In the long-forgotten mists of 2005, I came to the decision that I would try to see a band a month. And in that I succeeded. So in 2006, spurred on by the superb array of bands I’d seen the previous year, I thought to myself, ‘hey, let’s go a bit crazy; let’s go for three gigs a month.’ At that time, I thought I’d never do it. Needless to say, I had seen the requisite 36 shows by the end of July, and if it wasn’t for a two month spell of unemployment when I didn’t go to a single gig, I imagine the final total would have been much higher. All in all, I saw 127 separate performances from 115 different musical acts, spent well over a grand in gig tickets and 2% of the entire year in music venues around Britain. And you know what - I wouldn’t have swapped it for the world. It says a lot for the quality of live music around at the moment that even those bands languishing around in the mid-40’s still provided a great night’s entertainment, and despite the resultant poverty and perpetual lack of sleep I’m fucking glad I did it. But hey, enough of this rambling- without further ado, I present to you the List O’ Gigs (2006 Edition):
51. The Divine Comedy (Sheffield Leadmill, 21st May)
A disappointing performance from Mr. Neil Hannon, who showed none of the wit and spontaneity that made his 2004 tour so memorable. Some good new songs, but no National Express or Tonight We Fly? Bad Neil, sit in the corner!
50. The Automatic (York Fibbers, 27th February)
Rather run-of-the mill angular guitar rock stuff. Kudos to the bonkers synth guy though.
49. The Feeling (York Fibbers, 23rd February)
Good singles, fine Franz-style showmanship, but pretty middle of the road otherwise.
48. Mojave 3 (London Parkway Jazz Café, 7th November)
Slowcore favourites suffer due to Rachel Goswell’s absence, their energy sadly dissipating after a promising start. Though I must say, Truck Driving Man was ace.
47. The Fiery Furnaces (Leeds Cockpit, 8th May)
For a band that’s made a name for itself for being completely bonkers, a very straightforward no-frills rock set wasn’t exactly what I expected. Not bad, but not the offbeat show I was hoping for.
46. Jeremy Warmsley (York Fibbers, 10th April)
Offbeat Anglo-French singer-songwriter who has been called the male Regina Spektor- he has her originality, definitely, but unfortunately not her voice. Nice bit of audience participation at the end though.
45. Okkervil River (Leeds Cockpit, 3rd May)
Folky Americana group who are more raw and energetic than you’d expect live. For Real, in particular, came across much more powerfully than on record.
44. A Silver Mt. Zion (Leeds Brudenell Social Club, 2nd June)
Pretentious, overlong and cursed with a singer that sounds like a cat being brutally raped. But they had their moments- especially the acapella ending to God Bless Our Dead Marines which was as beautiful and poignant as Sigur Ros at their best.
43. The Bluetones (Shepherd’s Bush Empire, 30th November)
A pretty mediocre gig which improved dramatically just before the end. Old favourites Slight Return and Bluetonic erased the taste of the bland new songs that filled most of the set, but it was a truly anthemic rendition of “If” that saved the night for me. The sound of hundreds of people singing, screaming and otherwise vocalising “NAAAAA-NA-NA-NAAAA!” at the top of their voices just can’t be beat.
42. The Spinto Band (Leeds Cockpit, 24th January)
"Oh Mandy" is the best song they've got, but they're a most affable live band with a nice line in jangly cheery indie tunes and lest us not forget- free kazoos!
41. Emmy The Great (London Old Blue Last, 26th November)
The first headline gig for the quirky singer-songwriter responsible for the sublime ‘Secret Circus’. A very short set, punctuated by obvious nerves, but nonetheless her quite considerable talent shone through. We also got free cake of three, yes, THREE different varieties.
40. Tilly and the Wall (York Fibbers, 17th May)
Tap-dancing indie-boppers, with a good line in cheery, latino-tinged songwriting. A bit samey after a while, but fun all the same.
39. My Latest Novel (Leeds Cockpit, 20th March)
Beautiful orchestral pop from Scottish quintet, but perhaps a bit dour and distant live to really impress.
38. The Who (Leeds Harewood House, 25th June)
Wrinkly OAPs put on surprisingly enjoyable show; new songs dragged a little, but you can’t beat We Wont Be Fooled Again and the immense 25-minute Tommy medley. Though I couldn’t stop giggling when Pete Townsend played ‘The Kids are Alright’.
37. Hope Of The States (Leeds Cockpit, 28th March)
Perennial live favourites make welcome comeback, but unfortunately jettison most of the instrumentals for new rockier sound. Got the unsurpassable Red Stars, Black Stars in the encore though, so it all turned out OK.
