[RE-POST] GREEN MAN FESTIVAL: DAY TWO 22 August 2009

[The original post was taken down without notice by Blogger. No explanation given. If anything posted infringed any copyright why not email me or leave a comment? Rather than infringing my copyright?]

Second day of the festival started in that time-honoured fashion: trying to light a camping stove with a sore head. Without mishap though, Mr P and I were soon enjoying Saturday morning coffee with Friday's newspaper and then planning our day ahead. It all started promptly in the Green Man Pub with Cardiff based Laura Elizabeth Bryon aka Le B.

This was quietly strummed and sung folksy songs, including a Karen Dalton and a Galaxie 500 cover, that felt as though they should be played in darkened late-night rooms but sounded perfectly at home in the open air and sunshine. And as it turned out a great start to a day packed with some excellent music. From here we caught most of Cate Le Bon's set on the Far Out Stage.

Cate sang and played keyboards backed by a four piece band. This was smart Welsh pop that reminded me of the mellower side of Gorky's. Cate played a song (maybe two?) solo on guitar and this (or these) were beautifully haunting. Must listen more to her.

Then to the Main Stage for Stornoway. Now the festival programme blurb made these sound intriguingly unmissable: "a living, breathing Mark Twain novel. Think Guillemots, Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, and early Belle and Sebastian, with soaring folk melodies and nifty arrangements". And they were good - very festival-friendly folky-rock (or was it rocky-folk?) - but not quite what I was expecting from that description.

Mr P however was very taken by them: "Fuel Up" their tale of adolescence, growing up and cars even brought a tear to his eye. And they definitely won the crowd over not just with their music but with their 'living the dream' story of how two years ago they were paying punters at Green Man wishing that one day they would be playing here. Their debut album is out at end of September.

Feeling on a roll now I headed back to the Far Out Stage to catch the last 15 minutes of Richard James. There is a great press quotation about his music that goes "Former Gorkys man re-imagines the Velvet Underground if the ratio of Welshmen to New Yorkers were reversed". And this was certainly true of the first two songs he played with his band - very VU third album. The third one was a bit more animated - very "Loaded"? - and then the fourth just took my breath away. From these hushed intimate songs he then moved to a sonic assault freak-out, with angry distorted guitars, heavily distorted vocals with yelps, shouts and screams. Astonishing stuff. I really must check out his music.

More dashing - back to the Main Stage where much-fancied The Leisure Society were already playing. This seven piece led by Nick Hemming were again very festival-friendly - a gentle, orchestral-pop that oozed warmth (or was this the afternoon beer kicking in?). Their set included a cover of Gary Numan's "Cars" - who'd have thought it needed strings?

Then back to Far Out Stage where The Strange Boys from Austin, Texas were already on. Their mastery of pared-back 60s garage rock complete with sneery slacker vocals belied their tender age. This was great stuff and had several people heading for the Rough Trade tent afterwards to pick up their "And Girls Club" album.

Mr P had temporarily abandoned the music to see a stand-up mathematician (there's something for everyone at Green Man) but I hot-footed it to the front of the Main Stage for The Phantom Band.

This was a great set - the songs from "Checkmate Savage" just keep growing in stature for me. In the crowd later I saw one of the band and shouted drunkenly at him "album of the year!" - I hope he appreciated the sentiment if not the delivery.

The Set list: Throwing Bones / Burial Sounds / Crocodile / Folk Song Oblivion / Island / The Howling / Left Hand Wave

I then caught the end of Blue Roses in the Green Man Pub. Literally. Fought my way into the packed garden to hear the last song and take a few photos.

Meeting up with Mr P we rejected The Aliens for Peter Broderick which turned out to be an excellent result. Peter played gentle classically-inclined melodies on keyboard, guitar and violin but then looped them over each other to create a more intense sound. Highly inventive and totally captivating with a great sense of performance.

He introduced one song as a guitar piece written by his father who used to play it to him at bedtime when he was a child. He finished to applause but the whole piece including his spoken word introduction looped and was played back at us with more guitar. He then let it loop twice more each time playing violin over it. Breathtaking. And at one point too he played bowed saw - a simple thing maybe but I love that sound.

It was time for a pause after this constant ping-ponging between stages. So a lie down on the grassy hill by the Main Stage with eyes shut was in order. Noah & The Whale were playing in the distance and I was quite impressed that they appeared to play only new, unfamiliar and maudlin material, avoiding the hit single completely.

Rest over, veggie enchilada consumed, it was then Grizzly Bear on the Main Stage. I'm still coming to terms with their latest album "Vecktamist" and their shifting accessible-but-experimental music. And it was the same with this set - I just couldn't work out from one song to another what I made of it all. Crowd at the front enjoyed it though.

I then caught the last four songs of the Vetiver set on the Far Out Stage (much more country-rock than I remember) and then an interminably long sound check by Bon Iver. We only planned to watch a few songs anyway but those three songs were full of the things I hate about larger festivals: the Main Stage was the busiest I had seen all weekend and so we were the furthest from the stage we'd been; and any sense of intimacy or appreciation of the music was destroyed by two dozen people around us singing along at the top of their voices to "Skinny Love". It all felt a bit Reading Festival. But much better things were available, namely Andrew Bird on the Far Out Stage.

