"Being born is like being kidnapped then sold into
slavery."  ANDY WARHOL. |
K.W.F.F.L. MISSION STATEMENT.
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| "Being born is like being kidnapped then sold into
slavery." ANDY WARHOL. |
Andys Bit !
2 of the best local music Venues are Roadmender, Northampton & The Charlotte, Leicester.
www.thecharlotte.co.uk
www.roadmender.orgFor the latest hot music news go to ..........................
INDIE CLUB REVIEWS.
Venue - The Star & Garter, Manchester.
When - Saturday night
Where - Somewhere under a railway arch at the back of Picadilly train station, Manchester.
Who - two teachers and two psychiatric nurses who should have known better!Approaching the venue, one would be unsure that it was the right place, curious whether it was a watering hole that most would by-pass unless wanting a good kicking on a Saturday night. Fortunately the bravest took the plunge and we were to be immersed in the most pleasurable of experiences.
Once entering the establishment, it soon became apparent that looking young, arty and getting drunk were necessities so we were happy to oblige, in the latter, particularly with the offer of selected spirits at two pounds for a double (something that just could not be refused). I would recommend vodka, lime, and soda, which set you up nicely for the pop trivia quiz. Be warned, the competition is fierce and trust no one! After failing miserably (vodka having no effect on performance), it was time to move upstairs into 'Smile', a club night with an alternative twist.
The room, dark and dingy, alcohol flowing freely, and music ranging from old classics to the new wave of rock, a great cocktail that we drank deeply from. Did we show those youngsters a thing or two? …………..kind of! Only leaving the dance floor to pour more devils liquid down our throats, stomping indie tunes saw us through the night, with requests being granted freely. Did we last the course…………………? Fucking right we did!
3.00am, no more drink, no more tunes, we stumbled into the night. Happy? Content? Fulfilled? If you want an alcohol fuelled, indie groove that leaves you with a smile on your face, then this will do nicely.
This was sent to us by Graham Rogerson.
SUPERSONIC CLUB,
Met Lounge, Peterborough.
The K.W.F.F.L's ongoing tour of the UK's Indie Clubs landed at Peterborough on a cold February evening. A band - The Smyths none the less - and 'Supersonic' (hey, good name !!) until 2.30am. Well, I am happy to report that The Met Lounge matches up to The Star And Garter in Manchester and Revolver Night in Corby ....
Doors opened at 8.30pm - and there was a queue. Unfortunately I wasn't asked for ID to prove that I was over 18 (!?!). The Club was an ideal size and soon filled up. It wasn't long before the youth of Peterborough were dancing !!
The Smyths were absolutely brilliant. Playing a set of classic Smiths songs, the crowd lapped it up. 'Panic', 'This Charming Man' ... you name it, they played it. The singer was just like a young Mozzer - right down to the glasses and hearing aid. His voice was spot on as well !!
The audience demanded more - and an encore of 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out' and 'Bigmouth' duly followed. The evening was far from over, however, as Supersonic now kicked in. There was much dancing (and some falling over !?!) to the likes of The Killers, Kaiser Chiefs, Iggy, The View and much, much more !!
The venue even has an upstairs area with sofas for those who need a nap halfway through .... We kept going until the bitter end then happily made our way back to Kettering. A great evening had been had by all.
If you are in the area, this is one Club it's Def. worth checking out.
A.W.
Revolver Night,
Club 2000, Corby, Northants.
Held approx. once a month, this has quickly established itself as a BRILLIANT Indie Nite. Don't be put off by the state of the building from the outside ; it's what's inside that counts. Kicking off at 9pm, the Indie kids of Corby are on the floor (in some cases literally ...) by 9.20 !!
It costs a fiver (if I remember correctly through the alcohol haze) and is well worth that, going on to past 2am. Drink prices are reasonable. If you are an 'outsider' to the area a couple of points should be made !! Firstly, don't go in The Candle for a quick one beforehand ... or afterwards even !?! Secondly to 'fit in' it is essential to drink Vodka Iron Bru, which I'm sure tastes as disgusting as it sounds ! Thirdly, just don't slag off either Rangers or Celtic .......
The music mix is new Indie along with the Classics ; the older of us who attend try not to embarass ourselves by pretending to be fully aware of the new tunes being played. Rule No. 1. Don't go round asking "Who was that by ??" Instant Cred Down The Drain comment. If anyone asks you, treat them with the distain they deserve for asking a question that has such an obvious answer .... Reassuringly it all sounds very similar to early 80's indie - hey, that's OK then !!
The Dancefloor is soon full of trendy hairstyles thinking that they look good on etc. etc. The over 30's come into their own once Blur or The Stone Roses are played, although it's slightly worrying to be dancing next to a 15 year old girl who's wearing a Fools Gold T-Shirt. On the other hand there are worse ways of spending a Saturday night ..................
All in all a great night that's well worth going to.
A.W.CLASSIC ALBUMS.
Send in reviews of your All Time Favourite Albums to andy147dj@hotmail.com and we will put them up on the Site.
PUBLIC IMAGE LTD. - THE METAL BOX. (1979).
First things first ; this Album (or Box Set) most certainly wasn't just about Mr Lydon. It represents PiL at their finest, and that means Jah Wobble and Keith Levene. This is the record that defined the sound that is now known as 'Post-Punk'.
Most people know the history - the first PiL long player was stunning (slagged critically at the time, now revered). It was however basically a 'rock' record. Along came Metal Box and this really was the sound of the future !!
Listening to it now reminds me of the first time I heard 'Death Disco' and 'Memories'. "Those useless memories go on and on and on ..." But before you get to those, the incredible 'Albatross' kicks it all off. All I can say is if you've never heard any of this then go out and buy it NOW !?!
It's impossible to pigeon hole this collection. Germanic disco electronica with Lydon wailing over the top. How scary to think it was released around 27 years ago ...........
The tragedy was PiL would never really (bar the odd great Single) follow this - although in many ways how could they ??? 'A perfect view of the bleakness of England in 1979' I've heard Metal Box described as. Well, it's inspiring to me and many others.
Here you have the combination of Lydon coming to terms with his past, Wobbles wonderful bass lines ('Poptones' is a career song) and Levene's way ahead of it's time guitar sound.
My tin is now a bit rusty ... it's tucked away upstairs but every so often I dig it out, put the needle on the record and as I listen I think "this sounds as great now as it ever has done." Truly a classic.
A.W.
The Ramones - The Ramones. ('76).
It has 14 tracks, clocks in at 28 minutes 53 seconds, cost US Dollars 6,400 to make, the tracks were recorded in 2 days (with another 2 days for the vocals), the mixing took 10 hours ... and it changed the sound of rock n roll forever !
'The Ramones' was released on 23rd April in the USA and reached No. 111 on the Chart - selling around 7,000 copies ! I wonder how many it's now sold ...........
According to Producer Tommy "The Ramones actually slowed down the songs because they feared no one would understand them otherwise." This record influenced a generation, and beyond. It gave Punk it's sound, and can be 'blamed' for being the record that Sid 'learnt' to play guitar to !!
Many Albums are described as seminal ; this one truly is.
The opening salvo of 'Blitzkreig Bop', 'Beat On The Brat', 'Judy Is A Punk', and 'I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend' is as good as high energy rock gets. All great guitars with Joey's vocal on top. The fury never lets up - '53rd & 3rd', 'I Don't Wanna Walk Around With You' ... Dee Dee living the dream (or nightmare !).
To say it's stood the test of time is an understatement ; a bit like saying Brazil had a reasonable football team in 1970 !!
The influence of The Ramones can be heard everywhere. At the time they didn't get their dues. To quote Tony James "History has proved them roght !"
A.W.
MANIC STREET PREACHERS - THE HOLY BIBLE (1994).
"IT IS EASY TO SHIELD THE OUTER BODY FROM POISONED ARROWS, BUT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIELD THE MIND FROM THE POISONED DARTS THAT ORIGINATE WITHIN ITSELF. GREED, ANGER, FOOLISHNESS AND THE INFATUATIONS OF EGOISM - THESE FOUR POISONED DARTS ORIGINATE WITHIN THE MIND AND INFEST IT WITH DEADLY POISON."
Is it better to burn out, or fade away ?? The Manics remain ... but had they split up after this Album then they would now be considered one of the greatest bands of All-Time ! This was a Manic Street Preachers record, but it was in reality Ritchie Edwards design for life ....
You can push things so far, then push them again. Not a healthy way to live in the long run, but it can produce incredible results. Everything about this Album cries out of a band and person at the very edge of sanity. It was to prove Ritchies swansong.
Pure Punk Rock bile and self-hatred ; has anything ever sounded so angry, bleak and nhilistic as this ??
The lyrics read like a suicide note ; the harrowing 4 Stone 7lbs possibly it's zenith. Ritchie was 4 real, and here he sets out to prove it. Nicky Wire and James Dean Bradfield provide the momentum, with Bradfield spitting out the lyrics like a man possessed.
It's not what you'd call 'Easy Listening', but it's something that you can revisit again and again. It has TOTALLY stood the test of time, and sounds as classic now as ever.
The ultimate statement from the band of their generation.
A.W.SCREAMADELICA - PRIMAL SCREAM.
I saw Primal Scream for the first time at The Charlotte, Leicester a few weeks before 'Loaded' was released. It was hot, sweaty and rocky !! I LOVED them, my mate HATED them ! 'Loaded' burst onto the airwaves, and then a while later this Album was released ...
It's easy to forget now, but back then 'crossover' wasn't part of the equation. There was 'Indie' and there was 'Dance'. Suddenly Bobby G. and the gang fused the two with a bang. 'Screamadelica' was, is and always will be an iconic breath taking record that mashed the past, present and future of Rock n Roll into one !
Sounding passionate and hopeful, anthems such as 'Come Together' and 'Movin On Up' were songs that made you want to go out and have a good time. The booming bass of special guest Jah (PiL) Wobble on the fried 'Higher Than The Sun' just adds to the mix.
This is an Album I LOVE to bits and still listen to very regularly, and - as the saying goes - have the T-Shirt (well, 2 actually ...). Primal Scream are one of my top 5 bands of ALL-TIME. Live they are scarily good, and whenever they play anything from Screamadelica it literally blows the roof off !! Don't fight it, feel it ........
A.W.
PRETTY HATE MACHINE - NINE INCH NAILS (1989).
The debut NiN Album was written, arranged and performed by Trent Reznor. Combining catchy melodies with dark introspective lyrics Reznor spoke of this Album being "A sincere statement of what was in his head at the time." It was a release that set a benchmark for certain types of 'Alternative' Music.
As track one - the fantastic 'Head Like A Hole' - kicks in the power is there for all to hear. Anger, frustration, angst .... As with all truly great Albums each song totally stands up on it's own, yet also they all complement each other 'Something I Can Never Have' follows 'Sanctified' and you just don't want the CD to reach it's end !!
Incredibly Pretty Hate Machine spent 2 years in the Charts in America, and became one of the first Independently released records to go Platinum. All the instruments were played by Reznor ; maybe he'd rather die than give anyone else control ...
Over the past 18 - yes, eighteen ... - years this release has just grown and grown on me, and influenced my musical taste. I love it more now than I did in the mid-90's !?!
Still sounding vibrant, powerful and fresh Pretty Hate Machine is probably my number one thing for putting on if I am feeling angry / frustrated / pissed off !!
Trent Reznor - we salute you .....
A.W.
FLOODLAND. The Sisters Of Mercy. (1987).
'All washed up and drugged out in Hamberg ...'
Those were the rumours surrounding Andrew Eldritch following the break up of The Sisters Of Mercy in 1985 and the battle over band names with a certain Mr Hussey. Surely The Sisters were over ....
A period of relative calm followed, before an announcement that Mr E had recruited the goddess that was Patricia Morrison to be at his side - and there would be a new Album to follow (in those days that didn't mean a 16+ year wait ....).
And so it came to pass ... in 1987 the epic that is 'Floodland' was released to the world. Magnificent in EVERY way, from the superb cover right through to the closing track.
