Archive for the ‘London’ Category
Daphne & Celeste/itoldyouiwouldeatyou – Boston Music Rooms (27 March 2018)
itoldyouiwouldeatyou are young. Tight as the proverbial. Bursting with energy. Playing their little hearts out. And, bloody awful. I guess that bands who ten years ago would sound like Radiohead now all sound like Arcade Fire. This lot manage to do so in such a fashion, that they succeed in denigrating from the source. Giving rise to the realisation that AF are just the canuk Deacon Blue.
Max Tundra is someone whose career I delve into from time to time. I’ve caught him live a few times where the lasting memory is my trousers flapping in the wind from the totally pumping bass. Daphne & Celeste are…well, Daphne & Celeste. Bizarrely, they’ve made an album together. Even more bizarrely (and following the it’ll-be-a-laugh ticket-buying for this launch gig), turns out it looks like it’s going to be damn good too.
And, a right rip-riot of joy it was too. No-one’s taking any of this too seriously. There’s balloons. Half-arsed dancing. (On and off-stage.) I hate the phrase “a lot of love in the room”, but it is so true. Plus, banging tunes. Seriously so. It’s kind of what those of us that believed in them back in the day really thought they were doing. (I only wish SWells was alive to have seen it.)
Right, now I’m ready for Shampoo Vs Bolt Thrower….
The Go! Team – Electric Ballroom (15 February 2018)
There’s a first time for everything. And this was gig-ruiningly poor sound at the usually excellent Electric Ballroom. Shame
King Kurt – The Underworld (27 January 2018)
Only ever seen King Kurt since they reformed (I was too young at the time, then too old). Tonight was the first with sax. It were grand. Can’t help wondering if they’re problematic
Glengarry Glen Ross – The Playhouse (18 December 2017)
I can’t decide if I don’t like David Mamet, or I’ve just never seen a really good production. There’s a style to the dialogue that I just don’t feel I’ve seen given a fair treatment. There’s a lot to commend in this one. And, enough pace and laughs to take you along quite happily. BUT. But, I feel like there’s something missing.
I can sit through all the heavily declamatory productions of Shakespeare you’d care to mention. Yet, still when a performance or take on it (like the recent Hamlet) brings it to life, I feel short-changed. That I’ve been making allowances for the age of the material. That it should still speak and not allow unnatural delivery as how it should be done.
And so, with dick-swinging-Dave. There’s a pace, a rhythm. I’m just not sure I’ve ever seen it. (Even on film. Maybe time to revisit this one’s movie version.)
John Cage’s “Indeterminacy” – Foyles (14 December 2018)
“The performance features Stewart Lee reading, Tania Chen and Steve Beresford on objects with Alan Tomlinson on trombone.” Did what it says on the tin [fin]