It's only this year with latest album "Noble Beast" that the music of Andrew Bird was clicked for me. But live was another thing all together, a total revelation. I was expecting a genteel, besuited man playing genteel, softly-spoken music. Now he was besuited but he was also a livewire - whether playing guitar or violin he never kept still (hence no photos, they are all blurred). And then there was the whistling. On the record is one thing (multiple takes allowed surely) but to whistle note-perfect live and with such strength was astonishing. So rather than mellow, we got energetic - a great finale for the Far Out stage day.

And so one last live act for the night: Dent May and His Magnificent Ukulele in the Green Man Pub. As it turned out it was Dent, his ukulele and a three piece backing band. I was expecting kitschy and entertaining, but I was not expecting it be one of the highlights of the festival. Close harmonies, an infectious backbeat (from the coolest drummer on the planet) and a scissor-kicking ukulele player with killer tunes to boot. Who could ask for more? The Good Feeling Sound indeed...

I watched a few minutes of Jarvis Cocker finishing his set on the Main Stage (nice mirrorball) but then headed for the Far Out Stage After Dark for Beyond The Wizard’s Sleeve psychedelic DJ set. Suffice to say whisky–fuelled dancing to "Stepping Stone", "You’re Gonna Miss Me" and "Bubble Burst" ensued.And then to finally, finally finish the night I head to the shower block. And this, dear reader, is my top festival tip to you. Take a shower at 3am - there is no queue, no guilt at taking as long as you want and the water is piping hot and delivered at full pressure. Day Three coming soon [actually here].

[RE-POST] GREEN MAN FESTIVAL: DAY ONE 21 August 2009

[The original post was taken down without notice by Blogger. No explanation given. If anything posted infringed any copyright why not email me or leave a comment? Rather than infringing/deleting my copyright?]

This was my first visit to the Green Man Festival. And all things being well - it will not be my last. The festival takes places in Glanusk Park Estate in the beautiful Brecon Beacons. I’d heard tell of how in previous years the festival site has been turned to mud; and crossing the border to Wales Mr P and I were greeted by a shockingly severe rain storm with zero visibility. Yikes. It looked like the druids were going to be wrong. But luckily the clouds passed quickly (heading to England) and the sun came out as we approached Abergavenny. I knew I wouldn’t be catching the first bands of the day but the race was on to get there/get the tent up in time to see Broken Records. Luckily we just made it, as it turns out so did Broken Records.

We arrived at the main stage to "Nearly Home" (inappropriately?) to hear the band had suffered a long, stressful journey with the possibility of missing their slot. So glad they didn’t because it was a brilliant start to the festival – rousing, passionate Scots art-rock was just what was needed after four hours in a car and three attempts to put up a tent. And as they played "A Good Reason" the sun came back out too.

Having successfully reached the festival and got to see our first band we then had to consider how to approach the shock news that greeted us at the site entrance: "No Alcohol on Site" and "Persons Entering This Site May Be Searched". As Green Man virgins, Mr P and I hadn’t even considered this possibility. However we soon realised we only needed to do what all the other more experienced festival goers were doing. Put the booze in a bag. And then walk it in. Problem solved.From Broken Records we then went to the Far Out Stage (a large blue tent beyond the hill facing the Main Stage) to see Beth Jeans Houghton.

This was fun, glam art-pop with big wigs, face-painted band and then party bags thrown out into the crowd too but the music didn’t make an huge impression on first listen. I was more endeared by Beth’s plea to us all to buy her EP so she can afford to move out of her Mum’s house. It might have only been 5 o’clock but it was time for first visit of the festival to the excellent (and probably essential) Pieminister.

So pie, mash and mushy peas it was whilst watching Emmy The Great from the grassy hill opposite the Main Stage. This was entertaining but I have to confess I didn’t really pay her enough attention. Yes the pies really are that good.

Then our first visit to the Green Man Pub stage (basically a walled garden with a stage in one corner and a beer tent opposite) for Mary Hampton. Having seen Mary at End of the Road in 2007 but not remembering much due to a cider overdose incident I was keen to hear her properly.

Here she played with a three piece band seated behind a keyboard, later swapping to guitar for a couple of songs performed solo. The first couple of songs were melodramtic folk which was much more experimental and er 'unhinged' than I remember (sorry but that's the only word for it). Mr P did a runner to catch Errors (he was not impressed) but I stayed with it and she really grew on me. And the sun was still shining.

Next up British Sea Power back on the Main Stage at dusk. The festival was starting to fill up now but it was still relatively easy to secure a place front and centre of the stage. For some bands it takes half of a forty five minute set to getting going. Not BSP and not tonight. Some folk with us who'd never seen them live declared their performance worthy of admission alone. It certainly worked as a belt-out-the-fast-songs-and crowd pleasers slot. "Spirit of St Louis" was as usual a highlight and the final song "Carrion" descended (or ascended?) into "Rock in C" noise-freakout with guitarist Noble donning airpilot helmet to go crowd-surfing. My only quibble other than brevity was the poor sound on the vocals for "No Lucifer" - really spoilt the song.