'This Corrosion' had been released as a Single. On first hearing it sounded incredible. It still does today. Layer after layer of building climaxing with Eldritch's call to arms ; "Floodland And Driven Apart !!"
Worries over this record damaging The Sisters history were immediately banished. It was a total classic. Everything and more than the die hard fans could have possibly hoped for.
'Dominion/Mother Russia' is an opening track to die for. Seven minutes of gothic splendour. 'Flood 1' follows then 'Lucretia' andd so on and so on ... The vocals are perfect. The sound of a man stating his case with a certainty bordering on arrogance.
From the driven dancefloor fillers such as 'Lucretia' through to the beautiful '1959' this is an Album from heaven.
What happened after this has been debated (and still is !?!) endlessly. Maybe it was just IMPOSSIBLE to follow this.
As the GREAT man himself sang "I've Got Nothing To Say I Haven't Said Before."
Undoubtedly one of my top 10 Albums of All-Time !!!!
A.W.Album Choice from Bill Hedrick
When I was in High School I was a DJ on the Radio Station, and one of the most requested Albums was REO Speedwagon's High Infidelity. It contains such classics as 'Keep On Lovin You' and 'I Can't Fight The Feeling Antmore'.
When I was in Technical Training Schoool in Mississippi, right where Hurricane Katrina went through, I brought a tape player and the first tape I purchased was Foreigner 4. The famous 'I Wanna Know What Love Is' came from that LP.
Just a few memories ..........
Album Choice from Will McLachlan and Anita
Jack Johnson - In Between Dreams.
It's got snappy tunes, quirkey lyrics. It's cool in the summer and makes you feel warm in the winter. Makes you want to play the guitar, sing and travel. A couple of tunes were played during our wedding and it travelled the world with us. Anita wanted to put her favourite album on as well: John Legend - Get Lifted. She says it gets better every time you here it. Also you seen to here a different tune on every time until you realise you know it. It also was played during our wedding and travelled the world with us. With both these albums you want everyone to have them and thats how they make you feel!
MANIC STREET PREACHERS. Cambridge Corn Exchange. 8 May '07.
They may have released some very dodgy Albums since 'Everything', they've even gone down the Solo route ... but tonight The Manics are back to doing what they do best - putting on a blinding, unforgettable gig !! They are MAGNIFICENT ......
Nicky Wire (aka God) walks onstage grinning from ear to ear ; the opening chords of 'You Love Us' kick in, and it's mayhem.
James' voice sounds as great as ever, and he too looks like he's loving it. New Single 'Your Love Alone' follows - a real grower if ever there was one - then it's 'Motorcycle Emptiness' ....
The new material from 'Tigers' stands up live, and I'm sure time will prove this Album to be up there with The Preachers best !! (Interestingly I think there is just one song played from 'Enemy' and none from 'Lifeblood' ...).
Old favs such as 'La Tristessa' and 'From Despair To Where' go down a storm, and mid-set James gives the others a well earned rest (hey, they are getting on a bit ...) by doing a couple of acoustic numbers (including for the first time 'Yes' - written by Ritchie. "The best lyrics I've ever sung" as Mr Bradfield puts it.
The Wire returns wearing a gym skirt (!?!) and tells us he's just received an invitation to appear in a Reality TV show where he would end up conducting an orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall. From his comments I think he rejected it ....
The energy is there for all to feel - Nicky can't stand still, all scissor kicks to each chorus.
It's been easy over the past couple of years for people to slag The Manics, but they've survived - and come out all the stronger.
A blistering 'Motown Junk' is inevitably followed by the set closing anthem that is 'Design For Life'.
I've seen them many times live, and have never been disappointed. Tonight was a classic gig by a band who are back to the top of their game ... and I'm VERY glad to say I'm going to see them again near the end of the tour at Leicester !!
A.W.
STIFF LITTLE FINGERS, The Junction Cambridge, 27 March 2007.
For me SLF were always right up there with the best 4 or 5 Punk Bands of All-Time. They had the attitude, the energy and - crucially - the anthems to back it all up. With the backdrop of an Ireland in turmoil to inspire them ("We're A Suspect Device The Army Can't Defuse, We're Gonna Blow Up In Their Face !") rage and anger came naturally.
They split for a while, then got back together in 1987. I went to that first comeback gig in London (with The Beav). The atmosphere was totally electric, and the reaction they got from an absolutely packed crowd at The National Club, Kilborn was truly inspirational !! I still don't think I have ever seen a band welcomed onto the stage in a manner as SLF were that night ... They might sing of being 'Nobodys Heroes' but they were our heroes all right.
And so now it's time - unbelievably - for the 30th Anniversary Tour !?! Surely the passion has gone from Jake Burns by now ... you've got to be kidding. This tour has seen the punters flocking back to see Fingers and there is a very good sized crowd at The Junction. As the familiar 'Go For It' intro starts it's obvious everyone is really up for it. Totally genuine warmth flows from the audience to the band. We all know that Jake still loves it and still means it - this is what GREAT rock n roll is all about. A small venue with the band giving it 110% throughout.
SLF are on fire, the crowd are on fire and for an hour and forty five minutes nothing else in your life matters. You know all the words to all the songs and just shout along as you jump up and down ! Why can't life feel like that for twenty four hours a day, seven days a week ???
To say SLF were magnificent tonight would be an understatement. Over the last year I have been lucky enough to see some of the best gigs of my life (Primals, Dandys, NiN). Fingers have to be up there !!!
Some old favs get an outing ; 'State Of Emergency' is superb, and the pace is unrelenting as classic follows classic follows classic (afterwards The Beav said "They didn't play 'Doesn't Make It Alright' ..." well, they played just about everything else !?!). 'Suspect Device' is brilliant, 'Barbed Wire Love', 'Guitar And Drum', new song 'Liars Club' superb. 'Strummerville' storms it and then ... and then ... a ten minute+ version of 'Johnny Was' just steals the entire show. Intense, powerful, surely they've never played it better !!
If memory serves me correctly - I had had a few vodka red bulls by this stage ! - the set was brought to an end by 'Alternative Ulster'. The applause is long and sustained. Jake and the gang reappear looking genuinely touched and burst into 'The Boys Are Back In Town' followed by 'Just Fade Away'. Another short break and the band return for a final time to somehow squeeze the last drops of energy from the crowd with a blistering 'Tin Soldiers' (as relevant now as it ever was).
Stiff Little Fingers STILL totally cut it and STILL totally mean it. A night that will live in the memory for a long, long time.
A.W.
THE DANDY WARHOLS.
Islington Academy. 23.8.06.
A 500 capacity venue for the last date of The Warhols Summer European tour ; what could be better ?? The touts are doing a brisk trade outside - still buying tickets at 7.30pm. Most people get in early for support band The Morning After Girls. With their psychedelic riffs and 'shoe-gazing' sound it could easily be the early 90's all over again ... except everyone is 15 years older now !1
The Girls are perfect for kicking the evening off. NB. There is only one 'girl'. They play for around 40 minutes and are excellent. I'll be checking out their recently released debut Album in the near future.
The DJ then plays 30 mins. of cracking classics - from 'Personality Crisis' to 'Swastica Eyes' - before at 9pm Courtney and the gang saunter on to a heroes welcome. A bit of tuning up is followed by 'Godless'. What a start ... 'We Used To Be Friends' and 'The Last High' soon follow.
Gia is loving it on the keyboard, obviously celebrating the end of the tour already by knocking back beers like they're going out of fashion ! This leads to her having to take a couple of 'toilet breaks' during the set. Courtney takes the opportunity to chat to the crowd, play requests ('Every Day Should Be A Holiday') and appears to be reveling in the intimate atmosphere after a string of Festival shows.
The set list appears to change on a whim, and the Drummers hair and side-burns are more out of control than ever !
It's superb to see The Warhols in such a small venue - last time it was the great but quite a bit bigger Brixton Academy. Courtney complains about how hot it is ... then tells us how he'd take his shirt off if he wasn't so fat now ! Well ... that's what getting plenty of dosh from your song featuring on a Vodaphone ad does for you.
'Get Off' and 'Pills' are thunderous, and then 'Last Junkie' lifts the roof. This is high voltage rock at it's very best.
I have to say that EVERY time I've seen this band they've been absolutely brilliant (including 4 days ago at V through a 'vodka haze' - well that seemed to make it all even more classic !?!). Tonight has to be as good as it gets.
Inevitably 'Bohemian' has the whole crowd singing along. A couple more numbers are played, then Mr Taylor Taylor informs us that they now don't bother with going off stage - it's straight into the encore. Ten past eleven and it's all over. Two hours+ of The Dandy Warhols totally on top of their game.
Without doubt this will go down as one of the top 10 gigs I've ever been to !!!!!! What a brilliant nite .............
A.W.
V2006.
Stafford.
The rain poured down on Friday, turning much of the Site into a mud-fest ! Well, Sarah and I got up really early on the Saturday morning (we had intended going Fri, pm but our friend who was there already had reported back re the dire weather ...) and left Kettering at around 5.45am. No traffic on the M6, and straight in (unlike a mate of mine who had gone Fri. pm ... and it took him 8 hrs. in total from Kettering. Nightmare !?!
The vodka flowed ... too quickly too early !!!!! Well, it seemed like a good idea at the time. We made it in our rain ponchos to the Main Stage for The Dandy Warhols. What a way to start V 2006 !!!!
Courtney strolled on, and kicked into 'Godless'. I now have vague memories of telling everyone near us that we were seeing "The best band in the world .." Classic followed classic. It might have been raining, but that didn't matter. Inevitably 'Bohemian' was a riot. I then stated they were my first ever 10 out of 10 V band. It was a GREAT 45 minutes ... one of the most enjoyable without a doubt !?! Can I really now give them a 10 - where else would there be for me to go after that ??? 'In the moment' 10. Npw ; 9.
Following were The Sugababes, and what a treat they were. Starting with 'Freak Like Me' (yes, I DO remember ...) they sang hit after hit in superb style. A band whom where far better than I would ever have thought they could be !! 7.5/10.
Things now get slightly hazey ... My plan - yes, I ALWAYS have a plan - was to get to the 2nd Stage for James Dean Bradfield. Well, that sounds good to me. BUT I remember not being able to find the 2nd Stage and wanderering round for a bit, then sitting down (as James would have sung had they been playing).
Apparently whilst Sarah was guiding me I managed to fall into someones tent and knock it over ; my apologies to that person if you happen to be reading this !?! Well, at a Festival you do OCCASIONALLY have to do these things - the last time I'd been sick at a V was in 1999 so that's not a bad record ..... I felt surprisingly fine on Sunday morning. Some nice sausage & beans were just the job. Almost by accident I caught The Dead 60's. Passing the Main Stage they caught my attention. Melodic and pleasant. Just the way to start a Sunday. 30 minutes sped by ... 6.5/10.
I did now AT LAST locate the 2nd Stage - hey, it was easy !!!! Biffy Clyro had just started (no, that's not some sort of curry ..). Again they were enjoyable without being great. 6/10.
Following were a real highlight - the one and only Kula Shaker. Crispian didn't look any different from however many years ago it was. I had thought there wouldn't be much of a crowd ... it was pretty full however and the band seemed genuinely pleased and excited to be back on stage. They got a brilliant reception, and played all the songs that you would have wanted them to. 'Hey Dudes', don't be away for so long next time ! 7.5/10.
We were on a roll now, and it was straight over to the Dance Tent for the legends that are Echo And The Bunnymen. Could they match their performance at V a couple of years back ??? ... Of course they could !! Again, a big crowd assembled to witness a flawless performance. The Mac was smoking away like there was no tomorrow. Obviously the cigs help his voice, which still sounds magnificent. It was 50 minutes of Bunnymen brilliance ; 'Back Of Love', 'Nothing Lasts Forever', 'Killing Moon' rounded off with 'The Cutter'. 9/10.
A quick shop then it was back to the 2nd Stage for We Are Scientists. They made the entrance of the weekend, coming onstage on little moped type things !! I really enjoyed The Scientists. 'It's A Hit' and the already epic 'Nobody Move Nobody Gets Hurt' were standouts. 7.5/10.
