London Calling Festival

Day 1:

With the thought of letting the bands now for once surprise me I entered Paradiso after all those weeks of waiting and waiting. Of course I had to my buy a ticket quite early because the festival is always sold out after only a few weeks. I hadn’t listened to the bands before and didn’t know them so I was quite curious.

After we left our coats we entered the main hall. We got a drink and sat down. Then we went to the small stage upstairs. At 19.30 the first band started playing. They were called, The Strange Death Of Liberal England. It got a bit warmer and a lot of people came so after the second song we left. They were alright I suppose but they weren’t a band we came for.
So we walked around for a bit on the second floor and then we saw some seats above the stage. The next band that were up were Clocks. They kind of reminded me of The View only they made nicer songs.
After the gig was over a big screen came down. They showed the band Scouting For Girls. The band was playing upstairs. Upstairs also means the small hall. They were good as well and surprised me.
Then finally it was time for a more known band The Maccabees. The guitarist came up and screamed to the audience. I already knew people were really gonna get a bit looser. So after a few minutes the first crowd-surfer popped up. And then through out the gig more people (mainly girls) got on stage, jumped up and down a bit and when they saw a security man they quickly jumped in the audience. It was a real pleasure to watch it.
After the nice half hour it was time to see Look See Proof on the big screen. It's just too small upstairs to get a good view. I already knew one really nice song by them, Casualty, and was looking forward to hear them play it. They made songs that were really nice to listen to but that's about it. They do have potential.

The big screen was going upwards at about 22.45 hours. It was time for New Young Pony Club to do their ‘thing’. Finally it was time for some dancing. They made music a bit like CSS but personally I like CSS much more. I didn’t think they were brilliant but it was nice to see a difference in music. The female singer was a really nice girl and tried to get the audience with her and was dancing because musically they aren't a very great band. We headed off early to see Xerox Teens playing. they started at about 23.00 After about ten minutes or so there were so many people and it was so hot that we decided to go to the main stage. We did stand next to the Clocks-drummer.
Xerox Teens also didn’t leave much of an impression on me. Maybe it's just because I don't remember how they sounded like. We didn’t really like them so we went downstairs to look at some cd’s. After a few minutes we went upstairs to our seats in the main hall, got something to drink and before we knew it, it was time for Foals to play. I can't clearly remember how they sounded but what I can remember is that i didn't think they were brillaint. So after three songs we got our coats and walked out Paradiso. High on energy and excitement.


Day 2:

We got there early in Amsterdam to get something to eat. After eating and after watching some street musicians we headed off to Paradiso. We got there quite early so we sat on the stairs waiting for the doors to open. The doors weren’t open yet and we had enough of waiting so we went upstairs. Finally the doors down us were opened and people walked up to the main stage. It was quite early so not many people were there. At 19.30 hours it was time for Dragons to play upstairs/small stage. We watched it again on screen. They reminded me a bit of Depeche Mode. Really nice to see a bit more serious (and older) band perform. At around 20.00 it was time for The Wombats. Three guys making mad music. I really liked them. Typical indie music though. The lights were flashing and people were crowd surfing. From above it was a experience I’d never forget. After smiling and all that it was time for them to leave the stage. Before they stopped the bass player quickly jumped into the audience to crowd surf. At 20.45 it was time for Prinzehorn Dance School to perform. Can’t quite remember what music they made. At 21.15 it was time for Jack Penate. We got downstairs quite early to get to the main stage. I didn’t know what to expect from him. He played his first chord and I really didn’t know what to expect. I was stunned. But after the first half minute I was really into him. He was a really nice guy and he was up for it. All of the sudden two girls got on stage. They started making out and then jumped in the audience again. Every one was a bit shocked and were laughing as well. Jack Penate said it perfectly: “This can only happen in Holland.” He played some acoustic sweet songs too.

At 22.00 it was time for Assembly Now. They weren’t that great. Maybe also because I was caught up in the fact three English blokes wanted to make a picture of me and my sister. So after that incident we got some beer to calm down our nerves.

