V V C @ The B B C.

The Creatures played their first, and hopefully not last, radio session last Friday. They were asked in by Marc Riley for BBC Radio 6 music. They played three songs on Marcs 7pm show. They opened the show with "Wilderness" which sounded really good. I was surprised how good it came over, but thinking logically they were under the guidance of top notch BBC technicians. After each song they had a chat with Marc and came across as the lovely people they are. They played their new song "Ghosts & Ghouls" I don't think they had titled it when I saw them play it in Levenshulme a few weeks ago. They ended on "Faux Feminism", sounding great as usual. At one point Marc said to Jen "that's the chunkiest guitar we've ever had in this room". Jen just said "ace". I know she would have given a thumbs up sign there , I just know she did.
Notice Sian is wearing her EE shirt, class.

Lonelady.

Saki Bar, Rusholme, Manchester. 18/8/07.


A late decision on Thursday to go and catch up with Lonelady. As I was off for the weekend I thought I'd better do something constructive. I discovered the venue was not too far from the University area, so I booked into the hotel I use for Academy gigs. I travelled up at lunchtime on Sat and booked into the Grafton. I wandered down to source where the place was, and found it easily as it was on the main road. I discovered that the Saki Bar is placed at the start of Manchester's "curry mile" a bewildering array of of Indian/Asian restaurants, one after another after another.



I decided to go up into the city center as I wanted to pop into Piccadilly records and into the Night & Day cafe, to see if Anna was working and say hi!.
I was a good boy in Piccadilly I only bought 2. I went across the road to have a coffee in N & D, unfortunately Anna was not working so I'll have to catch up next time round.

After about an age deliberating where to eat I made the decision to go back to the "curry mile" and eat there. Good move, so how do you pick out of a hundred eateries? the busy one and full of Indians, sorted.

Got to the Saki about 8:30 ish I went up stairs and paid my four quid. There was a band on, well a couple of guys screeching into mikes to a beatbox really, nuff said.
Next up Breaking Colts, again don't bother, largely thrash instrumental.
Lonelady then started setting up. She now has real drummer and a keyboardist. When I saw her with Quasi last year she was literally "Lonelady". She played a short 7 song set, most of it new material too. There were only 2 songs I knew, but the new stuff sounded great. I love her tuning on her telecaster, it complements her voice so well. I liked the way she played side on too. A shout to the drummer who was very good also.
After I went over to introduce myself and have a quick chat. I told her it was a shame she didn't make the Marnie Stern gig. She recognised me from our correspondence. She told me of the nightmare she had in Cardiff, Hmm! that's the last two bands I've seen have had mares in the "Diff" I'll have to have a word with the VEG Club (sorry for the abbreviation Louise).

Album shout! Jets Overhead - Bridges.

Been meaning to post this for a while. I love this album, again nothing new but just a really consistent collection of good songs. Jets Overhead are a Canadian band with I think 5 people. To give a point of ref would be somewhere between Arcade Fire and Midlake. They have AF's big sound on a lot of the songs but then others carry Midlake's sensibility. It is quite a long album 15 songs but I swear there isn't a duff one in there. Again their approach is nothing new, build a song up to bring it down then build again. Classic format but it works if the songs and musicianship are good enough. In my opinion they are.
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Crystal Ballroom, Portland, Oregon. August 12th 2006.

The Sugars.

The Sugars, Liverpool Barfly 3/8/07.

Shot off from work to get the 5:15 train, got to the station to be told train cancelled. The next one was 5:45. Now the next train was jam packed but managed to get a seat and got to Liverpool at 6:30. I checked the venue and had a wander round, strangely I wasn't feeling hungry so didn't bother going for something to eat. I've been feeling full of cold the last week so have been off food sort of.
I got into the Barfly just about 8pm, bought a drink and had a wander round. I went to where the merch desk was and recognised the guy from the Sugars. I said "Hi you're from the Sugars aren't you?" he shook my hand and said "Hi I'm Mat". I asked him how things were going, he

said not too bad but they had a tough night in Cardiff last night. "Nothing good comes out of there". Er, the VEG Club and Los Campesinos I replied, the first two off the top of my head. Anyway he made a bit of arse of himself, probably didn't realise he was speaking to a Welshman.

The support bands were a shite cover type band (mostly) and then a band called Heartstring who were ----.

When the Sugars came on there was not that much of a crowd, about 50/60. I went up to the front, right of Corin as there was no one else remotely near the stage. They play a more bluesy/rockabilly style of punky rock, there that covers most genres doesn't it. They weren't bad though in fairness. Most vocals are by Mat but some songs were sung by Anna the bass player. She swaps between bass and guitar and is pretty good it has to be said.

I'm not sure about the drummer though, in fairness again she was set quite back and mostly obscured by Mat, so I didn't see too much of her. They played all their myspace songs, the only ones I know. I think they were at their best when Anna picked up guitar and they played in the S-K format of two guitarists and a drummer.

I can't truly make my mind up here. I can't say they weren't good 'cus they were, but I can't say they were great.

I'm going to put these on hold and say I have not been well all week (I nearly didn't go in truth) and hope if I see them again I'll feel better and make a truer assessment.