It was Stage 2 all the way now - and the next band were superb. Editors totally lived up to my expectations and more. We got chatting to a couple of lads who spent the whole set waiting for 'All Sparks' (or 'All Sports' as they changed it to). 'Blood' and 'Munich' were brilliant and the whole set sped by. Towards the end We Are Scientists joined them onstage for a REM cover. Excellent. 8.5/10.
Rewind a couple of years ... first band of the day were Kasabian. I said they'd be big and - here they are Headlining !! A new Album 9'Empire') in the offing but not out yet. With mega confidence they open with 'Shoot The Runner' and it's greeted like an old favourite !! With a blinding light show, lots of chat and plenty of classics Kasabian have the massive crowd in the palm of their hands.
This band are on their way to the Stadiums, there's no doubt about that. 'Klub Foot' and 'Reason Is Treason' are killers and the new songs sound excellent. Sure, there is nothing original about these guys, but they certainly pinch the best bits from the likes of The Roses, Oasis and The Primals and throw it all in together !! It seems as though the whole of the weekend climaxes with 'L.S.F.' and at the end the whole audience jusst sing along after the band have departed. A mighty performance !! 9/10.
The mud remained but - as ever - V had been a winner (well, maybe - definately - the vodka won on Saturday ...). Bring on V 2007 .........
A.W.
THE CULT.
Birmingham Academy (24 Sept. '06).
How many of us present tonight thought we'd be seeing The Cult again ? ... not many I bet !! Years after they split, and following the 'questionable' tour Ian Astbury did with 'The Doors' (sic) - The Wolfman and his old sparring partner Billy Duffy are back on the road.
The Academy is sold out (who said The Cult sold out years ago !?!) and full of not-so-young people wearing black. How long will it be before reformed old Goth bands start offering cheap rate tickets for O.A.P.O.G's (Old Age Pensioner Old Goths) ??
The last time I was at this venue was to witness a brilliant show from Bauhaus. Could The Cult possibly match that ? - of course they could.
Ian Astbury cuts a slightly bizarre figure - bearded and wearing a 'CULT' hoodie .... Duffy on the other hand looks much more like the Rock God that he is !! 'Lil Devil' and 'Sweet Soul Sister' kick off a stunning set. Full of classics, the energy pours from the stage, and the audience respond like it's 1985.
'Revolution' (from their seminal 'Love' Album) is brilliant and a mid-set 'Rain' has the whole crowd jumping and singing along. Billy Duffy boasts of how he's 45 ... but still thin ! Also he dedicates the thumping 'Fire Woman' to James Brown (the journalist, not the Godfather Of Soul ...).
Ian is thoroughly enjoying it all. 'SpiritWalker' has never sounded better, and he shows he's in touch with all things current by slagging Wolfmother ("this is a song they wish they could have written") before bursting into 'Wild Flower'.
The whole shebang is brought to a frenzied climax with a mighty 'Love Removal Machine'.
Of course there is an encore ... and of course it's 'Sanctuary' !! Time doesn't diminish the stature of this song ; to say it's epic is an understatement. In the middle section there's even a chorus of 'Rocks' thrown in !
As The Cult take their final bow, everyone present roars their approval. What a gig and what a band.
A.W.
THE GREAT ESCAPE.
Brighton. May 2006.No Glasto this year - so one of the main organizers decided that it was time for a few days at the seaside ... and what a great idea that turned out to be !!
We arrived on the Wednesday - officially things kicked off the next day, but there was a tea-time 'launch' at Horatio's on The Pier. The Naked Apes started things in fine style. This London 4 piece play Indie Rock with lyrics all about girls and getting wasted. Their lead singer was - according to Sarah - 'fit'. The 30 minute set flew by, and they were really good. After they'd finished I grabbed a quick chat with the vocalist, and Sarah felt that he didn't look so good close up as he had on stage !!
The Rivers followed and again they were very enjoyable.
The £35 ticket got you a Wristband for the 3 days. This covered the 18 - yes EIGHTEEN - venues in Brighton that were participating. Each venue had 4 or 5 bands on starting at around 7pm. Brighton is the perfect place for such an extravaganza. Where else would you have so many venues all within 'walking' distance of each other ?? Throw in a lot of interesting pubs and shops ....
The only disappointment of the whole trip was most of the bands that we saw on the Thursday night. Choosing to go to The Pressure Point, I was really looking forward to the much hyped You Say Party ! We Say Die ! They were OK, but no better than that and didn't strike me as anything special.
Next up were Joana And The Wolf, who I thought were excellent. The female singer (Joana presumably ...) sounded like Kate Bush, and the boys in the band played like The Stooges. A great combination ! The omnipresent Pressure Point MC - a sort of Austin Powers lookalike - welcomed each band in his own unique style. It had been worrying when reggae was being played over the PA - never a good sign in my books !! The Rumble Strips sounded 'Ska Punk' to me. They were OK (quite a lot of the packed crowd were dancing) but not really my bag.
Still, headliners The Bees had been strongly recommended to me by a man who obviously knew his music ; I'd met him in a Pub in London prior to seeing Primal Scream at The Astoria in April. He raved about this band called The Bees, who were great both on record and live ... Hey, I won't be taking his advice again .... The Bees were dire. I gave them a chance, but it didn't improve as the set went on. They totally lacked any sting, and Sarahh & I buzzed off before the end.
Now, did Friday prove to be a bit of a day or what !!!!! Some shopping in The North Lanes, then a Pint at lunchtime. We then set off to walk to the front ... on the way we went through the gardens and decided to have a sit down near the Spiegel Tent. The Tent was one of the band venues in the evenings, and during the day Conference Talks were being held there. The Great Escape is based on America's South By Southwest Festival which has been running for a few years now. Aimed as a showcase for new bands and a Music Industry Conference / Bash !?!
I spotted Michael Eavis talking to someone near the Tent entrance. He was due to go in to talk any minute, so I grabbed a photo from a distance. As I was walking over to take this I spotted Peter Hook wandering around with a Mobile in one hand and a can of lager in the other. Hooky had just done a session in The Tent with James Brown (ex Loaded / NME) asking the questions. The legendary New Order bassist looked a bit rough and as though the rock n roll lifestyle had caught up with him ! He was happy to have a chat and photo taken. Then standing nearby was James Brown. We chatted about Primal Scream and Hooky invited James for a week to Spain with New Order in the Summer !! I explained that Sarah and I had been very keen to see their Talk, but didn't have Delegate Passes. James then said "Well, I'm going for a piss then f***ing off back to London so you can have my pass !" He then got both sarah and I in for Michael Eavis. Hey, what a Top Man !?!
Michael Eavis was interviewed by Radio 1 DJ Rob Da Bank. It was an incredibly interesting hour with plenty of Glasto tales. Emily Eavis was there too. At the end we grabbed a photo and I gave Michael some tips on organizing his festival .... Surreal or what ; but I have the photos and autographs to prove all of this DID ACTUALLY HAPPEN ............. So for the rest of the weekend I was 'James Brown' !!!!
It was late opening at The Ocean Rooms that evening. As we were waiting to get in I was proudly wearing my pass and a girl asked if I could just let her in so that she could use the toilet !! Hey ... she'd thought I was the toilet attendant !?! This was the uber cool Record Label Transgressive's night, and it was great. Jeremy Warmsley - one man, a guitar and his songs - was first up, and very enjoyable. His Label Boss was right down the front and well into it - put in for a pay rise now Jeremy !! Ladyfuzz followed. A female vocalist slightly like Gwen Stefanni and a tight band. Ideal for a festival. Punchy, catchy tunes with menace. Excellent. Apparently they once rehearsed in a bunker where Hitler used to hide ... well, hopefully he's not still hiding there !
I'd heard a couple of Singles from Battle and loved them. They didn't disappoint live. Sounding a bit Cure/Bloc Party-ish they had the crowd jumping. There was lots of energy and I look forward to hearing their soon to be released debut Album. Top of the bill were the soon to be big Young Knives. This finely dressed 3 piece play the finest punk-art-pop-electro around and were probably my favs of the whole 4 days. I was right at the front, and it was a frenzy ! 'The Rumour Mill' ends a classic set. I'm glad I saw both of the last 2 bands tonight as they'll be playing the big venues before too long. Catch Battle and The Young Knives while you can !!
Saturday lunchtime and my delegate Pass got me into a fascinating Debate at The Queens Hotel. Chaired by Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq it was about 'How To Break A Band'. The Manager of Franz Ferdinand and 2 Record Label bosses (one who was the man who signed The Arctic Monkeys !) gave us their words of wisdom. It was a superb hour of behind-the-scenes rock tales and an insight into how 'the business' works.
It was then time to go to The Albert for a It Came From Japan Punk Showcase !! 3 bands, free sushi (I gave that a miss ...) and a packed Albert made for a tremendous afternoon. Full of energy and enthusiasm each band (Shinonome, Bo Peep and Puppypet) got a great crowd reaction. For more info go to www.itcamefromjapan.co.uk.
A quick change, tea then to The Pressure Point for some Pool before Shit Disco !! Shit Disco are 4 boys from Glasgow who look like they've had ASBO's served on them ! They were excellent ! Rocking Indie with style (if you call wearing a string vest 'style' - let's hope that's not the look for the Summer !?!). Metronomy were next and again really good. Electro in a Kraftwork style. Their outfits really WERE impressive .... The Klaxons continued the fine entertainment. Again a much hyped bunch ... and I liked it. They made you feel a bit like it was the 90's all over again (not such a bad thing ...).
Headliners were The Longcut from Manchester. A 3 piece using guitar, synths and at times drums (no drummer, so the singer doubled up on drums at times). These were superb. Many songs reaching a climax with pounding drums and synths. They sounded a bit like The Stone Roses circa Second Coming. The audience were dancing long before the end. Each and every one of the 4 bands from Saturday could easily be massive by this time next year ; it will be interesting to follow their progress.
What a few days it had been in Brighton !!!!! Surely the first Great Escape won't be the last ............
A.W.
THE SCREAM ARE SUPREME. PRIMAL SCREAM, The Astoria, London. (6 April '06).
Last seen being dragged off of the Glastonbury stage, Bobby G and the gang tonight confirm their place in my heart as one of THE All-Time great rock n roll bands ! This was a truly CLASSIC gig from start to finish ; The Scream just get better and better ....
First song in - "This is Country Girl" - and I've heard the anthem for the Summer. It sounds FANTASTIC. Another newie follows, then it's a rockin' Jailbird and the seminal Shoot Speed Kill Light !
The crowd are buzzing ; I'd seen Mick Jones at the bar earlier, and apparently Noel Gallagher, The Chemical Brothers and John Simm are also in the sold out Astoria. It's impossible to single out moments as the whole set was one high octane rush, but ... Kill All Hippies is crushing and Swastika Eyes just pummels the senses.
What a set ! What a night ! What a band !?!
Things climax with Moving On Up, then the boys disappear for a breather. The new songs from 'Riot City Blues' (out June 5th - surely THE Album of 2006 ...) were just blinding. Instantly catchy rock classics ; this could well equal Screamadelica !!!!
Four encores, but still the crowd demand more ... Mani is euphoric, going to the mike to tell everyone "We Are PRIMAL SCREAM !!!" 'Country Girl' is played again, sounding even better ... and a frantic Rocks brings the house down !!
Primal Scream are more vital in 2006 than ever, there is NO DOUBT about that. I just can't wait to see them again when hopefully they tour later in the year !!! A magical, barnstormer of a nite ...........
SetList.
Country Girl. Dolls. Jailbird. Shoot Speed Kill Light. Detroit. Nitty Gritty. Suicide Sally And Guitar Johnny. Kill All Hippies. When The Bomb Drops. The 99th Floor. Medication. Rocks. Kolalski. Swastika Eyes. Moving On Up. Slip Inside This House. Accelerator. Skull X. Gimme Some Truth. Country Girl. Rocks.
