258 MAGNAPOP, THE JULIE DOLPHIN, Oxford The Venue, Saturday 5 February 1994

I've spent a lengthy self-enforced exile from this venue, thanks to a not-altogether pleasant experience first time here (the Curve gig last year), but tonight there were appreciably fewer people in attendance for Magnapop. Oxford; have you no taste?

A carload of us drove down for this one, getting in at 9 just as The Julie Dolphin took the stage. They delivered a fine, hard driving rock sound augmented by female vocals - from Julie, supposedly? (Nope, as I later discovered, from wonderfully talented New Zealander Dianne Swann). I couldn't see many of the Throwing Muses' supposed similarities myself, apart from the vocalists' strident projection (quite Hersh-like) and one number which sounded exactly like the Muses' "Mexican Women", but I thoroughly enjoyed their set and hope to see them again... and again!

Athens, GA. natives Magnapop - at last in a small club! - took the stage a 10.30, buxom vocalist Linda Hopper in a "Playgirl" t-shirt and buoyant mood, and they proceeded to deliver a fine, rocking white noise set, sometimes over-loud but always powerful and colourful. Terrific stuff; I moshed for all I was worth, along, oddly enough, with 3 violent skinheads (Magnapop - the new Sham 69? Surely not!), giving as good as I got, but stopped before it got into serious male bonding territory. As for the onstage performance, the brilliant "Merry" and "Texas" were the highlights of Magnapop's magna-nificent pop set. A great way to kick off the 1994 gig year, especially with a "Bodrum" kebab with the boys afterwards!

263 THE JULIE DOLPHIN, Supp. Salad, Bristol Fleece, Tuesday 12 April 1994

A splendid evening for travelling to a gig - clear and sunny - so I had a good run down the M4 with Clive and Dave. Got in in time for a couple of beers before, surprisingly, The Julie Dolphin came on at 9. We were confused, because on the way down we thought they were headlining!

Nevertheless, support they were, but they did it really well. A superb rocking start with the dynamic "Head" and their best number, the jagged "Fucked Up Lullaby" (featuring the excellent hook; "what's wrong with this picture?" What, indeed!), preceded a set which sagged a little in the middle with the slower, wispier stuff, but then chimed in confidently with a splendid "Birthday" and culminated in a great, Blake Babies-ish "Hemmed In". Aggressive without the posturing, and supremely poppy and tuneful with it; are these guys the new Heart Throbs?

Popped backstage for a quick chat with the band before Salad came on, and continued the chat with TJD's bassist Geoff while Salad were on. Led by MTV Video Jockey Marijne Van Der Vlugt, Salad were merely okay indie girlie guitar fayre, nothing more, with not a memorable tune in their set, I'm afraid. A little bit of an ego trip for Marijne, perhaps?

Still, the stars of the show, for us, never disappointed. Geoff and vocalist Dianne were very friendly, and genuinely surprised that we'd made the trip from Swindon primarily to see them. Well, they certainly made it worthwhile!

266 THE JULIE DOLPHIN, Supp. Baby Chaos, Bath Moles Club, Thursday 28 April 1994

A bit of car-trouble (oh yeah!) on the way down, necessitating a car swap, meant we hit Moles for this gig dead on 10.30, just as The Julie Dolphin were taking the stage. Got in on their guest list after meeting up with them at The Fleece recently, so we repaid them with sweat as we moshed down the front to their strident, splendid set. Walking a similar tightrope between chaos and delicacy as Throwing Muses, they were extremely powerful and aggressive, yet so-ooo tuneful at the same time. The sound was brilliant in this tiny venue as well, and they went down a bomb; shouts for encores for ages afterwards, and not just from us!

Chatted to Brett and Geoff from TJD during Baby Chaos' unremarkable set, which recalled the chunky pop of Eugenius and the guitar layers of the likes of Ride, but really wasn't a patch on The Julie Dolphin's set and didn't seem to go down as well either. But then I'm biased, so I would say that... Anyway, we left at 12.30 to handshakes and compliments. I've a feeling that The Julie Dolphin aren't going to be doing support slots for much longer...

