The Butthole Surfers
Sun, 7pm, ABC, 300 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, £16, 0870 4000 818
Though they may join the likes of The Pixies and My Bloody Valentine on the list of influential indie icons making a comeback with their legendary line-ups, the Butthole Surfers still seem a band built for the underground rather than larger stages such as the ABC. But it's their anarchic streak which makes the Texas-based alt-rock sonic terrorists still so intriguing, and which should ensure your devoted attendance on the most holy of weekdays - even if most of the sludgy sounds bound to assault your ears are likely to be anything but godly.
(Appeared in The Herald on July 17, 2008)
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Monday, 14 July 2008
T in the Park 2008 review
Friday
Los Campesinos provided an ideal start to the weekend, with a perky, motivational brand of indie that seemed designed to get people into the right mood. But even they were a timid beast compared to Alphabeat who followed in King Tut's Wah Wah Tent, their unashamed pop stylings gloriously received by a crowd obviously craving a bit of camp.
The Radio 1/NME stage headliners The Chemical Brothers provided the sort of euphoria probably more suited to a final night. The ascendant guitar riff of Leave Home was just part of a frankly fearsome onslaught comprised of electronic beats and neuron-shredding noises.
Saturday
The disposition of Eddy Grant was so sunny that it managed to transcend the cloudy conditions overhead. Grant's reliably reggae-tinged rendition of Baby Come Back found the lunchtime Saturday crowd in their usual resplendent form. By contrast, Gun looked a little wary as they followed on the main stage. Recently reformed, their early-90s pomp rock seemed out of place and out of time, though their spirited cover of Cameo's Word Up is always guaranteed to get things going. In contrast, The Stranglers were living proof that classic songs breed longevity. King Tut's Wah Wah Tent was so full for their set that it proved impossible to get in for their glorious rendition of Golden Brown.
Even without their toplessness Biffy Clyro would have stunned onlookers on the main stage; it was a record-breaking eighth appearance for the Ayrshire band who should have even brighter days to look forward to if the rock-sodden, fist-punching finale of set standout 57 was anything to go by.
Erol Alkan provided an upbeat soundtrack in the Slam Tent, but main stage headliners Rage Against the Machine didn't so much crush the competition as sit astride them like giant rap-rock goliaths, reminding everyone of what they have been missing these past few years. Know Your Enemy and Vietnow were incendiary enough that the onslaughts should have been preceded by a safety warning. The highlight was the brilliant chaos of Killing In The Name. Vicious though it may be, it was a perfectly cathartic way to celebrate the festival's fifteenth anniversary.
Sunday
Sunday opened to some welcome glimpses of sunshine. Sadly, though perhaps with good reason, Bowling For Soup provided a shocking, painful hangover cure for the unfortunately unwary who sidled up to the main stage early on.
The US band's luridly juvenile pop-punk at least provided a nice contrast to the more welcome spasmodic metal lurchings of Mindless Self Indulgence, who created some entertaining moments of sheer unpredictability over at the Radio 1/NME stage.
A particular highlight came when the appropriately named Jimmy Urine batted away a thrown-on plastic pint cup of dubious contents. What better way to get things going early on a Sunday afternoon at T in the Park?
A euphoric presence manifests itself to a grateful audience in the form of British Sea Power, whose anthemic No Lucifer provides a suitably seismic explosion of epic indie-rock. After that the Slam Tent takes centre stage, where Miss Kittin and The Hacker initially dazzle with a live rendition of accessible techno-pop before the mighty Justice floored onlookers with an opening gambit of Genesis and Phantom (Part One). That Pendulum were on at the same time (in the Wah Wah Tent) was a pleasure almost too much to bear.
On, then, to the Relentess Stage, for two acts destined for much bigger things in the future. Holy F*** were simply a revelation, their organic take on electronic music building to such a crescendo that it's almost insulting to see it staged in such cosy environs. And The Presets, despite some technical hiccups, were a suitably exceptional end to the festivities, My People and I Go Hard, I Go Home proving particularly joyous.
Thursday, 10 July 2008
Critic's choice - July 10
Red Sparowes
Thu, 7.30pm, Stereo, 20-28 Renfield Lane, Glasgow, £7, 0141 222 2254
Not so much a gig as the chance to experience first-hand a stunning, mind-altering sonic soundscape, Red Sparowes are not the sort of proposition you should use to aid a descent into some messy midweek binge drinking. They hail from Los Angeles, but you wouldn't know it from the swirling, gloomy post-rock they manage to parade on an epic scale, almost unimaginably grand given that the band are merely a superbly dextrous four-piece rather than a hundred-strong rock orchestra.
(Appeared in The Herald on July 10, 2008)
Thursday, 3 July 2008
Critic's choice - July 3
My Bloody Valentine
Thu, 7pm, Barrowland, 244 Gallowgate, Glasgow, £22.50, 0870 220 1116
With some returns popping up you might be able to see one of My Bloody Valentine's comeback shows. If so, you'll catch the band who gave birth to shoegaze and whose influence can be felt years after the release of their last album, 1991's Loveless.
Forsaking the melodies that made their recorded work so enthralling, Kevin Shields's crew left fans clutching their grateful ears at the end of shows by employing deafening noise levels. Bring the ear plugs.
(Appeared in The Herald on July 3, 2008)
Thursday, 26 June 2008
Critic's choice - June 26
Hey You Get Off My Pavement
Sun, noon, King's Court, Glasgow, £18.50, 0141 552 9458
Bored of those immersive long-haul festival treks? Here's a handy solution, with Hey You Get Off My Pavement taking over King's Court in Glasgow's Merchant City to deliver a delightful selection of slightly off-kilter acts to either enthral or enchant. There's worthy local headliners in the shape of indie-tweesters Camera Obscura. Also included in the day's proceedings is the driving folk-indie scuz of Foxface, the precisely intricate pop machinations of School of Language and the twisted rhythms of Felix Kubin. It'll be like a grown-up village fete with better music and more beer, though without as many flower stands. More's the pity.
(Appeared in The Herald on June 26, 2008)
Sun, noon, King's Court, Glasgow, £18.50, 0141 552 9458
Bored of those immersive long-haul festival treks? Here's a handy solution, with Hey You Get Off My Pavement taking over King's Court in Glasgow's Merchant City to deliver a delightful selection of slightly off-kilter acts to either enthral or enchant. There's worthy local headliners in the shape of indie-tweesters Camera Obscura. Also included in the day's proceedings is the driving folk-indie scuz of Foxface, the precisely intricate pop machinations of School of Language and the twisted rhythms of Felix Kubin. It'll be like a grown-up village fete with better music and more beer, though without as many flower stands. More's the pity.
(Appeared in The Herald on June 26, 2008)
Thursday, 19 June 2008
Critic's choice - June 19
Goose
Thu, 7pm, Classic Grand, 18 Jamaica St, Glasgow, £6 (£7 on the door), 0141 847 0504
While retaining their usual low profile, the Belgians are becoming increasingly adept at delivering finely honed synth-rock acts to the grateful wider world - bands with the ability to fuse dance-inspired electronic beats and distorted instrumentation together, with surprising success. Slowly building up a fanbase since the release of debut album Bring It On through scintillating live shows, the quartet delve into the same sort of slick genre side-stepping as fellow countrymen Soulwax. As a pre-festival warm-up performance, tonight should be good both for Goose and for a gander.
(Appeared in The Herald on June 19, 2008)
Thursday, 12 June 2008
Critic's choice - June 12
Errors
Fri June 13, 8pm, Stereo, 20-28 Renfield Lane, Glasgow, £5, 0141 222 2254
Residing on Mogwai's superb Rock Action Records, Glasgow electro-indie mob Errors have just this month unveiled debut album It's Not Something but It Is Like Whatever, and what better way to celebrate than by playing a launch show right in the heart of their home town? It's an intriguingly intricate and complex work, subtly utilising synths while twisting them instrumentally into the sort of melodies that would do their label-owners proud. There's a very real chance that this could be a breakout year for the band, and deservedly so.
