XXXY, My Panda Shall Fly, Nightwave, Throwing Snow, Seams, Anthony C & Me @ The Nest, Dalston LDN. 27th May / Forefront @ The Lamp, Hull. 28th May

Catch me at The Nest at the end of the month: I’m spinning with XXXY, My Panda Shall Fly, Nightwave, Throwing Snow, Seams and Anthony C in London for God Don’t Like It. The line-up is big and there events are solid, it’ll be a good way to start your long bank holiday weekend. Then I’m switching it up in Hull with Forefront Recordings: head honcho Webstarr is putting together a soundclash and invited me along. He just put out a record from Slackk and has one on the way from NKC and they both sound like hot ones. If you’re in the area drop in it’ll be live.

Grab the promo mix I did for God Don’t Like It bellow.

Kevin McPhee – Get in With You (LV remix) [[Nakedlunch]]
Mau’lin – Deeper Than the Sun [Ho Tep]
Boddika – Soul What [Swamp 81]
FaltyDL – Hip Love [Ramp]
Unknown Artist – Unknown [Analogue Solutions]
Head High – It’s A Love Thing (Piano Invasion) [Power House]
Thomas Bangalter – I Don’t Know Why [Roulé]
Maurice Donovan – Satisfied [ssssssss]
Funkystepz – Fuller [Hyperdub]
Champion – Loose Control [Hardrive]
Ossie – Tarantula [Lightworks]
Elgato – Music (Body Mix) [Hessle Audio]
DJ Qu – Babyluv [Strength Music]
Addison Groove – Minuets of Funk [3024]
Dark Sky – High Rise [Blunted Robots]
Desto – Glass Clouds [Ramp]
Silkie – Float [Deep Medi]
Alex Zen – Pimp Shoes [Berkane Sol]
S-X – Woooo (DJ Q Remix) [Butterz]
Teeth – Shawty [502]
Ekoplekz – Dayton Romance [Mordant Music]

More. http://www.goddontlikeit.co.uk/post/5541909637/we-are-very-much-looking-forward-to-having-jimi

Jimi the Exploder mix for God Don't Like It by Anthonygdli

Free before 10pm, £5 after, close at 4am @ The Nest.

Tickets: http://www.tickettailor.com/checkout/view-event/id/780/chk/2605

http://www.ilovethenest.com/

http://www.goddontlikeit.co.uk/

http://forefront-recordings.co.uk/

http://www.thelamphull.co.uk/

Pamelia Kurstin and Seb Rochford duo @ The Shed, Brawby Village Hall. 25 September 2010

The Shed goes back to its original home of Brawby for a special show from Pamelia Kurstin and Seb Rochford who come together showcasing an interesting project; one I’d never thought I’d witness, let alone in a Shed… Pamelia Kurstin on theramin and Seb Rochford on drums. Plus Seb Rochford went on the road the day before in a van taking in hotspots such as Kirkbymoorside and Helmsley, pulling up and playing with the doors shut. Something I missed unfortunately but this lot didn’t… But tonight its time to head to Brawby for some Shed Bitter and a good show, what to expect? No idea.

Pamelia Kurstin hails form California has a background in upright bass, a skill she adapted and really ran wild with to create a unique and creative theramin playing style of her own. The sounds she creates is something else, I’ve never heard anything like it. One minute she’s creating low-slung slow motion funk by messing with frequencies and looping them into new shapes with pedals, synths and effects. The next its eerie b-movie soundscapes via a Aphex Twin–esq Selected Ambient Works collage of sound or a Herbie Hancock electro-funk. Whole tracks were created live with such control and precision. Seb Rochford accompanied her with some seriously creative drumming; accenting the compositions with anything from incidental meandering through lilting funk and intense shed rattling drum workouts. It was a hypnotic experience swimming in layers of theramin built from the ground up infront of you.

My prediction is that drum & theramin will take off just like drum & bass did, expect to hear it take over soon. The pair have an album on the way for the Slowfoot label and after tonight’s performance its one I’m keeping an eye out for. As always The Shed continues to be one of the most inspiring and entertaining venues around, bringing something new to the table with each season.



http://www.myspace.com/pameliakurstin
http://www.angelfire.com/freak/pamelia_kurstin/welcome1.htm
http://www.myspace.com/sebastianrochford
http://www.theshed.co.uk/
http://www.vangig.co.uk/

*Photo by Susan Balf in Kirkbymoorside market place, 24th September 2010.

Xpldr Sessions #4

Live session from the attic with special guest Farlie my sister, it’s a send off special as she’s moving to Bristol. She’ll be hosting, picking some of her favourite tracks for the mix and giving shout outs. Tune in @ 8:00-ish bellow or here: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/xplodersessions Stream videos at Ustream

