Gigs.

Yep I’ll be at the Craufurd for dread zone….again. The Craufurd have a little festival on next month which should be good (was last year)

Well my 14 year old daughter has managed to get tickets to Blur performing their new album at Hammersmith next week so I have been press-ganged into taking her.

Will be my first gig as a punter in about ten years, but only her second ‘big’ one so will try and feed off her energy and enjoy the experience with her.

Mildly hungover following a pretty special night last night – Thurston Moore with his band (including Debbie from My Bloody Valentine) played at Mono in Glasgow, a cafe with a record shop. Utterly brilliant, even went and had a chat with him after, lovely guy. The 17 year old me would not have known what to make of that!

I went to the first night of Tramlines, before the big washout. My first time at this festival, it was a bit of an odd one – most people didn’t seem at all interested in the music. Lots of groups of young kids and older folks having a catch up with mates – no problem with that but shut up waffling during the bands ffs! There was a weird 1 hour break on most stages before the headliners, which seemed unnecessary. At least I only had to endure the partial mudfest, unlike Sunday. On the music side Sea Girls, Circa Waves and Bloc Party were great and I saw Ashcroft doing Lucky Man and Bittersweet Symphony.

Can’t wait to get home tonight and get a report from my daughter. She’s been at Truck Festival, her first proper festival type event (went to one big country house day gig last summer but this time had the camping, etc.)

She’s seen a ton of bands, it’s rained and got filthy muddy, she’s been up all hours in random dance tents, she’s eaten and drunk all kinds of crap from the various stands, I’m so jealous.

You’re not 19 forever…….

I haven’t got anything planned now until the end of the year 🙁 as all my local small venues don’t have anything that really excites me (or the ticket price is too steep – £50 for The Streets WTF)!

Trying to convince my mates to go to see Spear of Destiny but I’m the only real fan and that’s not until November anyway.

£50 for The Streets WTF

A Grand Don’t Get You Much Nowadays

Bombay Bicycle Club at the new Brudenell Project venue in leeds last night.

Fun gig, good atmosphere, the band looked like they were really enjoying it and the crowd’s reaction to them.

The last song was ruined a bit by the tone-deaf c*** behind me bellowing it out. I don’t mind a bit of singing along, I’m partial to a gentle a sing-along-warble myself, but christ on a bike he was loud and out of tune

Got to love a gig where the band bring a three-piece brass section on tour with them

just back from seeing Ferocious Dog at lincoln drill hall.  better than i was expecting, loved the celtic punk type vibe, violinist was spot on, although they all were tbh.  apparently they were last here supporting levellers, but to me they were far better than them.  (he says, not having seen the levellers but was underwhelmed by NMA not so long back.)

i know id rather see FD again than either NMA or levellers given the choice.  first date of the tour so if you get the chance go see them.

Jungle in Kingston, Pryzm. Yeah right now, 6pm early outstore show. Saw them here in lockdown and there was about 30 people in the crowd. .. not this time, it’s packed and sweaty. Should be fun. Better be, took me an hour to get here.

Clipping in London on Tuesday. Waited 12 years to see them, now 3 times in 10 months 😁

If anyone has seen or heard Personal Trainer, their tour van was ransacked last night and 20K worth of gear stolen. Some of the kit is of course irreplaceable, guitars that they’ve had a long time, etc, but with no gear they can’t even play. There’s a Gofundme, worth the price of a ticket if you can.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-personal-trainer-after-stolen-equipment

just back from seeing Ferocious Dog at lincoln drill hall.

I know the ferocious dog lot – they’re from our  ex-mining town. I know Kenny well.

They’ve done very well and kept their integrity.

That gig yesterday evening was the hottest one I can remember. I was wringing my shirt out by the end of it! Had to leave the dance floor before the encore and watch from the back. Jungle, indeed!

