20 posts tagged “music”
This weekend had been pretty much non-eventful. I averted the train crash that sounds like the night I nearly went out on with beev and his p-town cru. Having opted for a 'quiet one' I stayed in and caught up on some much needed zzzzz's. Saturday I full on wrecked myself by trying to make up for a week of not exercising and doing it all in one go. This was not the best decision I have made to be honest. I spent 2 hours working on my 'gunz' in the gym, came home and went for a bitchin run to the beach and back (30 mins), then spent the rest of the evening unable to move.
I finally managed to watch Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas for the first time ever. Fuckin A! Obviously, being of the demographic which I fall under, I have read the book..... but i have not seen the film (like so many other films I have not seen. I am not a film head. Music is my medium of choice... is music a medium? I rekon its a large...)
Anyway. Ace film. Laughed. Alot. LOL, LMAO etc. etc.
So, tonight, I had made plans with 3 people to hook up and go to a gig in town. But unfortunately, had to blow them all out.
Why?
Well.
Ash phones me at 7ish going... 'mate, what day is it?' and i'm like.... (in my head) no, your birthday has been... umm... she goes 'fuckin Atmosphere in Brizzle tonight innit!'...... double 'Doh!'. Brought tickets about a month ago and totally forgot it was 'appenin.
So, I gets my shit together, blow all 3 people out that I was supposed to hook up with (sorry Grace, Ellie and Gar). Razz round 'hers' and head off to Brizzle.
Atmosphere was ace. He has Flow, rhymz and sincerity in what he is spittin..... and he is hot..... loved it.
Mid way through the gig, I notice Ash getting chatted up by a blatant gay girl (facial piercings (many)... was in a camo tshirt with 'ladykiller' written on it.... short of wearing a flashing helmet of lights with 'I AM A GAY' on it, it was pretty obvious). So this girl quizzes Ash on where she hangs out (amongst many other inappropriate questions for an 'ummm i watchin a fuckin show here' chat). Ash tells her at gigs and that, and the girl goes 'with her?' gesturing in my general direction. So ash goes 'yeah'. So from that point on, me and ash were a couple. Turns out these girls (there was another, Chey and Tasha. Nice girls. Tasha was quite umm 'vocal', but generally quiet pleasant) were in need of a lift back to Newport. So me, being the nice girl that I am, said 'yeah why not'. So me and my girlfriend Ash gave them a lift home. How we laughed.
Nice to be gay for the evening. Nice to be accepted by other gays.
It was all ash's fault, but she said that it was my fault for looking like a gay with my haircut. This is either a diss or a compliment. I can't work out which.
I must be one hot gay to pull smash. I'll take it as a compliment :)
Anyway. its gone 2am. I need to go to bed. Not a great start to my working week. But tonight will keep me amused til atleast Wednesday I rekon.
t'is never dull i tell thee.....
Wow, I just realised how long it has been since I went to a gig. It would appear the last one was 'Vito' on the 29th may. I am disgusted. That is the longest I have gone without a gig all year.
Well, in an attempt to catch up on a quiet few weeks, this weekend I saw Truckers of Husk in Buffalo's (Friday). They were excellent despite being able to see fuck all due to the crap layout of the venue.
Walking home to Ash's I live streamed a video of our journey (and accompanying conversation/commentary) via qik.com. Due to the delay we had enough time to get home, fire up the computer and watch the tail end of our journey being played out over the internet. Amazing! We then watched it back in its entirety and decided, due to the nature of the content (our drunken conversation/ranting) it was not really fit for public consumption. So I have since taken it down.
As a result, Ash has promised me never EVER to do it again. Probably wise :)
Saturday was carnage. Soph wanted to have a 'blow out' in town. I was more than happy to accompany her. As was Ash, Gareth and eventually Ross, Neil and their crew. Walking home at 4am when its light is never a nice feeling. I always think of my brother at that time who is getting up to milk his cows.
In a real demonstration of stamina, I not only made it to the Darren Hayman instore in spillers (which I streamed live here), I also made it to his gig in the night. Both were ace.
During the afternoon we (ash, daf and me) hung out in the Muchen Du pub with 2 photographers called Joni and Maciej who me an Ash had met first at the ill fated 'Noels House party' a few months ago. You need to go and check out their photos. Especially Maciej's photos of Cardiff St. Mary Street on a Saturday night (which are here and particularly fantastic)
Was meant to go and see the grime king Wiley play at barfly tonight. Everyone has bailed (apart from Daf. Sorry Daf!). I was gonna go too, but fortuately I got stuck in a power nap that over ran. If I had gone, I know I woulda spent the rest of the week in a whole world of pain and regret. Good move to stay in. Lots to do this week.