The Hundred In The Hands – Dressed In Dresden (Kyle Hall Remix) [Warp]
Martyn – Seventy Four (Redshaped Remix) [3024]
SCB – 20_4 [SCB]
Al Tourettes – Sunken [Apple Pips]
Roman Lindau – Keppra [Ostgut Ton]
MMM – Nous Sommes MMM [MMM]
Egyptrixx – Everybody Bleeding [Kingdom Remix]
Kode9 ft. Spaceape – You Don’t Wash [K7!]
Altered Natives – Believe In Me ft. Sacha Williamson [Fresh Minuet Music]
Karizma – Necessary Madness [R2]
DJ Rush – Cruising [Dance Mania]
DJ Naughty – Firepower [Roska Kicks & Snares]
Jam City – Ecstasy Refix [Night Slugs]
Ramadanman – Grab Somebody [White]
DJ C – Jump Up & Bounce [West Norwood Cassette Library]
Lady Saw & Cecile – Loser (Bubblez Refix) [White]
MJ Cole – Volcano Riddim [Prolific]
Bowly – Idee Dun Tropique [Berkane Sol]
Kidkut – Ilove04 [Apple Pips]
El-B – Lyrical Tempo [Tempa]
FaltyDL – Phreqaflex [Planet Mu]
Blackstreet – I Need a Dub (Jeremy Sylvester Remix) [White]
Basement Jaxx – Red Alert (Steve Gurley Remix) [XL]
Geiom ft Marita – Sugar Coated Lover [Berkane Sol]
SBTRKT & Sampha – Break Off [Ramp]
Shortstuff – Herb Face [Ramp]
Ill Blu – Dragon Pop [Hyperdub]
Bakongo – Amhara [Brainmath]
Jackal Youth - Let Me Be [Reduction]
A Made Up Sound – Alarm [A Made Up Sound]
Ramadanman – Work Them [Swamp 81]
DVA – New World Order [DVA Music]
Martin Kemp – Fix [Blunted Robots]
Mr. Mageeka – Different Lekstrix [Numbers]
Marcus Price & Carli – Var E Näääken (Girl Unit Remix) [Palms Out Sounds]
Girl Unit – IRL [Night Slugs]
Addison Groove – Dumb Shit [Swamp 81]
Ramadanman – Glut [Hemlock]
Joe – Claptrap [Hessel Audio]
James Blake – CMKY [R&S]
Guido – Mad Sax [Punch Drunk]
SRC – Ryouku [No Hoods No Hats]
Joker – Gully Brooke Lane [Terrorhythm]
Terror Danjah – Space Traveller [Planet Mu]
Starkey ft Durtty Goodz – Gutter Music [Keysound]
Kuedo – Star Fox [Planet Mu]
Maniac - Thug [Terrorhythm]
Zomby – Kaliko [Hyperdub]
The Bug ft. Killa P & Flow Dan – Skeng [Hyperdub]
Blawan – Iddy [Hessel Audio]
Mala – Eyez [DMZ]
Effdem – Acid Bells (Martyn Bitter Sweat Remix) [Curle]
UR – Transition [UR]
De La Soul - All Good (MJ Cole Remix) [XL]

Xplodersessions on the road…

…Kind of, I’m rolling over for a Yardcast with Ste Shine [Folk Wood] and Blawan [Hessle Audio] may be passing through too. You can join us later tonight, sometime after 8:00pm or so on:

www.ustream.tv/channel/steshinedub

Streaming live video by Ustream
Expect dubstep, funky, garage, grime, wot-u-call-it? and back-to-back action.

Xplodersessions.

Mixing live in the attic… Playing some dubstep, grime, garage, uk funky, house, techno, skweee, hip-hop, electronica, beats, bass new and old.

Bank holiday boogie.

Lock in: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/xplodersessions

Live Videos by Ustream

Listen again here: http://www.ustream.tv/myvideos/1/7357650

First part of the set got lost in the technicals.

Tracklist:

Instra:mental – Let’s Talk [Naked Lunch]
Kowton – Hunger [Idle Hands]
Actress – Machine and Voice [Non Plus+]
Kyle Hall – Luv 4 KMFH [Wild Oats]
Julio Bashmore – World Peace [Dirtybird]
Instra:mental – Leave It All Behind [Apple Pips]
Sylvester – Rock The Box (Dub) [Cool Tempo]
Acidwolf – Blue Morning Drive [030303]
Der Zyklus – Formenverwandler [International Deejay Gigolo’s]
Kraftwerk – Expo 2000 (Underground Resistance Mix) [EMI]
Mount Kimbie – Surged (FaltyDL Remix) [Hotflush]
A Made Up Sound – Sun Touch [A Made Up Sound]
DVA – Natty [Hyperdub]
Doc Daneeka – Deadly Rhythm [PNT]
Ikonika – Idiot (Altered Natives Remix) [Hyperdub]
T.Williams – Flooring [Local Action]
A Made Up Sound – Alarm [A Made Up Sound]
Hanuman – Bola (Atki2 Remix) [Idle Hands]
T.Williams – Anthem [Local Action]
Altered Natives – Raaaatid Einstien [Fresh Minute Music]
DVA – Ganja [Hyperdub]
DJ Rush – Cruising [Dance Mania]
R1 Ryders – Rubberband VIP [R1 Records]
MJ Cole – Thekla Riddim [Prolific]
Lil Silva – A Million [Night Slugs]
Perempay & Dee - Buss It [White]
DJ NG ft. Katy B – Tell Me (Club Mix) [Data]
Emvee – Glitch Dub [Wireblock]
MJ Cole ft. Serocee – AO (MJs Open Your Gob Dubb) [Prolific]
Bok Bok ft. Bubbz – Citizens Dub [Blunted Robots]
Marcus Price & Carli – Var E Naaaken (Bok Bok Remix) [Palms Out Sound]
Girl Unit – IRL [Night Slugs]
Addison Groove – Dumb Shit [Swamp 81]
Ramadanman – Glut [Hemlock]
Rossi B & Luca – E10 Riddim [Planet Mu]
Africa Hitech – Blen [Warp]
Brackles – Lizard [Apple Pips]
Untold – Flexible [BRAiNMATH]
Blawan – Fram [Hessel Audio]
Shortstuff & Mickey Pearce – Tripped Up [Ramp]
Egyptrixx – Hexagon Ya [Aaahh! Real Monsters]
Terror Danjah – Acid [Hyperdub]
Swindle – Air Miles [Planet Mu]
James Blake – CMYK [R&S]
Guido – Mad Sax [Punch Drunk]
Otis Reading – (Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay [Atlantic]

Safe.

Live: Deerhunter / The Fresh & Onlys @ The Cockpit, Leeds. 5th May 2010

Deerhunter are personal favourites of mine, Cryptograms and Microcastle are never to far from my stereo, so when they swing through town it’s a must. This time they come to The Cockpit a venue I’ve not ventured into for a gig for around four years, maybe more. As venues go it’s not really my bag and Deerhunter have always gone down a treat at probably my favourite venue for bands in Leeds, The Brudenell Social Club. But they’ll bring me out on a muggy night midweek whatever... They’re doing a quick tour as warm-up for their slot at the ATP festival and slipping in the odd new song into their sets, which should wet your appetite if like me your hoping they whip out an album at some point this year, fingers crossed.

Support comes in the form of The Fresh & Onlys from San Francisco, a band I’d only stumbled upon a few days before when wondering about who else was playing. They sound a bit countrified in a blue grass meets noisy garage rock or psychedelic punk kind of way on myspace, and in the flesh that was toned down a bit and sounded more like straight up US bar room rock: A spaced out, pretty melodic yet raw set of tracks. They left me intrigued but not overly excited.

