ok, not quite the celebration I was expecting, but the sound of rolling eyeballs and disgusted sighs will do.

I started to get a bit worried that I wasn’t gonna catch the ‘Pop before they headed back to good ole Trini-land. Glad I did last night as well, since according to their myspace page, it was their last public performance in London.

When?
Tuesday 21st November, 2006

Which Part?
The Mitre, Greenwich

Who Play?
Hmm, it was an open mic night, so I didn’t *really* pay too much attention to the names of the other acts. Jointpop and Anthony Shepherd are the only names I remember.

Happen Den?

Some Girls
Well, I got there in time to catch an acoustic female duo out of New York. They had the harmonizing vocal thing down to a science. Sure it wasn’t my style of music, but you have to give it up for good talent. That and they were nice and easy on the eyes…(still single, so I can look)

Anthony Shepherd
Next there was Anthony Shepherd. This guy has talent to rent! I was very impressed with his guitar skills. Can’t tell you the last time I’ve heard someone tear an acoustic up like that. Oh, his vocal abilities just added to the excellent performance he put on

Some Guy
The artsy musical act that followed did kinda slow things down a bit, but was enjoyable nonetheless. The lone, snazzy dressed performer took us through some poetic, semi-spoken word type numbers (think Art Brut if you will, but acoustic...and solo) that went down generally well with the crowd.

Jointpop
Then there was Jointpop, the band that forced me out of my very warm house into the very cold night. (Very cold!) Needless to say, they put on a great show…as always. They genuinely looked like they were having tons ‘o fun as they went through their set. Somehow I always secretly hope they play ‘Half Past Nine’, but twill never happens. Bands never play the songs I ‘really’ like, do they?

There’s something about Gary’s ‘saga boy’ swagger that just oozes ‘I is ah Trini!’. Somehow I feel like less of one when I’m around him (hmm). It was good to see Damon again though. He jokingly told me I should have warned him that it was THIS cold. Uhh, oops?

One down side of seeing the guys was the homesickness part. After the first song, it hit…hard. I miss local rock shows and the friends I used to go to them with :(
Not what I need right now…

Links
Jointpop
Anthony Shepherd

Bands To Date
62

Next stop…Cansei De Ser Sexy! (can’t wait)

Gig 14 & 15 (Deftones, The Charlatans UK, Jet, Ray LaMontagne)

Fri, 03 Nov 2006 22:16:03 GMT

Laziness. I blame laziness for this late double post. Oh well…

Gig 14

When?
Thursday 12th October, 2006

Which Part?
The Electric Ballroom, Camden

Who Play?
Deftones…and Deftones alone. Was a bit ticked off because of that, but they made up for it.

Whappen Den?
Fantastic, to sum it up in a word. It was everything I hoped it would have been. Loud, aggressive and passionate. They performed songs from every album spanning their career. Ok, so they didn’t play some personal favs…no one ever does for some reason. The most important thing was, they didn’t cram ‘all new material’ down our throat holes. Hell, even the 2 or 3 new tracks they unveiled were high flyers!

The highlight for me? During song/instrument changes, Chino hails out all the ‘playas at the bar’ and called on us to ‘not luv dem ho’s’. Oh trust us Chino, we never do…

Gig 15
A totally unexpected and unplanned gig. Got the invitation from a friend (thanks dude!) to tag along to what was supposed to be a potential work opportunity. Basement Jaxx were the headlining act for this TV production event, but we didn’t stick around for ‘em. Hey, it was a Monday after all.

When?
Monday 30th October, 2006

Which Part?
Koko, Camden
To me, one of the best venues for shows.

Who Play?
The Charlatans UK, Jet, Ray LaMontagne, Basement Jaxx

Whappen Den?
The Charlatans UK
So glad to have caught these guys at last! They were a woxy.com staple for a while back (yup, there’s the woxy.com reference again people), and I always dug their music. Funny enough, they gave the best and longest act of the night. It was a TV taping after all, and we expected short sets from everyone. These guys (thankfully) didn’t get that memo.

Ray LaMontagne
Great voice and acoustic guitar work. Poor people skills. Ah mean to say, tell us ‘Good Night’ or ‘Thanks for that’ or something. Anything. He came on, went to the mic, started playing. Didn’t really stop between songs. Didn’t really connect with the crowd. Finished his set, then left the stage. People only applauded because they had to! Ray, Ray, Ray…come on man. Where’s the love you Iron & Wine wannabe? Where's the love??