We got back to our place to wait for Reverend And The Makers. They got on stage and when the singer came up screaming: “Come The Fuck On” we and all the others were really in the mood for it. They were really good and they had a sound I never heared before. The girl was really great as well. Her song “He Said He Loved Me” was well received.
After half an hour of playing and getting the crowd with him he puts on his scarf and coat and got his acoustic guitar. I thought it was some kind of an act but in fact, it wasn’t anywhere near that. He jumped off the stage and walked to the side. He had free cd’s in his hand and was giving them away. He got through the fire exit outside and stopped near a tree and sat down on a bike. Of course he was followed by a group of twenty kids. Including me and my sister.
He asked for his guitar and after a while they brought a borrowed guitar and he started playing. It was brilliant to be a part of this. I can only remember he played the songs Paris At Night, We’re Jamming and also an Oasis song, I didn’t know the other songs. The whole thing was filmed by 3 Voor 12, an underground television station.
Afterwards he signed a bit and we got inside.

We didn’t want to see The Rakes anymore because there were so many people watching them already. We completely missed Blood Red Shoes as well. We were so tired of the whole thing that we decided to go home at about 1.00 in the morning. A lot of people thought about it the same we did and left too. There was no interesting band playing anymore.

To watch the performances of the bands on London Calling you can visit this link:
http://www.3voor12.nl/

Fiery Furnaces / Antelope - Glasgow 07.11.2007 by Johnny Walker

ANTELOPE

[The validity of support acts: they are the musical equivalent of trailers before a movie is shown in a cinema. Their purpose is to perform, cause minimal offence and fuck off post haste. Most lengthy trailers/support acts result in hefty consumption of popcorn/alcohol. Support acts can be very damaging for the music scene and the nation’s health.]

I always wondered what a Fiery Furnaces support act would sound/look like. My question was answered (to an extent) with Antelope - a post-punk outfit from Washington DC. They had a bizarre set up with ever rotating band roles - drummer-come-singer-come bass player et cetera.

Musically a horrific, unsettling combination of repetitive beats, droning vocals and shrieking vocals made an immediate, scarring impression. I’m almost certain the shrieking vocalist danced around the stage like a deranged crab for a bit while the other vocalist-come-drummer sang backwards. Forwards backmasking?

You gotta give it to them for out-weirding the Furnaces. Though I’d rather not hear, discuss or even think about their music ever again.

THE FIERY FURNACES

Playing mostly material from the brilliant new album Widow City and entertainingly schizophrenic Bitter Tea it made for a sporadically enthralling set. The Widow City songs especially were given a fantastic treatment, the heaviness that the album threatened to have was hear in all its deafening glory. This was a band clearly in complete control of their sound.

Each and every song twisted and turned, every blaring synth noise even more unexpected than the last and not to forget the enchanting presence of vocalist Eleanor and her psychedelic Dylan-esque wordplay and tales of fuck knows what.
So I guess the most unexpected aspect of their set was the near-predictability of it all. Every song went in about 3 different directions but at the end of the day much like their full-length albums they inevitably just lead the listener around in circles. By mid-set the songs are interchangeable and I can’t help but feel that less shtick/more restraint is required for their live performances.

Recommended songs: Single Again, Duplexes of The Dead and My Egyptian Grammar

Antelope - 4/10

Fiery Furnaces - 7/10

Foxface - This Is What Makes Us

If you're anything like me, you've been waiting a LONG time for this album to emerge. Foxface have been gigging for a couple of years now with very little happening in terms of releases. The band have, however, built up a good live reputation, particularly around Glasgow.

The most striking thing about this debut long-player is the sense of contrast in the music. Having come from quiet, folksy roots, Foxface have gradually added more modern styles to their tunes to wonderful effect. In addition to this, there is an ongoing vocal battle throughout the album between the growling Michael Angus and the sweet, breathy Jenny Bell.

"This Is What Makes Us" is an incredibly interesting and challenging album, with a fine selection of hard rock, gentle ballads and jaunty folk blended together.

Overall score: 9/10

Check out the video for the forthcoming single, "Last Waltz" below:




foxfacemusic.com
myspace.com/foxfacemusic

Mt. Egypt

Ive decided to do a regular weekly new artists feature, and we're going to kick off this week with Mt. Egypt - aka Travis Graves. Hailing from Santa Monica - California, Graves wailing "seen it all" vocals coupled with his down to earth lyrics make this essential listening for any Leonard Cohen or Dylan fans.

http://www.myspace.com/mtegypt

Mt Egypt - NYC

Life is just an accident, accident, accident...

Argh. ARGH. I am entirely sure that you will completely understand me when I say: You know when a song is so irreversibly lodged in your head, you could swear its engraved, at least 100 times, on the inside of your skull, or when it feels as though the little men in charge of your brain have formed an impromptu choir to belt the song out at the top of their voices, and you believe that in all likely hood it will last forever?

