Saturday, September 24, 2016

TERRY RILEY (London Barbican, 24/09/16)



Review: HERE
WEAVES (London Scala, 22/09/16)



The best band to have come out of Canada since the mid-Noughties heyday of that particular scene, the off-kilter, grungey art-pop of WEAVES is an unabased riot live, coming across as a glorious mix of Deerhoof, Pavement and the Pixies (and maybe a sprinkle of Ponytail too). The best support act I've seen in many a year.
BJORK (London Royal Albert Hall, 21/09/16)



Being eight foot away from Bjork is like being in the presence of a unicorn, a rare and beautiful creature - that you're even there seems an honour in itself, regardless of what she actually does. So the fact that the show was one of the most beautiful I've ever seen could be considered almost a bonus. It many ways, it was her "Carrie and Lowell" to the Volta tour's "Age of Adz", eschewing the lasers, confetti, and electronic beats for minimalism and subtlety and though it wasn't quite what I was expecting, it was undoubtedly a truly special experience. The first half, focusing purely on "Vulnicura" was relentlessly bleak but utterly beautiful, complimented by understated, but stunningly arranged strings. The second, a carefully-curated run through her more delicate classics, including "Aurora" and "Pagan Poetry" (where she giggled in delight when the audience joined in during the final refrain) added some light to the darkness, culminating in an ambitious and unexpected string-based take on "Pluto". It probably wasn't a show for everyone, but for those who respect Bjork's inventiveness and innovation, it was a night we won't soon forget.
SLOW DOWN MOLASSES - INTERVIEW



Interview/feature: HERE

Saturday, September 17, 2016

END OF THE ROAD FESTIVAL (Larmer Tree Gardens, 01/09/16-04/09/16)



Yes, it rained. A lot. Yes, it felt there was a slightly higher proportion of twats in the audience than in the past (although maybe that was just due to the ubiquity of the guy from MONEY). Yes, I still hate camping with a passion that burns brighter than seven suns. But at the end of the day, it was another fantastic weekend filled with good music, good people and good hot dogs slathered with melted raclette cheese. Highlights:

- Broken Social Scene: Hearing "Anthems For A Seventeen Year Old Girl" performed live for the first time since 2008 made me cry. The rest of it was alright too.
- Ezra Furman: Three separate sets, three stunning performances - although Thursday's all-covers set incorporating Madonna, The Arcade Fire, Springsteen, Jackie Wilson, The Clash and Beck was my personal favourite.
- Jeffrey Lewis: No comic strips, but more rockage than usual from the New York "anti-folk" veteran. Always a pleasure.
- Joanna Newsom: WHY DOES SHE ALWAYS PLAY MONKEY & BEAR RATHER THAN EMILY, GODDAMMIT?
- Whitney: Some much-needed summertime vibes on a desperately grey day.
- Anna Meredith: One of Britain's most inspiring, eccentric composers, bringing something a bit more left-field to the EOTR mix.
- Martha: Riotous, tongue-in-cheek lo-fi punks from Yorkshire trigger the most middle-class crowd-surfing experience ever witnessed at a live music event.
SILVER APPLES (London Corsica Studios, 31/08/16)



Review: HERE
KAMASI WASHINGTON (London Royal Albert Hall, 30/08/16)



One of the most astounding figures in modern jazz, with a 20-piece gospel choir and a 36-piece string section, playing at the Royal Albert Hall. Of course it was going to be one of the best gigs I've seen in my life. Perhaps the Star Trek-ish choral washes went a bit overboard at times, but when the band were in full flow, their hard-bopping, dazzingly proficient, orchestrally-enhanced jams produced some of the most transcendent music these ears have had the pleasure of hearing
KING GIZZARD AND THE WIZARD LIZARD (London Moth Club, 29/08/16)



The Moth Club in Hackney may have been sweatier than Chris Moyles' jockstrap, but the Australian psych-rock phenomenon would have melted everyone's faces regardless. Two drums, two guitars, two bassists, one flute, all the riffs- no wonder they're selling out venues ten times the size of this.