The Kills

The Kills, Manchester Academy 3, 19/4/08.

Was really looking forward to this one as the Kills new album is the best album of the year so far as far as I'm concerned. I found their previous two though good a bit patchy. They do have a good live rep though.














Usual shenanigans left work, got train, dumped stuff in hotel and got to venue. With it being a Saturday it was packed round the Academy area. The present 'teen' sensations The Courteeners were playing next door so the place was swarming with spotty oiks (no offence) there was also a metal band who's name I forget now, no it was I Defy, well remembered. Doors opened in time and I got up to Academy 3 (top floor) handy enough to secure a spot Corin's side where Alison would operate.

I also couldn't remember who the support was but spotted the show times list on the wall to the side of the stage. These New Puritans which was a great surprise, I've been listening to their album and find them one of the better breed of up and coming 'new' bands in the country. They do have a good live reputation as well. I was not disappointed they were super my only gripe they only played about 20-25 mins!!. Enough time to really impress me as a live band though.

The Kills were set up with a very minimalist stage just a couple of guitars and a small drum machine/gizmo type thing set up on an amp to Jamie's right.


When they came on and opened with U.R.A. Fever I knew then this was going to be a good one. I was literally leaning on Alison's right monitor and allot of the time she was foot up on it singing and literally right above me. Alison has a superb stage presence she prowles the back like a caged lioness turning her head to keep looking at the audience. She circles too again with a cat like prowess with a look at the crowd that just says I'm going to eat you' I'm not sure whether I was scared, turned on or just magnetically drawn by this. I think a mix of the first two. Fact is she is just awesome to watch.

When she played guitar she played with the full hair over the face look and often played again at the back with her back to the audience.

There was an obvious sexual tension between Alison and Jamie with Jamie's celeb (shit I hate that I've used that word) girlfriend not on location I think they played on it.

Their minimalist stage set up allied with such great stage presence of both and a sexual magnetism made this an fantastic gig. Their execution of their material was superb, their new album (their third) is the best album of the year so far imo. I urge anyone with the chance to see this pair live, do it.

The Breeders

Manchester Academy, 14/4/08.

I took a half day off work for this as I wanted to take my time and not rush really. My mate Tim was coming with me as he is a huge Pixies fan. Tim was going to travel straight from work in Liverpool and we'd arranged to meet in Big Hands next to the academy.


I got up to Manchester mid afternoon booked into the hotel and went up into town to get something to eat. I got back to the Academy area about 7 ish and went to Big Hands bought a drink and took my book out and read whilst waiting for Tim to turn up.


Tim turned up soon and we had a quick drink and headed off to the venue just gone 7:30. We walked straight in to my surprise as I knew the show was sold out. I wasn't sure who the support was though I did check it a week or so back.


It turned out to be Jim Noir a Mancunian singer/songwriter. I have his album from a couple of years back and liked it alot. He mostly played new material here though and I only recognised a couple of songs. Good opener though and I must check out his new stuff more closely.

The Breeders seemed to take a while to come on and Tim and I had parked ourselves on Kelly's side. I took a couple of photos of the stage just to test the light etc and got told straight away by a security guy to stop taking photos!!. What? erm why? an argument ensued and the fact was no photos allowed. Strange, but there you go. So here's a shot of the back of Kelly's gold Les Paul.

They played a pretty big set and in Pixies style rattled through the songs without barely a break or any banter with the audience. The main talk was between Kim and Kelly themselves. There was something here that was lacking, I don't know what it was but I just wanted them to produce 'more'. I don't think I'm totally sold on the new material yet and perhaps that had something to do with it. In truth I didn't enjoy them as much as I wanted to. Tim enthused about them, naturally and I agreed to be polite. Saying that Tim's view was that he thought they were better than he expected with mine being not as good as expected I suppose it comes down to ones 'expectation'.

I enjoyed the evening as a whole though, I left Tim in Big Hands at about 1am as I had to get the early train back to work. Tim left there about 1:30 ish apparently and didn't get to work 'till 12:30 the next day. Oh to be a civil servant.

BRS

Liverpool, Barfly, 13/4/08.

As we all know I'm a big fan of Blood Red Shoes and have been since their conception and very early shows. I've seen them grow from baby faced shy performers into erm! baby faced more adept rock/grungy specialists. Last time I saw them was here in Liverpool and it was a full crowd and a good rock out show so I expected pretty much the same here, also on the eve of the release of their debut album.

I got to the Barfly about 7:20 and to my surprise there was nobody there. After about 5/10 mins they let me in.

The place filled a bit fairly soon but nothing like the crowd I'd imagined, strange. First band on were a French band called 1984. They were ok too a good Gallic rhythm to them. They ended their set by announcing "if you like us you can buy our cd, if you don't then by our cd so we can get back to France". Quite amusing that.

Next band up were a local band called 'The Hot Melts' again these were ok. Slightly more punky and abrasive than the previous band.

The singer/guitarist was the main focus here as he was the one who leaped about the stage. The rest of the band were fairly static, ok though.

By the time BRS were due the place had not filled much more and I was quite free at the front to move about. Strange that as I say last time was a full packed up the front.

Firstly, not sure on the new hairdo Laura Mary! must have had it done for the release of the debut album.

They played a set mostly packed with songs on 'Box of secrets' 9 out of 11. They seemed a bit muted tonight. I think they are a band that does feed of a lively crowd, this was not a lively crowd. That said they were pretty good Stephen was as energetic as normal and drove them well. Laura Mary? not on her best tonight, though I can't say she played badly. I think she was just a bit tired. They have as Stephen put it on their web site "we're now a real band"

Rue Royale

Rue Royale, View2 Gallery, Liverpool. 4/4/08

I'd noticed RR were playing a small show in Liverpool and with loving their album decided to pop up and see them. I got off the train at Moorfields, oh my god! I'd forgotten it was Aintree Races, Grand National weekend too. Liverpool was swarming with drunk, loud mutants. I had planned to get something to eat before going to the View2 but there was no chance every eatery was full to the rafters. I ended up eating at an Indian on Bold St, which was crap.

