Live in Edinburgh This Week – 15th February 2010
When do the clocks go forward again? It feels like it should be soon, because the bite’s gone out of the cold, and you can see green shoots here and there on some of the plants, but I guess it’ll be a while yet, unfortunately. Still, it’s actually light out when I leave work these days, which is a positive sign.
The post-Christmas gig lull seems to be slowly coming to an end as well, which is good news. It’s actually a rather busy week this week, with the funs spread pretty evenly, instead of all clumping together on a single evening, as they have been wont to do of late. How considerate of them.
Firstly, Frabbit are playing Cabaret Voltaire on Wednesday with Ross Clark and Dupec, but there’s little point making a fuss about that one seeing as it’s already sold out. I thought I’d mention it though, in case you’re the sort who can wangle guesties to this sort of thing.
Oh, and Song, by Toad is back on Fresh Air this evening, going live at about 8pm I think, but more of that later. During the meanwhilst…
Monday 15th February 2010: Jesca Hoop, Run/Lucky/Free & the Wintergreens at Sneaky Pete’s.
There’s a touch of the alt-country power pop to this lineup, some of which strays outside my personal taste a little. I was first introduced to Jesca Hoop by DC on The Waiting Room a year or so ago, and although I have not listened to lots of her stuff, I like the stuff I do know. It’s a nice mix of influences, from old folk, to a bit of country, to radio pop and it’s all blended together very well. Maybe not for the sulkier indie kids amongst you, but still a good one, this.
Jesca Hoop – Summertime
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Tuesday 16th February 2010: Robin Grey at the Forest Cafe.
Robin Grey’s stuff doesn’t exactly demand attention – it’s not forceful or attention-seeking or anything like that – but it deserves it. He is largely an acoustic singer-songwriter, although he’ll be playing with a band tonight. I think the difference with Robin is in his confident, unassuming style. He’s also a really strong lyricist so I definitely recommend taking the chance to see him play if you can.
Robin Grey – The Finchley Waltz
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Thursday 18th February 2010: Hexicon, The Just Joans & Cancel the Astronauts at the Wee Red Bar.
The third Gentle Invasion gig in about a week brings the easy acoustic pop of Hexicon to the Wee Red Bar, supported by The Just Joans, who must write the most Scottish lyrics of any band in the world, and indie-poppers Cancel the Astronauts.
The Just Joans – What d’we Do Now?
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Thursday 18th February at Cabaret Voltaire: The Mill with Ambulances and Carrie Mac, followed by Hot Club de Paris live at Sick Note.
There’s a lot going on at Cabaret Voltaire on Thursday with the excellent Ambulances bringing their easily-paced, old-fashioned indie to the Mill, alongside Edinburgh’s Carrie Mac. After there will be Sick Note with Hot Club de Paris, who have kind of slipped off my radar in the last year or so. They’ve a new album which is there or thereabout though, so this is probably a good time to catch up with them. The new stuff on their MySpace sounds pretty good, so it’s all quite promising.
Ambulances – Come With Us
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Friday19th February 2010: First Aid Kit & The Last Battle at Sneaky Pete’s.
Scandinavian ingenue Americana alt-folksters, with Edinburgh’s most upandcomingest folk-pop band makes for a pretty cast-iron lineup if you ask me. This has been a long post though, and I am bored of writing about gigs, so to see what I make of First Aid Kit, just read my recent review of their album.
First Aid Kit – Hard Believer
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28th March
This feels like the weekly gig listings for about 6 bands. Get the finger out….
Eh?
Spurn glue when it takes no monkeys.
Sponges mainly.
Mr Godihatemondays – if there’s any good gigs that have been missed or if there’s something you know of that you’d like to plug, put it on here in the comments.
That how this works. Obviously Mathew wants to keep some quality control, as the site reflects his taste. But if there’s good stuff on that’s being missed out, then people will want to hear about it.
I always get a huge amount of smug self satisfaction when I do it, but I’m struggling this week. I think this is a fairly comprehensive list.
i was just ignoring Mr GIHM Bart, as he was so rude, and rudeness doesn’t go well with this blog as you know!
Well duh….3 words, OCEAN.COLOUR.SCENE
What?!
Ah. I see now how I managed to miss that one.
Christ I’m confused.
Oh I see, apparently OCS are playing the Picture House later this week.
Also, The Sound Of Music is on at the Playhouse Theatre, but presumably no-one on here will give a fuck about that either.
God I Hate Mondays was chastising me for my incomplete gig listings. However, even the normally exhaustive Bart was unable to spot anything else of interest on in the city this week, but Mondays pointed out that Ocean Colour Scene are apparently playing at the Picture House, at which point I realised why my gig listings are so incomplete: because I would rather cut off my penis than go to an Ocean Colour Scene gig.
Although I suppose I could just go along and wait for it to drop off of its own accord. Should only take a couple of songs.
(Sorry Mondays – just playing. As Bart said you should always feel free to hop in and tell me off for missing stuff in the comments. I may have missed it because I don’t like it, or just because I’m an idiot, but people will definitely be happy for you to point out stuff that isn’t on these listings.)
