Song, by Toad

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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Hot Club de Paris – 3:55am

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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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We have a clear few days to get some work done this week, before the weekend’s flurry of giggery. There are some devious Austrians sneaking about Scotland this week, partly having a holiday, and partly shooting sessions for They Shoot Music.  Apart from Mrs. Toad and I recording our annual anti-Valentine’s day festival of hate, we will record a podcast with them while they’re here, and then leave them to go off and do some stuff with Jesus H. Foxx, Meursault, Withered Hand, a trip up to Fife to see the Fence Records chaps, and then some time in Glasgow where I am not honestly certain who they are recording – hopefully some Yusuf Azak though.

Anyhow, apart from the gigs mentioned below, there’s also the rather intriguing listing at Sneaky Pete’s where a certain band called Toad appear to be playing on Friday with The Ritalin Kids and Be Like Pablo.  I assure you it has nothing to do with me performing music of any sort, so feel free to attend in perfect safety.

Thursday 11th February 2010: eagleowl, Hailey Beavis & The Stormy Seas play Leith Tape Club at the Iso Lounge.

One of Edinburgh’s most enjoyable low-key gig nights, The Leith Tape Club, has a really good lineup this month.  I think eagleowl will be playing as a somewhat reduced lineup: after their recent four-piece gigs, I think they will be back to two for this gig, but for those of you who missed their Vic Galloway session on Radio Scotland last week, here’s their cover of I Am Nothing by Withered Hand from that session.  It’s all about sharing out the PRS money apparently, because Dan covered one of their songs when he played the show a while back.  All about the money, eh?  Typical.  I knew them when they used to have integrity, man.

eagleowl – I Am Nothing (Withered Hand Cover – Live on BBC Radio Scotland)

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Friday 12th February 2010: The Late Call, The Last Battle & Emily Scott at the Wee Red Bar.

The Gentle Invasion have been awfully quiet of late, so without knowing anything at all about The Late Call, I’ve got to be pretty confident that they’re good, to drag them out of semi-retirement.  The Last Battle’s stock is rather high at the moment, and I’ve not seen Emily Scott play since last year’s Homegame, so I think I’ll be along at this one for sure.

The Last Battle – Oh Best Beloved

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Friday 12th February 2010: FOUND, Three Blind Wolves & Over the Wall play Limbo at the Voodoo Rooms.

FOUND are teetering on the verge of a new album (I think) and are somewhat reduced in number these days.  Judging by Versus a couple of weeks ago this isn’t going to hold them back though, and I am really looking forward to hearing their new stuff.

Over the Wall – Floods

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Saturday 13th February 2010: Kid Canaveral, BabyGod & Cancel the Astronauts play Trampoline at the Wee Red Bar.

It’s all about the indie-pop at Trampo this month.  Euan already previewed this gig extremely well in his Sunday Supplement, so no need to go on about it here again.  Kid Canaveral have nearly finished work on their debut album though, which is good news.

Kid Canaveral – Good Morning

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[Welcome back to the first Sunday Supplement of 2010, with Euan from the Steinberg Principle, amongst other things, returning to his regular slot.  Next week will see the return of Campfires and Battlefields]

Trampoline this month is going all pop on your asses. The shimmering guitar sounds will be out in full force. Matthew [the Astronaut, not the Toad] has organised this month’s show, so I will use his very words to describe what’s happening. Why write something myself when somebody else has done so for me:

This month’s Trampoline, Saturday 13th February, is a poptastic treat; headliners Kid Canaveral are supported by Babygod and Cancel the Astronauts, and it promises to be a real treat. As usual, doors are at 7 and it’s £5 pounds entry, unless you’re a student in which case it’s £3, and unless you’re a flirt, in which case it’s free.

Here is some blurb:

Fence affiliated Kid Canaveral have long been one of Scotland’s finest indie bands, and their joyously melodic punkpop has won high praise from Scotland’s blogging community and the mainstream press. Four single releases over the past few years (self released on their own label Straight To Video Records) has seen their popularity and profile steadily increase, and the band are currently adding the finishing touches to their hotly tipped debut album, out, well, soon hopefully. The band recently released a free download, Good Morning, as a teaser for the record, as it sounds bloody brilliant. 2010 looks set to be a big year for Kid Canaveral.

