Not on the Guest List

'Catch It'- Caught it and jumped on a bandwagon too. . .

On this day. . . 31 July 2005.

On this day exactly a year ago, I saw both Arctic Monkeys and Test Icicles; same day, different concerts. And just before both bands truly took off.
First act of the day was Arctic Monkeys, with whom I was having a sit down chat for my rapidly apparent ill-fated magazine Toaster. As drummer Matt sauntered around the venue pointing out all the signs that had misspelled their name (skipping the first 'c' in arctic) their cock-sure attitude made itself apparent quickly, but with little indication of what was soon to await in terms of attention. We took a seat in their van, sitting with bassist Andy. Asking them both questions over the course of a half an hour, Matt answered them all, with Andy chiming in once or twice, only for Matt to restate exactly what he'd just said. Andy seemed content in that, staying fully involved, even if only on the sidelines.
We then took five disastrous/ miraculous photos, disastrous in the fact that once all were united their attitude went beyond cock sure, and became not stand-offish, but something similar as they became quick to critique and eventually just walk away (in Jamie's case). Wanna read exactly what happened? Check my old blog
And miraculous in the fact that one got picked up by NME for a half page feature, earning me a desperately needed 150 pounds three months later.
All with a shitty (after I got my hands on it) little 3.1 megapixel camera I borrowed from a friend. Wanna pretend to be a photographer? It's that easy. Now I have a good camera and all, but that 3.1 with a 30 second delay in between photos got me in NME again, Vice, and the Test Icicles album booklet. No one took it seriously, hence my upgrade.
I immediately went down to the internet cafe to vent about the interaction over email with Carrie and send the shots off to NME who I hadn't communicated with since November. I was thinking whether or not I should still see them as I had never been in that situation with a band before-them being that rude.
Before the show that night, their tour manager alerted me that there was someone else attempting to get on that night's guest list using Toaster as the backing publication. He kept him on.
I did go and since I had a plus one and no one to go with, I put a postcard at the bar with my mobile number for anyone who wanted one. No one took up the offer until about four songs in I got a text.
The show was unlike anything I had ever witnessed-hysteria in a controlled environment-
girls pulling out their hair, screaming until delirious, tears in their eyes and fully in response to the music as let's be honest, the band aren't really anything to write home about looks wise, or at least they weren't then-no one was paying attention to anything but the music.
The audience sang along to every single word-this is before first single, before the non-stop NME coverage, just solely based on the internet and I was expecting excitement, but not to the extrememist levels I witnessed and just the singing along to every word to songs that had never even made their way onto radio.
The dedication was wholly unbelievable.
I tried explaining the scene to Jamin and Rhys in a hotel room after a similar event at a Be Your Own Pet concert months later, but I wasn't able to articulate the differences, that while subtle, did exist, and what I attempted to describe sounded just as though I was describing their show, but their was somethign different between the Arctic Monkey crow and the Be Your Own Pet crowd. I'd say a lot of it had to do with the interaction between the crowd and th eband. With Be Your Own Pet, the audience seemed fully involved in the show; while not on stage, the audience's excitement was partially responsible for inciting the band and further fueling their live show as opposed to Arctic Monkeys, who didn't seem to be noticably feeinf off the frenzied energy. Just performing int he same way they would at any venue, in front of any crowd, whether or not they were screaming, with a very controled demenor-the exact opposite of that of their crowd.
If turned black and white, it would be hard to discern whether it was Beatlemania of the 60's or Arctic Monkeys mania.
At the end, the security were grabbing girls by the seat of their pants (as in underwear) and skirts, attempting to over haul the dicapitated stage area and legions more climbing over barriers in attempt to grab much a coveted set list (I got one, but not in that manner)
At a show a few nights later, I began speaking with a security guard from that night, and he said a security meeting was called right after the concert and it was discussed that King Tut's did not enough security, even though it was the most security the venue had ever had for a concert.
The band escaped out the back door as I ran down to the Clyde river to catch Test Icicles midnight show at the Deathkill 4000 club night at the Barfly.