(Appeared in The Herald on June 12, 2008)
Tuesday, 10 June 2008
Rock Ness review
Rock Ness, Dores, near Inverness
4/5
4/5
Despite unheralded rain, Friday night turned into such a party - with an amazing ceilidh performance in the Wrong Ness tent - that Saturday already had a hangover vibe about it. A disappointingly dreary set by Hercules and the Love Affair didn't help (their initially intriguing retro-80s disco let down by lackadaisical execution), and electro duo Digitalism's biggest hit, Pogo, was curtailed after they appeared to have run over time.
It was Soulwax that turned things around, their remixes of Justice and Daft Punk pulled off with aplomb, and a tangible electricity sparking up their set. Two of them also perform as 2 Many DJs, playing a variety of crowd-pleasing anthems. Felix Da Housecat also provided some visceral thrills, with Mr Oizo's Flat Beat received with satisfaction by the Fat Sam's tent attendees. It's a nice contrast to the flaccid flailings of Fatboy Slim, whose set lacked any real sense of vitality.
Sunday provided the strongest music, with sunburn-inducing conditions to boot. If Red Light Company were acceptable indie festival fodder and pop-rockers Team Water Polo irritating even before some ill-advised white-boy rapping, Does It Offend You Yeah? were exactly what was required, in-vogue nu-rave done extraordinarily well. Brattish, but in a vital way, they provided some great dance music mixed with the almost-Rage Against The Machine metal breakdown of With A Heavy Heart (I Regret To Inform You).
An impressively robust performance from Simian Mobile Disco followed and there was an equally deft set in the same tent by Roisin Murphy, whose sultry left-field pop leanings must have captured many hearts besides mine.
Possibly the best set of the weekend was in the Skins arena by Boyz Noize, unveiling the dirtiest techno tunes with an intelligently designed, crushing mix set, and after a brief interlude with Annie Mac, Underworld entranced with the perennial Born Slippy, a suitably sunny climax to a weekend blessed with fine weather and some fine music.
Saturday, 7 June 2008
Sunshine, glorious sunshine
So into the midst of the Saturday we are, and it's been far more fun than should be allowed, thanks in large part to the weather. We'll see how it holds up tomorrow, when the forecast was oh so much bleaker...
The music's been a bit so-so, things kicking into life as we speak with Digitalism at the Soulwax tent, bringing some much-needed energy and vitality to proceedings.
That particular part of the site seems to be the place to reside at afterwards, with Soulwax and 2 Many DJs to follow after. Perhaps a short trip to see Digitalism within the confines of the Myspace bus at 10, seems like something that should not be missed it I can wheedle my way on, especially given their performance. Actually, maybe best to go properly experience the rest of the show...
The music's been a bit so-so, things kicking into life as we speak with Digitalism at the Soulwax tent, bringing some much-needed energy and vitality to proceedings.
That particular part of the site seems to be the place to reside at afterwards, with Soulwax and 2 Many DJs to follow after. Perhaps a short trip to see Digitalism within the confines of the Myspace bus at 10, seems like something that should not be missed it I can wheedle my way on, especially given their performance. Actually, maybe best to go properly experience the rest of the show...
Rock Ness - the first day...
As starts to the Scottish festival season go, Rock Ness has already got off to a splendid start, so much so that last night felt more like the event's finale that the mere Friday night prelude.
Some unexpected rain didn't dampen proceedings too much - see what I did there? - with various tents at the main site open into the early hours. The highlight was an amazing ceilidh set, which led to a rather wonderful combination of dancing fiends jumping along and the more bold attempting some proper Highland flings. Engagement with the former crowd led me to believe I'd sprained my foot in an act of foolish impetusousness, but - no! - my dancing days here are far from numbered. Much as some attendees might wish they were... Oh, and a special mention to the biggest conga line I've seen in my stupid little life, twisting inside the tent until I felt compelled to join in, if only I hadn't a drink in my hand. Forsooth!
But yes, here I am, and the weekend's just about to begin...
Some unexpected rain didn't dampen proceedings too much - see what I did there? - with various tents at the main site open into the early hours. The highlight was an amazing ceilidh set, which led to a rather wonderful combination of dancing fiends jumping along and the more bold attempting some proper Highland flings. Engagement with the former crowd led me to believe I'd sprained my foot in an act of foolish impetusousness, but - no! - my dancing days here are far from numbered. Much as some attendees might wish they were... Oh, and a special mention to the biggest conga line I've seen in my stupid little life, twisting inside the tent until I felt compelled to join in, if only I hadn't a drink in my hand. Forsooth!
But yes, here I am, and the weekend's just about to begin...
Thursday, 5 June 2008
Critic's choice - June 5
Rock Ness
Rock Ness Sat-Sun, from noon, Dores, near Inverness, £50-£115, www.ticketline.co.uk
With the recent resplendent weather we can welcome the Scottish festival circuit back with open arms. Rock Ness returns at one of the most scenic locations imaginable, on the banks of the Highland-based body of water that may just harbour a big timorous beastie. Though headliners Fatboy Slim and Razorlight may not match the jaw-dropping might of Daft Punk last year, there's more than enough talent around to demand your attendance. Make sure to catch electrifying dance-punk duo Digitalism, incendiary party-starters Simian Mobile Disco and sultry disco-pop goddess Roisin Murphy.
(Appeared in The Herald on June 5, 2008)
Rock Ness Sat-Sun, from noon, Dores, near Inverness, £50-£115, www.ticketline.co.uk
With the recent resplendent weather we can welcome the Scottish festival circuit back with open arms. Rock Ness returns at one of the most scenic locations imaginable, on the banks of the Highland-based body of water that may just harbour a big timorous beastie. Though headliners Fatboy Slim and Razorlight may not match the jaw-dropping might of Daft Punk last year, there's more than enough talent around to demand your attendance. Make sure to catch electrifying dance-punk duo Digitalism, incendiary party-starters Simian Mobile Disco and sultry disco-pop goddess Roisin Murphy.
(Appeared in The Herald on June 5, 2008)
Thursday, 29 May 2008
Critic's choice - May 29
Sauchiehall Crawl
Sunday, 7pm, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, £15, 0870 4000 818
Much like London's infamous Camden Crawl, this inaugural event sees acts performing at various venues on Sauchiehall Street, 10 Scottish acts in total taking to the stages of the Beat Club, Nice and Sleazy and ABC2. All the bands are worthy of your attention, though you should particularly be present for the electro-experimental stylings of Galchen, hotly tipped indie troupe Make Model, above, and brooding headliners the Twilight Sad, who should prove reliably sweeping as they gear up to release superb new EP Here, It Never Snowed. Afterwards It Did on June 9. Hopefully, this is one crawl set to run and run.
(Appeared in The Herald on May 29, 2008)
Sunday, 7pm, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, £15, 0870 4000 818
Much like London's infamous Camden Crawl, this inaugural event sees acts performing at various venues on Sauchiehall Street, 10 Scottish acts in total taking to the stages of the Beat Club, Nice and Sleazy and ABC2. All the bands are worthy of your attention, though you should particularly be present for the electro-experimental stylings of Galchen, hotly tipped indie troupe Make Model, above, and brooding headliners the Twilight Sad, who should prove reliably sweeping as they gear up to release superb new EP Here, It Never Snowed. Afterwards It Did on June 9. Hopefully, this is one crawl set to run and run.
(Appeared in The Herald on May 29, 2008)
Thursday, 22 May 2008
Critic's choice - May 22
The Hazey Janes
Tonight, 7.30pm, Oran Mor, Glasgow, £5, 0141 357 6200; tomorrow, 7pm, Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, £6, 0131 220 6176
Looking for some power-pop to perk you up before the weekend's debauchery? Look no further than the Hazey Janes, whose laid-back summertime vibe should really see them hailing from across the Atlantic, rather than the slightly less sunny climes of Dundee.
Tonight, 7.30pm, Oran Mor, Glasgow, £5, 0141 357 6200; tomorrow, 7pm, Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, £6, 0131 220 6176
Looking for some power-pop to perk you up before the weekend's debauchery? Look no further than the Hazey Janes, whose laid-back summertime vibe should really see them hailing from across the Atlantic, rather than the slightly less sunny climes of Dundee.
So it makes perfect sense that they decamped to New Jersey to record forthcoming album Hands Around the City, teaming up with Sonic Youth producer John Agnello. Their single New York - which was released on Monday - merrily blazes along with such momentum that I can only hope their amiable attempts to lay claim to a place in your record collection succeed with similar swiftness of pace.
