Live in Edinburgh This Week – 16th November 2008
For those of you who missed it, Toad favourite Samantha Crain has been making telling us about the progress on her new album, over on this thread about Arizona. She has this excellent news to deliver:
We’ve finished our full length album “songs in the night” and right now it’s gettin’ all nice and pretty (mastered, artwork, pressed, etc)…the official release date for it will be April 28th but i’m sure we’ll be getting to a copy to review before then.
Bloody marvellous is all I have to say about that.
Anyway, this week you friendly neighbourhood Toad ages by the princely sum of a single year, with my thrity-third birthday falling on Wednesday 19th November. And by some remarkable instance of good fortune there happens to be a gig on that night. A very Toad-friendly gig indeed…
But first, I have no idea if I have any readers in Dundee – certainly no-one has ever mentioned it, although one or two of you have confessed to being from there – but there is a show there this Friday that a friend of mine is putting on. Mike from Manic Pop Thrills will be putting on De Rosa, Esperi and The Wildhouse at Hustlers in Dundee this Friday, 21st November 2008. It’s scary enough thing to promote a gig, but the first one is positively terrifying, so I really wish him the best of luck, and it would be great if we could get some Toadlings down there to support.
So, that birthday show:
Wednesday 19th November 2008: Sparrow & the Workshop, Rob St. John & Meursault at Cabaret Voltaire.
My friends Tallah and HP from Fresh Air radio have rather serendipitously chosen to put on three of my favourite Scottish bands on my birthday, and entirely by coincidence too. Tickets will be £4 on the door, and I believe Rob will be taking the opportunity to launch his new EP, although I haven’t actually confirmed that with him. He’s playing an electric guitar these days, and I have to say that it really suits his sound. Neil from Meursault will be playing entirely solo this time, and Sparrow & the Workshop say they have quite a few new tunes to try out. So if you want to know what the alternative folk scene in Scotland is like
outside of the Fence Collective, then this mix of epic melancholy from Meursault, intimate loveliness from Rob and furious Americana from Sparrow & the Workshop gives you about as good a cross-section as you’re likely to find. And there’ll be the added benefit of sniggering at a certain drunken gentleman staggering about and making a tit of himself I should imagine.
Sparrow & the Workshop – Grizzly Bear
Thursday 20th November 2008: Zoey Van Goey, Over the Wall & Callel play Limbo at the Voodoo Rooms.
Sorry – forgot to add this one. Over the Wall were really good at the End of the Road Festival. It was an exuberant performance swinging between glitchy electronica and full on pop music, and they seem to be shaping up nicely into a very decent band indeed. Zoey Van Goey are basically an indie rock combo as far as I am aware, but I have been told they are good countless times, this will be my first chance to see them and I do not intend to miss it. Also, this is Limbo’s first birthday, following a year in which they have rather incredibly managed to put on three bands every single fucking week, which is a feat that completely amazes me. Congratulations lads, quite an achievement.
Over the Wall – Thurso
Thursday 20th November 2008: Pockets & the Kazookeylele at The Bowery.
I am not going to plug this at all, except to offer the video below if a bizarre gentleman playing The Final Countdown on one of the most peculiar instruments I have ever seen. One for the real connoisseurs, this.
Pockets & the Kazookeylele – The Final Countdown
To quote Chris Morris:
“It’s not cool to be weird.”
Zoey Van Goey and Over The Wall are both playing Limbo on Thursday.
They’re both very very good.
this man terrifies me.
Crap, I knew I’d forgotten to check something, and it was the bloody Limbo lineup. I can confirm that Over the Wall were excellent at the End of the Road Festival, and I’ve been waiting for ages to see Zoey van bloody Goey so you’d think I’d have know about that one. I’ll update the post immediately.
Come on Neil, you have a toy piano, you have a uke. This guy is basically Meursault but with a kazoo instead of a banjo.
the only people i know from dundee are freaks….
he’s playing god and i don’t like it, it scares me.
Excellent news, there, on the ol’ Samantha Crain LP – very looking forward in a to it fashion, o yes.
Also, you might quite like to know if you already don’t, the ‘lost’ Clem Snide LP (which, depending on what’s happened in the interim between original recording & now, hopefully contais the classic line-up & not a Nashville session back-up re-recorded effort) Hungry Bird has found a label/home & is slated for first quarter next year.
A very tired, but joyful, yay!
Now that’s good news as well. Excellent. 2009 is shaping up nicely.
*Does Mr Burns’ evil hand rub*
who is Mrs Burns?
And leave her hands alone.
Did we just wish away the remainder of ‘08, then?
Bart, I have edited that now, so no-one will know what you are talking about and my stupid typo will vanish forever, in the style of a carefully crafted Glasvegas interview.
No, DC, I don’t think so. But apart from the Toad releases I haven’t heard of much being released in the next couple of months. Is there anything good coming up?
You’re a turd burglar.
Never mind. No-one knows what you’re talking about most of the time anyway.
limbo’s first birthday party is next week.
they have some mental four-band extravaganza planned.
i keep hearing about how good zoey van goey and over the wall are too.
so, not a birthday, but still amazing.
also i think ‘turd burgler’ is now my favourite thing that ive ever read on this blog.
