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Gig 'whores

Started by Famous Mortimer, March 25, 2011, 06:30:24 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

vrailaine

LCD Soundsystem's last ever gig is on over at Pitchfork, is that relevant?

I'm watching it.

Famous Mortimer

LCD Soundsystem inspired one of the worst pieces of journalism I've read in ages, over at the AV Club. But they're great.

I went to see Avenue Q yesterday, does that count as a gig? Or is it more comedy theatre?

hummingofevil

Saw Earth tonight in Newcastle. If there is a better gig I have ever seen then right now I can't think of it. I'm a bit of a big mouth wanker but occasionally something just reduces me to the boy child that I deep down think I am. I told my mate that if they play The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull then I am likely to shead a tear and not to judge. Well... they played it and it was simply the greatest thing I ever did hear (Mogwai Fear Satan at Sankey's in Manchester in 1998 was my previous great moment). Seriously, it wasn't that they played it but that they fucked with it; had me in tears in seconds and then it got better and better. If anyone here knows what I am talking about then please elaborate on my behalf but otherwise if you get the chance just go and see them.

Truely stunning.

Famous Mortimer

Moon Duo are playing in Leeds soon, according to some random Last.FM user whose profile I was scouring for new musical ideas. Can I afford it? No. DAMN YOU MOON DUO

Ignatius_S

Quote from: Doomy Dwyer on March 27, 2011, 05:04:17 PM
^ That's rather hilarious. I'll bet John's happy about that. Have you got any more details about their reunion? Was it purely to piss Lydon off? That's very good indeed.
It's not so much a reunion, more being special guests of a tribute act – if I remember rightly, they played just the one song, but Levene has joined them before for at least one other gig. Fairly recently, Wobble said that although he can appreciate Levene's skill, he essentially doesn't like him so I don't think there's been any real rapprochement.

The band's an offshoot of The Sex Pistols Experience – when the Pistols first reformed, they had an event of a cruise down the Thames with a Pistols tribute band providing the music and I've a feeling it was this one, but might be wrong about that.

Slight tangent, but an interview with L&L has recently been uploaded to YouTube:

Public Image Ltd.- Interview With JJ Jackson (MTV 1982) 1st Part


Quote from: Spiteface on March 25, 2011, 07:35:19 PM
...After that it's Public Image Limited at the Millennium Music Hall in Cardiff.  I only own the first two albums and a best of, but I'm really looking forward to this, if only because the PIL gigs are largely funded by the butter ads that people took the piss out of John Lydon for doing.  I know it's only him from the original line-up remaining, but I've seen clips of the Coachella show they did a while back and they sounded excellent...
They put on a very good, decent-length show – when I caught them last, Religion was particularly splendid.

With the original line-up, I doubt Walker would be willing to play (and in any case, apart briefly joining Glen Matlock's The Philistines, he reportedly hasn't been in the music business for about two decades) and with the bad blood between Lydon and Levene, can't see that ever happening. With Wobble, it's meant to be a mixture  of money and the type of gigs they do - shame as, if I remember right, both have said they would like to record with each other again.

alan nagsworth

Quote from: hummingofevil on April 05, 2011, 12:24:34 AM
Saw Earth tonight in Newcastle. If there is a better gig I have ever seen then right now I can't think of it. I'm a bit of a big mouth wanker but occasionally something just reduces me to the boy child that I deep down think I am. I told my mate that if they play The Bees Made Honey In The Lion's Skull then I am likely to shead a tear and not to judge. Well... they played it and it was simply the greatest thing I ever did hear (Mogwai Fear Satan at Sankey's in Manchester in 1998 was my previous great moment). Seriously, it wasn't that they played it but that they fucked with it; had me in tears in seconds and then it got better and better. If anyone here knows what I am talking about then please elaborate on my behalf but otherwise if you get the chance just go and see them.

Truely stunning.

Yeah I know what you mean. The nature of a lot of their music means that there is a lot of room for improvisation. It sort of shows on record every now and again but it seems like more of a rehearsed-and-re-rehearsed steady progression of improvised flare that has then been restricted to the bare-bones barren plains that is their finalised output. But yeah, when playing live Carlson's little improv dreams come to fruition a lot more it seems, and they're not excessive in the slightest. I like improvisation in live music and the way Earth did it during their performance was totally bang on. Aren't they just totally fucking wonderful? I saw them on sunday night in Birmingham. They were incredible! So here's what I have to say about it:

The gig opened with about a thirty minute set from cellist Lori Goldston that was abrasive and haunting, like a solo strings version of the band Zu in places. Thick black waves of distortion groaning out of the wood through a couple of fx pedals in the harshest moments, and deafeningly dense chords of serene beauty in the quietest. I would quite like to know if she improvised that set, because the first part would almost have you believe so but it took a wonderful structure as it progressed. Earth joined her on stage and tuned up their gear while she seemingly improvised a large bridge section in anticipation of Dylan Carlson's opening licks.

The transition was beautiful and what followed was a phenomenal set of mostly new material from the almost-entirely-female current line up. There were two tracks from 'The Bees Made Honey...', about three or four from the new 'un, a couple of old classics including one from 'Pentastar' and a preview of a new track from the sequel to the new record, which he revealed would be out later this year.