The Set List:Lights Out For Darker Skies / Remember Me / Waving Flags / The Great Skua / Spirit of St Louis / Atom / Apolgies to Insect Life / No Lucifer / Carrion - Rock in C

Actually there was another quibble. Actually more of a complaint - for Green Man. From BSP onwards the acts on the Main Stage were introduced by comedian Stephen Frost acting as compere. Why? In a word: totally unnecessary.

The temperature really started dropping noticeably now so it was back to the tent for an extra layer and supplies before returning to the Main Stage for Roky Erickson. Roky's return to live performance has been greeted ecstatically before and I was really looking forward to seeing him but I had mixed feelings about this set.

Knowing all he has been through it was impressive just to see him on stage (with three piece band) playing mainly material from his late 70s/80s phases finishing on the great Thirteenth Floor Elevators' song "You're Gonna Miss Me". But for some songs he occasionally looked slightly bewildered, even lost, and seemed to be looking to his second guitarist for instruction. It was painful to watch. But then the next song he appeared strong and was playing well. The selection of songs also meant he drew mainly on the heavy blues-rock stuff which over the sixty minute set started to feel a bit lumpen. And tragically didn't play "I Have Always Been Here Before".

So a real curate's egg but great to see some freaky dancing in the audience (Hawkwind fans arriving early and making their presence felt). Now we were faced with a difficult choice to close the evening. In the end we over-ruled Animal Collective on the Main Stage (but caught "My Girls" in passing) in favour of British Sea Power performing the soundtrack to 1930s documentary "Man of Aran". It was a good choice. Sitting down in a packed out Film Tent watching the struggles of the Aran islanders against the elements, accompanied by loud rock music and Welsh Whisky, was a moving - but not quite sobering - experience.

So an uneven day in some ways but we had beer, whisky, dry weather (so far) and two more days of bands to look forward to.

OKKERVIL RIVER @ CLUB ACADEMY: 4 September 2009

Two gigs in two days is testing my failing health and stretching the tolerance of my family. But this was for Okkervil River!

Mr P and I arrived late’ish at Club Academy both a bit worse for wear. Me due to that failing health, him due to post-work drinks. So sadly we missed Dawn Landes. Painful as it is to say this, Mr P and I are not going to End of the Road Festival this year. So seeing Okkervil River (one of the bands appearing) was meant to be some form of compensation. As it turned out it was more like torture, reminding us of what we would be missing next week (if you too want to torture yourself have a look at the three day schedule pdf for the now-sold-out festival).

So this had all the hallmarks of a disappointing evening. But of course with the ever dependable Okkervil River this was never going to be the case was it? They might have played a set nearly identical to last time but when a band is this good live who cares?

Okkervil River attract a diverse crowd: in immediate vicinity to us were metal-heads, introspective, bookish lower sixth form types, empty-nester couples (I thought they had taken a wrong turn when looking for Miss Saigon or similar – until they started singing along to every word of “Until It Kicks”), and further back someone holding a lengthy hand-written placard referencing Time and Cosmos. As I said “diverse”.

Despite this variety the crowd appeared a bit shy at first. If they were, the band weren’t: after a soaring “Plus Ones” they tore into the next three songs in rapid-fire succession. Stunning. And this was the pattern for the evening – mixing slower and faster songs with equal passion and performance.

I’m sure I’ve said it before but Will Sheff is not only a talented song-writer but a captivating performer. Besuited at first with unbuttoned sleeves poking out of his jacket, he beckoned and implored the audience to sing-along with tiny hand gestures, he added in spoken word interludes over sections of songs addressing the audience collectively and generally provoked mass arm-waving and clapping like a revivalist preacher. Tonight it was some of the slower ones that had a more immediate effect on me – “A Girl In Port” finishing in ferocious guitars, the massed, imploring singalong to the end of “John Allyn Smith Sails”.

So as torture goes, these impassioned nintey minutes including the three encores flew by - and has sort of scratched that itch. Just don’t tell me what their Saturday night slot at EOTR was like. Please. Don't.

Prior to the Festival, Okkervil River are playing Galway, Glasgow, Nottingham and Oxford.

The Set List:
Plus Ones
Singer Songwriter
A Hand To Take Hold Of The Scene
The Latest Toughs
A Girl In Port
John Allyn Smith Sails
Pop Lie
A Stone
Blue Tulip
For Real
Lost Coastlines
Our Live Is Not A Movie. Or Maybe.
Unless It Kicks
---
Maine Island Lovers
Black
Westfall

BLACK
Okkervil River
Black Sheep Boy [BUY]

A GIRL IN PORT

Okkervil River
The Stage Names [BUY]

DAMON & NAOMI @ DULCIMER 3 September 2009

Having owned a copy of first album proper from Damon & Naomi ("More Sad Hits") since it came out in the wake of the break-up of Galaxie 500, I've felt I've 'known' them for a long time. However not only was tonight the first time I've seen them live, browsing their website earlier today I realise just how much of their considerable back-catalogue I DON'T own or know. So tonight was familiar but also unfamiliar.

Damon & Naomi appeared very relaxed throughout tonight - even a malfunctioning amp early on in the evening was a source of quiet bemusement rather than irritation. They took to the (small) stage just after 9pm and opened with their cover of "Song To The Siren". The set was the familiar hushed dream-pop of their albums performed just on acoustic guitar and keyboards. It was lovely to hear such rich, textured songs stripped right back; and they were performed with more oomph than I was expecting.