Jet
Funny isn’t it. Saw Jet for free-fifty, twice! This time however, they only performed three short songs, and they were all newbies. Lucky me for catching the Virgin gig right? Still, I can’t say I’m blown away by Jet’s new stuff. Reason being, it sounds too similar to their old stuff. Not ‘similar bad’ really, but the fear of breaking the mould sometimes breaks a band.

Band Count To Date?
58

Links
Deftones
The Charlatans UK
Ray LaMontagne
Jet
Basement Jaxx (Just in case you still wanted to hear ‘em)

Gig 13 (Jet)

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 23:13:46 GMT

A lil buzzed off some wine here, so let’s do this quick (feel the need to pass out…)

When?
Wednesday 11th October, 2006

Which Part?
Virgin Megastore, Oxford Street.

Who Play?
Jet

Whappen Den?
Jet
Craptastically sucky day at the office, the English football team up to their nonsense and freak thunderstorms. What could I have done to wash my stress away? Go on a walkabout…a walkabout that somehow always ends either in Soho or Virgin. I had a mission though. Wanted to grab the latest edition of Disorder magazine (Shame about the dumb cover featuring The Killers).

Luckily for me, Jet was doing an in-house ‘free-fifty’ promo gig! I really liked their first album. Haven’t really heard anything off their 2nd, but sad to say, the new stuff they played sounded like carbon copies of previous songs (typical isn’t it). Still though, it was a powerful live performance chocked full of screaming manly vocals and wrist snappingly frantic drumming (two things I like about them).

Next stop, Deftones later tonight!

Links
Jet

Band Count To Date?
55

Gig 12 (Tripped And Falling with Kill Casino and Koopa)

Sat, 09 Sep 2006 13:29:38 GMT

Yes folks, another Tripped and Falling gig. I like ‘local’ rock ok! I’ll support whoever, wherever (given it’s a band worth supporting). Can’t wait for the European leg of the Jointpop, Chaos Room and Incert Coin imaginary tour! Sigh…

When?
Tuesday 5th September, 2006. Start time of 8pm, but the lure of Virgin Megastore caused us to be late.

Which Part?
The Metro Club, Oxford Street.

Who Play?
Kill Casino, Koopa and Tripped And Falling. There was an extra band on stage when we walked in, but never caught their name. They weren’t half bad either.

Whappen Den?
Kill Casino
Screaming woman, playing bass, nice legs? They had my interest from the word ‘go’. (I’m SINGLE…I’m allowed to look dammit). I smiled and nodded for the straight forward alt/punk songs, but silently frowned and cringed for the mixed up ‘Biffy Clyro’ styled ‘multiple random changes in a song’, uh, songs. Still worth a listen though.

Koopa
Koopa was tad bit on the pop-punk side of things (the very side I dislike, by the way), but hatin’ aside, they had energy and gusto to sell. Their set was tight! It’s almost as if were practicing their asses off for this gig! If you’re into the kiddie American post/pop punk scene, this is the band for you. (You may not even be able to tell them apart anyway)

Tripped And Falling
Here we have the band of the night. Lets deal with the bad first - bass problems. Guess he was having an off night or something. Mistakes galore, with a ‘disconnected cable’ during the encore to seal the deal. Ouch. Now, the good - brand spanking new song…and it’s not half bad. There’s a lil touch of Incubus at the start, but it evolved into a trademark T&F by its end.

Links
Kill Casino

Koopa

Tripped And Falling

Band Count To Date?
54

Gig 11 (Tripped And Falling with Olympian and Jimmy Diehard)

Mon, 21 Aug 2006 18:21:29 GMT

Oh, this write-up’s well short!

When?
Wednesday 16th August, 2006

Which Part?
The Bull And Gate in Kentish Town.

Who Play?
Tripped And Falling and Olympian. Who the hell knew where Jimmy Diehard was. (Better question would be, “do we care?”)

Whappen Den?
Scenario 1 – Tube Closure
Kentish Town station was closed due to faulty escalators. We had to walk from Camden Town station to the venue. Most annoying.

