Ruths 50th Birthday.

Saturday 25/11/06.
Got off the bus in Rossett at about 20:15 ish and had to walk about 3/4 mile down a country lane in the pitch black, which was fun! Anyway got to Broadoak about 20:30 just as proceedings were starting. I was greeted by Natalie (my niece) who shoved a bottle of beer in my hand, then ushered me briskly into the marquee in the garden. The evening was a performance of poetry, monologues and music curated by and staring Nathan (my nephew). Also involved were some of Naths friends and fellow performers from Liverpol. It was realy entertaining I've never seen Nath perform before. He admited later he was realy nervous performing for his mum and family, great though.

After the show it was back into the house, finish off the buffet (mostly prepared by Natalie). Drink and socialise. The majority of people attending were, apart from family, old friends of my sister and brother in law (Pete). People kept coming up to me saying "Oh my god Tim, how are you?" I'm there thinking "who the f**k are you?". The fact is I haven't seen any of these people for more years than I care to remember. It was a case too of "you look differant than the last time I saw you" . Yes ok I've lost alot of weight blah! blah! blah! Interesting to see these people again though. (Nath & Ruth)

As the evening progressed (into morning) one of the rooms became the sing along room with the accoustic being handed round and songs sung ect. It was lovely warm atmosphere and good fun. As the morning went on people drifted off I dont think we made too much noise for the people who just crashed. I think it was about 8 - 9 am by the time I crahsed on the couch. A thank you goes out to Ruth, Pete, Nath and Nat and friends for a lovely evening. Lets face it kids this was just a practice run for 4 weeks time. My mothers 85th birthday on 25/12/06.

Band research problem.

(this years purchases, so far!)

So here's the thing, I have about 4/5 pages of A4 covered in band names. I just write them down when either I've heard a track on the radio or been recomended by some source. Picked up on the name through a review or by reading the varying on-line comunities I visit. Fact is there are bloody rucks of 'em. I struggle to get to listen/check them out, I need a system and more time than is humanly possible. My latest attempt features three highlighters,
Listened To (blue)
Downloaded (green)
"Must buy" (orange)
If I open "myspace music" + Amazon + A certain file shareing site I find I can get thru and form some sort of oppinion fairly quickly. The problem is then I end up with a list of too many records to buy than is possible.
Ah well!

Kristin in London

I've just got news (well last night actually) that K is going to play a gig in London on Jan 11th, a Thursday. She'll be playing with Rob and Bernie (from 50ft Wave) and the McCarricks (cello and violin) in an accoustic set promoting the new solo album. This is a problem I don't think I can get the time to get to this show. It is billed as a "one off" in a small venue, so limited tickets. Damn! I will make every effort to get there, but realistically I'll struggle. Some people on K's board are saying it'll be followed by a full tour in Feb/March, which does make sense, but will she have Rob and Bernie with her?. I'm going to have to keep a close ear to the ground on this in the next month, and decide from there.

Update on this, I'm f**kin' pi**ed off. No news of tickets on Throwing Music or warning from K's mailing list. Then I discover tickets went onsale 24/11. Now all sold out. This has realy pi**ed me off . Why do I bother being on the mailing list or even visit Throwing music every day. Where was the info published ? her record label 4AD.

Rogers Sisters, 1990's and CSS.

Liverpool, 15/11/06

Left Manchester after a great night, strolled into Picadilly at about 11am. There was a train at 11:07 to Liverpool, some people who know me will laugh at this. I am a "lucky traveller". So off I go. Get to L'pool about 12ish and book into my hotel. There are a couple of things I want to do in town. Check the location of the Korova club (I haven't been there before) and check if I remember where the French restaurant I ate in the time before last is. I also keep an eye out to see if anything comes to mind to get Ruth for her 50th birthday next week (this week now). I have an afternoon wandering round find the venue, go straight to the restaurant, what a great memory. Anyway about 6:30 - 6:45 I decide to go and eat. Another good meal, when I order a coffee at the end I ask the poor French girl for a double espresso with a little white milk on the side. White milk? I joked that I don't like purple milk. The poor girl had no idea what I was on about. I set off and get to the Korova about 8:25.

The Korova is a small club with the stage area in the basement. When I get there they aren't letting people down yet and are gonna open the area at about 9:30. I stay upstairs and have a couple of beers. A queue starts to form at the door about 9:30 so I join and wait, then the bloody fire alarm goes off. We are all ushered outside, where it's raining, and wait. Fortunately we were only out for about 20-25 mins, then back in line, and in. I buy a couple of beers and go to the front on stage right. Stage? there is no stage, a step to a very small area, I'm already thinking this is the wrong venue for this gig.
Forgive me but I'm going to review the bands the wrong way round here as it was the Rogers I was there to primarily see.