Deerhunter came out loud and in full effect, oceans of noise, layers of atmosphere. Really living up to the ambient-punk tag, I’ve seen them chat about, more than ever. The crowd either seemed detached or tired due to the midweek slot or the massive sounds the band created, meaning the band and crowd found it hard to connect. This didn’t stop it from sounding awesome though, they just did things a little more laid back, prolonged and spaced out, in almost Krautrock jam-like freakouts. This really stood out on ‘Nothing Ever Happened’ and the encore, which culminated in some serious noise, and looping feedback after a brilliant sample/speech from god knows who. The rest is a haze of feedback, bopping, Bradford’s English accent impression and talk of the election…

oh yeah and more music, echoes of ‘Helicopters’ a new track you can hear online now via the Marc Riley show on 6music... A Patti Smith cover or mention of one, maybe not? They just said something about her on stage. A post-punk funked-up dubbed-out INXS meets Jay-Z’s ‘99 Problems’ version of ‘Rainwater Cassette Exchange’, you bet. Some of these may have only happened in my head… Like the one that I thought sounded a bit like ‘Under The Sea’ from The Little Mermaid film minus steel drums and comedy Lobster. It really did have a washed out aquatic vibe going on though, ummm. New track, probably ‘Fountain Stairs’ if forums are correct and the appearance of an old track from Turn It Up Faggot, ‘Adorno’, I’m pretty sure I’ve never heard any of that era’s material live until now so that was a bonus. ‘Little Kids’ and ‘Cryptograms’ sounded as fresh as ever as did the beautifully catchy ‘Cover Me (Slowly)/Agoraphobia’. All in all Deerhunter brought it and brightened up my Wednesday night with some ambient-punk bliss, they remain one of the leading lights in my indie world.

Leeds set list/picture thanks to Lewis, check out the cool story behind it here.
Intro / Cryptograms / Never Stops / Fountain Stairs / Little Kids / Rainwater Cassette Exchange /
Cover Me (Slowly) / Agoraphobia / Operation / Hazel St / Nothing Ever Happens / Helicopter / Vox Celeste / Adorno / Encores: Dr Glass / Calvary Scars

…Before I go, grab some Deerhunter goodies over at their blog, Micromix 26 a selection of killer tracks from Chris Bell to Sun Ra. And the too good to pass up: Carve your Initials Into The Walls Of The Night, an early limited CD-R which just features Moses and Bradford playing with tapes as an early incarnation of the band in 2005.

Download: Deerhunter – Micromix 26

Download – Deerhunter – Carve Your Initials Into The Walls Of The Night

http://www.myspace.com/thefreshonlys
http://www.myspace.com/deerhunter
http://deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com/

Xploder Sessions.

Was tonight @ 8:00pm for just over two hours…

Mixing live in my attic… Playing some dubstep, grime, garage, uk funky, house, techno, skweee, hip-hop, electro, beats, bass new and old. You can listen again bellow.

Listen: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/6252731

The tracklist goes a little something like this:

Randy Barracuda – Ketamine Strut
Deadboy – If U Want Me
Hanuman - Bola (Atki2 remix)
Hackman – Multicultural
SBTRKT – 20:20
Altered Natives ft. Sasha Williamson – Believe In Me
Cooly G – Love Dub
Joy Orbison – The Shrew Would Have Cushioned The Blow (Actress' Neu Haus So Glo Mix)
Kowton – County Man
Karizma – Drumz Nightmare
Mosca – Square One
MJ Cole ft. Serocee – AO (MJ Open Up Your Gob Dub)
Smith & Mighty ft. Niji 40 – B-Line Fi Blow
Sully – In Some Patern
Pangaea – Sunset Yellow
Joy Orbison – So Derobe
Ramadanman – I Beg You
Hudson Mohawke – Velvet Peel
Kelis ft. Andre 3000 – Millionaire
Instra:mental ft. dBridge – Watching You
Randy Barracuda – Hungry For Another Touch
Scuba – So You Think You’re Special
RSD – Green Hill
Rossi B & Luca – E10 Riddim
Addison Groove – Footcrab
Loefah – Its Yours
Joker – Tron
Terror Danjah – Bipolar
DJ Madd – Reasonz
Quest – The Unknown
Silkie – Test
Mala – Changes
Peverelist – Roll With The Punches
Untold – Stop What You’re Doing
Ikonika - Idiot
Terror Danjah – Air Bubble
Desto – Disappearing Reappearing Ink
Kyle Hall – You Know What I Feel
Shut Up And Dance - Epileptic (Martyn remix)
Headhunter – Sex At The Prom
Mr Lager ft. Alys Blaze - Tell Me
V.I.V.E.K. - Kulture


http://www.ustream.tv/channel/xplodersessions

Live: Anna Rose Carter / Worriedaboutsatan / Her Name Is Calla @ Holy Trinity Church, Leeds. 29th March 2010

Every time I drive to Leeds its raining and tonight was no exception. But this time it wasn’t to go to the sub bass deep end that is Exodus but a Church in the centre of town to see some post-rock in the shape of Worriedaboutsatan and Her Name Is Calla two bands I’ve been wanting to catch live for some time. Worriedaboutsatan because they’re a certified Sonic Minefield favourite after what must be years of listening to their demos and assorted releases such as the wonderful ‘Arrivals’ and the remixes that followed. And Her Name Is Calla as after the Worrier recommended them I kind of fell for the epic restrained emotion of their music. Plus tonight we get a bonus act in the shape of pianist Anna Rose Carter, who I’m unfortunate to say we only caught the end of due to traffic and rain, the little we heard was just beautiful in the church setting and it set the tone for the rest…



Worriedaboutsatan opened with their latest single ‘Heart Monitor’, which you grab from them over the course of their tour and on their website when they come back and if they have any left. The gentle guitar loops and pulsing electronics really become huge mesmerising pieces in the live setting. Plus the vocal, ‘give me your heavy heart’ becomes an emotional mantra that cuts through the loops. Feeling the twisted electronic grooves of their music come alive in such a setting is a real experience too, the beats punch through the epic hall while percussive clicks bubble in all directions. When the bass really drops on ‘Arrivals’ under the slow-mo house kick and bowed-guitar lines it really hits you and has a visceral emotional impact. Hypnotic and beautiful all at once, Worriedabotsatan make the electronics sound like a human pulse while reaching deep into your soul with some seriously moving soundscapes.



