ANDREW BIRD (London IndigO2, 26/04/08)


As usual, a frustrating mix of brilliance and self-indulgence from the stunningly talented multi-instrumentalist, but Andrew Bird's one-off show at the O2's little brother was blessed with the best set list of the five occasions I’ve seen him. Perennial live standout Why? was as good as I’ve ever heard it, The Naming Of Things was an unexpected treat and the new songs previewed sounded as promising as anything off Armchair Apocrypha. If only he could rein in his obsession with over-complicating everything then he’d live up to his immense talent. Typically lovely support set from Loney Dear, but seriously- what was going on with the strobes?!

(Photo: Alan Bee (Flickr))

PORTISHEAD (Brixton Academy, 17/04/08)


Anything that came after the sheer transcendental wonderfulness of Bjork was destined to pale in comparison, but the long-missed Bristol trip-hop legends’ triumphant return to the fray still thoroughly impressed. Beth Gibbons doesn’t strike you as the most obvious of frontwomen, but her edgy, reserved, nervous presence perfectly compliments the dark, oppressive sound they’ve honed to a tee on new album Third. Lit by a simple, immensely effective monochrome lighting scheme, this show was all about the music- the lack of spectacle only enhancing the heightened sense atmosphere their songs create. Glory Box was the inevitable highlight, only spoilt by the lady behind me whose piercing vocals drowned out that of the singer we’d paid to hear but the new material was very impressive; relentlessly downbeat for the most part but always infused with their trademark haunted beauty. Must admit that it started to drag a bit after the first hour, but for a band getting back into the swing of things after a decade’s hiatus they did an exemplary job.

(Photo: Skunk Funk (Flickr))

BJORK (Hammersmith Apollo, 14/04/08)


The biggest problem with being such a prolific attender of gigs (apart from the drain on the ol’ bank account) is the inevitability that they stop being as special as they used to be. That’s not to say that I don’t still love live music, far from it, but it’s been a long while since an act truly and utterly blew me away and left me buzzing for days. So it says a lot that two weeks on, I’m still on a high from Bjork’s peerlessly sublime performance at Hammersmith- the best goddamn show I’ve ever been to.

Clad in a headdress inexplicably made of multi-coloured pom-poms, the Icelandic pixie skipped onto stage to the opening strains of Earth Intruders with its tribal percussion and the Timbaland influences; a spell-binding, enchanting introduction to a show that was rarely less than an absolute joy to behold. A flat duet with Anthony Hegarty was the only disappointment in a set bursting from the seams with musical brilliance; Toumani Diabate’s stunning kobe playing on Hope, the bewitching Hunter, the transcendental Who Is It?, beautifully enhanced by her fantastic 10-piece all-female brass section The Wonderbrass. To cap it all, the main lady herself was on top form; a vibrant, vivacious figure whose lack of banter was made up by her enthusiasm and evident love of performing. But if that wasn’t good enough, she decided to crank the amazingness up to 11 with the glorious Hyperballad; overwhelmed by the sheer force of the audience singalong, she gave up the first verse to them before seguing it into the heavy techno-techno-techno of LSO’s Freak.

And as for jaw-dropping spectacle of closer Declare Independence …FUCKING HELL. Absolutely stonking levels of bass, glittery confetti, mass pogo-age, LASERS; well, it’s stuff like this that reminds me why I fell head-over-heels with live music in the first place. Bjork, I know you’re old enough to be my mother but…will you marry me?

(Photos: Deewzed, Vern., Scarydan (Flickr))

ALASKA IN WINTER (London 93 Feet East, 10/04/08)

Devoid of the funds to cart a band over to foreign shores, Zach Condon collaborator Brandon Bethancourt takes an innovative approach to live performances of his idiosyncratic blend of Beirut-style Balkan balladry and Casiotone for the Painfully Alone’s lo-fi indietronica. The actual “live” aspect of the performance consisted solely of the flamboyant if nervy musician singing into a vocodered mic; the rest of the musical accompaniment delivered by means of a “video orchestra.” As dire as this could have so easily been, it actually works delightfully (if rather surreally)- the pre-recorded projections are edited with stylistic flair, with Bethancourt unabashedly showing off his skills as a multi-instrumentalist, and the constant costume changes to mirror what’s going on screen was a nice touch. It would, of course, have been far better to see him with a real-life backing band but given the constraints upon him, you’ve got to applaud his audacious, engaging solution to something most musicians would have resolved with an iBook backing track. Indeed, it worked so well that the audience requested he played an second encore; when he replied that he hadn’t got any more songs, they told him to play the first song again- taken aback by the crowd’s reaction, he eventually obliged. The thing that struck me most was that if he’s that good on his own, it’s genuinely exciting to imagine how fantastic he could be with real-life musicians to back him up. Let’s just hope he doesn’t burn out as quickly as his fellow New Mexican dabbler in the Balkan arts.