(Appeared in The Herald on May 22, 2008)Wednesday, 21 May 2008
Connect news
I'll dispense with the witty headline and introduction, and just paste the press release instead, like a good little boy. But yes, Joan As Policewoman, should be good, very good, and a special hurray for Optimo and Soma being there, makes things look all the more promising:
The latest addition of audio delights have been confirmed today (Wednesday 21st May) for the Hydro Connect Festival which will take place at Inveraray Castle from 29th – 31st August.
The Young Knives, Black Lips, Joan as Police Woman and Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks have all been added to the festival line up and promise to add their very own twist to the proceedings. Up and coming festival favourites’ The Young Knives will add flavours of indie punk rock to the festival’s musical melting pot, shaking up the waters of Loch Fyne in the process! Joining them will be Brooklyn three piece Joan as Police Woman with front woman Joan Wasser’s mystical, soulful sound and poetic libretto set to provide festival goers with a chance to get lost in a breathtaking set and amidst heather clad hills.
The addition of Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks and Black Lips will be a rare delight for music fans with Black Lips being renowned for their phenomenal live shows and many festival goers being familiar with Stephen Malkmus from his days in cult band Pavement.
Additionally, DJ’s from Soma and Optimo have been confirmed as curators for The Unknown Pleasures tent and will be booking some of the hottest electronic talent around as well as programming in performances from top club nights Vegas! and Club Noir. It’s safe to say the lineup will be second to none!
There will also be a plethora of alternative entertainment available throughout the festival weekend including activity from Red Bull, Kopparberg and Havana Club.
Deep in the heart of the forest, Red Bull will be throwing a party that forgets it's 2008. Leave the shackles of the 20th century behind and lose yourself with a hearty slice of music, dancing, drinking and merry making, keep it quiet though, this is an experience that is for you to discover! But before you embark on your journey, remember the forest can be a dangerous place, so beware of highway men...stand and deliver!
Kopparberg will be providing music fans with the ‘One Big Tree’ chill-out experience under the amazing natural canopy of the ‘Kopparberg Tree’ which is situated in the Grand pavilion tent. With live DJ’s playing throughout the day and into the night, revelers can relax and enjoy an ice-cold Kopparberg in the ultimate fairytale atmosphere of this sumptuous area.
FULL LINE UP SO FAR:
Franz Ferdinand, Kasabian, Bloc Party, Paolo Nutini, Sigur Ros, Manic Street Preachers, Goldfrapp, Amy MacDonald, Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band, Grinderman, Duffy, The Gutter Twins, Elbow, Gossip, Spiritualized, Mercury Rev, The Coral (acoustic), The Roots, The Breeders, Michael Franti & Spearhead, The Levellers, Asobi Seksu, Foy Vance, Howling Bells, Camera Obscura, Sia, Beardyman, Gomez, Joan As Police Woman, Black Lips, The Young Knives.
Tickets for Hydro Connect 2008 are on sale now. Weekend tickets are priced £120 and weekend tickets with camping are £140. To buy, log onto www.connectmusicfestival.com or call Ticketmaster on 08444 999 990. Bespoke camping packages and travel are also available from the website or by calling Ticketmaster.
Thursday, 15 May 2008
Critic's choice - May 15
Jens Lekman
Thu, 7pm, Oran Mor, Byres Road, Glasgow, £10, 0141 357 6200
There's a lushness in suave Swedish singer Jens Lekman's songs that means they greet you like a big warm fuzzy hug from a friend, so if you need your mood lifted before the weekend begins, there's no better place to be tonight than Oran Mor. Lekman's rich, sensitive croon nestles among the layers of ornate orchestration that help sweep you off your feet, placing you firmly within his beguiling flights of fancy. In an alternate, far better reality he'd be charming us all from atop the charts, so take your chance to see him in such intimate environs.
Thu, 7pm, Oran Mor, Byres Road, Glasgow, £10, 0141 357 6200
There's a lushness in suave Swedish singer Jens Lekman's songs that means they greet you like a big warm fuzzy hug from a friend, so if you need your mood lifted before the weekend begins, there's no better place to be tonight than Oran Mor. Lekman's rich, sensitive croon nestles among the layers of ornate orchestration that help sweep you off your feet, placing you firmly within his beguiling flights of fancy. In an alternate, far better reality he'd be charming us all from atop the charts, so take your chance to see him in such intimate environs.
Wednesday, 14 May 2008
Skipping a generation
As I was watching Madonna take to the stage on Saturday at 'Radio 1's Big Weekend', via the BBC's iPlayer - the oddly wrinkle-free queen bee of pop violently thrusting her groin at all and sundry as she performed a six-song set - a rather disturbing thought hit me.
I'd assumed that the middling reviews for Hard Candy were mainly due to it being a less-than-stellar release, which is frankly fair enough when you're 11 albums into your career. You're bound to have a few small blips here and there.
But watching the performance I realised that she's redesigned herself for an age group that - for the first time in my own experience - is younger than my own, meaning that more than likely I'm just not going to 'get it'. Instead I am left to gloomily mumble about how much better she was when Vogue came out, or when she had Sacha Baron Cohen starring as Ali G - you know, if you can cast your mind back to pre-Borat days - in the video for Music. By hooking up with Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams she's latching on to a previously clueless audience who would have little idea about her 80s, 90s or even early 21st-century heyday, and who might otherwise balk at the prospect of buying music made by a 50-year-old multi-millionaire mother, someone who has been performing for well over 25 years.
However, Mrs Ritchie's move is perfectly understandable in one sense, I guess she doesn't want to become irrelevant and long past her sell-by date, as Paula Abdul, Cyndi Lauper and so many of her former peers did long, long ago. Haggardly miming along to Holiday on one of those 'Stars of the 80s' package tours wouldn't bear thinking about, never mind trying to belt out Like A Virgin with any degree of sincerity. It's just a shame that instead of maturing and developing as an artist in a dignified fashion - while refusing to capitalise on her past glories - she's instead splaying her legs gracelessly and prancing about like a stroppy A.D.D.-addled teenager, all while pretending to seduce someone half her age. Not that I can really talk about such things, but I at least I need a good bottle of whisky first to get into that sort of state.
I'd assumed that the middling reviews for Hard Candy were mainly due to it being a less-than-stellar release, which is frankly fair enough when you're 11 albums into your career. You're bound to have a few small blips here and there.
But watching the performance I realised that she's redesigned herself for an age group that - for the first time in my own experience - is younger than my own, meaning that more than likely I'm just not going to 'get it'. Instead I am left to gloomily mumble about how much better she was when Vogue came out, or when she had Sacha Baron Cohen starring as Ali G - you know, if you can cast your mind back to pre-Borat days - in the video for Music. By hooking up with Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams she's latching on to a previously clueless audience who would have little idea about her 80s, 90s or even early 21st-century heyday, and who might otherwise balk at the prospect of buying music made by a 50-year-old multi-millionaire mother, someone who has been performing for well over 25 years.
However, Mrs Ritchie's move is perfectly understandable in one sense, I guess she doesn't want to become irrelevant and long past her sell-by date, as Paula Abdul, Cyndi Lauper and so many of her former peers did long, long ago. Haggardly miming along to Holiday on one of those 'Stars of the 80s' package tours wouldn't bear thinking about, never mind trying to belt out Like A Virgin with any degree of sincerity. It's just a shame that instead of maturing and developing as an artist in a dignified fashion - while refusing to capitalise on her past glories - she's instead splaying her legs gracelessly and prancing about like a stroppy A.D.D.-addled teenager, all while pretending to seduce someone half her age. Not that I can really talk about such things, but I at least I need a good bottle of whisky first to get into that sort of state.
Thursday, 8 May 2008
Critic's choice - May 8
Silver Jews
Fri, 7pm, ABC, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, £15, 0870 4000 818
A seminal alt-rock troupe that's seen cameos from many of the scene's luminaries - including Pavement's Stephen Malkmus, Lambchop's Tony Crow and Will Oldham - Silver Jews have been guided by David Berman, pictured, for going on 18 years। Only starting to tour in the last few years, this is a rare chance to catch the band live and revel in the sardonic glory of their singer's lackadaisical lyricism, soon to be given another airing in the good old recorded form through next month's release of their sixth album Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea.