I got there just in time as they took to the upstairs stage (played by Arctic Monkeys a few months earlier at a show that I hadn't managed to get guest listed for) and it soon became apparent that wow!-this was going to be way different than Arctic Monkeys. First Dev's and Sam's shared pink guitar blew, so there was a pause while they tried to fix it. Shortly after they cranked the keyboard, which Sam then played with his foot in an attempt to replace the ailing guitar I guess . . . Meanwhile, all along the ipod (though it sounded like a shitty tape) with their backing bass and drums was skipping.
Singing out of key to the nth degree, while wandering around on stage as if they didn't want to be there, it just continued to get worse and worse to the point where not only could you not laugh with them, you couldn't even manage to laugh at them it was so bad. I typically imagine most awkward situations as cable access-like you're supposed to laugh at them, but the situation was too brutal for that-they were just SO bad! Soon Raary's guitar began to act up and was ditched while Dev spent ten minutes questioning the assembled audience of over 40 about their musical tastes in relation to Lil' Jon and MCR (new record October 24th!) They then got it together enough to play 'Catch It' after which Sam stepped to the front of the stage and instructed the audience to clap as he did so himself unenthusiastically. So many times I thought they should've just stopped, packed it in, and called it a day due to all the problems as opposed to muddy their previous and future perceptions to the audience that was there. Rather than spoil their opinion of you with this bad gig, just stop and reschedule. They barely managed to play four shittastic songs out of a thirty minute set.
I left completely unfulfilled, but having witnessed two performances I wouldn't forget. I was completely unaware of what I had just witnessed of Test Icicles. Instead of being all the things I thought they should be, they were the complete opposite-which is exactly as they should be! Why go to see a show and get exactly what you were expecting-a show that any band could perform. There are a lot of concerts I leave thinking "wow-that was a great show," but if each band had the exact same set list to one and other, there would be little to differentiate the sets, as the set list would likely play to creating the same audience interaction. Test Icicles performed a show only they could perform. Test Icicles also completely did their own thing more so than other band I have ever seen, and probably ever will see as there show was different in every single way to every rock show I've seen. While I can come back from Be Your Own Pet in Glasgow and say: "That's the best most energetic live show I will see in the next 20 years" their show would still not be as different to other live shows as Test Icicles, because one-they performed songs as most rock shows do, and with Test icicles they threw everything away that a show "should" be made of and completely did their own thing. They went the opposite route than Arctic Monkeys did earlier in creating an unforgettable show.
(You also became instantly personally invested in them, as many of their fans seemed to be-seemingly buying tickets to shows, just to have a chance at witnessing new lows as did sections of attendees who were clearly fans)

Months later I would be the new employee at Scottish Power's Cathcart campus and my trainer would acknowledge that he too had been at that performance, though he took much more anyway from it than I initially did-apparently loving every moment, which I do now.
The next day, going over the Test Icicles photos with Leigh, we noticed how one would be looking like they were on the brink of suicide in the background of every photo, but their shows only continued to be as haphazard, insanely and pathetically reaching the realm of greatness.
Only in reflection did I realize the brilliance of their performance.

Wanna read the myspace blog entry I wrote the very next day? Excerpted after the jump

Band of Horses at Capitol Hill Block Party

Last night I went to the Capitol Hill Block Party in Seattle. There was really only one band that my mom and I were there for which was Band of Horses, who were playing alongside Helio Sequence who we regretfully didn't arrive in time for, and Pretty Girls Make Graves, though we left before they hit the stage.
Band of Horses took to the stage without any pretense, tuning up their instruments and beginning to play without so much as an announcement that they had taken the stage.
Their set seemed a bit shorter than the hour that'd been scheduled, but time flies when you're having fun, so that may be the reason.

They played several songs from Everything All the Time, including 'Part One' and 'Our Swords', which was an obvious highlight of their set.
At one point, after ending a song with an exclamation, lead singer Ben Bridwell apologized to the audience for swearing. And later further encouraged a fan after a lighter was raised.
'Funeral' was of course what most of the crowd was waiting for, their radio break through that certainly first won them my affection prior to seeing them at Sasquatch.

They then closed their set with a cover of the Rolling Stones' 'Waiting On A Friend', bringing out an additional two musicians-one on saxophone, the other on keys. If their rendition doesn't end up as either a b-side, bonus track, or even a bootleg it will be disappointing as it was just plain great. It was such a creative interpretation.

Band of Horses continue to be effortlessly endearing. One can only hope their earnest melodic honesty continues to triumph.

'Funeral' Band of Horses MP3

'Our Swords' Band of Horses MP3

Whirlwind Heat + Be Your Own Pet at El Corazon

So I'm finally blogging about this! I wanted to so bad night of, but I didn't yet have a blog.
Arrived in Seattle after my bus was two hours late, then spent two and a half hours walking in the grizzly heat to find the venue that was only two blocks away from the bus station to start with!!!
Upon entering I was a bit in shock.