I am off to catch up on some very much needed sleep now.
Last night I saw, what is really just my best mates' boyfriends' band. A band consisting of a man I have seen in his pants and some other assorted people I know pretty well. :)
But, regardless of the over familiarities, I can honestly say that Vito are one of my most favourite bands to see live. Breathtaking. They make you forget where you are. They were so good that I was frozen for some parts of their set and at one point my eyes actually got a bit damp. Absolutely awesome! Blew me away.
Every band should aspire to be this good.
If your remotely into the likes of Mogwai, Sigur Ros and Godspeed You! Black Emporer...... or if you just like good music in general.....you need to see this band.
I think last night took over from Efterklang as the best gig of the year for me so far.
Get over to their myspace, their new recorded stuff sounds pretty fine! Can't wait for their new album.
http://www.myspace.com/vitotheband
I am writing this, horizontally, on my laptop in bed. All is dark except for the comforting glow of the screen. All is quiet except for the beautiful album that i am not giving justice to by playing out through the shitty, tinny speakers that are located on my lap(top).
The album i currently have playing, which I am absolutely blown away by, is Neil Youngs 'Zuma'.
Wow. I have not given Neil Young the attention he deserves up until now. smAsh insisted I invested in some yesterday and recommended Zuma. Honestly has blown me away from the first listen. Its all ace. If your not familiar, try listening to Cortez The Killer here
Melodies and lyrics that turn your stomach inside out... and his vocals....well... no one needs an oik like me to confirm his ability on that score :-)
So, why am I in bed? Well, I have a raging cold. A cold which has, in no way, been helped by a marathon, and some might say a bit of a 'mental' trip to Oxford last night to see Saul Williams. Although, the pain I am suffering today has been totally outweighed by the fun levels reached last night. I would do it all again in a second.
Saul Williams is like some kinda messiah. His stage pressence is absolutley captivating. It was hard to take my eyes off him. When he 'rapped' to the tunes off his albums, he was immense, but when he just went solo with his poetry, it was almost spiritual :)
Although......... nothing tops the mosh pit insighted by Beev and Ben when they played his epic tune 'List of demands'. Me and smAsh launched ourselves in to it, failing around and ramming into people. Loved it. Then the crowd surfing followed... first Ben went up and over THREE TIMES in a row. I thought this was the funniest thing ever... until Ash decides to have a go... and that took over the mantel as the funneist thing EVER.... Legend!
The journey home was nearly as fun as the gig. Driving home via a not all together logical A road route, sitting behind a lorry for what seemed like hours in the rain. This didn't matter though, cos we had Ben DJing via his Zune, though my car stereo.
Singing along to Loves Forever Changes and dancing to the likes of The Rapture, LCD Soundsystem, Underworld and Orbital I am sure will forever remain a happy memory. As will the endless laughing in the service station.
Fun times, but boy was I glad to get back to cardiff in one piece. I had absolutely driven as much as was physically possible.
Big shout outs to smAsh, Beev and Ben. In the words of the late and fuckin awesome Arthur Lee - "I think people are the greatest fun"*
*currently half way thought Arthur Lees biog, it would appear that he didn't really think people were the greatest fun. He was more partial to heroin.
Andrew Hockey, Silver Spurs and The Ash and the Oak in 10ft Tall.
The Ash and the Oak = good. 2nd time I have seen them. Much improved. :)
Silver Spurs = good. Despite being without the use of Eli's arm. Its broken. They played a new song Ellie wrote. It was ace. http://www.myspace.com/silverspursmusic
Andrew Hockey = Good. Despite people talking during his set. Idiots. Would like to see him in a different venue. I liked his song Bunny Boiler Blues. Listen to it on his myspace http://www.myspace.com/andrewhockey
Hanging out in Spillers yesterday, I managed to spend an obscene amount of money on some new records.
These are what I brought:
My favorite tune though is 'Yesterday'. You need to listen to this if you have ever lost anyone. Makes me think of people who aren't here any more. Gives me goosebumps. Love it. Check it here
I brought Moby's new album....
I brought the new Booka Shade album
I also brought the new Portishead album
I have brought Dummy recently, and, after getting over the initial 'oooh its a bit coffee table', i'm beginning to 'get it' and understand what all the fuss is about.
I'm actually giving 'Third' its first listen now. Sounds fuckin ace. The tune on now is called 'The Rip'...... its beautiful. listen to it here
No, really listen to it, it is kickin off now with a beautiful synth sound at the end. Wow. Goosebumps. This is ace! Oh she has started singing again..... There is a good minute left of it too..... You need to hear this fo sho!