Her Name Is Calla played as a seven piece and where the organic counterbalance to the electronics of …satan, utalising guitar, bass and drums along with cello, violin, flute, trombone and keys as well as bits I probably missed. They have a very restrained sound and love the slow reveal. They go from soft, stripped back and touching to grand full crescendos. They played their forthcoming album, ‘The Quiet Lamb’ in its entirety and it was a journey to behold. Each track was so epic and emotive, taking in hushed, intimate moments such as the wonderful single ‘Long Grass’ to pure post-rock crescendos. Their music reminds me of a quite walk in the woods, they have a very natural, organic sound like they’ve carved it lovingly out of fallen trees. In this setting the songs where like a meditative calm and a cathartic workout all at once.



All the artists made the Holy Trinity Church their home tonight, they all connect the dots between each other’s music somehow. With the gentle solo piano of Anna Rose Carter linking with the organic epics of Her Name is Calla who in turn play off the post-rock meets minimal techno/electronica of Worriedaboutsatan. It made for a wonderful bill and a brilliant gig that’s left me with a Zen like calm. Be sure to catch them on the rest of the tour, which is winding its way around the UK and Europe over the coming months.

http://www.myspace.com/annarosecarter
http://www.myspace.com/worriedaboutsatan
http://www.myspace.com/hernameiscalla
http://www.hernameiscalla.co.uk/
http://worriedaboutsatan.co.uk/

HEALTH // Pictureplane // CHOPS // Castrovalva @ Brudenell Social Club, Leeds. 6th October 2009

The mighty HEALTH are coming to town like a rampaging eight armed beast and brining with them a band I’ve been wanting to check out for ages but never really thought would reach our shores, Denver’s Pictureplane who I stumbled upon with the rest of the Rhinoceropolis crew in a HEALTH interview way back in May last year. Also on the bill are two local bands one being CHOPS who I’ve always some how managed to miss by turning up late to gigs at the Brudenell before and Castrovalva who I did actually miss this time for that very reason (it’s a long drive alright!)…

CHOPS are a mad band, the grooves they kick up are insanely addictive the drummer is sick. They stick synth led basslines to the frantic breaks and other rhythmic parts to create a hell of a groove. Then if that wasn’t enough, which sometimes I think it is… they whack on some casio keyboard jazz or sax along with twisted vocals, sometimes this works a treat and others, well I’m not so sure. I really enjoyed it though; it’s both intense and fun if a little reminiscent of Big Beat and specifically ‘Weapon of Choice’ by Fatboy Slim.

Pictureplane I was kind of hyped about, but this was a bit of an ipod-backed energy sapping fest, it would work so well in a club with bits mixed in-between though. I mean he had tin foil and bunting and some really cool moments but there was a slight school disco feel to it and maybe even a distorted evil stoned brother of Calvin Harris feel to it. The highlight of his set was probably his HEALTH remix, which he ended on that managed to piss all over HEALTH’s version somehow. At his best Pictureplane sounded like a mix of High Places swirling almost shoegaze like bliss and a more house savy Crystal Castles that wasn’t afraid of a bit of cheese. Pretty cool all in all, kind of nice.

HEALTH impressed the hell out of me the first time I saw them supporting Zombie Zombie at the Brudenell, it was a rip roaring adrenaline fuelled stopping starting freak out, full of liquid grooves and primitive tribalistic pressure. This time it was just as tight and just as many flowing grooves, with noise, power and down right funk being harnessed into a full on live experience. Yet a lot of the new material didn’t quite have that pent up energy that ripped the place apart last time. Everything bar a few bits and bobs sounded like the last few tracks of the HEALTH s/t album, you know the epic almost ballad like stuff with actual guitar parts, which is all well and good but there was a little to much of that. It made for more of a hypnotising watch as apposed to jaw dropping intensity. ‘Die Slow’ still sounded lame mind I really can’t get on with that track, Pictureplane really showed that song up with his remix earlier in the night by spacing it out and ripping it up into a dance floor bomb and most importantly getting rip of the Kasabian-like riffing. HEALTH weren’t bad as such just not as mind blowing, there was a more post-rock edge to them this time, which is cool but before they were really hard to put in a box and this time it seemed a lot easier to pigeonhole them. They have gone from free flowing idea after idea to a more structured almost song-like sound, I still dig it but it’s taken away a little bit of energy. I’m still yet to hear the latest album so that might put a bit more context on their performance, which was impressive in a physical, tight as hell kind of way. HEALTH still do the noise/dance/rock/psychedlic/groove fest way better than anyone else right now, and put on a hell of a show.


Excellent live video shot by Martin the night before in Sheffield:



Links:
http://www.myspace.com/healthmusic

http://www.myspace.com/pictureplane

http://www.myspace.com/mightychops

http://www.myspace.com/castrovalvamusic

http://www.brudenellsocialclub.co.uk/

Please Please You Presents: Times New Viking / Banjo or Freakout / Missing Kids @ Basement Bar, York. 21st September 2009

Back to the Basement Bar for another quality line up brought to you by the Please Please You crew, this time we have Ohio noise/punk/lo-fi/indie band Times New Viking, one man shoegaze band Banjo or Freakout and Missing Kids who quite aptly I can’t find a thing about pre gig… Now I’ve seen TNV before on the Shred Yr Face tour in a big cavernous hall in Leeds and I really wasn’t impressed it was more of a sedate jangle than an all out invigorating noise fest like their recordings are, saying that I can’t listen to them on record either, to much compressed ear popping sounds. But in a smaller venue I’m hoping they win me over with enough fuzz we’ll see. Who I’m really looking forward to tonight is Banjo or Freakout who I’ve seen once before during a disasters HEALTH gig that ran so late I missed HEALTH as I had to get a train. Despite this Banjo or Freakout won me over with his shoegazy almost one man band set up, him playing keys and guitar with a guy from Gentle Friendly adding percussion in that so hip right now one drum floor tom way… so it’s brilliant to see them in town.

