London Gig Guide 29th Jan – 4th Feb Maximo Park, Stabbing A Dead Horse, John Otway

Seven days, seven great gigs, seven great venues. Well, technically I’ve only been to six of the seven personally, but I’m sure the Finsbury is loverly too.

Hidden Cameras / Melissa Laveaux – Bush Hall Wednesday 29th January

Canadian indie pop band The Hidden Cameras bring their gay church folk music to the Bush Hall.

They were part of the best live gig I have ever seen, supporting Broken Social Scene at a festerval of Canadian indie music in Vevey, Switzerland, organised by the Canadian government for Reasons Unknown To Me.

The vid to their recent single Gay Goth Scene is excellent btw, as is the tune.

Rachael Dadd / Ichi – Green Note, Camden Thursday 30th January

Experimental folk multi-instrumentalist Rachael Dadd splits her time between Japan and England, constantly touring, constantly writing, skipping from one fleetingly romantic show to another- whether it be a church in England, a gallery in Japan or atop a mountain in Switzerland.

Her recordings are often born from late nights at home plugged into her 4-track.

When she’s not playing, she’s sewing album sleeves and record bags – a true DIY artist in every sense of the word.

Her time in Japan has had a great impact on her sound, and this influence is most apparent in the songs on her recent album Bite The Mountain.

Rachae is supported by her husband Ichi, and by that I don’t mean he pays all the bills, I mean he will be playing some songs before she comes on.

John Otway – The Ivy House, Nunhead, Friday 31st January

The Ivy House in Nunhead is London’s first co-operatively owned pub, which makes them worthy of your custom straight away.

Even better than that, rock’n’roll’s most talented failure John Otway is playing.

This clip from the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1977 is nothing short of genius.

Cat Bear Tree – The Finsbury, Saturday 1st February

Named after a kick-ass cat and a cowardly bear (and for all we know, an even-tempered oak), Cat Bear Tree have got … something about them for sure.

This is the launch of their debut single “Spces In Between” following on from the “Let’s Share Hearts” EP. Sweet and tuneful to begin with but builds brilliantly.

Stabbing A Dead Horse Tour – Slight Return – Barfly, Camden, Sunday 2nd February

A few months ago three superb new prog-rock bands Knifeworld, The Fierce & The Dead and Trojan Horse set out on a UK tour under the banner “Stabbing A Dead Horse”, the banner title coming from a conflation of the three bands’ names. And possibly, lots of beer.

Billed as “Stabbing A Dead Horse – Slight Return” this one-off London date promises to be the first great live gig of 2014.

Here’s the vlog from the previous tour. And as always at a Sunday gig in Camden, you can spend the day in Regent’s Park or dahn the markets. Or in bed, it’s up to you, whatever.

Maximo Park – Sebright Arms, Monday 3rd February

Indie faves Maximo Park descend upon us once again to tour their new album “Too Much Information”. Sounds a LOT like it was made in 1981, which is just fine and dandy by this old punk.

Stealing Dan & Don – Bulls Head, Barnes, Tuesday 4h February

Excellent to see the new owners of legendary jazz/blues music pub the Bulls Head are maintaining the tradition, seemingly with quite a few of the regular acts retaining their regular slots – Alan Price and the Humphrey Lyttleton Big Band later in the month and on Tuesday, the best Steely Dan tribute band you’re likely to hear.

Hope you can still get a curry delivered to the front bar from the Thai restaurant next door, mind.

Gotta be something in there for everybody, surely? See you dahn the front !

London Gig Guide w/e Tue 28th Jan 2014

Wednesday 22nd January – George Ezra – Lexington

Not gonna let George Ezra’s inclusion on the BBC’s “You WILL Listen To This Music, Peasants!” list for 2014 put me off him.

George Ezra is the real deal. For the voice alone. And then there’s the songs. This gig is sold out but I bet you can get in the fire exit if you’re really determined. Come on, we’ve all done it.

Wednesday 22nd January – Trams – Sebright Arms

The Sebright is a brilliant venue once you find it – maybe it’s just me being thick as pigshit. This one ain’t sold out at the time of typing, and if the Marc Riley seal of approval isn’t enough for you, check out these two live songs:

Thursday 23rd January – Chrome Hoof – Oslo, Hackney

Brand new venue, christened on Tuesday by Dry The River, so I can’t give you any information whatsoever about the acoustics, drinks, whatever.

What I DO know is that Chromehoof (i) made Simian Mobile Disco work really hard to follow them at a blistering gig at Koko a coupla years back and (ii) the band’s Chrome Black Gold is one of the most criminally overlooked albums of last year.

I’m sorry, but if you don’t like a band describing themselves as “prog disco” then we can’t be friends. See you dahn the front for some proggy danceable action !

Friday 24th January – Adam Green – Dingwalls

I’m not as familiar with Adam Green’s solo stuff as with the other 50% of Moldy Peaches, Kimya Dawson (or Kimya Awesome as I like to call her #alanpartridgelives).

