Gig 'whores

[jobotic]

Helen Love next Sunday. Yes!

[Serge]

You? You're going to a gig?!

I know, what are the odds? I was trying to think when the last time I went to a non-Rough Trade gig was and it took me a while - it was Laura Veirs at Union Chapel in......2010. So, a mere seven years ago.

But it's Michael Rother! Playing just up the road! I'd never be able to look myself in the bathroom mirror if I didn't make the effort for this one.

[jobotic]

My mate's going to Michael Rother.


On Monday I am going to what could almost be the opposite of a gig - a course on Employment law, specifically TUPE. However, it is in Thannington Community Hall where I saw The Happy Flowers and Bastro about 25 years ago. It was booked on the same night as a tea dance in the room next door. Such wonderful memories....

[ASFTSN]

Possession on Saturday.  Blasphemous.

[Stoneage Dinosaurs]

Went and bought tickets to see the Unthanks at Cambridge Corn Exchange on thurdsay. Don't know that much about them but Dirty Boy and a few other types on here have been all praiseworthy and that about them, plus I like a bit of weird folk and that so it should be interesting

[Dr Syntax Head]

Mrs Syntax has agreed for us to see RIDE. I've only been to one gig with her and it was Deerhunter. It was special. RIDE will be just as special.

[Serge]

MICHAEL ROTHER!

Straight into my Top One Gigs Of All-Time. With Hans Lampe on drums, which means every surviving member of Neu! was onstage. Played for 90 minutes or so, did most of the Neu! tracks I'd hoped for (I guessed that he probably wouldn't do 'Isi', and so it proved) - 'Neuschnee', 'E-Musik', 'Seeland', and what sounded like a heavy metal version of 'Fur Immer'. Harmonia were represented by a deconstructed version of 'Deluxe (Immer Wieder'). And a selection of solo tracks, including 'Feuerland', my favourite of his solo work, which was apparently only the second time he'd played it live in the UK. But the high-point of the night was 'Hallogallo' smashing straight into a double-heavy version of 'Negativland' - absolutely amazing. I was right down at the front, too, so things really couldn't have been better.

Support was from Kogumaza, two guitarists and a drummer doing long heavy instrumentals. Not bad, but nothing I haven't heard a million times before. They were only notable for the fact that their drummer looked more like she should have been in Belle & Sebastian (though admittedly didn't play like she should have been....!)

[imitationleather]

Going to see Drab Majesty in Newcastle on 9th May. Surprised someone so trendy is playing up here. I need to keep a closer eye on the gig listings.

[Artie Fufkin]

OMfuckinG, as the kids say.
Deerhoof playing Ramsgate in September. Ramsgate !!

[non capisco]

Broken Social Scene played an absolute blinder last night at Brixton Academy. They'd played Manchester the night before and some of that sense of catharsis was still there. In these bullshit times their infectious communal Canadian niceness plays as defiance. Haven't really listened to them much in the last 7 or so years and forgot how many of their tunes I really like.

[grassbath]

Swans in Leeds at the weekend, nuts. The amount of control he has over the band for a near-unbroken 2.5 hours of ebb and flow. Teeth rattling in my head.

[drummersaredeaf]

Forgot to mention I got last minute tickets for Metronomy in Manchester last week. Had vague recollections of listening to them years ago and thinking I should get into them when I get round to it. Turns out I was mistaken and shouldn't have bothered.

Also tempted to try a last minute go on Swans this weekend if I can be arsed. They were great in the autumn, but I'm not sure I've got the stamina for it in this heat.

[SteveDave]

I saw Evan Dando on Wednesday and he did 48 songs in 2 hours. Mostly by himself. It was quite the thing.

On Thursday I'm going to see Liam Gallagher. Don't @ me.

[Artie Fufkin]

And, fuck me, Jane Weaver is playing Ramsgate in October. Have I entered Bizzaro World ??

[non capisco]

And, fuck me, Jane Weaver is playing Ramsgate in October. Have I entered Bizzaro World ??

Saw her on Monday, she was decent.