275 RADIOHEAD, THE JULIE DOLPHIN, Portsmouth Pyramids Centre, Tuesday 4 October 1994

A swift run down to the South Coast for an enticing double-header of bands got us there at 1/4 to 8, only to find support The Julie Dolphin were due on at 8.30, not 8 as I'd been told. So we didn't need to break those speed limits after all...

This however meant that when The Julie Dolphin took the stage, I was firmly installed down the front, and started off an ever-increasing moshpit to TJD's splendid and committed performance. This band, finally on a big stage, really took flight, and played a spunky, spiky, often sinister, often ethereal and dreamy, but always dynamic and rocking set with bags of confidence. Some new, punkier numbers, mixed in with the increasingly familiar favourites, kicked some serious ass too! Brilliant stuff from a band rapidly becoming one of my favourite live experiences.

Bumped into Geoff Haydon, TJD's now blond bassist, for a chat and quick congrats, before Radiohead took the stage at 1/4 to 10. Apparently streaming with colds (as I was too, hence my moshpit "kill or cure" treatment!), they nevertheless put together a tremendous set, fulfilling their status as a rising band with great potential. Mixing old favourites with newer, slower-paced but harder-edged numbers, petulant young man vocalist Thom Yorke was a splendid focus for Radiohead's occasionally nice, occasionally nasty moody mood music. "Creep", described by Thom as, "a song which could really wreck my life," got the whole joint jumping, a little surprisingly given its' slow-burn pace, but encore "Vegetable" raised the roof and was the best thing they delivered all evening.

All in all, a couple of tremendous performances delivered by 2 bands in top form. A great evening!

278 THE JULIE DOLPHIN, Headless Chickens, London Islington Powerhaus, Saturday 22 October 1994

The Julie Dolphin? Hang about, wasn't tonight supposed to be Green Day at the Astoria? Clive and I certainly set off with Green Day tix in our possession, but chatted about the possibility of selling them and going for our current "live" faves, the clashing Julie Dolphin, on the way up. When we arrived at the Astoria, we sussed out the crowd (heaving, overly-expectant, a little hostile) for the sell-out Green Day show, got an over-the-odds offer for our tix, and duly cashed in, deciding profitability was the better option and heading gleefully over to the Powerhaus!

Met up with TJD and had a chat with Geoff and Brett, dodging accusations of utter madness from all and sundry for blowing off Green Day in favour of them! We then were entertained by support band Headless Chickens, who came on at 9.30 to a surprisingly rapturous welcome, and laid on a set of taut, tense and in your face funky dance stuff, not unlike a more aggressive New FADS, or Basti (remember them?). Either way, a jolly enjoyable start!

The Julie Dolphin came on at 10.45, and set the place totally on fire with another tremendous performance. Another enthusiastic crowd, and TJD did them full justice with their superb, jagged and well-rocking "punk with attitude" pop style. Following a clutch of newies, the more familiar "Kill Me" and the frantic closing "Head", both highlights from "Lit", easily the Number One Album of 1994, were also set highlights tonight as, shirtless, I slam-danced in the moshpit with an increasing number of enthusiastic bodies.

Said our farewells to the band after a brilliant set, then we had a total tube-mare due to the lateness of the hour (past midnight now), waiting 25 minutes at Kings Cross and missing our connection at Shepherd's Bush, thereby needing to catch a taxi to Ealing Common, where we'd parked, and in the process wiping out much of our Green Day ticket profit! As a consequence, we didn't get back into Swindon until 2.30. D'oh! Good thing the clocks went back tonight!

309 TONGUE, Supp. Mansun, Bath Moles, Thursday 23 November 1995

Found out about this gig thanks to a call from Tongue bassist Geoff on Tuesday, so a jolly carload drove down to the late Moles Club, getting in on their "paying" guest-list (bloody weird Moles door policy!).

