Drugstore? Again? Well, at the risk of sounding obsessive, I never miss 'em when they're on the road, so a 2 car posse headed to Oxford for my 5th Drugstore set this year, and 13th overall! We'd passed over the more predictable Fleece gig in favour of a weekend gig at a venue where, due to their slight Radiohead connections, they'd always gone down well. Convened in the Bullingdon Arms and toddled in out of the cold to catch the final third of local act Lapland's set. They were reasonably good in a considered, thoughtful guitarry way, and moreover they overheard me mentioning that to Clive during the set and commented on it from onstage!
The venue filled out a little more for Annie Christian, on at 9.15. Not a fey acoustic-strumming hippie chick with big braided skirts as the name suggests, but a bright, spiky, spunky and punky Scots rabble, with a fine line in incendiary rock tunes. Clive and I were down the front, giving it the usual "loads" (and being given space to do so by the "too cool to dance to support bands" Oxford crowd), particularly to current amphetamine blast single "The Other Way". They disappointed a little by not indulging us with their version of Joy Division's "Transmission" (particularly as they played "Decades" on the PA prior to their intro music!), but instead, played a clutch of unfamiliar numbers, with less of their adrenalised speed but more of a dark, angst-ridden feel similar to Ian Curtis' troubled troubadours themselves. They also reminded me of the always-excellent-live Marion, so a name to watch!
So, Drugstore. What do I write about them that I haven't already done so 5 times this year? Isobel, charming and charismatic as ever, Daron coy but a beautiful guitarist, the recently added cellist providing tender touches where needed, and big Mike, now restored to health, holding the rhythm together. Another spellbinding and dazzling set, from a consistently splendid live band, with a couple of surprises - a majestic "Black Star" to end the set proper ("we're not going to get out of Oxford alive not having played this," joked Isobel), and after a haunting encore "Superglider", Isobel decided to lighten the mood with a remarkable cover of "(She Don't Use) Jelly"! Aside from the triumphant "El Presidente" - dedicated to the finally-extradited Pinochet - "Jelly" was the highlight of another fine Drugstore set. There, I haven't written that very often... yeah, right!
Showing posts with label Annie Christian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Annie Christian. Show all posts
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
Thursday, 29 July 2010
400 ECHO AND THE BUNNYMEN, Annie Christian, Newport Centre, Thursday 15 April 1999
The big 400! Another gig milestone achieved, and for this one, our hosts were Echo And The Bunnymen, my old "home team" and hosts of gig No. 2, all of 17 years and 132 days (I think!) ago! Also, to make it extra-special, this was Rachel's 24th birthday - she was marking the occasion by eating nothing but cake, all day! - so we drove down ready to rock!
Unfortunately, not too many others were; the huge Newport Centre auditorium was populated by about 2 dozen seated at the back, and myself and Rachel down the front, along with a clutch of 10 or so curious punters, for the early entrance of Annie Christian. Starting with their best number, "The Other Way", their set kicked some serious ass, in an amphetamine-fast, thrilling new punk kind of way. Vocalist Larry, resplendent in suave grey suit, was also entertaining, with his Darth Vader voice doll ("what is your bidding, master?"), and the band played a great, enthusiastic and spiky set to sadly little interest. Nevertheless, Rach and I rocked in our 2-badminton court-sized elbow room, totally pissing off the 3 girls down the front who thought they were the only ones there for Annie Christian!
Suddenly felt out of puff after their set, so we repaired to the bar, bumping into gig buddy Pete Golesworthy in the process! Back into the auditorium at 9 for the intended entrance of The Bunnymen, who kept us waiting for a predictably annoying 25 minutes, then took the stage to the usual baroque backing music and customary swathes of dry ice. The old classics flowed effortlessly, which more than made up for the more disappointing Bunny-by-numbers newies. Mac, glacially cool as ever, still touched the heights with his beautiful soaring voice, however the band don't have the majesty of the old Bunnymen line-ups of yore, especially the clumsy sounding drummer (Pete DeFreitas is sadly missed). Also, I wasn't sure what Mac was trying to achieve by calling for a 1 minute silence for Hillsborough, to try (in vain) to shut up a heckling punter.
However the songs came through strongly; the strident "Cutter", the funky "Bedbugs And Ballyhoo" and the as-ever thrilling "Do It Clean" were highlights, as was the touchingly desolate encore "Ocean Rain". Not touching former glorious heights, but I'm still glad they were my 400th!
Unfortunately, not too many others were; the huge Newport Centre auditorium was populated by about 2 dozen seated at the back, and myself and Rachel down the front, along with a clutch of 10 or so curious punters, for the early entrance of Annie Christian. Starting with their best number, "The Other Way", their set kicked some serious ass, in an amphetamine-fast, thrilling new punk kind of way. Vocalist Larry, resplendent in suave grey suit, was also entertaining, with his Darth Vader voice doll ("what is your bidding, master?"), and the band played a great, enthusiastic and spiky set to sadly little interest. Nevertheless, Rach and I rocked in our 2-badminton court-sized elbow room, totally pissing off the 3 girls down the front who thought they were the only ones there for Annie Christian!
Suddenly felt out of puff after their set, so we repaired to the bar, bumping into gig buddy Pete Golesworthy in the process! Back into the auditorium at 9 for the intended entrance of The Bunnymen, who kept us waiting for a predictably annoying 25 minutes, then took the stage to the usual baroque backing music and customary swathes of dry ice. The old classics flowed effortlessly, which more than made up for the more disappointing Bunny-by-numbers newies. Mac, glacially cool as ever, still touched the heights with his beautiful soaring voice, however the band don't have the majesty of the old Bunnymen line-ups of yore, especially the clumsy sounding drummer (Pete DeFreitas is sadly missed). Also, I wasn't sure what Mac was trying to achieve by calling for a 1 minute silence for Hillsborough, to try (in vain) to shut up a heckling punter.
However the songs came through strongly; the strident "Cutter", the funky "Bedbugs And Ballyhoo" and the as-ever thrilling "Do It Clean" were highlights, as was the touchingly desolate encore "Ocean Rain". Not touching former glorious heights, but I'm still glad they were my 400th!
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