Live in Edinburgh This Week: 16th August 2009
The FOUND Toad Session became a little overwhelming last week, especially when the upload gremlins struck some time around midnight on Friday and pig-fucking, baby-abducting bloody Vimeo simply refused to upload anything I sent. I am not sure whether to blame them or Virgin fucking Media, who do our broadband, and whose connection simply ground to a fucking halt the second I tried to upload anything at all. Useless fuckers.
Consequently, after six consecutive nights which lasted until around four or five in the morning, I am taking this week almost entirely off, not least to spend some time with Mrs. Toad. She had been away for something like four weeks of the previous six, returned on Wednesday, and instead of wining and dining her to the best of my meagre ability, I ended up staring at the computer in ever-escalating states of fury for the next five days. So erm, yes, I’m not married to you ungrateful bastards, I must remind myself, but to my Midget Companion of Infinite Joy. And this week I better damn well remember it!
Monday 17th August 2009: My Latest Novel & Broken Records at the Queen’s Hall.
I can’t think of a better setting for a band like Broken Records. The Queen’s Hall is old fashioned and atmospheric, as is their music, in a way I find a little tricky to define. Support comes from My Latest Novel, who released their second album a couple of months ago.
Broken Records – A Promise (BBC Session)
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Tuesday 18th August 2009: Meursault & Frightened Rabbit at the Queen’s Hall.
From the perspective of Song, by Toad this is Meursault’s biggest gig yet – playing to a sold out Queen’s Hall – and as such is incredibly fucking exciting. It’ll probably be the largest space I’ve seen them play and I’ll be really curious to see how their sound fills a room that large. And there’s Frightened Rabbit too.
Meursault – Crank Resolutions (BBC Session)
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Wednesday 19th August 2009: The Phantom Band at Electric Circus.
I was not overwhelmed by the Phantom Band’s big, proggy debut album, released earlier this year, but I saw them at Homegame and they were excellent. There’s something about that kind of multi-layered guitar sound which I think comes across really well in a live setting, and the Electric Circus has a pretty good sound system for it, so this should be a good ‘un.
The Phantom Band – The Howling
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Thursday 20th August 2009: Sparrow & the Workshop, Ivan Campo & Ross Clark and the Scarves Go Missing at Sneaky Pete’s.
I’m sort of lukewarm on Ross Clark, but Ivan Campo’s last EP was a really nice piece of relaxed folk pop. And Sparrow & the Workshop are just fucking brilliant – pacy, fiery, low-fi Americana is what I suppose you might call it.
Friday 21st August 2009: Lovvers, Elvis Suicide & Divorce at Sneaky Pete’s.
Lovvers are very, very buzzy as far as music blogs go at the moment, so I am posting this gig here. I know nothing about them though, so they might be shit. They’re being talked about an awful lot though.
Saturday 22nd August 2009: Playing With the Past at the Filmhouse, with FOUND, eagleowl & Meursault.
This is actually a Film Festival crossover project, whereby all three bands were asked to write new soundtrack material for silent movies. Frankly, it sounds like an amazing concept – British Sea Power did an amazing job with Man of Arran last year – and I am hugely looking forward to it. You couldn’t find more innovative bands to do something like this either.
eagleowl – For the Thoughts You Never Had
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You old romantic you…
was anyone else slightly disturbed last night by a certain masked puking figure?
Well ctel it’s not as if she doesn’t tolerate an awful lot as it is.
Michael, I foolishly left just before that. Yummy yummy indeed.
On the subject of chunks, actually, weren’t the Pineapple Chunks rather excellent.
My highlight from yesterday was a band called Hexicon, who were an awesome blend of Beech boys and indiepopish type stuff.
honourable mentions go to Allo Darling, Rob St John and the Meursault…who were all super duper.
Pineapple Chunks…..average in the extreme….which was a shame cos i’d been told i would love them…..sorry boys….i didn’t!
the fucking Beach Boys!!!
Are Hexicon a local band, does anyone know, or were they just passing through? I’ve never heard of them before.
From London i think….
think they are from kent.
highlights were rob st john who i saw for the first and last time. he was excellent. hope its not too long before he comes back to visit.
also really enjoyed moustache of insanity, allo darlin…oh they were all pretty damn good really werent they.
thought the pineapple chunks were better when i saw them at voodoo rooms if im honest.
and very good to hear meursaults new material very very good.
i really dont like watching people be sick though especially through a felt fucking mask. unnacceptable. i should have known it would happen though i guess.
I’m quite liking Lovvers.
Someone was sick through a felt mask?!
Hope it wasn’t too chunky.
Was the puking part of the show or just some random soul for whole The Festival and all its works was getting a bit overmuch?
Yeah, Lovvers sound quite decent don’t they.
Ah, Mrs! You’ve been missed, xx
Now please take him off our hands.
And I’m so jealous of you lot for having such a fun weekend. Sounds almost as bad as Homegame which I’m not forgiving you for, ever.
yes the lead singer of The Leg was sick on stage mrs toad. im not sure though whether it was a drunken, over heated mis-hap or if it was some annoying slipnot type stunt i hope it was the former.
Coming to Homegame next year, Tarticus Rex?
And if you email me with your address I’ll post you White Heath. A work address, PO Box or secret bunker will be fine
Michael – stage nerves combined with a biblical quantity of cider intended to calm them, apparently.
ooh thanks! my PO Box addy is on the bottom of all my emails and on my blog, but ok, I’ll put it here in case there’s others who want to send me love notes, hahaha
Love Shack, Baby
PO Box 13215
Chicago, IL 60613
USA
tell me what you want in return… there must be something tangible, you’ve already got most of my heart, xoxo
oh you said email you… oops!