Tongue were on at 10.30, and played a splendid hard-edged set of shimmering powerpunkpop. Old favourite "Birthday", an absorbing early highlight, was however eclipsed by newer numbers such as "Blessed", which had a raw and exciting edge, complementing their melody and expressively spooky atmosphere. A brilliant set, topped by a thrilling "Head", during which we gave it loads down the front!

Met up with Geoff and guitarist Brett at the bar, and chatted about the band and other diverse subjects, during undeserving headliners Mansun's totally anonymous post-baggy set. How...? Anyway, we cleared off at 12.30 following mutual thanks and handshakes from the real stars of the show. Another great night out, thanks to the former Julie Dolphin!

331 TINY MONROE, TONGUE, Bath Moles Club, Thursday 20 June 1996

Had a "Quid To Get In!" flyer through the post from our good friends Tongue, formerly The Julie Dolphin, so off we did trot, meeting up with bassist Geoff at the bar. Geoff's sporting a new Michael Caine image, so we caught up with him and gorgeous vocalist Dianne as well!

Tongue went on at 10.45, looking to make a good impression to watching Arista record company people with a good short, sharp and spiky set. Worry ye not, they were stupendous; Clive and I were again the Dervish Brothers to their raucous yet startlingly tuneful powerful pop set. A mesmeric "Head" again the climax and the highlight, but the "in the can" next single ran it close. Tongue, here's to you, here's to you, and the things you do! Getting better all the time!

The party, however, wasn't over yet! Chatted to Geoff at the bar (again!) before heading back upfront to see The Tinies. Despite being an obvious 2nd best to the superb Tongue tonight, and despite this being their 3rd Moles gig in the last 6 months, they still put on a rattling good set, with the strident pop of their new single "Open invitation" (what is it with Tiny Monroe and their "-ation" rhymes anyway?) their best number. They're getting better, too!

A quick chat with Tongue at the bar before we left - including our persuading them to play at Clive's 40th birthday party next January. If that comes off, that'd be amazing...

And it did/was!

341 TONGUE, 101, Swindon Allied Dunbar Club - Clive's 40th Birthday Party! Friday 10 January 1997

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!

363 BOOM BOOM MANCINI, Supp. The Dandys, Contrast, London Highbury Garage, Wednesday 17 December 1997

Made a train trip up on my own to the Smoke on the coldest, snowiest night of the year for some rock. Why not? Got to the venue and bumped into an incredulous Geoff, bassist with BBM, after enjoying a chunky and absorbingly good guitar set from Contrast, played to a sparse audience.

I was here for Boom Boom Mancini, though, and they came on at 9.30 and played an excellent set, interspersing old favourites "35 East Drive", the breathless "Supermodel Human" and the mammoth mania of "Head" into their set of otherwise lean and melodic newies, fuelled by tapes and drum machines and delivered with their usual excellent vigour. Vocalist Dianne was a riveting focus as I danced my legs off! Chatted with them afterwards during the Dandy's reasonable set - again - before leaving to catch my train. Sorry Dandys, but I'd seen who I came to see!

380 BOOM BOOM MANCINI, Supp. The Milltown Brothers, Little Weed, London Camden Falcon "Barfly", Wednesday 15 July 1998

I don't normally go for 2 gigs in 2 nights these days, let alone 2 in 2 in London, but I was up the Smoke for a meeting anyway, so how could I resist? Finished my meeting and did some shopping in Camden, then surprised Geoff and the rest of the Boomers by turning up in my suit at the pub! Watched them soundcheck, and hung out before the gig, getting a free admission stamp in the process, along with the band. Result!

Clive, Beef and Rachel showed up at 8.30, and we chatted in the bar during Little Weed's female fronted pop set, which was just audible from the "Barfly" back room. However, we piled down the front for Boom Boom Mancini's set, and Clive and I, as usual, turned into whirling dervishes to the fine pop music from one of our enduring faves. Using more keyboard in their newer numbers than previously, the band were nevertheless their usual sparkling, spiky, challenging and effervescent selves. As this set was a landmark for this band, given that it meant I'd seen them (in their various incarnations) a record-tying 11 times, I particularly "gave it loads", especially to their amphetamine-speedy "Supermodel", the highlight of the set for me!

