Gig 'whores

[sevendaughters]

I put James Chance on in about 2009. His performance of King Heroin remains my favourite live performance of a single song ever. Amazing set. The gig rinsed me financially and his backing band were arseholes (James himself was fine). Go see him if you can.

[alan nagsworth]

Crikey, just seen The Residents are playing Union Chapel next February. I am fucking all over that when tickets go on sale.

[Artie Fufkin]

Crikey, just seen The Residents are playing Union Chapel next February. I am fucking all over that when tickets go on sale.

Love that venue ! Saw Futureheads there a few years ago. So good.

[alan nagsworth]

Love that venue ! Saw Futureheads there a few years ago. So good.

Yeah, I've seen some great stuff there, too. Most notably Jaga Jazzist and Earth. The Earth gig was before I'd moved to London so I just came for the evening, and then subsequently found out that it was bookended the previous and following days with performances from Jeff Mangum and Fairport Convention. Practically blew my brains out when I realised I'd missed those.

[Artie Fufkin]

Fairport Convention. Practically blew my brains out when I realised I'd missed those.

Aw, man. That must have been amazing.

[Ferris]

Tickets for Nick Cave courtesy of Mrs Ferris for my birthday. Told her I was about to buy some front row efforts, only for her to reveal the surprise (a bit early) that we already had tickets...

Very excited now.

[non capisco]

^ You're right to be. Cave is on amazing live form at the moment. It's hard to call if The Bad Seeds or Sparks has been my favourite gig of the year but the former probably just edges it purely for the staggering feat of making a massive open air show at Victoria Park a genuinely intimate live experience. He was utterly spellbinding. 'From Her To Eternity' was intense, man.

[hamfist]

I just bought myself a ticket for They Might Be Giants in Manchester next thursday. I've hardly listened to them since I was a teenager but they're getting back on my rotation again somehow. Never seen them live either.

[Small Man Big Horse]

Arthur Darvill and Inès De Clercq - Turns out Rory from Doctor Who has a band, and surprisingly they're quite good. Lyrically some of the songs are a bit on the nose but I like what they do musically, and it can't be denied that he has a pretty decent voice.

[Artie Fufkin]

I just bought myself a ticket for They Might Be Giants in Manchester next thursday. I've hardly listened to them since I was a teenager but they're getting back on my rotation again somehow. Never seen them live either.

You're in for a right old treat, so you are, so you are.

[hamfist]

You're in for a right old treat, so you are, so you are.

Smashing ! I've heard good things...

[king_tubby]

Terry Riley playing Leeds in April.

[hermitical]

Just seen that a Bristol date has been announced for next year...

[NoSleep]

Just found out (too late, sold out) that Terry Riley is in Brighton on Sunday and Monday.

[DrGreggles]

YES! Ticketmaster have resolved their fuck up and I now have my 3 day pass for Teenage Fanclub in November!

[king_tubby]

A last minute decision to go see YOB tonight and they did not disappoint. Gigs in churches are becoming one of my favourite things.

[king_tubby]

Melvins? Supported by Jon Spencer? Tomorrow night?

THIRTY FUCKING NOTES?????

Oh ok then, YOLO.

[gloria]

Last night's Superorganism gig at the Ritz ended with lead singer Orono crowdsurfing on an inflatable whale. She fell off and was never seen again. I hope she's OK.

[jobotic]

Melvins? Supported by Jon Spencer? Tomorrow night?

THIRTY FUCKING NOTES?????

Oh ok then, YOLO.

How was it?

[king_tubby]

How was it?

OK, rant first: Dale, Buzz get a fucking decent promoter for fuck's sake. Shit student union venue, 10pm curfew and making Jon Spencer go on at 7.30pm before any cunt had got there, let alone there being time to build up any kind of atmosphere. Fucking hell. Also 31 quid tickets means you're not going to sell out and seeing as the back of the venue was panelled off (when it wasn't the last time they played there) that's again fucking the atmos. Especially as the last time in in Leeds they sold out the Brude tout suit. Wasn't quick enough to get a ticket, sadly. Apparently it was amazing.

Anyway, what we caught of Spencer's set was great, all new stuff apart from 'Two kinds of love', he's still hot and the bloke on keyboards was great. Sadly no theremin any more. Melvins, what can I say. Pinkus on bass. PINKUS! He looks like an extra from Sons of Anarchy now - cut yer soon as look at yer. The other bass player was pretty cool too. Dale doing banter! (Buzz obviously not doing banter). This is the sixth time I've seen the Melvins, and the first time they've played anything I actually recognised (I'm not a proper fan, only got about ten records). They brought a cake on at the end for Pinkus's birthday then finished with Dale doing a solo a capella So Long, Farewell from The Sound of Music.

[Paaaaul]

I saw the Melvins and Jon Spencer show in Norwich earlier in the week.
Jon Spencer left me fairly cold. He seemed to be ploughing through his set with no love for it.
Melvins were fucking great, but the show was totally ruined by dozens of drunk arseholes shout-talking throughout the whole set. I moved around the venue as the set went on trying to find a quiet spot, but it was largely in vain. I also watched one song through 5 different mobile phones held up simultaneously in front of me.

[Ferris]

Nick Cave tomorrow lads waheyyy

[kilgore]

Melvins in Brighton last night. These days it feels like the show you've just seen is the best you've ever seen them. Two bassists, what's the point?! Ah, ok...

