Sunday, November 28, 2010

WILDBIRDS AND PEACEDRUMS (London Union Chapel, 27/11/10)



I've seen Wildbirds and Peacedrums eleven times now, and every time I've written a post in this here blog to rave about them. But tonight...tonight was on a completely different level. Combined with Union Chapel's peerless acoustics and a twenty-piece choir, they delivered what has to be one of the top 10, if not 5 performances I have seen in my life (and as I've seen around 1,800 of them, that's saying something.) By the half-way mark, it was my already gig of the year - and then it got better. I can't remember the last time a show gave me so many goosebumps; “There Is No Light” and “Places” were breathtaking in a literal sense, and “My Heart” with full choral backing almost made me cry. Absolutely glorious.

(Photo: Anika Mottershaw)
JONSI (London Hammersmith Apollo, 26/11/10)



I wanted this to be the gig of the year…but it was merely very, very good indeed. Jonsi has one of the most truly beautiful voices in the business, and complete with some wonderful costumes, the most stunning projection work I’ve ever seen at a show and impeccable musicianship tonight certainly wasn’t lacking in memorable moments. But the songs are just too lightweight to engage on an emotional level; whilst I hoped for shivers down my spine, in general they were conspicuous by their absence- the one exception being the transcendentally epic "Grow Till Tall", which is up there with “Untitled 8” for sheer, mindblowing intensity. An excellent performance, for sure, but not the classic I’d anticipated.

(Photo: Visuels_ (Flickr))
TWIN SISTER (London Lexington, 25/11/10)



One of my most anticipated shows this year…and my God it was wonderful. Like Beach House with more groove and a greater sense of fun, their dream-pop sounded even better live than on record, with tweaked arrangements, the occasional well-judged jam and a brilliantly 80’s-tastic cover that encompassed every retro synth tone you could possibly hope for. Only quibble was the length- 45 minutes simply wasn’t enough. Gorgeous.

(Photo: The Stool Pigeon)
FACTORY FLOOR (London Heaven, 24/11/10)



Snoozeworthy. At least Bo Ningen’s support slot was entertaining, even though their psychedelic Japanese chaos was muted by a dreadfully mixed low-end.

(Photo: Kasper Vogelzang (Flickr))
MARNIE STERN (Bristol Thekla, 20/11/10)



“Well, who *doesn’t* love clunge?” Yes indeed, Marnie, yes indeed. Dazzling guitar tapping skills from the mentalist Yank, even though you couldn’t hear her over the drum and bass for the first few songs.

(Photo: Mi_Mi (Flickr))
TITUS ANDRONICUS (Bristol Cooler, 19/11/10)



I nearly lost my voice during “Battle of Hampton Roads.” That’s all you need to know.

(Photo: G. Ballantyne (Flickr))
FIGHT LIKE APES (London Bull & Gate, 18/11/10)



High-energy, rowdy synth-pop from scintillating Irish beat combo; moshing was committed, t-shirts were thrown, ladders were climbed and “Something Global” was bellowed with much enthusiasm. Good craic.

(Photo: Lorne Thomson (Flickr))
CASIOTONE FOR THE PAINFULLY ALONE (London Cargo, 15/11/10)



Owen Ashworth’s last ever London show touring under the Casiotone monicker was a bittersweet occasion; it may have been our final opportunity to hear his poignant lo-fi indietronic ballads, but as send offs go it could have hardly been bettered. 90 minutes of all our favourite songs (White Corolla! Scattered Pearls! Jeane, If You’re Ever In Portland!) plus some delightful obscurities and impromptu moments of audience participation - the perfect swansong to a wonderful musical project.

(Photo: capitodeneuve (Flickr))

Sunday, November 14, 2010

GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT (London Islington Academy, 12/11/10)



Live post-rock can be a chore sometimes; there's only so much you can do with meandering 15-minute instrumentals, especially if your palette is restricted to guitars and drums. Even genre stalwarts Explosions In The Sky have a tendency to lose my interest from time to time, which is why God Is An Astronaut and Caspian deserve major kudos from holding my attention from start to finish. Both bands are louder and rawer than your average post-rock outfit - Caspian's sound is edged with \M/etal, God Is An Astronaut with heavy rock, electronica and a touch of funk – resulting in a more satisfying and engaging experience than many of their peers. Having heard nothing at all by either act beforehand, I was thoroughly impressed- hope they come back to the UK soon.

(Photo: Innovating Concept (Flickr))
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM (London Alexandra Palace, 10/11/10)



If this hadn't taken place in an atmosphere vacuum like Ally Pally, this could very well have been the gig of the year. Hot Chip's 70-minute support slot was the perfect warm-up for an absolute blinder of a set – “All My Friends” was phenomenal, “Daft Punk Are Playing In My House” sounded more raw and vital than ever, and as for "Dance Yrself Clean"...well, it's safe to say that it's a contender for the best opener I've heard in over 600 gigs. Let's hope James Murphy reconsiders his decision to end LCDSS after this tour, because on the evidence here, it's clear they're currently at the top of their game.

(Photo: Alex Twose (Flickr))
HAUSCHKA (London Bush Hall, 09/11/10)



Review: HERE

(Photo: Schrollum (Flickr))
BO NINGEN (London CAMP Basement, 08/11/10)



I refer you to the above photo by the exceptionally talented Stacy Liu. It sums up this show better than I ever could.

(Photo: Stacy Liu)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY (London Hoxton Bar & Kitchen, 04/11/10)



Review: HERE

(Photo: Anika Mottershaw)

Saturday, November 06, 2010

SHARON JONES AND THE DAP KINGS (London Roundhouse, 03/11/10)



On the whole I've got no beef with the Roundhouse, but it's sometimes curiously devoid of atmosphere. A case in point: Ms. Sharon Jones and her Dap Kings. She's a vital, overwhelmingly charismatic performer, blessed with powerhouse vocals and a repetoire of songs that make the most of her talents. Her band is excellent; brassy, punchy and soulful. If this had been at the Jazz Cafe, I don't doubt it would have been one of the more memorable, joyous gigs of the year. But at the Roundhouse, something was lacking - perhaps the crowd had been thinned out by Bob Crowe's strike-happiness or something, but it never quite sparked in the way I hoped it would.

(Photo: Anika Mottershaw)
ZOLA JESUS (London XOYO, 01/11/10)



XOYO is an "important new warehouse space in East London" according to its owners, a phrase that should strike fear into the hearts of any right-thinking person. And indeed, it's exactly what you'd imagine: an ill-ventilated, soulless concrete basement devoid of anything approaching charm or decent accoustics. A host of technical glitches, murky sound, and oppressive humidity overwhelmed the undoubtedly talented Former Ghosts; the bleak gothic intensity of Zola Jesus faired better, although without a backing band it did come across as karaoke with pretensions.

(Photo: Stefanos Zachariadis (Flickr))