488 EMETREX, Econoline, London "Poptones Radio 4 Club" at Notting Hill Arts Centre, Wednesday 21 February 2001

A notable first, this; the first time we've seen Boston friend Michael Paulo actually play "live" in a band! But first, Rachel and I, staying in London after last night's Evan Dando gig, meet up with Michael for pre-lunch coffee before he and Emetrex disappear for a Radio session. Rach and I then hit the record shops all afternoon, before heading over to Notting Hill before 6. We were told by Michael's Seriously Groovy record company people this morning that "Poptones", an Alan McGhee-run extravaganza, was pretty hip and therefore open at 6, sold out by 8. When we got there and found the doors open but no-one attending them, though, we just slipped in, meeting up with the band in the venue! Stayed there in this odd-shaped and run-down venue when they went off for food, as we'd both found comfy seats, and watched the place fill up around us, before the Emetrex chaps returned and bassist big Dave McGlynn wanted to know the whole story behind my love of Boston rock. So I told him!

Econoline, Emetrex' label-mates and tour buddies, took the stage first. We were warned to expect a junior Built To Spill, but they were unrehearsed, discordant and harshly loud, so I wasn't really sure what to make of them as the songs kind of got buried under the noise. The jury is out on them...

Emetrex, who took the stage just after 10.30, were a different proposition. Michael had warned us against high expectations, the band having only just arrived in the UK so being tired and slightly under-rehearsed, however we suspected he'd been sandbagging and thus was the case. Emetrex put on a fine show of superbly shimmery and shiny mood music, with Wheat being an obvious (and lazy) influence and comparator, sharing a love of touching melancholy and haunting, chiming guitars and undulating basslines (as well as a rehearsal space in Taunton, MA!).However, I'd be hard-pushed to imagine Wheat coming up with something as aggressively fuzzy as "Staring At The Stone" or as swaggeringly jolly as set finale "King Of Animals". A damn fine set from this deliciously beguiling new Boston band, during which drummer Ben Hedlund took pix himself!

More congrats and socialising with the band and their record company afterwards, before heading back to our hotel. But hey, Emetrex were bloody good tonight, and after a few shows round the UK they should be well up to speed when they hit Oxford and London (again) next week. We'll be there!

489 MY VITRIOL, Mo-Ho-Bish-O-Pi, Thirteen:13, Bristol Fleece, Wednesday 28 February 2001

Sandwiched between all the Emetrex shows was this intriguing triple-header, featuring 2 of the most promising UK bands of the moment, plus a genuine wild card. So I persuaded Ady to drive, and myself, himself and Rachel set off early! This one was a sell-out and was already busy when we hit the Fleece at 8.30. Thirteen:13 were due on 15 minutes previously but were running late, so we had time to shoehorn ourselves over to the bar, get drinks and wade to the front before they came on.

Thirteen:13 are a bunch of optimistic young bucks with guitars in their hearts and melodic influences worn prominently on their sleeves. Thus, when they're sharp and poppy, like lovely harmonic single "Perfect Imperfection", they come across like early Teenage Fanclub arm-wrestling with bouncy Seattle popsters Super Deluxe, their set then varying from this touchingly melodic high to some reasonable but slightly dated sounding knockabout cheeky chappie Britpop. Nevertheless, considerably more good moments than bad from a band I'd happily pay to see in their own right.

Moving swiftly on afterwards were a frankly motley looking trio, our wild cards Mo-Ho-Bish-O-Pi. Wearing sun-visors with flashing lights, Hawaiian shirts and self-mutilated jeans, they looked as if they'd had some disagreements on image so decided to go with everyones' ideas! They immediately kicked into a smart, attention-grabbing set, full of some intelligently put together yet still dirty and self-consciously quirky glam thrashy pop. Shades of Chicago's finest, Number One Cup, mashed and clashed with other influences such as Glitterbox and Placebo to make for an intriguing noise, whilst they were visually dynamic, swapping instruments (except for the fretless bass player) and revealing some seriously freaky eye make-up!

