1,356 SLOW FICTION, Psychedelic Skies, Lug Nut, Southampton Heartbreakers, Monday 11th November 2024

 

In a year of relatively few brand new band discoveries (I’m not including the excellent Ist Ist here as they’re on their 4^th album, and I’d kinda sorta heard of them before, plus I’ll admit that I’ve got a bunch of other things on my plate precluding me from really delving into new stuff…), Slow Fiction, along with fellow NYC rock acolytes Been Stellar, are just about the best of the bunch. Like their occasional tourmates BS, Slow Fiction sound like a New York City band, all scuzzy guitars, absorbingly Lou Reed-esque droney monotone rhythm and embryonic punky grunge maelstroms, only in their case sprinkled with some beguiling yearning tuneage and strident yet lovelorn vocals from the excellent Julia Vassallo, making their sophomore 2024 EP “Crush” a varied and enjoyable listen. Unfortunately, they’d finished their Been Stellar tour support stint before my BS Louisiana gig earlier this year (gig 1,329), but happily announced a smattering of November UK dates. So, a short-notice South Coast jaunt for me, to check out this intriguing lot…

Setting off after “House of Games”, I parked up in a free-after-8 spot across the roundabout from the venue (result!), and got my bearings in this small, run-down yet evocative upstairs room reminiscent of Bristol’s equally new Dareshack. Openers Lug Nut were already on, rounding off their short set with some quiet/ loud psych/ blues stuff and nonsense, all herky-jerky rhythms and twiddly guitar breaks, and a final Primus-like weird time-signature number about a man or fish (?). Not sure about that! However, Psychedelic Skies, next up, were much more the ticket; despite looking like a bunch of brickies on a works outing, they hit a frantic, fast-paced 60’s psych groove and largely stayed in that lane, with some hooky insistent choruses and liberal use of wah-wah and swirly pedal effects. Kind of like a Dylans on 78 rpm, or a Deja Vega with tunes, I quite enjoyed this energetic, robust and hard-hitting set, so could almost – almost! – forgive the vocalist’s occasional sneery attempts to sing like a Gallagher…!

I ran into recent gig buddy Madison (in the loo – typical!) and caught up – he’d given me the heads-up via facebook on this tour, being a big SF and Been Stellar fan. He’s in the middle of a 29-gig month (!) from his Halesowen base, including BS in Glasgow and Newcastle as well as Bristol (where I’ll be) next week! Woah! He also gave me the heads-up that Slow Fiction like to play with the lights really down, so I took a spot at the front, house right, to circumvent this. He was true to his word; once Slow Fiction took the stage dead on 9.30, diminutive and striking vocalist Julia emerging last (and resembling a less overtly emo Rhea Ripley for me!), they were only lit by backlit royal blue rear spotlights throughout their set, evoking an eerie atmosphere and recalling the similarly-lit Sheila Divine at Boston’s Paradise, waaay back when (2001 in fact, gigs 494/5). The opening double salvo from the splendid “Crush” EP got us under way; “Monday” with it’s upbeat, metronomic beat and tumbling, stream of consciousness vocals urgently overlaid, and the dreamier, slower burn yet building shoegaze intro and tumbling verse drumbeat of “Apollo”. 

“How you doing Southampton! We’re so happy to be here! Has anybody had their identify stolen?” queried Julia curiously before the plaintive, elegiac and brooding “Mouthpiece”, the band changing tempo and mood with seeming effortless ease, taking elements of urgent post-punk, occasional scuzzy proto punk guitar and wistful shimmering shoegaze to augment their tunes. Oh yes, the tunes… Slow Fiction have a seam of classic songwriting shot through them like words through rock candy, exemplified by the mid-set double of the tambourine-embellished and Jesus And Mary Chain/ 50’s doo-wop inflected “There Were Stars In Your Eyes” and particularly the brilliant “End Of The Night”, the Interpol-esque riffery and almost Chrissie Hynde-like yearning vocal from Julia weaving a hypnotic spell on this, the high watermark of their canon for me thus far. They sure can write ‘em, and damn can Julia sing ‘em! 

“We’ve got a few more for you… if that’s OK”, deadpanned Julia after “EOTN”, before delivering a laconic, almost world-weary vocal on “99”; then the insistent Ride “Chelsea Girl” shoegaze gallop of “January” and the moody slow-burn punctuation of “Heavy Metal” concluded a swift and rather splendid actually 45 minutes. Quick chats with a grateful band, a fully signed set list and a pic with Julia later, I hit the road for an inky blast back home, back just before midnight. Tonight for me, Slow Fiction underlined their promise with a fine set, and I can’t wait for the full-length album (due next year according to sweaty drummer Akiva Henig). I’d only take issue with their name, as for me Slow Fiction are going places fast, and that’s a fact!

