Live in Edinburgh This Week – 1st March 2009
Hello everyone – sorry for the lateness of this post, but unfortunately sometimes actual jobs with wages and things have to take precedence over things Toad, just for a little while. I have spent the day at a meeting in Inverness, and I am desperate for a really good sleep.
There’s not a lot on in Edinburgh this week as far as I can tell. The brilliant Animal Magic Tricks is playing pretty much as I write this, and I am gutted that I won’t get the chance to see her. Well, not until Saturday, anyway, which is when everything kicks off, as far as live music in Edinburgh is concerned. You could (and I intend to) drink yourself into a peaceful oblivion over the course of the day, going from the Fence Collective’s fucking brilliant pre-season friendly (a Homegame warm-up) during the day to the Bear Scotland night at the Wee Red Bar in the evening.
Oh, and I recently mentioned in the comments section that there was a brilliant write-up of the Edinburgh music scene in The Scotsman this weekend. Yours Toadly was mentioned on a couple of occasions, which was rather splendid, but in general Andrew Eaton, who wrote the article, was trying to cram so much information into his piece that there was barely any space for him to do any writing. It’s a terrific article though, and a real vindication of all the hard work which I’ve witnessed here over the last few years. So well done to everyone, and thanks to Andrew.
Friday 6th March 2009: The Gillyflowers at the Village, Leith.
Recently signed to local blog label Seventeen Seconds, the Gillyflowers are a brand spanking new country band who have emerged from Leith only very recently. Riley Briggs of Aberfeldy produced their demos for them, and they have recently been reviewed in pretty fucking glowing terms by The Herald and The Scotsman. I can’t tell you much more about them, other than that Country Boy, one of those demos, is bloody lovely. I’ll find out more on Friday, I’d imagine.
The Gillyflowers – Country Boy
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Saturday 7th March 2009: Found, Player Piano, The Red Well & plenty more play the Fence Collective’s Pre-Season Friendly at Old St. Paul’s Church Hall.
Apart from the lineup actually listed, there will be little inbetweeny performances from all sorts of other great bands at this one – Animal Magic Tricks and Meursault to name a couple – and the chance for a leisurely afternoon drinking session (the gig takes place from 2pm-8pm) in such a lovely venue really is not one to be missed.
Found – Some Fracas of a Sissy
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Saturday 7th March 2009: Dead Boy Robotics, The Foundling Wheel & Enfant Bastard at the Wee Red Bar.
This is a Bear Scotland night, and the first time I will get to see proper full sets by both Dead Boy Robotics and the Foundling Wheel, although I have caught some bits and pieces by both before. Enfant Bastard though – oh yes please! This gig really shows the breadth of the Bear Scotland umbrella, too, from the experimental thunder of The Foundling Wheel to the electronic, dancey pop tunes of Dead Boy Robotics to the… well, whatever Cammy feels like playing that particular night as Enfant Bastard.
Enfant Bastard – Joanna Newsom 666
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Saturday 7th March 2009: Maybe Myrtle Turtle & Fanattica at the Bowery.
This should be pure mayhem. Both bands play folk-based stuff with added off-kilter whirlwinds of pure carnival frenzy. It sounds to me like it should be a truly amazing gig, honestly, and if you don’t come out of the Bowery grinning from ear to ear and bouncing up and down like a delighted infant then I’ll be fucking amazed. Told you Saturday was going to be busy.
my understanding of the bear scotland gig was that they were all set up at once and reacting to each others stuff – a gig off if you like. so i don’t know if you’ll get the straight up sets you’re expecting.
I know I do this a lot and it’s probably dead annoying. But there is actually quite a lot on this week.
including:
Jap War Eff at the Lot on Wednesday
the red well album launch at sneaky pete’s on Thursday
Limbo with Ross Clarke and Randan Discotheque
Everything Everything (who sound like they could be great fun live) and Come On Gang at Sneaky Pete’s on Friday
theres probably more stuff too. I think Limbo and the Bear Scotland show are the only shows I’ll make this week, though.
Thanks for mentioning the Bear Scotland gig. There’s a typo on the date, though. It should be Saturday 7th March not 8th. thanks again
Cheers for mentioning the Gillyflowers gig, Matthew. Do I take it you’re going, then?!
Cheers for the shout-out for the Gillyflowers, Matthew. Do I take it you’re going, then?!?!
I’m off on Saturday, might make a jaunt East for this Fence affair. I might add to Ed’s typo notification there though and say you’ve put Saturday 9th as well as Saturday 7th and 8th Matt old boy!
would there have been a chance that i’d walked passed Mrs Toad this morning?
Euan – if anything, that sounds like it might be a better gig than I was expecting, don’t you think?
Bart – Yes, I considered mentioning a couple of those, but JWE is the only one I probably would have listed had I known about it. Everything Everything do sound like great fun though, and I was really close to listing that one, just forgot as I was writing it up.
Ed – Probably going to come along to the Gillyflowers I would have thought. Mrs. Toad is away this week, so I’m pretty much at a loose end for the next ten days or so, and I do work in Leith after all. Just don’t want to get too hammered between five and eight and then not remember the gig properly!
Fergus – fixed now. See you Saturday.
yeah. i think it sounds brilliant and really different and interesting.
can i do a little bit of research here. how many people know and like trespassers william?
never fucking heard of them
well here’s the info on them:
Trespassers William create a sensory overload of broken, distorted soundscapes, all the while pinned back by Anna-Lynne’s unmistakably haunting vocals and words. Trespassers spent two years touring with the likes of Damien Rice, Stereolab, Explosions in the Sky and Broken Social Scene before recording their second album with Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips/Mercury Rev/Low/MGMT etc). Anna-Lynne has also recorded guest vocals on The Chemical Brothers ‘Push the Button’ record.
what do they sound like tho?
hard to describe. very chilled out. really great though. check them out on myspace.
I was just listening to them, funnily enough. I received an email from Gizeh Records, I think. Not bad, although it’s hard to tell from a first listen.
has anyone been in the venue for the fence pre season thing? is it worht getting there early for a seat cos i dont want to stand for 6 hours. i have the legs of an old man.
i’m just trying to do some research about chances of people coming to see them live.
i’d go to see nearly any shite if told me i;d like it…..just ask bart
missed the word ‘you’ out
well that’s one. only 99 more and we may be on a winner.
Michael – yes, it’s a lovely place. Not sure about the seating arrangements though – but I’d suggest turning up on time. Not sure where my tickets have got to, now that you mention it.
thanks matthew. looking forward to it.
i’m also looking forward to it. first gig in ages!
)
matthew, did you get posted a ticket for the fence day? i bought rob and i tickets weeks ago and never received anything. oh dear.
Apparently they were posted yesterday, so no worries just yet.
phew!
Hi people…there’s a little something else on this week too I’d like to draw your attention to if I may…’mayhew’ is playing at the Ark this Sunday March 8th, details on the site. We don’t have the most finished recordings up at the moment, but we think our music would be right up you and your listeners alley (we’ve been compared to Eagleowl, although I hadn’t heard of them until after we were told that..!).
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the songs. Thanks.