Yes it was a very early show, but only eight people had turned up to catch Whirlwind Heat's set! Even so, everyone was very into it- their frantic dancing and guitarless sound intact, with one girl getting a special thank you for being so vocal and some of BYOP came out to support-Jamin in the audience, Nathan on stage for a final song.

The venue filled out a bit more for when Be Your Own Pet made their way on stage. It was SO different seeing them in the US!

Gone was the audience that knew every lyric. Gone was the audience incitement for them to really tear up the stage. There was enthusiasm, but in a very unparalleled way and it seemed very apparent that this was the last stop of a possibly grinding tour. The band seemed fatigued and Jemina experienced several coughing bouts. It'll be interesting to see how their set evolves within the US in comparison to the UK and east coast cites (where it seems to be hovering near the same fever pitch as noted by Robert Christgau) and also if it'll begin to reflect their seemingly endless tour dates that continue to be announced. Fingers crossed, though I know it's unnecessary :)

There was a lot more I wanted to say at the time about the show, but since it's been a while, I have forgotten.
More photos after the jump

Just got back from Raconteurs!

I am in love with these mother-fucking Raconteurs!- (Yay! A Snakes on a Plane and Stephen Colbert reference in the opening line!) or maybe just my lens (well only for one shot). Anyhow, tonight was insanely amazing! It's been a long time since I've seen a new show that was that great!
Wasn't gonna get there in time to catch the opener Kelley Stoltz, but happened upon an mp3 and really liked it. Sadly due to lines at the will call, I missed the first three songs and most of his set, but so enjoyed him and made it up in time for him to make up some lyrics on the spot about how much he likes Portland, but won't move up because he knows how much people in Oregon love "when people from California move up and take all the cheap housing." Cue roaring audience.

Opening their set with a cover of Loretta Lynn's 'Portland, Oregon', the Raconteurs paraded on stage to rabid applause with Jack donning a cowboy hat for his entrance. For the first song all the photos came out red, blurred, and dark no matter how I readjusted the shutter speed or aperture. I even attempted long exposure because clearly that is a great choice for concert photography. I didn't want to go into menu because I'd have to look down at my camera for more than two seconds and there was no way it was the internal settings. Then between the end of the first song and the beginning of the second I went to menu and saw I had shot it all on 100 speed because I am a "photographer."
Jack's vocals veered between wailing and harmonic, and at times the two styles intercepted each other, much like the constant interception between Jack and Brendan who shared a mic twice and broke into feeding off each others guitars almost every song.

They covered Nancy Sinatra's Audio Bully's 'Bang Bang' as the second of the two covers that their set consisted of. I don't think at least half the audience had ever heard of the song as the original isn't much of a national treasure and that single wasn't released here (much like Elton John and Tupac's elegant 'Ghetto Gospel' never got stateside release-I have to wonder why not-haha).
The highlight of their set I would have to say was album title track 'Broken Boy Soldiers'. Oh it was so good!

There were a lot of blues jammy moments-but not in the borderline or off the deep end gratuitous-ness of actual jam bands.
Changed up their set list and instead of opening their encore with 'Steady, As She Goes', they near closed with it, playing it just before current single 'Hands'.
There were a lot of frat-boy looking guys there doling out plenty of air drumming and cheering during 'Steady', but it was just so great not to harp on who was making up the audience but the fact that everyone was enjoying themselves to the nth degree. It was an amazingly positive vibe the whole night and I just kept noting how the Raconteurs were really playing themselves out-it didn't seem like a tour show, more like a long awaited one-off after a two year hiatus-that much energy and that much passion.
Oh it was so good!

Nothing could ruin the vibe of the night, not even the lighting tech, who while he did deliver some amazing lighting, said some remarkably rude comments to me before the start of their set. And some bad luck plaguing me from the most legitimately requested photo pass I have ever requested. Grant summed it up that instead of attempting it with a publication I actually contribute to, we should go back to "when we were lying cheating bitches" and this time only up the ante more by claiming to be from the New York Times. Or claiming to be either Monica Guza, Tracy Barry, Brenda Braxton, Rhonda Shelby, Andy Carson, Rod Hill, or Matt Zaffino.

