Philly phinally

Well I finally took my Philadelphia poster to be framed. I took it to the same place that did the "final show" poster. Again I'm really pleased with it, and they have made a very good job on it. It is now hanging next to my Portland poster they look good together.

The people in the framing place are now intrigued as to who this band is that I keep bringing posters and autographs in to be framed. I got the "who are they again ?" and "are they any good" this time. Duh!!

Vile Vile Creatures

Star & Garter, Manchester, 19/1/07.

Went up to Manchester Friday to catch up with and see the "creatures" (he!)
I met Jenny and Sian at the Gossip gig last Nov. It turned out I had a photo of Jenny on my phone from the Erase Errata gig in Leeds last year. She was the lucky girl who got handed Jenny Hoyston's guitar during the encore.
They have their own band called Vile Vile Creatures, and I promised to go and see them when the chance arose. This is the result of said chance.

I decided not to stay overnight and to catch the last train home. The last train being at 11:20 and the venue, the Star & Garter is right by Piccadilly station. Got to the venue at about 20:40 or so, there were not many people about though. I spotted Jenny and David milling about. Jen comes over and says hi and that they'll be starting soon (the stage is upstairs by the way). There are three bands playing Fake Tan, VVC and a band from Brighton called Shrag. Fake Tan were on first, I'll put their review last by their pic (can't be arsed editing).
VVC came on, Jen on guitar Sian on bass and David on drums. They play good loud punkish material with a good off kilter beat. A major plus here is that they really enjoy playing their music, are enthusiastic and energetic. Jen leaps about the stage almost "Carrie-esqe". David is an excellent drummer and plays some good off-kilter rhythms, and works his ass off. It works, Jen and David are the eccentrics and Sian is the one who holds the whole thing together, which is right. They played a Cave (Birthday Party) cover and Jen turned into Nick Cave singing sideways into the mic, great stuff. At one stage Jenny picks up a megaphone, plays her guitar with it then leapt off stage onto the floor singing thru the megaphone. In all I really enjoyed them entertaining stuff. Thanks people.

Fake Tan, the first band on. They were ok, the main thing here was the lead singer/guitarist was far more confident as a singer than a guitarist. The bass player was excellent she really held the band together, her fretwork was superb almost played the bass as lead at times. Think Brace in a yellow jump suit, perhaps not.

Unfortunately I had to leave to get the train before Shrag came on but in all a good night. I said my goodbyes to David and Sian (couldn't find Jenny) and left.

Oh! one thing, Sian the S-K sticker on the back of your bass guitar? shame on you. Everyone in the world knows it should be on the front.

Wind

Last Thursday saw some of the strongest winds to ever hit the UK, certainly in my memory. Everyone you talked to had some form of disaster or close call. Cars being hit by flying debris, some serious enough to cause fatalities. Every shed in every garden is now without a roof, some full properties too.

I had to get off the bus halfway into town as the trafic was at a standstill for 20/30 mins due to debris flying across roads. It meant I had to walk accross the Grosvenor bridge The wind was that strong I was realy scared of being swept up and over the edge. People were holding on to each other to create a heavier mass and avoid disaster.

Fully grown trees were being uprooted from their age old settlements.

Oh and it's been snowing in Portland.

//sleater-kinney.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3163

Real Crazy Apartment

Telfords Warehouse, Chester 13/1/07.


Been getting withdrawal symptoms, I haven't been to a gig for 4 weeks. I decided to go and check out a local band playing at Telfords (probably the only music venue in Chester).
Real Crazy Apartment, a five piece, standard 2 guitarists one more rhythm one more effects. Drums, bass and vocalist. They played fairly standard indie rock stuff, difficult for me here as I don't know any of their material. The plus sides being they play all their own material. I didn't notice any covers, apart from the encore "Tin Soldier". As a band they were pretty tight and the sound was good. I've seen so many bands down the years that have a bad mix and play incoherently. They all seemed comfortable with their instruments. The bass player can play, the two guitarists are good without being flashy. I hate flashy guitarists who are more show than substance. The singer again has a confidence without being overbearing. The downside the drummer, someone show this guy a vid of Bonham, Moon or Wiess (yes I've seen them all live). It's not that he was technically poor he was there for ride. Could have filled the sound so much more, well that's my opinion anyway.