'THE COPE'
Julian Cope,
The Junction, Cambridge.
13.2.06.
"We're from Bury St Edmonds." Most people would probably try to keep this quiet ; The Khe Sahn Approach are obviously not scared to let people know !! They look VERY young ; possibly on day release from Primary school !! The first song is a cover of 'Transmission' ... except it isn't. Still, that's a good sound to base yourselves on !
Taking themselves a bit too seriously their half hour set contains songs such as 'Napalm Sunshine'. The Approach are probably already legends in their own minds. I thought they were OK, and a lot better than some Support bands I've seen over the years ....
Julian saunters on to a raptuous reception. He looks the total star ; anyone wanting to lose weight should use The Cope Diet ... or maybe not !?! Introducing Mr E on drums, they kick into what can only be described as a monumental live show. The term "going through the motions" could NEVER be used about this guy ....
Starting with a track from new Album 'Dark Orgasm' (he also has another new Album out at the same time called 'Right Bastard') Julian just rolls on and on and on .... Old classics such as 'Sunspots' mix superbly with 'newer' material. Of course the chat is highly entertaining ("Lyrically I'm abundant, musically I'm redundant !").
All sense of time disappears with Mr C ; mid-set he goes solo and plays a medley including I'm glad to say 'Out Of My Mind On Dope And Speed'. When he asks what time it is, he's informed it's 20 past 11 !!! ... and there's still a good half an hour to go.
When eventually Julian does finish the set he gets the prolonged applause he deserves. Many people are wrongly called legends ; in this case it's TOTALLY justified.
A.W.
"It's Indie Rock n Roll For Me ...." BOY KILL BOY.
The Charlotte, Leicester.
22.2.06
It's 2006 and Indie continues to mean something to both the young and not so young ! The N.M.E. fuelled rebirth has spawned a new generation of junkies, desperate for the killer guitar lines ... and Boy Kill Boy certainly have a few of those.
It's a long time since I saw The Charlotte this full, and that's just for the warm-up acts. It's heaving by the time the headliners come on ; certainly not 18 year olds, BKB have probably been round the block a few times in other bands. That experience is put to good use as they deliver their take on 80's synthy guitat sounds.
Each tune is instantly catchy, and the crowd are soon bouncing along. Debut Single 'Suzie' (from '05) stands out in the first half of the set, then things peak with the surely-soon-to-be-a-hit 'Back Again' ("Can I find some more misery, if it can't be you then it must be me") and 'Civil Sin'. A rousing 'All By Myself' (I think that was the title) brings things to a close.
The trendy haircuts leave happy ; a great sign for BKB !! This band are going places ; they won't be playing venues this size for much longer.
2 good Support bands, and Boy Kill Boy on the up and up, all for six quid. You just can't beat a good Indie nite out !!!
A.W.V 2005. 20 & 21 August. Chelmsford.
2 days of sunshine sandwiched between deluges of rain ... we were lucky (yet again) with the weather !! Some kind nearby campers helped us to put up the tent, then provided us with a sausage in a bun. Excellent stuff ...
First band of the day were The Departure. These (very) young Northampton lads played solid indie circa the early 80's, so it goes without saying that Sarah & I liked them !! They were very enjoyable, and Sarah was particularly taken with the singers tunic. Their short half hour set certainly showed some potential. 7/10.
Now it was time for the big beards ; no, not ZZ Top but The Magic Numbers. This much hyped foursome were OK, but not outstanding (that's my view, Sarah hated them !!). The singles stood out - 'Forever Lost' and 'Love Me Like You' - as their most catchy numbers. Not sure about ladies with beards mind you ...... 6/10.
Next up was a choice ; KT Tunstall or The Proclaimers in the Dance Tent. The Scottish duo won, and a raucous Tent witnessed a fine performance. The inevitable 'Letter From America' had everyone bouncing around. The heat was stifling, and we left just before the end of their set. 6.5/10.
After a look around some of the stalls it was time for The Bravery. We saw them earlier in the year in London where they were great ... and again today they did the business. Plenty of catchy hooks and chorus'. in a strong collection of songs 'Unconditional' and the already classic 'Honest Mistake' stood out. 7.5/10.
No need to move from our spot in the middle in front of the 2nd Stage as The Kaiser Chiefs were due on shortly. What a few months it's been for The Chiefs !! Virtually unknown a year ago, now as hot as hot can be ... Ricky had injured his ankle recently, but this didn't stop him from jumping around and really getting the crowd going. Every song seemed to be the perfect Festival sing-a-long and soon roars of 'Kaiser Chiefs' were booming out. The magnificent trio of singles 'Oh My God', 'Everyday I Love You Less And Less' and 'I Predict A riot' (the latter was DEF. one of my top 2 V2005 moments !!) were played, but it's a sign of the bands strenght that they didn't overshadow everything else. The Kaisers could easily be headlining next year !! 9/10.
Some light refreshment was had ; yet again the lovely Strongbow people were happy to give away their samples ! A quick trip back to the Dance Tent and one song from Robert Plant was enough for Sarah !! This meant we caught the end of Doves ... and obviously 'There Goes The Fear'. It's a classic ... but Doves only great song in my humble opinion !?!
Now it was time for Chemicals & Sweeties .... The Chemical Brothers aren't festival favs for no reason, and headlining the 2nd Stage was perfect for them. Kicking off with 'Hey Boy Hey Girl' it rolled (a fat one) from there. Big beats, mighty tunes & visuals. All of this was making the guy in front of me hungry ; he was asking if anybody had some Smarties !?! It was so much better than when The Chems got 'lost' on the Main Stage a couple of years back. Ed and Tom had the whole crowd jumping to their Block Rockin' Beats ! the senses took a non-stop beating ... and it was great. 8.5/10.
We'd not been near the Main Stage on day 1, so our Sunday kicked off there with Idlewild at 1.25pm. A healthy number had decided to join us and their almost REM-ish brand of rock was well received. 6.5/10.
A pint of cider and in passing we saw Joss Stone wearing not a lot. The man cutting rolls for the burgers wasn't impressed, nor by the fact that he reckoned he'd cut open around 6.000 so far at Festivals this summer !! Still, somebody has to do it ............
The end of Thirteen Senses, then it was The Ordinary Boys. What an excellent gig they did. All guitary energy and fast lively songs. More impressive than I'd been expecting, towards the end they covered The ramones 'The KKK Took My Baby Away'. Class !! By the final 'Weekend' the crowd were well into it and hollering for more. 7.5/10.
A shortish dash to the baking Tent and Goldfrapp were on. Alison is a true star, and had the punters eating out of her hand. Recent hit 'Oh La La' was vibrant, but can any Goldfrapp set not climax with 'Strict Machine' ?? There were dancers on stage, the crowd were ALL dancing ; surely this is one band on the verge of being massive ! 8/10.
The best line in natty dressing and chat came from ... The Hives. Immaculate in black & white, they did a cartoon style romp through their sub-Ramones staples. Crowd participation was the order of the day - and it was a mutual love-in !! The whole shebang ended with a rousing 'Hate To Say I Told You So'. 7.5/10.
The Hives had been main support on the 2nd Stage, and as I walked towards the Dance Tent there was an almighty queue for the legend that is Ian Brown. Amazingly I waltzed past everyone - it must have been 500+ - and asked a Steward "Is this the only entrance?" "No" he said, "There's one round the corner..." I went there ... and straight in !! The sweat was literally dripping from the ceiling, and that was before King Monkey even appeared. The cries of 'Ian Brown, Ian Brown, Ian Brown' reached a deafening level as he hit the stage. No mucking around tonight. A great set of solo singles, a cover of The Sex Pistols 'Submission' (bizarre but excellent) and .... the best moment of V2005 ; Ian Brown playing 'She Bangs The Drum'. The whole tent was going mad !! 'Made Of Stone' rounded things off, and everyone poured out feeling hot, sweaty and buzzing. The chorus of 'Ian Brown, Ian Brown, Ian Brown' rang around the site !!! The man truly is a living legend. Aa All-Time performance ... 9/10.
Thus another superb V ended in magical style. Only a 3hour+ queue to get out on the Monday morning ............
A.W.
U2.
Hampden Park, Glasgow. 21 June '05.
A sunny evening in bonnie Glasgow, and the best rock n roll band in the world are about to hit the stage. It's many years since I first saw them - at Hammersmith Palais around the time of the release of 'New Years Day' (obviously I was VERY young then ....). A soaked day at M.K.Bowl in '85 followed, then Wembley Arena a couple of years later. Each time U2 were stunning.
So, after an eighteen year gap .... the atmosphere is electric, the flags are waving and Bono is bouncing !! Hello, hello it's 'Vertigo' that kicks off an unbelievable 2 hour+ set full of classics. The Edges guitar cuts through the night air like a knife. It's only over the last few years that he's getting the recognition he deserves ; that post-punk guitar sound now championed by the new generation of indie boys.
U2 are full of verve (although no sign anywhere of Richard Ashcroft !) and energy. New and old tunes stand side by side. Has any group got more anthems than this lot ???? Bono loves to play up to his audience, and is full of chat and comment. As dusk falls the blinding lightshow comes into it's own ; has Hampden ever looked so good ??
U2 were as good - if not better - than 18 years ago, and that's saying something ! They even played 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' and 'New Years Day'. My only regret at the end was that I wouldn't be seeing them again on this tour !! What a nite, and what a band.
Setlist. Vertigo. All Because Of You. The Electric Co. Elevation. New Years Day. Beautiful Day. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For. Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses. City Of Blinding Light. Miracle Drug. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own. Love And Peace Or Else. Sunday Bloody Sunday. Bullet The Blue Sky. Running To Stand Still. Pride. Where The Streets Have No Name. One. Zoo Station. The Fly. With Or Without You. Yahweh. Vertigo.
A.W.
THE BRAVERY.
Koko, London. (2 March '05).
Four young things from New York hit the stage with plenty to prove ; the hot tip for '05 by so many. Could they live up to the hype ?? In a word, YES !! To put it simply, I thought they were superb. Sometimes it's about seeing a band at the right time, in the right place. Koko (the old Camden Palace - it really WAS the 80's the last time I was there ... standing next to Marc Almond at the bar !?!) is a great venue, and this was the last night of the tour of the year.
Maybe they're not the most original, but who cares ?? When you sound like a cross between Duran & The Cure - with a singer full of Morrissey moves thrown in - how can you go wrong ... The Bravery's music makes you want to smile, then smile again.
Full of verve and energy it's soon evident that this is a band going places, and that's not back to playing The Barfly ! The crowd respond with vigour and plenty of jumping & dancing. It almost could have been 1984 (a classic year when Jesus truly did Love The Sisters ..).
When they kick into Single Of The Year So Far 'Honest Mistake' the place just explodes. It's a sign of how good their set was that I didn't know most of the songs (the Albums not out until mid March) but they sounded like old favourites ! In many ways it was a bit like the first time I saw The Dandy Warhols. I just thought "These are GREAT !!"
The night just sped by. Champagne was sprayed from the stage towards the end, and Sam told us they'd be back in May. These boys are going to be very big very soon - catch them before they're headlining Wembley Arena.
A.W.
PS. HOT NEWS ; The Bravery are playing The N.M.E. Stage at V2005. It could be a classic ....
THE RAMONES.
"Two minutes faster !!" That's what Johnny Ramone said to an incredulous Joe Strummer a few years back. He was referring to the time that it took them to play their set - compared to the time it took a couple of months previously to play the same set !
Like many bands, The Ramones legend will grow as the years go by. They were a GREAT band. The Ramones set the scene for Punk. Blitzkrieg Bop indeed !?!
At the time they didn't sell as many records as they should have, except probably in Brazil where they could headline 30,000 Stadiums ... and get chased down the road by fans. Those same Albums, however, are still selling now - because they contain so many classic songs. Without The Ramones ....
Joey is dead, Dee Dee (who wrote most of the tunes) is dead, many of the others involved with them over the years look like they should be dead ! But the music remains.
Their influence is there for all to hear. On the radio, TV, wherever ... and just how many T-Shirts have they shifted ??