1,355 PETER HOOK AND THE LIGHT, Frome Cheese and Grain, Thursday 7th November 2024

Hooky again? Hell yeah… I’d booked this one a year ago (!), when enduring post-punk legend Peter Hook announced a November 2024 tour of the “Substance” singles collections of both his previous charges, 70’s dark, morose post-punk legends Joy Division and 80’s more upbeat synth/ dance driven rabble New Order. At the time there was a possibility that Hook might have found a spare date in this November tour to play “Shiiine On”, but I wasn’t taking any chances and just sorted myself for the full-length Hook experience at the excellent Cheese And Grain anyway. Good job too, as it turned out; not only did Hooky not play “Shiiine On”, but my intended August trip to Cardiff, to see his former bandmates in New Order, was called off on the morning of the gig due to alleged windy conditions buffeting the outdoor Cardiff Bay venue. So, I was glad to have a bit of “Substance” in my Autumn Dance Card! 

Not the only one either; The Big Man was up for this as well, so he picked me up at 6 for an inky drive down country roads to Frome. All plain sailing until we got into town, then we unfortunately encountered roadworks-affected road closures every which way we turned, necessitating us to practically circumnavigate the town and attack the venue from the other side! So, we arrived a bunch later than anticipated; (relatively) local boy Matt was already there, so we joined him just after 7.30 in his house right spot, half a dozen rows back, for a catch up before the intended 8 p.m. start. 

And yup, Hooky and his charges didn’t keep us waiting too long, joining us bang on 8, and “on it” from the get-go with an Ibiza-tastic and superbly balanced-sounding synth dance opener “Vanishing Point”, Hook’s long-time Light oppo David Potts taking lead vocals on this one (as he did throughout on numbers requiring a slightly higher octave than Hook’s own stentorian, leonesque growl). The startling juxtaposition of heartfelt plaintive verse and crescendo overlay of a brilliant “Leave Me Alone” then segued into the unmistakable opening chimes of an equally marvellous “Ceremony” and the smooth sheet synth and pulsating metronomic beat of “Procession”, heralding the New Order “Substance “ chronological run-through, tracking their musical odyssey from brittle synth-embellished post-punk (e.g. “Temptation” and the Kraftwerk-esque “Confusion”), via the disco-powered game changer “Blue Monday” to their more recognised expansive full-on dance/ indie sound which pre-empted the late 80’s Madchester movement. All, of course, underpinned by the unique, low-slung bass note stylings of Mr. Hook himself, delivering an imperious performance and absolute masterclass in the art of the bass guitar. “Perfect Kiss” proved the centrepiece of the NO set; a little thin sounding and lacking the full synth swell in the early verses, it really gained heft and took flight after Hook’s mid-set monologue, a lengthy and brilliant circular denouement utterly startling, and honestly it could have gone on all night for me! Oh and yes, the frogs were as wondrous as ever too..!

“We’ve got this far, fuck it,” growled Hooky before a final stomping “True Faith” and a brief 10 minute pause, during which some fellow punters commented on my sweaty Chameleon’s tee. I’d been giving it loads from the outset and hadn’t noticed! In short order, the boys retook the stage to Kraftwerk’s “Trans Europe Express”, kicking into the pounding and stark Joy Division set opener “No Love Lost” and the wobbling riff and frenetic pace of “These Days”. The JD set was of course rockier, more guitar based and moodier than the first set, the embryonic NYC punky growl of “Interzone” an early highlight before I took a breather at the back, taking the opportunity to purchase a splendid “Hooky 24” tee before jumping back in for the excellent “Transmission”. However, much as I hold Joy Division dear, along with my other early 80’s post-punk discoveries, I not only lamented the absence from “Substance” of my favourite JD tracks (“Disorder”, “New Dawn Fades” and “Decades”), but also wished the NO set could have been the second played tonight…

However, I understood why it was this way around, as it afforded Hooky the opportunity to pay tribute to Light manager Peasy’s recently-lost mother (and, in fact, to “mums everywhere”) before a haunting, elegiac “Atmosphere”, then also give kudos to erstwhile New Order producer Quincy Jones, dedicating the inevitable, all-inclusive and excellent set closer “Love Will Tear Us Apart” to his memory. An utterly appropriate way to end another imperious 2 ½ hour performance from an utter force of rock’n’roll nature. Patience was rewarded with both parts of the set-list, before I chatted to fellow punters then we bade Matt farewell, a much easier drive home seeing Rich drop me off just after midnight. Excellent stuff again overall from another Mancunian rock legend; as long as Hooky’s putting in shifts like this, I’ll be there to see ‘em!