Babygod are simply the most exciting and original band in Scotland right now. Led by Gerry Campbell (who played on Belle and Sebastian’s first record) their intelligent, literate and inventive art pop (they list Talking Heads, David Bowie and The Associates as influences), and superb (though sadly only occasional) live performances has led to national recognition from Mojo and The Guardian, as well as radio play on Stuart Maconie’s BBC Radio 6 show. They deserve to be enormous, and I expect they will be. The band have rather enigmatically hinted that they are soon to to release new material. Huzzah!

Edinburgh’s Cancel the Astronauts are the hairiest indie pop band in Scotland. Hairier even than The Stormy Seas. Fact. The do have probably the handsomest frontman in Scotland though. Support slots with Frightened Rabbit, Attic Lights and Marina and The Diamonds, as well as last year’s well received release of their debut EP has seen the band grow in stature and popularity in Edinburgh and beyond. They are working on a new EP which they hope to release in the next few months.

So do go along and support the night. I actually won’t be there myself as I will be in Glasgow seeing Fionn Regan at King Tuts. Don’t worry though, I wasn’t there last month and it was more efficient with more people than any month in the past 3 years, so it should be a cracker.

This week’s job is the finishing of the Honeytrap Toad Session, preparing the second Toad House Gig for Friday – brilliant brilliant brilliant! – sort of getting ready for the Toad Autumn Party at the Bowery on the 10th (Pineapple Chunky madness, woo!) and getting the Meursault singles pressed and the artwork sorted.  If I am dead by the weekend, do not be surprised.

Fortunately, the start of the week is relatively light on gigs.  Lightish anyway.  Tonight is free, so I should get a chunk done then.  I just fear the traditional upload hell which tends to accompany the finishing of these bloody videos.  Vimeo is a great service in many ways, but the uploading is flaky as fuck and incredibly annoying.  Still, that’s presumably a matter for Friday at 4am, if the FOUND session is anything to go by.

Tuesday 29th September 2009: The Blank Tapes & Magic Leaves at the Bowery.

I really like it when people around me get all giddy about the visit of bands I’ve never heard of – it makes going to a gig that much more exciting.  This is one of those gigs

Wednesday 30th September 2009: Wild Beasts & The Kays Lavelle at Cabaret Voltaire.

These guys are just on the edge of stuff I like – some of it I absolutely love and some I find just a little bit too much.  It’s camp and loose, but they write terrific pop songs nevertheless and I am really looking forward to seeing them live to get a bit more of a clue about their personality as a band.

Wild Beasts – Hooting & Howling

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Thursday 1st October 2009: Leith Tape Club at the Iso Lounge, with Animal Magic Tricks and Men Diamler.

The Leith Tape Club is a lovely night, with a small capacity and an initmate atmosphere, and conveniently right around the corner from my work.

Thursday 1st October: Meursault, Three Blind Wolves & Washington Irving at Sneaky Pete’s.

Three Blind Wolves are apparently Ross Clark-related, although I have to confess I know nothing about them.  Washington Irving are another new one on me, but I think we all know quite enough about Meursault by now.

Friday 2nd October 2009: X Lion Tamer & Nite Jewel at Sneaky Pete’s.

I don’t know why I like X Lion Tamer, exactly.  All that synthy 80s pop should be way more than I can handle, but oddly I find myself really enjoying it – basically I suppose because the songs are just incredibly catchy.  Night Jewel, I have to confess, I know almost nothing about.

X Lion Tamer – Neon Hearts

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Friday 2nd October: Animal Magic Tricks & Men Diamler play the second Toad House Gig.

These house gigs look like turning into really nice things.  The last one was bloody lovely, and with the lovely Animal Magic tricks and Men Diamler, whose music can be as mental as it can lovely I think this one will be a fantastic night.

