I swear I'll get the tracklisting up here tomorrow, along with another from tonight.
Incidentally, I spent much of today explaining to people who Calvin Johnson was, and why it was cool that I had lunch with him.
Thursday, 7 August 2008
Saturday, 2 August 2008
Live from Sheffield, it's Saturday night!!!
I've set up a myspace page for myself, trying to drum up some extra work. I need a recent playlist up there, and to save me the effort of retyping from scratchy notes, I'm going to put tonight's set on the myspace blog live, as it happens, from about 10.30pm (GMT)
I'll try and repost it over here with a director's commentary during the week. Don't touch that dial.
Facebook will follow shortly, although it's slightly irksome that if I want a page specifically for my work then I have to have "fans" instead of "friends". Which makes me sound a bit like a "wanker".
Monday, 31 March 2008
I fucking love Does It Offend You, Yeah?
And here's why: They do what so many euro and scandi squelchy-bass post-big-beat electro acts (see Daft Punk through Justice) do. However while their squelchbeat peers are all either impenetrably foreign or wear Kraftwerkian disguises, it feels like you've known DIOY,Y? for years before they perform their (always impeccably timed and perfectly rehearsed) walk out onstage....
First of all, frontguy Morgan is surely AWOL from the set of Back To The Future Part II, all pattern print hoodie and ecstatic energy. He's the coolest dance-rock-crossover frontman since Maxim Reality put those contacts in. The drummer apparently looks like someone from a soap, although I forget who and which, and founder members Dan (synths) and James (bass) look like either your brother-in-law or your IT support. I guarantee it.
Having seen them live for a second time, musically my opinion remains unchanged. They occupy the exact middle ground between the aforementioned Daft Punk, The Prodigy (live, circa 1997) and Bloc Party, which is a pretty fucking good middle ground to occupy. I'm only half way through the album as I type, and while I can't see my opinion shaking much, I still refer to the highlights in terms of "That one that goes Doo Doo widdly wii!" like an excited and over E-numbered toddler.
I assume they'll be playing at Leeds, which I've just recieved a confirmation of my tickets for. Just fucking see them. Just. Fuck.
Fucking..
Just....
Mmmmm....doo...doowiddlywii!
First of all, frontguy Morgan is surely AWOL from the set of Back To The Future Part II, all pattern print hoodie and ecstatic energy. He's the coolest dance-rock-crossover frontman since Maxim Reality put those contacts in. The drummer apparently looks like someone from a soap, although I forget who and which, and founder members Dan (synths) and James (bass) look like either your brother-in-law or your IT support. I guarantee it.
Having seen them live for a second time, musically my opinion remains unchanged. They occupy the exact middle ground between the aforementioned Daft Punk, The Prodigy (live, circa 1997) and Bloc Party, which is a pretty fucking good middle ground to occupy. I'm only half way through the album as I type, and while I can't see my opinion shaking much, I still refer to the highlights in terms of "That one that goes Doo Doo widdly wii!" like an excited and over E-numbered toddler.
I assume they'll be playing at Leeds, which I've just recieved a confirmation of my tickets for. Just fucking see them. Just. Fuck.
Fucking..
Just....
Mmmmm....doo...doowiddlywii!
Saturday, 1 March 2008
4 hours of flu.
Or, TL:DR.
The flu has me.
And in my line of work, being technically self employed and all, you don't get no sick pay. If I don't work, rent don't get paid, so I saddled up and prepared for an evening of pain. Not only that, but the punters don't tend to care if your head's twice it's normal size or the world's trying desperately to escape from your arse. If you're not on form, they complain to anyone and everyone, leading you one step closer to redundancy.
So, in an attempt to keep my concentration I decided it'd be a good idea to "do an Offbeat" and write down my set as I played it. While the choices may not give the most accurate portrayal of my personal tastes, I figured it'd give a bit of background to this burgeoning blog and save me doing a proper "about me" page.
Also there has been a punter in a few times who's asked me to post up a setlist cos he's liked what I played but didn't know much of it. He was an older guy, and really nice. If only everyone was so open minded.
I'm going to post it on a rough hour by hour basis, so you can pretend it's a live blog if you wish. Whatever works for you. I started somewhere between 10.45 and 11.00. Slightly late because I wanted to listen to the Kermode podcast on the way to work and therefore got a bus instead of a cab.
Blur - MOR
Editors - Munich
The Coral - In The Morning
The flu has me.
And in my line of work, being technically self employed and all, you don't get no sick pay. If I don't work, rent don't get paid, so I saddled up and prepared for an evening of pain. Not only that, but the punters don't tend to care if your head's twice it's normal size or the world's trying desperately to escape from your arse. If you're not on form, they complain to anyone and everyone, leading you one step closer to redundancy.