If you want a CD to cheer you up when you're feeling down, get 'Anthology' with it's 50 odd tracks. Sheena, Rockaway Beach, The KKK Took My Baby Away - they're all there. While you're at it, grab a copy of 'End Of The Century ; Story Of The Ramones' on DVD when it's released. A highly entertaining & informative rock n roll tale.
I was lucky enough to see The Ramones twice live, and on both occasions they were superb. They set the standard for so many.
As Joey would have said "Hey, We're The Ramones. 1,2,3,4 ...."
A.W.
V2004. Chelmsford.
Rain, rain, rain ... August '04 had certainly been a wet one - and the day before V it absolutely chucked it down !! The V Weekend, however, was (some might say) an oasis of sunshine. It was perfect, only raining during the night on Sunday.
This year a New Music Choice Tent was added, giving yet more bands to see. Sarah & I started off there after lunch on Saturday with Colour Of Fire, who rather generously had people giving out 'Colour Of Fire' lighters whilst they were playing. These were OK, but nothing special. The guitarist looked very much like Jarvis from Pulp, only thinner ; this lad could do with a healthy meal or two ! 5/10.
It was straight over to the N.M.E. Stage for current 'next big things' The Killers (who had graced NME's V Preview edition cover. I'd heard a couple of their songs on Radio 1, & quite liked them. They certainly drew a large crowd (the 'next big things' always do !!) ; their sound was quite a throwback to the 80's (never a bad thing ...) with plenty of catchy tunes. 'Mr Brightside' stood out and they finished with a rousing 'All The Things That I've Done'. Enjoyable ... but not the next U2 !! 6.5/10.
Back to Music Choice (where you got a stamp on your hand for every band you saw there, then a free T-Shirt !!) for a bit of The Dead 60's. There was a saying, 'If you remember the 60's then you weren't there ...' Well - perhaps that applies to this lot !Their 20 minutes or so washed over me ... perhaps I wasn't there. 4.5/10.
A 'MUST SEE' was next ; The Human League in The Dance Tent. Obviously quite a few others thought this too, as it was healthily full by the time Phil & the girls hit the stage.An almighty cheer greeted them as they kicked into 'Seconds'. Classic followed classic ; and everyone was loving it. 50 minutes of pure joy (a bit like a first half at Rockingham Road ...). 'Sound Of The Crowd', 'The Lebanon', 'Tell Me When', 'Love Action', 'Electric Dreams', 'Fascination' to name but some. Inevietably the climax was reached with a set ending 'Don't You Want Me Baby'. The crowd went wild !As everyone left The Tent at the end there was a mass sing-a-long of 'Don't You Want Me'. A great moment !! The League blew us away with an ALL-TIME TOP 10 V performance ! As good, if not better, than The Bunnymen in '03. It doesn't get any better ... 9.5/10.
Straight back to Music Choice - by now the backs of our hands were a bit smudged - for Tim (ex James) Booth. Sarah & I had seen him at a small club in Bedford early June doing a Glasto Warm-Up. He was great then, and also tonight. His solo stuff sounds very James-ish, and he goes down well. The James classic 'Sometimes' gets an airing, and receives an ecstatic response. Nobody even shouted for 'Sit Down' !! Tim really seemed to be enjoying himself, and the punters certainly lapped it up. 7.5/10.
Jet were due to be the main support on the N.M.E. Stage, but had to pullout. I had been looking forward to seeing them ... so as Main Stage headliners Muse CERTAINLY didn't appeal we wandered to the Dance Tent for Basement Jaxx. The Tent was mobbed, with a massive queue ! Time for a quick rethink, and replacing Jet were Embrace. I've quite liked some of their stuff without really being convinced. They've been away for 2-3 years, and this was their first comeback gig. They were inspired ! The band seemed stunned by the reaction they got ; 'Come Back To What You Know' was awesome, and new single 'Gravity' (written by Chris Martin - but don't let that put u off ...) could well be the one that really breaks them. Their forthcoming Album could be one of the major successes of '04. Embrace were much better than I thought they would be. 7.5/10.
A superbly enjoyable day was rounded off with some Barn Dance music .. oh,it was The Kings Of Leon !! Despite being Zelda Warrior Princess' favourite band on the planet, The Kings have never really grabbed Sarah & I. I thought they may 'do it' live ... but no, they didn't. Songs all sounding very similar ... The Kings Of The Barn Dance indeed !?! We gave up at around the halfway stage, & set out for much needed food. I will here and now state that I will never, ever see The Kings again. 3/10 (there's nothing wrong with a good Barn Dance ...).
The sun shone over Chelmsford as we set off in search of our Coffee &Bacon Bap ... well, it's a tradition now ! Sarah felt that she needed to 'Chill' for a while, so I left her in the tent and headed for the 12.30 first band on slot at the N.M.E. Stage. It was time for a band who I state with certainty will be pretty big this time next year ; Kasabian.Before they come on there was a classic moment ; black Kasabian flags on cane sticks (100 or so) had been given out to the crowd, only for Security to come round and take the sticks off of everyone !! Classic ! How us oldies (and there were a few) in our Primal Scream T-Shirts were laughing ... Kasabian were excellent. Their sound is a cross between The Scream, The Roses & Oasis (so obviously they do it foe me !!). Recent top 10 single 'LSF' is great, with a 'Mondays' feel. The big crowdappear impressed. They've an Album released soon, & I'll eat my hat if these boys aren'tdoind very well by the end of '04.7.5/10. PS. Interesting fact ; IF you cut any member of Kasabian he 'Bleeds Rock n Roll' !?!
Amazingly we had yet to see anyone on the Main Stage. I arranged to meet Sarah near the gate ; as I was waiting 2 Japanese Uber-Babes approached me and said "Excuse me, but could you tell us where you got your really,really cool T-Shirt from ??" Well, it was my K.W.F.F.L. Shirt ... no seriously, it was a 'Screamadelica' one !! When I told them they could have the shirt off of my back for £100 they soon disappeared, or was it because I told them that my friend Pete from Desborough may be interested in taking them both for a top nite out atThe Con Club ???
The (Nick) Snow Patrol were next ... on the Big Stage !! A band on a roll - or was that one of Nick's roll ups ? - when we saw them at V a few years ago they had shown potential. Now 'The Final Straw' (or as Nick would put iy 'The Final Roll Up') has seen them hit the heights. Live they cut the mustard. They have fast songs, they have slow songs ... and they have 'Run'. An anthem if ever there was one ... As with Embrace, the boys seem to be struggling to believe how successful they are. 'Run' is a true arms in the air sing-a-long classic ! If they can produce a great next Album, then America could be there for the taking. 7.5/10.
Another 'Must See' were coming soon, but first it was The Zutons. For some reason, all dressed in Yellow boiler suits they started off OK, but then just went nowhere. A couple of songs were quite good ; including'Pressure Point', but my overall impression was that they were very average. 4/10.
Following The Zutons onto the N.M.E. Stage were The Scissor Sisters ! It was rammed full for the Festival band of '04. You can immediately see why they've been getting rave reviews. Full of energy, lots of bouncy songs, and great crowd interaction. 'Laura' sees a couple of their children joining them onstage, and 'Comfortably Numb' is excellent. The Sisters are yet another real V2004 high. 8/10.
Now, just Whatever Happened To Our Rock N Roll ??? Well, B.R.M.C. were up next, or were they ... My initial reaction was "This is a Jesus & Mary Chain Tribute band." Nothing wrong with that mind you !!
All dressed in pink (only joking, obviously it was black) The Rebels rock like there's no tomorrow. Dry ice wafts across the stage as the relentless beat continues. A hardcore of the crowd were really into it, whilst many appeared a bit bemused (much like Killing Joke at V2004).
I can see why people would hate them but me, hey - II'm a sucker for this sort of stuff ! Tracks from 'Take Them On On Your Own' mix with earlier tunes. Rather scarily at one point they do an acoustic number ...
B.R.M.C. - are they the Quo for a new generation ?? I'll give them 7.5/10.
Following up on the N.M.E. stage were Starsailor. Time for a move then ... Much as I would have loved to see The strokes (who were headlining the Main Stage), my heart bleeds when it comes to Primal Scream. Bobby G & the gang were finishing it all off in the Dance Tent.
First up, however, were Groove Armada. As ever one of the joys of V - apart from the vodka & pineapple megamixes ... - is that you see bands that you normally wouldn't go anywhere near ! The Armada pulled a full house, and were great. Their bouncy numbers had sweat dripping from the roof. I recognised a couple, and the highlight was 'I Can See You Baby, Shaking An Ass'. Superbly entertaining. 7.5/10.
For some reason - are these youngsters MAD ?!? - lots of punters vacated the Tent at the end of Groove. Some did come in - many of whom seemed to be wearing either Screamadelica or Mother**cker T-Shirts - and they witnessed a blistering set from the band who STILL for me set the benchmark when it comes to rock/dance crossover.
I was pretty much at the front, had consumed a vast quanity of vodka ; the only downer was Kate Moss was nowhere to be seen ... Recent tracks mixed with Scream classics such as 'Rocks' and 'Movin On Up' - all sounding fresh and vibrant. When 'Shoot Speed Kill Light' kicks in it nearly takes the roof off. Indeed it's fair to say - to use a cliche - V2004 ended with everyone truly having it large in the Dance Tent !! Mani just couldn't keep the grin from his face ; he's really found a home here, as has Kevin 'My Bloody Valentine' Shields. The scream machine shows no sign of going off of the rails. Another All-Time Top V performance for me ! 9.5/10.
So endeth my 7th V (yes, somehow I managed to miss the first 2 ...). It was as good as ever. Such a great mixture of bands, bits & bobs, and vodka. Next year is the 10th V. Surely a classic is in store for us ; wouldn't it be brilliant if The Dandy warhols were there !!!!!
A.W.
THE DAMNED.
Roadmenders, Northampton. 19 Dec. '03.
Was it really 27 years ago that The Damned released the first 'Punk' single ?? >From the original line-up Dave Vanian and The Captain remain. They've split up on a few occasions, but are now back on the road again and pulling in the punters. It was a packed Roadmenders (including both the young and the not so young ...) that witnessed this great show.
I've seen them a couple of times many years ago, but this was the best they've been. Patricia (ex Sisters) Morrison looks like the years have caught up with her a bit (perhaps it's the vampire lifestyle) but Mr Sensible looks exactly the same as 15 years ago !
The set is packed with highlights. Early on 'I Just Can't Be Happy Today' (dedicated to Saddam Hussein) and 'Wait For The Blackout' stand out. The pace is unrelenting and never sags. 'Neat Neat Neat' is elongated and includes a mid-song run through The Doors classic 'Break On Through'. Even 'The History Of The World' gets an airing.
There's lots of 'verbal exchanges' between the crowd and The Captain - and a manic keyboard player who spends most of his time jumping up and down. The encores don't let us down ; 'New Rose' is greeted like the legendary song it is, 'Love Song' brings the house (of jealous lovers) down, and 'Elouise' sounds as good as ever. The whole shebang is rounded off with a storming 'Smash It Up'.
A truly memorable night. All the classics were played, and the others were great. You just can't beat the old bands ... 3 of my best gigs this year have been these guys, Echo & The Bunnymen and The Inspirals !! The Damned would appear to be like a vintage wine - getting better with age. Final damnation indeed !
A.W.
PRIMAL SCREAM.
Birmingham Academy. (20 Jan. '04).
With an audible roar of delight the Scream Team swagger on stage. Bassist Mani wears his usual impish grin and does his best to wind up the already firey masses. Charging straight into 'Accelerator' a kaleidoscope of light frames the band in all of their glory.
Clearly revelling in their receptive audience Bobby and his hardened cohorts play with real vigour and throw their all into the occasion. They have a relaxed assurance that comes with a band of this experience.
'Kill All Hippies' - with a purple haze of light - sends things into overdrive. The rock n roll stomp that is 'Rocks' gets everyone singing along in fine style. From there on in it's classic after classic ; 'Moving On Up' is a song that just gets better as the years go by !