Scenario 2 – Poor Venue Choice
The venue itself seemed to be fine. Sound was ok, lighting was good. They even had video cams and monitors…clever automatic zooms and effects in operation. All that said, maybe this venue has been known to throw some shite gigs in the past?

Scenario 3 – Only The Best?
Maybe the email was only sent to a select few. We were lucky to have caught these bands, since it was some kinda VIP and special friends event.

Ok, you need to pick one of the above three. Got one? Ok. Use that to explain why, aside from the other band, and the guy on the mixer boards, and the Tripped entourage…there were only us three and two other Trini guys there.

Olympian
Nope, not going even make much of an attempt here.
A few good tracks aside…Ok, ok, lemme start again. All but one song grabbed me.

“At least you made an appearance” applause was offered.

Tripped And Falling
This is what, the 3rd or 4th time I’ve caught these guys here? They’re still rockin’ hard. Still giving it their all. I mean, come on…you’re playing to 4 or 5 people outside your own management team! You’d think they’d just go through the motions. Not so. We got the same intensity as the ‘packed house’ affairs. Trademark stage support climbing, drum mounting, t-shirt stripping (not really necessary…no women in crowd), air-kicking, dance floor invading antics abound. A disastrous night was at least semi-salvaged.

Links
Olympian - Uhhh, when I have time to check
Tripped And Falling

Band Count To Date?
52

Gig 10 (Betty Curse with Ophelia Torah and Without Thought)

Thu, 10 Aug 2006 19:13:51 GMT

I did this gig because of boredom, curiosity and one good Ophelia Torah song off myspace. My good buddy Gav in Philly kept telling me to check them out. Good call on Torah bro!

When?
Wednesday 9th August, 2006

Which Part?
Barfly in Camden

Who Play?
Betty Curse with Ophelia Torah and Without Thought as supporting acts.

Whappen Den?

Ophelia Torah
<Start tangent>
For some reason, the guy at the door always asks about the band you’re here to see. Aside from the most craptastic form of security, I’m not sure why they’d do that. He wasn’t even recording the results. Anyways, I went against the grain by saying I was here for Ophelia. This response turned a few heads and widened a few eyes. Hey! It was the only band I sorta knew dammit.
Once again, only a few people bothered to get there in time to check out the opening acts. Shame on you lot! Quite a few opening acts I’ve seen are now headliners. They’re not as bad as you may think.
<End tangent>

I got some serious Soundgarden meets Kittie meets Deftones vibes when listening to this band (Since I’m not really into metal, those are my best references). They were loud, energetic and unforgiving. They have that edge I look for in a metal band…something beautiful/Something melodic. Anything but just plain screaming and noise. Check out ‘How The Flowers Grow’ on the myspace link below.

Without Thought
More nu-metal mayhem in the house (They’re coming £1 a bowl apparently). So sick of it. SO SICK OF IT! Oh right, the review…
Here’s the classic case of ‘sounds OK in studio, but not-so-OK live’. Why this overwhelming urge to make people’s ears bleed? Why amp up so much that all your instruments just mesh into one unrecognizable din? Why did you pay that sound technician? Their stuff on myspace is the way to go for now.

Betty Curse
<Start tangent>
By this time, most of the crowd moved closer to the stage. On my left, I now had a group of typical, hot blooded Brit guys. They were all about pints and ‘pulling birds’. On my right…the complete opposite. A group of cross dressers. They were all about clapping, dancing and screaming their hearts out. Can’t help but smile about that whole situation now that I think about it.
<End tangent>

Uhh, Betty Curse was entertaining...given the fact that the Goth-rock genre isn’t exactly my cup of Twinnings. Hmm, can’t say much more about this band really. They didn’t suck? That’s good enough. Oh, lemme copy ‘n’ paste part of a quote from Ms. Curse herself:

"…I'd like Nick Cave to sing to me as I bled to death. I like making up stories. I like to lie, it makes life more interesting. I LOVE The Eighties Matchbox B-line Disaster. I kill people and sell the bodies. I'm in a band, but then who isn’t?" - Betty Curse

My goodness! How disturbing!!! Everyone’s in a band BUT ME!?!

Links
Ophelia Torah

Without Thought

Betty Curse

Band Count To Date?
51 (Woo-hoo?)