The sound was absolutely perfect. The cello was surprisingly audible over the top of the booming bass and guitar combo and it wasn't overbearing whatsoever. Every single drum beat was crystal clear and the splash cymbals in particular were absolutely magnificent. The drummer moves as though she's in slow motion and her playing was so brilliantly rhythmic and mechanical, yet it suited the sluggish and meandering music to a tee.

Carlson looks like he hasn't changed his clothes since he put his music on hiatus in 1995, in thick black boots, black jeans, black shirt and a cowbowish black leather waistcoat. He has the most unassumingly squeaky voice and quiet demeanor, too. Lovely bloke, very appreciative of the warm reception they got after every song. The only flaws were the occasional long pauses between songs when Carlson retuned his guitar, and the fact that it clearly should have been a seated gig... oh, and during the last track, Carlson turned to the drummer to signal the end of the song, and she carried on playing which kept the song going for a whole extra four or eight bars, which in terms of Earth is about 30-40 seconds. Carlson was shaking his head disappointedly but really it was no big deal. The gig was still bloody amazing.

Seeing Kyuss tomorrow night in Bristol. Heard great things about previous nights of the tour so reeeally looking forward to it.

holyzombiejesus

Were they selling the latest album on vinyl at the Earth gigs?


May go and see Treefight For Sunlight tonight but going to have to try and blag it; couldn't afford otherwise, unfortunately. Also got gigs by Alasdair Roberts and Trembling Bells coming up, although am most excited about Chain & The Gang next month.

alan nagsworth

Quote from: holyzombiejesus on April 06, 2011, 06:40:39 PM
Were they selling the latest album on vinyl at the Earth gigs?


Yeah, and Carlson was signing albums and posters and titties and everything. Makes me wish I had some cash to buy a poster.

hummingofevil

Quote from: alan nagsworth on April 06, 2011, 07:32:10 PM
Yeah, and Carlson was signing albums and posters and titties and everything. Makes me wish I had some cash to buy a poster.

The posters are an incredible £20. But I think mine is a copper-embossed, numbered, limited print tour poster and it is totally lush. And signed. So yeah. A bargain memento of a special night.

CaledonianGonzo

A further Edinburgh heads up that Half Man Half Biscuit are playing the Liquid Room on 30th June!

dr beat

^^ Right thats getting booked ASAP - cheers CG

Hot Pants

awesome last night, great songs, great band, rock & roll like how it should be!

dr beat

Who, what? Half Man Half Biscuit?

CaledonianGonzo

So Seun Kuti and Donso were good fun on Saturday night at the Usher Hall.  Any qualms about the elderly composition of the audience and the relatively upmarket environment were soon put to rest by a semi-naked, sweaty Fela-progeny leading the audience in a right old rave-up and giving the UK a right going over for its selective use of No fly Zones.

And imagine my, etc. when the smooth-skulled elderly gent jigging away a few feet to my left turned out to be none other than celebrated Coldplay producer and key U2 collaborator Brian Peter Paul John Ringo St George de la Dragon Eno.

NoSleep

Got my ticket for Alan & Richard Bishop's "The Brothers Unconnected: A tribute to Sun City Girls and Charles Gocher" on 9th May, London. This will include a screening of Charlie's 40 minute film, "The Handsome Stranger".

Recently found this interview with the two of them (it's a couple of years old):

http://www.vbs.tv/en-gb/watch/soft-focus-season-3/alan-and-richard-bishop

NoSleep

That was a marvellous evening out. Met Alan & Richard before the venue opened, taking a fag break outside; spent £40 on LPs & CDs from their stock (including a beautifully packaged CD by Alvarious B.[nb]Alan's solo moniker[/nb]). The gig itself was the two of them presenting Sun City Girls' material (including many of Charles Gocher's works) as an acoustic duo - Richard quipped that they were Simon & Garfunkel, and that he was Art, which miffed Alan because that meant he was Paul Simon. Richard noted that the most applause thus far in the set was for a song about child murder. He later suggested that UK students should take their grant money and go off somewhere and "make some trouble" or something; the set was full of similarly useful suggestions.

Will be seeing Alan Bishop again; at the Barbican on Friday, supporting Group Doueh as the Sublime Frequencies DJs (with Hisham Mayet). Before the doors open (8pm) there is now a new Sublime Frequencies film (Staring At The Sun) showing (from 6pm) at the Barbican Centre's Cinema 1 with Alan Bishop & Hisham Mayet fielding questions afterwards.

sirhenry

Quote from: Famous Mortimer on April 05, 2011, 07:16:33 AM
Moon Duo are playing in Leeds soon, according to some random Last.FM user whose profile I was scouring for new musical ideas. Can I afford it? No. DAMN YOU MOON DUO
I can.

And if you can afford to get there, I'll pay you in.

momatt

I saw Rakim, De La Soul and Black Star (Mos Def & Talib Kweli) last night.
It was rather good.  De La were the better act, surprisingly little interaction between Kweli and Mos.