36. Regina Spektor (Shepherd’s Bush Empire, 23rd August)
For some reason, Regina lacked the spark she had in Leeds; her voice was slightly wavery and the acoustics weren’t great. But there’s no denying the quality of her songs (especially ‘On The Radio’), and even if her vocals weren’t tip-top, they were still head-and-shoulders above almost any other singer I care to mention.
35. Metric (York Fibbers, 15th May)
Broken Social Scenes Emily Haines ditches ice queen persona for wild-eyed synth-pop goddess. Like the Cardigans or a female-fronted Killers, but with far more live energy than either. Makes you want to dance, baby!
34. The Research (York Fibbers, 19th January)
Ramshackle keyboard-pop meets Beach Boys harmonies for slightly repetitive but immensely likeable Wakefield trio.
33. Death Cab For Cutie (Leeds Refectory, 27th June)
Chock-full of scenesters and a horrible venue, but these emo stalwarts are worthier of their acclaim than most. Appreciated the beefed version of Different Names (my favourite DCFC song ) and the ending of Transatlanticism was pure, undiluted lighter-waving material.
32. Half Man Half Biscuit (Shepherd’s Bush Empire, 21st December)
John Peel’s second favourite band unleash their idiosyncratic brand of erudite, pop-culture-obsessed ditties on an adoring crowd, with such classics as “Fuckin’ Hell, It’s Fred Titmus,” “Joy Division Oven Gloves” and the sardonic genius of “24 Hour Party People” all making well-deserved appearances. The actual music has always paled to comparison to Nigel Blackwell’s legendary lyrics, but the band are solid players and keep things moving very nicely. Loved watching the bemused expressions of indie kids regarding the vigorous moshing of the 50-year-old contingent (HMHB have been around for a long time), and in fact this would have placed much higher if they’d found a place for “All I Want For Christmas Is A Dukla Prague Away Kit.” It was probably too obvious for them…
31. My Life Story (London Astoria, 8th December)
Brit-pop nearly-man Jake Shillingsworth brought his deliciously grandiose pop back to the Astoria after a decade’s absence, complete with a 13-piece backing band. Not a man to be held down by commonly held conceptions of ‘cool’, his songs are so unashamedly and infectiously over-the top that even someone who’s unfamiliar with the majority of their stuff (i.e. me) can’t help but be swept away with the sheer extravagance of it all.
30. Jim Noir (York Fibbers, 27th May)
Jaunty and very enjoyable 60s-style tunes from northern bloke in hat. Extra points for the completely impromptu cover of Lady Madonna, as well as a spontaneous funk jam at the end of their set.
29. Patrick Wolf (London Bloomsbury Theatre, 30th March)
Lanky multi-instrumentalist street urchin impresses with erudite balladry, but really excels when playing summery Motown pop and screaming away with Edward Larrikin.
28. The New Pornographers (Leeds Cockpit, 19th May)
Stayed too close to their recorded sound for my liking, but a very competent and comprehensive set from superlative power-poppers. Mates of States also impressed in support with their sugary-sweet but incredibly happy keyboard anthems.
27. Two Gallants (York Fibbers, 13th February)
Top-notch bluesy Americana from two howlin' screamin' bourbon-fuelled Yankees who play like their lives depended on it.
26. The Magic Numbers (Hammersmith Apollo, 18th November)
Everyone’s favourite men and women of volume peddle West Coast happy-clappiness with wildly varying results; oldies such as ‘Morning’s Eleven’ and ‘Love Me Like You’ are undoubtedly magnificent but the newer stuff is depressingly mediocre. Still, when they were good, they were very, very good and their enthusiasm carried off the stuff that wasn’t.
25. Calexico and Iron and Wine (Manchester Academy, 21st April)
Three straight hours of music combining the whispered, ethereal vocals of Iron and Wine and the country-infused Mariachi of Calexico, with appearances from a Mexican tenor with the most booming, rich voice I’ve ever heard. Definitely got my money’s worth out of this one.
24. 65 Days of Static (York Fibbers, 23rd May)
Crazy time signatures, electronic bleeps, grinding guitars and extremely complex drumming from Sheffieldian math-rock band. Very intense, very heavy, very good.
23. Calexico and Beirut (Camden Roundhouse, 5th November)
Calexico were just as good as in Manchester (plus they played the awesome El Guero Carelo) but the real stars of the show were supports Beirut and A Hack And A Hacksaw, who enchanted the Roundhouse with their joyous Balkan-infused sounds.