And a baby makes 3, or 5 in bands' case

Esther who is beyond the love of my fashion life and her husband Paul Thomson, drummer of Franz "I used to like them" Ferdinand have finally had their summer baby! Excitement! It better be beautiful and fashionable and if they write a beautiful song about it, they better not ruin it by doing a crappy re-recorded version of it because that only worked for 'This Fire' (and not 'Eleanor')

¡Tenían un bebé!/Let's put two new people on stage to replace one

Epic Man

Does his brilliance ever end?  Back in 2004 I thought he was an over hyped sound tech at 93 Feet East, but after multiple successful records where his production talent is apparent as well as a shout out in the LCD Soundsystem album booklet, I would give Paul Epworth an air high five any day.  His Phones moniker was as good as it gets, until this

'More is Enough' Epic Man MP3 -featuring Plan B

Oh, and his former band Lomax's cover on the How Soon Is Now Smiths tribute album did rock... just as much as Walter Walter's.  I forgot about that.  I used to listen to that everyday at work.

 

The Rakes! Right! Cool!

The first time I saw the Rakes was at the O2 Wireless festival. Well, kind of. I didn't go, but apparently they did (as they played a set and all), and I made the voyage to the living room to turn on Channel 4-not for the bands, but for the lovely host Simon Amstell. Amongst the expected awkwardness of all of Simon's interviews, they aired the Rakes performing '22 Grand Job' and I watched delighted in the perceived neurosis of frontman Alan Donohoe. Nothing by them had excited me before, but their live show seemed one to behold so I took note when their Glasgow Gonzo date was announced (not that I wouldn't have attended anyways as Test Icicles were supporting).
All I knew of them was 1. they had a Danish member, and 2. he had a hair cut resembling Alex Krapanos as the press often pointed out.
So I went down and decided that Alan could very well found his own aerobics religion. Also, all their songs that sounded boring on disc, sounded a lot better live. And the frantic petting of other band members' hair was a nice touch. Still, I wasn't moved to talk to them as they made their way around the Barfly before and after their set.
But since we were both stood at the bar (or rather crouched and stood, as I was collecting change for bus fare from the floor because I'm cool) and I so enjoy speaking about my favorite country Denmark, I stood up and struck up a chat with Lasse. Amidst a cloud of white skinny jeans that had come to collect around us in a few short seconds the chat became awkward. And not in a Simon Amstell way. Can we cue crickets?
So yeah- a concert is a totally appropriate atmosphere to have a political discussion in.
I can't help it, I am just obsessed with the socialist elements of their government.
Saw them headline over White Rose Movement at the QMU a few months later and then snapped them over the weekend.
Shortly after they arrived decked out in summer outfits of shorts and shirts, we got on the bus, drove across the street, and had lunch for a half hour inside before doing photos. The conversation ranged from the new Rocky movie and a debate of whether it's in post- or pre-production, Robocop and Afghanistan, and then when asked to recommend the best viewing material I totally blanked on Snakes on a Plane! That is all I ever talk about! I did sing the praises of Stephen Colbert.
They eat healthy, and keep the bus relatively neat, asking my opinion on the latter. While Matthew and I talked with chimes from Lasse as Jamie changed in the back, Alan made salad in the corner, repeatedly asserting "Right!" and "Cool!" to himself. I love him.
Before we headed out onto the street after Matthew proclaimed his desire to shop, we discussed Be Your Own Pet, which elicited the question of whether they've gotten old after Jamie said "they sound like noise," The Young Knives, and Klaxons, while I wondered out loud how Vice hasn't burned out on them.
We went to Old Town Music where every musician shops when in town-from Franz Ferdinand, to the Rapture and just about everybody else and where they took turns playing the banjo for the first time.

We then took some photos outside. Matthew was quite concerned with the lighting and what appeared in the background of the shots, which was a welcome change, though we did however miss out on a mannequin shot I had planned as he was concerned they'd have squinting eyes based on where the sun was in the sky. He wanted to do non-London looking shots as 'all the photos look like that' (though I think the Cobrasnake achieved the opposite). They all went back in to buy the guitar after asking me twice if I was coming back for the show that night, for which I had already been placed on the guest list the day previous. Why am I not 21?
Other point of interest is that their canceled March US Hard Fi tour was never confirmed on their side and they have no idea how it got to the level of it being promoted as such.
Odd fact: Their tour manager's name is Martian (pronounced in parenthesis as Martin)

Alan doing the claw at the QMU show:


Fuck I can love London- especially when Lethal Bizzle can't stay away from indie rock acts. This video scares me into uncomfortable laughter. Especially around 1:35:

Decide to love Alan. Decide to ask yourself: "If only he had a head band." Maybe decide that his cult would be so much better than Scientology:

'Ausland Mission' The Rakes MP3

BYOPoint of reference + video

All ready to blog about the Rakes, it's time for a detour-the inaugural Be Your Own Pet post! as my two clips of them that I shot on Leigh's camera just came in the post today. Shot at ABC2 in Glasgow in January. Spent sometime using imovie for the first time and managed to blend them into something shitty (which I'm going to defend the cause as being the compression for web; as the original quality which was actually quite high and sound still is so)

BYOP are NotGL's point of reference in all things "now." They will come up repeatedly in a record store feature, links binge, and a possible bi-weekly post theme-'Who are on their shirt?' Not to mention an interview and photo feature.