Animal Magic Tricks – Smallish Hooves

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Friday 2nd October: Trespassers William, Glissando & eagleowl at the Wee Red Bar.

Gizeh Records’ allstar tour comes to Edinburgh, supported by local sorts The Kays Lavelle and eagleowl.  I have to confess I rather feared for eagleowl, who were somewhat threatened by a recent combination of relocation and fornication, but seeing them back playing (superbly) at the Withered Hand EP launch last week has cheered me right up.  They have about seven new songs recorded too, you know.  I’ve no idea what they’re going to do with them, but they have them, which is tantalising, but definitely rather excellent news.

Saturday 3rd October: Kid Canaveral EP launch at the Bowery, with Come On Gang and Cancel the Astronauts.

This lineup is ridiculously indie-pop-tastic, with Edinburgh’s three finest lining up in a show of defiance to all that moany indie-folk shit I insist on listening to.  This stuff is all about the infectiousness of the tunes, and Kid Canaveral are perhaps the most hummable band in the city.  Their new EP is out on download or, erm, tape.  Yes, tape.  Good fucking grief, it’ll be wax cylinders or fucking eight track next.

Kid Canaveral – Couldn’t Dance

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I feel really weird this morning.  Partly I am whizzed off my tits on painkillers, which at least makes the back pain manageable, and partly I took the advice from this thread a little too seriously last night.  Ouch.  Pills, Caol Ila and Ardbeg: not a winning combination by the time the morning after comes around.

So there’s no chat this week, you’ll be pleased to know.  Here are some gigs.  Go to them.  But good luck picking what to do on Wednesday, because I’ve no fucking idea myself.

Wednesday 23rd September 2009: David Thomas Broughton and several other chaps at Sneaky Pete’s.

Actually David Thomas Broughton is being supported by Debutant, Twi the Humble Feather and Ross Clark, I just liked the phrasing of that little place marker, so I left it in.  ‘Several other chaps’ – spendid.  See, I told you the pills were working.  Anyhow, David Thomas Broughton is mental and brilliant.  He has a black belt in the use of loop pedals, a gorgeous voice and a strange knack for peculiar physical theatre to accompany his musical performances.  He’s sufficiently eccentric, actually, that he is a good one for sorting the men from the boys because a lot of people really don’t like David Thomas Broughton.  These people are wrong, it is as simple as that.

Wednesday 23rd September 2009: Withered Hand Album Launch at the Leith Dockers’ Club, with special guests.

You know I like this album, don’t you?  You also know I have an awful lot of time for Dan, don’t you.  And I’ve not read a bad review for the record anywhere – not even a merely lukewarm one.  So expect a big old hairy metal-hippie love-in at one of Edinburgh’s more idiosyncratic venue choices.  I would tell you who the Very Special Guest is, but I am not allowed.  You’ll just have to keep your Ear Against the Wireless.

Withered Hand – Cornflake (Demo)

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Wednesday 23rd September 2009 (or Thursday): Jesus H. Foxx & the Pineapple Chunks at the Wee Red Bar.

The Wee Red website seems to think this is on Thursday 24th, whereas I am pretty sure the bands think it’s on the 23rd.  I don’t know – personally I would go along on Wednesday if I were you because the venue is there all week and it’s probably best to turn up when the bands are actually intending to play.  Besides, at least if you go on Wednesday and you’re wrong, there’s time to put it right.  There will be lots of guitars and drums at this gig,

Friday 25th September 2009: Julie Doiron, Construction & Destruction and Former Utopia at the Bowery.

Julie Doiron is folky, quiet, French Canadian and stuff like that.

Saturday 26th September 2009: Occasional Flickers, French Wives & Cancel the Astronauts at Sneaky Pete’s.

The Occasional Flickers are probably best and most lazily described as pleasant twee-pop.  Which is nice.  My head hurts too much to write anything more about this.

The Occasional Flickers – A Medal Won in ‘84

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Saturday 26th September 2009: The Low Miffs & Malcolm Ross at Cabaret Voltaire.