We ended up rolling in a little late so Missing Kids will have to remain a mystery for now unfortunately, but I heard reports that they were very good indeed. So Banjo or Freakout hit the stage with an actual drum kit and drummer this time as well as the floor tom, keys, samplers, loop peddles, guitar and bass all play by the multi-tasking-multi talented Mr Freakout. It was a quality set full of fuzzy shoegazing soundscapes carved out of loops and guitars fed through pedals. There was loads of drum machine work going on through samplers and pads as well as the live drummer. There was one track with super fast drum loops and proper fuzzy sounds on top that just killed it, if I knew the names of any of the songs of any of the bands tonight I would tell you... but dispite seeing both these bands live before I own none of their work. Banjo or Freakout played a hypnotising set and really impressed me, when the debut album drops I’m going to be all over it like a wet flannel.

As I’ve said above Times New Viking didn’t impress me on the Shred Yr Face tour at all but fuck me this was a whole new kettle of fish. They brimmed with energy and noise. The songs were fun and full of life, with a shambolic (in the best possible way) lo-fi, fuzzed out punk attitude. There were riffs and hooks a plenty that completely passed me by last time, it may well be the smaller basement room that held their sound tons better than the epic hall of the Irish Centre. When TNV’s songs hit a groove with the riffs and noise flying around they really killed it, some of the tracks were a bit lacking in groove for me to really get down to but the rapid fire quick succession way they fired through the tracks kept the energy levels high. I’ve no idea what the songs were about, as is their way with obscuring the vocals in fuzz and walls of noise, which they even did with most of the stage banter with the audience. Times new Viking really won me over tonight, I wasn’t ready for that.

http://www.myspace.com/pleasepleaseyoufun

http://www.myspace.com/basementcityscreen

http://www.myspace.com/timesnewviking

http://www.myspace.com/banjoorfreakout

Deerhunter @ The Brudenell Social Club, Leeds. 24th May 2009

Yet again Deerhunter hit The Brudenell and yet again they kill it. The place was full and hot as hell; they brought a little Atlanta to Leeds tonight. Playing a set full of Cyrptograms, Florecsent Grey and Microcastles, in-fact it was maybe more waited towards C-grams thinking about it. To kick off they played brand new title track of the new EP Rainwater Cassete Exchange, which they were also selling on ye olde tape which I happened to pick up and put in my top pocket for the rest of the night, I’ve never felt so indie before. The band were tight under the heat and the epic noise-scapes of Cryptograms was really something else, the drums’n’bass get me every time in the Deerhunter live experience they really drive things forward.

The good shit just kept coming with Like New and Octet melting into each other with a brutal blast of sound in the middle. I’m pretty sure either Never Stops or Nothing Ever Happens came next but who knows, to be honest I zoned out and got lost in the sound. Things were chilled out a little in the middle which was well needed because of the heat, the wedges of fuzzed out sound Deerhunter bring really sit well with the hot hot atmosphere though it kind of gave it another edge somehow a clammy heavy edge.

After a few more hits, Bradford called to the audience for requests and they covered a track by someone I can’t think of right now, but I’ll edit it when my brain wakes up, it was the same one they did at ATP the week before apparently… [EDIT] it was Bragging Party by The Amp's!... It was a wicked 60’s infused punky number that suited their sound to a tea. By the time the encore came around Bradford was working the crowd with impressions, voices and general weirdness. Then the Deerhunter jukebox began as the crowed were asked to choose the final three tracks of the night. After some back’n’forth the fantastic Spring Hall Convert was chosen, which delighted me as I really wanted to hear it last time they came to town but alas it wasn’t to be so this was a bit special, it’s always been one of my favourites. I’m struggling to remember the middle track in the encore but it was fuckin’ brilliant and followed by Fluorescent Grey, which built and built before showering us in sound.

Then shit got weird as Bradford came back on to thank us in many strange ways before having some banter with the sound guy, before calling his mum over the soundsystem. Unfortunatly she wasn’t in so it went right to answer phone a nice message was left and things petered out. It’s probably the maddest ending to a gig I’ve seen for a while Bradford cracked me up throughout the night as well as really playing a quality gig, Deerhunter I salute you keep doing your thing.

http://www.myspace.com/deerhunter

http://deerhuntertheband.blogspot.com/

http://www.brudenellsocialclub.co.uk/

Fulborn Teversham @ The Shed, Hovingham Village Hall. 2nd May 2009

One of many of supreme jazz drum being Seb Rochford’s groups is hitting The Shed this weekend yet again. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Polar Bear twice and the band tonight Fulborn Teversham just the once in this shed of a venue. Seb is joined by long time collaborator in such bands as Acoustic Ladyland and Polar Bear Pete Wareham on Sax, Nick Ramm on Nord synth and Alice Grant on vocals. They make one hell of a punk infused, experimental jazz racket unlike anything I’ve really heard before. They drift from sweet mellow smokey jazz numbers to full on balls to the wall skronk sessions, they even manage to sound something like ye olde seaside music at times mixed with a hammer horror soundtrack, interesting stuff.

A pint of Shed bitter a hand full of nuts and Fulborn Teversham take the stage, opening with a set of instrumentals in the first half then joined by Alice in the second for some vocal workouts. ‘Count Herbert II’ opens things nicely with a Transylvanian vibe with tweaked synths, elaborate drums and skronky sax. The mood ebbed and flowed from punked out hardcore jazz to deep and mellow ballads about love in a sweet melancholic style. Throughout the night pretty much everything of debut album, ‘Count Herbert II’ was played including maybe two or three new tracks.

The musician-ship on show tonight was something else, this group and all their projects blow me away each and every. Nick on the Nord really does make some quality sounds ranging from deep bass to skewed 8-bit-like gameboy, it’s a joy to hear. Seb’s drums are tight and varied as always playing some full on funk licks this time as well as almost 80’s like stuff in the ballads. Pete on sax can make eerie atmospheres or really crank it up and build layers of psychedelic hard rock-like melodies; he really takes you with him. Alice has such a wicked voice that can go from soft and delicate to all out punky shouts; she has a knack for lyrics too.