(Photo: Oliver Peel (Flickr))

DEVOTCHKA (London Scala, 09/04/08)

Sousaphones are awesome. Woefully under-represented in the contemporary music scene, they’re essentially big-ass tubas that wrap around the player like a brass boa constrictor. No less awesome are DeVotchKa, the four-piece Mariachi folk troubadours who despite being named after a Clockwork Orange reference are as far from nightmarish as you could possibly conceive. One of the slickest, tightest musical outfits I’ve borne witness to, the dapper Americans rattle through their back catalogue with a rare zest and enthusiasm. There’s nothing particular edgy or adventurous about their songwriting; indeed, much of their oeuvre is the sort of earnest but catchy balladry that’d be at home in any decade but whilst they don’t try to push the envelope, they really put their all into bringing their marvellous melodies to life. If at times one might wish for a couple of extra members to fill out the sound a bit, you can’t fault them for what musicianship is displayed; as well as the aforementioned sousaphone, accordions, brass, cellos and a theremin are all thrown into the mix, adding variety to songs that in lesser hands may have come across as a touch stale. A fantastic, celebratory encore complete with accordion jamming and impromptu singalongs is the icing on the cake; like the similarly brilliant National and Okkervil River, DeVotchKa prove that no amount of special effects or overwrought media hype can compensate for good, old-fashioned talent.

(Photo: Jennaphoenix (Flickr))

HOLY FUCK (London 100 Club, 08/04/08)

Holy Fuck indeed! The sound’s not as great as you’d imagine from a venue as (in)famous in musical lore as the 100 Club, but even this slightly muted performance from the gleefully lo-fi electronica-merchants stood head-and-shoulders over most of the live acts I’ve seen this year. A less hyperactive, more creative take on !!!’s electro-dance-funk schtick, their mixture of pre-recorded beats, live instruments and a gazillion loop pedals provides a visceral feast for the senses. Although their performance lacked the verve of their Glasto and Koko efforts, the music itself was impeccable, getting the audience grooving along from start to finish. Yet again, the highpoint was the glorious Lovely Allen, centered around the fantastically low-budget Casio keyboard sample but even that was given a run for its money by the encore, a thumping mix of intense instrumental awesomeness worthy of LCD Soundsystem. And let’s not forget the fantastically entertaining table-tottering support courtesy of Free Blood- the most enjoyable support act I’ve seen in quite a while. I actually turned down a £50 offer for my (£10) ticket prior to the show; I’ve got no doubt that I made the right choice.

(Photo: Nicole Blommers (Flicker))

BROKEN RECORDS (Notting Hill Arts Club, 05/04/08)

Another impressive set at Drowned In Sound's free Notting Hill showcase, but the Scottish seven-piece still have some way to live up to their exceptional promise. The frantic indie hoe-down of A Good Reason and the powerful The Soft Parade already stand out as classics in the making, and there's no arguing they're a tight, impressive musical unit but despite scattered moments of excellence the rest of the set lacks the soul and passion to take them to the next level (some mid-set MOR doesn't help either). Then again, it's still early days and if there's one up-and-coming British band that have the potential for true brilliance, it's Broken Records- let's just pray they live up to it.

As for the other acts on the bill: Leeds post-rockers Vessels have their moments, but their finickity Foals-like fretwork and endless loud-soft dynamics have been done a million times before, and Fireworks Night's competent anti-folk remains an inoffensive way to pass one's time, although they're surely not worthy of EVERY SINGLE SUPPORT SLOT IN LONDON TOWN.

(Photo: John Gleeson)

MIRACLE FORTRESS (London Luminaire, 04/04/08)

Despite unusually poor mixing from the Luminaire soundmen and some uncomfortably nervy banter, Miracle Fortress put on one of the most impressive sets of the year so far, combining Dirty Projectors intricate guitar lines, spectral harmonies and masses of volume with the lively indie-pop sensibilities of Islands. Add some truly fantastic percussion and despite the obscenely short 45-minute running time and you've got yet another sublime Canadian outfit worth raving about. Supports the Joy Formidable were no slouches either, sounding like Land of Talk with more personality, although I have to say- their petite lead singer has the eyes of a killer.

(Photo: Debcha (Flickr))

GOGOL BORDELLO (Brixton Academy, 02/04/08)

Maybe I'm getting slightly weary of the Gypsy Punk, but sixth time round and I'm not feeling as elated as normal. That's not to say it wasn't an awesome show- slightly overlong perhaps, and bereft of the drum-surfing finale that used to cap off the insanity- but despite the new songs and snazzy new costumes they don't seem to be quite as genuine as in the old days (well, 2006). Perhaps its a side effect of graduating to the big leagues, but the intimacy and overwhelming energy is diluted by the sheer size of the venues they're now playing and it's no longer the sucker punch to the senses it used to be. Plus, although the crowd were really into it, the crush was so intense one couldn't even pogo- a travesty indeed! Then again, it's good to see I Never Want To Be Young Again back in the setlist and as for American Wedding->Start Wearing Purple->Think Locally, Fuck Globally...MAXIMAL AWESOMENESS. Not up to their previous standards then, but still one of the most entertaining live acts in the world today.

(Photo: Solamore (Flickr))

PETER AND THE WOLF (London Luminaire, 01/04/08)

One-man acoustic troubadours aren’t normally my bag, but Red Hunter's first ever European show was rather delightful. A slightly egotistical but engaging individual, the Texan's succinct, atmospheric balladry was a perfect fit for the intimate, reverent audience at the Luminaire, and he seemed genuinely overwhelmed by the reaction he received. The lilting Safe Travels with added maracas was a particular highlight, and his attempts to get us in a group photo to send to his parents (to prove he was a "real musician now") were amusing and endearing. I think he's the type of artist you need to catch on a good night- I've heard he can be awful on occasion- but on the evidence here, he's well worth checking out if he ever struts into your part of town.

(Photo: Bryan Bruchman (Flickr)- http://flickr.com/photos/subinev/2352454128/)