Even looking at gig listings makes me feel a little weak at the moment. Gigs mean bars, and bars mean booze, and even two days after our Christmas bash at Toad Hall the prospect of ever drinking again feels just a little scary. In terms of industrial levels of weapons-grade levels of drinking I don’t think I’ve ever been to or hosted such a fearsome train-wreck of a party.

The Divine Comedy – A Drinking Song

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Basically, I crashed just after 5am, rose at 9am to go and stumble blindly around a football pitch, before coming straight home and pitching into bed again until 9pm. I am reliably informed that Ally, Dylan, Mrs. Toad, Neil and Mrs. Toad’s brother carried on for a little less than another hour before collectively collapsing in random places all over the house, and my last.fm profile shows the last song being played at about ten to six. Apparently the Tannoy monitor speakers which came with the Toad Session recording setup were so abused that they shut themselves down to prevent overheating. I can only imagine what might have been audible to the general public, but fortunately the police were not called. I can only assume that the lady next door is deaf, long since dead, or just generally terrified of even speaking to her degenerate neighbours.

Shame on all of you who missed it. But then, maybe you did yourselves a favour. Oof.

So, erm gigs. Ah, whatever, you’re on your own this week people, I am not going anywhere near beveraging establishments, at least until tomorrow’s Fresh Air Awards. Oh shit, is it that soon?

Saturday 20th December 2008: Broken Records at the Picture House.
It’s to be proud of that Edinburgh finally has a band considered big enough to be invited to headline a venue this size.  I suppose Idlewild count as an Edinburgh band, and they’re pretty big, but basically the last time things were doing this well in this particular city was when Josef K, the Shop Assistants and the like were making waves in the early 80s, as far as I’m aware.  Broken Records have spent this year as the flagship band from these parts – the only consistently touring message to the rest of the country that things in this part of the world are very , very healthy indeed.
Broken Records – Wolves (Toad Session)

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Saturday 20th December 2008: Cherry Poppin’ Daddies at the Voodoo Rooms.
I have no idea what they’re like these days, but I remember them emerging at the heart of the late-90s swing revival. I have one of their albums, it’s great fun, and I assume this gig will be just the same.
Cherry Poppin’ Daddies – When I Change Your Mind

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Saturday 20th December: Henry’s Cellar Bar Christmas Party, with eagleowl, Gasgiant, Rodent Emporium, Bukkake Birthday Party, Norman Silver & the Gold & The Incendiary Bats.
I don’t know half these bands, but erm, eagleowl are good and it looks like it should be a jolly splendid old bash. No criticism of any of the individual bands involved, but it makes absolutely zero sense as a lineup, just superficially listening to the MySpace pages. Mind you, it’s a party I suppose, not an episode of Jools Holland. Just stay off the booze – I promise you you’ll regret it.
eagleowl – Blanket

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Is that everything? Probably not, but fuck you, I don’t care. I am going to continue staring vacantly at my monitor for the next four hours and then scurry off home as soon as humanly possible to hit the sheets once more. Fucking gin.

It’s a jam-packed fucker of a week in Edinburgh this week.  On Wednesday there are no less than three gigs that I want to attend, and we even have some sold-out cutting edgeyness to boot – unheard of for the unofficial Least Rock ‘n’ Roll City in the Universe, Including Bath.  The Kills and The Courteeners are both playing here this week, but seeing as the latter is sold out and I had no intention of going to see either I am not sure this merits further mention.

Monday 14th April: The Radar Brothers at Cabaret Voltaire.
They’re signed to Chemikal Underground and sound a little bit like early Grandaddy did in their gentler, more reflective moments.  Every reason to take a chance and go along.
The Radar Brothers – Hearts of Crows

Wednesday 16th April is where it all gets messy.  There are  three gigs to attend tonight, much to my frustration:
Hollow Heart Parlour at Henry’s Cellar Bar.
This is a folk night, with the excellently-named My Kappa Roots headlining this week.

Y’All is Fantasy Island, Gasgiant & Rob St. John at the Wee Red Bar.
Euan at Trampoline has put together another brilliant lineup, with Gasgiant (I know nothing, sorry) and very well-regarded indie-popsters Y’All is etc etc.. joining the brilliant hush-folkster Rob St. John for what should be a brilliant night of upcoming tunesmithery.
Y’All is Fantasy Island – With Handclaps

Broken Records Single Launch Party at The Bongo Club.
The fact that this feels like partly my party too perhaps helps explain the culture of liggers and groupies that grows up in the music industry, but a combination of being one of the first to spot these guys, the fact that they did the first Toad Session and of course the fact that a combination of beer and their live show is the reason Song, by Toad Records exists makes this one more personal than most.  Congratulations lads, I’m really looking forward to getting irredeemably pickled in celebration.

Wednesday’s Conundrum: Euan at Trampoline and the lads from Broken Records have tried to come to a compromise so people can see everything.  The last band at the Wee Red Bar will be over in time for people to high-tail it down to the Bongo Club to catch the Broken Records set and any Broken Records ticket-holders will get a deal on the door at the Wee Red as well.  Myself, I have really thought about it and I am going to be at the Bongo Club all night.  The reasoning?  Well this is a really special night for a group of lads I consider friends, so as much as I would like to catch YiFI and Gasgiant, I will get a chance to see them again, and I saw Rob at Homegame quite recently.  So apologies to Euan for not supporting his excellent Trampoline night this time, but it wouldn’t really feel right somehow.

Friday 18th April: The Mystery Jets at The Hive.
I’ve never been to the Hive before, and this gig is just a little pricey, but I’ve been rather enjoying the new Mystery Jets songs, so I might pop along to see what they’re like.
The Mystery Jets – Flakes

Sunday 20th April: The Wave Pictures at Cabaret Voltaire.
Yes, the fucking Wave Pictures!  Oh yes, yippee, hooroar!  I can’t believe these lads are playing here, but fuck me I’m delighted.  Free oral sex for whichever genius booked them – male or female!  You have got to get your arses down to this gig in the name of all that is rough, scratchy and faintly out of tune.  And to make matters even better, support comes in the form of an acoustic (well, bassless and drumless) set from The Kays Lavelle.
The Wave Pictures – My Kiss