As a footnote my major gripe for the evening was the friggin' DJ. Ok this is just me but I had to put up with an hour of music the most recent of which was "Planet Clare" by the 52's (one of my fave songs actually) He also played "Move on up" by Curtis Mayfield again one of my favorite songs of all time. BUT THIS IS 2007, PLAY SOMETHING UP-TO-DATE. IF PEOPLE WANT TO DANCE PLAY SOME "GOSSIP" OR "YOU SAY PARTY WE SAY DIE" EVEN "CSS", FOR GODS SAKE. Ok rant over.

Deep mid winter!!

Being an "off work" Sunday I did my usual walk into town. Set my mp3 to a good volume and "shuffle play all". Scarf and jacket and hat at the ready I strode off.

Well talk about global warming. This is Chester, mid January in the middle of winter. I took my jacket off 10 min's into the journey it was that warm. It was an unbelievably beautifull day, too nice if the truth be known. This is supposed to be mid winter, cold ,frosty, dark , dank. At least a bit windy and wet but no cracking the slabs as we say.

I decided to take a few photos while out and about. The top shot is of Eastgate St and the "Clock". Chester tourist board say it is the most photographed clock in the UK (apart from the big one down sarf!). Then we have Chester racecourse, the oldest racecourse in the UK (true). The wall you see is the Roman wall that surrounds the city center.

During my walk into and around town I logged the tunes I got from my shuffle.
Lounge (closing time) - Modest Mouse
W&G - S-K
Money Matters - Rogers Sisters
Magnetic strip - Controller Controller
Gunshot revelry - Keith
Carnival wig - Throwing Muses
Memorize the city - The Organ
Rollercoaster - S-K
Flipside - Kristin Hersh
My son spells backwards - The Victorian English Gentleman's Club
We gathered in spring - Midlake
Gone - Pearl Jam
Beyond the sky - Quasi.

2007 and Happy new year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

After the retrospective look at last year (possibly the best of my life) lets look forward to the coming one.
Fact is 2006 is gonna be a hard act to follow. Some good signs already though. Kristin's tour in March. Doin' 3 nights in a row Sheff'd, Manch'r & Glasgow. Seeing the Long Blondes and the Noisettes for the first time at the end of Jan/early Feb. Jan 22nd sees the release of the new Shins, Deerhoof, albums plus a new British band The View. 29th is K day "Learn to sing like a star" is out. Two Blood Red Shoes gigs (Man/Liv) plus the Gossip on the bigger stage in Manchester. Oh! and Thea Gilmore in Chester. Yes Chester!!!

Travel wise I have no firm plans as yet (holding out for that one off reunion gig in Portland).
Top of the list so far are a long weekend in Stockholm (I've been there b4 but not the "tourist" bit). Lisbon again I've been to Portugal but not its capital. Also Lebanon, now this is the tricky one. I've done my research over the last few years and when it was looking safe enough, the shit hits the fan and it looks dodgy again. We'll have a look though, I'd prefer to die trying.

Beyond that I can't expect '07 to be as good as last year. So if I set my expectations to normal level and go with the flow of life, we'll be ok. Fact is who could have predicted the events of 2006? Through May/June the year was just going ok then Bham!! Sorry, this is supposed to look forward.
So this is the year that sees the Pigeon Detectives be the new Arctic Monkeys also Little Man Tate, they'll do well. The Xerox Teens too. You heard it here first folks!! Ooo I forgot new Mary Timony material in May. Also new Modest Mouse (including Johnny Marr apparently) and hopefully Laura Veirs, new Deerhoof (on order) Shins (on order) and of course LTSLAS Kristin's new album. I'm nervous about this I want it to be so good, but then she's never let me down.
And lets hope I don't become a gibbering wreck when I meet Kristin for the first time (hopefully).