(Appeared in The Herald on May 8, 2008)
Fri, 7pm, ABC, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, £15, 0870 4000 818
A seminal alt-rock troupe that's seen cameos from many of the scene's luminaries - including Pavement's Stephen Malkmus, Lambchop's Tony Crow and Will Oldham - Silver Jews have been guided by David Berman, pictured, for going on 18 years। Only starting to tour in the last few years, this is a rare chance to catch the band live and revel in the sardonic glory of their singer's lackadaisical lyricism, soon to be given another airing in the good old recorded form through next month's release of their sixth album Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea.
(Appeared in The Herald on May 8, 2008)
Tuesday, 6 May 2008
Steady tiger
Fife may not have the reputation as a musical hotspot, but it is increasingly the place to be every May, with Tigerfest again taking grip on the area this year like some sort of mammal of the Felidae family (thanks my wondrous Wikipedia skills for that 'hilarious' quip).
Fret not if you're in other parts of Scotland though, as the event has long since spread its, uhh, legs to Edinburgh and Glasgow, and this year is coming to Aberdeen (with the marvellous A Hawk and a Hacksaw performing). The events at Carnegie Hall are especially worthy of mention, the two marvellous three-band line-ups on the 15th and 17th both must-sees; if you're looking for up-and-coming bands then make sure to check out Fangs, Dirty Summer and The Scottish Enlightenment.
Elsewhere there's the stunning Stars of the Lid and Caribou, but anyway, take a look at the listings for yourself. If there's any time for an introduction to the finest alternative musical talent Scotland has to offer then it's surely in these next few weeks:
Dunfermline / Fife
Fri 2nd May, Monty’s
Molly Wagger, Hippo, + Joint Chiefs of Staff (DJ set), 9pm, £5
Sat 3rd May, The Greenside (Leslie, Glenrothes)
Root System, Bombskare, Big Hand, 8pm, £5
Fri 9th May, Tower House
The Manicdotes / System Arcade / Established, 7pm, £2
Thursday 15th May, Carnegie Hall
Twilight Sad / Frightened Rabbit / Dirty Summer, 7.30pm, £8
Friday 16th May, Carnegie Hall
Teenage Fanclub’s Norman Blake / The Pearlfishers’ David Scott, 7.30pm, £10
Saturday 17th May, Carnegie Hall
Idlewild / Foxface / The Scottish Enlightenment, 7.30pm, £18
Sunday 18th May, Carnegie Hall
Paul Haig / Fangs / Laki Mera, 7.30pm, £10
Fri 30th May, Monty’s
Yoshi / Ives / Chameleon Jersey, 9pm £5
Aberdeen
Monday 12th May, Tunnels
A Hawk and a Hacksaw/ Benjamin Wetherill, 8pm, £8
Thursday 22nd May, Tunnels
Caribou / Born Ruffians, 8pm, £10
Fri 23rd May, Tunnels
Stars of The Lid / Remember Remember / Glissando, 8pm, £9
Edinburgh
Sat 3rd May, Cabaret Voltaire
fourteenhours / The Stantons, Cabaret Voltaire, 7pm, £5
Sunday May 4th, Voodoo Room
Ulrich Schnauss / Funkspiel / Keser, 8pm, £9
Wed 21st May, Cabaret Voltaire
Caribou / Born Ruffians, 7pm, £10
Thu 29th May, Cabaret Voltaire
Vetiver + support, 7pm, £10
Glasgow:
Thurs May 8th, Stereo
ballboy, Popup, How To Swim. 8.30, £5 (more)
Thurs May 15th, 13th Note
Sonny Marvello, Das Contras, Little Kicks. 8.30, £4
Thursday, 1 May 2008
Critic's choice - May 1
Gemma Hayes
Sat, 7.30pm, Oran Mor, Byres Road, Glasgow, £12, 08444 999 990
If you need an injection of loveliness in your life - and who in this weird world of ours doesn't? - then look no further than the absolutely enchanting Gemma Hayes, an Irish singer-songwriter so sweet that the mere mention of her name makes most grown men swoon like the protagonist of a Mills and Boon novel. She's been teetering on the brink of mainstream success for some time now, and her upcoming third album should see her set for the big time, providing it's as full of mesmerising pop-rock gems as her previous releases.
(Appeared in The Herald on May 1, 2008)
Sat, 7.30pm, Oran Mor, Byres Road, Glasgow, £12, 08444 999 990
If you need an injection of loveliness in your life - and who in this weird world of ours doesn't? - then look no further than the absolutely enchanting Gemma Hayes, an Irish singer-songwriter so sweet that the mere mention of her name makes most grown men swoon like the protagonist of a Mills and Boon novel. She's been teetering on the brink of mainstream success for some time now, and her upcoming third album should see her set for the big time, providing it's as full of mesmerising pop-rock gems as her previous releases.
(Appeared in The Herald on May 1, 2008)
Monday, 28 April 2008
Triptych: day three
And, after seven rather dizty little years, Triptych ended with something of a bang. There was some razmatazz to bring the Last Ever Party at Arches to a close with soul singer Candi Staton, bringing the love to a rather rowdy audience. Other highlights were Four Tet, who played at eardrum-bashing volume but with consummate style, the retro-indie singalong stylings of 1990s (perfect festival fodder), and a rather touching take on Joy Division's Love Will Tear Us Apart by The Parsonage. Leaving just as Derrick May was taking command of the dancefloor, it was a fine finale to the weekend, tempered by the slight sadness that things will never again be the same... still, not such a bad way to go.
Sunday, 27 April 2008
Triptych: day two
The Tramway it was yesterday for the day-long show headlined by Mogwai, though unfortunately late arrival meant that I missed the first few acts - including an apparently superb Frightened Rabbit - though I did manage to catch Errors' rousing electro-rock finale with a frenetic Mr Milk. Their upcoming first album is one to watch out for...
Dirty Projector, who recently signed to Domino Records, were a lovely, technically accomplished skewed take on pop music, complete with a mesmerisingly manic drummer. Malcolm Middleton provided a more sedate prospect, the former Arab Strap musician's songs complemented and perhaps even enhanced thanks to the sparse arrangements that had double bass and Jenny Reeve from Strike the Colours on violin. Clinic were disappointingly bland despite the bright Hawaiian shirts worn on stage, and for most of the time they seemed rather lazy, only briefly hinting at the songwriting suss that saw them championed by Radiohead some years ago.
Mogwai were as sublime as you might expect, premiering new songs which bode extremely well for their next album. Saying that they were epic is to hardly encompass the expansiveness of their sound, a breathtaking Like Herod just one highlight of the set. We'd got seats on the balcony, which made things strangely civilised, a suprisingly pleasant way to spend a Saturday night in Glasgow. It makes the thought of having to stand on my own two legs at The Arches tonight almost too much to bear...
Dirty Projector, who recently signed to Domino Records, were a lovely, technically accomplished skewed take on pop music, complete with a mesmerisingly manic drummer. Malcolm Middleton provided a more sedate prospect, the former Arab Strap musician's songs complemented and perhaps even enhanced thanks to the sparse arrangements that had double bass and Jenny Reeve from Strike the Colours on violin. Clinic were disappointingly bland despite the bright Hawaiian shirts worn on stage, and for most of the time they seemed rather lazy, only briefly hinting at the songwriting suss that saw them championed by Radiohead some years ago.
Mogwai were as sublime as you might expect, premiering new songs which bode extremely well for their next album. Saying that they were epic is to hardly encompass the expansiveness of their sound, a breathtaking Like Herod just one highlight of the set. We'd got seats on the balcony, which made things strangely civilised, a suprisingly pleasant way to spend a Saturday night in Glasgow. It makes the thought of having to stand on my own two legs at The Arches tonight almost too much to bear...
Saturday, 26 April 2008
Triptych: day one
My adventures at the final-ever Triptych kicked off in style yesterday with Sebadoh's gig at The Classic Grand. The reformed indie trio were in fine form, a belligerent burst of noise, with discussions beforehand over whether my memories of them appearing on Top of the Pops were yet another figment of my fickle imagination. But no! They were indeed on, performing Flame - according to the sloppy and carefree internet search I've just performed - meaning that I can rest easy... Copy Haho were first on, and the Stonehaven band looked right at home performing as part of such a stellar line-up, the sardonic musings of Joe bringing some welcome deadpan commentary to proceedings.
