Wasting Time
Ale, music and enjoying life.
British Sea Power – The Venue – Derby 18th December 2015
Last gig for me for 2015. The temptation to fit in another BSP gig this year was too much so the train down with a couple of Magic Rock tinnies, quick pint in the Alexander pub near the station and we’re on our way to the hotel. Then it’s food and more beers in the Greyhound pub then onto the venue “The Venue” !
As I enter “The Venue” I have to laugh as there’s a poster up advertising a forthcoming gig by S*M*A*S*H. Don’t get me wrong I enjoyed them in the 90s and even saw them live a few times at the legendary Leeds Duchess venue but I wasn’t expecting to see a poster advertising them!
I usually avoid support bands but I’m glad we chance upon The Clowwns tonight. The comparisons to other bands have been done already (Devo meets Talking Heads etc) but I won’t put them in a box. Just go see them – fantastic live entertainment – just how it should be.
BSP appear and there’s a really great crowd vibe happening. Everyone’s all smiles and the band don’t disappoint. A very solid setlist if a little familiar. Machineries, Remember Me, Lucifer, Louis, Lately, all finished off with (Julian Cope set regular) Out Of My Mind On Dope And Speed are personal highlights. The usual BSP peculiar happenings are in abundance. I don’t see the bears but I’m told they’re at the back of the venue. For some reason people behind me sit down in Skua. Noble does some very impressive monkeying around and it’s all over. See you in 2016.
Brix and The Extricated – Night and Day Cafe Manchester 20th November 2015
A cheeky Friday afternoon booked off work, me and Lammy meet at Leeds station and before we know it we’re on the train hurtling through the pennines Manchester bound. Check in at the hotel then onto Chinatown (via a couple of pubs of course). Another stunning tofu dish at The Great Wall chinese restaurant it never fails to disappoint. Enough preamble! The gig!
Last time I was in Manchester’s Night and Day Cafe was for a “Phil and Phil Podcast” in which I got a mention for reasons I won’t go into here. It’s a nice venue but I’m not sure how it will transform as a music venue. Any decent ale soon runs out so we switch to wine. We manage to get near the front so we hang fire and wait for Brix and co to appear. Shriekback’s Mistah Linn He Dead blasts over the PA and I’m very much in the zone right now. Brix takes to the stage looking amazing (as do the rest of the band to be fair!) . All the classic Fall songs are there Leave The Capital, US 80s 90s, Bombast, C.R.E.E.P – it’s all beautiful, there’s even a cover of the Temptations Ball Of Confusion thrown in for good measure. It’s also worth noting that the new songs sound really very tasty in particular the stomping grunting Give Me Something To Lose. Hope they get a record out soon.
I face the facts of something I already knew a long time ago. I’m a Brix era Fall fanboy – There’s no denying it.
Bumped into John Robb after the gig – Had a bit of a catch up – Noticed he reviewed the gig here
Hugh Cornwell – Selby Town Hall 14th November 2015
Following on from the Leeds gig a couple of weeks prior I decided to check out another Hugh gig at Selby Town Hall.
The town hall is full of charm, from the decorative welcoming interior to the polite and helpful staff. Once I plonked myself next to a local and got chatting it came as no surprise to hear him singing it’s charms. My new friend visits Selby Town Hall on a regular basis he mentioned how they always get interesting acts and although he knows who Hugh is he asks what we’re in for. I let him know the stucture (i.e Hugh playing a song from each album etc). He mentioned that he is blind and in his prime he’d followed the Beatles about and had seen them live a few times. Interesting chap, a pleasure to chat with him.
I find myself on the front row right in the middle the weather is miserable outside but the venue is warm and welcoming and thanks to my mate Johnny I’m soon sat there with an interesting ale in hand. Hugh takes to the stage and we’re treated to another run through of classics.
After the gig I’m lucky enough to have a chat with Hugh after the merch stand dies down. I ask him if he’s coming for an ale with us but unfortunately he h
as to drive down South for the next gig. He tells me he’d rather drive now than in the morning in rush hour. We wish each other a happy Xmas and bid our farewells. Looking forward to seeing him on tour in May 2016 with the full band.
Hugh Cornwell – Leeds Carriageworks 4th November 2015
I work over the road from The Carriageworks but I’ve never stepped foot in there before so I had no idea what to expect. The tickets showing 7.30pm; is that the performance time or the doors? A quick check with the venue and I’m informed it’s actually a 7pm doors and 7.30 performance. Wasn’t entirely clear and about 30% of the audience ended up rolling in post 7.30 and missing out on the start of Hugh’s set. Bit of an unusual one as I’d decided to take my parents along – They’d recently retired and unlike me didn’t have work the following day so they came along having no idea what to expect (“Oh I thought he was just going to sit and play guitar didn’t realise he would sing as well” 
).
Having walked in just after 7 we made our way to the bar and ordered several mini bottles of Merlot and then headed to the theatre for the gig. Quite a decent turn out in the end the venue was about 3 quarters full which ain’t too shabby for a midweek gig. Hugh took to the stage at around 7.45.
He’s changed the setlist from the last tour and there’s some interesting little bits and pieces in there I never thought I’d hear done on electric guitar let alone stripped back. Second Coming, Man Of The Earth, Tramp, No Mercy all sounding good.
Also worth mentioning that his solo set sounded much better than his Stranglers set (Oopppfff!! controversial! Calm down at the back). Unsure whether it’s just because he settled more into his stride (he did have the odd fluffed note in the first 3 songs) or whether its purely that the solo songs lend themselves better to the acoustic treatment. Under Her Spell sounded fantastic.
Too much time on a Sunday morning….
Was up and about early this morning so I pratted about with this. The audio is the chanting section from Second Coming stretched out with Audacity. The visuals are a slowed down section from the Duchess vid. Tried to keep things slow and ethereal very nice for a Sunday hangover.