November, 2008

The point of last night’s Versus  Cancer show at the Carling Academy in Glasgow, didn’t hit home until Fran Healy asked “raise a hand if they knew someone with cancer” there were a lot of hands. The charity was set up in 2005 by ex Smiths bassist Andy Rourke and Nova Rehman after Nova’s father and sister were diagnosed with cancer.

The money raised from the show goes towards cancer research and raising awareness of the need for early detection of the disease.

This serious of gigs has seen performances from the likes of Noel Gallagher, Paul Weller, New Order and Ian Brown.

Last nights show was the first of its kind in Scotland and brought together some old favourites alongside a taster of up and coming acts. Ironically Echo and the Bunnymen billed as playing, had to cancel because of personal circumstances relating to cancer.

Seargent kicked off the evening with a short acoustic set before Attic Lights played to the rapidly filling hall. The Fratellis who have supported the charity before were next. Their condensed set included Chelsea Daggers and had the sea of Tartan ‘See you Jimmy Hats going wild.

Up next was comedian Greg Hemphill (Victor) star of TV’s Still Game and barely recognisable out of costume, he introduced Travis, the rightful headliners. The group played a greatest hits set belting out U16 girls, Turn, and Writing to Reach You before ending with a mass pogo for Why Does it Always Rain on Me.

There arte more charity gigs this weekend in the form of the free Shelter Show down at Mono this Sunday.

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Canadian quartet The Stills challenged the Scottish rain to a singing contest last night as the weather threatened to rain on their parade. Strumming in unison with the downpour they eagerly popped out a bucket full of infectious riffs that got heads nodding and toes tapping.

Childhood friends Tim Fletcher, Dave Hamelin, Liam O’Neil and Olivier Corbeil are promoting their newest album ‘Oceans Will Rise’ throughout Europe. The art students from Montreal, Quebec rose to prominence in 2004 with the release of their debut album, ‘Logic Will Break Your Heart’, which spawned the hit singles “Still in Love Song” and “Lola Stars and Stripes”. They toured with Interpol and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs later that year which gained them a steady following. In 2007, Arts & Crafts signed the band to a worldwide recording deal and they went on to support Kings of Leon on their UK spring tour. They are fresh from an October North American tour, with Kings of Leon.

Support came from rising stars PREGO

Full Set List is below

Eastern Europe
Beginning
Lola Stars and Stripes
Changes Are No Good
Snow in California
Panic
Snake
Still In Love
Destroyer
Being Here

Of Montreal
Don’t Talk Down
Rooibos/Palm Wine Drinkard

Pics: Tomas Hermoso
Words: Ann Russell

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If there’s one criticism of the Captains Rest, bands come on a wee bit late for some. By the time Chad Vangaalen took to the stage to play tunes from his recently released new album  Soft Airplane it was almost 10.30pm.

The set also included songs from Chad’s other two releases on Subpop, and as the producer of Women’s soon to be released album of the same name the night was a unique chance to watch this collective of musicians who recorded over a four month period on ghetto blasters and old tape machines in Chad’s basement.

Women’s set included the infectious Black Rice and Group Transport Hall available to listen below, fans of Deerhoof and the Brian Jonestown Massacre’s, ‘My Bloody Underground’ should be blown away by their debut, out on Jagjaguwar on January 19th.

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Pics: Eszter Biró

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With their third album ‘Tonight: Franz Ferdinand’ released on 26th January, FRANZ will play their first of many shows in 2009 at the PICTURE HOUSE  in Edinburgh on 14/01/09.

You can listen to their new single ‘Ulysses’ here and you can buy tickets on Friday here!

German electronic four piece The Notwist entertained a mesmerized crowd at Tuts last night playing songs from their new release ‘The Devil, You and Me’. The set included favourites from their 2002 release ‘Neon Golden’ and older songs such as ‘Chemicals’ from the 1998 album ‘Shrink’

It is evident they are a band who experiment with different sounds and styles and this really shows in their live set. Programmer Console (Martin Gretschmann) was even using a Wii on stage to add to his ambient soundscapes.

The melancholy opening guitar riffs of pretty pop song ‘Puzzle’ were a beautiful contrast to the dark noise crescendo of previous track ‘This Room’. It is this type of variation that makes their music interesting and it explains their journey from post-punk outfit in 1989 to expert purveyors of beautifully layered electronica.