Show/Concert 4 (Foo Fighters And Guests)

Thu, 03 Aug 2006 19:42:47 GMT

Absolutely no excuse as to why this took so long. I hang my head in shame.
Right, enough of that, lets it get on!

When?
Saturday 17th June, 2006
Gates opened at 2pm, show for 4pm. I got there at 2pm, only to join the thousands of people already in line. Didn’t get in there till about 3.

Which Part?
Hyde Park. What better place to hold 60,000 plus sweaty fans?

Who Play?
Juliette And The Licks, Angels And Airwaves, Queens Of The Stone Age, Motorhead and Foo Fighters.
I clearly remember The Subways being on the initial bill, but for some reason Juliette And The Licks opened the show.

Whappen Den?
Just two days before this show, England beat Trinidad and Tobago in their world cup clash. Somehow I found it fit to wear my TnT football top to this concert. Yes, not only was I probably one of the 5 black people present at this thing…I’m in a Trinidad and Tobago football top! Check out the sacks on that guy, right?

And now…the show.

Juliette And The Licks
Sorry kiddies out there, but they’re just not my scene. Something about their style just sounds ‘dated’ (and not in a good way). I’ll give Juliette some props for having what it takes to be a leading lady. Her frantic energy and vocal talent kept this band afloat. I’m thinking is good to have some skill, and not having to rely on your TV/movie status to carry things along. As for those corny, and often overly long guitar solos? Stop it Mr. Guitarist…stop. For most, this band was just background music for the continuing battle that was ‘finding a good piece of real estate’.

Angels And Airwaves
Sigh. Watching Angels And Airwaves was like buying the new flavour of Walkers crisps. You’ve heard so much about it. You’re kinda sceptical, but decide to give it a chance anyway. The packaging is nice and attractive, but once you open it…it’s mostly just air. As you’re munching away on what little crisps you actually get, you’re thinking, “Is this is? I was kinda expecting a bit more really”. Once it’s all over, you feel a bit cheated. You know they’re capable of creating a better product…given their experience and talents. Bottom line? I’m not paying another damn cent for that flavour! Back to Blink 182 then...

Queens Of The Stone Age
After a very (very) dodgy start to proceedings, it was finally time for the big boys! Queens was up next, and they meant business! It was almost as if the moshers were just lying in wait for the first sound of crunching guitars…cuz once it started, out they came. Trademarked tight playing and crazy-assed drumming were both present. Josh sounded great…laying my worries to rest, since I saw some live web footage of the band, where he sounded a bit ‘Corgan-esque’ with the live delivery. Things were beginning to look up again!

Motorhead
What is this great British rock tradition of loving Motorhead? Am I missing something here? Maybe I’m not giving them the chance they deserve. It was late in the day, and the sun did take it’s toll on my ass. Somehow I couldn’t tell when where the last long ended and the next began…they were all similar. A quick view at the people around me would confirm that I wasn’t the only one. Aside from ‘Ace of Spades’, I don’t think the crowd got into this act. I sure as hell didn’t.

Foo Fighters
Seeing the band that got you into the rock genre IS a major point in one’s life! No disappointments here (as if I would allow myself to see any). They rocked out all my favourites, re-introduced me to songs that I totally forgot about and caused me to get bloodied in my first out-of-Trinidad mosh pit!

7 hours of standing around came to a very satisfying end. Met some interesting people, tossed a few bottles, got hit on by some girlies, saw someone get ‘knocked-da-f**k-out’ and of course, heard some good music. Good times!!!

Links

Juliette And The Licks

Angels And Airwaves

Queens Of The Stone Age

Motorohead

Foo Fighters

Band Count To Date?
48

Show/Concert 6 (Tin Pan Alley Festival) & Gig 9 (Tiscali Showcase)

Tue, 18 Jul 2006 01:19:33 GMT

Today’s your lucky day people. It’s a read one get one free post! Try not to pass out with excitement. Even I’m rolling my eyes and sucking my teeth at that one.

First up we have the Tiscali Showcase. A friend had just flown in that morning and already we’re out and about by the afternoon. Typical Trini behaviour eh? Anyway, it was good to have a fellow critic at hand.

When?
Friday 14th July, 2006
Think it was an 8:00pm start, but who knows.