There was a fight in the crowd 5mins into Melvins' set, cool. Dale will always be my focus in this band, would gladly pay double for an hour of him on the kit alone.

[kittens]

just about to watch father john misty in bath lads. sitting down show for old broken people. should be good

[king_tubby]

Melvins in Brighton last night. These days it feels like the show you've just seen is the best you've ever seen them. Two bassists, what's the point?! Ah, ok...

There was a fight in the crowd 5mins into Melvins' set, cool. Dale will always be my focus in this band, would gladly pay double for an hour of him on the kit alone.

Last time I saw the Melvins at the venue they played on Friday Buzz stopped the show to get security to chuck a couple of over enthusiastic slam dancers out.

I loved what they were doing with Pinkus and McDonald's harmonies. Is Buzz's voice a bit fucked? He took a back seat on the vocals quite a bit.

[Ferris]

Nick Cave tomorrow lads waheyyy

This was terrific btw

[Pingers]

Seeing GoGo Penguin next Tuesday, very much looking forward to it. Love their music and have heard they are great live.

[Nice Relaxing Poo]

A last minute decision to go see YOB tonight and they did not disappoint. Gigs in churches are becoming one of my favourite things.

I saw them at the London gig and they were fucking magnificent.


Got dragged along to see Slayer at Wembley Arena last night as my mate had never seen them and it was his last chance to. I've come to the conclusion that Wembley Arena is one of the shittest venues I've been to, especially for a metal gig for the following reasons:

1: Shit acoustics, the sound just echoes around the place.
2: Awkward to get to for most people.
3: Eyewateringly expensive beer, £6.50 for Heineken? Even a fucking bottle of water cost nearly £3.
4: Incredibly slow service at the bar, just pre pour loads of beers like at festivals you fucking numbskulls.


Anyway I find Slayer quite dull so it wasn't going to be a great night anyway I suppose.

[Pingers]

Just got back from GoGo Penguin at the Leadmill. What a gig! I already loved their music but hadn't seen them live, had heard they were good and really was not disappointed.

Double bass, piano, drums. From these three elements comes extraordinary, complex and ecstatic music. The thing with GoGo Penguin is that watching and listening to each member on their own would be engaging enough; complex cascades of euphoric piano, drummer Rob feathering, prodding and scattering himself over his kit, virtuoso innards-rumbling bass from Nick Blacka. He's doing what now? And how does it sound so good? Put all three elements together and it is electrifying. Sheffield audiences are generally very good; on a Tuesday night in November they were in full cry, the end of each song producing a shock of joy. At the end, the band looked a little taken aback at the reaction but they totally deserved it. This is audacious and beautiful music made by people at the top of their game. Aside from the frankly unsurpassable 65daysofstatic, it was the best gig I've been to in a good while.

This was the first date of their UK tour, they are heading to Newcastle, Glasgow, Brighton, London, Cambridge, Bristol, Cardiff and Manchester next, and later over to Dublin. Have a listen to these and if you like what you hear I would strongly suggest you get yourself a ticket for a gig near you.

One Percent (Live)

All Res (Live)

Unspeakable World

[alan nagsworth]

OK, rant first: Dale, Buzz get a fucking decent promoter for fuck's sake. Shit student union venue, 10pm curfew and making Jon Spencer go on at 7.30pm before any cunt had got there, let alone there being time to build up any kind of atmosphere. Fucking hell. Also 31 quid tickets means you're not going to sell out and seeing as the back of the venue was panelled off (when it wasn't the last time they played there) that's again fucking the atmos. Especially as the last time in in Leeds they sold out the Brude tout suit. Wasn't quick enough to get a ticket, sadly. Apparently it was amazing.

Anyway, what we caught of Spencer's set was great, all new stuff apart from 'Two kinds of love', he's still hot and the bloke on keyboards was great. Sadly no theremin any more. Melvins, what can I say. Pinkus on bass. PINKUS! He looks like an extra from Sons of Anarchy now - cut yer soon as look at yer. The other bass player was pretty cool too. Dale doing banter! (Buzz obviously not doing banter). This is the sixth time I've seen the Melvins, and the first time they've played anything I actually recognised (I'm not a proper fan, only got about ten records). They brought a cake on at the end for Pinkus's birthday then finished with Dale doing a solo a capella So Long, Farewell from The Sound of Music.

I saw the Melvins and Jon Spencer show in Norwich earlier in the week.
Jon Spencer left me fairly cold. He seemed to be ploughing through his set with no love for it.
Melvins were fucking great, but the show was totally ruined by dozens of drunk arseholes shout-talking throughout the whole set. I moved around the venue as the set went on trying to find a quiet spot, but it was largely in vain. I also watched one song through 5 different mobile phones held up simultaneously in front of me.

Sorry to hear both of youse had middling experiences.

When me and non capisco saw them at Koko the other night, the whole night was tremendous. Admittedly I don't think half the crowd was quite as into Jon Spencer as we and our cohorts were, but more fool them: it was so much fun! Spencer ain't no spring chickadee no more, but he gave it as good as he could, yelping away like a mad cunt into the second half of the set as it seemed to get more manic as it went on. The stoned looking dude banging the mallet percussion was a great touch, as well.

Melvins were just on absolute top form and I spent half the night either slamming about in the crowd or stepping to one side and staring transfixed at Crover's drumming. No fights, no arseholes, just an impeccable show. It was easily my gig of the year.