Highlights have to be, ‘Beachtune’, ‘Castle Music’, ‘Amazing’ and the closer ‘Silent’. To be fair it was all quality and The Shed bitter has made me forget some names. It was also a special day for The Shed’s head fella Simon, it being his birthday and all so much respect to him for that and putting on so many excellent nights.

Flaying Lotus, The Mother Fucking Gaslamp Killer, P45, Kid K & Laura J @ Leeds University. 27th April 2009

Parts of LA came to Leeds to night the Brainfeeder and Low End Theory and fuck me they delivered. But on with that in a moment, the night was warmed up nicely buy some locals the first thing I heard was Caspa’s abusive cockney-step anthem where’s my money! Which was well abusive for such an early hour but soon enough after a quick dose of Rustie’s Zigzag P45 came on and played a wicked set of bleeped out electronica and plenty of bits from The Bug. The only mishaps on being the complete fuckin’ bell end on the door that wouldn’t let anyone out and if you did leave you had to buy another ticket to get in. Ridicules rules, and he was a complete fucker, so some sweet talking was done with another door staffer and he was well up for the re-entry, bonus.

Then The Mother Fuckin’ Gaslamp Killer came on the scene and tore the shit out of the place playing a mad set full of big time dubstep wobblers all the way to sublime wonk from the likes of Bullion and Computer Jay, even some Terkish funk from 1969 and Ethiopian shit as he called it made an appearance. The majority of his set was fucked up wobblers like 16 Bits’s Chainsaw Calligraphy and really insane electro tinged off-killter hip-hop. The guy can mix as tight as hell and is a real party starting live wire. Getting on the mic and hyping the crowed like a mad man possessed and throwing together some real big bangers. The bas was big and the vibe was right, tracks from Harmonic 313 and Heralds of Change killed it, and there was far to much stuff I didn’t know the name of that really got the floor moving. By the end of the hyper set even Gaslamp looked tired until he turned all evil on us and dropped Aphex Twin’s Come To Daddy and shot the crowd down with gun fingers.

The main even was upon us and FlyLo took the stage easing us in with sublime beat after beat chopped in clashed into each other in a collage of percussion, made up of so many familiar tracks from his album and beyond. The sound of these tracks on a big system is something else, the bass is HUGE and the beats are like liquid. Shit really started to kick off when he dropped his refix of A Milli, it went down well and from then on he went from beat of his own to the odd inclusion of beats from all over. He took the mood down mellow for the smokers before really fuckin’ it up with his mix of Mr Ozio that really got everyone going. It got pitched up into more electro and I thought I riot was going to ensue at one point. He can flip the mood in an instant mind, and mellow passages melted into full throttle funk and dance floor bombs.

Just some of the tracks I remember him playing are: Kode 9’s killer smudged funky track Black Sun, Burial done FlyLo style, Martyn, Joker’s incredible Re-Up, A little Zomby, a mad wonky re-interpretation of Aphex Twin’s Windowlicker by FlyLo again. He even dropped some new material from a forthcoming album, which is wicked news. Some other highlights were the epic sublime builds that dropped into some of the most liquid funk fuled bass and feet moving beats I’ve heard, I have no idea what the hell the track I’m thinkin’ of is called but it killed it. FlyLo spun it back a few time and raised his hands in the air ready for the drop each time, which sounded like angels singin before a filthy funked up drop. He finished with some roots wobbler style dubstep before dropping some mad bleep-core hyper rave beats as his encore that morfed into what sounded like a Kode 9 FlyLo collaboration with warped synths hip-hop beats and huge bass but I could be really wrong about that.

Everyone killed if the Brainfeeder / Low End Theory crew know how to do things and fuck me their shit is tight! Go see Fling Lotus, go see The Mother Fucking Gaslamp Killer at any chance you get.

HEALTH // BLK JKS // Banjo or Freakout // Young British Artists @ The Deaf Institute, Manchester. 22nd April 2009

HEALTH don’t come to town to often in fact they don’t even come to my town at all so I’ve had to trek all the way to Manchester to see their intense dinosaur sounding noise in the flesh as that’s probably the best way to take them in.

HEALTH//LIVE > HEALTH > HEALTH//DISCO > HEALTH//MERCH

I was also happy to find out that African band BLK JKS are supporting as I heard about them late last year and have failed on all accounts at grabbing any of their music despite loving the idea of a post-punk sounding band with amazing African riddims. Tonight is my chance.

Banjo or Freakout are also on the bill and they are a group I didn’t think I knew until I realised blogs were a blaze with their accoustic version of Burial’s beautiful Archangel a while back. You may as well grab the track in question from the wonderful blog//label//whatever No Pain In Pop. So we will see what they have in store in the live environment.

Now for the complete unknowns to me anyway: Young British Artists. I have no idea what they sound like but they are local and made it onto this bill so hopefully it will be a nice surprise.

After masses of delays from somewhere between an hour and a half to two hours the first band Young British Artists came on and to be honest they didn’t do much for me at all. Sure they could play but nothing much happened to get me going in anyway shape or form.

Next up was Banjo or Freakout helped out on drums by one of Gentle Friendly. It was a wicked mish-mash of shoegazing electronica and tribal beat loops with a smidge of indie pop. By this time we realised the delayers where going to stop us from seeing that much music tonight though so it really put a damper on the evening. The highs of Banjo or Freakout’s set were mesmerising it was a real joy to hear.

BLK JKS all the way from South Africa really killed it mind. When they came on the night really found its feet. The band are as tight as hell, playing a kind of Affrican-Jazz-Post-Punk-Indie-Rock hybrid full of atmospheric surges that the Manc crowd were well up for talking all over, all the way to full on big stage anthem rock outs. The drums really pushed BLK JKS above and beyond he could punch out tight skipping African grooves as intricate and mesmerising as some of the best Jazz and African drummers I’ve seen, but he could really pound them out like a rock hero. Fuck me it was good. The songs were enchanting and massively danceable the way they effortlessly went from dubbed out soudscapes to full on rockin’ out was brilliant.