Which Part?
Carling Bar Academy, Islington

Who Play?
Liam Frost And The Slowdown Family, Clearlake and The Rifles.

Whappen Den?

Liam Frost And The Slowdown Family
We came in halfway though this band’s set. I did enjoy the last three songs tho. They’re a mellow folk/indie band, strong on the singer/songwriter kinda vibe. Reminded me of slower Sufjan Stevens and Sondre Lerche stuff.

Clearlake
The big surprise of the night for me. Show up to an unplanned gig only to discover Clearlake was on the bill! How cool is that? Sadly, they were a guitarist short, and it did show on one or two of their songs. In their defence, the remaining three members played their hearts out. They stuck to all their rockin’ numbers, which wasn’t a bad thing, but I was hoping for some of their new-found ambient tracks. No such luck for me. Anyway, listen to ‘It’s Getting Light Outside’…tell me you don’t dig this band! (actually, if you don’t dig this band, keep it to yourself)

The Rifles
The band of the night apparently. Can’t say I was as enthusiastic as three quarters of the crowd at hand. Something about the rifles sounded like ‘everything I’ve heard in a pop band before’. Know what I mean? Ever heard a new song by a new band that instantly reminds you of something you’ve heard before? That’s just me anway. They do have a lot of energy and their set was nice and tight. They’ll make it far…if that’s a good thing or not is yet to be seen.

Links
Liam Frost And The Slowdown Family
Clearlake
The Rifles

Next up is the Tin Pan Alley Festival. This was an all indie festival, so it was definitely right up my alley! (sorry, couldn’t resist the pun)

When?
Sunday 16th July, 2006
Started at 11am, but I got there around 4pm I think. I know I missed a number of great opening bands.

Which Part?
Denmark Street, just off Tottenham Court Road.
This whole street just bursts with music! Apparently there’s a rich history associated with this part of London…one that I won’t even try to explain.

Who Play?
A lot of bands! I caught Keith, F.O. Machete, Vincent Vincent And The Villains, Bromheads Jacket and British Sea Power.

Whappen Den?
Keith
‘Mona Lisa’s Child’ is the song that stood out for me. They ended their diverse set with that song…and it was perfect. They infused their indie rock sound with hints of electronic ‘this n thats’…but unlike many bands that attempt to do this, it actually works for them. Good show. Good band.

F.O. Machete
This Scottish band raised all kinda hell with their noise-pop/post punk vibe. Off key, contrasting male/female vocals only added to the melee…and we loved it. They reminded me of Kemono and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs at times, but with enough to definitely set them apart. Their amped up version of that 80’s hit song ‘Physical’ to end their set sealed the deal for all at hand.

Vincent Vincent And The Villains
From their name, to their look and hints of it in their music, this band had a nice retro 50’s scene going for them. Songs were catchy, upbeat and just generally happy and fun. Nothing’s wrong with cracking a smile every now and again right? ‘I’m Alive’ and ‘On My Own’ are two great examples of how infectious and addictive they can be.

Bromheads Jacket
Here’s another band that was just all about the energy. They were strangely (and conveniently) very Arctic Monkeys sounding on some of their tracks. You’ll pick up on that once you hear the myspace samples. Still though, they had the crowd going with fast playing and crazy antics. Their cover of ‘The Streets – When You Wasn’t Famous’ was just plain kicks.

British Sea Power
Ahh yes. BSP, the pride and joy of the British indie scene. They were a last minute addition to the show’s lineup, and there was no way I was going to miss them. They played their asses off, running though songs from their edgier first album to their more constructed and more mellow second one. They didn’t play ‘Fear of drowning’ though…dammit man, bands need to play my favourite songs!

Links
Keith
F.O. Machete
Vincent Vincent And The Villains
Bromheads Jacket
British Sea Power

Band Count To Date?
43

Show/Concert 5 (Common, Graham Coxon and The Wailers)

Sun, 09 Jul 2006 00:01:29 GMT

Yeah I know I missed Show/Concert 4 (Foo Fighters), but I’m still typing that up. Ok, I haven’t even started yet…geez, you can be so difficult at times!

This one however is the Rise Festival I mentioned before.