The Low Miffs are a fucking great live band, and their album is excellent.  It’s art rock, to a degree, old school indie to a degree and camp as tits in some senses.  I’ll be here with bells on, depending on certain potential Manchester-based excusions.

The Low Miffs & Malcolm Ross – Cressida

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Sunday 27th September 2009: Strike the Colours & Zoey Van Goey at Electric Circus.

Zoey Van Goey are another band I have inexplicably yet to see, for no really obvious reason.  They have an album out and an increasing national profile, so I really should get my shit together and check them out.  Strike the Colours is the vehicle for Malcolm Middleton’s fiddle player, and a band I kind of like, but perhaps no more than that.

Strike the Colours – Strangernight

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This week I discovered Women’s Shoes Syndrome.  I wore leather shoes for the first time in something like six years on Saturday and Christ am I paying the price now.  I’m sure the women reading this are most likely to be making comments along the lines of men not being able to take the suffering and not really understanding the concept of pain and childbirth is shit etc etc etc but that really isn’t my question.  My question is Why?  Honestly, if it’s always this painful, why the fuck do you bother?  It’s the equivalent of a child burning itself on the stove.  If, after repeatedly causing yourself considerable pain, you do not cease to do the thing which causes you pain then what the fuck is in your head?  That’s crazy talk.  Meet your new friend, Mr. Pair of Trainers – comfortable, soft and will never bite you angrily in the heel for no reason.  Christ, how much better do you think these things make you look, that you’re prepared to go through this every goddam time?

In other news, tonight I will be commencing work on a painting for the next Toad Records release, because it really is high time that was finished.  One thing that will be finished this week is my run of shows on Fresh Air.  It’s the end of term and the station shuts down over the Summer, so Tuesday will be the last Song, by Toad show until some time in September, I think – maybe even October.  This is a shame as I find the Fresh Air shows tremendous fun, but it’s hard enough to get students into university during term time, never mind the holidays, and it is a student radio station after all.  Gigs… well, maybe towards the end of the week.  Limbo looks good this week, and there’s no way I am missing Meursault and Honeytrap on Friday.

Monday 25th May 2009: Zoey Van Goey & We See Lights at the Bowery.

Zoey Van Goey have a new album out round about now, which is encouraging news.  I know scandalously little about them, but their indie-pop is very much respected amongst people whose opinions I trust, so if you have some time tonight this should be a good evening.
Zoey Van Goey – City is Exploding

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Thursday 28th May 2009: The Lovely Eggs, Second Hand Marching Band & The Pineapple Chunks play Limbo at the Voodoo Rooms.

The Lovely Eggs, from what little I know about them (ie: a cursory MySpace listen) seem like they are completely mental, but in the best possible way.  The Pineapple Chunks have a similar, slightly spasmodic element to them, but where this fits with the loveliness of the Second Hand Marching Band alt-folk hydra is a little beyond me.  Should be a good night though.
The Lovely Eggs – Sexual Cowboy

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Thursday 28th May 2009: St. Deluxe, Gothenburg Address & Bronto Skylift play Skinny Dip at the Bongo Club.

Whilst this lineup doesn’t excite me very much (anyone championed by Alan McGhee is to be treated with deep, deep suspicion) what is interesting is seeing the Skinny start to move into gig promotion.  Given their involvement with music retail in the form of Ten Tracks, their involvement with the local music scene is becoming pretty varied, it seems.  Good on them.
St. Deluxe – New Wave Stars

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Friday 29th May 2009: Meursault, Honeytrap & X-Lion Tamer at Sneaky Pete’s.

I am really excited to see Honeytrap at long last.  They were one of the first small bands I ever discovered after Song, by Toad finally drifted into its current guise.  Infuriatingly, I found out about them something like a week after they’d played Henry’s, and it’s been something like two years of waiting before I’ve had a second chance to see them live.  I will not be passing this one up.
Honeytrap – Broken Violin

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Saturday 30th May 2009: Cancel the Astronauts, Moustache of Insanity & Conquering Animal Sound play The Gentle Invasion night at Henry’s Cellar Bar.

