Live in Edinburgh This Week – 24th May 2009
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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