For the uninitiated, the Fence Collective‘s Homegame Festival is held once a year in the small fishing village of Anstruther in Fife (well, it used to be a fishing village but it seems to be largely touristy now – neighbour Pittenweem seems to be more of a working harbour). A huge pile of Fence Records acts, bolstered by friends and neighbours, get together and play lots of gigs in the town halls, school halls and beer halls of the town, and about six hundred or so lucky punters get to go along.
There are a few things I love about this festival, so here are a couple, put as briefly as possible:
- Anstruther is small, so the festival itself has to be small, or the town wouldn’t be able to cope.
- Fence Collective music is fucking brilliant. There will be no sets by the View, not even acoustic ones.
- It’s actually in a town, so if it pisses down you can just stay in the pub and not get wet.
- The bands themselves are all relaxed, friendly and as interested in seeing good music and getting plastered as the rest of us, which makes for a really nice, communal atmosphere.
- It’s in a seaside town so if you ever get all musicked out, you can pick up a paper, sit on the promenade and read for a bit.
- Did I mention the relaxed atmosphere? It’s the nicest festival in the world to be at.
This year Mrs. Toad and I rented a couple of cottages in Pittenweem – we were too slow to get Anstruther – which ended up being absolutely full of bodies at the end of every gin-sodden night of debauchery. And when I say full I mean full; every inch of floor and ever sofa or cushion covered with some passed out drunkard or other. Fuck me it was fun. Read the rest of this entry »
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.
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
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.
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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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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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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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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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.
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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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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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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Well the Meursault Session is up and my interviews are all sorted but one, so maybe I can take the foot off the gas just slightly for the time being. This week I have two tasks: write up the Builders & the Butchers interview and record a podcast for the weekend. Oh, and maybe deal with the Broken Records movies from a little while back.
I’ve requested interviews with Micah P. Hinson, the Wave Pictures, David Thomas Broughton and the Pictish Trail for End of the Road, and so far have a yes from PT, no reply from DTB, and am having my traffic credentials examined by the MPH gatekeepers. Is my penis big enough? Do I drive a shiny enough car? Is Mrs. Toad pretty enough? Are you lot the right sort? Christ this is fun – the music industry is so fucking hierarchical it’s just ridiculous. To be fair though, the lady I’m talking to about Micah P. Hinson and the Wave Pictures seems really nice, so hopefully we might get somewhere with that.
In the meantime, there are plenty of opportunities to wreck your liver and empty your pockets in Scotland’s capital this week:
Friday 5th September: Wounded Knee, Black Diamond Express & others at the Drill Hall in Leith.
There’s a handful of really good bands playing this particular night, apparently hosted by Benbecula Records, who are one of the best little labels around these parts.
Black Diamond Express – Nemo Saltat Sobrius
Saturday 6th September: Euchrid Eucrow, Emily Scott & the Wee Rogue play the Gentle Invasion night at Henry’s Cellar Bar.
Bart’s Gentle Invasion gigs are always a treat, but he sent me some marketing blurb for this one that might have backfired: apparently Euchrid Eucrow, apart from the man himself, comprise musicians from not only the (brilliant, in my view) British Sea Power, so far so good, but also the (dismal, in my view) Bat For Lashes. Ah well, Bartski, can’t win ‘em all. Still, it sounds intriguing, Emily Scott is lovely, and I haven’t seen The Wee Rogue since his first tentative step onto the Edinburgh stage some three years ago at an Out of the Bedroom night.
Euchrid Eucrow – A Horse is Not Just For Christmas
Also, Glasvegas play the Liquid Room on Sunday, but the ungrateful bastards have sold out. Bugger.
Glasvegas – Geraldine (Demo)
That’s about all I could find to personally get excited about this week. A bit thin, eh. I may need help on this one.
I am away, so this is a phantom post which I VERY KINDLY wrote before leaving, just to make sure you all remain up to date during my absence. Wouldn’t want you needlessly wasting your money on shit gigs now, would we.
I may not be there in person, but fucked if I’m having you degenerate lot misbehave in my absence. There are good gigs out there and if I catch any of you wasting your money on aural effluvium like Newton Faulkner then there will be serious repercussions. Or Kate fucking Nash. Unspeakable.
Here is what you are permitted to spend your musical sheckles on.
Monday 4th August 2008: Rob St.John & Emily Scott play The Retreat Festival at the Scottish Scullery.
I swear if anyone has asthma they might just drown out the music at this particular gig, both Rob and Emily are so hushed. It will be beautiful music though, so I really recommend this. Rob is warming up to a new release shortly, which really is excellent news.
Rob St. John – Tipping In
Wednesday 6th August 2008: The Pictish Trail & HMS Ginafore play The Retreat Festival at the Scottish Scullery.