The set was mainly from latest album "Within These Walls" ("we tried to make the slowest record of our career") plus the four Sub Pop albums (1995 - 2002) given the imminent release of the compilation of these albums. They finished with "Memories" telling how meeting Hugh Hopper (of Soft Machine, writer of said song) made them realise they had misheard the line "pet shops were people knew us" (it should be "past shops") but preferred this maudlin image - "very Morrissey" .

The two encores were the gorgeous Pentangle-inspired "Cruel Queen" with Alasdair Maclean from openers Amor de Dias on guitar; and then the final song a cover of Leonard Cohen's "Bird on a Wire" with Alasdair again plus his partner in Amor de Dias Lupe Núñez-Fernádez on backing vocals. The whole ninety minute set was graceful, inspiring and quite lovely. Damon & Naomi hung about after the show, still relaxed and charming, and were happy to chat and sign records. Lovely people, lovely evening.



London on Friday night and then Paris for a couple of shows for Damon & Naomi before returning to North America for more live dates. As well as their site you can follow news of Damon & Naomi (and Luna/Dean & Britta/Galaxie 500) on the excellent and highly recommended fan-site A Head Full of Wishes.

Support was the duo Amor De Dias (Alasdiar of The Clientele, Lupe of Pipas). As described on the flyer this was 'psych-folk/tropicalia' with picked acoustic guitars and hushed vocals. A perfect support act for Damon & Naomi and definitely an act I would like to hear some more of.

CRUEL QUEEN
Damon & Naomi
Within These Walls [BUY or BUY]

MEMORIES

Damon & Naomi
More Sad Hits [BUY or BUY]

MANCHESTER GIGS IN MUSIC September 2009 Pt.1

Another music compilation - now with timings! - to help select gigs this September in Manchester. Definite Americana theme going on this month... Download the compilation [57mins/65MB] here.

Also September sees the re-opening of Manchester institution Band On The Wall. I'll write about this separately but A Certain Ratio (26 September) has already sold out and act now before The Bays (27 September) goes the same way.

The Temper Trap Sweet Disposition [3.50] (27 Sep Ruby Lounge BUY TICKETS)
Fuck Buttons Bright Tomorrow [11.33] (20 Sep Deaf Institute BUY TICKETS)
Fanfarlo Luna [16.10] (28 Sep Deaf Institute BUY TICKETS)
Sunset Rubdown Coming To At Dawn [20.15] (14 Sep Deaf Institute BUY TICKETS)
Times New Viking No Time, No Season [23.07 (22 Sep The Corner BUY TICKETS)
Ohbijou Intro To Season [25.39] (3 Sep Night & Day BUY TICKETS)
Its a Buffalo Marbles [29.16] (5 Sep Club Academy BUY TICKETS)
The Low Anthem The Horizon Is A Beltway [32.05] (6 Sep Deaf Institute BUY TICKETS)
Julie Doiron Nice To Come Home [33.35] (27 Sep Islington Mill BUY TICKETS)
Okkervil River Unless It Kicks [38.14] (4 Sep Club Academy BUY TICKETS)
King Khan & The Shrines (How Can I Keep You) Outta Harm's Way? [41.24] (30 Sep Deaf Institute BUY TICKETS)
Damon & Naomi The Mirror Phase [46.01] (3 Sept Dulcimer BUY TICKETS)
David Thomas Broughton Unmarked Grave [54.47] (26 Sep Grave Deaf Institute BUY TICKETS)
Willard Grant Conspiracy The Great Deceiver [57.50] (6 Sep Academy 3 BUY TICKETS)

And not forgetting:
2 Sep Whalebone Polly & Rozi Plain Dulcimer / 2 Sep Sleeping States The Corner / 4 Sep Ten Bears Ruby Lounge / 5 Sep Vinny Peculiar Green Room / 5 Sep The Dodos Ruby Lounge / 7 Sep Vetiver Academy 3 / 9 Sep Peter Broderick Academy 3 / 10 Sep Neko Case RNCM / 10 Sep Steve Earle Bridgewater Hall / 11 Sep Fleet Foxes Manchester Apollo / 11 Sep Fol Chen Islington Mill / 13 Sep The Lemonheads Academy 2 / 14 Sep Mumford and Sons Ruby Lounge /16 Sep Richmond Fontaine Academy 3 /17 + 18 + 19 Sep I Am Kloot Deaf Institute /17 Sep Bob Log III Ruby Lounge / 18 Sep LoveLikeFire Kro Bar / 20 Sep Part Chimp Islington Mill / 21 Sep The Phenomenal Handclap Band Night & Day / 24 Sep Hockey Club Academy / 24 Sep Everything Everything / 27 Sep Chuck Prophet Academy 3 / 28 Sep Golden Silvers Academy 3 / 29 Sep Noah & The Whale Club Academy / 29 Sep And So I Watch You From Afar MoHo Live / 29 Sep Max Tundra Ruby Lounge

MANCHESTER GIGS IN MUSIC September 2009 Pt.2

The download link here [57 mins/65MB]

GREEN MAN FESTIVAL Day Three: 23 August 2009

Day Three started with the threat of rain and darkened skies but bringing some sunshine to kick off the Main Stage was Manchester's Its A Buffalo.

