They know how to put on a show. ‘Course they do. They’ve been doing it for what seems like decades. In fact, some may argue, they’ve been doing the same show for the past ten years. Now, although that’s sort of true, each time they have new songs and new tricks. And even though you know all this and have seen them before, it’s still a thrill when they emerge from inside a giant screen, Wayne Coyne does his giant space bubble thing, and the band open with Race for the Prize, in a riot of cannon-fired ticker tape, streamers and balloons. So much that you almost don’t notice how good that song is. Then it’s on with the show as the balloons continue to bounce around the venue, old classics tumble out, the green lasers and the big gong make their appearance, and there’s a lot of fun going down.
In the end the main difference is the scale. Camera Obscura put on a good show, but it’s hard not to compare this gig with the previous time I’ve seen the Glasgow band this year. That was back in March at The Lexington when they played their first gig after recording their latest album My Maudlin Career. It was billed as a warm-up for SXSW and Traceyanne Campbell admitted to being a bit nervous, but there were only a few minor glitches, and in a cracking little venue with a partisan crowd, the gig was a blast.
This is a review of a music festival, but it may not be be much like the other reviews you read in newspapers or other, cooler music sites. These are mainly about the bands, as the writer flits from performance to performance, trying to cram as many short reviews of different acts without being too overcrowded. Usually, if it’s a good review, they’ll also try to convey some of the atmosphere of the festival. In times past, I’ve tried to do that too. Indeed, the first year I attended End of the Road Festival, I tried to cram in as many shows as possible, and write about them at length, accompanied by photos. If that’s what you’re expecting, sorry.
The truth is, festivals are a very different experience as a parent. I’m not complaining though. Rather, I’ve embraced this status (this is the third year) as the way things are now and that’s cool. So while the pre-festival forum chatter was about band clashes, not much of that was relevant to me. My clashes were more about which bands clashed with Growl Junior’s meals, naps, bedtime and other family activities. Therefore much-anticipated sets from Dirty Projectors, Okkervil River, Steve Earle and Neko Case, were far less seen than heard. Thankfully the main stage sounstystem is good enough, and the lovely fairy light-lit woods are close enough so that I heard most of these sets loud and clear as I read bedtime stories to the girl in the little woodland library. We actually got to see some of Dirty Projectors - crucially Stillness is the Move, so I got to watch my favourite song of the year, the female members of the band bustin’ R’n’B moves as the Growl family looked on, eating sheep’s milk ice cream. I was even given a brief moment of fatherly pride as the little ‘un leapt around to said song, before we carted her off to bed.
There were a few things missing from the Super Furry Animals gig at Somerset House on Saturday. The first and most obvious one for me was Mrs Growl. This was notable, because in all the many, many times I’ve seen the Super Furries in the past 12 years, the constant factor was the woman who is now my wife. She had already seen them several times before we met, and as we bonded over a shared love of music, SFA were one of the bands we loved (and still love) the most. A combination of other social engagements and illness meant I went on my own. It felt odd.
Ah, the Mercury prize. Every year, providing the opportunity for music fans to complain about how it’s a bad representation of British music, because it doesn’t contain X, Y and Z albums - and what’s that one doing on there? It’s crap. And so on.
This year, as with every year, the list contains albums I like, some I don’t and some I don’t care about. There’s no point complaining about the shortlist, but naturally I reserve blogger’s rights to say what I’d like to have seen there. For me, the only albums of the twelve that I’d have in my own personal Mercury prize list are The Invisible (great to see them nominated) and Friendly Fires. And for what it’s worth, here’s an alternative dozen.
The Britannia is becoming one of the best places for free live music in London. In addition to it being a good bar, having a critically acclaimed menu, and one of London’s best beer gardens (that’s a proper beer garden, rather than a beer patio like most london pubs) backing onto Victoria Park, there’s been a rich run of recent events to draw people to this recently refurbised Victorian boozer. There’s their monthly film screenings in collaboration with the BFI, but what’s really got my interest in the place is their run of Wednesday evening gigs put on by the fine people at The Local.
So you’re the keyboard player for Emmy the Great. Of course, this isn’t your full-time occupation, so how do you spend your time away from knocking out sweet folk-pop melodies? How about creating spiky instrumental math rock which pitches your band as the British Battles?
She Keeps Bees like to keep it brief. The 11 tracks on their latest album Nests clock in at less than 27 minutes, so it’s clear that they’re not pissing about. It’s this brevity that’s part of their appeal. No flab, just straight to the point bluesy rocking that ought to have Jack and Meg looking over their shoulders.
One of the great joys of Spotify for me this year has been discovering all these PJ Harvey albums that I never bought. I mention this because Dorset’s Polly Jean was my first reference point for Brooklyn band She Keeps Bees. The duo may not share the visceral nature of much of Harvey’s work, but they have a similar aesthetic, emotive, bluesy rock and roll with guts and good tunes. Their quieter moments may recall Cat Power before she went all slick soul-rollin’.
Shockingly, I almost let this one pass me by. I’d picked up a couple of their singles last year, but when Fanfarlo’s debut album was released (digitally) in February I was slow to move. More fool me, because I almost missed out on what I’m sure will be one of my albums of the year. I’ve now had a couple of weeks to absorb Reservoir which is plenty time to realise what an impressive piece of work it is.
Photos from a recent FOE gig - a friend of our friends Hold Your Horse Is - she’s gonna be big!!! Read the gig review after the jump.
Shots of North Carolina’s folk-rocking Avett Brothers’ stop in Glasgow - 22.08.11
Read the review of the gig here.
Take a look at the acts and art on offer at this year’s Latitude Festival in Suffolk. Included are the likes of Fight Like Apes, Lykke Li, Sea of Bees and Seasick Steve. Photos from our own...
Good time with Bad Guys. Photos from the May 29th gig at the Old Blue Last. Read the review by the Bad Guy himself, Stuart London after the jump.
Artrocker.com exclusive: for fans of White Lies and Crocodiles we’ve got some fresh pictures from their UK show at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire earlier this month, courtesy of Alessandro...
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