Clipping. chapter 3 last night. In that there London Town, not somewhere I usually bother with, but it was great. Nice venue, but too full of Londoners and oh man the 2nd support was some kind of metal shit, death or black or whatever, absolutely boring crap, the same as every other metal with that grunty  (ooh don’t I sound like a scary monster) vocals… couldn’t get away cos the venue has speakers and TVs everywhere 😂 Never experienced that stuff live before and it’s even more boring in the flesh !

Anyway, Clipping were amazing, I had an hour train journey soaked with sweat after, which was nice. Few weeks before the next gig, need the rest!

Bring me the Hearts for me this evening 🙂

Random Roddie Woomble from Idlewild solo show tomorrow- been an Idlewild fan forever but was never that into the folkier “happy REM” side of it, so I’m not sure if it’s really for me so we’re doubling up with a random circus show. And the bar has loads of gluten free beer for me, so it’s all a recipe for success and definitely not riding on saturday.

Northwind
Full Member
Random Roddie Woomble from Idlewild solo show tomorrow

I’d love that! Enjoy 🙂

<p>M.Ward at The Bush Hall in October</p>

I’m off to see Leftfield at Kentish Town Forum in December with a couple of mates. Middle aged men behaving badly if previous nights out are anything to go by.

EOTR

Our 4th one and I think the best so far. Way too many good acts to list. My highlight was Friday evening of Kokoko -> Angel Olsen -> Panda Bear / Sonic Boom.

Quality was increased by making a decision to not drink myself silly until at least 6pm, and for the first time in 30 years of festivals, having an actual shower! I know!

Nice few coming for Oct/Nov now
October – The Umlauts and The Kills
Nov – Mandy Indiana, Declan Welsh (who he?) and Bob Vylan

Ferocious Dog acoustic 3 piece in Acapela Studios, near Cardiff last night. They were excellent. I’ve seen them twice now and they were great both times. Acapela is a lovely little place, with loads of character but, wow, it is really uncomfortable, with compromised views unless you get there really early. I watched the band from behind, almost, on the balcony.  If I had leaned over far enough then I could have helped the band with instrument changes. 😀

They played for an hour, then a 15 minute break where they just chatted to the audience, and then another 70 minutes or so. Ken Bonsall, the singer, stood by the exit and seemed intent on talking to every single person in the gig. I’ve told my girls time and time again, when they discuss extortionate amounts for Taylor Swift meet and greet tickets, come to my gigs and you’ll be forced to speak to the band.

A great night and a lovely band.

Got to see Amyl and the Sniffers in Edinburgh a few weeks back.  WHAT A GIG!  3rd, and best, time I’ve seen them so far.

Just seen Oxbow. Phenomenal. They surf the line between fluidity and hard precision like no other band.

Got the Reytons at Sheffield Arena end of Sept

Embrace at Sheffield Academy in Nov

The Twang at Leadmill end of Nov

The Dead South at Rock City early December

Deacon Blue this weekend in Liverpool, proper reminiscing cheese fest! Been playing a lot of the back catalogue all week.

End of the month it’s Muse in Manchester. Also really looking forward to that.

Not sure whether to admit to this (we may have covered before) but tribute bands?

At a loose end this Friday just gone, and as it was £11 and just up the road from me I went to see ‘The Joneses’ – another Smiths tribute band / not The Smyths.

I didn’t have high aspirations, but had a fab time. Of course you suspend disbelief a bit, especially as Mozza is now a top bellend – am I supposed to hold fake-Mozza responsible for the sins of his genuine? And it wasn’t a full tribute, the rest of the band were not born when these songs were written and hadn’t gone down the fake Johnny Marr route, etc. The voice wasn’t bad – did a passable version – but of course the songs are timeless and when played well to an audience that was only there because of the idolisation of the band, of course it was a singalong start to finish.

Hand your sneering and prejudice in at the door and just go along for the ride. There really is a light that never goes out.

(only complaint of course is that it was hot as hell, in a little venue, and despite intaking planty of fluid (!!) I woke up Saturday feeling rough as hell and it lasted all day and into Sunday)

Next on my list are:

Ukrainians in Brighton

Wheatus in Guildford

Bug Club in Reading

Pale Blue Eyes in Oxford

(and if anyone, anywhere has a spare or unwanted ticket for CATQ in Kingston / Pryzm, I have a large sum of money to swap for it)

Muse were epic last night.