Jenny Ginafore is one of the intentionally undiscovered gems of the Fence Collective. From what I know (not much, I just confess) she’s just not up for pushing her music any farther than it intends to trickle along of its own accord. Her music is beautiful on its own, Johnny Pictish’s recent album is brilliant, and this should be a great gig.
HMS Ginafore – You Built a City Inside of Me
Thursday 7th August 2008: Shout Out Louds at Cabaret Voltaire.
As Swedish eighties indie revivalists go, this lot are easily as good as it gets. Their Cure/Smiths infused indie pop is pure joy and I am gutted that I’ll be away for this one. If you can go, GO!
Shout Out Louds – Tonight I Have to Leave It
Friday 8th August 2008: Randan Discotheque & The Wee Rogue play The Retreat Festival at the Scottish Scullery.
Craig, who is Randan Disotheque, writes classically Scottish songs: slightly wry, slightly morose and witty enough to be enjoyable. The Wee Rogue, whom I have only ever seen once, on his Edinburgh debut, writes the most remarkably fragile songs you’ll hear in a while.
Randan Discotheque – The Prince Must Go to Iraq
Saturday 9th August 2008: Nouvelle Vague at the Liquid Room.
As much as arch cover versions are really starting to get on my tits, Nouvelle Vague don’t make a bad fist of this particular sub-genre. Their loungey versions of indie classics are rather enjoyable, and why not spaff fifteen quid on an evening’s entertainment. They’re playing the previous night too, supported by Rachel Unthank & the Winterset.
Nouvelle Vague – Human Fly
I bumped into Bart of Eagleowl and Kays Lavelle fame the other day. We were both hanging out in one of the achingly cool vintage vinyl record stores where you tend to find hip cats like us…
Okay, it was Tesco’s… but anyway, I promised I’d post a reminder about the fabulous Retreat festival Bart’s involved in that’s coming up this week.
The Retreat festival has everything going for it: All the shows take place over a series of nights throughout August, and in one centrally-located venue; St. John’s Church hall on the corner of Princes’ Street and Lothian Road (The one in the photo). The festival is charging a bargain flat-rate entry fee of just £3 for each show, doors are at 8pm each night, and an irresistable array of local talent will be on display. It would be plain daft to miss out.
Monday 4th August
Rob St. John, Emily Scott
Wednesday 6th August
The Pictish Trail, Button Series, HMS Ginafore
Friday 8th August
Randan Discotheque, The Wee Rogue
Monday 11th August
Wounded Knee, Jess Bryant
Friday 15th August
Withered Hand, Jo Foster
Saturday 16th August
Eagleowl EP launch featuring Allo, Darlin’
Wednesday 20th August
Ziggy Campbell, Little Pebble
Saturday 23rd August
My Kappa Roots, Royal Edinburgh Music
Of course there is one and only one gig worth attending in Edinburgh this week: the Song, by Toad Records Launch Party! It is the official line of this publication that no other gigs are even happening, never mind worth turning up to. Some arse has managed to sneak in some rogue listings at the bottom of the page, but believe me he will be hunted down and given a severe beating before the day is up.
It would be great to see as many of you as possible at the launch party. This is as nerve-wracking as it is exciting, so get there nice and early for your free sampler (only 25 to go round) and help us celebrate in a bit of style.
Wednesday 11th June 2008: We See Lights & Woodenbox & Emily Scott at the Wee Red Bar.
It’s all a bit folky at this month’s Trampoline gig. We See Lights are not a group I can tell you that much about, but Emily Scott’s stuff is gorgeous and Woodenbox were terrific at the T-Break Heats in Glasgow a month or so ago. It won’t be as much fun as the Toad Records Launch Night of course, but it will tide you over well enough.
Woodenbox – Situations
Wednesday 11th June 2008: Jonquil & The Occasional Flickers & Wounded Knee at Henry’s Cellar Bar.
It’s an eclectic lineup from The Gentle Invasion, with rising quirk-folksters Jonquil, pastoral indie band The Occasional Flickers and experimental soundscaper Wounded Knee all bringing something quite different to the evening. The one common thread is perhaps the laid back, comfortable vibe that should pervade, so for all it won’t be as good as the Song, by Toad Records Launch Night, it should be an enjoyable gig nevertheless.
Jonquil – Apparency
The Occasional Flickers – A Medal Won in ’84
Friday 13th June 2008: Alex Cornish at Cabaret Voltaire.
Having played material from his debut album When the Traffic Stops both solo and with a four-piece band, Alex has finally decided to procure a string quartet to bring the full depth of his sound to the live stage at last. It should be really good, this, but don’t get too drunk because you don’t want to be hung over at the excellent Song, by Toad Records Launch Party the following day.
Alex Cornish – Counting Chimney Pots
Saturday 14th June 2008: Rags & Feathers & Ziggy Campbell & Les Enfant Bastard at Henry’s Cellar Bar.