Grr. Did I get anything right on this fucking post? The bloody Voodoo Rooms have it down on their site as the birthday bash, the silly fuckers.
Damn you all and your smart-arsed comments, you’re all fucking banned.
whatever
I’m amazed how quickly Limbo went from:
“Congratulations lads, quite an acheivement”
to:
“the silly fuckers”
You can be both. Besides, the ’silly fuckers’ comment was directed at the Voodoo Rooms for having inaccurate information on their website.
thanks for the trampoline shout mate. not like you to forget me…….;o)
I thought you’d packed in Trampoline until after the young ‘un. What’s this one then?
I do believe I posted it on your myspace page the other night but I have White Heath, The Wintergreens and a short 3 piece set from some band called The Kays Lavelle. It’s only £4 entry as well this weekend.
And Trampoline is continuing. Already have a number of top bands lined up for next year. I will still be organising it but good friends will be running the nights. December Trampoline has Withered Hand, Rob St John and Will Cookson as well.
So come along if you’re free this Saturday. That applies to everyone!
That video is highly disturbing.
The way he resolutely fixes the camera with that determined stare while he plays the kazoo parts is just terrifying. Surely it would be less of a strain on his neck if he didn’t force himself to look straight at us!
Although remembering to do the reverb on the word Venus (venus, venus..) in the second verse isn’t far from genius!
Thanks, Matthew, for the mention. Don’t see why the reach of the Toad wouldn’t stretch as far as Dundee.
Just to point out that the 2 guest list spots are courtesy of JC over at the Vinyl Villain since he’s buggered off on holiday instead of coming to the show!
Sorry Euan mate, but I rarely ever read the comments on my MySpace page. Mostly, ahem, because they tend to be spam. Don’t you have a mailing list you could use? In any case, sorry about that, I wasn’t actively ignoring it. Oh fuck, sorry. Ah well, tough shit people, you’ll just have to cough up. It’s hardly a King’s ransom anyway. I’ll remove that from the page.
that’s ok mate. no biggie. a mailing list is far too organised for me! didn’t think you were actively ignoring it. got some lovely acts in the new year too. will make sure i inform you better in the future. and my flyers for trampoline are not spam – i only post them on peoples pages who i know might be interested in the shows.
What time does Trampoline kick-off on Saturday?
I’m going to be glued to a TV set for the early part of the evening as we’re playing the All Blacks, but I might rock up afterwards..
Also, Alex Cornish at The Bowery on Saturday…with fairy lights and projectors and smoke machines galore! 8pm start, but get there early for tickets and cocktails from teacups…£6 on the door.
usual time mate. 7 til 10pm. be good if you could make it.
i often think that promoters in edinburgh should get together more often, or keep in touch to make sure the great gigs don’t clash. it seems one week we have nothing the next we have everything.
if only promoters were that altruistic Euan!!!
It’s not really about altruism though, is it. It’s more to do with when you can get venues and bands, and that doesn’t always fall out neatly.
If Limbo isn’t up your street on Thursday, the lovely Sans Trauma are having their album launch in Cabaret Voltaire with North Atlantic Oscilation supporting – have a listen, come along and have a beer with me!!!
http://www.myspace.com/sanstrauma
Matthew, I agree. It’s very difficult. But there is always a way to be more organised and work for each other for the benefit of gig goers in edinburgh and the benefit of everyone’s nights. I don’t want to take people from Ruth’s show as I’m sure she doesn’t want to take people from mine – or maybe she does ;o) I’m just thinking out loud. I try to keep tabs on everything that’s going on but it’s often difficult.
as a gig go’er, i go to the gigs i want to go to and don’t much care for the ones i leave behind!
it’s a big cruel world out there….
Cruel indeed – and we’re the good guys. Well, I am. I don’t know about you, Tom.
i am a good guy…..just putting a bit of realistic honesty in the mix…
Turns out that tonight also has:
ballboy at the caves
mr scruff at the liquid rooms
and last night Chris Corsano played at the Canon’s Gait.
what is happening to our quiet little town?
last night at cab vol was fucking awesome……..
Why yes. Yes it was.
what did you think of Neil and Rob sets birthday boy?
i think that was only the second time i’ve seen Neil play…..jesus….howcome no one’s ever told me how good he is…..the lyrics esp…..i nearly cried at one point ha ha
Rob just keeps getting better and better…..Paper Ships is my fave song of the moment.
Sparrow and the Workship…..nice tats, nice guys. super music.
They were indeed bloody excellent tats. I am supremely jealous.
Rob and Neil who?
Lovely cake, though.
I enjoyed last night a little bit too much.
And I finally discovered Argentina’s favorite beer.
I’ve had that one a few times before actually – they stock it in Peckham’s across the road. Splendid stuff.
The cake was indeed a masterpiece.
What was the thing with the Argentinian beer?
Fruit juice all the way for me last night.
Hops are not fruit.
they could be fruity tho?
Apples are fruit.