Also well made-up was My Vitriol's vocalist Som Warner, whose liberal application of foundation and mascara was obvious. Significantly more obvious was the quantum leap forward this band have made since their nevertheless impressive Reading 2000 set. An instrumental opener, which sounded like the cracking of the Earth's crust (honestly!) segued effortlessly into a brilliant "Losing Touch", and I felt spookily as if I was watching one of the most significant British rock acts of the next 5 years. My Vitriol tonight were simply awesome; the power, focused aggression and primal yet perfectly articulated rock recalled Sugar, and I piled into the mosh with a strangely unreceptive crowd and showed them how to do it! My Vitriol have a shimmering substance to their music which also recalls Ride or The Pale Saints, with their segues and loops from one titanic slab of rock into the next. But most of all, this band knows how to rock, and seriously clean house whilst doing so. New (and heavily rotated on Radio 1) single "Always: Your Way" was awe-inspiring, a mightily anthemic yowl of a track. Great stuff from a band who surely are future Reading Festival headliners, if there's any justice. We'll be hearing a great deal more from My Vitriol!

490 EMETREX, London Camden "Barfly at the Monarch", Thursday 1 March 2001

Afternoon off! Hooray! Had stuff to do first but Rachel and I left at 4.30 and parked up in Camden High Street at 6.30. Did some record shopping before getting to the venue early. Emetrex walked in just as Rach and I were playing table football, so a "Transatlantic Challenge" was set up, with big Dave McGlynn proving as adept on the bars as he is on bass, pretty much single-handedly squashing our pitiful challenge!

Heard about the tour hi-jinks and poor weather before decamping upstairs for tonight's early set. Emetrex were on at 8.30 and immediately on the case. Guitarist Michael had indicated that they had a weird vibe about this show, as they anticipated playing to a less enthusiastic crowd than out of London, nevertheless they were tight and together, showing an intuitive feel for their music. Opener "Left 63", a slow, drawn out affair, flowed into "So Bright" then the effortlessly melodic "Birds Your Brothers" before "Staring At The Stone" really kicked the set off with its' startling power and dynamism. Emetrex then took the sound down with care and precision, and some delicious pedal steel adding to the haunting and occasionally eerie melody, before a swaggering "King Of Animals". The real highlight for me, however, was set closer "Saturn With The Rings", a slow burner which just builds and builds before soaring breathtakingly away, similar to Wheat's "Death Car" or "Raised Ranch Revolution".

Rach hit the tiredness button shortly afterwards, as we're setting a cracking gig pace at the moment, so we bade our farewells and hit the road at 9.45, getting home at midnight. No worries, there's more Emetrex on the way!

491 EMETREX, Econoline, Oxford The Point, Saturday 3 March 2001

The last of 3 in 4 gigs for Emetrex, and the last date of their tour before they flew back to the US - tomorrow morning! - so we had to be there! The fact that this one was only 30 miles down the road made it easier too. So Rachel and I scooted down the A420 and parked in the usual car park, bumping into Emetrex outside the dodgy eaterie opposite The Point, sampling their dubious wares! Hit the downstairs pub briefly, meeting Tim and crew there, then up to the venue for 8.30. Hung out with the Emetrex guys and their Seriously Groovy UK label people, boring the pants off Lorraine from Seriously Groovy about other Boston bands, and about You Are Here! Connections, connections...

Chilled out listening to bassist Dave McGlynn's stories of the tour, particularly a superb show in Limerick, before Econoline came on. The sound was better and hung together more coherently, but Econoline were still harsh and abrasive and not my cup of tea. Back to the bar then!

Emetrex were on at 10.30, starting so quietly that they caught Rachel and myself (chatting to Dave from Seriously Groovy at the time) totally on the hop! Popped into the reasonably well attended venue as Emetrex eased into their set with "Left 63" and "So Bright" before a blistering "Staring At The Stone" set the show alight. There was a real end of term feel to this show, with the practised confidence of a band totally attuned to each other and relieved to be heading home (Ben mentioned beforehand, "I want to go home, I miss my mom - and my truck!"), but wanting to leave on a high. And they delivered.

Another set of haunting, moody yet magnificent shimmering and soulful guitar rock and tasteful, touching balladry which solicited a great reception from the crowd, who were really being won over. A touching "Thunderstruck" was again the precursor to a magnificent finale "Saturn", a potential Boston classic in the style of "Winona" and "Island". Plangent magnificence!

