LOS CAMPESINOS (London Islington Assembly Hall, 15/12/12)

Los Campesinos have a lot of really hardcore fans. I should have been one of them, but after a mediocre 2007 show, a far-too-polished debut album and some dreadfully pretentious interviews from Gareth, I simply didn’t listen to them for half a decade. It was only after encountering them at Latitude this year that I realised the error of my ways – over the years, they’ve become an impressively accomplished musical outfit, with a shedload of excellent sing-alongs and a live vitality up there with the best. Tonight’s show made it even clearer that they deserve a second chance- even though I didn’t know most of the tunes, I loved almost every moment. That said, the inevitable highlights were old favourites “You! Me! Dancing!” and “Sweet Dreams, Sweet Cheeks” - and the resulting moshpit which I may or may not have ventured into. Great fun.

(Photo: Steve Parkinson)

STARS OF THE LID (London St. John-at-Hackney Church, 10/12/12)

There’s nowt as wonderful as a winter gig in a church, and Stars of the Lid’s ambient orchestral loveliness and breathtaking projections were the perfect match for the grand, if pneumonia-inducingly cold environs of St Johns-at-Hackney. Basically imagine the last 20 minutes of 2001: A Space Odyssey, but with a greater danger of frostbite.

(Photo: OutsideContext)

PULP (Sheffield Arena, 08/12/12)

This was Pulp’s first hometown show in over a decade, and goddamn, was it a corker. I mean, a twenty four song, two and a half hour set including Help The Aged (the only favourite of mine I hadn't heard them play before) and quadruple-whammies of Disco 2000->Sorted For E's and Wizz->FEELINGCALLEDLOVE->I Spy AND This Is Hardcore->Sunrise->Bar Italia->Common People – I couldn’t have asked for more, really. Plus, we were also treated to their very first single from 1983, My Lighthouse, with Jarvis' sister Saskia on backing vocals and a fuckload of toilet roll chucked into the crowd (recreating their pre-fame stage antics), and a finale of Something's Changed segueing into White Christmas complete with a proper Flaming Lips-style cascade of white confetti. There’s rumours that after the Coachella cruise they're calling it a day again - that'd be an incredible shame, but at least I've had the opportunity to see them at the top of their game.

BORIS (London Scala, 06/12/12)

Whilst I admire the Japanese heavy rockers eclecticism, flitting between shoegaze, power-pop and straight-out doom with skill and panache, there just weren’t enough riffs for me tonight. Also a serious contender for the Biggest Sausage Fest of 2012 award, given I've not seen Mogwai this year.

SUUNS (London Village Underground, 05/12/12)

Review: HERE

MONO (Bristol Exchange, 01/12/12)

I love Mono, but really can't deny most of their songs do kinda sound the same after a while. That said, post-rock-by-numbers > most genres, especially when faced with the intensely sublime likes of “Everlasting Light”.

THE REVIVAL HOUR (London Village Underground, 29/11/12) 

DM Stith + one of the guys from The Earlies = a band that kinda sounds like DM Stith fronting the Earlies. This is certainly not a bad thing.

(Photo: Kitty Fisher)