The Notwist made this transition in their third album ‘12’ in 1995. The sound of their first two releases could easily be mistaken for a different band altogether, but that is not to say they have left behind any of the energy of their earlier styles.

They release a new single in the form of ‘Boneless’ on 1st December via City Slang, The release also features a seriously warped and wonderful ‘Boneless’ remix from Animal Collective’s Panda Bear and an unreleased Notwist gem, the gentle ballad ‘Come In’.

The full set list is below, support came from Lukid and Engine 7.

Boneless
Pick up the Phone
Wherein this World
This Room
Puzzle
Sleep
On Planet Off
Gloomy Planets
Different Cars and Trains
Pilot
Gravity
The Devil, You and Me

Good Lies
Chemicals
One With the Freaks

Words: Emily Macintosh
Pics: Tomas Hermoso

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There’s an art to pleasing a Glasgow crowd, copious amounts of beer, relentless football banter, the list goes on. Fortunately for The Faint the exuberant stage antics seemed to do the trick.

The Nebraskan five (Todd Fink, Jacob Thiele, Michael Dappen, Joel Petersen and Clark Baechle) are on a whistle stop European tour to promote their fifth album, Fascination, a self produced compilation of bold punk beats and synth. 

Keyboard guru Thiele stole the show with an all-out body popping showdown. Both the tight-lipped head nodders and mosh pit revellers came alive as lime green pyrotechnics pulsed to the beat of ‘Paranoia’. New tune The Geeks Were Right was another winner that showcased the band’s unique electro sound.   

After being signed to Saddle Creek Records in 1998, The Faint released their debut album ‘Media’. They went on to produce three more albums (1999’s Blank Wave Arcade’, 2001’s ‘Danse Macabre’ and 2004’s ‘Wet From Birth’) before announcing in May of this year that they were splitting from the label to self release future tracks.              

The relatively unknown Yankees made their mark on the Glasgow scene and Glasgow made its mark on them. Behind the goggles and lab coat lead singer Fink could not contain his glee as their lyrics were belted out in unison in a rough Scots’ accent. The full set list is below,

Agenda
Drop Kick
Hospital
Centipedes
Psycho
In Concert
Posed
Desperate Guys
Seduced
Conductor
Worked Up
Machine
Mirror
Paranoia Disappear

Words: Ann Russell
pics: Tomas Hermoso

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High anticipation for The Black Keys SOLD OUT Edinburgh gig last night was satisfied by the pounding opener ‘Thickfreakness’ and the blues rockers, who hail from Akron, Ohio; a city famous for its rubber production and Goodyear tyres, certainly didn’t lack any motion.

Drawing comparisons to the White Stripes and Hendrix the band can count several high profile fans amongst the ranks including, Radiohead and Robert Plant. The boys were involved recently in a special Barack Obama benefit concert at The Akron Civic Theater with fellow Akron band Devo.

Last night they played an extremely generous hour and fifteen minute set, that was definitely not too long for the diehard fans who filled up the Queens Hall.

Men of little words, guitarist Dan and drummer Patrick didn’t mess around and they got straight to the point by keeping the blues nod along, rock rolling, with songs from their new and now best-selling UK album ever ‘Attack and Release’ as well as older classic tracks like ‘10am Automatic’.

Any risk of the long set becoming repetitive was squashed by highlights such as ‘Strange Times’ and the Captain Beefheart cover ‘I am Glad’ which really filled up the intimate grandeur of the lovely Queens Hall.

Words: Emily Macintosh

Broken Records new single “Lies” came out last week, and is #7 in the Indie charts, according to singer Jamie. To promote the single, they did a wee acoustic instore at Glasgow’s Avalanche yesterday, before later supporting Okkervil River at the Òran Mór. It was pretty cosy, considering the size of the band and the size of the shop. They have 2 different sides to their song writing, the slow and sweeping, or the quick, raucous, Eastern European ceilidh that makes you just want to grab the person next to you and dance. Unsurprisingly, they went for the former in Avalanche, they played;

If The News Makes You Sad, Don’t Watch It
Ukulele Song
Wolves
Lies
A Slow Parade

You can catch them at the Shelter show in Edinburgh on the 29th November.

Words/Picture: Julia Gay

Last night promising anti folk songstress Emmy The Great was down at the Twisted Wheel on Queen Street. Usually an area of Glasgow to be avoided on Saturday evenings, this long standing and previously under-used space have new owners, who are doing an awesome job of helping to change that.

