I wouldn't normally include parties in a gig blog, but I have to make an exception for this one! My gigging buddy Clive, you see, had managed to get Tongue, formerly The Julie Dolphin and a bit of a musical obsession for both of us, to play at his 40th birthday party! So, a crowd of Swindonians came out to mark this momentous occasion! Level 3's Glyn Prince manned the decks, playing a selection of Clive's "all time" favourite songs, so despite my heavily strapped knee, courtesy of dislodging cartilage at Lev (midway through dancing to The Posies' "Solar Sister"!) I bopped along with him! Then after the usual party buffet, speeches of thanks from Clive and our presenting him with a surprise pressie, we had some live music from Tim's band 101, who rocked in a jerkily rhythmic and heavy on the guitar kind of way, loose of limb yet still together-sounding. Stylistically, they're travelling down the well-trodden Pumpkins/ Dinosaur Jr. dynamic US Alt guitar road (no surprise with Tim in the band!), but developing a style of their own in the process, and doing it rather well!
Tongue came on a 10.30, following Rich reading a truly extraordinary poem Ady had written in Clive's honour. Tongue unveiled a new dimension to their sound, with the addition of tape loops and beatboxes for some extra oomph. Initially, Diane and the boys also unveiled some new, less in-your-face but more melodic numbers, before rocking the place with the breathless and brilliant "Supermodel". By then pretty much the whole party was on it's feet, joining me - I was front centre giving it loads throughout!
Tongue concluded with 3 old faves; a frantic "Head", an absorbing "Fucked Up Lullaby", and a hugely appropriate "Birthday", which broke the curfew but they did it anyway! The best last 3 of a set I'd seen since Julian Cope's Reading set last year was a truly brilliant end to a great set - and party!
But the night was still young, so a gang of us went off to Level 3, for more raucous shenanigans, then afterwards, Tongue's Brett and Diane, plus Geoff and his "mad, bad and dangerous to know" roadie brother stayed the night at my place! More tales of sleepwalking, semi-nakedness and crazy dogs could ensue, but I'll leave it at that, methinks!
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