Chutters, Dylan, don’t be sarcastic to new people who have shown the initiative to pipe up and comment. It isn’t nice. Behave.
Fucking hell. Ocean Colour Scene are doing two nights at the Picture House, Thursday and Friday..
Unless it’s just one really long gig.
Maybe Steve Cradock has made the guitar solo on The Circle even longer for their live shows.
I think time passes at a drastically different rate for people in the outside world, compared to people being subjected to Ocean Colour Scene’s material. So the gig may only last two days for us, but the audience probably ages about ten years in that time.
That helps explain things actually, doesn’t it?
Go to a couple of Ocean Colour Scene gigs and end up thinking it’s still 1995.
Ocean Fucking Colour Scene!!!!! Fucking Ocean Colour Scene!!!! Ocean Colour Fucking Scene!!!! i mean fucking hell!!!!
Two fucking nights at the HMV Picture House, that means there are 3000 fucking Ocean fucking Colour Scene fans in this here city……
think i might have just fainted banged my head and dreamt this…..
fuck me.
Hiya Mr Monday, I mean no harm…..sorry!
This about as mean as we have ever been to a first time commenter – shame on us all!
Sorry Mondays, it’s not that we don’t know we’re being dicks, it’s just that we can’t help ourselves.
Feel free to tell us all to fuck off, I think it’s pretty clear we deserve it.
Mind you, Ocean Colour Scene eh? Cor blimey!
i think i’m being very charming indeed…….
Have Ocean Colour Scene ever been relevant?
Just askin’.
Jesus you didn’t actually think i was serious?!? They were the shittest band i could find playing in Edinburger this week. Though i did recently pull a bird in Pearces who’d just been to see the Sound of Music so it’s not all bad
I like godihatemondays.
Godihatetuesdays
Good skills on pulling the Sound Of Music girl, you have to admit. I wonder if he wore lederhosen specially.
Not sure I’m buying the Ocean Colour Scene backtracking though!
Oh, and Matthew, I don’t think this is the meanest we’ve ever been to a newcomer. What about the Newton Faulkner girl?
I was scared that nedrockers had found out about the Toad blog. I am glad it still remains as the staus quo. And that staus quo are not playing as well as OCS.
If I can do some backtracking, Los Campesinos are playing the Bongo club on Wednesday, whom I’ve got a bit of a soft spot for.
And I’ve heard good things about Internet Forever, but they’re playing the same night as Hexicon, so don’t go.
Also, Keser have their album launch at Sneaky Pete’s on Saturday, who I’ve still yet to catch live.
Also also Hexicon are doing an in-store in Avalanche on Friday from around 4.30/5pm.
Other than that, and Ocean Colour Scene, this is a fairly comprehensive list.
Keser? I don’t know anything at all about them.
Have you heard the new Los C album, Bart? I couldn’t get into it at all. In fact I’d go so far as to say that I thought it was pretty horrible.
I’ve only seen them live – it was a while ago now, but I remember really enjoying it. Not heard any of their new stuff at all.
Peter Andre at the Picture House next Saturday. Woohoo, life just keeps on giving
Please insert suitably enraged/exasperated retired Army Major-esque comments below
You seemed to take the bait before….
dick
Please insert suitably enraged/exasperated retired Army Major-esque comments below
Haha! Love it.
Yeah Chutters, imagine someone being a dick on the Internet and expecting others to find it funny. Imagine!
i’m imagining something right now that has to do with crushed glass and rice krispies.
other than that i’m listening to the new Gil Scott-Heron album, it’s awesome.
Some of your sexual perversions really are odd.
huh huh pigs
I think Matthew was referring to you and Gil Scott-Heron, Chutters.
Lighthouse Family anyone?
Madcow’s lost his maracas. Anyone seen them?
2010 is going to be a fucking awesome year for music methinks…..
…just wanted to share that thought with you…..
Dylan – most likely due to signing in with a different email address – I had to approve his comment, so Akismet can’t have recognised him.
Chutters, I think you are right. Foxx album, Meursault album, Tapeheads album, Savings and Loan album, Animal Magic Tricks album, Cold Seeds album, Loch Lomond EP… and that’s just Song, by Toad Records.
We also have a new Japanese War Effort album, a Conquering Animal Sound album, a new BR album, a Kays album and a Last Battle album – and that’s just the ones we already know of in Edinburgh alone.
Apparently the likes of the Arcade Fire are back recording again, which should be very interesting. I’ll be fascinated to see how they relate to a music scene which has moved on a little since they last released anything.
and already this year we’ve had: First Aid Kit, Midlake, Field Music, Shearwater, Woodpigeon
exciting!
don’t forget the national. never forget the national. due soon i believe.
Oh yes, I had indeed forgotten – for shame!
Maracas are back, baby? I dont know why I put my work email in. Stupid head I guess.
I hear that Foxx album is going to be the bomb.
i’m going to have to give the national another listen, cos i just didn’t get it when the boxer get all that hype…..
I love Boxer.
It’s one of my favourite albums for sleeping on the bus to in the mornings.
And that really is high praise. I don’t sleep on the bus to any old shit.
I’m being serious.
I’m meticulous in preparing my choices for sleeping on the bus.
I really do love Boxer by the National. Honestly.