So – this is what happens when I’m feeling sorry for myself and can’t be bothered writing anything for 11 days – I’ve got 6 gigs, 2 weekends, and a shiner, all to write about. So I’ll try to be succinct… not that I’m usually successful at that…
It all starts on Friday the 4th. Work drinks, then off to the Garage, to watch some irreverent tongue-in-cheek high-brow indie-punk-rock. Or something. Art Brut – who were mingling in the crowd during the opening acts. The show itself was actually quite good – plenty of crowd banter, usually actually fairly amusing. For a rock band. I can only find one video from it – and not their best song – but it at least conveys the energy, some banter, his willingness to get right into the crowd and improvise (a bit too much), and displays the guy’s self-admitted inability to sing.
Then – on the way home – I walked into a door. Or something to that effect – long story short, I was too tired and drunk to walk away from trouble when I should have – and instead walked away with a bleeding and bruised left eye – and slight concussion, and the sudden realisation that I wasn’t even where I should be – and was completely lost (having gotten off the bus at the wrong station). Luckily I had enough wits about me to call Ben to talk me through staying awake and out of trouble – until I found a taxi (which I jumped into before he could notice and become alarmed about the large amount of blood coming out of my face) – and got myself home. So all’s well that end’s well – and I got home, took a photo of my face, washed it off a bit, and went to bed.
Woke up in the morning with a blood-stained sheet, and a spectacular black eye. Moped about the house for the day – and then headed off to Bibby’s little boat for a Guy Fawkes evening. It was a nice enough evening, floating on the Thames while drinking wine, watching explosions, etc. Although I suddenly realised that I was becoming a little unsteady on my feet faster than normal (the whole bang to the head thing I guess) – and that this probably wasn’t a good idea when climbing across boats, etc. So – went home relatively early like a good boy.
Sunday – the day of rest, which would be very welcome. Except, of course, I’ve got a gig booked. So – relaxed most of the day – and then headed into the Borderline for The Antlers. And there are a few videos for this gig available – which is both bad/embarassing for the guy, but good that I can show you what I mean – when I say the chap got a little carried away. But overall – some good songs – just the slow hip thrusts could have been toned down a bit. Or a lot. And he did seem to take himself and his music a little too seriously – possibly leading to the over-enthusiastic stage movements.
Two nights off! Yay. And then Wednesday – when somebody asked me what I was doing that evening, I had to tell them “I’m going to see Girls, at the Electric Ballroom.” Which doesn’t sound the best. But that’s exactly what I was doing. Luckily I have found some videos to prove that it’s not what it sounds like. (Although – searching for video clips of a band named “Girls” does prove a little difficult (and at work – dangerous)). Anyway – a good gig, I found a decent spot, drank some red wine (with mini-bottles where the lid is actually a glass – so you twist a plastic wine glass off the top of the bottle to open it and provide you the vessel. Brilliance), and listened to some twee indie-rock. As you do.
Thursday was time for another dodgy sounding gig – for I was off to see The Naked And Famous. My one “Kiwi Gig” this year, I believe – although this band is definitely good enough that I’d be listening to them anyway. If you haven’t checked them out – do so. They’re just so… young, and happy, and young. I took Chook along, and we sat in the Member’s Bar – as I am a Member of the Roundhouse. And, I hear a lot of you saying, just a Member. But it was such a civilised way to watch a gig, sitting on our stools, literally within arm’s reach of the actual bar, and overlooking the stage. Money well spent. And the gig – good. Really quite good, I fully enjoyed it – and look forward to seeing these guys just get more and more credit where it’s due.
Friday – a day of work, then headed up to Koko – to watch Turin Brakes playing their classic LP The Optimist – as it’s been 10 years since it was released. Which distressed me – as I remember fairly well buying that album – and it can’t have been a decade since then. But yeah – they reckon it has been – so I went along with it for the evening. They had a fairly gimmicky concept whereby you could order the CD of the actual gig – and pick it up on the way out. So they recorded the gig, then burned it to CD(s) immediately after – and 10 minutes after the gig, the CDs were available. I’m all up for gimmicks – and my original CD of the album is back in Rotorua – so I figured it would make a decent souvenir if nothing more. And yeah – decent gig. I’d forgotten just how good that album was. And of course, they did an encore of other songs – and I realised I’d forgotten how many other good songs they have.
And then I thought I’d have the weekend off. Probably watch the last 3 ‘Arry Potter movies in a row, from the comfort of a steaming hot bath. Just the normal weekend routine. And then I discover that Pete is in town for the day – literally – landing at Heathrow at 9am or so – and flying out at 9:30pm to head back to Brisbane. So – he lands, comes to mine, and we go for a wander around Barbican while waiting for Justin to get in touch. Barbican itself – fine idea, nice place to just wander about catching up. But then we stray into the art gallery. And that was just a mistake. I don’t know how to describe the fixture which was in place – but we didn’t even go into the main exhibition – we just saw the free bit. And it was all architecture, and very very “meta-”, possibly even “meta-meta-”, and very self congratulatory, and all just so very very infuriating. And there were cardboard cut-outs of people making it look like there were extra people looking at things, but they were all blurry and difficult to look at, and they were actually part of the installation, and you couldn’t tell at a glance who was real and who wasn’t, and AARRRGH. And then the products for sale – the gift-shop as it were. Just, so much architecture-nerd, little industry in-jokes, and then occasionally just something completely normal which was peripherally related to architects – which just made everything worse. We both left fuming – and I seriously advise that nobody admits to being an architect in my presence for the immediate future – because I am likely to vent a helluva lot of anger and confusion. OMA. If something with a name like ‘OMA’ comes to a town near you – avoid. The rest of the day was spent grabbing lunch, beers, Justin, beers, football.
And then I discover that young Caitlin has also just arrived in London. And is having drinks in Richmond on Sunday. So – no relaxing weekend for me at all. Sunday – I make my way to Richmond (and who the hell lives in Richmond – it’s practically in Wales) – and commence the drinking red wine, avoiding/declining shots of tequila, “jaegerbombs”, or any other nastiness; all while trying not to feel self-conscious at being twice the age of anybody else. And that was a good day – caught up with Caitlin, and didn’t seem to flounder too obviously in conversations about Justin Bieber and whatever else the kids are talking about these days. And was presumably seen as some sort of role model, as by the end of the evening nearly everybody else had switched from their beers to red wine. And much red wine was had, and then I figured I’d better disappear before I become the drunken old man in the room.
And a new week starts, without having had any rest. A day at work, and then back to Koko – to watch another ‘veteran’ – previously (and soon to be again) of Pavement – Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks. And yeah – pretty cool gig. Stephen was fairly funny, again – for a musician – and there was just the right level/type of crowd banter. I suspect he might have had something other than alcohol before coming on stage. Not too many videos available of that gig – as it was only last night – but I figure nobody actually clicks on all these links I spend hours finding anyway. But here’s one – a ‘Sweet’ cover of Love Is Like Oxygen. They also did an odd cover of Wild Things to close out the night.
I’ve got tonight off – then a week with only 1 night off.