Hung out afterwards for ages, collecting band signatures on Set List No. 300, then hit the road. Thus endeth the Emetrex tour, an excellent 3 shows from an embryonic yet evolving band with boundless potential. Good Boston friends too!

492 KEN STRINGFELLOW AND JON AUER, London Highbury "Upstairs at the Garage", Tuesday 6 March 2001

The wrong gig on the wrong night! Left at 4.30 after a half day, but then took ages to get over to the Garage after our usual left turn at the Angel Centre, thanks to Arsenal's Champion's League game just round the corner, metaphorically speaking. Then, after Tim and crew turned up to meet up with Rachel and myself, he told us that the previous night's "Posies" show at Dingwalls, which we'd not bothered with in favour of tonight's show, was a full-blown band affair, which lasted for a crazy old 2 hours! D'oh!

This one, however, was always going to be 2 individual acoustic sets from the Posies 2 singers, songwriters and main inspirations. Jon Auer, the shorter, bulkier and slightly more pure pop oriented of the two, was first up, strumming a blood covered guitar, a legacy of the "carnage" (his word for it!) of the previous night. Jon's set was a splendid and spangly affair of mainly new material, but with the characteristic chord structures which were always a staple ingredient of the Posies poppier moments. A lovely "Perfect Size" and another startling rendition of the Psychedelic Furs' "Love My Way" climaxed a set full of fine pop moments and tequila-fuelled stories.

Bumped into Jon himself on my way back from the gents afterwards, taking the opportunity as an old P-Furs fan to thank him for reviving "Love My Way" and asking him to say "hey" to old friend and fellow Seattle resident Phil Hurley. Enjoyed a brief chat with a friendly and personable guy.

Ken, the tall, angular and more emotive Posie, joined us at 10. Wearing an "Expectant Father" t-shirt, Ken regaled us with a heartfelt and emotional set of his more bittersweet pop melodies. Switching between a trusty sparkling 6-string guitar and a laptop keyboard (the Hammond Organ, all 1,200 pounds of wood, wouldn't fit in the overhead bins of the 737, apparently!) and also regaling us with some fun stories, particularly about Joe "Bass" Skyward's plans for that very same evening (!), Ken juxtaposed his achingly raw melodies with an irreverent style. However, after one particularly emotional track, Ken left the stage briefly and on returning, it was clear he'd put a great deal of himself into the delivery, and needed to vent in private.

A splendid "Find Yourself Alone", prior to which he dealt efficiently with a couple of drunken hecklers, was the highlight of the evening for me. 2 fine sets from 2 very talented tunesmiths, well worth the nightmare journey there - and home too, with terrible rain and even worse roadworks delays on the A40M!

493 YOU ARE HERE, plus terribly ham-fisted support, London Kentish Town Bull And Gate, Monday 26 March 2001

Took a late call on this one, hot-footing it up to Kentish Town with Rachel, missing the turning on Camden High Street and taking a lengthy diversion in the process. D'oh! Got there, however, in time to meet up with Tim and co, and chill in the Bull And Gate pub, before scooting through at 9 to see a totally ham-fisted lot play some terrible hackneyed punk metal posturing noise which I have to confess featured one reasonably good Therapy?-ish number.

This is the first time YAH have played in the capital (although not for 101 veteran Tim) and they were obviously keyed up to make an impression. Sometimes, though, this has a habit of backfiring on you, and unfortunately this turned out to be the case tonight. From the moment they took the tall Bull And Gate back room stage they looked nervy and unassured, and made a real hash of the mid-point of opener "Hard To Stop". The next few numbers were subsequently affected, and didn't display the usual You Are Here brightness or dynamism. A couple of new numbers also need rework to turn them into proper YAH songs, as "Confidence In Me" currently sounds too much like an attempt to write a Midway Still song, and "Sick Of It All" like a Chris Colbourn Buffalo Tom track.