Yes?
I’m sure you do…

So, basically, I’ve been caught entirely unawares by one of Foals’ tracks “Cassius” winging its way to me, from over the airways, into my mp3 player, and then firmly in to the very centre of my mind. I can literally feel it nagging at me.

Previously I had been pretty much unimpressed by the songs composed by this funny lookin’ quintet (I mean, what the hell kind of genre is “Math Rock” anyway, and how on earth are you meant to reconcile Dance and Punk?! – apparently you can but I was fairly sure I didn’t agree with it.) As it happened though, yet one more Foals song found its way to my ears. The first concession was made - I thought to myself “yeah that’s not bad” and then here comes the fatal mistake – I listened to it again; I thought “I’ll just give that another listen” I was suitably impressed and put it on to my iPod – Very Dangerous. Though at this stage it just seemed like a pleasant enough song, pacey, good beat, good to listen to; something more was waiting for me.

The next morning, I played it on my iPod during the weary bus ride into school, and I’m not sure if it’s the piercing lead guitar that seems to slice into my brain and scream “DANCE NOW!” or the throbbing bass that blasts into everything in between my left earphone and my right earphone like a mix between a wrecking ball and an alien mind ray, or the excruciating passion in Yannis’ voice that sounds to me as if his cutest and most favourite lovey eyed puppy is being slowly skinned in front of him, but something out of this mix (actually lets be straight, its all three.) clouts me round the head and says “Oi, this is a fucking good song”.

And there you have it – hooked – for the rest of the week if people want to talk to me they have to grab me when I’m not getting another fix of “Cassius” off my iPod, as well as then having to deal with me warbling “cassius its over.. cassius awaaay” at them. It’s blasted its way to my most listened track on Itunes in a matter of 4 days and even now is cycling round my head in a continuous loop. Most days I’ve done away with other songs and have just switched to “repeat one” and drowned myself in a “Cassius” induced trance. This isn’t a one off, but this is the most serious case I’ve had of it, I doubt it’ll be my last, but you must excuse me, I’ve gone this whole article without listening to it and my brain and that place somewhere near my heart are beginning to itch again. It’s a very real addiction.

Please help.

Foals - Cassius

Los Campesinos / You Say Party! We Say Die!/Attack + Defend - Southampton Joiners 30/10/07

Hold on now youngster, this is a good thing to look into the maw of the void, but let's not be excessive, there is still Los Campesinos!... etc etc.
Los Campesinos! are a Cardiff based septet, who play probably the best indie pop in the world - actualy they do. Ever since i was introduced to them by a friend I wanted to see them and my dream finally came true, albeit in a dingy room off St Marys street.



Its nine o'clock and attack+defend are about to begin. A quick glance around quickly filling joiners confirms that yes - we are probably some of the youngest people amongst the hundred or so Uni Students. Prepare for alot of standing around clutching a glass of carling and looking at your shoes guys.
The night commences with a thankfully short set from attack+defend, who musically are about as strong as the piss strength lager puddled around my feet. Its not that thier sound specifically annoys me, its more that they sound quite like The Young Knives. Well played. In any case, they didn't annoy me as much as the satin peaches did a couple of weeks ago, so alls good. Up next was You Say Party! We Say Die! and the regret of not listening to the promo i picked up in town at the weekend is already kicking in, but a pretty solid set nonetheless from the Canadian indie-poppers.

With the Southampton crowd suitably tenderized, it was time for team Campesinos to finish this bitch. They begin with "broken heartbeats sound like breakbeats" which is announced as "you wont have heard this one" (i have though. yep). Making their way steadily through their small catalogue of Pavement inspired melodies, Gareth Campesinos points at the air conditioning at the back. "the air conditioning says 29 degrees. we're gonna turn that up", before ripping into "you! me! dancing!" met by cheers of approval from the throng of fans at the front. Los Camepsinos manage to make the Joiners theirs for the evening, and even though its obvious they havent been doing the band thing that long, they still played a good show - concluding with all seven band members standing up for the last few lines of "Sweet dreams, Sweet Cheeks", sending the audience back onto Southampon's harsh streets that little bit happier and warmer. By the way, the air conditioning read 30 degrees at the end of the night. Not bad.

Los Campesinos 9/10
You Say Party! We Say Die! 7/10
Attack+Defend 5/10

Attack + Defend - Garibaldi
You Say Party! We Say Die! - Monster
Los Campesinos! - You! Me! Dancing!