The revelation of the night were Pram, who I'd never heard before, mesmerising percussive grooves sublimated by slinking brass, the synthesis of digital and analogue suitably discombobulating, aided by unsettling accompanying visuals. If Twin Peaks was throwing a party this would be the soundtrack, as it would if David Lynch reimagined the cantina scene in Star Wars. Either way, they were sublime, a true, unexpected delight. Enjoy:
The revelation of the night were Pram, who I'd never heard before, mesmerising percussive grooves sublimated by slinking brass, the synthesis of digital and analogue suitably discombobulating, aided by unsettling accompanying visuals. If Twin Peaks was throwing a party this would be the soundtrack, as it would if David Lynch reimagined the cantina scene in Star Wars. Either way, they were sublime, a true, unexpected delight. Enjoy:
Friday, 25 April 2008
A matter of profile
Oh, last.fm seemed like such a wonderful concept when I joined not so very long ago. The music site would miraculously create my perfect radio station through the mysterious 'scrobbling' of those tracks played on my computer and MP3 player, its player providing me with the songs I already adore, mixed with unknown little gems that would lead me on to acts that I would subsequently worship and adore. Not only that, but it could recommend artists to listen to, videos to stare goggle-eyed at, gigs to go to, badges to adorn my man bag with, and other such useful things. What's not to love?
My last.fm music profile, that's what. Initially I thought it was a great idea - sometimes I still do - enabling me to easily list the musicians I actually listen to, rather than coming up with my own crummy, clumsily written attempts. (One that I'd initially have to update constantly to correct the multitude of mistakes, before then getting bored and leaving it to become increasingly, embarrassingly out of date.) Yep, I could use the power of Web 2.0 to ensure my thousands of social networking buddies - all close, close friends - could look at my 'Top Artists This Week' and, by then visiting the actual page, could then view my 'Top Artists Overall', thus providing an unadulterated, no-holds-barred account of my listening habits, good or bad.
But such transparency doesn't allow for the vicious streak of vanity that seems to splatter my guilt-sodden soul. My last.fm page became an online representation of myself, and - just as with other things of this nature, such as unflattering profile photos and revealing friend comments - suddenly the gimcrack, unedifying reality of my actual existence turned out not to be what I was wanting represented.
For instance, previously
For instance, previously
No longer. Instead I worry about those anonymous, unseen spectators who - in a successful bid to boost their own sense of superiority - browse my statistics while online, only to find out that I often listen to the sort of dreck that would make even H from Steps feel a little dirty on the inside. My secret shame is there for all to see, and yet I perversely feel too honour-bound to try and manipulate the data being fed into the system, leading to an acute and painful self-awareness that I am indeed a complete dufus who can't possibly look down on anybody else's listening tastes. Ever. Again. Not even that guy who listens to Type O Negative, because now he can find out that I listen to Black No. 1 with alarming regularity.
Then there's the problem that some artists are played way more than others because of track length, or aren't even recorded because the track length was too long, such as on single-track dance mixes. Therefore Dave Clarke appears pretty much nowhere, and I dare not listen to any Napalm Death (not that I did previously though, to be fair). Indeed, DJs doing remix albums are unlikely to feature as they rarely remix their own tracks.
And those artists I listen to when I trying to get to sleep get a disproportionate airing, their records repeatedly repeating as I snore contentedly away. If no one can hear them, are they making a sound? Such cod philosophy matters not to last.fm. I mean, I do like Camille, but not nearly so much so that she has triumphantly trounced all comers to officially top my 'Top Artists Overall'. She'd be, maybe, at about 43 or so. I think. People must also think I'm a huge Battles megafan as well, when in reality I'll be asleep long before the midway point of Mirrored, so can't even name any of the latter tracks off their debut album. Goodness, I don't even own any of their famed first EPs, which is going to prove really embarrassing when the guitarist - you know, that guy with the hair - shows up on the doorstep to present me with a limited edition signed balaclava or something.
(I won't even go into how egotistical I think it must make me appear that the two acts I am a part of appear sandwiched in between Camille and Battles, right at the top of everything I've apparently ever listened to ever. Shame certainly feels like an appropriate emotion.)
(I won't even go into how egotistical I think it must make me appear that the two acts I am a part of appear sandwiched in between Camille and Battles, right at the top of everything I've apparently ever listened to ever. Shame certainly feels like an appropriate emotion.)
Oh, plus I get uber-frustrated when putting something on a player that's not going to record my choice for posterity - you know, like one of those there car stereos that isn't hooked up to the internet. It's as though I'm being cheated out of the recognition that I so desperately feel I deserve, especially if it's something really, really cool that might just boost my flagging rep (I now get openly laughed at in the street, by gormless gonks able to glean that I've been listening to the new Korn album many, many times over). The foreknowledge infuriates me so much that sometimes I'll simply sit in silence instead, getting all cross and huffy like a stroppy, emotionally illiterate teenager, as my entire day is again ruined by the supposed evolution of our information age. Perhaps it's time to reclaim that refreshing anonymity the internet initially offered up and get rid of my profile page: at least then only I'll be aware of how rubbish my music tastes really are...
Baaaaad
Gooooood
Thursday, 24 April 2008
Critic's choice - April 24
Last Ever Triptych Party
Sun, 5pm, Arches, 253 Argyle Street, Glasgow, £21, 0141 565 1000
After eight years of providing Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen with a cavalcade of intriguing artists from around the world, Triptych signs off with a shindig featuring folktronica supremo Four Tet, ex-Arab Strapper Aidan Moffat and Detroit dance pioneer Derrick May. Once it's gone, the festival is likely to be hugely missed.
(Appeared in The Herald on April 24, 2008)
Monday, 21 April 2008
Back to skool
Right, on one hand this is me just lazily copying and pasting a press release, but on the other hand it's well worth it - if you are free and available in Glasgow this Friday during the day. (I will be, so it's probably worth it just to bask in my glorious prescence.) Anyway, without further ado:
Soma Skool 2008
The Arches, Glasgow, 25th April, 12.30 - 4pm, £5/£2 Students
www. somaskool. com
One of Scotland’s leading dance labels Soma Records will be hosting a day of music and software demos, Q&A sessions and panel discussions with industry professionals next month, providing young people from across Scotland with an insight into the workings of the music industry.
Soma Skool will focus on the process of producing a finished piece of music - from demo to finished product, and covers topics such as the design and impact of visual and graphic artwork, filming and editing a video and the development of marketing and business plans.
The event which has been supported by the Scottish Arts Council’s Youth Music Initiative aims to promote the vibrancy of the Scottish creative industries in a compelling way to educate, motivate and inspire young people and present the exciting career options in the sector.Soma has put together eight highly successful day-long Soma Skool events since 2003 which have attracted over 3500 attendees.
While the event primarily targets 16-25 year olds, it attracts a wide range of age groups due to the diverse range of activities and demonstrations.This year’s event features contributions from: Dave Clarke - one of the most respected and idiosyncratic techno DJs and producers of the modern era with a brand of straightahead techno with the ferocity of hardcore, yet the sublime feelings of classic Detroit techno.
Anja Schneider – Label Owner (Mobilee Records), DJ, producer and radio presenter. Despite its short history, Mobilee has grown into one of Berlin’s most closely watched and stimulating labels.
DJ Sneak - One of the second wave of influential Chicago house producers and a legendary member of the vanguard of late-'90s American house producers, Sneak's new sound revolutionised house music with inspirational sounds and rhythms never heard before.
The Black Dog - Highly regarded as one of the most influential figures in the British electronica scene, The Black Dog are synonymous with the rise of electronic music in the UK. Their rhythmic inventiveness coupled with their deep and innovative approach to music made them pioneers of UK techno, heralding a new breed of music.
Vector Lovers - Martin Wheeler’s lovingly crafted output engages the listener with an attention to detail and emotional resonance seldom found in purely synthetic music. From derelict neon soundscapes to future robot funk, Wheeler’s fusion of deep, quirky electro and precise melodic intuition has won popularity beyond the confines of any genre.
