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As a venue, The Flapper has to be one of my favourites; it's small, dark and hovers just the right side of not being a total shithole! The sound isn't usually unnecessarily loud and has just the right level of intimacy. Not a full on in your face assault, but a more feeling of warmth as you enter the dimly lit dungeon. At least these were my prior thoughts before heading into day two of this three day mini music festival, Off The Cuff. |
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Converge, just never seemed to touch Brum, every single time they’ve come to the UK. More the pity, as they’re arguably the one band from amongst their peers who have managed to successfully traverse the years since that first boom period almost a decade ago with their integrity and identity relatively intact. Until today, so for those who’ve been waiting for Converge since ‘Jane Doe’ or before, this gig really had a real air of anticipation attached to it. It also boasted a carefully picked undercard in the form of Kylesa and Gaza. |
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I love this time of year. Hot sunny days, long warm nights, shorts and BBQs… And if you’re a music lover or Gig Junkie it means music festivals going off up and down the country every weekend. Of course there’s the biggie, the one every band wants to play – Glastonbury. By far the greatest asset of Glastonbury is it’s sheer power in bringing some of the worlds greatest bands to these shores. And whilst here why not turn one festival appearance into a mini tour and play a small handful of gigs in the few minutes you have spare. Taking this into account means that London, Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham get the chance to see alternative Blues / Rock duo ‘The Black Keys’ before embarking on a full US tour. |
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Right, mustn’t mention the World Cup... bollocks... okay that’s the last mention of it. Promise. Especially as the English team’s probably been knocked out/injured/ defected to a team with at least some frickin’ hope of winning by now. Gah! Did you see the game against the USA? Good grief. I only watched up to the point where our goalie decided to roll the ball into his own net. Genius. Speaking of (cheesy link ahoy) the USA (see, told you) tonight’s gig saw a brace of bands from way over United Stateside, kicking off (damn... bloody football) with |
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Imagine having the top of your head lopped off, your brains scooped out with one of those ice cream scoops, placed carefully on the floor, battered with a series of blunt objects, then carefully put back in your skull again...that’s pretty much what tonight’s gig was like. |
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Man, that’s some powerful voodoo going on there. How else could you explain the sudden transportation of the Hare and Hounds from humble ol’ Kings Heath to the darkest depths of the Mississippi delta eh? Yep, shut your eyes tonight and you can almost hear the ‘gators a snappin’ at yer heels (if they hadn’t all been poisoned by several trillions of gallons of oil that is). |
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From scuzzy punk schoolgirls to glossy pop vixens, Fuzzbox crammed a fair amount in to their brief career (just three years from first album ‘Bostin Steve Austin’ to their demise not long after scoring a string of top 30 hits with follow up ‘Big Bang’). In fact I’m struggling to think of many other bands who went through such a rapid change of sound and vision – which might partially explain their disintegration at the height of their powers. I’ve no doubt that, had they carried on, they’d have settled into their own distinctive style and it’s one of pop’s great tragedies (if you can have such a thing) that they didn’t. But dry your tears pop kids. Put down that tatty copy of Smash Hits and bin that scratched to buggery Big Bang CD ‘cos they’re back, back, BACK! |
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Old Albarn may be the most famous Blur-ite but GC’s been putting out all kinds of good shit over the last decade or so, culminating in 2009’s 'The Spinning Top' – an ambitious concept album that tells one man’s story from birth to death (actually, as Graham pointed out tonight it doesn’t... not really... he just said that in an interview and now it’s all people talk about... and I’ve just gone and compounded this misconception... balls). |
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Is too much hype a good thing? According to the NME The Drums are "New York's official coolest new band". Thankfully I had no idea of the hype or the NME statement proclaiming them to be so cool when watching them warm up the Civics crowd prior to the emergence of Florence and her ever-expanding Machine. |
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In a world that (quite rightly) holds the psychedelic ramblings of Syd Barrett in such high esteem why the chuff isn’t Robyn Hitchcock much better known and respected? It’s a mystery to me, just like some of his lyrics in fact, but as I’m discovering, that’s part of the charm of a man who has, for over 30 years, seemingly ploughed his own sweet furrow through the musical landscape. |
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As angry clouds of volcanic ash sweep across the country from our dear friends in Iceland (presumably in part-payment for the £400 gazillion they owe us?), an (at times) equally angry Kate Nash is doing likewise, bringing her all new Riot Grrrrllllllllll act to the Hairy Hounds. I can’t believe it’s been three years since her debut but I guess, looking back, all the signs were there. Beneath the cutesy talky talk vocals there was plenty of bitterness...sorry bittahness (yep, must be all those lemon’s she’s been eating). Now she’s come out in praise of Le Tigre and Bikini Kill and, at times, tonight’s gig reminded me of those far off days when Riot Grrrl’s Voodoo Queens reigned supreme (was anyone else out there at their Edwards Gig in 1993? Oh. Just me then). |
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It’s getting pretty popular this reforming business isn’t it? Name a band that split up at any time in the last 50 years and there’s a fair chance – at some point – that they’ll put their ‘musical differences’ aside, forget the fact that the drummer shagged his way through the rest of the band’s significant others (and ate all of the crab sandwiches backstage) and head out on tour...with varying degrees of success. The highest profile reformers du jour are, of course, The Libertines. A band that hit its peak way back in the early noughties, not unlike tonight’s headliners in fact. Although I doubt whether any of King Adora have shagged Kate Moss and burgled Carl Barat's flat...then again... |
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Entering the reasonably salubrious surroundings of the Academy 3 dressing rooms we’re met by two thirds of The Joy Formidable. Lead singer Ritzy’s curled up demolishing a pot of hummus and packet of pitta bread and co-vocalist and guitarist Rhydian’s sipping a beer. Drummer Matt joins us, wrapping bits of tape around what’s left of his fingers and we’re all set for a delightfully ramshackle interview (you can blame me for that...I’m no Alan Carr...I might look a little like him and I’m as camp as tits but that’s as far the comparison stretches). We start off by randomly discussing such pressing matters as floating poo, Rhyl, flatmates and Walsall before I remembered what we were there for and actually got my scrappy list of questions out. |
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This makes for a refreshing change, making it to the venue at a reasonable time and finding the first of the two support acts already mid set. By no means was it planned to miss any of the bands, I just find waiting around for the first act can sometimes be a rather tedious affair. Anyway enough of my tale of woe it's time to move on. |
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