This clip is from last November and he looks in pretty good nick. The first song here with its jolly almost Jewish-folky”I Like Drugs” refrain is particularly fine.

Saturday 25th January – Punkfest – New Cross Inn, New Cross

Supoib venue, the New Cross Inn. Last time I was here, I was watching the Lurkers while supping my pint from a safe distance back, carefully avoiding the mosh pit, when without any warning a bloke in his late thirties stood next to me started bouncing up and down and spinning his arms round and round, knocking my beer flying.

I stared at him for a good minute – and not being funny but even though I’m as soft as shite, I do quite a good impression of a total hard bastard in these circumstances.

He just looked at me, shrugged his shoulders and said “I can’t help it mate. I’m a total arsehole”. Totally disarmed me.

Anyway, he’ll probably be at this gig so mind your drinks.

This kind of gig is what the New Cross Inn excel at. Fifteen punk bands for a tenner, starting at 1.30 and going on till late, headlined by the legendary 999

Sunday 26th January – The Sorrows – Underworld

The Sorrows are one of the great unsung bands of the Sixties.

Why not make a retrotastic Camden-centric day of it?

Visit the Beatles shop by Baker Street. Get the tube to Warwick Avenue. Take a walk along the canal to Camden Lock, passing all them expensive houses and going through the zoo at one point.

Do a bit of shopping in the markets, eating at one of the street food stalls.

Walk it off in Regent’s Park then head back up Parkway, stop for a bottle of Gladness (Madness’s very own beer) at the Dublin Castle, then ensconse yourself in World’s End until gig time at Underworld below.

Monday 27th January – Peggy Sue – St Pancreas Old Church

Formerly Peggy Sue And The Pirates, this could be the perfect venue for their brand of quietly left-field indie folk.

Tuesday 28th January – Soweto Kinch – Jazz Cafe

A unique performer, taking jazz improvisation to another level by incorporating hip-hop. Not everybody’s cup of tea but intriguing nonetheless.

LONDON Gig Guide w/e Mon 20th Jan 2014

Here’s seven great gigs in seven great venues on seven different nights for your live music pleasure!

 

Tuesday – Slaves – Madame Jojo’s

White Heat is one of the most regularly reliable club nights in the indie calendar. Yeah, you have to walk past a lot of dodgy sex shops to get there, and I’m getting fed up of the assumptions that the reason a middle-aged Asian bloke is in Soho is to get his cock sucked.

This evening’s entertainment is way better than that are Slaves. A duo from Kent, Slaves are making a lot of noise as an unmistakably British punk act. They have gained a lot of attention for bringing raw and exciting performances that have a distinct lack of pretentiousness in a British music scene flooded with bands that are leaning more and more towards American-centric influences.

You can put that on the posters if you like, guys. “Better than having your cock sucked”. Just get the URL right.

Wednesday – The Curst Sons – Tommy Flynn’s (previously The Crown), Leytonstone

The What’s Cookin’ brand together with it’s predecessor Come On Down And Meet The Folks has been providing quality live music of a (semi-) acoustic nature for ten years or so. Upstairs at The Crown (as I suspect it will be known by locals for a good while yet) is a great room in which to drink and listen to music.

The Curst Sons drew the following praise from the occasionally-cynical-but-not-when-it-comes-to-music Mark Lamarr :

“Purveyors of good-time Americana, inspired by early American folk music – don’t matter if it’s Blues, Bluegrass, Old Time or Gospel – with a shot of urban grit and a dose of wry humour. Absolutely fantastic”

Thursday – Laura J Martin – Sebright Arms, Hackney.

Down an alley off the Hackney Road that will certainly confound your sat-nav if arriving by car, the Sebright hosts a variety of styles of music, Laura J Martin’s gig there on Thursday being one of the quieter ones of the year, but no less intense for that.

Multi-instrumentalist LJM spins oddly affecting lyrics around some bonkers combinations of instruments – ukulele, flute, harmonium and trumpet among many, many others – which always work perfectly for the needs of the song. Unmissable. I”ll be the big bloke down the front glaring at people talking during the quiet bits.

Friday – Slim Chance play Ronnie Lane – Borderline, Soho

The warm, wooden panellings of the Borderline give a country vibe to the venue, making it the perfect setting for ex-Small Face Ronnie Lane’s band. Lane formed Slim Chance on splitting from the Faces in 1974 and they produced some beautiful, reflective and occasionally rocking music. This should be a cracker.

Saturday – Dub Inc – Cargo

I love Cargo. Always have done. Some belting evenings here – Simian (before the Mobile Disco days with Fat Truckers supporting springs to mind.

Dub Inc are a troupe of highly energetic musicians hailing from St-Etienne and fusing dub and roots reggae with dancehall, ska and hip hop.

Sunday – Chris T-T & The Hoodrats, Oxygen Thief, Smallgang – Lexington

Emerging from roots in late 90s lo-fi and psych-folk, Chris T-T first gained acclaim for sarcastic, city-obsessed urban folk.