They may not have appeared as dapper as some of the publicity shots I've seen previously of the band (very Deadwood) but the music was great: country-tinged, ramshackle indie with shout-along choruses were just what was needed to clear a foggy head. Their album "Don't Be Scared" is well worth checking out. From here Mr P and I headed for the Green Man Pub to see 'Fence affiliates' Love.Stop.Repeat.

Dave Millar and Lindsay West use mainly harmonium and ukulele or guitar with occasional percussion to create music described in the programme as "willowly nu-folk". This is pretty accurate but it doesn't convey the charm and beauty of their music. It was gorgeous set (including a version of Neutral Milk Hotel's "In The Aeroplane Over The Sea" every bit as haunting as the original) that had me joining the scrum to buy one of their CDs at the end. My only record purchase of the weekend as it turned out.

From here it was to the Far Out Stage for an afternoon of Fence Records started off by Rozi Plain.

I'd previously seen Rozi performing solo supporting James Yorkston and she appeared quite nervous and a bit giddy then. Here she was much more assured and was supported by full band. It was enjoyable but I'm not sure I gave it my full attention (lack of sleep? afternoon beers hitting home?).

Next up were The Three Craws aka James Yorkston, King Creosote and The Pictish Trail.

"The boys of East Fife" perform other Fence Records artists and traditional songs and nothing is taken too seriously. Certainly James was enjoying himself - possibly a bit too much during domestic violence sob-story "Blue Bleezin' Blind Drunk " - but when they held it together they produced some beautiful moments. It just felt all too short.

After a not-so-quick turn around it was label-boss Johnny Lynch aka The Pictish Trail. He started this full band set with just him and Rozi Plain on backing vocals before they were then joined by full band included James Yorkston and King Creosote.

Again this had some moments of real charm but at four songs (even if long-ish ones) this felt curiously unsatisfying. The normal Fence Records magic didn't seem to be happening this afternoon. Or it could have just been my high expectations. Or the booze.

And as if Mr P and I hadn't had enough of Fence Records we headed for The Green Man Pub were Player Piano had just started.

Player Piano aka American Jeremy Radway records all the instruments himself but today he was backed by three piece band. And this was a very different offering from most Fence Records - keyboard-led power-pop rather than lofi folk and highly entertaining to boot. Another one to add to the list to find out more about.

Next it was my first (and only) visit to the Literature Tent for David Thomas of Pere Ubu performing "Ghost Line Diary". He'd clearly heard about the likelihood of rain too - he was wearing a full-length overcoat and brimmed hat, all in black.

For this performance he read pieces ("songs" he called them whether sung or not) partly from printed pages which were either snatches of Ubu songs, travelogues of "places that don't exist" or general observations. He arrived on stage swigging a can of Red Stripe - after finishing that he kept take large mouthfuls of Remy Martin from a hip flask - he claimed the performance would be better if he "was liquored".

As he spoke he swayed dramatically looking close to falling over a few times (act or alcohol?) and at times he appeared almost confrontational (again, act or alcohol?). But he also gave some hilarious impromptu (I think) stories or observations. When the mike stand fell over, he picked it up and started railing against modern, frail and thin microphone stands "Would James Brown have put up with this??! Would IGGY have put up with this??!" He finished with a reading-cum-acapella version of ("my favourite song" he said) "Dark" from the "St Arkansas" album. It was spell-bindingly spooky and made the hairs on back of neck stand up. He finished with another acapella song but by then the magic had been broken, in part by the sound and rapturous applause from She Keeps Bees bleeding in. A shame because this was a great festival moment and I would have loved to hear more. "Ghost Line Diary" can be downloaded via digital shop Hearpen.

So following a second visit to Pieminister to help us get through the evening, we headed to The Far Out Stage to join an evening of psychedelia and freakiness. Just about to start were The Yellow Moon Band (featuring Green Man founders Jo and Danny).

This was instrumental psyche-folk that was heavier and proggier than I expected. Great musicianship and an enjoyable performance but over the whole set it felt too much like the same song being repeated.

If The Far Out Stage was a haven of psychedelia tonight, the Main Stage was home to different strains of Americana including the Australian post-rock version. This was my first time seeing The Dirty Three (who were "so fucking happy to be here") and I was unprepared for how funny main man Warren Ellis is. It's easy to assume all Bad Seeds are just plain gloomy buggers. As well as leading drummer Jim White and guitarist Mick Turner in their intense bluesy instrumental work-outs with a show of high-kicking, sashaying and spinning that made Jarvis look demure, he told some great jokes. Particularly the running gag of asking younger songwriters and musicians to send them songs or ideas ("chords, anything") for their next album because they have run out of inspiration.

I went back into the tent at the Far Out Stage for Amorphous Androgynous and thought I walked into 1973. The three men I could see all had shoulder length curls and beards half way down their chest. The keyboardist was sat infront of two banks of vintage keyboards, the flautist was bare to the waist wearing a full-length frock coat and the singer/ringmaster was in flowing white robes.