Chatted in the bar to Rachel during the Milltown Brothers' set. I've seen them before and they're still the same; innocuous and instantly forgettable. I was enjoying the company more, and we'd already seen the stars of the show!

384 BOOM BOOM MANCINI, Slinkyhead, London Camden Falcon "Barfly" Club, Wednesday 16 September 1998

A groundbreaking gig - the even dozen for BBM in their various guises - turned out to be a really eventful evening! I was in London for a meeting, so hopped along to the venue after a bit of Camden shopping, catching up with the band, including "hopalong" guitarist Brett, who was still on crutches! Stuck around during the various soundchecks, thus getting "in" free, and chewing the cud with Geoff and Brett awhile.

Clive, my gig buddy and driver home, turned up at 8, a short while before first band Slinkyhead took the stage. Sporting de rigeur glam wear - feather boas, lipstick, leopard print, and also a splendid "countdown" digital display t-shirt sported by the bassist! - they nevertheless kicked up a confrontational and agitated set of bursting loud rockers. Less brash and trashy than, say, Rachel Stamp, but operating in the same territory, I certainly warmed to them.

Boom Boom Mancini were due on at 9, but took the stage some 15 minutes late, compensating mightily for the delay with a fine and flippant set. Vocalist Diane, clad in leather skinny top, tried some flashy rock poses and screams, and the audience, initially reluctant, were sucked into their fine and tune-packed set. The keyboards, now sounding totally at home on the new numbers, really fleshed the sound out, and the set was splendid; again, my favourite being a frantic "Supermodel Human".

This, however, was where the fun began! We helped the band pack up, then set off at 10.15, ignoring the main band in favour of an early night. After nearly getting mugged at Camden Tube, we got to Clive's car at 10 to 11 in Shepherd's Bush, which promptly broke down in Chiswick High Street! The RAC came out and eventually got us going at midnight with a "Heath Robinson" repair job (we had KFC whilst waiting), but of course this never held out, and the car expired again, at 12.30, on the M4 just before Windsor!

So, another callout ended up with us getting towed home, which cost Clive a huge whack, as he didn't have the RAC "recovery" cover he thought he did! Whoops! I eventually got home, tripping over hedgehogs in my road, at 5 to 3. Bah! So much for my early night; but hey, Boom Boom Mancini were worth it!

399 BOOM BOOM MANCINI, Supp. Co. UK., Remote Control, London Camden Falcon "Barfly" Club, Tuesday 16 March 1999

Hey, guess what! It's a Boom Boom Mancini gig so I'm in London on business! What a coincidence! This time, one of my suppliers called a morning meeting which finished at 1, and preceded a walk from the Angel Centre to Oxford Street (!), then some shopping in Camden (including picking up a Figgs CD!).

Turned up at the venue at 6 in my suit! Got bemused looks from the soundchecking Boom-boys and girl, until I changed into something more bop-worthy. Had a chat with bassist Geoff about BBM's latest world domination plan - single out soon, being plugged even as we speak! - before checking out Remote Control. They turned out to be former supports Slinkyhead with a name change, a new bassist and a couple of more immediate, poppy new numbers, including the excellently catchy "Got You Back" to augment the previously thrashy glam thrills. They're fast becoming a band I'd think about paying to see on their own...

Rachel, Clive and Beef turned up midway through their set, so we were well in time and ready for Boom Boom Mancini, next up, taking front centre spots in front of a smattering of locals and "industry types". They came on at 9ish, and showed that familiarity (my 13th time of seeing them through their various name changes!) had certainly not bred contempt or even boredom. They've softened up their sound a little, rounding off the harder edges and making their sound more immediate and accessible, but losing very little impact or tunefulness along the way. From the sing-along "Grape Juice" to the frenetic "Supermodel" (their next single - hooray!), they're still the same spiky, spunky, thought-provoking lot we know and love. We bopped a whole lot, earning thanks from both the band and the A&R man afterwards!