I want you to run along and learn to read, Tart. That will do for me.
I was simply caught up in the excitement is all. And still a bit dazed by an amazing guitarist’s performance on Saturday… is it really called “wanging”?
Ah, congrats on that Meursault gig. Don’t know the venue but I’ll take your word for it course – and needless to say I’m a huge FR fan…
Also, I’ve never seen My Latest Novel live but I’m curious as to how their layered sound would translate on-stage. Their strings usually get me pretty good, even if sometimes the harmonies can get a bit whiny pop. Some neat arrangements always come from them. I’d be surprised if the crescendos didn’t fill the place with awe.
Hmm, I don’t know about My Latest Novel. I’ve seen them be brilliant, and mediocre and heard reports from others of much the same thing. Their latest album was no better than okay, so I am not sure what to expect.
Just saw My Latest Novel for the first time at the Broken Records gig, not sure the crescendos filled the place with awe exactly. They didn’t have great stage presence, their front man seemed a bit shy. To be fair to them though, I think they were added to the bill at the last minute so maybe not many of their fans could make it. I imagine it must be pretty hard to swagger out and strut your stuff in front of 700 people who’ve come to see someone else.
Best bit for me was the backing singers, great harmony lines and tight delivery.
Also, I’m going to see Meursault at Leith Tape Club on Thursday, anyone know if it’s going to be the whole band playing?
Would love to be at the Meursault/Frightened Rabbit gig.
That is all.
Wednesday, 8pm onwards,
Withered Hand (and others) vs The Forest Soundguy
@ The Forest, Bristo Sq, upstairs or downstairs i can’t remember.
this is part of the Golden Hour (Of Power)
what we done in europe
which is both FREE and GOOD
frenetic mashup of music and spoken word b4 11pm
after 11pm just the songs
Agnes we really need a sugar daddy to fly us out for these things. Get working on that, ‘k? xoxo
leith tape club will be a solo set (kind of).
Too bloody right we do, Tart!
Hexicon are based in London. They were touring with Allo, Darlin’ and Moustache of Insanity, so managed to find there way onto the bill – but they were definitely one of my highlights of the day. Just incredible.
I don’t think they have any releases currently on sale, but ‘Narissa, I Wont’ on the Retreat! ten tracks compilation:
http://www.tentracks.co.uk/channel/the-police-box/the-police-box-august-09
It’s fast becoming my song of the year.
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone that came along, played, hung bunting, sold a t-shirt, bought a CD, etc etc. You made it what it was.
My Latest Novel – the people i was with last night were talking about buying the album….now i don;t know about that, but they were better than i had expected them to be….but they seem a little try hard.
anyway, who else wanted to punch the girl in the face who was shouting ‘Lies’ all the way through the gig last night!!!
Broken Records were awesome last night….just so you know
I am not surprised. Gutted I couldn’t make it.
they owned the place….it was quite breathtaking…..Wolves……phew!!!!
On another subject. You should all be made aware that The Sexual Objects, (arguably?) Edinburgh’s best band will be playing Teviot at midnight on saturday 22nd.
Yes.
The who? The what? Wotisthismadnezz?
Man – I was just about to google ‘the sexual objects’. Maybe I’ll leave that one till I get home from work.
Yeah, it’s not as bad as ‘Sexy Kids’ or ‘Girls’ as Never Google This Band Name goes, but it’s not far off.
Anal Cunt isn’t great either, in case you were wondering.
Neither is Bum Rape.
Davey Henderson, of Fire Engines and Nectarine No 9 fames new band. Voddoo retro reverb pop or something. Very good indeed.
I googled for “glistening nipples” the other day, and as I typed it in I thought to myself that it would be a great band-name.
davey henderson. legend.
I thought Playing With The Past was last month.
Is this another one or did it get postponed?
Davey henderson is indeed a legend, be it with the Fire Engines, Win, Nectarine no.9 and now the sexual Objects (7″ at Avalanche, v. good!)
Can I also point out gigwise in Edinburgh this week:
FRIDAY: X-Lion Tamer at Scottish National Portrait Gallery. Free gig at 6PM
SUNDAY: Chris Bradley at Electric Circus. 17 Seconds’ latest signing and 1/5 Aberfeldy performs live.
Hope all well…
It was last month JWC, but they’re reprising it for the Festival, which is good news because I was out of the country for the first one.
Ed – arse, I’d lost track of those National Portrait Gallery gigs. Have you been to any? They sound like a really nice idea and I’ve never (in four years) even been inside the National Portrait Gallery.
Zoey Van Goey and Saint Jude’s are also playing the portrait gallery on Saturday. I think it starts at 4pm or 5pm or something, so there’s probably time for that and dinner before playing with the past at 9pm. Sorted.
Oh arse crackers.
When’s the Meursault / Withered Hand show in the gallery?
I really want to go along to do photos.
Or I might do that Saturday show, I haven’t got either of those bands on the site yet.
Matthew, you should go if you want to see how it currently looks as it’s shut for a couple of years. Massive redevelopment of Portrait Gallery taking place over the next 2 years.
I haven’t been, no, I was going to go and see Unicorn Kid last Friday (who I think is excellent), but then I got drenched twice in one day and didn’t make it. It is a great idea, promoted by Kevin Buckle who runs Avalanche records (and no, he hasn’t paid me to say this!)