CSS.
By the time CSS took the "stage" the place was packed and crammed right to the front. The band couldn't even get on, security had to litterally carve an entrance for them. They are a 5 piece Brazillian band 4 girls and 1 guy. The area was just too small for a five piece band, the crowd was very lively and with there being no barrier people kept falling into the stage. It was pretty chaotic. Eventually security had to move themselves to the front, crouch down and create a barrier. In all this spoilt it a bit they were good to listen too and had some good energy but I'm sure given a larger area to work in, they would be very enjoyable.

1990's

I'll admit I didn't know much about these going to this show. They are a three piece Scotish band playing pop/rock. Best point of ref I can give would be Franz I suppose. The bass player who was quite a big chap kept asking if anyone had a spare ciggy. The audience to great hilarity nicknamed him Van Nistilroy, he did had an uncanny resemblance to the Dutch horse though. They were ok, I must get round to checking their stuff out.

The Rogers Sisters.

I got to the front right of the stage on Miyuki side, as he 's the one generally who gives out the most energy. It was good to see them again they played a good, if short, set. Some new stuff was played which sounded good. Miyiki said about the fire alarm, so I said "what is it with you and fire alarms, I remember DC". Jennifer was on good form this night she seemed more focused than NYC, and Miyiki was as energetic as normal, given the space he had. I grabed his setlist after and then realised they played nothing like it, weird!.
I'm looking forward to seeing the same gig in the Academy in Manchester in 3 weeks. A venue far more suitable I think.

As a footnote here. The following day after I left the hotel and was half way down the elevator to the train, I realised I did not have my mp3 player with me. I got back to the hotel asap but It had gone. Wether it was robbed during the night or by the cleaners it's hard to tell, but £200 worth of kit gone. I'm just a bit angry with myself for letting it happen. It's replaceable I know but imagine the shock the scally whose mits it ended up in will get when he turns it on. I bet he's never heard S-K, EE, Gossip, The VEG Club, Kristin, Wave, Giant Drag, Mary Timony, Metric, Midlake, Quasi, Modest Mouse, amongst others. On a positive note I have educated someone into some decent rock'n'nroll. It's always been my mission.

Battle of the longest band names!!

You Say Party We Say Die/ The Victorian English Gentlemans Club.
Manchester - Roadhouse 14/11/06.

Usual routine scuttle from work to catch the train to Manchester. Had to get the latter train this time (6pm) too busy in work. Get there 7 pm book into the Crown & Anchor and just have a couple of relaxing pints. I dont have time to go for a meal so the statergy this time is to go to a Chinese or Indian after the show. Get to the Roadhouse about 8:15 where there's a bit of a queue forming to my surprise, anyway soon get in. I buy a couple of beers and have a chat with a couple of guys by the merch desk who it turned out were from YSPWSD. I tell them I think ther's a lot of good stuff coming from their part of the world at the mo, which they say there always has been but it's promoted better now. Anyway I say see-ya and take up residence stage right (Louise' side). A band comes on stage (I didn't know there was another band playin') and introduce themselves as "the Suns" they play a decent set fairly standard rocky stuff but pretty good (I've just discovered they're actually from Chester, Ha!)

The Veg club come up next Louise is wearing the same dress with the black cross as last time I saw them. They start with Lou standing right in front of me holding her bass above her head while Emma drums the strings stood above her on the boxes at the front of the stage, and launch into "stupid as wood". Which is my fave on the album at the moment.

I enjoyed them more this time because I know the material now, they also play a new song called "pedestrian" which sounded good. At one point Lou and Adem put their guitars together to create some good effects.

I'm realy liking this band now they have different quirky sound and are good to see live. I like the way Lou plays bass and Adems vocal style, Emma is solid (no Janet, but then no one else is). I get the impression even though they're assured on-stage and pleasant to chat too they are still feeling their way into the rock'n'roll life but doing it their way. Good stuff guys keep it goin'.

Next up YSPWSD, by now the place has filled up nicely, enough room for some dancy action and packed enough for a good atmosphere. They take the stage with Becky wearing her trademark eye mask. I recognise the two guys I was talking to before the show as the guitarist and the drummer. They are a realy good upbeat band, Becky is very theatrical on-stage often droping to her knees then up again. She can also go into a sort of ballerina mode where she will emphasise the song more poetically with her hands.

As with TVEGC I recognise the material better this time round (I saw them earlier in the year, not long after the release of their album) So I think I enjoy it more, they too play a couple of new songs which fit into the set well. If you note from the pics they use the same drum kit as the Vic club which was cool.