I nearly turned around and walked out but stayed with it. And I was rewarded by their live version of their remix of "Fallin' Down" by Oasis ("the first thing we did was remove Liam's vocals"). Featuring Alisha Surfit on vocals, sitar, more flute and general weirdness, it was great and far from the lumpen sound I associate with the Gallagher brothers.

Leaving here is was back to Main Stage for headliners Wilco.

I'm glad I saw this (and I particularly enjoyed "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart"); and the band seemed to be enjoying themselves but overall it was a subdued performance and not quite the punching-the-air finale Sunday demanded. So I am pleased to report that I then got to see Hawkwind where there was some actual punching the air going on.

You know that space-wooshing sound on "Silver Machine"? Well all four songs I heard (including "Silver Machine") were drenched in that. It was difficult to tell them apart or whether they were any good. But it was entertaining in its own way with two female dancers (space aliens first time around, then Japanese geisha with scythes) and a crowd of ALL ages really enjoying themselves. Plus it was fun to see Dave Brock in a straw hat.

So a few disappointments, a few discoveries and some general freakiness to this last day. Green Man may not be as consistently strong musically as say End of the Road Festival but it was a joy to attend and I am sure we'll be back next year (it was just a shame on Monday morning to take the tent down in pouring rain and then endure an eight-hour car journey home).

MARBLES
Its A Buffalo
Don't Be Scared [BUY]

PICTURES
Love.Stop.Repeat
Love.Stop.Repeat [BUY]

WORDS FAIL ME NOW
The Pictish Trail
Secret Soundz [BUY]

POLARIS
The Yellow Moon Band
Travels Into Several Remote Nations of the World [BUY]

BILL CALLAHAN @ THE DEAF INSTITUTE 24 AUGUST 2009

Well I could be tempted to complain about a gig in which the main part of the set comprised of only 11 songs. But when those songs are so exiquisite and so gently expansive it felt like time stood still whilst listening, you can’t complain at all.

In front of a packed but deeply reverential Deaf Institute audience, Bill Callahan and four piece band (cello, violin, guitar and drums) rewarded that hushed reverence with a 90 minute set drawn mainly from latest album “Sometimes I Wish We An Eagle” and 2005’s “A River Ain’t Too Much To Love”. The set-up and playing style of the band delivered surprisingly rich and faithful renditions of these songs. Like the album where most of the set came from it was hypnotic, gorgeous and graceful - and one of my musical highlights of the year.


And although tending to gentler material, Bill occasionally reminded of his darker side: the guttural growl during "Eid Ma Clack Shaw", playing "Bathysphere" (yes!) to close the main set and then the pained screams during final encore “Cold Blooded Old Times”.

I always seem to be late for Bill Callahan gigs - and a horrible eight-hour journey back from Green Man Festival (review to follow) threatened this would be no different - but I managed to reverse the trend here. Bill was very dapper tonight (skinny black trousers, pointy black shoes, white shirt with sleeves rolled up and unbuttoned to the waist) and seemed more relaxed than on previous occasions I'd seen him. He spoke little between songs but gently joked when he did and although his face appeared impassive when singing he would occasionally indulge in some tippy-toe jigs or throw in a quick side kick to suggest a less serious mood. It all ended with the great Velvets-y chug of "Cold Blooded Old Times" with extended instrumental jam and occasional yelps and screams. Just stunning. Bill Callahan: bloody genius. Please come back soon.

The Set List:
Jim Cain
Rococo Zephyr
All Thoughts Are Prey To Some Beast
Say Valley Maker
Rock Bottom Riser
Let Me See The Colts
Diamond Dancer
Too Many Birds
Eid Ma Clack Shaw
The Wind & The Dove
Bathysphere
-----
Our Anniversary
Cold Blooded Old Times

JIM CAIN
Bill Callahan
Sometimes I Wish We An Eagle [BUY]

LET ME SEE THE COLTS
(Smog)
A River Ain’t Too Much To Love [BUY]

Directions to Glanusk Park

Off to the now-sold-out Green Man Festival this morning. Mr P driving, I'm in charge of directions to Glanusk Park. Surprisingly the Green Man Festival is quite vague on how to get there. So trying to work out the route I found this on the Glanusk Park Estate website (it's owned by the Legge-Bourke family. Of course):
Please call us in advance if you wish to land a helicopter or light aircraft. Your grid references are as follows:-Lat: 51:52:03N (51.8676) Lon: 3:10:31W (-3.1751)
All Trades Vehicles are to enter the Estate via the B4558 entrance

Light aircraft not available this morning; I guess it will be the Trades entrance then.

Druids declared back in March that the Festival will be blessed with good weather. So far so good. The other news is Green Man Festival now has a 24 hour licence. Yikes may be not so good news. Back next week with a full report...hopefully.

I AM LEAVING Blue Roses [BUY]
DISAPPEARING ACT Grizzly Bear [BUY]

I GO I GO I GO Wave Machines [BUY]

Folk Songs, Family Players and Folly

A new James Yorkston album came out last week. “Folk Songs” is played by James Yorkston and The Big Eyes Family Players (“I didn’t want to work with my usual band The Athletes but there’s no slur there – I Just fancied trying something different”) and is a collection of 11 traditional folk songs discovered by James in their 60s folk revivals versions by artists such as Anne Briggs and Shirley Collins or by more recent folkies like Nic Jones. A JY release is always something to get excited about. But let’s get the truly exciting bit out of the way first shall we?

