IRON AND WINE and BON IVER (Kentish Town Forum, 16/05/08)

It was all about Bon Iver. Seriously, For Emma, Forever Ago is a good album but I sure wasn’t expecting him to be THAT good. Men playing acoustic guitars are generally a signal for me to escape to the bar, but Justin Vernon’s got the kind of voice that stops you in your tracks and commands your absolute attention. Aided by a drummer and guitarist, his material is given a rockier, more intense edge, the vocal harmonising is second-to-none and for a man who was headlining the 120-capacity Social later that week, he effortlessly managed to hold his own at the 2000-capacity Forum.

In comparison, the newly expanded Iron and Wine (eight members!) came across as a little tepid- whilst Sam Beam’s trademark whispered vocals have their charm, the relentless jazz-rock jamming and soullessly smooth arrangements got tiresome after a while. Nice beard though.

(Photo: Max Tollworthy (Flickr))

THE NATIONAL (Dublin Academy, 15/05/08)

What happened to Two Gallants?! It’s hard to believe that the hoary, half-arsed blues peddlers that bored the audience to tears at the Dublin Olympia are the same group that blew me away with their ferocity and primal energy at Fibbers two years ago. Thankfully, the same cannot be said of The National who were as amazing as eve. Matt Berninger was in unusually fine fettle- he even looked like he was enjoying himself at times- and his band (including an all-new brass section) have honed their musical skills to perfection. If there’s a lack of rawness and spontaneity, it’s more than compensated by the sheer quality of their music- they absolutely nailed Apartment Story and Fake Empire and the enthusiasm of the Irish crowds (so much better than their London counterparts) made this one of the most downright enjoyable gigs I’ve been to all year.

(Photo: Wheatin2 (Flickr))

BATTLES (London Astoria, 14/05/08)

John Stanier obliterating his drumsticks with his inhuman precision drumming, Tyondai Braxton’s curious gurning as he takes on guitar and keyboard duties at the same time, Dave Konopka hiding down back with his bass and five gazillion effects peddles and Ian Williams dancing in the corner whilst he strikes his synths with irregular precision- yup, it’s Battles time again. And whilst they put on a typically excellent performance, it has to be said their identikit setlists are starting to get a little dull. Nice of them give EP favourite Hi Lo a rare airing, and Atlas was absolutely immense as ever but there’s so little variation between performances that I think I’ve finally had my fill.

Dirty Projectors were once again a divisive proposition- weird time signatures, wall-of-sound female harmonies and the lead singer’s high-pitched wail definitely aren’t for everyone. But I enjoyed them, despite their characteristically intricate guitar work being sloppier than normal. Fuckbuttons also showed intermittent moments of greatness, although their intense noise rock had too many stretches of pointlessness to reach its full potential.

(Photo: Lucy Johnson (DrownedInSound))

MAN MAN (London Cargo, 13/05/08)

Described variously in the press as “gypsy pirates” and “Viking vaudeville”, I had really, really high hopes for the much-praised war-paint clad crazies called Man Man. And it must be said, there’s absolutely no faulting the performance aspect of their show; moustachioed frontman Honus Honus leaping from stools onto his keyboard, drummers playing kits with their feet, saucepan and drain-pipe jams, bells and whistles galore and all manner of mindboggling craziness. But the sheer brilliance of their antics couldn’t mask the deficiencies in some of their music-although at their best they were incredible (Black Mission Goggles and Van Helsing Boombox FTW!), there was a lot of weak stuff that not even their riotous frolicking could save. A great gig with flashes with magnificence, but not the world-beater I was expecting.

(Photo: Alan Bee (Flickr))

THE OCTOPUS PROJECT (London Madame JoJo’s, 12/05/08)

Whilst most of London’s regular gig vultures descended upon Brooklyn’s highly-hyped trance-folkers Yeasayer, I decided to rebel and see Texan four piece The Octopus Project play their first ever London show at London’s infamous Madame JoJo’s. Imagine Of Montreal covering Holy Fuck and you’re mostly there; an addictive mix of day-glo indie-pop and pounding 65daysofstatic-style percussion with a pinch of theremin for good measure. A few of their sparser moments occasionally cause the set to sag, but the spine-tingling beauty of I Saw The Bright Shinies and their irrepressible enthusiasm took my breath away. Shame that most of the audience left after the bog-standard indie-by-numbers of openers Kaputt!- they missed one of the surprise musical highlights of the year so far.