Octogen - Pseudonym of acclaimed Glasgow producer Marco Bernardi who has made a name for himself through his association with Rotterdam’s pioneering Clone label. Prior to his association with Clone he released on Tom Churchill’s Emoticon imprint and with Claude Young on former Glasgow label Under the Counter, cementing his credentials as part of the new breed of electro-tech manipulators. He is also an established studio engineer and has worked with Percy X on his recent ‘The Separatists’ project on Soma.
Commenting on this year’s Soma Skool, David McDonald, Youth Music Manager at the Scottish Arts Council said: ‘The Scottish Arts Council’s Youth Music Initiative is delighted to support this year’s Soma Skool event which will provide a wonderful opportunity for young people to engage with the professional music industry and support their progression in independent music making.
Friday, 18 April 2008
Mystery Jets interview
The following is an audio interview with the Mystery Jets, who played Glasgow's ABC last night as part of Smirnoff Electric Cabaret, which also featured New Young Pony Club, Pete And The Pirates and other assorted entertainment (the contortionist squeezing himself through two tennis rackets and two trapeze artists swinging each other around to Welcome To The Jungle get honorary mentions). It was certainly a night unlike any other I'm likely to experience this year, and all bands were in impressive form, Mystery Jets obviously in confident mood following last month's release of new album Twenty One. I talked to the band about their sophomore effort, click below to access the interview and enjoy!
Thursday, 17 April 2008
Critic's choice - April 17
Blood Red Shoes
Fri, 7pm, ABC2, 300 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, £7, 08444 999 990
Mixed-sex duos seem to be all the rage in the rock scene at the moment, and few come much more raging than Blood Red Shoes. Laura-Mary Carter leads the charge on guitar and vocals, backed by the thunderous jolt of Steven Ansell's drum-addled din, and within their minimalistic dynamic they're supremely adept at the sort of fuzz-ensconsed singalongs that recall a poppier take on the heady nineties heyday of grunge.
If you get there early enough, make sure you catch support act Copy Haho, the Stonehaven quartet who are gaining quite a reputation thanks to their subtle grasp of dynamics and twisting, accessible arrangements.
(Appeared in The Herald on April 17, 2008)Wednesday, 16 April 2008
Ruminating on what May have been, or what should be...
Good old Brian May is back in the news today, announcing that 'Queen' are in the process of creating a follow-up to their hugely successful musical We Will Rock You.
So there we have it; one of my guitar idols, from one of my favourite bands of all time, has again set about desecrating Queen's legacy. Not only that, but he’s doing it with such consummate ease that it wouldn't surprise me if we were to lift up his luxurious bouffy hairdo and find Chesney Hawkes hunched up in there at the controls - a bit like Remy from Pixar flick Ratatouille - the 80s pop flop deciding that he hadn't damaged the world of contemporary music enough during his own personal heyday, and had to go undercover to bring down the whole shebang from the inside.
I can almost understand May and drummer Roger Taylor - bassist John Deacon gracefully bowed out of the entire shambles long ago - trying to keep their band's legacy alive, but collaborations with atrocious boy bands such as Five and dire comedians such as Ben Elton? If they had at least a modicum of taste I could perhaps understand what was going on. A hook-up with Rufus Wainwright could actually work a treat; indeed the use of Don't Stop Me Now in Shaun of the Dead was inspired, and probably brought them exactly the sort of attention they want, just like Bohemian Rhapsody did when it was featured in
But for most of the time it's Mr Elton ludicrously trying to construct a futuristic narrative out of their best-known hits, or the absurd spectacle of them recruiting Paul Rogers and disastrously deciding to record a new album with the Queen name, even though only half of the actual band are left, an act stripped of the iconic singer that everybody associated them with. And just in case you think the forthcoming long-player could actually compare to the band's best efforts, I present you with the following evidence:
Before (one small but significant reason why the 80s didn't suck):
After (as a game, see how long you can endure the painfully obvious social commentary being offered up, on Al Murray's show of all things):
The main thing that I don't understand is that Brian May is an astrophysicist and the newly installed chancellor of Liverpool John Moores, so with his evidently enormous intellect he can surely come up with something better than this tired and trite claptrap? Maybe he and the similarly smart stand-up Dimitri Martin could come up with a complex and yet side-splitting explanation as to why Queen songs actually explain the origins of the universe, or the guitar-slinging mastermind could construct a new robotic front man who'd sing the band's songs in an identical vocal timbre and with the exactly the same onstage strut as Freddie Mercury, all while simultaneously beating Gary Kasparov at chess and making the perfect Potato dauphinoise for Gordon Ramsay to salivate over. Now THAT's how you keep Queen at the cutting edge, rather than appearing like hackneyed has-beens.
Track of the week:
Copy Haho - You Are My Coal Mine
http://www.myspace.com/copyhaho
A band that seem to be playing every which way you look at the moment, I've seen Copy Haho since before they even laid claim to that name, which makes their genesis into a great alt-indie act all thesweeter - mainly because I can now tell most people I saw band before they did. Anyway, they're playing about ten bazillion shows in the next couple of months - that's a scientific estimate - so check them out if you possibly can, it'll be well worth it. You Are My Coal Mine is especially beguiling with its incessant drive and spindling guitars lines, possessing such confidence that they’ll be more than a match for Sebadoh when they support them at The Classic Grand next Friday.
Saturday, 12 April 2008
The downsides of selling out
The fuss about Glastonbury not selling out straight aways pretty bemusing, with a small media meltdown meaning that we had numerous articles asking if Britain's best-known festival has 'lost it', and whether the choice of headliner Jay-Z in some way contributed to the whole darned fiasco.
But why exactly should it need to sell out so suddenly? There were many comparisons to the Leeds and Reading festivals, which sold out in hours, but little objective explanation that the complicated and extremely secure registration process for Glastonbury prevents bulk purchases, and means that those who get the tickets are actually required to use them, rather than then punting them on eBay for obscene amounts. Indeed, the increased success of the system may actually account for the slower take-up of tickets for Glastonbury compared to their competitors.
Also, more time to buy tickets means that, rather than a frenzied rush of those swept up in the hype, those who have properly surveyed the line-up will be more likely to go along - as will those younger cash-strapped kids of the generation that Michael Eavis wants to see adding vitality to his annual shindig. It seems that we need everything to be an instant smash hit sell out nowadays or else it's perceived as a failure, but surely the slow road is often the most satisfying, even if it doesn't allow for such shocking headlines.
Track of the week
Broken Records - Nearly Home
http://www.myspace.com/brokenrecordsedinburgh
A lot of people may already have latched on to the hype, but for those who haven't here's a band you're bound to hear much more of in the next year. Their string-saturated, epic sweep has drawn comparisons to Arcade Fire, but there's something quite different here, a rather satisfying Scottishness imbuing the track with a tender melancholic edge reminiscent of fellow Scots Frightened Rabbit. Billowing brass and menacing percussive hits build up the song into something of sublime beauty for a band still in the early stages of their career.
Video of the week
Crystal Castles - Courtship Dating
But why exactly should it need to sell out so suddenly? There were many comparisons to the Leeds and Reading festivals, which sold out in hours, but little objective explanation that the complicated and extremely secure registration process for Glastonbury prevents bulk purchases, and means that those who get the tickets are actually required to use them, rather than then punting them on eBay for obscene amounts. Indeed, the increased success of the system may actually account for the slower take-up of tickets for Glastonbury compared to their competitors.
Also, more time to buy tickets means that, rather than a frenzied rush of those swept up in the hype, those who have properly surveyed the line-up will be more likely to go along - as will those younger cash-strapped kids of the generation that Michael Eavis wants to see adding vitality to his annual shindig. It seems that we need everything to be an instant smash hit sell out nowadays or else it's perceived as a failure, but surely the slow road is often the most satisfying, even if it doesn't allow for such shocking headlines.
Track of the week
Broken Records - Nearly Home
http://www.myspace.com/brokenrecordsedinburgh
A lot of people may already have latched on to the hype, but for those who haven't here's a band you're bound to hear much more of in the next year. Their string-saturated, epic sweep has drawn comparisons to Arcade Fire, but there's something quite different here, a rather satisfying Scottishness imbuing the track with a tender melancholic edge reminiscent of fellow Scots Frightened Rabbit. Billowing brass and menacing percussive hits build up the song into something of sublime beauty for a band still in the early stages of their career.