Missed the Vanilla Ice gig.

I’ll just have to settle for Ice Cube😊😊😊

Pigsx7 last night: a superb wall of noise!

Reytons last night. What a gig.

Supported by Declan Welsh and the Decadent West and also the K’s – both worthy support acts.

Unsigned band selling out a 30k Arena, brilliant

Also at Pigsx7 last night, took my lad. It was a cracking gig, proper noisy and fun. His first ‘proper’ gig, and he loved it.

I don’t always get on with the Ritz, but the sound was good last night. Great atmosphere too.

Not a live gig but went to see Talking Heads “ Stop making sense” remastered 4k on the big screen yesterday…Still fantastic.

lso at Pigsx7 last night, took my lad. It was a cracking gig, proper noisy and fun. His first ‘proper’ gig, and he loved it.

I don’t always get on with the Ritz, but the sound was good last night. Great atmosphere too.

Great intro to a gig for your boy. Pigs were great weren’t they? Can’t wait to take my lad to a gig. He’s dying to see the Mysterines but only 10 so difficult to find many venues that will have him.

If you saw two pissed men at the end, jabbering on at the lead singer at the Merch stand it was me and my BiL. Mat Baty was great!

Popped up a couple of hours ago on my Facebook feed, so off to see Courting just now. My daughter and her boyfriend said they were great at Truck Fest, will report back later.

Well my 14 year old daughter has managed to get tickets to Blur performing their new album at Hammersmith next week so I have been press-ganged into taking her.

Will be my first gig as a punter in about ten years, but only her second ‘big’ one so will try and feed off her energy and enjoy the experience with her.

I saw Blur at the IoW Festival a few years ago, never had an opportunity to see them before, and they were outstanding, just superb. Damon just didn’t stop moving, he was stood on the crowd barrier at one point, about an arm’s length from me, with a security bloke holding onto his belt to stop Damon going into the crowd. So many great songs, Phil Daniels came on to do ‘Park Life’, and to get to see one of the great British bands at 14, and only her second big gig, wow, she’s so very lucky. Enjoy it yourself as well, they put everything into their shows.

Myself, I’ve got a gig on Tuesday in Bristol, at Strange Brew, a venue that’s new to me, to see Kristin Hersh. Looking forward to it, last time I saw her was at The Fleece, and it was like seeing three bands, Kristin solo, Throwing Muses and 50 Foot Wave, as she has members of TM and 50FW touring with her.

Also got Jesca Hoop coming up in three weeks or so as well, at Bristol Folk House, which is a nice intimate venue.

Courting, recommended. Great fun.

Edge of the Wedge tomorrow and that’s tour done

Good to hear Pigs x7 was a good gig. I’ve got them in a couple of weeks time at a little venue in Notts. Looking forward to it.

Muse were epic last night.

I am not permitted to talk about Muse in hearing of Sandwich Jr. Me and the daughter saw them at V in the noughties “while they were still good” (his words, The Absolution Tour). It can cause some tension if we refer to seeing them at V some 20-ish years later!

first gigs in ages coming in November.

Gothminister, havent seen them for about 18 or 19 years when they played WGT in Leipzig

Sister of Mercy, though may end up not, unsure yet. again, not seen them for 18 years. last time was barrowlands, this time barrowlands, last time they were utter rubbish. However the times I’ve seen them before, they were great. This time, I’m hoping that following on from not being about for an age has inspired them to actually care about playing ‘music’ rather than experimental electro jazz in fog.

The Almighty (All f’kn mighty). At the barrowlands i glasgow. That is going to be some gig. Not seen them for a very long time. not actually sure if I’ve seen them at all, or if it was just ricky warwick.

Sandwich Jr. Me and the daughter saw them at V in the noughties “while they were still good”

I’ve only ever seen Muse on the showbiz tour in newcastle union, back when they were properly good 😉 and they were, very.