Other albums I have been listening to lots recently are these:
Been playing the Modeselektor album LOUD this afternoon. Found this amazing remix of The White Flash (feat. Thom Yorke) by Trentemoller. You gotta hear it.. Here
My head is confused. How do you deal with feeling excited, nervous, empathetic and concerned all at the same time?
Weird mix fo sho!
Last night, after loads of whoring herself around town promoting this night, it finally came. smAsh's gig of Sarabeth Tucek, Jacob Golden and The Gentle Good in Clwb. A beautiful sunday evening of music. The quietest gig I have been to for time (as in volume, not as in turn out... there was actually quite alot of people - well done smAsh!)!
SBT's album is ace, and her live set did it justice. I enjoyed Jacob Golden, even if some people thought he was lame. The Gentle Good (Gareth who plays with Ellie in Silver Spurs) was pretty fine. Really lovely songs and astounding guitar skills.
I took these photos. They need some Photoshopping to get to take the redness offa them, but I aint got time for that today.
Howlin Rain/Yellow Moon Band/Zumbar at Clwb.
Our mate Eli plays in Zumbar. They were ace. Yellow Moon Band (featuring Jo and Danny who put on the Green Man Festival) are proper good. Jo, the lady, she plays the guitar in a skirt. Girls playing guitar are ace. She looks cool. I want to be that cool. Maybe I will be that cool if I start playing the bass again. I was rubbish though. But I did look cool. All about the aesthetics.
I heard a line in a
Laurie Anderson song today which went "ethics is the aesthetics of the future"
I don't know what it means, but it is a wicked line!
Howlin Rain were awesome. Did one of the best cover versions I have heard for time. Can't remember for the life of me what it was....it was ace though....... i'll get back to you on that one.
Here is the Yellow Moon Band, complete with lady/guitar and double instrument action..
Here are Howlin Rain (featuring Grace on 'pint)
Here is Zumbar... look at Eli go! Rockin!
We walked back to Ash's in the rain. In our wisdom, Ash and I started jumping in puddles. Regretted that very shortly afterwards.
Here is Jamie looking triumphant on the way home after winning the tickets, but stupid as it is late at night raining and he is in shorts and tshirt! (he is one step away from flip flops.... wrong!)
We found a piece of paper with foot prints on it on the way home... look:
Bed. Its 2:32am. 5 1/2 hours til I have to get up. Thats enough sleep. Who needs sleep anyway. Its over rated. Sleep when i'm dead (theres gonna be no sleep for me in hell though. far to much fun stuff to be doing!!) :)
Last night we headed to Clwb for a marathon ear abuse session courtesy of our mate Will's Pedigree Falcon all dayer. smAsh DJ'd. I hung around her looking cool. Here is a photo of smAsh and Ellie. Ellie doesn't have to hang around Ash to look cool like I do. Ellie is loaded with cool points of her own (which is why I roll with her also... its all about the cool points)
Here is someone else who doesn't need to gain cool points offa no one.... Jon.
The main band I wanted to see most, Right Hand Left Hand, we missed most of. Came in 2 songs from the end :( This was mainly due to Ash's persistent faffin around before we left hers. I spend alot of my time waiting for Ash. I don't care tho. What she lacks in punctuality, she makes up for in many other ways. You put in the effort, the rewards are there :)
Here is Part Chimp, who we we did see. They were rockin'
THEN..... we made our way over to 10 Feet Tall to dance to Spank Rock DJing! What a don! Spinning tunes under the name Pase Rock, he was ace. Played all the hits. Loved it.
I like 10 Feet Tall 'n all... but it doesn't 'arf attract idiots. I came very close to having a fight with a fat, generic blonde valleyite at the bar. She jumped the que and I was having none of it. A few 'no....who the fuck do you think you are?'s later, I had to make a decision on whether I was gonna spark her out or walk away. Tempting as it was, i decided that she wasn't worth getting thrown out and missing Spank Rock for. So I gave her the worst dirty look I could and let it go. Twat. I tell you, I wasn't letting her intimidate me. Who the fuck did SHE thing she is. I know what I thought she was. A fuckin tramp thats what. As she left she goes 'nice talking to you' to which i replied 'FUUUUUUCK OFF'!
What was cool, was that when she went, the guy that was stood next to her starting ranting about what a twat she had been and that I handled it really well. He thought I was gonna spark her out too! Check my street style!
Obviously I loved the whole drama of it all and couldn't wait to get back to ash and tell her!
3 nights on the razz in a row. My insides aint happy with me.
Quiet week this week then is it? Yeah... thats right....