Famous Mortimer

Quote from: sirhenry on May 10, 2011, 11:12:26 PM
I can.

And if you can afford to get there, I'll pay you in.
Cheers sirhenry, the big cost was getting there but my mate is giving me a lift. If I remember, let's have a beer or something while we're there.

NoSleep

#50
Friday night's gig at the Barbican was a good one. Went to the last-minute showing of the new Sublime Frequencies film, Staring At The Sun, beforehand; which included a Q&A session with Alan Bishop, Hisham Mayet & filmmaker Olivia Wyatt.

Once again bought a load of CDs, and the DVD of the film I'd just seen (limited edition, beautifully packaged and including an extra CD of audio from the project). Also a brand new (that's newer than the recently-released Beatte Harab LP, which I've already got) Group Doueh CD.

Hayvanlar Alemi were the surprise for me. The description of them as a Turkish psychedelic band is about as close as you could get; perhaps not coincidentally, the only band I'd could cite offhand as an influence on them would be Alan Bishop's own band, Sun City Girls; when the SCG's were pursuing that arabic meets surf music guitar/bass/drums sound they often came back to.

Group Doueh started in more traditional mode (albeit with a flash new Yamaha keyboard played by Doueh's son) working to the climax which included Doueh overtly showing his Hendrix influences, both in sound and licks as well as a bit of showmanship (guitar behind the head, and, more bizarrely, balanced on the top of the head).

Chatted with Alan Bishop again (Hisham Mayet, too); and found out he's back in the UK in October, for the Tusk Festival in Newcastle; doing a set as Alvarius B., as well as contributing to another collaboration with Chris Corsano (Richard Bishop has recently released an album featuring Corsano).

After the gig I got to shake Doueh's hand (and thank him) and got the first smile I'd seen from him all evening.

CaledonianGonzo

Sounds like a good night.

Speaking of similar stuff to the Sublime Frequencies lot, I was meant to be going to see some musicians from Syria [Nb]Er - And Bill Drummond[/Nb] on Friday night (provided Daniel Kitson finishes early enough), but word is that since the protests and subsequent regime clampdowns, all contact has been lost with the group and the organisers don't know where they are :-(

http://www.reelfestivals.org/schedules/reel-music-abu-hawash-sy-okydoky-radio-kvm-lb/

Hope that similar issues don't affect Omar Souleyman's appearance at Glastonbury.

Paaaaul

A few days ago I saw The Black Spiders in a pub in Cambridge.

Although their records are nearly all disappointing compared to Pete Spiby's previous stuff with Groop Dogdrill and Future Ex-Wife, they have developed massively in the last 12 months as a live band and are now fucking phenomenal. If you think you may enjoy a Sabbath-y  wall of sound, go and see them and you will not be disappointed.

holyzombiejesus

Off to see Chain & The Gang in Manchester on Tuesday. Really excited as I never got to see Nation of Ullyses or Make Up and the two C&TG albums are some of my favourites released over the last couple of years or so. I really wish they'd let Ian Svenonius curate an ATP.

Famous Mortimer

Moon Duo were awesome last night in Leeds. Although annoyingly, I was dead tired all day and completely forgot that sirhenry was supposed to be there too, so sent him a message on here just as the gig was about to start telling him to to come and say hello if he spotted me...then I had to leave pretty much as soon as the gig finished as my lift home was tired too and it's an hour home.

Anyway, they were absolutely top-drawer. Go and see them, and if another verbwhore is at the same gig make sure you arrange to meet up properly.

sirhenry

They were excellent while they lasted, but stopped way too early. Call me an old fogey if you will, but in my day gigs didn't finish by 10.15 unless there was another set afterwards. I don't go to many gigs, but is this normal these days? Do students need to get to bed by 11 or something?

A couple of friends mentioned them bringing back memories of Hawkwind live at Stonehenge in 79, but to me they sounded more like the In Search of Space era. More bassy and drony. The light show wasn't as impressive, but watching pixels dancing across the back of people's heads was rather fun.

CaledonianGonzo

I've certainly found that gigs start and finish earlier these days - mostly depending on whether or not the venue is used for other purposes (i.e as a nightclub) after the show.  In Edinburgh, both the Picture House and Liquid Room usually wind up before 10.30 in order to clear the decks for the club nights that kick off at 11.

Saw Sufjan Stevens last night.  Incredible.  The only bad thing about the show was having to go back to your miserable little existance afterwards.

Famous Mortimer

Quote from: CaledonianGonzo on May 17, 2011, 12:28:36 PM
I've certainly found that gigs start and finish earlier these days - mostly depending on whether or not the venue is used for other purposes (i.e as a nightclub) after the show.  In Edinburgh, both the Picture House and Liquid Room usually wind up before 10.30 in order to clear the decks for the club nights that kick off at 11.
Me too - I've been to lots more gigs recently that finished closer to 10pm than midnight. Not like back in the day, stumbling out of Newport TJs at 2am...

Spiteface

Bought my ticket for Primal Scream in Cardiff over the weekend.  This is one of two festival warm-ups they're doing, and presumably this will be the "Screamadelica" show they've been touring this year.  Looking forward to it.