1,354 MERCURY REV, Nina Savary, Bristol Trinity Centre, Sunday 3rd November 2024

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So, back on the gig trail properly now, a busy November opening up with a rare visit from Americana veterans Mercury Rev. It’s now over a quarter-century since they were the cutting edge of US alt-rock, their 1998 sweeping epic “Deserter’s Songs” reinventing their hitherto laze psych-grunge/ metronomic shoegaze sound with some dazzling expansive blues-tinged Americana, and since then they’ve rarely reached those heights on record, whilst nonetheless still remaining a relatively reliable “live” proposition (their ill-judged foray into noisy electronic dance on their “Snowflake Midnight” aberration notwithstanding). So, I picked up tix for this, the closest in a run of dates supporting new album “Born Horses” and their first UK tour since their fine 2017 orchestra-augmented jaunt (gig 1,047) and was hit in short order with a potential case of caveat emptor; the album, whilst sonically harking back to those widescreen Americana days, was mostly spoken word, lyrics recited rather than sung by main man Johathan Donohue. Knowing how much I expect my singers to actually sing, I really couldn’t get on with it, and briefly considered blowing this gig out, only to discover the new album didn’t feature much on the tour setlist anyway! OK then, go for it!

I had company tonight in gig buddy Stu, so I picked him up and we dumped the motor in Cabot Street after a swift run down catching up. Had to queue to get in – maybe doors were 7.30 not 7! – and continued the chat to drown out the freeform jazz played over the P.A! Support Nina Savory joined us just after 20 past 8; a French chanteuse accompanying herself on keyboards and sparsely played guitar, she warbled her way through some very 60’s sounding torch music/ black and white B movie soundtrack stuff, occasionally in French and with a very precisely enunciated (and rather twee actually) voice. Dreadfully dull and soporific and definitely not to my tastes, pastoral finale “How Was Your Day?” was the best of a poor bunch.

Luckily we didn’t have to wait long for something immeasurably better; the lights smashed to black at 9.15 and an eerie backing track of a boy talking to a snake (!) heralded the arrival of the 7-piece Rev onstage, the raffish Donahue, cravat and cap jauntily in place, emerging last, his usual beatific smile already crossing his features. The dramatic piano opening of “DS” deep cut “The Funny Bird” kicked off the set, Donahue conducting proceedings from the off with his usual dramatic and expansive flourishes. “So great to see you guys again!” he exclaimed before “Tonite It Shows”, a more robust underpinning beat and big blasting trumpet embellishment giving this usually touching and stark ballad considerably more oomph.

This turned out to be a leitmotif for this performance; the older material, particularly the frequent “Deserter’s Songs” inclusions in this set, were given new and more dynamic arrangements for this “live” environment. Following a sadly discordant Bob Dylan cover, an earlier than scheduled “Goddess On A Hiway” particularly benefitted from this new treatment, the double-speed drumbeat really propelling the soaring chorus along and giving it the stadium anthemic feel of a Springsteen number! The otherwise taciturn Donahue then praised Bristol’s talent for producing genre-bending musicians and acts, thence introducing Portishead’s Adrian Utley onstage for the remainder of the set. Whilst Utley’s initial contribution on “Ancient Love” made this new spoken-word number a little cluttered, overlong and slightly self-indulgent, the swirling mystery of “Tides Of The Moon” was epic and crescendo-filled, Utley’s guitar contributing in no little part. “Holes” was as ever quite magnificent, widescreen yet intimate and personal, Donahue rising to the occasion with his best vocal performance of the night, his often high, lilting and soft tones really to the fore.

“Opus 40”, normally sweeping and stately, devolved into practically punk rock mosh-pit catnip with a positively savage and almost Green Day-esque speeded up lengthy outro and multiple false “rawk” endings, each teased by a buoyant Donahue; then an abrupt mood change segued into the plaintive, stripped back set closer “The Dark Is Rising”, each voice/ keys only verse capped with a huge orchestral swell, culminating in an extensive crescendo finale. A splendid way to end a variable set which was nonetheless magnificent in large part, harking back to those turn of the Century times when Mercury Rev were rightly declared “America’s Most Pioneering Band”. A quick chat with recent Bristol gig buddy Jeremy before we hit the road for a quick drive home. Maybe those Pioneering days are gone on record at least, but “live”, Mercury Rev still find a way to review, reinvent and surprise, judging by this overall thoroughly entertaining set!

1,353 OCTOBER DRIFT, Car Park, Bristol Thekla, Thursday 24th October 2024

 

Hoo boy, did I really need this…!