However, I'm happy to report they pulled it back at the end. "Happy" had its' usual tension, choppy guitar verses and strident chorus; final newie "Far Cry" was the best (and most YAH-ish!) of the new numbers, and they couldn't mess up "Trying To Write" with its' insistent punk rock guitar groove and insanely jolly "yeah yeah" choral yelps, if they tried! Especially as Andy had introduced a descending bass-line into the fadeout, as per my recommendation!

Afterwards, they were all apologies, and realistic that this one was a bit of a duff show, but took heart during my chats with them (individually and collectively) that they can learn and improve from it. After all, they've been top notch before, so it's easy to get back there! This one then turned out to be somewhat surreally like Seafood's Fleece gig last year, insofar as people who'd seen them for the first time tonight were still impressed, but we know they're better than this, and that's a good thing!

494 THE SHEILA DIVINE, Ivory Coast, The Paradise, Boston MA USA, Thursday 29 March 2001

Another quick trip to my favourite rock'n'roll bolt hole, namely Boston, MA! This gig, the first in a double-header of CD release shows by The Sheila Divine was ostensibly the reason for the trip this time, although the real reason was to get away from my unhappy marriage for a few days on my own, talk things through with good Boston friends, and get the impetus to do what needed to be done. So, a direct flight then over to my digs, then walking to the Paradise via a circuitous route from Coolidge Corner!

Get there and have to queue up; my "guest list" status apparently means squat to the bouncers! However, I get in for 8, at which point there were only 10 tickets left; this is going to be one hell of a show! Meet up with TSD bassist Jim Gilbert as soon as I get into the club, a large (for Boston) hall resembling the Bristol Studio or old Hammersmith Palais in layout if not in size. Jim's pleased I made it over, but keyed up for the "showcase" homecoming show. The support, Ivory Coast, do their job well with some vaguely emotive pop and choppy powerpunk, an appropriate combination considering they feature a vocalist who is the spitting image of Sebadoh's Lou Barlow!

Make my way to the front, annoying some locals in the process but Jim, setting up onstage, notices my location and stops for a quick chat, which prompts another nice chat with a fellow punter. The Sheilas then come on with a swagger and a strut (mainly from big Jim, over 6 feet tall but looking double that size onstage!) to a rapturous welcome, kicking off a clutch of newies from the CD "Where Have My Countrymen Gone?", the release of which these 2 shows celebrate. The opener, "Sideways", is an insistent groover, but it's 3rd number in, "Every Year" which is the gem, a true Sheilas classic with power, emotion and a brilliant hook. Jim is massive onstage, all movement and huge rock gestures, circa mid 80's U2, drummer Shaun Sears wrestles with the rhythm like an angry octopus, and new boy Colin Decker throws angular shapes. But it's vocalist Aaron Perrino who is the real star. Pale, McCulloch red-lipped and innocently boyish, Aaron's voice is choirboy pure one moment, and grizzly-bear angry the next, but always huge, resonant and capable of filling the hugest venue on it's own, never mind The Paradise! The voice perfectly fits the Sheila's brilliantly emotive, soaring powerful rock, so reminiscent of 80's pop geniuses Kitchens Of Distinction, early Buffalo Tom or even my late teen "home team" Echo And The Bunnymen, but mainly all their own work.

"Opportune Moment", which just builds and builds to a pressure-cooker intense crescendo, is superb, but it's "Hum", with its' towering hook, and Aaron's bulging red-faced vocal intensity, which is the real highlight of a set packed full of them! After a couple of newies, The Sheilas encore with a frankly appalling version of Kim Wilde's "Kids In America" which Aaron needs a lyric sheet for (!), and is frankly out of step with the rest of this awesome set, but I can forgive them that.

I hang out afterwards with the crew, meeting the rest of The Sheilas for the first time, or so I think; Shaun tells me he remembers my name from his time at Q Division, mailing out their stuff to me! Aaron reveals himself to be a huge Kitchens fan (surprise, surprise) and fends off a comically drunk fan, but is pleased to sign my list and talks about his ambitions to bring The Sheilas to the UK, as do they all! Before heading off, I also meet up with Michael Creamer (TSD and Pit manager), and Mike Deneen (ace Q producer and also nicknamed "Sheriff"!) for the first time!