Got to the View2 just gone 8 and there were quite a few people there though mostly the entourage of the 4 artists playing. As usual they were late starting and the first two acts who were straight forward acoustic singer/songwriter types played to a room full of chatter and laughter. This pissed me off a little as I was trying to listen a little more attentively than the rest of people there.

By the time Rue Royale came on it was 11pm which meant I had 10 mins before I had to scarper for the train. I managed to catch 2 songs and very good they were too, I just wish they either started earlier or I could have stayed longer. I ran out at 11:10 onto the throng of now even drunker mutants and got my last train home. This was a shitty night, see they don't all go great.

Album shout - Rue Royale

Loving this little thing. An alt folk duo from Chicago, they are a boy/girl duo. The guy plays acoustic and a single bass drum and main vocal while the girl fills with percussion and vocal harmonies.

It's quite sparse but full of subtleties. It's centers around the acoustic melody and the vocal. The melodies are almost James Tayloresque at times. Ok that's a big a shout but that's what I'm hearing at the mo. Some songs are filled with some backing piano but it mainly relies on the acoustic and vocal melody. It's a lovely piece of work, though I appreciate it will only appeal to a certain audience. Saying that a good album is a good album no matter what genre. Fact is it's a belter.
Just listen to 'Tell me when you go' or 'Parachutes and lifeboats', if you don't like those songs then you 'aint a music fan.
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Stockholm and Lightspeed Champion

After a good evening watching K I set off about 7:15 am to get to Heathrow and fly out to Stockholm. Journey went as sweet as a nut, as per usual jeez I'm a lucky traveller. After it being -14 and covered in snow the week before again my luck was in as the weather was beautiful. OK it was only 5-6 degrees and a bit chilly on the exposed waterfronts but the sun was cracking the slabs the whole four days. Again this is a total phenomena how I manage to get good, almost freakishly good weather wherever I go. Here's some more pics:-

http://s177.photobucket.com/albums/w236/slightmalecoyote/Stockholm%2003-08/

Lightspeed Champion, Debaser, Stockholm, 28/3/08.

I'd spotted that Laura Marling and Lightspeed Champion were playing at a club called Debaser (a Pixies fan?) on the Thursday and Friday nights respectively. I found the club late as it's parked under a big bridge linking Sodermalm (south? is that right H?) to Gamla Stan (Old Town). Laura Marling had sold out on the Thurs so I enquired about LS for the following night. Not sold out so if I got there in good time tomorrow (Fri) I would be ok.

Lightspeed Champion is one of the guys who used to be in Test Icicles, one of the more interesting band names ever, I dare you not to read another word.

I got to the club about 8:10 after having a lovely meal in a little restaurant in the old town, Swedish Herring followed by some Lamb I think, bloody expensive though!. I got there and paid ok on the door. Debaser is a small club similar to the Roadhouse in Manchester to give a point of ref. The stage was a good height, stomach level but had a curtain pulled across. I bought a drink took a seat and took out my book as I was told LS was not on till 10.30 - 11, the support? 'there isn't one'. I just sat and read my book and the time soon passed, about 10.20 the place was filling nicely so I took up residence at the front of the stage blah - blah - blah.


At about 10.50 the curtains just opened and LS came on. I must admit I wasn't sure about his record. It has some good tunes on it but I thought the material would translate better live. The material is nothing like the Test Icicles stuff this is more tune full and song based. His band consisted of a bass player a violinist and a cute lady drummer. First thing to note he was an excellent musician and played most of the set on guitar but some songs were played on keys. Even though I was up to speed on the material it all came across well live.

I got chatting to a Swedish lad next to me before he came out for the encore and he asked if I would introduce him to the band, Yawn!.

Anyway I had an enjoyable night and left soon after the show and headed up into the Old Town.

Kristin in London

Paradoxical Undressing, QEH, London 26/3/08.

As I said I was looking forward to this show. I travelled down by train and got to London about 2ish. I got across to Victoria and to my hotel and out by 3.30. I decided to head towards the south bank and check the venue and get something to eat. The fan meet up was to be around 6 - 6.30 in the venue bar.

(photo by Joseph Lee)http://www.flickr.com/photos/josephlee/

I got something to eat in a nice little restaurant and headed back to the QEH. I got there about 6.20. It turned out there are two bars in the hall and some people were in one whilst the rest in the other.

It didn't seem long before they called for the show to begin and people started filing in and taking their seats. I had a good seat in the second row on Corins side. One thing I found strange was the fact that I had my messenger bag with me and I was not searched in fact there seemed no security whatsoever. I thought security these days was supposed to tight, especially in the heart of London.

The stage was very bare just a stand for K's notes, a mike stand and one for her guitar. Kristin came out wearing completely white which was a good contrast against the redwood stage. (photo by Michael)http://flickr.com/photos/hooberrydooberry/

It was an interesting show K mostly just strummed her guitar whilst reading lines from diary. She occasionally sang full songs of which 'Hook in my head' was a standout. At times I found myself closing my eyes to concentrate on the words. K sometimes has an unusual rhythm to her writings. At first it took me a while to get into the way she presented it. I actually found the the backing projections although interesting a little off putting. Taking in the the prose and the music was enough entertainment

It was a real enjoyable experience though.

The Guardian did a review-http://music.guardian.co.uk/live/story/0,,2268900,00.html

A thanks to Joseph and Michael for the use of their photographs, thanks guys.