Archive | Gigs RSS feed for this section

I’m really lucky to work where I work. Basically, my boss Simon gave me the opportunity to turn my hobby into my full time job; an opportunity for which I am eternally grateful. It means that sometimes we get to do nice things like go to Leeds to see our bands play!

So into a splitter van we piled and we journeyed to ‘THE NORTH’ until we reached Leeds. Getting out the van was kind of how it felt like when we went to Iceland and stepped out of the airport (cold). We made it just in time and, amazingly, had a line of front row balcony seats reserved for us.

Just as we sat down Vetiver readied to start. They released ‘The Errant Charm’ earlier this year and played us a lot of jams from that, as well as older ones like the beautiful ‘Rolling Sea’. Their music transports you to sunny California, wherever you’re listening (even Leeds). I love the way Andy annunicates and sings his words. They are a great band.

Then, via not eating, we were super hungry and hurried along to the nearby German market to scoff some sausages before Fleet Foxes. The highlight of this venture was ‘the special German sausage’. What made it special? It remains a mystery as not even the woman manning the stall seemed to know what was in it.

Then we finally watched Fleet Foxes. They performed with a backdrop of projections by Robin’s brother Sean. It suited the music wonderfully and added a lot to the show. I genuinely believe Fleet Foxes are the best at what they do, a truly formidable and terrific band. There are so many copycats but nobody comes close to the quality of songwriting and the stellar execution of group harmonies and musicianship. I mean, some of the tracks are just absolute jaw-to-the-floor corkers. Naysayers, you need to listen to Robin howl in the epic opus The Shrine / An Argument and witness the seamless transition into the achingly beautiful Blue Spotted Tail. So smooth. So good. It is nothing less than spectacular.

A genuine and fantastic band. We said hello to everyone after the set, drank champagne from a weird plastic-assemble-yourself glass then shot back to London through the night. What fun.

Oh. My. Annie Clark operates in that next level tier of musicians who make the music I love the most.

This was the fifth time I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Ms. Clark & company perform, and it didn’t disappoint at all.  This time it was with a new band in tow. I love her newest record, Strange Mercy, and it was a delight to hear those jams live; along with some oldies like Actor Out Of Work, Marrow and The Party. She had Mark Stuart of Pop Group fame join her in the band’s cover of his song, She Is Beyond Good And Evil. And a delight to hear album one pophit Your Lips Are Red. The whole show was sharp, powerful and brilliant.

One of my favourite live artists.

I can’t wait for whenever it is that I next get to see St Vincent. Annie’s musicianship is a joy to behold.

I took more photos, they are HERE.

This was a fantastic show. I knew it would be.

At Scala, 2010

I cycled along to Union Chapel, the perfect setting for Timber Timbre’s music. I capitalised on the hotdogs upstairs (a church that sells hotdogs – whassnottalove?) and took my seat on a pew. Got a tea and chocolate and was set. Having been to so many gigs now (I think five or six hundred) it’s the whole ‘event’ of a gig that makes the show special for me (of course the music has to be super too). So all cosied up in the chapel I felt quite ready to hear some tunes.

And tunes I did hear! Hark at that sound engulfing the chapel, waves of it coming from the brand new PA. It was stellar. The TimTam trio make such a full sound; each musician a masterful player. The songs are so cinematic, the flow and transitions between them were seamless. The main body of the set was filled with songs from the latest LP Creep On Creepin’ On. They played almost the whole album. We also got tracks from the album’s predecessor, pophits Demon Host, Lay Down In The Tall Grass and Until The Night Is Over, as well as an old jam from Medicinals - There Is A Cure. I’m a fan of all the songs, so I enjoyed the whole set start to finish.

The sound and themes of the songs are obviously influenced by a lot of music, from film soundtracks to 60s doo-wop, but somehow Taylor manages to really make the songs sound like they belong to him. There’s something a little unique about what they do, and that’s something quite special.

Thursday

On Thursday last week I went to the airport to go to Reykjavik for Airwaves Festival/a holiday. I have paranoia of missing flights, so I got to the airport super early and sat there listening to the OST for this:

The Fearless Vampire Killers! The music by Krzysztof Komeda is excellent and makes any situation way more creepy, which works well for me. I thought I was flying alone but it soon transpired that a bunch of friends were on the flight.  My friend Luisa found me listening to my creepy music, she was going to Iceland to sing with Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs. I dozed off on the plane only to be awoken by the little girl in front of me who had managed to drop her gameboy game behind the seat onto my feet then made her mum wake me up to ask for it back. Nice work.

I got the bus into town and picked up my pass then made a beeline for dinner. I bumped into my Tasseomancy/Austra friends and ate a burger:

Anyone who knows me will know I a) have worked at Bella Union for the past year b) love Beach House c) haven’t met them yet. Then Beach House happened past and I was too shy to say hello, despite that they were chatting with my bosses Simon and Mark sitting opposite of me.

But then in a mere matter of an hour or so I was at the venue they would play at, Reykjavik’s Art Museum, sitting backstage with Mark. Anyway, longish story short; it’s kind of impossible to not meet them when you work at their record label and you’re hanging out with your colleagues. But I can verify they are super nice and very funny.