Yes that’s me on the sleeve! Right there between Dave Holden and Nicki Refstrup Bladt. I’d talked about this in June: anyone who ordered the special edition of this album before 6 July got a credit on the album too. As well as the very handsome limited edition 2 x CD, 1 x DVD and poster version of “Folk Songs”. The credit is a small thing (and it is very small print) but it’s given me no end of joy since it arrived in the post last week.

Listening to “Folk Songs” the first thing is notice is the (subtle) differences to earlier JY albums. Firstly the lyrical content: where James tends to be more allusive, these songs are more direct. Where James often writes vignettes about those seemingly unimportant domestic incidents or situations that can make or break a relationship, these songs are longer narratives or deal with stock characters from the folk canon (poachers in “Thorneymoor Woods”, hunters and hares in “Hills of Greenmoor”). And then there is the playing: on some songs (but not all) the instrumentation and style can sound more traditional – whistles, mournful fiddle, chiming harp. On first listen I missed (or thought I did) the swoon and swell of those earlier albums and the Athletes full band treatment. But even on second listen some of that swoon is definitely there. And by the third listen what I thought of as subtle differences are long gone. This is a great JY album full stop and definitely worthy of your record dollars. Even if I’m biased by having my name on it.



And if the release alone is not enough, James and the Big Eyes Family Players are touring the UK in October to play the record including a (not-to-be-missed) date at Night & Day in Manchester on 24th. Buy tickets for that date here.
TOUR DATES:
October
15th - Aberdeen - The Tunnels
16th - Glasgow - The Arches
18th - Fife - Cupar Arts Festival
19th - Edinburgh - Bongo Club
21st - Liverpool - The Kazimier
22nd - Leeds - The Faversham *
23rd - York - Fibbers
24th - Manchester - Night & Day Cafe
25th - Bristol - The Fleece
26th - Clwb Ifor Bach
31st - Fence Halloween Party (Secret Locations Around Anstruther!)
November
5th - Reading - South Street Arts Centre
7th - London - Tabernacle *
9th - Brighton - Hanbury Ballroom
All shows with support from Mary Hampton and David A Jaycock (except Fife w/ Iain Macauley Trio)
* With Alisdair Roberts

I WENT TO VISIT THE ROSES
MARY CONNAUHT & JAMES O’DONNELL
James Yorkston & The Big Eyes Family Players
Folk Songs [BUY]

TONIGHT IN MANCHESTER: William Fitzsimmons

Willam Fitzsimmon’s biog seems to go out of the way to suggest an ‘other-ness’, to suggest how strange he is: born to blind parents , brought up in a house filled with sounds but with limited social interaction; spending years working as a mental health therapist. But if you are a fan of Sufjan Stevens or Iron and Wine, Fitzsimmons is less an oddity and more of a musical fellow traveller. Like them he sings sparse, intimate, folky songs that can make the hairs on your neck stand up – and like Sam Beam he has a damn impressive beard.

Tonight he plays the second night of his short UK tour at Night & Day to promote second (proper studio) album “Goodnight” with support from and Denis Jones and Christopher Eatough. Tickets only £6 in advance.


HOLD ON WITH MY OPEN HANDS
William Fitzsimmons
Goodnight [BUY]

"Out there somewhere is the finish line": A Half Year Report

Well I'd talked about the packaging in May but I really should talk about the music. Especially since Fanfarlo's "Resevoir" is shaping up to my one of my favourite albums of the year if not (whisper it) THE favourite. So at the mid-point (late as usual) timely to think what are the runners and riders for album of the year. But first how the love affair began.

Mr P has been following Fanfarlo since their early singles - I remember him going on about "Fire Escape" in particular and I largely ignored him. My mistake. At first casual acquaintance, Fanfarlo can sound a little understated, a bit samey, almost anonymous. But in March I was listening to latest single "Harold T Wilkins" (which made it on to the March Gig Guide compilation) and after a few listens it had skewered itself firmly inside my cranium. By the eighth time, I was totally sold. The album followed - and the process repeated itself. Listen - skewer - love - buy the limited run, special edition version with hand-printed silkscreen box. It's a familiar tale.



I've tried to think (not very hard) what it is about this album that I love. And it goes something like this: it manages to combine clever orch-pop (Sufjan Stevens, Andrew Bird) with swooning indie-pop (most things Swedish or on Fortuna Pop) with literate pop nous (say The Shins) with a great rock dynamic (say Arcade Fire, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! on their first album). BUT sounding completely original and not in the shadow of anyone. AND after that initial impression of 'samey' you realise how much DEPTH and VARIETY there is on the album. And THEN there's the instrumentation and the arrangements - umpteen listens down the track I'm still trying to work out what is making such beautiful sounds - Clarinet? Melodica? Harp? Bassoon? Glockenspiel? And did I mention Simon Balthazar's singing?! Or the lyrics?! Enough of the drooling.