The last couple of weeks have been undoubtedly the most emotionally fraught of my entire life, following my dear lady wife’s lung cancer diagnosis. An absolutely horrendous time, with no real appetite for doing anything “fun” ever again… However, Rachel’s first oncology appointment revealed a new, targeted and so far successful tablet-based drug to tackle her specific cancer mutation, giving us hope that this treatment might be effective for “several” years. So, thus buoyed, and with Rach’s blessing (nay, encouragement), it’s business as usual for the Rose household… which means, spend time together, do this family event, buy those tickets, go to that gig, live life! I’d honestly booked tix late for this gig more in hope than expectation, but was happy that prevailing winds allowed my attendance, to see one of the finest young British bands for years open their latest tour in support of their third (and frankly outstanding) album, “Blame The Young”, one which comes closest to capturing the vibe and atmosphere of their incendiary “live” performances.

So, a quick drive down and a messy stop-start trudge through Friday rush-hour Brizzle still got me parked up just before 7. Doors were already open, so I trotted down the front for a brief chat with Scouse OD Uber-fan Dazza, before looking around for intended gig buddy Matt, who I found was unfortunately stuck in Nottingham with work. Bah! So, back down the front, house left, for all-girl power trio openers Car Park, who kicked off with a couple of heavy-riffing grungy openers, the racey “MIA” recalling Auf Der Maur, and “Blown Out Of The Water” a more jagged stompy L7 groove. Some nice contrasting choral harmonies but an oddly dated sound, I thought, but then “Happy On Mars” changed my mind; a softer outlier to the beetle-crushing grungy riffs, this, with a melancholy and almost delicate feel underpinning it’s lyric about an ex-partner who’s fucked off to the red planet (“might be relatable one day!” quipped the blonde vocalist), this was rather lovely and my set highlight. A couple of pop-punkier tracks in the flippant, hooky “Born To Be Average” and a taut, pacey “Suburbs Of Hell” capped off an energetically delivered and promising, if a little schizophrenic set from an embryonic yet promising band finding their feet. One to watch, perhaps…

An entertaining chat down the front with fellow OD devotee Liz, a teacher from Chandlers Ford (so, much chat about our school-averse daughter ensued…), enlivened the wait until the lights smashed to black prompt at 8.30, and the synth swell of newie “Demons” formed the intro backdrop for the band’s entrance. No fucking about, they were straight into it, attacking this dark, dramatic and anthemic opener with their usual purposeful and kinetic ferocity. Vocalist Kiron shouted, “how you doing, Bristol!” before plunging straight into the strident choral hook of “Tyrannosaurus Wreck”, and we were away… 

For a first night, this was no less than an utter triumph. No first night nerves on show (despite comments from the band that, “we’ve not done this since May…”); instead, this was as seamless and inclusive a performance as I’d hoped for, the audience responding in kind with crowd singalongs to the guitar riff (!) of “Webcam Funerals”, and frankly losing their collective shit to the squalling intro (thanks to excellent guitarist Dan) and inexorable build of the thrilling hell-ride of “Blame The Young”, possibly OD’s best number yet. “You guys are the best!” exclaimed Kiron at its conclusion, following a mid-song excursion into the crowd, again proving there’s no real discernible join between October Drift and their devoted massive. “Everybody Breaks” was a heartfelt and elegiac lighters-aloft Stadium power ballad in waiting, then a crowd-bound Kiron was boosted up to the outside of the overhanging balcony (H&S? What H&S??!!) before falling backwards into the welcoming crowd’s arms and crowdsurfing back to the stage. Yikes! 

“Imagine nothing exists beyond this boat – and all we do is dance,” announced a breathless Kiron, before an utterly incendiary “Cherry Red”, followed by the Adorable-like slow-burn of “Wallflower”. “Not Running Anymore”, a song of “hope and love” delivered by Kiron in the middle of the crowd, was a poignant and entirely appropriate set closer, and totally on the nose for me, encapsulating an utterly redemptive show. Shortly thereafter, drummer Chris took centre stage (“don’t fuck with a guy with a tambourine!”), challenging Bristol to up their game for the traditional acapella closing number, a brilliantly observed “Like The Snow We Fall”, again delivered by Chris and Kiron from the floor. Simply a perfect and fitting finale.

Caught my breath afterwards, having bagsied Dan’s list earlier, then chatted with OD’s soundman – only James from Indoor Pets! Cool! Caught up with Chris as well – at their recent Rough Trade in-store (gig 1,350), I’d alluded to him that I was dealing with family issues, so felt it only fair to relay my story to a sympathetic ear. Thanks Chris. A quick chat with a young lady who approached me and said, “are you David? My dad reads your blog!” which was weird but nice (so, hi dad!), then I hit the road, home for 11. Like I said, I really needed this, something to restore my appetite for life and for music, and October Drift delivered big time. Thank you so much, boys!