When?
Thursday 8th July, 2006
Schedule to start at 12pm, but I got there around 4 something. Hey, I had to shave and doll myself up. Gotta give the ladies something to look at ;)
(Stop laughing)

Which Part?
Finsbury Park
Any outdoor venue is a good venue for me. The sun, wind and trees can only be complimented with the sweet sounds of music! (and the sweet scent of many a BBQ)

Who Play?
Tons of people. There were about six or seven different stages with acts all on simultaneously. Something for everyone, but at the same time, you WILL miss something or someone you wanted to hear. I mainly stuck to the main stage, but did walk around to the others at different points.

Whappen Den?
Quite Obvious And Expected Rantin’ n’ Ravin’
This whole freebie festival was supposed to highlight the fact that we need to (and continue to) stamp out racism from out minds, hearts and country. Country being England, but racism shouldn’t be anywhere for all I care.

I feel very strong when it comes to the race issue (friends would know that first hand). This feeling only grows ten fold when it’s the race issue with music (don’t mess with a brotha’s music…lest ye be weary of living). I HATE when people associate genres of music with skin colour. Rock is ‘white boy’ music I’ve been told…and being black means that I shouldn’t listen to it right? I should listen to dancehall and rap…cause that’s a black thing. Sadly folks, I have been told this by more than one person in my life. I really feel bad for them. Ok, no. No I don’t.

So anyway, my ‘sell out to my race’ backside and thousands of other ‘people dat doh give one shite about your close mindedness’ all met in a big park and had a grand time. The music at each stage was varied, but at no time unappealing. I remember the Asian stage having a drum and bass session going, with everyone bouncing around having a good time. Everyone was sitting on mats, eating and drinking just in front the African stage. No one was sitting or standing still at the Cuban stage…their music was just that addictive!

Roasted corn! ‘Roas’ corn’ for us Trinis! Coconut water! Sugar cane sticks! There was a booth selling them…and I was almost tempted. Somehow, like most ‘Caribbean’ things over here, it just isn’t the same. Didn’t want to disappoint myself (for the hundredth time)

The only major sour note for me at this event was the shameless politicking done by Mayor Livingston. Hey, I pay taxes now, so I can open my gob! Oh Mayor, we really didn’t want to hear the war in Iraq, or the plans to assassinate Chavez. Why is it people in power have this burning need to spout whatever they feel like once in front a large audience? It’s an anti-racism event dammit. Keep that for another time!!

Back to the music

Common
Can’t say that I’m a big Common fan, but I do like the singles he released. He has a nice R&B/Soul/Rap thing going on…you have to like that mix.
As usual, he was well dressed. He’s always well dressed. That didn’t stop him from getting down B-boy style with the break dancing though. Didn’t expect that at all :P

Graham Coxon
Ahh, now we see where Blur got some of their fame from. Graham Coxon was great every step of the way. I was really digging that ‘Standing On My Own’ song he had earlier this year, as it was kinda symbolic of the fact that he was making it with his solo career I think. He put on a good show and was well received by the crowd.

The Wailers
This is actually the second time I’ve heard The Wailers since I’ve been here. UB40’s concert being the first. I really like the fact that I’m experiencing some of the original pieces of the legend that was Bob Marley, but I’m always kinda disappointed they only play the ‘popular’ Marley songs. I think ‘Sun Is Shining’ is probably by favourite Marley song ever, but they’ll never play that!

Links
Common
Graham Coxon
The Wailers

Band Count To Date?
35

Show/Concert 3 (Editors With Howling Bells/Biffy Clyro)

Sun, 18 Jun 2006 18:26:36 GMT

Ok, the wounds of the ‘Brixton’ incident are slowly healing…I can now write about the show :)

When?
Thursday 1st June, 2006
Total pain in the arse to get from Luton to South London by 7pm. It took some rocket scientist calculations and serious brisk walking to get there in time to secure a good seat (in the poor mans section…didn’t get standing circle tickets in time).

Which Part?
Brixton Academy
A lil bit shadier than your average spot in London, but you’ll survive once you don’t go all flashed out. I’m from Trinidad anyway…Brixton is like

Who Play?
Editors supported by Biffy Clyro and Howling Bells.

