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!

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!