[Neville Chamberlain]

The latter half of this year is shaping up to be rather good gig-wise in Berlin:

Sparks!

Magma!

Gong!

The Residents!

And tonight: Merzbow, Keiji Haino und Balász Pándi in a church.

[Artie Fufkin]

Kiss, last night. Oooooooh, yeah ! *tongue*

[Artie Fufkin]

Saw her on Monday, she was decent.

*thumb*

[Artie Fufkin]

Saw her on Monday, she was decent.

Was it mostly the new album ?

[Kane Jones]

Kiss, last night. Oooooooh, yeah ! *tongue*

+ karma. Love Kiss. How was Stanley's voice? It's been getting worse and worse over the past few years. Shame as he was one of my favourite singers back in the 90s. On Kiss Unplugged he was unbelievable. Pipes on that fucker.

[Kane Jones]

Oh, and I saw Leftfield perform Leftism in its entirety a couple of weeks ago. Fuckin' bangin'.

And Ryley Walker last weekend. Very good gig; lots of extended jams. His drummer was a fucking monster.

[Crabwalk]

Anyone else going to Field Day on Saturday? Incredible line up with more acts I'm desperate to see than I can possibly manage. See here for details

My definites are:

Half of Aphex Twin _{then rushing to...} Thee Oh Sees
Flamingods
Death Grips
Idris Ackamoor & The Pyramids
(Dr) John Cooper Clarke

Possibles, if I'm in the mood:

Andy Shauf
HMLTD
Whitney

Clash nightmares - HELP ME DECIDE PLEASE

Joe Goddard or S U R V I V E?
King Gizzard or Flying Lotus (would be FlyLo but I've seen him before so not too fussed)?
Silver Apples or Mike Paradinas?
Run the Jewels clash with everyone, but saw them destroy here two years ago so not too gutting
Omar Souleyman clashes with Aphex Twin and Thee Oh Sees which is gutting

And are there any other must-sees on that schedule that you think I'm missing?

[Kane Jones]

Clash nightmares - HELP ME DECIDE PLEASE

Joe Goddard or S U R V I V E?
King Gizzard or Flying Lotus (would be FlyLo but I've seen him before so not too fussed)?
Silver Apples or Mike Paradinas?
Run the Jewels clash with everyone, but saw them destroy here two years ago so not to gutting
Omar Souleyman clashes with Aphex Twin and Thee Oh Sees which is gutting

And are there any other must-sees on that schedule that you think I'm missing?

Emboldened my preferences.

[Artie Fufkin]

+ karma. Love Kiss. How was Stanley's voice? It's been getting worse and worse over the past few years. Shame as he was one of my favourite singers back in the 90s. On Kiss Unplugged he was unbelievable. Pipes on that fucker.

Thanks !

Yeah, Paul's voice was pretty shot, I'm afraid. No Love Gun (boo!). I felt anxious and sorry for him, tbh.
Always put on such a great show, though. Gene was on top demon-ing form.

[non capisco]

Was it mostly the new album ?

Two-way split with the new one and the last one, pretty much.

[Crabwalk]

Emboldened my preferences.

Thanks KJ! Seen any of those yourself?

[Red Lantern]

I've been to Field Day before. Never again.

[Crabwalk]

Yeah, I've been twice before - once in 2008 and again in 2015 - and both times my potential enjoyment has been significantly tempered by the hordes of dickheads that it seems to attract. If you can find a spot away from the chatters and the posers it is still possible to enjoy a set though.

Ultimately, the chance to see about 10 acts in one day that I otherwise won't be able to catch this year was too strong to resist. I can't get to any proper festivals this year so I'm absolutely pumped for this.

[jobotic]

I've been to Field Day before. Never again.

Shit. Why's that?

[non capisco]

I'll be at Field Day. If you see a shell of a human walking around, very possibly in a green XTC 'Melt The Guns' T-shirt, that might be me because I'm going to a stag night the night before and will most likely be as hungover as all giddy fuck. Still looking forward to that sweet one-two punch of King Gizzard followed by Thee Oh Sees in the Shacklewell Arms tent at the end of the night though.