Whappen Den?
Howling Bells
Pretty cool Aussie band here. I’d say their sound ranges from atmospheric/dreamy to straight indie rock. They do come across as very ‘mature’…by that I mean you’d think they’ve been around for a while...and know the ropes pretty well. Some songs reminded me of Radiohead at times (but in a good way…not the rip off kinda way). Listen to ‘Setting Sun’ off myspace and you’ll see what I mean. The lead singer has a melodic but forceful voice that does well to compliment the snazzy guitar work.
For those of us that believe in getting there early to see the supporting acts, we had a treat. Good start to the gig (too bad we kinda went off course with the next…)

Biffy Clyro
Pure Brit screamo/post punk/hardcore insanity. They were loud and unforgiving. My friend and her hubby to be (good luck guys) mentioned this band a coupla time before, but somehow I just never had a chance to check em out. Well, check em out I did…and man, what a check out it was. (Ringing ear drums to prove it…well back then anyway)

Somehow they didn’t seem to fit into the flow of the show though. Howling Bells were a good show opener (given the main act WAS the Editors), but this unearthly combination of screams and blaring guitars just didn’t seem to fit in. Still tho, Jack must get his non-colour fast jacket…they were pretty good at what they do.

Editors
Like many good bands, all it takes is one song to get you hooked. I remember hearing Munich last September…since then I’m a fan! Editors have been subject to some unfair press on both sides of the pond. The Americans thing they’re a British Interpol rip off, and the Brits think they’re trying to be the next Radiohead. I’m having none of it! There are enough differences to keep these guys afloat for a while…WITHOUT piggybacking off all the bands people seem to associate them with.

Unnecessarily long intro aside, Editors did bring the house down. My concerns about them not having enough material (they only have one full length album out) were laid to rest with the inclusion a few new songs, b-sides and rare tracks. I was most impressed with the fact that they sounded great! Studio quality great at that! Their Brit indie sound took them from some post new wave/rockin’ numbers to the (now almost Brit staple) softer more personal numbers. Appearing forceful and commanding all the way through, they’re no one hit wonders. If I were you, I’d give these guys a go. You won’t regret it!

Links
Howling Bells
Biffy Clyro
Editors

Band Count To Date?
32

Show/Concert 2 (Presidents Of The U.S.A. With DeVotchKa/Elf Power)

Mon, 29 May 2006 14:53:41 GMT

When?
Saturday 20th May, 2006
Hmm, I *think* it was a 6pm door opening with a 7pm start. A lot of time was spent walking around and crap talking.

Which Part?
The London Astoria – Tottenham Court Road, London
Pretty nifty lil rock venue they got there actually. Good sound and lighting setup.

Who Play?
Presidents Of The U.S.A. supported by DeVotchKa and Elf Power

Whappen Den?
DeVotchKa
Kinda disappointed I missed all but the last two and a half songs by these guys. As of late, I’ve been really diggin’ their gypsy/indie rock fusion (?) style…it’s something like that. The little I did hear was cool though…won’t be fair to judge these guys on such a short listening.

Elf Power
Well, we got ourselves a Corgan here people. What’s a Corgan you ask? Why, it’s when one’s live singing voice is utterly and entirely different from one’s studio singing voice (Listen to Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan and you’ll get my point). This basically threw me off more to the middle of their set, but luckily (for all concerned), out came the extra distortion and amplification. I’ll still dig their studio work, but Elf Power didn’t win me over on the live scene.

The Presidents Of The United States Of America
Completely blown away! This is without a doubt, the BEST freakin’ show I’ve been to (thus far). Everyone was singing along, jumping, creating a raucous…it was great! They infused the show with (expected) comedy bits in the form of between-song crazy antics, utterly ridiculous ramblings and the cabaret styled girl-on-the-cloth-from-the-ceiling bit.

There were points where The Presidents went all ‘soca artist’ on us, commanding the crowd to take a step back, sit on the ground, throw you hands in the air…you get the drift. We were under their spell…we had to do it :)

The fact that most of the Presidents’ songs are on average two or three minutes long meant that they went thru most of their repertoire (much to our enjoyment!). I did notice however, only a few people knew the newer songs off their last album. I’m guessing the majority didn’t realize the Presidents were still well alive and kicking. So, that’s about it really, once I catch the Foo Fighters, I would have seen the two bands that brought me into this crazy thing called rock (also the first two CDs I’ve ever owned).

Links
DeVotchKa
Elf Power
The Presidents Of The USA

Band Count To Date?
29