Then the night took a turn for the worse, for us anyway. As the gig had ran so late for some reason we had to leave before the main event to catch our train or we would be stranded. We weren’t happy at all it was a fucking nightmare. So travelling miles to see one of our favourite bands HEALTH was scuppered by people turning up far to late. So I have no clue what the new material sounds like now let alone feel the intense beat heavy tribal brutality of their live show, fuck.

YOU WILL MISS OUR BAND YOU WILL MISS OUR BAND YOU WILL MISS OUR BAND YOU WILL MISS OUR BAND YOU WILL MISS OUR BAND YOU WILL MISS OUR BAND YOU WILL MISS OUR BAND YOU WILL MISS OUR BAND YOU WILL MISS OUR BAND YOU WILL MISS OUR BAND YOU WILL MISS OUR BAND YOU WILL MISS OUR BAND YOU WILL MISS OUR BAND YOU WILL MISS OUR BAND YOU WILL MISS OUR BAND YOU WILL MISS OUR BAND YOU WILL MISS OUR BAND

http://www.myspace.com/youngbritishartists

http://www.myspace.com/banjoorfreakout

http://banjoorfreakout.blogspot.com/

http://www.myspace.com/blkjks

http://www.myspace.com/healthmusic

Holy State / Pulled Apart By Horses / Rolo Tomassi @ The Faversham, Leeds. 19th April 2009

This is a big line up for a gig on a Sunday night Holy State’s EP on Holy Roar is a cracker (See my review here), Pulled Apart By Horses are a force to be reckoned with in the live setting they just rock the fuck out like new skool grunge legends or something. Then there is the always intense and mesmerising stop start free-jazz-spazz-hardcore of Sheffield’s young guns Rolo Tomassi. I for one was pretty excited.

Holy State took the stage to a really dead and spares crowd unfortunately this put a bit of a damper on things but they still played their harts out. They tore out tracks from their debut EP in a short live wire set with riffs, screaming and the all important quality tracks. I’d love to see them play a livelier gig as the crowed was proper lame.

Pulled Apart By Horses are local hero’s / loons in Leeds they play everywhere and anytime it seems, I think I’ve caught them accidentally as much as I have on purpose as they crop up as support quite a bit. The band were having troubles this time mind as not only had the crowd only slightly grown and still felt dead out (I blame Sundays) but member James Brown injured himself somehow previously and wasn’t playing. He was apparently having his leg taken off and replaced with a horses, which will defiantly give them an extra kick when he rejoins the tour soon in Glasgow. They played some wicked stuff though, my highlights have to be the anthem Swan Dive High Five and E=MC Hammer they really shredded it up.

Now for the main event Rolo Tomassi took the stage with M83 setting the scene as intro music before doing their thing. Again the crowd was a little fuller but still dead, which was a really shame as I thought this would be a hype gig for Leeds on this tour. The sound was a bit muddy and muddled as well which didn’t help too much, this has been the case for all Faversham gigs I’ve been to mind so I wasn’t really surprised. Rolo played a set full of album material and only included one or two from the first EP this kind of gave the gig a really samey vibe, I’ve seen them mix it up a lot more and kill it. Highlights included the epic Gary Numan meats Hardcore ‘Nine’ and the brilliant ‘Digital History’ from the one sided 7” on Holy Roar, I’m pretty sure they played ‘Film Noir’ as well which always gets the gameboy-scream-core crew going.

All in all it was a nice gig but I kind of expected a bit more energy in the room, I wouldn’t blame the bands for that mind I blame the sleepy Sunday vibes and sound quality. Go and catch the rest of the tour where Grammatics also feature it will probably rock loads more.

http://www.myspace.com/holystate

http://www.myspace.com/pulledapartbyhorses

http://www.myspace.com/rolotomassi

Restricted Hours – Live @ Club 85 (Live Album)

This is a rare live recording from the now de-funked Restricted Hours released on a nice CD-R, ask Joe (new_born1987@hotmail.com) nicely and it’s all yours for £2 + p&p. It’s a sublime mixture of post-punk, anarchic punk rock, paranoid folk and a slight hint of the psychedelic thrown in for good measure.

There is a really deep and paranoid vibe to these tracks. I think it’s the stripped back feel that helps with this; it’s just vocals and a few guitars from what I can hear. Restricted Hours have a truly addictive air to them, the songs sound simple at first with echo drenched yet jagged guitars and very distinct vocals, he reminds me of a post-punk Alan Moore somehow if you have heard him speak... But the highs some of these tracks reach is sublime, you really get drawn in by songs like, ‘Getting Things Done’ which just kills it for me.

‘Getting Things Done’, has balls and energy you can almost feel the spit going in your face. It’s probably the most punk sounding track here as well it makes me want to pogo and skank a bit even though its just a few guitars and no drums. It’s all electric mind and it sounds damn good, the quality of the live recording is excellent. The musicians really do a good job they are tight and make one hell of an atmosphere; it captures them very well indeed.

‘Big Ben’ at the start of a happy trio of songs as he calls them is a mini epic, echo-drenched beauty. Top marks for anyone that can spot the post-punk rendition of the Big Ben melodies in the vocals.

The two tracks after that make a long post-punk meets psychedelic soundscape, ‘New Dixieland Blues’ and ‘Living Out The Car Crash’ is a real treat, and they flow effortlessly. There is so much tension and pent up energy within them it’s pretty intense yet truly beautiful and dark all at once. You can really get lost in the highflying guitars and epic, anarchic vocals. It all builds and really takes you with it as they go.

The lyrics deal with some dark fears about things not changing and everything pretty much going to shit. The lyrics and music really reflect a pent up paranoid feel they work so well together. The song writing really is top quality. It kind of takes it out of you at times, as the intensity is so strong. Don’t worry though, they finish off with a nice little love song, I say love song it’s still a bit dark, called, ‘Midsummer Lullaby’ that really mellows things out in melancholic style. It deals with naivety, love and bigger things kind of screwing everything up.