22. Final Fantasy (Manchester Circle Club, 13th May)
Solo violinist and part-time Arcade Fire member does crazy-sexy things with his fiddle, a loop pedal and nothing else. The fact that he managed to replicated the complex baroque stylings of his new album without a string quartet and harpsichord was amazing enough; the fact he IMPROVED on it was something special.
21. Final Fantasy (London Scala, 24th October)
Lacked the intimacy of the Circle Club show, but more than made up for it with his covers of Destroyer’s ‘Rubies’ and Bloc Party’s ‘This Modern Love’. How can one man with a violin be so damn talented?
20. The Earlies (York Fibbers, 14th May)
Proggy-synth fellas with nine members, a gazillion instruments and beautiful, relaxing harmonies that I could have easily listened to for hours on end. The very definition of lovely.
19. Boy Least Likely To (York Fibbers, 25th February)
Happy, happy, happy, happy!!! Like a massive sugar rush, this gleeful confectionery of joyous upbeat childishness mixed with often disarmingly downbeat lyrics had me grinning from beginning to end.
18. Sigur Ros (Manchester Apollo, 27th March)
Icelandic pixie-music that sometimes dragged on a bit (and suffered from slightly dodgy sound) but at their best they were enchanting like no other. Personally, I thought most of the truly impressive songs came from Takk, though the orgasmic Untitled 8 was on par with the Arcade Fire’s ‘In The Backseat’ as the best damn closer to a set ever. Also fell madly in love with all-female string section/support act Amiina.
17. Two Gallants (London Scala, 9th November)
Even more intense than last time (and that’s saying something), Two Gallants shattered eardrums across London with their pounding Delta blues. These guys must have sold their souls to the Devil to sound this good. Excellent support from Cold War Kids as well.
16. The Dears (Camden Koko, 26th October)
Although the cause of dreadful pain in the left eardrum, the Dears were one of the great surprises of the year- loud, intense and fucking brilliant. Not a very communicative band, that’s for sure, but they played with an energy and passion I’ve rarely seen since the Arcade Fire blew my tiny little mind in May ’05. A propensity for aimless noodling did make the latter half of the evening drag on a bit, but an absolutely blinding performance of ‘Never Destroy Us’ automatically cancels out any criticism I might had of the rest of the show.
15. Hope of the States (York Fibbers, 23rd April)
Almost as good as their Camden show; for the first and only time in their history they opened up with Black Stars, Red Stars which made me happier than you could ever imagine. Played with the verve and energy that made me fall in love with them in the first place.
14. Gogol Bordello (Camden Koko, 6th July)
Too far away from the stage this time to enjoy it as much as last time, Gogol Bordello still seem incapable of putting on a show that is less than totally awesome. During the encore a stark-naked man jumped on stage, who instead of being dragged away by security was allowed to give Eugene Hutz a piggy-back. Can’t see that happening at a James Blunt gig…
13. George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic (Hammersmith Apollo, 17th July)
Ancient funk pioneers live up to their name and lay the groove down on y’all. A commendably varied show, from the innuendo-filled jams of the older generation to the newer R&B/rap of Clinton’s granddaughter to the outstanding Hendrix-quality guitar instrumental that is Maggot Brain. I dig. Totally.
12. Scissor Sisters (Wembley Arena, 25th November)
OMg AdAM u’VE SOlD oUt LOL!!!!!11111 As embarrassing as it is to my supposed indie-cred to be found at a Scissors Sisters gig, I can’t deny that they put on a joyous live show. Even more outrageously camp than I’d expected, Jake Shears and Ana Matronic bounce, flounce and mince through a set full of guilty pleasures, most notably the vaudeville stomp of ‘Laura’ and sleazy-as-fuck closer ‘Filthy/Gorgeous’.
If you didn’t feel like dancin’ beforehand, you certainly will after this.
11. Broken Social Scene (Leeds Cockpit, 16th February)
Two and a half hours of densely layered instrumental weirdness veering between the pretentiously indulgent and the absolutely transcendent. The drop-dead gorgeous Anthems for a Seventeen Year Old Girl is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever heard. I also got hugged by Kevin Drew, which although not quite as appealing as being hugged by Lisa Lobsinger was quite cool (in a totally non-gay way).
10. Little Man Tate (York Fibbers, 4th May)
So hot and sweaty I very nearly fainted, but Little Man Tate are one of those rare indie bands you just couldn’t stop moshing about like a loon to even if you wanted to. Bouncy, insanely catchy tunes from a group who are destined to hit the big time.