So sorry Mr P for not listening to you sooner. And after Fanfarlo's March Manchester gig we missed, they are back at The Deaf Institue next month (a match made in heaven!). Not all US/UK dates seem to be listed on the site yet so here they are in full:

USA
September 14 Seattle - Chop Suey

September 15 Hollywood - Troubadour
September 16 Los Angeles - The Echo
September 17 San Francisco - Popscene
September 20 Philadelphia - Kungfu Necktie
September 21 New York - Bowery Ballroom
September 22 Brooklyn - The Bell House

UK
September 28 Manchester - Deaf Institute
September 29 York - Fibbers
October 1 Glasgow - ABC2
October 2 Middlesbrough - Westgarth
October 3 Nottingham - Bodega
October 4 Bristol - Start the Bus
October 5 Oxford - Jericho Tavern
October 6 London - Bush Hall
October 7 Brighton - Hanbury Ballroom
October 8 Cardiff - Iforbach
October 9 Leeds - Brudenell Social Club

So if Fanfarlo's Resevoir is in pole position for the Half Year Report for album of the year, who else is up with them? Well in no particular order: Bill Callahan's Sometimes I Wish We An Eagle, Camera Obscura's My Maudlin Career, The Phantom Band's Checkmate Savage, Sonic Youth's The Eternal, My Sad Captain's Here and Elsewhere, A C Newman's Get Guilty, Titus Andronicus, Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavillion, Slow Club's Yeah So. And then there's Malcolm Middleton's Waxing Gibbous, Bishop Allen's Grrr.., The Pains of Being Pure At Heart and.... oh it's going to be a long six (four) months to 31 December.....

And if Half/End of Year are your lists here are some others: Piccadilly Records; Sweeping The Nation; NPR's All Songs Considered podcast; Sound Opinions; and Spin.

DROWNING MEN
FINISH LINE
Fanfarlo
Resevoir [BUY]

MY SAD CAPTAINS @ THE WINDMILL 30 July 2009

At the far end of Blenheim Gardens SW2, past the row of bay-fronted , genteel Edwardian residencies, lies The Windmill. From the outside The Windmill is a unassuming single storey pub. Inside it is pure rock ‘n’ roll dinginess.

The walls are all peeling paint and crumbling plaster with what appears to be 20-years’ worth of gig posters and band stickers holding them in place. At the far end from the entrance door, behind the irregularly shaped bar, is the small stage: a shabby riser made of MDF, amps on beer crates, scuffed monitors and hand-written running orders and old set-lists blu-tacked to the side of a sound desk. But if you look again at all the rock ‘n’ roll scuzziness, you see that it is actually lovingly preserved and cared for. The whole bar is neat and tidy, those posters of future gigs at The Windmill are meticulously laid out and evenly spaced, it is debonair not squalid. I fell for it instantly.

I’ve been looking forward to seeing My Sad Captains live since End of The Road in 2007. The release of their debut album (a strong contender for my top ten albums of the year) in June raised by hopes but I couldn’t get to the Manchester date of the short tour around that time. Which brought me by happy coincidence to this part of Brixton: my first visit to The Windmill but the twenty-fifth for My Sad Captains. If not a homecoming-with-ticker-tape-parade gig this did have a warm, almost casual, feeling of a band playing mainly to family and friends.

MSC do not look very rock n roll: lead singer Ed (painfully thin, large-rimmed classes, maroon V-necked jumper) comes across as librarian-by-day, poet-by-night; the rest of the band (Jack, Jim, Juliet, Nick) do not appear so ‘bookish’ but they look more like the rest of the audience rather than The Band. Yet the five play together beautifully.

The sound of MSC - 'alt-pop with a hint of Americana' as the poster for tonight says – works really well in this intimate setting. The band bring out the subtlety of slower, more atmospheric numbers like “You Talk All Night”, the delicate harmonies of ”Here and Elsewhere” and the summery pop bounce of final song “All Hat And No Plans”, all with a seemingly casual confidence. This was a short set (nine songs, three of them new) but given the quality of the songs and those gorgeous harmonies, I went away more than satisfied. Only shame was no encore (and no “Bad Decisions”) and the fact My Sad Captains aren’t getting more attention and accolade. Yet?

The Set List:
“My Formative Years”?
Good To Go
You Talk All Night
Ghost Song
New Song
Here and Elsewhere
Great Expectations
A Peg Or Two
All Hat and No Plans

Tonight also saw my first foray into video:



Earlier support had been firstly from Randi Russo and then The Oxygen Ponies. Randi (she could only be American with that name) gives a garage rock twist to the standard singer-songwriter fare: attractive voice, pleasant songs and I would not be adverse to hearing more.

She then returned to partner Paul Megna who is The Oxygen Ponies: Paul sang and strummed electric guitar whilst Randi tapped out rhythms on blocks or tambourine and provided harmonies. The Oxygen Ponies played lit by a candle placed in an empty Jack Daniels bottle. It seemed entirely appropriate - spare, haunting late night tales touching on despair and loneliness. Paul may have looked like a grunge rocker but his voice reminded of E from Eels – deep, gravelly, occasionally bluesy but with a sweet, wounded side. Their six song set included a slowed down version of “Love Vigilantes” by New Order. Both have music to stream on their sites - follow links above.

GREAT EXPECTATIONS

My Sad Captains
Here and Elsewhere [BUY]