An electrifying encore of 'Loaded', and then it's a cover of the Johnny Thunders classic 'Born To Lose' to round things off in a way only Primal Scream know how !
The Primals remain one of the most innovative, exciting bands out there. Live they kick it with the very best of them. They're STILL the past, present and future of rock n roll.
A.W.
THE DANDY WARHOLS.
Brixton Academy (22 May '03).
1950's bikini babes rip themselves out of their clothes on the backdrop. The Last Of The Punk Mohican Duuuuudes stands topless centre stage, whispering and hissing and battering dark satanic throbs out of electronic pads like he's leading a drum workshop in the Glastonbury Green Fields In Hell. The keyboardist has turned into her from The B52s if she didn't wash for a month.
The noise is dragging the Academy on it's knees through an electronic Sodom ; it's dark and sticky in this Monkey House, and there's blood on the walls !!
Courtney strums an acoustic 'Everyday Should Be A Holiday' like a heartbroken hobo and the mood utterly flips. It's exhilerating what this band can actually do. the Standard Gig Rulebook is skinned up and chuffed tonight. They play 2 sets of 80 minutes apiece, with a 10 minute spliff break, and hey - if it wasn't for the curfew they'd play until .....
The Warhols knock out 'Cool As Kim Deal', 'Hard On For Jesus', play killer new single 'We Used To Be Friends' very early, and end with a 10 minute Velvets take on 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out'.
There are simply no rules any more ; why limit yourself ?
They also stuff tonight's gig with the Big Pop Hits ; 'Bohemian Like You', 'Get Off', 'Junkie'. The Dandy Warhols are the coolest of the cool, they're a lifestyle, not just a band ! An intoxicating and unpredictable bunch, but an incredible band to be into (and doubtless even more incredible to actually BE IN !!).
Could you survive a month touring with The Warhols ?? Well, it'd be a great month !!!!!!
A.W.V2003.
For once there were no hitches either getting in or pitching the tent. 'V Virgins' Graham 'D.V.' Rogerson and Zelda were able to enjoy some sunshine before we all made our way to the Main Stage for ... Echo and the Bunnymen.
1.20pm and V was on fire ! Ian McCulloch has always been a Rock n Roll Star, probably even when he was at Nursery School ... Wearing the obligatory shades, he seemed full of vigour. This was 45 minutes of pure pleasure. A non-stop run through classic song after classic song. The Bunnymen were inspired.
Did Ian introduce 'The Killing Moon' as "The greatest song ever written" or "The greatest song I've ever written" ? Will we ever know ?? 'The Back Of Love', Nothing Lasts Forever', 'The Cutter', ... oh yes, they all got an airing.
This was truly one of the All-Time V performances. To top it all off I had my face blazed up on the big screens as the video cameras surfed the crowd for 'young handsome faces' (sic).
9.5/10.
Well - after that it could only be The Basement and The Bees ... I really can't remember much about either of them other than they seemed pretty average in an indie-ish way.
A big clash (should I stay or should I go ?) came next. The Hives or Killing Joke. Well, only one winner there. The first dry ice of the day floated over the N.M.E. stage as The Joke emerged to the menace that remains 'Requeim'. Is Jaz Coleman really mad, or is it all an act (bearing in mind when his band were at their peak, he went off to Iceland for a year to escape the forthcoming apocylopyse ...). Killing Joke can still cut through the crap and deliver the goods.
"There's going to be a lot of wars in 2004 - this is 'The Wardance' bellowed our leader. The Jokers pulled in the largest backstage audience of the entire weekend ; were they under Jaz's spell ? A hardcore of the over 30's in the crowd raised their arms in all of the right places and shouted along ; "I can see tomorrow clearer than today, see the pandemonium." Inevietably their biggest hit - 'Love Like Blood' - didn't get played.
Killing Joke are back. If u loved them the first time round you will still love them now.
8/10.
Kelly Osbourne had pulled out of her scheduled performance - and there was a rumour circulating that The Kings (Of Leon) were replacing her. Zelda was VERY disappointed to find out that - like most Festival rumours (eg. That Ragga & Jammy are nice quiet Northerners who like to go to bed early) it was untrue.
Over the years Sarah and I have enjoyed many moments in the Dance Tent. Our only visit today took in Goldfrapp. The outfit worn by singer Alison will long remain in the memory ; all long leather boots with short skirt. The band sounded pretty good too !! Lots of 80's influenced Human League-ish electronica. 'Strict Machine' rolls along and is a Def. Top 5 Single Of The Year contender.
6.5/10 (9 for the boots).
We got back to the by now very packed Main Stage just as The Foo Fighters were finishing off. Next up were headliners Coldplay. These guys have had a massive 12 months, and most of the crowd seemed to know the words to every single song !
They fall into the category of band that I quite like, but who don't totally grab me. They are enjoyable, put on a good show and played the hits. 'In My Place' and 'Yellow' were outstanding. Coldplay have hit that 'middle crossover' market where u just sell millions and millions of albums (not a bad place to be ...). I'm glad I saw them at V 2003, but will almost certainly never see them again.
7/10.
We got a pretty good sleep on Saturday nite (where were Jammy & Ragga ??) and were ready for another brilliantly sunny day on Sunday.
Things got off to an interesting start. I was sitting outside of the tent listening to one of my (many, many) compilaton tapes when a 'young lady' from the tent nearby asked if the track playing was The Charlatans. In actual fact it was Fools Gold, but an easy mistake to make by someone so young ... After complementing me on my tape making prowess the Kate Moss look-a-like disappeared forever !
Early doors today were The Zutons followed by The stands. Much as yesterday with The Bees and The Basement these bands were reasonable without grabbing you in a Jaz Coleman-ish way. There was nothing for it - it was time for some 'Moo-ing !'
The Inspiral Carpets were TRULY inspiring. They rocked the Main Stage. Looking like they couldn't quite believe they were playing to such a big crowd, the boys stormed along. 'This Is How It Feels' was classic, and 'Dragging Me Down' brought things to a rousing conclusion. We were jumping and shouting along near the front. The 3rd best Madchester band have never sounded better ! (All we need now is for a Northside revival ...).
8.5/10.
I always remembered Shack as being Punk/Funk. Well, they were very mellow today - far too mellow in fact. Not as good as I'd expected, a Houllier-ish 5/10 for them (all Midfield and too much passing going nowhere !).
We left Shack before the end in order to catch PJ Harvey. PJ was respledent in micro-short white skirt and black boots (is there a black boot theme going on here ??). She and her band powered along in fine style. A few classic oldies interspersed with a couple of new tunes. Her voice sounded very strong.
6.5/10.
The legend that is Evan Dando was next up, and our man Graham managed to speak to him. After a few "Where's Ray" shouts DV's next call was greeted by a "Thank You" from the former Lemonheads frontman (obviously Graham wasn't refering to The Part-Time Football Genius Raymondo Elliott ...). Hey - that's rock n roll. Despite no old 'Heads songs being played, Evan gave a good gig. He was rocking (man). The crowd seemed happy enough with his showing (at least he didn't fall over !).
6.5/10.
The frenetic activity continued with a worryingly cowboy hatted Tim burgess. Bereft of his fellow Charlatans, Tim cut a most obscure figure. After 2 country tinged efforts, everyone was desperate for him to play at least one they knew (or even the only one I know ...). We gave up on him pretty quickly ; apparently rather incredibly he finished with a reggae number ! I can only give poor old Tim 1.5/10.
We had to now prepare ourselves (again) for the future of Rock. Yes - for some reason we were giving The Coral another chance ... Well - I thought they were a better bet than David 'One Classic And The Rest' Gray over on the big stage. Without doubt THe Coral were a vast improvement on last year. the singles were superb - 'Pass It On', 'Dreaming Of You' and a truly spaced out 'Goodbye'. Some of the others were just average. I still have to say ; The Coral - don't believe the hype !
6/10.
By this time every festival goer and his dog were heading for The Chili Peppers. We visited the loo and went back to our favourite NME Stage for Underworld. We were quite near to the front, and able to really get into the dance/trance sounds and mega lightshow. Swathes of green light engulfed the stage and fitted perfectly to the beat. Underworld involved the crowd and were excellent ; better than my expectations. Inevitably 'Born Slippy' was a highlight - an anthem for a generation (be that one younger than mine !). "Lager,lager,lager" ; just why anyone would write a song about Trev 'Ceefax' Neal is beyond me ... Underworld remain one of the very best of their genre. This was a great way to end yet another top V Weekender !!
7.5/10.
V2003 had great weather, one of my ALL TIME classic V performances, my first time being up on the screens and I had an amazing struggle late on Sunday nite to buy a T-Shirt from a Seller who was totally out of it and who informed me that "Selling T-Shirts isn't a glamorous job you know .."
Roll on next year ; my prediction at this moment re headliners would be Travis and The Strokes. Now that would be a good start to the line-up ...
A.W.
U2 - A TRIBUTE.
If I had to nominate my favourite band of All-Time it would have to be U2. Bono, Larry Mullen Jnr, Adam Clayton and The Edge ; they grew up living near to each other in Dublin - and probably now own half of the city !! Bristling with hope and energy from the start, they built up a reputation from their live shows.
It was after playing a gig at Dublin's Project Arts Centre on 25th May '78 that Paul McGuinness added U2 to the roster of bands he managed (what a good signing that was ...). Over the years he has become known as 'the 5th member' of the band. The early promise shown on 'Boy' and 'October' was perfectly captured on the seminal live album recorded at Red Rocks. Constant touring of America paid dividends in spades.
I first saw U2 at Hammersmith Palais on 22nd March '83 and they were superb ; as they've been on the 2 other occasions I've managed to catch them. Their growing maturity shone through on albums such as 'The Unforgettable Fire' and - probably best of all - 'The Joshua Tree'. U2 ended the 80's on stage at The Point, Dublin. On the last night of the decade Bono stated to the audience that "we've got to go away and dream it all up again." Some took this to mean that they were splitting up.
In reality it meant a break to recharge the batteries - then a return with a new direction. The result was 'Achtung Baby'. This was an album which had it's critics when released, but it's a record that has more than stood the test of time and is up there with the bands best work. The Zoo TV spectacular followed ; a Multi-Media live show that set new standards for 'Stadium Rock'. This period is superbly covered by Bill Flanagan in his book 'U2 At The End Of The World'. The madness of being part of the biggest band on the planet during a never-ending 2 year tour. How the end of history looked from inside the private jet of U2 !!
Throughout it all the line-up has remained the same (even if The Edge has worn countless dodge hats over the years ...). Bono has put boundless energy into causes such as 'Drop The Debt' and along the way met Presidents and The Pope. Just when many were doubting them, U2 returned with the stunning 'All That You Can't Leave Behind' album and compelling 'back to basics' Elevation tour. They truly reclaimed their title as the Best Band in the World (even the N.M.E. gave them their 'Godlike Genius' Award !).
How many bands have EVER produced so many great albums and songs over such a long period ?? The 'one LP and split' idea was never on U2's agenda. They've recorded at least 3 - and possibly 4 or 5 - All-Time Classic Albums ... and they're not finished yet. U2 - respect is due.
U2 ALBUMS.
Boy ('80)
October ('81)
War ('83)
Under A Blood Red Sky ('83)
The Unforgettable Fire ('84)
Wide Awake In America ('85)
The Joshua Tree ('87)
Rattle And Hum ('88)
Achtung Baby ('91)
Zooropa ('93)
Pop ('97)
All That You Can't Leave Behind ('00)
My Personal Top 5 U2 Songs.
(In no particular order).
Pride.
New Years Day.
Bad.
With Or Without You.
Beautiful Day.
MOBY. Wembley Arena. (28 Nov. '02)
Venues like this aren't really my bag ; give me The Charlotte any day ... but, you just don't get Mr Moby playing there these days !
I'd only been 3 times previously to Wembley Arena, to see U2 and The Sisters Of Mercy (twice). Tonight lived up to how good those gigs were. In fact the last time I was at Wembley was to see the Mighty Reds (Kettering, not Man.U.) play in the F.A. Trophy Final.