9. Imogen Heap (York Fibbers, 3rd April)
One-woman army with lovably eccentric stage presence rouses the biggest cheers I’ve ever heard at Fibbers with peerless Bjorkish electro-pop. I’d never heard anything by her before, but with songs like Hide and Seek and Goodnight and Go and a voice that rivalled Regina Spektor’s, I was completely and utterly won over. Outstanding.
8. Guillemots (Leeds Cockpit, 1st April)
Unclassifiable, yet immensely catchy band of oddballs put on brilliant live show only spoilt by retards chatting during the quiet songs. Endearingly cheerful frontman Fyfe Dangerfield certainly ain’t no slouch in the vocal department, and they’ve got more classic songs in the making than almost any band I’ve ever heard. Also, full marks to their excellent support band Misty’s Big Adventure.
7. Regina Spektor (Leeds Cockpit, 29th January)
Kooky Russian-American songstress enchants with witty, offbeat songs and one of the most amazing voices you'll ever hear. If you're not moved by Samson, then you have no soul. Smokes like a bellows, but I’d probably marry her if she asked me.
6. Guillemots (London Astoria, 2nd November)
The second of three times I saw this band in ’06. A few sound problems marred the first few songs but when they got into their stride they were near-unstoppable. The reaction to songs like “Trains to Brazil” and “Annie, Let’s Not Wait” was astounding, and a lovely rendition of ‘Redwings’ of a highlight of the night. Some of the slower songs may have fallen a bit flat, but with a song like Sao Paulo in their repertoire, I could forgive them almost anything.
5. Rodrigo Y Gabriela (Kentish Town Forums, 23rd November)
Mexican thrash metallists-cum-Spanish guitar virtuosos Rodrigo y Gabriela may need to wash their mouth’s out with soap after their truly prolific use of the F-word, but their skills are beyond reproach. Fingers flailed across the fretboard with astonishing speeds whilst complex rhythms were rapped on the woodwork; covers of Metallica’s “One”, Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five” and Led Zep’s “Stairway To Heaven” as well as their own songs were all performed with consummate Latino flair. Two of the most astoundingly talented musicians I’ve ever seen.
4. Drowned In Sound Christmas Party (Kings College London Student Union, 13th December)
A blueprint for all gigs- Minimal faffing about, maximum good music. Starting off with talented acoustic songstress Laura Groves, the night just got better and better with impressive sets by Jeremy Warmsley and GoodBooks. But it was headliners Guillemots who (yet again) blew my fucking mind with an all-killer, no-filler set, culminating with the untouchable Sao Paulo. And to top it off, we even got to chat to Fyfe-wooooo!
3. Gogol Bordello (Leeds Cockpit, 7th March)
Psychotic gypsy mentalists blow away all and sundry with a show that's like Moulin Rogue meets the Ramones on crack. Their songs may be derivative but the sheer energy and showmanship of Eugene Hutz and his motley crew completely eclipse anything I have ever seen. One of the most exciting and out-and-out FUN live bands in the world today.
2. Sigur Ros (Southampton Guildhall, 11th July)
Far, far, far better than their Manchester show, this had the sound quality and proximity to the stage a band of their quality deserved. Although we STILL didnt get Hafsol, they kept my attention throughout the whole set this time round; Olsen Olsen was absolutely divine, and Untitled 8 is still the best closer to a set in the world, ever. Stunningly beautiful and a truly memorable experience. Also, Id like to reiterate that I want to marry Hildur from Amiina. She’s so cute I want to cry.
1. The Flaming Lips (Manchester Apollo, 25th April)
The show of shows. The crème de la crème. The best freaking gig I have ever, ever been to in my life (yup, even better than the mighty Arcade Fire). A bit style-over-substance, perhaps, and Wayne Coyne does spend a bit too much time yapping rather than singing but I cannot begin to express in words the utter, overwhelming sense of joy that is the hallmark of the Flaming Lips. Dozens of giant balloons bouncing round the audience! Dancing santas! A hundred metric tons of confetti! Singing nun puppets! And of course, there was the music; Yoshimi, Do You Realize and The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song made me want to cry tears of sheer happiness. Without a doubt, one of the best nights of my life.
And that's it for my round-up of 2006. But for the masochistic among you, don't fret- I'll be continuing to update this blog with any new/exciting/godawful music that takes my fancy. First post ETA: sometime next week. Hopefully.
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