And only a couple of weeks ago did I find out they're repped by the NY office of 2:30

Presets are the one! (or two)

I have an unabashed love for all things Smashed Robot! (well robots in general as does my favorite teacher from high school Mr. Millar who now runs a robotics club). I listened to the playlists as if they were god (because they are) and discovered so many bands through it, always taking notes of the ones I love love loved. However, Presets were not one of those. They were simply the song that came after the Metronomy remix of Sebastian Tellier's 'la Ritournelle' ('the old story' in English), a reminder that I must immediately rewind. I didn't dislike their song at all, I just was OBSESSED with 'la Ritournelle' which prevented me from listening to anything else.
As my departure date from Glasgow loomed and I knew my access to concerts would be severely cut, I went out to any and all, included Wolfmother at King Tut's and a weird Australian duo opened their show. Emphasis on weird, but after three songs I was in absolute head over heels love with their electro. Then they played 'Girl and the Sea' and I screamed hysterically-ask Jude, followed by a non-stop birage of "Oh my god!" It was the band after Sebastian Tellier!!!! from Smashed Robot!'s absent, back with a new mixtape and record label! turn it up! post! I then sang along to every word.
When comparing their electro to that of Wolfmother's Led Zeppelin rock who would've ever thought the styles wouldn't have clashed? Glasgow crowds are notorious for being out of control and mean and for one night only, there was none of that. The Presets went down a treat and I had a new band to obsess over. Well not obsess, but absolutely adore.
They are quirky, cool, and beyond creative.

The Presets 'Girl and the Sea' MP3

The Presets 'Are You the One?' MP3

Watch the self referential hand-clapping masterpiece complete with mustaches
'Are You the One?' on youtube
Watch 'Down Down Down' music video on youtube They're not weird at all

Presets Myspace

Dreaming of P!atD is the most fun you can have without P!atD

Tens days and counting! This video has fully redeemed Panic! at the Disco.

Last night was bit prophetic. After watching it I made a joke (to myself) that now knowing their Portland concert date was only ten days away, I'd probably start dreaming about them and then I did. We were on a cruise ship ala Rosie's gay family cruise and it was for the release of their album with all their fans on board and them doing constant entertainment, because despite having enough fans to fill a cruise ship, none of them had actually ever heard P!atD, just heard of them and immediately became fans off the back of Pete Wentz's plugs (I know I first heard of the band last September when Pete's first/second Killers comments came out) And I was hired on as an assistant in production, though even without remembering the specifics I'm pretty sure I must have just shown up and told them that and got my way on the boat that way.
Then, amid the seas and the screams for Brendon Urie, the drummer decided to kick out the bassist. All drama ensued. Can you imagine doing that at sea? (I type and ask in a tone as if it really happened.) All this anger, sadness, betrayal, isolation, and back and forth quoting to MTV with all the other emotions you can imagine that come about with a split all having to be contained on one ship with no hope of getting off until it docks, which isn't scheduled for another three days?
Then me and my fake job got drafted in to attempt to mediate and the only other stuff I can remember is me running around frantically on deck with a clipboard hoping the bassist won't jump.

I probably dreamt this due to the role of water in the video that is almost too beautiful. At first it was just a little to weird, trying too hard to show that they aren't all just show girls, but upon seeing the ending shot everything came together; not the plot, as it was easy to deduce, but exactly what they were trying to achieve. Not trying too hard at all.
Can you imagine being that brilliant to come up with that treatment?
My excitement for Panic! at the Disco's Portland date had slightly cooled for two reasons-them axing Brent who is better looking than their drummer. If they were going to get rid of someone get rid of him because he makes me uncomfortable. And second, they upgraded the venue from the so cool it rubs off on even them and their garter-banded-forearms-that-are-already-cool-enough Crystal Ballroom to the soulless Exhibition Center. The traveling Smithsonian exhibit was held there when I was in elementary school.