Of course none of you will be at this, as you’ll all be at the Song, by Toad Records Launch Party. But should you be so scurrilously disloyal as to go along, then feel free to swing by Leith afterwards and brandish your stamp for free entry. You may just be able to catch Meursault (10pm – unlikely) and Celebrity Chimp (11pm – probably) if you’re quick. Ziggy Campbell is the Found frontman, and Les Enfant Bastard are possibly the living embodiment of anti-folk. Rags & Feathers I know nothing about at all, but follow the MySpace link and enlightenment is yours for the taking.
Les Enfant Bastard – U R My Fucking Sunshine U Cunt
Saturday 14th June 2008: Celebrity Chimp & Meursault & The Byrons play the Song, by Toad Records Launch Party, at The Meridian, Leith.
There is surely no way I need to tell you any more about this, but even if you don’t give a shit about the label or my own endeavours or any of that stuff – and of course, there’s no reason that you should – then you may wish to come down to see the bands anyway, as this is a really excellent lineup. More details here if you want them; hope to see you there.
Celebrity Chimp – Plastic Girl
Sunday 15th June 2008: The Twilight Sad, Broken Records & Meursault at the Bongo Club.
What finer way to nurse your prodigious hangover after the night of your life at the Song, by Toad Records Launch Night than by spinning round to see Broken Records and Meursault, probably Edinburgh’s two best bands at the moment, supporting swirling noise-merchants The Twilight Sad at the Bongo Club. It won’t be as much fun as the night before, but then, you probably just couldn’t take that much joy in one weekend anyway.
The Twilight Sad – Watching That Chair Painted Yellow
It’s a bit late to be pointing out great gigs taking place tonight, so I hope you’ll excuse my tardiness today. Such tedious annoyances as real life and having a proper job have rather irritatingly inserted themselves squarely in the path of the blogging juggernaut that is Song, by Toad and brought production to a grinding halt for the last couple of days.
So, erm, this week then. Well I am on gig-verbot for the next little while because I have been paying scandalously inadequate amounts of attention to my midget companion, and that won’t do at all. For either of us. So once this week is over there will be lots of nice things done with Mrs. Toad to try and make up for my negligence. No-one wants to be the sort of husband who fails to pay attention to that which is most important to him, no matter how much one might get caught up in exciting projects. In other words, no-one wants to turn into a prick, now do they. Although I my case the ‘turning into’ part might be questionable.
Tuesday 13th May: Isosceles, Sportsday Megaphone & Envelope at the Ark.
The Ark might be the worst venue in Edinburgh, but Isosceles are clearly worth seeing. Jumpy synth-pop with plenty of tunes and a really good spread between vocals, synth, and bass as to which provides the best bits. A actual group in every sense of the word. I don’t know anything at all about the other two, although Sportsday Megaphone sound quite promising from their MySpace page.
Isosceles – Watertight
Sportsday Megaphone – Bikini Atoll
Wednesday 14th May: Inspector Tapehead, Molly Wagger & Flying With Penguins at the Wee Red Bar.
I know little enough about all of these bands, but Inspector Tapehead include Jonnie Common from the superb Down the Tiny Steps in their number, so that is pretty much all the information I need to go along. That and the fact that this is a Trampoline gig of course, and I have yet to see a Trampoline lineup that was any less than fucking superb.
Inspector Tapehead – A Fillet of Bozo
Thursday 15th May – Willard Grant Conspiracy & the Pilgrim Orchestra (incl. Howe Gelb) at the Queens Hall.
This gig gets me all shaky with excitement. The Willards have produced three or four of my favourite albums of all time, and Howe Gelb is hardly a slouch either. Two of Americana’s most prolific collaborators coming to town, and I’d steal a ticket off a defenceless old granny if I had to. WGC’s new album The Pilgrim Road is out now too, even more reason for giddy excitement.
Willard Grant Conspiracy – Evening Mass (Live)
Thursday 15th May: Eagleowl & Emily Scott at the Collective Gallery.
You know how highly I think of Eagleowl, and Emily Scott is someone who I have mentioned scandalously little on these pages of late. She recently finished runner-up in King Tut’s monthly Your Sound Artist of the Month, and has a lovely, delicate folk album to her name, to be bought from her MySpace page. Definitely one to check out.
Emily Scott – Humming Song
Sunday 18th May: The Mae Shi at Cabaret Voltaire.
I learnt about the latest signings to Moshi Moshi, the label which can do no wrong at the moment, from Tim at the excellent Daily Growl. They are meteroically up and coming indie synth-popsters with bags of energy and exuberance. I am really looking forward to seeing them in the flesh and finding out if the hype matches the goods. The Mae Shi – Lamb & Lion
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