John & Jehn

Deaf Institute, Manchester, 18/11/10.

Having caught up with J&J at Liverpool sound city earlier in the year I now found them playing as a four piece. Their album was still recorded as a two piece I believe but they needed the extra personnel to expand their sound live.

Got up to Manchester late pm to spend a small fortune in Picadilly records, nipped into the Night & Day for a coffee. I then remembered I needed to book the Crown & Anchor for two weeks Fri as I have the You Say Party gig then fly off to the island for a long weekend. Job done, so off for sustenance.

Deaf Institute is now becoming my main venue in Manchester. Seems to have become the venue of choice for many bands. I've seen the likes of Malkmus, Quasi also now Warpaint.
J&J were on fairly sharpish and opened with the wonderful title track to the new album. It's countdown bass line is I think my fave piece of music of the year. Other stand outs were Vampire with Jehn doing a great shriek vocal.

Down our street was also superb, they have developed into a really good live band. Not that they were not before but when I first saw them they were much more primitive if that makes sense.

After the show Jehn showed up behind the small merch desk so I went up to have a chat. During the show she announced this was only their second visit to Manchester. I spoke to her and told her I was at the N&D show and that John had asked if anyone in the audience had sunglasses for the version of 20L07. Yep I was that guy. Jehn said thanks for coming back to see them and signed a poster for me.

I think this is my fave band of the year.

Review of first Wild Flag gig

Click on title.

warpaint

Deaf Institute - Manchester 24/10/10.

Forget how I came across this bunch of girls but I got their debut EP earlier in the year and really liked it. When they announced a short tour and the release of an album I penciled in the dates immediately.

An LA four piece who play a form of rhythmic psych jams have caused a bit a stir purely by their live work. The fact that this and the other UK dates were sold out prior to the full album release was testament to the "buzz" that seemed to be following them.

Got to the DI in good time to check with a guy stood at the foot of the stairs what time doors were. Turns out he was a punter not a doorman, oops! Anyhow got chatting to the guy and it seems he has done many of the Manchester gigs I have been to over the years. We found it strange our paths hadn't crossed before.

The two support bands who played were a band I think called 254, (can't seem to find them anywhere tho) and Fiction. Both were pretty decent and made it a good bill of bands.

Whilst talking to new found friend between bands some of his mates turned up, who I knew, from loads of other gigs happy family's.

My position (Corin) just left of Emily is always ideal at the DI. The girls came on to a full enthusiastic crowd and opened with "warpaint". They played a 9 song set including the much played single "Undertow", which they took of into a great jam. almost prog at times.

They encored with a couple of songs to a very rapturous reception.

Warpaint I have to say are one of the best new bands I have seen in many a while. Their musicianship was very good and just came across as a band well together and in tune with each other. They also can hold an audience just with their charisma.