Video of the week
Crystal Castles - Courtship Dating
Friday, 11 April 2008
John Barrowman review
John Barrowman, Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow
(Published in The Herald on April 11, 2008)
Star Rating: 5/5
There are people who are merely multi-talented, and then there's John Barrowman. Prowling the stage like a sultry panther procured from the depths of Hades, he need only expend the energy to extend one leg outwards - during the show's opening song It Better Be Tonight - to wheedle wild whoops from an expectant audience. When he then turns his back to them to wobble an entire toned buttock a few seconds later, the consummate showman has already ensured most of the crowd have had their money's worth.
Honed from a lifetime in musicals (and later television exploits), a sharp and sparkling Barrowman - resplendent in tight grey suit - brings the sort of schmaltzy bravado that immediately enraptures those who have come to see his first solo tour. His remarkable rendition of Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time is an early showstopper, the delicate interpretation preceded by an emotional monologue about a Louisiana friend having to come out to his family while also letting them know he was HIV positive.
And despite Barrowman's bubbly nature - obviously emotional, he straight away sniffles into an audience member's tissue and tells them they can make £600 on eBay for it - it turns out to be a night filled with teary-eyed moments.
Dispensing at times with his usual American accent, the song-and-dance man's back in the town of his birth - where he lived until an early age - and reverts at times to a seamless Scottish accent. He even has his own family in attendance. In a heartbreakingly sweet moment, he takes his 73-year-old mother on stage to sing a duet for The Wedding, to an emotion-filled reception. As one avid fan notes: "JB is as JB does," and, for one glorious night, it seems that Barrowman can do what he wants with most of Glasgow cheering him on.(Published in The Herald on April 11, 2008)
Thursday, 10 April 2008
Critic's choice - April 10
Adam Green
Thu, 7pm, Oran Mor, Byres Road, Glasgow, £9
0141 357 6200
(Preview appeared in The Herald on April 10, 2008)
Thu, 7pm, Oran Mor, Byres Road, Glasgow, £9
0141 357 6200
(Preview appeared in The Herald on April 10, 2008)
Wednesday, 9 April 2008
A small but significant recommendation...
Apologies for the lack of a bigger blog recently, but work has been busy busy busy... I'll try and come up with something of some significance (if of little relevance) soon.
In the meantime, here's a little recommendation for Wednesday April 9 - which in all honesty is too short to do the band involved any justice at all - if you can make it to Glasgow in time. Future of the Left formed from the ashes of the mighty, mighty McLusky, and their debut album Curses the best British rock album of 2007. Seething with vicious intent and an amazing, wry humour, it also contained some of the best pop hooks ever that you'll never hear any elderly relatives humming along to, as you can experience if you make it to the 2min 45sec mark of this relatively inoffensive little ditty:
Anyway, the price is £7 , the time is 8pm and the venue is Stereo, quite possibly the best venue of its size in the city at the moment. Hopefully I'll see some of you there - if not I'll shed a tear in silence while my ear drums are tormented in the most tremendous of fashions - in the meantime here's some compelling evidence to secure your attendance:
PS Is there a petition to stop Channel 4 showing new Shameless? It sullies the first couple of series so, so much...
In the meantime, here's a little recommendation for Wednesday April 9 - which in all honesty is too short to do the band involved any justice at all - if you can make it to Glasgow in time. Future of the Left formed from the ashes of the mighty, mighty McLusky, and their debut album Curses the best British rock album of 2007. Seething with vicious intent and an amazing, wry humour, it also contained some of the best pop hooks ever that you'll never hear any elderly relatives humming along to, as you can experience if you make it to the 2min 45sec mark of this relatively inoffensive little ditty:
Anyway, the price is £7 , the time is 8pm and the venue is Stereo, quite possibly the best venue of its size in the city at the moment. Hopefully I'll see some of you there - if not I'll shed a tear in silence while my ear drums are tormented in the most tremendous of fashions - in the meantime here's some compelling evidence to secure your attendance:
PS Is there a petition to stop Channel 4 showing new Shameless? It sullies the first couple of series so, so much...
Friday, 4 April 2008
Getting something for nothing
Unlike that recent 'sperm for festival tickets' fiasco, which turned out to be nothing more than a highly successful PR stunt, the Winning Sperm Party website actually follows through on its promise of offering free downloadable tracks from some of Scotland's best new bands.
Today's latest offering is the Dirty Summer EP, a blissful lo-fi clatter of buzzing synths and other unhinged instrumentation, their strangled yelps over the top of Friday Night At The JJB certainly compelling (if not a little scary when listened to with all the lights off in your flat). It'd be highly worth recommending as a paid-for release, so given that you pay nothing you really have no excuse at all not to visit the site and get your pretty little digital hands on it:
http://winningspermparty.com/dirtysummer/
Oh, and while there you should also get the Shibboleth single by rock demonoids Dead or American, who were rather fantastic at Bloc in Glasgow last Friday. You won't regret it, and even if you do, you already have your money back.
Today's latest offering is the Dirty Summer EP, a blissful lo-fi clatter of buzzing synths and other unhinged instrumentation, their strangled yelps over the top of Friday Night At The JJB certainly compelling (if not a little scary when listened to with all the lights off in your flat). It'd be highly worth recommending as a paid-for release, so given that you pay nothing you really have no excuse at all not to visit the site and get your pretty little digital hands on it:
http://winningspermparty.com/dirtysummer/
Oh, and while there you should also get the Shibboleth single by rock demonoids Dead or American, who were rather fantastic at Bloc in Glasgow last Friday. You won't regret it, and even if you do, you already have your money back.
Thursday, 3 April 2008
Connect line-up starts to trickle in...
After the twin headlining wonders of Bjork and Beastie Boys last year - Primal Scream were squeezed inbetween at the three-day event, but I was too ensconsed within my own personal festival madness then to notice - it was hard to see whether Connect could follow up with an equalling compelling reason to attend in 2008. Today's initial announcement isn't quite as mouthwatering yet, but there's still some intriguing acts already confirmed.
Sigur Ros alone are a very, very good reason for going along, their sweeping, epic magnificence ideally suited for the scenic surroundings of Inveraray, and their performance will likely be something of wonder, as anyone who saw them at the Academy on their last visit to Scotland will attest. The return of adopted Scottish sons Franz Ferdinand should receive a suitably unhinged reception; their upcoming third album may have by then provided a storming comeback, but even if not they have enough singalongs to thrive on the main stage.
The mere mention of Kasabian's name makes me want to throw myself out of the nearest window on to a bed of foot-long spikes, the pain providing blissful relief from the continued existence on Earth, though I'm sure some people will welcome them with slightly more positivity. Their presence is perhaps a sign that things are going a bit more mainstream after the apparently disappointing ticket sales for Connect last year, with Paolo Nutini, Duffy and Manic Street Preachers also acts dragging themselves along who are likely to attract a wider audience.
Elsewhere, Nick Cave shall be stalking the stage with Grinderman, sleazy rock'n'roll greatness seaping out of his very soul, and there's some fandabadozy female representation through Sia, Amy MacDonald, The Breeders and The Gossip, with Beth Ditto always an enthralling and wonderful spectacle even when the group's blues-tinged racket drags slightly. The return of the Club Noir and Vegas nights is welcome, their shows providing blissful post-headliner relief at Connect's debut outing, providing continued partying into the early hours without having to constantly trip over sleeping camper's tents as you stumble around the site. Other acts include:
Coral, The Levellers, The Roots, Elbow, Mercury Rev, Spiritualized, and Camera Obscura
So far it's not a stellar line-up, but there are enough indications that the festival will be well worth going along to once more acts are added to the bill, and I'll definitely be there - what an enticement, I know - just to catch some of this live:
Sigur Ros alone are a very, very good reason for going along, their sweeping, epic magnificence ideally suited for the scenic surroundings of Inveraray, and their performance will likely be something of wonder, as anyone who saw them at the Academy on their last visit to Scotland will attest. The return of adopted Scottish sons Franz Ferdinand should receive a suitably unhinged reception; their upcoming third album may have by then provided a storming comeback, but even if not they have enough singalongs to thrive on the main stage.
