Sunday, January 13, 2008 4:32:10 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
Ok, so I actually live here, but it's quite rare I stick around for the weekend and don't pop into London/somewhere else to go for a gig or something.
Went out last night with a bunch of people down to BoBs, and had ourselves some drinking and geek-talk. Found out that some of them are more interesting than would initially seem (Jo), some drink more than I thought they did (Emily, Rob - er.. one of the Robs) and yeah - good times.
After they all left around 10pm, I sat around with Andy and we just generally caught up, and found that he has a substantially better taste in music than I typically give him credit for. That was nice.
After some more drinking we headed for Reflex because some cheesy dancing was definitely in order. We met up with Phil there and I mainly just bounced around like a lunatic for a couple of hours, it just seemed appropriate somehow :)
So hurrah, I have friends that I actually like, and I'm looking forward to doing even more stuff with them on the very rare occasions I'm not out doing stuff just by myself.
Speaking of doing stuff with friends, Rob (not the Rob above, but the other Rob) mentioned he was doing to a record fair in Reading to purchase many fine records. I don't own a record player but I figured it would be a good chance to get my hands on some cheap CDs that I haven't got around to buying yet and maybe get some vinyls anyway as I should think I'll be getting a record player next month seeming as my collection of vinyls keeps increasing just because I keep getting them along with the CDs I've been buying. (It's a conspiracy I tell you).
I also figured it would be a cheap way to buy a load of singles that are missing from my collection, and it would be a good way to buy a load of singles from bands I haven't listened to yet without having to buy/download their entire albums. I'm not paying for MP3s on iTunes dammit - MP3s are for stealing, Records are for owning.
My word, what a collection of stuff you can find at a record fair. I'll be going next time (March) with a lot more money. A LOT more money.
I went with £40 and somehow ended up with the following:
Menomena - Under an Hour (Album CD)
Parts + Labor & Tyondai Braxton - Rise, Rise, Rise (Album CD)
Galaxie 500 - This is Our Music (12" Album)
British Sea Power - It Ended On An Oily Stage (Single CD)
British Sea Power - Remember Me (7" Single)
The National - Cherry Tree (Single CD)
Beirut - Elephant Gun (Single CD)
Brakes - Ring A Ding Ding (7" Single)
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - In This Home On Ice (7" Single)
Brakes - Hold Me In the River (7" Single)
Broken Social Scene - 714 (Shoreline) (7" Single)
The Fiery Furnaces - Crystal Clear (7" Single)
So, really not a bad haul for the money spent and it was just quite a lot of fun browsing everything and realising how much music I actually really want to own. I now own nearly every single BSP single/album ever done, I'm only missing a couple of singles - so my inner-completist is sighing with happiness.
I'm incredibly proud of the Rise, Rise Rise album - I never knew that even existed and the moment I saw "Parts & Labor" AND Tyondai Braxton on the same physical media I got a bit excited and made the guy put it on so I could give it a listen before I handed over my money.
I saw Parts & Labor live a few months ago when they were supporting Battles and I was incredibly impressed (with their beards as well as their music) and I've never heard any of Tyondai's solo stuff before so I figured what the hell.
I've almost finished listening to that one and my ears have just been blown off. Awesome stuff.
Next up I'll be doing Under an Hour by Menomena, I'll be interested to see what their instrumental stuff is like having only previously hearing their two studio albums.
What a pleasant weekend.
Friday, January 11, 2008 12:08:35 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)
All in it now
Last night heralded the first gig of hopefully many this year. It was a small affair, the launch of British Sea Power's new album "Do You Like Rock Music?" held at the Czech Embassy with most of the guests being either invited members of the press or friends of the band. Happily there was a small number of tickets available for mere mortals such as myself, probably to ease up on the cost of the event and I nabbed one the moment they went on sale (They sold out in less than 2 seconds).
Budvar were kindly sponsoring the event and therefore providing free beer. Alcohol and music is a perfect combination for touching my heart, so a few days before the event I ordered a Dukla Praha strip from the internet, a Slovakian arm patch and a Czech flag. The idea behind their new single "Waving Flags" is one of unity, welcoming in the eastern europeans, proclaiming them as astronomical "Fans of Alcohol", and I was determined to join in their internationalist love-fest.
Sadly, the Czech flag did not arrive in time, so on my way to the train station I picked up a union flag and some safety pins so I could fix it on as a cape. New attired in my international garb, I headed into London to meet up with the other fans who were lucky enough to either get an invite or a ticket.
We took over a room in a nearby pub and I was happy to see that two more of the team had came dressed in their Dukla Praha strips. It was nice to see everybody again and I was happy to see that those who had failed in getting tickets had managed to call in their deserved invites.
After a few pints, we marched off to the Czech Embassy, seemingly taking all the patrons of the pub with us and leaving behind some rather confused barmen.
Entry to the Embassy couldn't have been smoother as we showed our passports, were ticked off the guestlist and were shown where to hang our coats. The free beer was there as promised and soon Cath, Alfie and I were posing for photos as the photographers couldn't get enough of our Dukla Praha shirts, a top idea from Alfie then. I spent the next hour walking around and talking to everybody and anybody. People were obviously excited to be lucky enough to gain access to such an exclusive event and the atmosphere was absolutely exhilerating. I was introduced to a lot of new people, including Bill, the notorious stage invader who tends to wreck havok wherever he goes. I don't know how he was allowed in...
The setlist
Atom
Lights Out For Darker Skies
Down on the Ground
No Lucifer
Canvey Island
Waving Flags
Trip Out
Remember Me
The Spirit of St. Louis
True Adventures
Carrion
A Rock
The Gig
Hearing all the new stuff in such an intimate setting really set everybody off in a big way. Cath, Bill and I were soon happy bouncing around like idiots and just lapping up the atmosphere and good music. The band was truely on form and were enjoying the adulation of the crowd.
Nobby was soon climbing the fixtures and eyeing up the crowd with an eye on surfing it, and Bill shouted in my ear "I'm going up, give me a hand near the side!!". A Rock kicked off and with Nobby distracting everybody I helped Bill up onto the stage and followed him. The guy is a nutter and I guess it's infectious. I can't really remember the details, but I know it was loud chaotic. Bill and I were stood yelling into the mic, Noble surfed his crowd while Wood, Yan and Hamilton carried on Rocking in A. I can probably simplify the whole experience to the following statement "Looked like a tit, but had a good time".
Wow, just wow. Probably the best BSP gig I've been to yet and now I have a feeling it will be a long time until anything this year can possibly top it.
I'll be writing a letter of thanks to the Czech Embassy as soon as I've posted this blog entry, their hospitality was truely first class and very professional. A congratulations is definitely in order.