You get no idea from the 'Play' album just how varied Moby's music is. He's been around a long while, and always states that punk was one of his big influences.
In the live setting he manages to gell everything together superbly ; ranging from the beautiful 'Why Does My Heart Feel So Bad' to donning a wig for a 2 minute heavy metal guitar solo ! He even covers the Iggy classic 'Now I Wanna Be Your Dog'.
The light show is excellent, as are the band. Moby sings on some songs, and generally has a great time racing around as well as playing keyboards. 'Go' is techno at it's best ("Techno with tunes" to quote Andrew Eldritch) and 'We Are All Made Of Stars' is reminiscent of Heroes-era Bowie ; never a bad thing ...
'Swarmy' Moby likes to chat between songs, telling one story of how a few years ago they played a massive hall - and only a dozen people turned up. No such problem nowadays !
He's on a massive tour, but what shines through is Moby's enthusiasm and love of what he's doing. If you get the chance to see Moby play, then just go. A brilliant evening. A.W.
V 2002.
Chelmsford. 17 & 18 Aug.
The Manics might have stolen the sun from my heart, but it shone relentlessly for this glorious weekend. Things got off to a very bad start however. I managed to miss the turn off for Chelmsford, resulting in a quick detour along the M25. Some jobsworth then wouldn't let us into Hylands Park, meaning another short extension to our journey ! Whatever ... Once in, some of the tent pegs mysteriously disappeared. It was starting to look a bit worrying until a kindly neighbour intervened and lent us a few of his spares. Thank you very much baby !
This was BEFORE we'd cracked open the vodka and pineapple ...
A quick snifter settled the nerves, and it was off to the NME (Noisy Musical Experiments) stage for The Burn. Now, these guys really are the future of rock and roll ; well, not really but I thought that statement might make you sit up and take notice. Anyway, I don't think that they've had a NME front cover yet - so they can't possibly be T.F.O.R.A.R. can they ?!? (or even leading lights of T.N.R.R.). What they were is a very average rock band. 4.5/10.
Next up was a trip to the Main Stage for The Bluetones. They had quite a few big hits didn't they ... well, I can remember 'Bluetonic'. Obviously the band couldn't recall any either as a totally dreary set went down like Michael Owen in the box. They were dire. 1.5/10 (and the 1 is for the singers shirt !).
Back in the late 70's and early 80's I Don't Wanna Go To Chelsea (or Millwall come to that) was a thought that regularly ran through many a football fans mind. Elvis isn't dead ; he's alive and kicking. Mr Costello got the crowd moving (and not to the loos or bar) with a few old classics and some spicy newer material. Probably the pick was a charged 'Pump It Up'. 6.5/10.
Feeling on a roll now, the first visit of the weekend to the Dance Tent beckoned. We arrived just in time to see McAlmont and Butler perform the mighty 'Yes'. What a great song ... the tent was bouncing and everyone was having it large. 7/10 (for that song alone).
After a short interlude the stage was graced by The Stereo MC's. Legends in their own minds, this bunch took even longer than The Stone(d) Roses to record a follow up album ! Was it worth the wait ? Almost certainly not - but that doesn't stop them producing a vintage performance. Inevitably 'Connected', 'Step It Up' and 'Deep Down And Dirty' were the boss tunes. The crowd lapped it up (a bit like Gazza does when he spills his pint ...). Superb. 8/10.
A man not particularly known for his dancing was next ; Paul Heaton. The sound was just like ... The Beautiful South (a band who could never claim to have been called T.F.O.R.A.R. !!). He was very enjoyable and the set climaxed with the most incredible cover of 'You're The One That I Want' that could ever have been played ! 6/10.
Alanis Morrisette was by now rawking the Main Stage. Dressed in pure Rock Chic garb (nothing wrong with that ...) with hair down to her waist (or that ...) she belted out the hits. Well, you oughta know ! Much better than I'd anticipated, it's amazing just how many of her songs you know. One of the best opening lines ever to a song surely has to be 'Gotta get off of these Anti-Biotics'. Dashing around the stage like Paul Gascoigne on his way to the bar, Alanis put on a very good show. 7/10.
It was time for the spaceship to land, or was it a giant bathtub ?? Oh, it's The Chemical Brothers ... I have to say (well, I don't have to but I'm going to) that this was one of the very, very rare occasions when I've seen a band that I really like and it's been a let down. Somehow things just didn't take off. There was no attempt at any communication with the audience at all ; occasionally Ed or Tom (not Campbell) would emerge from behind their Control Zone and raise their arms in the air ... like, wow maan ! 'Songs' just merged into one - even the epic 'Hey Boy Hey Girl' didn't stand out. I was very disappointed by them. Pour yourself a double vodka, borrow The Dav's Disco Lights, put on 'Surrender', put off your lights, sit back on the sofa and enjoy ! Just don't go and see them live at a massive outdoor gig. 4/10.
Sunday morning, let's the dawn in (as Nico once 'sang' ; how did she know that's when The Dav's missus gets home after a heavy nite out ??). Here Sunday morning means burgers a-go-go. A bacon bap (more bap than bacon) is the order of the day. It's (almost) worth the queue and excessive price just to see how hot and sweaty the chaps serving them look (a bit like Paul Merson when his horse falls at the last ..).
Brunch and Asti do the job, as did The Cresent. An 'up and coming' (sic) Liverpool band with lots of potential (well ; that's more than you can say about 80% of Gerrard Houliers signings) they played a tight, boppy 35 minutes that got the day off to a cracking start. (Incidentally, apparently one of their videos featured Steve Gerrard ; just what did Jennifer Ellison ever see in him. It wasn't his stunning good looks surely. Rumours are unconfirmed that when this finished she went out for a while with Luke Chadwick ... Just e-mail me Jennifer !). 7/10 (Jennifer gets 9/10 !).
Why would anyone call themselves The Donnas ?? God knows ! The jokes are so easy that I won't bother ... but I'm sure they're better after 5 or 6 pints of lager (Paul Gascoigne certainly thinks so). These were a fine bunch of girls who would certainly cost you more than £3.45 to take-away. Good stuff. 6/10.
Now it REALLY was time for T.F.O.R.A.R. - but we had to make do with The Coral. 'Don't Believe The Hype' Public Enemy once said. The Cope-ish single 'Goodbye' is superb and by far their outstanding tune .. in fact they could do with a few more tunes ! The singer looks like he's just left school. Sarah was sure that Badly Drawn Boy (or Mr Boy to his friends) was one of their roadies, but I wasn't convinced. 4/10.
Over the next 3 or so hours was one of the great V 'runs' (and not in a bad toilet type way) ... ... the Dance Tent called again. Royksoop (I hope that's splet right) were banging. They were bright, enthusiastic and loud. Lots of dancy numbers. 7.5/10.
Lamb followed and were equally as good (it'd be a mouthwatering gig if they played with The Donnas). The female singer has an excellent voice and once again the packed crowd responded really well. 7.5/10.
It takes something very special to get me to miss Primal Scream (the past, present AND future of rock and roll) but Soft Cell ... hey ! To quote the mighty Andrew Eldritch 'I've got nothing to say I haven't said before' about them. They are just brilliant. A couple of new songs (sounding very good) mix in with classics such as 'Sex Dwarf' ('I would like you on a long black lead, you could bring me all of the things I need'... why am I now having flashbacks about Jennifer Ellison I wonder ??), 'Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go' and 'Say Hello Wave Goodbye'. Marc as ever is loving it. The arena is on fire !! 9.5/10.
A quick wander over to the NME Stage for the climax to the whole weekend ; BASEMENT JAXX. It was like sardines at the front, and pretty packed in the middle where we were. These guys were everything The Chems weren't. A great show, different vocalists, dancers, communication. Right from when they came on to the end everyone was jumping around (band and crowd). The highlight of V2002 for me had to be however many thousand people all shouting 'Where's Your Head At' !!! That's one of the best tunes of recent years, no doubt about it. What a song ! A brilliant end to yet another fantastic v-Weekender. 9.5/10.
We'll be back again next year. Let's keep our fingers crossed that it's truly the best rock band out there (no, of course I'm not talking about Radiohead) - THE DANDY WARHOLS - gracing V 2003 with their presence ...
A.W.
MANIC STREET PREACHERS.
Nottingham Arena, 11 Dec. '02.
"Our romance is having total power because we know we have nothing to lose. We're secure in the knowledge that we already lost a long time ago."
No, this isn't a quote from Kettering Town's Manager, but from The Manic Street Preachers ! Many a word has been written about this band ; early controversy, Richey's problems and disappearance, Billy Bragg and the toilets ... but amidst it all what's often forgotten is that The Manics are a great band with many incredibly insightful, well written songs.
I first saw them in the 'Richey era' (at Leicester Uni 26 Jan. '94) and thought they were at best average. This was the 4th time I've seen them - and they've developed a superb live show. Full of energy, angst and even homour !
The crowd is a real mixture ; pink boas and home made shirts worn by (presumably) long-term fans mix with those who probably got into the band around the time of 'Everything Must Go'.
An almighty roar greets the opening chords of the first song ; 'Motorcycle Emptiness'. What a classic that is. The pace is unrelenting as hit follows hit follows hit. Early material such as 'You Love Us' mixes seamlessly with the brand new ; 'Grace Of God'.
Nicky Wire wears his best gardening hat for a while whilst James Dean Bradfield's voice sounds every bit as good in the flesh as on record (or should that be CD ?).
They play their only UK No. 1 single 'Suicide Is Painless midway through, and 'If You Tolerate This' is always one of my personal favourites. One song is dedicated to 'Richey and the edwards family'.
'Everything Must Go' rocks along and the gig is brought to an almighty climax with surely one of the best songs of the last 20 years ; 'Design For Life' .... "Libraries Gave Us Power"
The raptuous applause is warmly received by the band, who seem genuinely pleased and excited to be up there on stage.
The Manics have been through more than most bands, and come out the other side. Manic Street Preachers - Just Stay Beautiful !!
A.W.
STIFF LITTLE FINGERS.STIFF LITTLE FINGERS.
The Charlotte, Leicester.
(21 Nov. '01).
Nights like this make you realise that there is still GREAT rock music being played out there - and when performed with enthusiasm, power and energy it can be one of the best things in the world.
I first saw SLF at Cambridge Corn Exchange in '78, and have seen them many times since.
Tonight was one of the best - they were quite simply MAGNIFICENT.
The awesome set-list says it all !!Roots, Radicals, Rockers and Reggae
Nobody's Heroes
Get A Life
High And Low
Silver Lining
Hope Street
No Surrender
Doesn't Make It Alright
I Believe In The Power Of Guitar And Drum
Long Way To Paradise
Bits Of Kids
Wasted Life
Fly The Flag
Tin Soldiers
------------------
Alternative Ulster
At The Edge
Suspect DeviceApparently they're doing a '25th Anniversary Tour' in March '02 ...now that should REALLY be worth seeing !
'THE ELECTRONIC GODS OF ROCK N ROLL'
SIGUE SIGUE SPUTNIK. The Charlotte, Leicester. 10 October '01.
Who'd have thought it ?? If ever a band would shine brightly for a couple of singles, then burn out ; surely it was this lot ! No front covers now, but 'old pineapple head' and the gang are still out there - and rocking.
Through the dry ice haze emerge ; Tony James looking EXACTLY as he did all of those years ago ; off the shoulder SSS T-Shirt, shades and hair. Martin Degville seeming even more ridiculous than ever (is that possible ??), with what appears to be a birds nest on the top of his head. Neal X wearing a cowboy hat and smoking a massive cigar. A 'woman with purple hair' on 'keyboards'.
Sputnik always claimed that they were ahead of their time, and as the set moves forward it's easy to see what they meant. Those repetitive, hypnotic type beats - 'Techno With Tunes' indeed !
Degville is overshadowed by Neal, who is the true star of the show. Mr X plays guitar (properly) and gives good chat. The last time I saw him live was in slightly different circumstances ; he appeared with Marc Almond at Leicester Cathedral. True versatility...