The mere mention of Kasabian's name makes me want to throw myself out of the nearest window on to a bed of foot-long spikes, the pain providing blissful relief from the continued existence on Earth, though I'm sure some people will welcome them with slightly more positivity. Their presence is perhaps a sign that things are going a bit more mainstream after the apparently disappointing ticket sales for Connect last year, with Paolo Nutini, Duffy and Manic Street Preachers also acts dragging themselves along who are likely to attract a wider audience.
Elsewhere, Nick Cave shall be stalking the stage with Grinderman, sleazy rock'n'roll greatness seaping out of his very soul, and there's some fandabadozy female representation through Sia, Amy MacDonald, The Breeders and The Gossip, with Beth Ditto always an enthralling and wonderful spectacle even when the group's blues-tinged racket drags slightly. The return of the Club Noir and Vegas nights is welcome, their shows providing blissful post-headliner relief at Connect's debut outing, providing continued partying into the early hours without having to constantly trip over sleeping camper's tents as you stumble around the site. Other acts include:
Coral, The Levellers, The Roots, Elbow, Mercury Rev, Spiritualized, and Camera Obscura
So far it's not a stellar line-up, but there are enough indications that the festival will be well worth going along to once more acts are added to the bill, and I'll definitely be there - what an enticement, I know - just to catch some of this live:
Weekend choice - April 3
Holy Fuck
Sat Apr 5, 7.30pm, Stereo, 20-28 Renfield Lane, Glasgow, £7, 0141 222 2254
Forget the attention-grabbing appellation, once you’ve actually heard Holy Fuck you’ll discover their name is quite possibly the least interesting thing about them. An awesome electronics-focused improvisational outfit, the Toronto experimentalists build up their instrumental numbers with wondrous ease, a delirious dance-infused momentum somehow hewn from alt-indie sensibilities and an ethereal post-rock otherness. Goodness, they even became Lou Reed’s favourite new band after a peerless performance at this year’s SXSW, when it was generally assumed that he didn’t like anything any more.
DeVotchKa
Sun Apr 6, 8.30pm, King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, 272a St Vincent Street Glasgow, £8.50, 08444 999 990
Originally a backing band for burlesque shows, DeVotchKa have managed to keep things just as colourful while branching out on their own. The Denver quartet's alt-indie sound is infused with Romani, Bolero and Mariachi influences, to name just a few. This rich mix is all the more delectable thanks to a devilish drive which helps them temper accessible gypsy-punk stylings akin to Gogol Bordello with a more subtle swing reminiscent of A Hawk and a Hacksaw.
Already reputed for their soundtrack to Little Miss Sunshine, DeVotchKa's future success may not be a done deal, but their chances are certainly bright.
(Appeared in The Herald on April 3, 2008)
Sat Apr 5, 7.30pm, Stereo, 20-28 Renfield Lane, Glasgow, £7, 0141 222 2254
Forget the attention-grabbing appellation, once you’ve actually heard Holy Fuck you’ll discover their name is quite possibly the least interesting thing about them. An awesome electronics-focused improvisational outfit, the Toronto experimentalists build up their instrumental numbers with wondrous ease, a delirious dance-infused momentum somehow hewn from alt-indie sensibilities and an ethereal post-rock otherness. Goodness, they even became Lou Reed’s favourite new band after a peerless performance at this year’s SXSW, when it was generally assumed that he didn’t like anything any more.
DeVotchKa
Sun Apr 6, 8.30pm, King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, 272a St Vincent Street Glasgow, £8.50, 08444 999 990
Originally a backing band for burlesque shows, DeVotchKa have managed to keep things just as colourful while branching out on their own. The Denver quartet's alt-indie sound is infused with Romani, Bolero and Mariachi influences, to name just a few. This rich mix is all the more delectable thanks to a devilish drive which helps them temper accessible gypsy-punk stylings akin to Gogol Bordello with a more subtle swing reminiscent of A Hawk and a Hacksaw.
Already reputed for their soundtrack to Little Miss Sunshine, DeVotchKa's future success may not be a done deal, but their chances are certainly bright.
(Appeared in The Herald on April 3, 2008)
Wednesday, 2 April 2008
The rather wonderful Bon Iver...
Um, my words will add little, so just savour this and then go buy his album:
News exclusive: Michael MacLennan remixes Radiohead
The idea of me remixing Radiohead may have made a good April Fools joke, but the time has long since passed for such tomfoolery (oh, by a good half a day at least, until 2009 comes calling). So the facts are these: just over an hour ago I received an email from Radiohead’s website that went something like this (well, exactly like this actually, since I’ve lazily copied and pasted it):
To celebrate this week's single release (we still have those in
For those of you who enjoy this sort of thing, you can buy the separate components or 'stems' (bass, voice, guitar, strings/FX and drums) and remix your own version of the song. You can do this by adding your own beats and instrumentation or just remixing the original parts. More information here: http://www.radioheadremix.com/information/
You can buy the stems here: http://www.radioheadremix.com/buy/
You can upload your finished mixes here http://www.radioheadremix.com and be judged and even voted on by 'the public'.
You can also create a widget allowing votes from your own website, Facebook or MySpace page to be sent through too.
Hope you enjoy it
For those of you who aren't that way inclined, Nude is also available in its entirety on CD and 7 inch (
The indie-rock demigods aren’t the first band, nor even the first global goliaths, to do such a thing. Nine Inch Nails are nowadays renowned for allowing fans to take the constituent components of many of their songs and go as wild as their feverous imaginations will allow, and I can’t even begin to describe the regret experienced when I realised far too late on that there had been a chance to massacre my favourite Peter Gabriel track Shock the Monkey, all for the chance to win a SSL Duende (I’m not entirely sure what that is, but it sure sounds impressive enough to have bragged to friends about were I to have been victorious).
However, is there really much point in presenting these possibilities? (Apart from a most-likely lucrative link-up with iTunes...) It seems a bit like Da Vinci creating the Mona Lisa, then providing a cut-out-and-paste pack of the different body parts to newsagents around the country so the general populace could try and improve upon his mesmeric masterpiece. Do there really need to be any alternate takes, doesn’t it indicate a lack of belief in the original copy by the artist(s) involved?
However, music is probably a little more open to interpretation than other art-forms; 2006’s dancefloor anthem We Are Your Friends came about as a result of Justice entering an open contest to remix Simian’s song, their rendering so vastly superior that it seemed an entirely natural result. Also, a slew of cover versions have shown that even when a track can barely be improved upon, someone else’s sensibilities can provide new meanings and/or musical moments that may in many instances be preferable.
Things seems a little more difficult in this instance though, given my stunning lack of talent combined with the small fact that I regard Nude to be one of Radiohead’s finest-ever tracks. Should I even bother paying for the track’s ‘stems’ in the first place when it shall most likely be an entirely pointless endeavour?
Actually, that should just embolden me; if it’s in human nature to be destructive, then once it all goes horribly wrong at least I can take great pleasure in applying some synthesised didgeridoo, blackboard scrapes and belligerent belches, subsequently ruining the song for anyone else unfortunate enough to hear my maniacal butchery. Beats drawing a pencil moustache on the flawless model adorning a nearby magazine cover, or knocking over a poor kid’s sandcastle once summer arrives, in terms of energy expended if nothing else. Plus it keeps me safe off the streets.
Track of the week: Super Adventure Club - ‘Built-in Redundancy’
Performing at Bloc on Saturday, Super Adventure Club were quite simply one of the most exciting and intriguing Scottish bands I’ve seen in ages. (Which admittedly shouldn’t be too hard when I mostly work night-shifts and can’t actually attend many shows, but still.) The idiosyncratic Edinburgh outfit superglue such disparate influences as Pavement, Frank Zappa and The Paper Chase together with ease, while apparently having so much fun the main post-gig regret I had was that I couldn’t be in the band myself. (Hopefully I can ruin their recorded achievements with a rubbish remix soon.)
Built-in Redundancy is a more laidback track than some of their other riff-heavy numbers, blessed with a breezy and welcome laziness that’s reminiscent of Stephen Malkmus, and replete with a slinky guitar solo that unexpectedly peppers the end of the track, provding a welcome indicator of their boisterous unpredictability. With worrying rumours of them moving to foreign climes in the near future, best catch them while you can.
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