Moustache of Insanity pretty much lay their cards on the table with their choice of name, and Conquering Animal Sound is the first outing for a new project involving Jamie from the excellent Japanese War Effort.  Headliners this month are Edinburgh indie boys Cancel the Astronauts, who have a new EP available for sale, called I am the President of Your Fanclub, and Last Night I Followed You Home.  Freaks.
Cancel the Astronauts – Country Song

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It’s that time of the week once again.  At 6.30pm, British Summer Time, myself and Dylan from Blueback Hotrod will be live on Fresh Air, Edinburgh’s student radio station.  There will be no theme, no coherence and no real attempt to do anything more dynamic than just chatter about music, so please do tune in and listen to us blether.

Rather than emailing or (grrr) tweeting, I thought I might just leave this as an open thread for those who want to contribute, and I’ll add the playlist live as we go along.

Click the big ‘Listen Live’ button on this page to tune in, between 6.30pm and 8pm tonight.

01. The Bluetones – Glad to See You Back Again
02. James – Sound
03. Emily Scott – Pageant Queen
04. Frightened Rabbit – Old Old Fashioned (Live)
05. Kid Canaveral – Teenage Fanclub Song
06. Popup – Lucy, What are You Trying to Say?
07. Blur w. Francoise Hardy – To the End
08. Gene – Dolce & Gabanna or Nowt
09. Meursault – Hard On (Charles Latham Cover)
10. Charles Latham – Nite Man
11. Withered Hand – Religious Songs
12. Boo Radleys – Almost Nearly There
13. White Antelope – Silver Dagger
14. Cancel the Astronauts – I am the President of Your Fanclub and Last Night I Followed You Home

Cheers, see you next week at the same time.

Quite a thin week by recent standards actually, but that’s no bad thing.  Homegame is approaching and a weekend that is easy on the liver and easy on the wallet will be a very good thing.  Plus we have to spend it all making up copies of the new Meursault EP, Nothing Broke.  Yes,  you heard me right.  Terribly exciting, wot.  It will mark the first offical outing for crowd favourite William Henry Miller Pt.1, albeit an acoustic version of the song, the full version of which will be available along with The Furnace, The Dirt & the Roots and William Henry Miller Pt.2 as part of a set of two 7″ vinyl releases in late Spring.

And the Maxwell Panther album is about done.  And the Inspector Tapehead album is almost there, although that’s not quite a done deal yet, so I’ll keep that under my hat for a little longer.

The reason this post is so late is because I have been galavanting about going to weddings.  It turns out an old friend of mine from uni made that crazy Sony Bravia exploding paint advert.  Who knew what a talented bunch my classmates were.  Maybe if I’d ever turned up myself I’d have known this kind of thing.

Tuesday 7th April 2009: Danananaetc… & Favours For Sailors at Cabaret Voltaire.

Dananandingdong are, in all honesty, a band about whom I am personally no more than lukewarm.  I don’t know them all that well yet though, so that might change, but for now the recommendation is a tentative one.  Favours For Sailors are newly signed to one of my favourite labels, Tough Love Records, and are garnering an awful lot of press at the moment, so I may well wander down for this.
Favours For Sailors – Our Name

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Wednesday 8th April 2009: Great Eskimo Hoax, We See Lights & Cancel the Astronauts at Sneaky Pete’s.

Great Eskimo Hoax sound rather interesting at times.  It can veer a little close to a kind of haircut-friendly indie pop at times, but there are definitely plenty of interesting things happening in their songs, so this might well be worth trying out.
Great Eskimo Hoax – Camp Beatbox

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Thursday 9th April 2009: Lovers Turn to Monsters & Little Pebble at Henry’s Cellar Bar.

Little Pebble is excellent live and Lovers Turn to Monsters also sound quite promising.  The latter plays a tense kind of awkward indie folk, of the sort that seems to be designed for Edinburgh at the moment.
Lovers Turn to Monsters – The Four O’Clock

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Sunday 12th April 2009: State Broadcasters, Benni Hemm Hemm & Jo Foster at the Bowery.