So, in an attempt to keep my concentration I decided it'd be a good idea to "do an Offbeat" and write down my set as I played it. While the choices may not give the most accurate portrayal of my personal tastes, I figured it'd give a bit of background to this burgeoning blog and save me doing a proper "about me" page.
Also there has been a punter in a few times who's asked me to post up a setlist cos he's liked what I played but didn't know much of it. He was an older guy, and really nice. If only everyone was so open minded.
I'm going to post it on a rough hour by hour basis, so you can pretend it's a live blog if you wish. Whatever works for you. I started somewhere between 10.45 and 11.00. Slightly late because I wanted to listen to the Kermode podcast on the way to work and therefore got a bus instead of a cab.
Blur - MOR
Editors - Munich
The Coral - In The Morning
23.00
The Enemy - You're Not Alone
The Long Blondes - Giddy Stratospheres
Which, I might add, is just as rubbish as I remember. And fell predictably flat. Needs to be at least 2 minutes shorter
The Killers - Smile Like You Mean It
Arctic Monkeys - Teddy Picker
Milburn - Send In The Boys
Kasabian - Shoot The Runner
The Cribs - Hey Scenesters
The Strokes - Someday
Muse - Starlight
Elastica - Connection
Oasis - Supersonic
The Fratellis - Henrietta
It's at roughtly this point that a girl who we'll call "James girl" requests Laid for the third time. I explain to her that if I play it too early I get no end of earbashing from middle aged ladies later on. I have a fairly strict policy of not playing anything twice, but if she's patient I'll definitely play it when the place busies up a little.
The Cure - Close To Me
Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor
Which I love a little more every time I hear it. James girl comes back for the fourth time, asking exactly when I intend to play Laid. I inform her that it's gonna be at least an hour away. She seems to understand.
Supergrass - Pumping on Your Stereo
Smiths - Bigmouth Strikes Again
Maximo Park - Apply Some Pressure
The Wombats - Moving to New York
00.00
Blur - End of A Century
James girl sends her friend over to ask nonchalantly if I have Laid. She must know that I know, because they've been standing and dancing in full view of the DJ booth for the past 40 minutes or so. I play along and politely inform her that I'll play it in a bit.
Blondie - Hangin' on The Telephone
The White Sripes - Fell In Love With A Girl
Pigeon Detectives - Take Her Back
Stone Roses - Made of Stone
James girl returns herself again. "We're leaving in five minutes, are you going to play it"
I wish her well on her journey to the Leadmill.
About a verse in, the fire alarm goes off. We begin to evacuate the premises. About half the punters are outside when the alarm stops. I press play again and resume the song from where we left off.
After about 20 seconds it goes off again. Word is passed that it's either the hotel upstairs testing the alarm, or the smoke machine downstairs setting it off. Either way the decision is made to ignore it and carry on. Much to the delight of the attending punters.
Ash - Burn Baby Burn
Oh yes I did! 3 people get it. I try desperately not to break into a self satisfied grin.
The Housemartins - Happy Hour
Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
Kasabian - Klub Foot
PRML SCRM (Bloody fascist vowels!) - Movin On Up
Razorshite - In The Morning
Kaiser Chiefs - Every Day I Love You Less And Less
The Automatic - Monster
Who's that coming over your face? It's Kevin Costner, It's Kevin Costner. It's getting properly busy. I'd have played Laid about now if James girl had stayed.
Mark Ronson - Valerie
The Strokes - Last Nite
The Smiths - This Charming Man
The Enemy - Away From Here
The Killers - Mr Brightside
I can only assume, but beatmatching Mr Brightside out of Away From Here, pitched up 6.5%, with a room full of people punching air, must be what coming up must feel like.
01.00
The Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger
James - Laid
Pulp - Disco 2000
The Clash - Rock The Casbah
Without a hint of irony
The Undertones - Teenage Kicks
Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl
Reverend And The Makers - Heavyweight Champion of the World
Just before I start to play this, when it's too late to cue anything else up....Jon Mclure's mum walks in. Seriously.
She heads straight downstairs.
Pigeon Detectives - I Found Out
PRML SCRM - Rocks
The Stone Roses - I Am The Ressurection
Gorillaz - Dare
Which beatmatches perfectly into...
The La's - There She Goes
Honest. For serious. Pitch it up about 0.3%. It's a revalation.
The Jam - A Town Called Malice
Morrissey - First of the Gang to Die
Kooks - Naive
Kaiser Chiefs - Ruby
Killers - All These Things That I've Done
I'd like to take this opportunity to point out that there is no subliminal message about Morrissey in the previous three artists. Morrissey's views on immigration are nobody's business but his own.