At the end I head back to the merch table and buy the dual "A" side single on red vynil with a new song by both bands. I get Lou to sign her side and Becky to sign the YSPWSD side.

All in all a realy good night, so I head off and find a Chinese restaurant in China town still serving and end the evening quietly with some good food and a bottle of wine. (I had to get the food ref in Andy, you'd have been disapointed otherwise).

Walking Portland in the rain, two scenarios.

In Kristin Hersh's latest blog entry she talks about wandering round Portland in the rain. Not that she particularly loves the rain, but armed with an umberella she's ok with it. She even makes up excuses to go walking and doesn't mind if she gets lost. That calls for even more walking. The thought of this enduced a couple of wonderfull scenarios in my mind. Imagine if while wandering in Portland K bumps into Corin. Would they say hi and stop for a chat. Well in my mind they would, imagine those two wonderfull voices together. Then a few blocks further on she bumps into Carrie, now that would be a case of "show me yr riffs". I would love to be a fly under K's umberella. There are only two scenarios here the third one is doubtful. Janets far too busy to be wandering Portland in the rain.

(ok, I know Ive put the same post on Myspace, but what the hell)

Spreading even more Gossip

Gossip - Roadhouse, Manchester 4/11/06

Off to see the Gossip for the second time in a week, hoping the Manchester crowd will be a bit more lively. With all the exposeure they've been getting recently you'd have thought there would be a good buz in the audience.

This time I'm staying in the Crow & Anchor a pub just 2 mins walk from the Roadhouse. Dead basic but for £25 you can't complain. I was running a bit late for time so I decide to not go for a meal and just have a sandwich and go after the gig. It's a nice little traditional pub so I decide to have a couple of pints before heading off. Stood at the bar minding my own business enjoying a good pint of Taylors Landlord, in walk a couple of girls who are obviously going to the gig. I'm sure I've seen you before I think to myself, but don't say anything a natural shyness in unfamiliar territory I suppose. They buy their drinks and go and take a seat round the corner. Then another girl walks in too meet the other two, and comes up to the bar. "are you going to the Gossip?" I ask "yes" she replies, after a brief conversation S-K is mentioned. I'm then invited to join them all and am introduced to Jenny and Sian we chat away about Gossip, S-K, then Erase Errata is mentioned, it turns out they too were at the Leeds gig and it was Jenny who during the encore was handed Jennys guitar to play with them onstage. I anounce at this point that I actually have a pic of her on my phone playing (that's where I recognise her from) how weird was that? Anyway we get on realy well and head off to the gig together. When we get in the front row is already taken so I manage to get up behind them on Brace's side this time. They have put those big black boxes in front of the stage which aren't too bad cuz they're a decent height to lean on. The same support acts follow (I'm getting quite used to Comonechi now) By the time the Gossip take the stage the crowd is pretty packed in and it's certain to be lively. Gossip totaly rocked here they seemed to feed of the crowd and us off them. I started center stage and ended up way stage left the crowd was that rockin'. Beth spent most of the show up on the boxes, which realy got us into it. She clasped hands with me again, during "Listen up" this time. Again they finished on a total rock out with SITWOC. In all it was the best I've seen them and with the exception of S-K the best gig I've been to this year.

I shook hands with Brace after the show and told him it was one of the best this year. I didn't hang around for long as I was hungry so I said goodbye to Jenny and Sian and their crew and headed of for some food.

More Gossip

Gossip - Liverpool Academy 29/10/06

Up to Liverpool last Sun to see the Gossip. Got there about 5:30, booked into the hotel and set off to find the Chilean restaurant Tim had recomended. Closed! so across the road was a nice French bistro (are you listening Manchester). The place just right too not too packed but full enough to create a nice dining ambience.

Got to the venue at about 7:40 and collected my venue pick-up ticket. It's the first time I've been to the Academy in Liverpool. A smallish place on two levels the stage (and lower) area on the right and the bar/seating area a good 4ft higher on the left. The main negative thing about it was one of those awfull metal barriers 3ft in front of the stage. Beth made a coment about it calling it BS!!

A couple of warm up acts play first, then a band called Comanechi, who I recognised because they'd supported the Gossip in Manchester earlier in the year. A two piece drum and guitar band ala' Giant Drag.
By the time the Gossip came on the place had filled up but not what I would call packed. I got to the front right of the stage, leaning on the barrier. The Gossip rattled thru a great set(I'm crap at remembering set lists) mostly from SITWOC. The highlight being the title track itself which ended the main set. In all they are a great live band and Beth has a great stage presence. One moan though the guy to my left and the two girls to my right barely moved a muscle throughout. It seems most of the danceing action was by a small group front right.

Off to see 'em again on Sat in Manchester this time, can't wait.