(Photo: Martin Deutsch (Flickr))

THAO NYUGEN AND THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN (London Luminaire, 09/05/08)

Recalling an acoustic Rilo Kiley, Thai-American songstress Thao Nyugen is one of the more charismatic and vibrant performers I’ve seen recently, friendly, witty and obviously enjoying every moment of her performance.. Her husky voice has the occasional habit of slipping out of key, but she’s got a certain rawness that puts me in mind of Martha Wainwright and backing band The Get Down Stay Down compliment it well with their animated, percussive instrumentation. If there’s a weak element, it’s the songs themselves- a couple of mid-tempo tracks don’t go anywhere and even amongst her stronger tracks, there’s nothing you’d consider essential. But the sheer likeability of the band more than made up for the deficiencies in the songwriting, making for a modest but delightful little show.

(Photo: Anna Scialli (Flickr))

NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS (London Hammersmith Apollo, 07/05/08)

Fifty years young and as disreputable as ever, Ozzie legend Nick Cave’s ragged, energetic two-hour show proves the old hell raiser has no intention of slowing down. Taking more than a few tricks from his raw, non-nonsense side project Grinderman, the Bad Seeds add a uncompromisingly rock ‘n roll slant to their formidable back catalogue, particularly impressing when they dispense with the subtleties and went full-pelt towards tinnitus-inducing blasts of sound. Unfortunately, this bludgeoning approach works markedly less well for their slower numbers, and combined with several moment of scrappiness, the occasional technical hitch and more than a few instances of forgotten lyrics and it’s clear why some fans left the show disappointed. Overall though, the highs more than outnumbered the lows and at their best, with Cave in full preacher-man mode and the terrifying Warren Ellis rolling about the floor in a violin-induced freakout, they’re pretty much as cool as any goddamn band in the world.

(Photo: Big Marvin (Flickr))

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE (London Electric Ballroom, 06/05/08)

For a band long castigated for their emo-image, Death Cab For Cutie sure know how to rock out. Their generous 21-song set list was delivered with an energy that would surprise their detractors; a well-balanced mix of new stuff and crowd-pleasing oldies, the recent “Narrow Stairs” material particularly impresses with their return to a more guitar-based sound adding a bit of extra kick to their melodies. A couple of overly mellow tracks fizzed out unspectacularly, but there’s little else to criticise in a show the band admitted was “their best for ages”- the all-encompassing post-rock coda of closer Transatlanticism being a perfectly powerful closer for a night that never less than impressed.

(Photo: Lastyearsgirl_ (Flickr))

HEALTH (London Luminaire, 01/05/08)

Checked out hotly-tipped noise rockers HEALTH on a complete whim on Thursday, and was pretty damned impressed. Atonal spazz-rock isn't normally my bag, but even though I still wasn't entirely sold on their music their live performance is a jaw-dropping explosion of sound and energy- flailing guitarists, frantic fretwork and SO MUCH DRUMMING. Seriously, the Zangief-alike drummer was fucking AMAZING on his own (I'm talking John Stanier good) but with all other members joining on percussion duties the set descended into a veritable storm of 100-decibel drumbeats that left my ears ringing for days afterwards.

Really enjoyed openers Pre, who were a completely mental blend of CSS and Melt Banana; the other band Skeletons came across as Dirty Projectors-meets-Yeasayer-meets-Menomena-meets-total-insanity; a bit outre for my tastes but they definitely couldn't be accused of being 'generic'...

(Photo: Exceedingly Good Keex (Flickr))

A NIGHT OF STRINGS (London Luminiare, 29/04/08)

How could I resist an event with a name like that? Headliner was American songstress My Brightest Diamond; a charasmatic, eccentric character with a startlingly haunting voice which she marries to electric folk with impressive results. Did a great cover of Prince's "When Doves Cry" complete with beatbox and some, um, "funky" dance moves. Supports Clare and the Reasons once again astounded me with their brilliance; the gorgeous "Pluto" is one of those few songs that successfully combine quirkiness and utter lusciousness without coming across as irritating- for lovers of Regina Spektor et al. I'd recommend them wholeheartedly.

Zorro-lookalike Paul Frith, the organiser for the evening, was less impressive performing his own material; string arragements were decent (courtesy of the Reasons) but the songwriting and lyrics were painfully wet and generic. Luckily, he redeemed himself with a parochial folk reimaging of the Oompa Loompa song, which showed more imagination than the rest of his set combined. Add in some three-song mini-sets from London anti-folkers Jay Jay Pistola and Rodney Fisher and you've got the best bargain of the year so far.

(Photo: Estrelas e Limons (Flickr))

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/)