02.00
Blur - Song 2
Arctic Monkeys - Flourescent Adolescent
Kasabian - LSF
The Enemy - Had Enough
Oasis - Live Forever
The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now
Razorshite - Somewhere Else
Ocean Colour Scene - The Day We Caught The Train
Pulp - Common People
Supergrass - Alright
Cure - Friday I'm In Love
Muse - Plug in Baby
Fall Out Boy - This Ain't A Scene It's an Arms Race
Queen - Don't Stop Me Now
Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
Klaxons - Golden Skans
Kings Of Leon - Molly's Chambers
The Smiths - There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
With which ends the indie disco. I however continue....
The Specials - Rudi, A Message To You
Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
Sheena Easton - 9 to 5
Which prompts only slightly tongue in cheek complaints from a semi-regular who I know for a fact is a fan of both Meat Loaf and Queen. You'd have thought he'd have more of a sense of humour, no?
And with that it was over. I'd managed to fight off the flu for a few hours with nothing but Red Bull and adrenaline. Turned out to be one of the most enjoyable nights I've had in a long time.
Reckon I'm going to keep writing my sets down, though I'll not post them all, you'll be relieved to hear.
My girlfriend tells me I play better when I have an audience. By which she means either a busy crowd or someone in attendance who I respect and want to make an impression for. Hopefully this blog will hold me to account nicely.
Kaiser Chiefs - Oh My God
Modest Mouse - Float OnThe Enemy - You're Not Alone
The Long Blondes - Giddy Stratospheres
Which, I might add, is just as rubbish as I remember. And fell predictably flat. Needs to be at least 2 minutes shorter
The Killers - Smile Like You Mean It
Arctic Monkeys - Teddy Picker
Milburn - Send In The Boys
Kasabian - Shoot The Runner
The Cribs - Hey Scenesters
The Strokes - Someday
Muse - Starlight
Elastica - Connection
Oasis - Supersonic
The Fratellis - Henrietta
It's at roughtly this point that a girl who we'll call "James girl" requests Laid for the third time. I explain to her that if I play it too early I get no end of earbashing from middle aged ladies later on. I have a fairly strict policy of not playing anything twice, but if she's patient I'll definitely play it when the place busies up a little.
The Cure - Close To Me
Hot Chip - Ready For The Floor
Which I love a little more every time I hear it. James girl comes back for the fourth time, asking exactly when I intend to play Laid. I inform her that it's gonna be at least an hour away. She seems to understand.
Supergrass - Pumping on Your Stereo
Smiths - Bigmouth Strikes Again
Maximo Park - Apply Some Pressure
The Wombats - Moving to New York
00.00
Blur - End of A Century
James girl sends her friend over to ask nonchalantly if I have Laid. She must know that I know, because they've been standing and dancing in full view of the DJ booth for the past 40 minutes or so. I play along and politely inform her that I'll play it in a bit.
Blondie - Hangin' on The Telephone
The White Sripes - Fell In Love With A Girl
Pigeon Detectives - Take Her Back
Stone Roses - Made of Stone
James girl returns herself again. "We're leaving in five minutes, are you going to play it"
I wish her well on her journey to the Leadmill.
About a verse in, the fire alarm goes off. We begin to evacuate the premises. About half the punters are outside when the alarm stops. I press play again and resume the song from where we left off.
After about 20 seconds it goes off again. Word is passed that it's either the hotel upstairs testing the alarm, or the smoke machine downstairs setting it off. Either way the decision is made to ignore it and carry on. Much to the delight of the attending punters.
Ash - Burn Baby Burn
Oh yes I did! 3 people get it. I try desperately not to break into a self satisfied grin.
The Housemartins - Happy Hour
Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
Kasabian - Klub Foot
PRML SCRM (Bloody fascist vowels!) - Movin On Up
Razorshite - In The Morning
Kaiser Chiefs - Every Day I Love You Less And Less
The Automatic - Monster
Who's that coming over your face? It's Kevin Costner, It's Kevin Costner. It's getting properly busy. I'd have played Laid about now if James girl had stayed.
Mark Ronson - Valerie
The Strokes - Last Nite
The Smiths - This Charming Man
The Enemy - Away From Here
The Killers - Mr Brightside
I can only assume, but beatmatching Mr Brightside out of Away From Here, pitched up 6.5%, with a room full of people punching air, must be what coming up must feel like.