Fresh from shows in NYC at the CMJ Music Marathon and with her upcoming London date sold out this short tour is a chance to catch them in a relaxed and intimate setting. Singer Emma-Lee Moss is highly talented, charming and good looking, not surprisingly then, she already has a Young Husband.

Emma informs the crowd that the debut album ‘First Love’ (out in January) was mixed in Glasgow, she then goes on to say some of the band are still working day jobs, last week the day job for one member was helping on the Obama Campaign in Chicago. Single ‘We Almost Had a Baby’ was followed by a song about the president in 24, the full set list is here:

MIA
Easter Parade
We Almost Had Baby
Dylan
War
24
Museum Island
First Love
Gabriel
We Are Safe
Everything Reminds Me of You
Edward in Demand
City Song

“We hear bands get free beer when they play the Barrowlands” Emma is clearly excited by this. They’ll be back in Glasgow in February and judging by tonight’s show there will be plenty of free beer in 2009.

Here’s a video of them playing ‘Hypnotists Son’ on BBC Introducing.

Support came from Laura Groves charming new project Blue Roses and Ben TD an Australian who travelled the world in search of a creative energetic city to make music in, he settled on Glasgow back in 2006 and has worked with Jo Mango, who was also at the show last night. If you like the Decemberists or Bon Iver you will be interested to know he is launching his album at the Captains Rest on the 24th of November.

Pics: Eszter Biró

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Seattle’s Fleet Foxes are pretty funny lads. Which is good thing, when you come onstage to some technical problems. “Look, now my drums aren’t making any sounds!” quips J Tilman, the night’s support, who also happens to be Fleet Foxes’ drummer.

Despite the not so serious stage banter, these guys play serious music. Having one good vocalist in a band is always pleasing, but four in the same band? Now that’s impressive. 4-part harmonies and A Capella breakdowns bring magic to their songs; americana folk twinged tales of family, romance and, um, the Southern States.

Their set mainly consisted of the songs from their highly acclaimed debut, Fleet Foxes and stunning ep Sun Giant. For the encore, Robin comes out, unplugs his guitar and stands infront of the microphone and just belts it out. Which is damn impressive given this was ABC1, a sizeable sold out venue, compared to the tiny ABC 2 they played back in June. Anyone making any noise during this moment did find themselves being quickly reprimanded by those around them.

And who knows, even if you weren’t there, you may have spotted the boys down at King Tuts post-gig, watching Built To Spill.

Words/Picture: Julia Gay

I think there are 2 viewpoints when it comes to Sigur Rós. Either you regard them as musical geniuses, or you mistake them for whale music. Personally, I find their music is amongst the sublime in contemporary music.

This is their second time in Scotland in the last few months, before appearing at Connect, and now at the Carling Academy. A distinct difference between both performances is the lack of Amiina and the brass band support that they’ve had over the summer. To some this could be a disappointment, but it changes the dynamic of the performance, it becomes a lot simpler, a lot more stripped down. It involves a lot more feedback. It becomes more intense. It also means they play some more older songs, such as Ný Batterí.

There are 2 songs that steal the show though. Recent single Gobbledigook is just spectacular to witness. Support band For A Minor Reflection join the band on stage all manned with drums, Jónsi asks everyone to stand up (though the bouncers weren’t to pleased with this…) and clap along with the music. A fantastic sound, and at the climax, confetti explodes from the ceiling and noone can not smile. The other being long established closer #8 (also known as Popplagið, or “The Pop Song”) which, as one of my friends puts it “ends all music”. While I might not go that far, it builds up to an amazing climax, and as it ends, you’re not quite sure what just happened.

Words: Julia Gay

Frightened Rabbit are set to release a Xmas single, ‘It’s Christmas So We’ll Stop’ on the 15th December.

Originally released exactly a year ago, the 2008 version is radically re-mixed, re-scored and expanded - including the addition of sweeping strings, flutes, brass, Rhodes piano and a full choir - by fellow FatCat artist, David Karsten Daniels.

Their ever growing reputation in the USA (recently featured in One Tree Hill and Grey’s Anatomy) has impacted back home and the dates below are sure to sell out!!

Check out this video of the boys on abc America!!

King Tuts, Glasgow 29th November SOLD OUT
Mono, Glasgow 30th December (Acoustic Set)
Liquid Room, Edinburgh 9th December tickets
Fat Sams, Dundee 10th December tickets
Moshulu, Aberdeen 11th December tickets
SECC, Glasgow 20th December opening for Biffy SOLD OUT!!