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.