US GIRLS (London Islington Assembly Hall, 22/11/18)

US Girls as a duo with backing track = fine, I guess. US Girls as an 8-piece pop juggernaut = pretty exceptional. Meghan Remy has some songwriting chops, that's for sure.

IDRIS ACKAMOOR & THE PYRAMIDS (London Dome, 20/11/18)

A mesmerising, eclectic and elatory set from the veteran Afro-futurists. I particularly enjoyed the bit where the band dedicated a song to Native American tribes, and some drunk lady who was clearly from Romford kept on shouting "MY PEOPLE! MY PEOPLE!" and I really struggled to stifle my giggles.

TRICOT (London Scala, 18/11/18)

Not the most frenzied Tricot set I've ever witnessed (no-one jumped on anyone else's kit, and I didn't nearly get hit in the face by a bass), but probably the most musically accomplished. One of the best things math-rock ever produced.

SAX RUINS (London Cafe Oto, 18/11/18)

Dazzling rhythmic chaos from the scintillating Japanese sax-and-drums duo. Time signatures are for losers.

TOKYO CHUTEI IKI (London St John on Bethnal Green, 18/11/18)

A 10-piece baritone sax ensemble playing a lunchtime set at a dilapidated but stately church in Bethnal Green. Can't go wrong, really.

!!! (London Bush Hall, 15/11/18)

After delivering the most outright fun gig of 2017, the dance-punk legends effortlessly repeated the feat at Bush Hall, with a performance where half the audience ended up on-stage, whilst Nic Offer spend half the set off of it.

THE FIRE! ORCHESTRA (London Dome, 14/11/18)

A breathtaking evening of "Swedish misunderstandings" from the magnificent Fire! Orchestra. I swear Mariam from Wildbirds and Peacedrums hasn't aged a bit over the last decade...

MAJUTSU NO NIWA (London Cafe Oto, 12/11/18)

Classic Tokyo psych-rock. A bit "meat-and-potatoes" for my tastes, to be honest, with a focus on bludgeoning riffs rather than blissful cosmic freak-outs.

CHILLY GONZALES (London Rough Trade East, 12/11/18)

Chilly might be a big deal nowadays, but he stills likes to bring things down to Brick Lane "for those who can't afford his proper shows" every so often. Half musical theory lecture, half non-genre-conforming recital, he's one-of-a-kind and really rather marvelous.

THE DECEMBERISTS (Leeds Academy, 10/11/18)

Murders most foul, accordions, choreographed singalongs and giant whales. Yup, it's a Decemberists show, and yup, it was bloody good.

CRACK CLOUD (London Moth Club, 09/11/18)

Looking for a jerkier, more concentrated Nervous Conditions featuring a guy who looks like a 2nd-tier anime villain? An intimidating group of straight-edge former addicts who fuse razor-sharp post-punk with math-rock and African rhythms? The best goddamn new band I've seen this year? If so, I'd get yourself to a Crack Cloud gig RIGHT NOW.

NEKO CASE (London Barbican, 08/11/18)

An impressively polished set of alt-country from the brilliantly unpretentious, politically ferocious Ms. Case. It's not a genre I'm particularly attuned to, but the two hour set went by in a blink of an eye.

ZOLA JESUS (London Omeara, 05/11/18)

 

Review: HERE

CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH (London Electric Ballroom, 26/10/18)

The transformation of Alec Ounsworth from "deer-in-a-headlights" dullard to accomplished frontman remains one of the more unanticipated but welcome developments of my gigging career, and although "Some Loud Thunder" was never my favourite CYHSY album, this show perfectly encapsulated the off-kilter brilliance and electrifying vitality that made the mid-Noughties indie-rock scene so exciting. Satan Said Dance indeed...

PALM (London Moth Club, 25/10/18)

So "1am at ATP" I could almost smell those rancid Butlins hotdogs. Scintillating, time-signature-dodging jams that reminded me at various times of Animal Collective, Deerhoof, Battles and Dirty Projectors.

ELEANOR FRIEDBERGER (London Oslo, 24/10/18)

A charming set, as ever, from the former Fiery Furnaces frontlady, whose distinctive vocals and ear for melody elevates her above your typical singer-songwriter.

MEW (London Barbican, 20/10/18)

The anthemic Danes have never quite clicked for me, and there were times during this "Frengers" anniversary show where my attention certainly wavered, but "Comforting Sounds" with string quartet was honestly worth the price of admission alone.

URBAN SOUND (London King's Place, 19/10/18)

A eclectic, accomplished and thoroughly excellent performance from this East Asian quartet, fusing classical, Korean folk, jazz and avant-garde influences. Would be perfect at Cafe Oto, just sayin'.

GWENNO (London Islington Assembly Hall, 18/10/18)

Review: HERE

BO NINGEN (London Moth Club, 17/10/18)

Long-haired Japanese psych-rock onslaught: Round 16. Not the best I've seen them (the limited dimensions of the Moth Club stage restrained their more exuberant antics), but there's no such thing as a bad Bo Ningen gig. Really liked Grimm Grimm - formerly of Screaming Tea Party - in support as well, not least because of the two well-judged and poignant Umez covers. The Pharmakon knock-offs Naked...not so much.

CHAI (London Rough Trade East, 11/10/18)

Am I sufficiently kawaii to join this band? Y/N

OKKERVIL RIVER (London Koko, 10/10/18)

 First saw Okkervil River 13 years ago, and it appears Will Sheff still hasn't captured the whole "hitting notes" thing. Nonetheless, their vibrant, punchy folk-rock never fails to revitalise, and "Unless It Kicks" remains one of the greatest alt-rock anthems of our times.