Stopped awhile for headliners Co. UK, who sounded initially promising - an Irish Green Day-ish power trio, with a vocalist in a "Cuckoo" t-shirt - but degenerated into tune-free thrash, so we left them after a few numbers for a thankfully trouble-free trip home (this time!). Another supplier meeting I was happy to be sent to, thanks to Boom Boom Mancini!

411 THE GIGOLO AUNTS, Boom Boom Mancini, London Highbury Garage, Friday 30 July 1999

A legendary gig! It's been a bloody long 5 years, 3 months and 8 days since gig 265, the last time I saw my favourite band currently making music "live" (not that I'd been counting or anything), but a phone call to Phil Hurley (late of the Aunts, oddly enough) confirmed that The Gigolo Aunts had finally gotten a UK deal sorted following a messy extraction from their former label Fire Records, and were coming over to the UK for a show! So, not to miss this one, Rachel, Clive and myself took the whole day off and drove up in the morning, getting there at 1 pm!!

Parked up by the venue and went off for some shopping, getting back at 4, by which time The Gigolo Aunts had turned up, but not their gear (a fretting Steve Hurley said the management company had booked it for the wrong day!). So we all went over the pub, as you do. Chilled in the beer garden and caught up with Steve and vocalist Dave Gibbs for an hour or so, also meeting new Aunts (well, new since I last saw them, that is) Fred Eltringham, the tall affable drummer, and lovely new guitarist Jon Skibic (who I was particularly concerned about meeting - you know, "he's nice but he's not Phil...") who nevertheless both turned out to be splendid chaps, and worthy Aunts!

Back to the venue; the gear turned up, and so did our friends, tonight's support Boom Boom Mancini - who were somewhat incredulous when I opened the venue back door to them! - so we made ourselves scarce and returned for doors at 8 pm. The Boom boys and girl came on at 9 to a seemingly disappointingly small turnout, so we distracted ourselves from our duck impressions (!) and formed a 3 person moshpit. Their set took some time to settle in, but by 3rd number "Grape Juice" they were as spiky, poppily edgy and bouncy as ever, and a breathless "Supermodel" was a fine set highlight. Great stuff, but appetisers...

Complimented the Boomers and wished the Aunts good luck, before taking stage front centre spots with Rachel and Clive for the phenomenally long-awaited return of The Gigolo Aunts to the UK live stage, just after 10. They came on to a rapturous welcome from the by-now comfortably busy Garage, and the 5 years fell away from the first note. The utterly wonderful and deliciously understated new CD "Minor Chords And Major Themes" may lack the crunchy guitar bombast of their previous "Flippin' Out" material, but a more emotive, heartfelt, brain-tugging and overall wonderful set of songs you'd be hard pressed to find. Really, this album is one of the all-time greats, and tonight, I'm glad to report, the Aunts did it more than full justice. Openers "Half A Chance" and the stunning "Everything Is Wrong" (featuring a stellar middle-eight riff from Jon) proved that the Aunts are still prime purveyors of sonic splendour, the only mystery being why more people weren't dancing along with we 3! Wonderful songs played with love, lots of humour (Dave's boyish enthusiasm and introductions to each song as, "this is in the key of...") and evident enjoyment by these guys, what more do you want? And the harmonies? Well... honey throated angelic harmonies to die for, no less. The set flew by on gossamer butterfly wings.

Adam Duritz of Counting Crows (whom I'd thanked beforehand for taking a large interest in the Aunts, helping keep them as a going concern) joined the boys for some chaotic encore tomfoolery, including a rambunctious reading of The Byrds' classic "So You Wanna Be A Rock'N'Roll Star". But this lot already are that, and tonight nailed it, for sure. More congrats, compliments and arrangements to see them in Vermont during my forthcoming US trip followed, before we reluctantly drew this stellar and legendary night to a close. I, breathless, hoarse and incredulous, have managed to get to see The Gigolo Aunts again!