SSS preen, pose and rock out (maan). Tony James utters not a word, but occasionally a wry smile crosses his Cyberpunk lips. The songs are a mixture of old, which stand the test of time well, and new. Standouts include 'Everybody Loves U', 'Jayne Mansfield' and 'Rockit Miss USA'.
Of course it's 'Love Missile' (10 years from now this will be considered a Classic) that is the highest of the many high spots. Mid-way through, Neal takes centre stage for a few verses of 'Sympathy For The Devil' (or was it Sympathy For Tony James ??).
Mr J has been there (Generation X), done it (The Sisters), and got the T-Shirt (Sputnik). History will prove him right ....
Link ; www.sputnikworld.com
V2001.
CHELMSFORD.
18/19 AUGUST.The 3rd weekend of August, and all roads lead to Chelmsford. It's amazing how quickly a year goes by ...
The (new) tent was quickly assembled (amazingly no bits had yet got lost)
and it was then time to plan ahead.
The big question was ; would we manage to get in for Kylie ??The sun shone as we saw The Snow Patrol (apparently not named after Nick
& his family out on a shopping trip !) kick things off on the 2nd stage. An Irish
band with good between song banter (always a bonus), they were fairly
impressive.Mid-afternoon and a trip to the Dance Tent beckoned for Big Dog, the group
formed by ex Black Grape rapper Kermit. Their brand of dance-rock crossover
was pretty enjoyable.Embrace had just got going on the Main Stage. A band I've always fancied
seeing, they didn't let me down. The crowd responded well to them, and a
mixture of old and new material was rounded off with current single 'Wonder'.Still the sun was shining, and Wheatus proved to be a lot better than I'd
thought they may be. 'Respect' was superb and got everyone singing along.
The conclusion was reached with a mammoth rendition of 'Teenage Dirtbag'
which involved 15 or so of the crowd + half of Spooks ending up on stage -
and much jumping up and down !!
Next on Stage 2 were the one and only Shed 7 ; true heroes/survivors !
It also has to be said that Rick Witters looks don't improve with age ...
They've been around long enough to know that you can play a couple of
newies, but it's the classics that a festival crowd wants to hear !
'On Standby', 'Going For Gold', and 'Getting Better' all received rapturous
acclaim - despite the fact that the heavens had now opened and it was
absolutely chucking it down.
Was it with a certain irony that the last song was 'Chasing Rainbows' ??
The Sheds were as good as ever, and a definate highlight.It was now time to move back to the Dance Tent - a thought that seemed to
have also crossed many thousands of others minds !!
The rain poured down as it proved impossible to get into the 2,000 capacity
arena (had Kylie have known that someone with such an incredibly
psychedelic shirt on - it drew at least half a dozen 'good shirt' comments on
Saturday - was outside I'm sure she'd have insisted he be allowed in, but ... I
should be so lucky !).Totally drenched, sanctuary was found in the (still dry inside) new tent ...
No Northerners shouting out all night this year, but when Sarah went to the
loos (Motto ; don't look down) at approx. 2am she saw the (not pretty) sight of
a naked 20-something chap doing Star Jumps on the path !!Sunday morning, and it was still a downpour. Prospects looked a bit grey ...
a trip to the car for dry clothes and ... it stopped raining !Powderfinger (I'd never heard of them) were first up, and they were excellent.
Rock with a few catchy tunes. Considering it was early they went down very
well.I was looking forward to (at last) seeing Idlewild, and they didn't disappoint.
They have lots of excellent songs and played many of them. 'These Wooden
Ideas' and 'Little Discourage' particularly stood out (if you like what you've
heard of them then it's well worth getting the debut LP).
The set sped by, and if their next album is as good as the first, I think it could
well take them into the 'big' league.Ex Crowded House stalwart Neil Finn continued the very enjoyable Sunday
afternoon on the Main Stage.
Plenty of patter and ear-friendly songs. Mainly his solo material with a couple
of 'golden oldies' thrown in - inevitably it was 'Take The Weather' that received
the most acclaim.
This was apparently the last gig of his World Tour, and he looked like he was
having a good time. Another who was better than I'd expected.Now it was time for Placebo, and they drew a large crowd. Opening with the
excellent 'Taste In Men' they had lots of people jumping around.
'Every You, Every Me' was a high spot and the most of the punters seemed to
really enjoy the set.
Sarah's not over-gone on his voice, and I agree with this. It's a bit of a
whimper when what you need is an Eldritch-esque deepness !!
'Pure Morning' (apparently a song about gardening ; "A friend in need is a
friend indeed, but a friend with weeds is a friend whos better") wrapped it up
in some style. I thought they were pretty entertaining.Over to the Dance Tent, and having queued for only a fairly short time we got
in just after Tricky had started.
Tricky were superb - lots of crunching guitars and dancy epics (apparently an
ex-Mission guitarist is playing with them at present ; good bit of useless trivia
for you there !). Within this dark, enclosed area they really hit the spot and you
could get lost in the music.
Definately a band to look out for in Kettering library in the future ...Soon after this Grandaddy (what a terrible name) were on.
These too were very good indeed. Guitar based rock (? some that sounded
slightly REM-ish ?) with a couple of longish almost Pink Floyd type tracks
towards the end.
They made good use of visuals, with a screen behind them having images
projected onto it.
Again the crowd gave them a positive response.
(Ian getting prepared to come on stage !)
The tent was now full of "Ian Brown, Ian Brown" and "Monkey,Monkey"
chanting.
The ex Stone Roses frontman was headlining, and anticipation was high as
the lights dimmed.
The first surprise was when he appeared riding a Chopper bike ! After some
time of riding it around the stage, he (rather reluctantly) parked it by the drums
and started the set.
New song followed new song, all sounding very similar and lacking any real
spark, tune or vitality. They sounded a bit of a drone !
At regular intervals Ian would berate the sound people and with one song he
started it and then stopped 2 or 3 times.
'My Star' was well received, but little else that the crowd recognised was
played.
Mr Brown was making a mightily odd "trill,trill" type noise both between songs
and during them !! He would also occasionally have a quick ride on his
chopper bike ..The crowd excitement waned considerably as things unfolded.
One song seemed to consist purely of the lyric 'Too much cocaine going
round my brain' - did he write this one whilst waiting to come on ?!?
He still got a fair reception, but by playing a few more from the superb 'Golden
Greats' album he would have had the place totally jumping (see my review
from Roadmenders, Northampton 2000 elsewhere on Arts & Leisure Page).Perhaps Ian Brown and the England Cricket Team have a lot in common ; you
never quite know what sort of performance you're going to get from them !!To top things off, as an encore 2 songs, 'Fear' and 'My Star', that had already
been played were given a reprise !
A lot of the audience were bemused by the whole thing.
All in all, a most odd showing ; has King Monkey finally gone nuts ??The weather on Sunday from lunchtime onwards had been amazingly good.
A great weekend ; the good, the bad and the ugly (just the latter 2 apply to Ian
Brown - although in a way his performance was so bizarre that looking back
with hindsight it was certainly 'an experience').
Even the Sunday midnight fish and chips were tasty. Just avoid the loos as
much as you can ......
MILTON KEYNES BOWL.
Sunday 22nd July '01.What is there to say that hasn't been said before ??
The hair, the charisma, all of those sing-a-long chorus' ... but that's enough
about Martin Fry and ABC !!
Good as they and Toploader were, there was no mistaking who the crowd
were here for.The Bowl was packed with young (and not so young) and nubile (and not so
nubile) ladies - all just waiting to scream "We Love You Robbie".The audience were a very mixed age range.
One rather grey haired lady near to us mid-afternoon was heard to be
expressing concern as to if her back would hold up for the day
. Another chap wearing an Australian Rugby shirt requested a swig of my drink
"to wash down my arthritus pills with" (you just don't get that sort of request at
a Primal Scream gig !) and someone even took pity on my thin frame and
gave me a box of chips - with sauce.Anticipation built as the PA boomed out 'Robbie will be on stage in 5 minutes'
then reached a frenzy as the man himself appeared, and the band kicked into
'Let Me Entertain You'.
What a start to the show. Robbie puts more energy and verve into that one
song than many people do a whole show (and that's no exageration !).For some reason (I wonder why ??) he didn't take long to remove his trousers
and throw them into the crowd. A good souvenir for someone ...Anthem followed anthem. I was glad to hear 'Old Before I Die' (the song that
got me into him a few years ago) and a punked-up version of 'Back For Good'
("I want to hear you all singing backing vocals on this - that's all they f***ing let
me do !) had everyone pogoing around.I would defy anyone with an interest in pop/rock/music to go and see this man
and come away being able to honestly say that they hadn't thoroughly
enjoyed it. He is a STAR.'She's The One' and 'No Regrets' were outstanding ; was anyone of the
60,000+ not singing to 'Angels' ??
The large video screens perfectly caught all of Robbie's poses, looks and
expressions.
Everything was spot-on ; including the 4 'exotic' dancers.The whole thing was rounded off with 'We Are The Champions'.
Robbie really has been there, done it all, come back, and done it all again !
He thanked the crowd many times during the performance, and the fact that
he's survived everything obviously only adds to his appeal.How does he 'come down' from a gig like that ?
God knows - but for many of us it was down to the (Milton Keynes) lake (I
fear) to try to find the car ...A.W.
RADIOHEAD RANT
What exactly is it about Radiohead that I hate ??I quite liked 'Pablo Honey', and 'Creep' is a classic. 'The Bends' and 'OK Computer' are both … OK … but … they're just SO … OVER - RATED !!
Now it's time for 'Kid A'.
The rather predictable 'hype by having no hype' .. no Single … touring in their own tent … oh, like WOW ! Just so revolutionary. They must really suffer for their Art, and mean it - Maan !
I've just heard a track from 'Kid A' on Radio 1 … and it just sounded AWFUL. What they need is a few good TUNES ! I'll bet that if this album had a 'Creep' on it, they'd have it straight out as a Single.
Who do they think they are - LED ZEP ?!?
If they're really 'Anti - Corporate' then why don't they leave their Record Company, and just listen to their own recordings in their bedrooms ??
Doubtless 'the Press' will rave over this latest piece of tosh that they've released and it will be Q's Album of the Year !!
Let's just hope and prey that the V 2001 Festival doesn't 'throw up' the nightmare duo of this lot and Gomez !!
Perhaps I'd better start my target practise now !!!
A.W.
P.S. As Radiohead are apparently avid Netheads - if any of them or their Management happen to see this … you could always send The K.W.F.F.L. the entire back catalogue of stuff on C.D. for me to review more thoroughly !! (I've also heard that CD's can be handy to use instead of Toasters !!).Apart from football, the other passion of many K.W.F.F.L. managers is their music. E-mail is with your opinions, views of records or bands you've seen...just how good are the Junket - will they really make it! ?? To get the ball rolling; Radiohead Vs The Manic's who do you prefer?? Are Radiohead Over-Rated?? The Bends v Everything must go OK Computer v This is our Truth. Don't sit on the fence let us know what you think... Is the new Kula Shaker album the biz, or a pile of 60's re-hash prog-rock crap??
"The Return of The Mac."
Echo and the Bunnymen, Rock City, Nottingham. April '99
How many times over the past 10 - 15 years have you been at home with 'The Back of Love' blasting out from one of your old compilation tapes, thinking to yourself; "just why didn't I ever go and see Echo and the Bunnymen??" Probably the ultimate early 80's student band, The Bunnymen disintigrated into two parts, Ian Mac went solo, then formed electrafixation - amazingly the rest continued for a while as...Echo and The Bunnymen. Thats a bit like Thursday night at the Market Tavern without the fat cornishman. Time - as they say - is a great healer (possibly more so than Eileen Drewery) and '97 saw the reformation and release of a corking album; Evergreen. There is always a fear when 'great' bands try to relive their past glories that the whole thing will be disappointing... but this certainly wasn't the case tonight. Opening with Lips Like Sugar,
