Live in Edinburgh This Week – 19th July 2010
[Edit: The Mammoeth album launch night and my pal Morgan's first ever gig ever anywhere ever have been added to the bottom of the listings. Sorry chaps.]
That Summertime music wasteland has very much settled on Edinburgh in the last couple of weeks, leaving absolutely sweet fuck all on the calendar on a boringly regular basis.
Fortunately, August is shaping up to be very interesting indeed, with the return of the ear-caressing, liver-punchingly contradictory Retreat Festival now booked in for August 28th and 29th.
Whenever anyone mentions retreat I can’t stop myself thinking of Admiral Ackbar saying ‘I saw it. All craft prepare to retreat.’ in Return of the Jedi. Erm, but, er, don’t worry. I am going to take my pills and have a lie down.
Friday 23rd July 2010: Don McGlashan & Daniel Abercrombie at Cabaret Voltaire.
I first found out about Don McGlashan back in about 1995 or 6 when his band The Mutton Birds played King Tut’s in Glasgow. One of my flatmates had a pal from school visiting and we were at a bit of a loss as to how to entertain her, so we took a flier on a gig at Tut’s on the back of little more than a couple of positive paragraphs we found in the local press.
It was an ill-considered and entirely spontaneous expedition, but we all absolutely loved the band. McGlashan himself would occasionally play a euphonium on stage, and as well as adding to the music, it added a lot to the intrigue of the live performance.
I have to confess I have no idea what he’s been up to since the last Mutton Birds album I bought (back in something like 1998 or something like that) but I remember this particular discovery with real affection.
The Mutton Birds – The Heater
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The Mutton Birds – Envy of Angels
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Saturday 24th July 2010: Mammoeth album launch at the Wee Red Bar.
Russell from Mammoeth’s previous incarnation was one of the first times a local band got in touch with me to ask me to review their music. I think Alex Cornish and Rob St. John were the others. Anyway, some three years later, here is Russell’s debut album, and the debut release on Mini50 Records – apologies for missing it out the first time around.
Mammoeth – Trigonometry (Live on Fresh Air Radio)
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Sunday 25th July 2010: The Barrett Wise 3 & The Janet Effect at the Roxy Art House.
The Janet Effect are my friend Morgan’s band. I remember being in Holland in 1997 when he picked up a guitar for the first time, and after all these years he has finally got his shit together to start a band! And do a gig! I know! They may be absolute shite, they may be brilliant, I have absolutely no idea, but I am going to be along anyway, whatever happens.
Daniel Abercrombie is pretty bloody good also!
Admiral Ackbar is one seriously cool character, considering he’s got a lobster for a face.
Good shout. Don McGlashan is proper class, he’s released a couple of solo albums, Warm Hand and Marvellous Year, both seem pretty rare to find over here but naturally readily available in cyberspace.
The latter album, Marvellous Year is particularly good, a return to the Envy of Angels era Mutton Birds sound which I regard as their finest album on the whole.
I’ve actually seen The Mutton Birds 3 or 4 times, the first of which I had to be escorted with my old man as I wasn’t of age to attend. Wild, wild times!
Mammoeth launch their album on Saturday I believe. But don’t take my word for it, I barely know what day it is.
Yep, Ian, just got a gentle reminder of that fact!
Al – I think I’ve seen them a similar number actually, although I can barely remember when the last time was. Twice at Tut’s at least, and possibly once in Aberdeen, but I don’t remember. They were good live, and their offcuts and b-sides compilation was really good too.
I am quite intrigued about this The Janet Effect gig. Do you know absolutely fuck all about them?!
I have never even heard Morgan play a song, so it’s a total mystery to me.
Aye they were great live, and Too Hard Basket is a crackin collection of flipsides. Yeah I seen them play a couple of times at The Lemon Tree in Aberdeen, once as a duo supporting The Pearlfishers, and once full band. Also, eh Liquid Ship in Edinburgh, I’m sure somewhere else too, maybe not. Ah blast the whisky has shagged my memory.
Anyways awfa good.
Cheers for the plug Matthew.
I’m not just being modest but we are actually fucking amazing.
Really.