The Gentle Invasion wonderfully (and somewhat inevitably) comes out of retirement to put on some lovely indie folk pop from Glasgow at the Bowery.  Edinburgh’s most prominent Icelandic musician (I, er, think) supports, along with Fence lady Jo Foster.  I hope her arm has sufficiently recovered from the skiing accident which caused her to miss her last gig at the Bowery.
State Broadcasters – Our Favourite Park

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This week I will finish the live videos for Ten Tracks and eagleowl, to go with the Rob St. John ones here:

In other news, the lineup for the Fence Collective’s annual liver-bothering get together has been announced, and it’s fucking superb:

* KING CREOSOTE *  MALCOLM MIDDLETON * EAGLEOWL * ROB ST JOHN * SLOW CLUB * BURNS UNIT * THE PICTISH TRAIL * THINGS IN HERDS * CANDYTHIEF * EMMA POLLOCK * JAMES YORKSTON * DAVID THOMAS BROUGHTON * MEURSAULT * DE ROSA * FOXFACE * THE RED WELL * ROZI PLAIN * RACHAEL DADD * WIG SMITH * ICHI * FOUND * ART PEDRO * ADEM * KID CANAVERAL * SO COW * WITHERED HAND * HMS GINAFORE * LITTLE PEBBLE * MICHAEL JOHNSTON * KARINE POLWART * ADRIAN CROWLEY * PLAYER PIANO * ZIGGY CAMPBELL * STEVEN CRACKNELL (MEMORY BAND) * ANIMAL MAGIC TRICKS * HARDSPARROW * VIKING MOSES * EXPEDITION GUIDE * MELANCHOLICS ANONYMOUSE * GOLDEN GHOST * COME IN TOKYO * ONTHEFLY * LOVE.STOP.REPEAT * WIQWAR * ENGLISH BORE * EMILY SCOTT * THE PHANTOM BAND * LITTLE RAY * DOUG JOHNSTONE * WILL HODGKINSON * STRIKE THE COLOURS * GEORGE THOMAS * MARTIN JOHN HENRY * MARINA & THE DIAMONDS * OLO WORMS * VIVA STEREO * GUMMI BAKO * DJ DOMINIC * BOYWONDER * THE HAND * INSPECTOR TAPEHEAD * JAKE FLOWERS * PANDA SU * FRANÇOIS * THE CHEEK * JOHN B MCKENNA * JONNIE COMMON * DOOGIE PAUL * PETER GREENWOOD *

Any suggestions for people I should particularly make time to interview and get a bit of live footage from?  Not Found or the Pictish Trail, because of approaching Toad Sessions, and I won’t be interviewing Meursault obviously, although I will try and get some live video of them.  Tickets here – I’d recommend going if you possibly can.

Wednesday 25th February 2009: Come On Gang SXSW Fundraiser at the Wee Red Bar.

Come On Gang are one of several Scottish bands who are facing the considerable bill of dragging their arses out to SXSW this year, and will be holding a bit of a fundraiser to help cover the costs.  They are punky, poppy and brash and I haven’t seen them play for ages.  This will also be a chance to catch fellow Edinburgh indie-poppers Cancel the Astronauts.  Indie pop (which is probably not quite the right term for these bands, but bear with me) is actually a significantly neglected genre in this city, what with the recent rise of all these indie-folksters so it’s about time I went to something where they wield their guitars with a bit of bite for a change.
Come On Gang – Fortune Favours the Brave

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Thursday 26th February 2009: Withered Hand, The Travelling Band & the Set Up play Limbo at the Voodoo Rooms.

Withered Hand are, basically, fucking brilliant.  It’s confrontational punk-folk, although the punk side comes from the attitude and the delivery, rather than the instrumentation.  Nevertheless, if you want to be told that “a hard-on doesn’t mean you’re in love” with some force, then you really have to see this band.
Withered Hand – Hard On

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Thursday 26th February 2009: Little Pebble, Son of Thom, Emily Scott & Dan Haywood’s New Hawks play the inaugural Leith Tape Club, upstairs at the IsoBar.