And holy molies, there is no band whose live show gets me as good as theirs. It was a killer. We watched from the balcony upstairs and had an amazing view. The set was phenomenal and included two new songs. Their next record is going to be incredible, I know it. I spent the whole set grinning ear to ear, singing along and having the best time.

I sprinted over to this gorgeous building called Harpa to shoot Yoko Ono. I watched a bit. It was bonkers. I headed back to the Art Museum and met up with everyone there again.

After Beach House had packed up we went to the hotel for a while then walked around town in the cold looking for a bar. Victoria had a sparkly top and we walked past a building that also had sparkles on. At this time, I found this hilarious. Sparkles! Who doesn’t love sparkles?

Then I can’t actually remember what happened next, but I ended up sleeping in Sari’s room in this hotel called Hotel Plaza which was the hub of the festival and where most of the bands were holed up. It was right in the center of town and the perfect location, I ended up staying there for the whole trip.

Friday

On Friday I took advantage of the free breakfast and ate bacon, egg, sausage, toast. The full works. I made myself a salami sandwich with full intention of stealing it (there were signs saying not to take anything from the breakfast hall or you’d be charged) but I am a wuss and sat unable to steal the sandwich. Luckily Sari was into stealing the sandwich and stole it on my behalf.

I ended up taking a day trip from morning until night; Maya hired a car and took Tasseo, Ryan and I all over the country.

We saw about 1000000000000000 ponies.

They were super friendly.

We were out until dark, exploring the amazing Icelandic lands. When we returned it was raining heavy heavy heavy rains. I met with Seb and Paul in the drinks lounge.

Then I got to see Niki and the Dove. Their live show is incredible; Malin is an amazing singer and magnetic frontwoman.

The photographers were a nightmare. The pushiest, rudest and most inconsiderate I’ve ever encountered…. it was quite amazing really. But anyway. Niki & TD was incredible. They’re one of the best new bands I’ve had the pleasure of coming across this year.

I bumped into Mark and Beach House again, they were bummed because they missed Dungen because it was supposedly canceled. We sat a while then had a Tasseo meeting in our room and watched some classy early morning/late night TV.

Saturday

I went on another adventure in the Icelandic countryside, with Alan and Odhran. We ate soup and went to a crater Bjork played in. I would have loved to have seen Bjork at the festival but unfortunately she played Wednesday and Sunday (I was there Thursday until Sunday afternoon).

Returning to town, I was next-level exhausted. It was the Bella Union night at Harpa so I got to watch Veronica Falls:

They played a lot of new songs, as well as songs from their debut. They were excellent.

I couldn’t handle being in a dark space through fear of dozing off so I had to step outside for Olafur Arnalds’ set and drink some freezing cold water. I stepped back in for Treefight, and what a delight! They are the loveliest guys and a really fun live band. They really made my night that evening, with Christian dedicating a super tight and faithful cover of Wuthering Heights to me. Yes. That actually happened. It was great fun.

Then I sprinted over to the Art Museum to find Austra backstage prepping themselves for the show. It was amazing as ever; they have some great pophits and are a visual delight to watch, especially with all the dramatic lighting.

Once again the photopit was a bit of an ordeal. Sometimes festivals give out way too many photopasses…

After the show Katie rounded up her troops and we did an Austra photoshoot outside in the cold. It was fun.

Then I had to shoot Iceage who weren’t really my kind of thing, so I ducked out after a few songs and headed to the hotel where I collapsed in the lobby, onto the sofa where I was unable to move for a good half hour or so. Eventually I made it upstairs to bed.

Sunday

In the morning, Tasseo and I met with my talented friend Seb. We walked to the public pool and filmed a video session. I think it will turn out great. I especially liked all the nearly naked old people walking around in the background. We have named this the ‘cool in the pool’ shoot.

I held the microphone so this was my vantage point:

Pretty sure it’s going to look great! I’m excited to see.

Then we saw this cat which distracted me for a little while:

He was so friendly and cute! What a dreamboat.

I grabbed my bits and bobs and said bye bye to Austra and the lovely Treefight guys. What a fun trip!

I went to the airport; Simon and Veronica Falls were on the same flight so we all did the airport hoopla together and flew home. I listened to Teen Dream on the plane.

The trip was wonderful. I’d recommend Iceland to anyone. I only saw a few bands but I thoroughly enjoyed them, and the countryside is something to behold.

Tasseomancy at CAMP Basement
w/Princess Century

I can’t really review a show I was so heavily involved in, what with bias and whatnot. So here are some photos by my friend Seb Dehesdin and  a tidbit of writings.

I went and met Sari, Romy and Maya in the morning and we hauled their stuff to Camp Basement, and consequently spent the rest of the day shaking (their stuff weighs a ton). This show was to celebrate the launch of Tasseo’s record, titled ‘Ulalume’ and released in the UK on Turf as a candle and matchbox set. The candles turned out really super.

Maya is their friend and Austra bandmate; she came along and performed not only with Sari and Romy but also a set of her own as Princess Century. She was fantastic.

Maya // Princess Century

Then Tasseomancy played. What can I say? I obviously think they’re great. As a trio their songs were fleshed out and full and they were brilliant. They played a new song and ‘The Darkness Of Things’, which on the album is sung by Taylor of Timber Timbre.

Super trou-pa-pa.

All photos by Seb.