Check out some of the related projects as well; The Otters do a fantastic track called ‘Heresy’ that has a similar vibe to it but pushed through a dub punk aesthetic, you really can hear his song writing its distinctive. The Astronauts also feature one of the guitarists from Restricted Hours, which really do make this recording special, you can also check out a mini history of Restricted Hours on their myspace. They really are a good bunch of musicians and songwriters.

Restricted Hours conjure up some deep and dark images with their words and music. If you’re a fan of melancholic post-punk with a nice psychedelic, intense and slightly deranged folk edge to it then this is going to be right up your street.

Picture by Noel Pearce

Big up to Joe for hooking me up with the sounds!

Oren Marshall & The Charming Transport Band @ The Shed, 29th November 2008

Tonight The Shed welcomes Oren Marshall who I have heard be called, ‘Hendrix of the Tuba’ now this made me wonder what the hell was going to happen? Turns out he was in a dance to my African riddim’s mood rather than a Hendrix freak out, and you know what that’s fine by me.

Oren kicked things off by wandering around the room blowing what only can be described, as Jazzberry’s also know as the Jazz Raspberry along with some more rhythmic low end grunting. He even came at me and made me put my balls in his Tuba, which to be fair I was more than willing to do. After he had freaked out a nice section of the crowd with his testicular jazz march he made his way to the stage and the full band joined him.

This was no ordinary band this was The Transport Band. It featured well let me give you a roll call…

The line-up:
Oren Marshall (UK) – tuba

Afla Sackey (Ghana) - atenteben, vocals, percussion

Yaw Asumadu (Ghana) - djembe, congas

Annor Asamoah (Ghana) - gome drum

Nana Kwesi (Ghana) - keyboards

King David Sobiyi (Nigeria) - guitar

Julian Siegel (UK) - alto sax

Miles James (UK) - guitar.

So that gives you a little bit of a flavour of what was in store. A mish-mash of tuba led jazz and high-life was the call of the night. As always The Shed needs a little bit of a wakeup call, it is a sleepy village hall in rural North Yorkshire after all. This meant the first half was a little bit mellow in the crowd at least. The grooves where subtle, yet had some of the funkiest vibes I have heard for a while.

Jazz was the mainstay of half one, the tuba set the groove as the percussion which featured congas, drums and a gome that is pretty much a plywood box with a dude sat on it, lay down one hell of a rhythmic bed for the jazz improvisation to really get things going.
So as pockets of people got there bop on and other slowly nodded their heads. The kids at the front behaved and got praised from Oren as did we all, Pat’s on the backs all round…

By the time part two kicked of though and the crowd made up of locals and madmen had had some of that special local ale Shed Bitter down them, everyone was ready to move.

And they knew it, so picked up the pace by hitting us with the High-Life. The tempo came up, the grooves got hectic and the funk got rolling. Each track pretty much featured an improvised section from each artist then ended with them playing off each other then back into the groove. Improvised sections even got cheers and claps.

The vocalists brought a heavy African influence to the table along with the percussion this melted together with the jazz so well it was a perfect fit. Things really heated up when they worked the crowd with some work out style double time dance manuva’s. Even if it looked a bit like a mad line dancing class it was great fun and there was smiles all round.

Oren then let us know he was recording the set so as soon as that appears on his site I will link it on here right away just so you can get The Shed flavour from your home.

Some of my favourite moments must be when the two guitarists played off each other in a solid groove, just building the tension in the dance until you couldn’t help but move. Sax man Siegel was on form too when he really took over and let fly to make some hypnotic segments, when him and King David Sobiyi on guitar played off each other it was pretty special. The Gome drum was pretty damn special too, I couldn’t believe some of the beats coming out of that. The whole band was tight as hell and ready to roll. Orem kept it all in check and everyone did their thing.

To finish things off after some hardcore claps and stamps Oren Marshall and The Charming Transport Band picked up the pace even more with some super fast soca style beats. They gave us a warning to get those feet moving fast. This just kept going with improvisation after groove after improvisation until people had to sit down and the bar was drunk dry.

The Shed pull off another quality night.

http://orenmarshall.com/

Lykke Li Live @ The Dutchess, York. 10th October 2008

Sometimes even a beatnik blogger needs a bit of pop in their lives, and Lykke Li was just perfect because a) It’s endorsed by Pitchfork b) she isn’t big yet… I’m kidding of course, but there does seem to be a bit of a buzz for Lykke Li in the hipster circles for what is pretty much a middle of the road pop act. This isn’t to say she is bad at all, in-fact I really enjoyed her live show, it was just a bit tepid rather than a joyous pop romp.

The gig was in The Dutchess, which I still haven’t made my mid up about yet. The venue it’s self is pretty cool but they need to beef up the soundsystem so you can hear it over the millions of people who seem to just want to chat through the whole gig right near the stage. The sound man is miles away as well, I wouldn’t be surprised if he couldn’t hear what was going on. I can’t be arsed moaning about it anymore the place has potential.

Lykke’s support was a loan singer / guitarist who did the looping the stuff I bang on the body of the instrument thing. I think he was called Jova or something, I can’t find anything on him now, and he was pretty hard to hear over all the shouting hordes so that kind of watered down his performance somewhat. So I feel bad judging him on that, but he didn’t really stick in my mind at all…

Lykke Li was me with a lot of enthusiasm by the crowed and launched right into one of her upbeat numbers, for me this is what she does best by a long shot. I’m not a fan when she goes all slow-mo ballad style on us. She only had about three or four top class tracks though in this vain so the set was a little light and I think even she knew it as she had to resort to playing about three covers, and dropped the odd rap tune to liven the place up. KRS One was whacked on and they left the stage so we could just dance to it, this was one of the highlights of the gig for me, and kind of unexpected. The percussion was loose and fun, like they were just jamming at home. Lykke’s presence on stage is wicked she really rocks out, to the tracks which adds some much needed energy to it all. She has passion and makes me swoon a heck of a lot.

Overall Lykke Li was pretty damn good and enjoyable, yet a little bit mellow for a Friday night with lots of people shouting and wanting to party. I left feeling I would have seen more of a spark…

Check out this video of her anyway:



Lykke Li Space
http://www.myspace.com/lykkeli