This gig has sold out, I’m afraid, so unless you’re going already, you’re stuffed.  I thought it was worth bringing to your attention anyway, though, because Little Pebble (one of Edinburgh’s most under-rated and neglected live performers, including, embarrassingly, by myself) is going to be putting these nights on on a regular basis and they look like they’re going to be really good.
Little Pebble – Hold That Thought

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Friday 27th February 2009: Flowers of Hell, Wounded Knee & eagleowl at the Wee Red Bar.

This is a Benbecula Records night which looks like it will be showcasing their signature style of experimental, ambient music infused with sensibilities of both the folk and electronic persuasions.  Wounded Knee might be this city’s foremost loop pedal black belt, and has a new record approaching soon, so if you want to hear his new material then I would guess that this is likely to be a good chance to do so.
Flowers of Hell – The Strength of String

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Saturday 28th February 2009: Found, the Joe Acheson Quartet & Emily Scott at the Bowery.

Found will make their Bowery debut this week, in another gig that is being put on in association with Ten Tracks, as part of their fundraising efforts for their own SXSW adventure.  Come.  That is an order.  Advance tickets can be bought here.
Found – Closed Time Like Loops

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Sorry for the silence over the last couple of days.  Yesterday we recorded the Samamidon Toad Session, which took a while and generally distracted me from the business of writing the blog, so I’m afraid this weekly update is a day late.  Which you are just going to have to fucking live with.

I’d almost say that there really wasn’t much on in Edinburgh this week, but what I would really mean is that there is not much high-profile stuff going on in Edinburgh this week.  There are, actually, some very good gigs to be found.

Saturday 17th January 2009: Endor, Cancel the Astronauts & Team Turnip play Trampoline at the the Wee Red Bar.

It’s a bloody good thing that the impending arrival of Baby Trampoline didn’t kill this night off altogether because I’ve always liked their lineups.  For the first show of the new year we have a couple of bands about whom I know far too little – Endor and Cancel the Astronauts – beyond being able to tell you that the latter are indie-popsters whose demo CD I rather enjoyed last year.  Team Turnip I know a little better, having heard Russell’s EP which will hopefully be self-released later this year.  He plays very friendly twee indie-pop and has some really good songs, so I am hoping the timing works out with the Rob St. John performance at Cabaret Voltaire such that I can catch both.
Team Turnip – Photos of the Staff

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Saturday 17th January 2009: Rob St. John, Tragic O’Hara & Carrie MacDonald at Cabaret Voltaire.

I’ve picked this particular show because I am a big Rob St. John fan, but Cabaret Voltaire are putting on a whole series of Duty Free gigs (ie free entry) gigs over the course of the next week or so, so if you fancy checking out some emerging bands for free, this is a bloody good chance to do it.  Rob is all excited about this gig, too, because he will be playing with the full band and really going for it so if there’s one don’t-miss gig in the city this week it is definitely this one.
Rob St. John – Paper Ships

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Sunday 18th January 2009: The Moth & the Mirror, Emily Scott & Enfant Bastard play Concrete Campfires, downstairs at the City Cafe.

This one’s a little new on me, but I rather fortuitously received an email this morning from Stace, who has just brought her Concrete Campfire night through from Glasgow, and set up shop downstairs in the City Cafe.  The bands will be performing stripped down sets, I believe, and entry is free with the first band on stage at nine.  It’s a nice idea, and I’ve always liked the City Cafe for some reason so I think I will go along to this and say hello.  I can’t quite imagine how the prettiness of Emily Scott will mesh with the off-kilter eccentricity of Enfant Bastard and the somewhat epic (judging by a quick MySpace listen) music  of The Moth & the Mirror, but then I’ve always preferred the slightly unusual bills to the predictable ‘one headline band and a couple of supports who sound sort of like them’ approach.
Enfant Bastard – How Much Do You Need?

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