01.00
The Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger
James - Laid
Pulp - Disco 2000
The Clash - Rock The Casbah
Without a hint of irony
The Undertones - Teenage Kicks
Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl
Reverend And The Makers - Heavyweight Champion of the World
Just before I start to play this, when it's too late to cue anything else up....Jon Mclure's mum walks in. Seriously.
She heads straight downstairs.
Pigeon Detectives - I Found Out
PRML SCRM - Rocks
The Stone Roses - I Am The Ressurection
Gorillaz - Dare
Which beatmatches perfectly into...
The La's - There She Goes
Honest. For serious. Pitch it up about 0.3%. It's a revalation.
The Jam - A Town Called Malice
Morrissey - First of the Gang to Die
Kooks - Naive
Kaiser Chiefs - Ruby
Killers - All These Things That I've Done
I'd like to take this opportunity to point out that there is no subliminal message about Morrissey in the previous three artists. Morrissey's views on immigration are nobody's business but his own.
02.00
Blur - Song 2
Arctic Monkeys - Flourescent Adolescent
Kasabian - LSF
The Enemy - Had Enough
Oasis - Live Forever
The Libertines - Can't Stand Me Now
Razorshite - Somewhere Else
Ocean Colour Scene - The Day We Caught The Train
Pulp - Common People
Supergrass - Alright
Cure - Friday I'm In Love
Muse - Plug in Baby
Fall Out Boy - This Ain't A Scene It's an Arms Race
Queen - Don't Stop Me Now
Franz Ferdinand - Take Me Out
Klaxons - Golden Skans
Kings Of Leon - Molly's Chambers
The Smiths - There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
With which ends the indie disco. I however continue....
The Specials - Rudi, A Message To You
Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
Sheena Easton - 9 to 5
Which prompts only slightly tongue in cheek complaints from a semi-regular who I know for a fact is a fan of both Meat Loaf and Queen. You'd have thought he'd have more of a sense of humour, no?
And with that it was over. I'd managed to fight off the flu for a few hours with nothing but Red Bull and adrenaline. Turned out to be one of the most enjoyable nights I've had in a long time.
Reckon I'm going to keep writing my sets down, though I'll not post them all, you'll be relieved to hear.
My girlfriend tells me I play better when I have an audience. By which she means either a busy crowd or someone in attendance who I respect and want to make an impression for. Hopefully this blog will hold me to account nicely.
Friday, 15 February 2008
Stroppy Corgan....
So, having spent twelve years getting my arse around to seeing the Smashing Pumpkins live, it ended an hour early with a botched acoustic version of 1979.
He walked off, no goodbye, no Cherub Rock, no nothing. Billie afterward explained that he's always looking to the audience to see smiling faces, and that last night there weren't any. Apparently we as a crowd were not entertaining enough.
It's a shame, because despite my first instinct to moan at such an unproffessional display of diva, for the hour and a half they were on stage they were fucking brilliant. And in a way I can't really blame him. Since the Pumpkins proper folded, Billy and Jimmy haven't had too much luck. Rumour has it that communications in Zwan had become so strained that Pajo quit by fax. The Future Embrace was an interesting experiment in aural endurance, but it didn't really have any songs on it...and Corgan's decision to announce the reformation of the Pumpkins the day before the album was released suggests he knew it.
So he reclaims his name and his songs, but can do no better than a half full house at the Nottingham Arena (small by arena standards...). It's gotta be tough looking out to see a LOT of empty seats when you were hoping for a return to former glory.
Whatever the case, you can't beat Porcelina as an opener, newish song Tarantula sounded absolutely immense, and Mayonnaise will stay with me for a long time. I only wish Billy could have faked it, for just one more show.
He walked off, no goodbye, no Cherub Rock, no nothing. Billie afterward explained that he's always looking to the audience to see smiling faces, and that last night there weren't any. Apparently we as a crowd were not entertaining enough.
It's a shame, because despite my first instinct to moan at such an unproffessional display of diva, for the hour and a half they were on stage they were fucking brilliant. And in a way I can't really blame him. Since the Pumpkins proper folded, Billy and Jimmy haven't had too much luck. Rumour has it that communications in Zwan had become so strained that Pajo quit by fax. The Future Embrace was an interesting experiment in aural endurance, but it didn't really have any songs on it...and Corgan's decision to announce the reformation of the Pumpkins the day before the album was released suggests he knew it.
So he reclaims his name and his songs, but can do no better than a half full house at the Nottingham Arena (small by arena standards...). It's gotta be tough looking out to see a LOT of empty seats when you were hoping for a return to former glory.
Whatever the case, you can't beat Porcelina as an opener, newish song Tarantula sounded absolutely immense, and Mayonnaise will stay with me for a long time. I only wish Billy could have faked it, for just one more show.
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