Homework, Edinburgh, Sneaky Pete’s

Homework, by Kenny McMurtrie

By Kenny McMurtrie

November 18, 2011

Finally. After four years of contributing to this site I’ve got a band to tip for success in the coming year. Homework‘s show tonight (to launch mini-album All That Glitters) was a revelation, not least because prior to the show I’d been less than impressed with their recorded output on their earlier singles. Live, however, they’re a far weightier and more powerful proposition. Coming on like a combination of Nine Inch Nails, Placebo and Jane’s Addiction, their sound turns out to be a dazzling amalgam of intrepid drumming, solid basswork, yearning, angsty vocals and blunt, propulsive riffs along with extensively employed synths. … Continue Reading

Owen Pallett, Eindhoven, Catharinakerk

Owen Pallett

By Stef Siepel

Eindhoven is radiant due to all the city lights that have been placed for the Glow festival. Massive amounts of people are ant-like finding their way through the city center, which is bending if not breaking. In the midst of it a huge church is crowded by a throng of people, who see light coming from the House of the Lord and think, Well, maybe there is something in the church that has to do with Glow. So people hoard around the entrance, most of them being told that, in fact, this is a ticketed event. A gig, no less. It is, namely, the end of Owen Pallett’s two-and-a-half year world tour, which he concludes with orchestra. … Continue Reading

Twin Sister, Edinburgh, Sneaky Pete’s

Twin Sister, By Kenny McMurtrie

By Kenny McMurtrie

Keen as mustard to be on stage for the capacity crowd here tonight Twin Sister delivered note perfect renderings of such numbers as ‘Champy’ and set closer ‘All Around And Away We Go’, along with a couple (including the encore) of duets between just Andrea (looking a tad over-dressed for the event) and Eric. Undoubtedly a nice bunch, their music comes across well in a live setting but one couldn’t help but feel that it would be even better appreciated without having the band actually visible as a point of reference. … Continue Reading

Anna Calvi, London, Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Anna Calvi

By Robert Freeman

November 1, 2011

Seriously, you’ve never seen an audience so quiet as when Anna Calvi plucks at her guitar strings. Eyes closed, head up, she looks for all the world like she’s riffing in the desert (and, to be honest, there is a picture of a desert behind her). Considering how quiet she is in between songs and how much she looks like a borrower, Anna Calvi has an impressive ability to open her mouth suddenly and SCARE THE LIVING SHIT OUT OF YOU. Whipping between loud and quiet, the sudden swelling of sultry whispering to a tumescent line of gothic vibrato can be a fairly palpitation-inducing experience. The word ‘rapt’ would be appropriate. … Continue Reading

Tellison / The Grace And Death Of Us, Southampton, Joiners

Tellison

By Christopher Panks

October 29, 2011

The proud naval history which provided the economic catalyst required to drive the growth of any city the size of Southampton’s is still abundantly clear all these years later. A cursory glance at any road sign will detail directions towards the quayside, ocean village and docks so large that their gates are plentiful enough to be numbered. I can vouch for 20 but there may be more.

Though my maiden voyage to Joiners, the one venue I was aware of by name before moving to Southampton four weeks ago, largely consisted of sailing past these signs as I got disastrously lost, betrayed by my compass and the drizzle concealing the North star. … Continue Reading

British Sea Power, Edinburgh, The Liquid Rooms

British Sea Power, by Kenny McMurtrie

By Kenny McMurtrie

October 30, 2011

Rarely do you see a merchandise stall featuring a memoir of the headline act and the family of a couple of its members but, if you’re to come across that anywhere, then a British Sea Power show is probably one of the less surprising places to encounter the like. Alongside the more run of the mill CDs and t-shirts, Ray Wilkinson’s (ex-manager, brother of Yan & Hamilton) work Do It For Your Mum sat centre-stage beside mugs featuring a cheery play on words (Sea replaced by Tea in the band name) and boxes of fudge, lending the table an air of the village fete. … Continue Reading

DZ Deathrays, Edinburgh, Sneaky Pete’s

DZ Deathrays, by Kenny McMurtrie

By Kenny McMurtrie

October 21, 2011

For those about to mosh … This pair tore things up tonight – a more mobile frontman I’ve yet to witness in Sneaky’s and getting an un-blurred pic of the drummer was no mean feat yet the audience barely scraped into double figures. Given the accolades garnered in this country following DZ Deathrays’ previous UK jaunt you’d expect them to be better known so maybe it was a lack of promotion or airplay or whatever. Either way – if you weren’t there then more fool you. Ripping through the likes of ‘Rad Solar’ and ‘Gebbie St.’ (October’s Too Pure Singles Club release), ‘The Mess Up’ (the one with that Jagermeister video) and closing out with ‘Teeth’ from the Ruined My Life ep this was a great 30+ minutes of Hard Ons-like energy, spirit and a minor fizzing dragon impersonation. … Continue Reading

Noah And The Whale, Lincoln, Engine Shed

Noah And The Whale

By Rosie Duffield

October 21, 2011

Lincoln seems to be having a musical renaissance at the moment, with Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Katy B and Friendly Fires all having just, or just about to, hit the city’s music venues.  But though there are a wealth of acts visiting a place most people have never heard of, it didn’t stop the crowds venturing out to see Noah And The Whale last Friday.  Far from it, in fact, with Lincoln’s Engine Shed at capacity. … Continue Reading

The Travelling Band / Jonnie Common / The Imagineers, Edinburgh, Electric Circus

The Travelling Band, by Julia Stryj

By Steve McGillivray

October 20, 2011

Tonight the rush hour traffic in Edinburgh isn’t so bad. I manage to cross town from my work to the main train station in the city, Waverley, with a minimum of fuss. The night is not the most pleasant of the year, absolutely tipping down with freezing rain and generally being very Scottish i.e. damp and cold. I’m off to Electric Circus, which is so close to the train station, it feels like an extension. There are a few people in the venue, with the usual gangs of karaoke people heading to the private booths in another part of the venue. … Continue Reading

In Photos: The Travelling Band / Jonnie Common / The Imagineers, Edinburgh, Electric Circus

The Travelling Band, by Julia Stryj

By Julia Stryj

October 20, 2011

Julia Stryj was at the Electic Circus in Edinburgh last week to capture The Travelling Band‘s headline show, supported by Jonnie Common and The Imagineers. Read Steve McGillivray’s review of the gig here. … Continue Reading