More recently he has developed into an influential figure of UK song; crossing barriers between punk, psych-pop and English folk.

He writes scathing, witty lyrics and is excellent live whether with full band The Hoodrats or solo.

Monday – Volkova Sisters – Shacklewell Arms.

Synth-based Hungarian band with some excellent tunes. I’m told by mates who take a drink that the beer at the Shack is excellent too, but I wouldn’t know anything about that now, sorr.

 

Something in there for everyone I reckon!

 

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Gig guide – Thurs 12th – Wed 18th September 2013

Thursday – Strypes, Electric Ballroom

Strypes have been garnering a lot of critical mass lately. Ridiculously young Irish band playing R&B in the Dr Feelgood / early Stones sense.

They’re the real deal, no matter what a few jaded old wanker hipsters think.

The new album is out this week and I was lucky enough to catch them at Rough Trade’s instore gig on Wednesday – they played a blistering high-octane set comprising ten songs in half an hour – at least, I think it was ten, I may have lost count.

Here’s a clip of what they sound like live, hot off the press from last night (Wednesday 11th Sept)

Thursday – Summer Camp, McCluskys

The second, eponymous album from Elizabeth Sankey and Jeremy Warmsley has more of a coherent sound than 2011 debut “Welcome To Condale” which should hopefully endear them to a wider record-buying public.

They’re now playing R&B in the Beyonce sense, and foregrounding the hip-hop style sampling that was present sporadically on the first record, and for my money they’ve nailed it.

BRough TrwdddddddddBuy the Stephen Street-produced album from Banquet Records and you get a free ticket to the gig. Or buy a ticket to the gig and you get a free album. Whichever way you look at it, it’s a bargain at seven of yer English pounds.

Friday – Rachel Ann Weiss, Regal Rooms, Hammersmith

Rachel Ann Weiss is a New York singer-songwriter who released a rather loverly debut album “Dear Love” last year; She’s touring the UK for the first time this week with drummer and electric piano player in tow. The overall sound is reminiscent of 70s Americana, with the USP being Weiss’s powerful vocals.

This song is from her second ever gig in the UK last night (Wednesday Sept 11th), appropriately at the 12 Bar Club in Soho’s Tin Pan Alley, Denmark Street.

Saturday – I Was A Cub Scout – Borderline, Soho

If you’re a two-member band and you split up, it’s a bit difficult. More than that and you simply get a new singer, drummer, synth player or freaky dancer and carry on. But it never works with duos. Except with Chas And Dave, oddly. Dave decided he’d had enough of touring and retired, so Chas simply got another Dave in. Chas And A Dave. B

Five years ago this option was not available to I was A Cub Scout.

They looked to have potential with their laid-back take on anthemic indie dance tunes then split up acrimoniously in 2008 in the middle of a tour.

They didn’t speak for years and it’s taken them until now to reach a point where they can achieve closure and play a farewell gig.

Post break-up sex, if you like.

Sunday – King Lizard – Fiddler’s Elbow Camden

If you’re looking for an alternative to the Camden Amy Winehouse memorial gigs (two years – seriously?) where does the time go?) then Sunday night at the Fiddler’s Elbow could be for you.

King Lizard have been ploughing a well-trodden furrow through the metal hinterlands for a few years now, and you have to ultimately love a band who include in their ranks a singer called Flash Roxx and a drummer called Moyano El Buffalo.

Monday – Catfish & The Bottlemen – Sebright Arms

Latest Welsh indie hopefuls who’ve played over 100 shows in 18 months, building an audience the old-fashioned way and in the process honing their live craft. This could be the last chance to catch them at a venue this small

Monday – Boho Dancer – Phoenix Artist Club (18:45)

A venue that is possibly central London’s best kept secret, the Phoenix Artist Club. Early start for three acts headlined by the excellent Boho Dancer and also featuring Tom Baxter and Leslie Mendelson.
Free entry but let ‘em know you’re coming down first as it’s quite a small venue.

Tuesday – Cloud Control – Rough Trade Instore

Australia’s wonderful Cloud Control have a new album out this week hence the instore. They play a sun-drenched psychedelic take on indie, in the same area as bands like Yeasayer but, as always with Aussie bands, it’s the tunes that are important. Like this one from the new LP

Wednesday – Department M – Club Fandango, Tipsy Bar

Club Fandango are brilliant. I’ve been to countless of their promotions down the years, there’s generally three or four bands on and without exception I’ve come away with one or two New Favourite Bands.
Headlining are Department M, the band formed out of the ashes of the excellent and much-missed Grammatics. Really looking forward to seeing what Owen Brinley’s new band sound like live after a couple of excellent singles (below).

Support from the Savage Nomads and Young Romance.

That completes an an absolute killer seven nights of LDN giggage, if I can last the pace.
See you down the front. Bring caffeine.