British Sea Power, The Venue, Derby

Tonight British Sea Power at the Venue in Derby, which I think is just an overnight stopover on their way up to Scotland to play T in the Park tomorrow. It's a long way from Brighton you know. It’s our gain and I suppose you’ve got to pay your hotel bills somehow.

First up a Nirvana-esk (maybe) two piece support band who mumbled rather a lot, both when singing and conversing with the crowd, to the extent that nobody actually caught their name. Which surely removes any point of them actually playing? I think lacking this type of basic stage craft might hinder their career somewhat.

They are purely guitar and drums, with the drummer hitting his kit so hard that it displaces the carefully arranged BSP foliage off the wall.

At times they sound a bit like the Ramones, several men short. At other times they sound more Billy and Charlotte from the Subways and they seem to get progressively more dirgeful as they go along but overall I do actually I like his voice. They perhaps just need to lighten up a bit.

With them gone, it’s time to re-affix the foliage and hand out water to the crowd. It's hot in the venue tonight, stupidly hot, I bet they'll be no bear suits this evening. The heat also forces me to buy an alcoholic beverage in order to keep cool. There isn’t much choice and I instantly regret it.

Then the band take to the stage, possibly their prettiest stage yet.

There are no great surprises in the set, sadly, but some decent oldies are rotated in tonight. ‘Something Wicked’, ‘Oh Larsen B’ and ‘Fear of Drowning’ make welcome appearances alongside a fair smattering from the new ‘Machineries of Joy’ album, as you would expect. .

Four tracks in and the stage is awash with the sound of barking. Which is a nice touch, particularly with the RSPCA next door, as they move into ‘Loving Animals’ and a five track ‘Hamilton segment’. Although it doesn’t start well with a broken guitar that takes some time to replace, as the roadie seems to have trouble decoding what Hamilton’s furious waving of the injured instrument actually means. 

BSP’s travelling support have been bouncing throughout, despite the heat, and they up their game for ‘No Lucifer’ bringing bemused looks from the locals. Looks that get even more bemused when I am proved wrong about it being too hot for bears and Bipolar bear appears amongst the mosh during ‘Waving Flags’. Even amidst normal temperatures this sort of thing doesn’t happen that often in Derby.

After disappearing, possibly to ring out his suit and for session in an oxygen tent, Bipolar is back for the encore and indulges in a spot of crowd surfing to ‘Carrion’. Then the brown bear appears too, guitarist Noble is off in the crowd hanging from the roof supports and Yan is doing handstands on the stage. Just a normal night out with BSP then.

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British Sea Power, Rescue Rooms, Nottingham

Supported by Brown Brogues & British Sea Power

As a new trend British Sea Power are playing support to their support band and come on a mere twenty minutes after doors open for a short five track set. The Rescue Rooms is already rammed so everyone has clearly got to know about this.

It’s billed as a ‘mellow’ set and on that score it delivers. Three of the five tracks come from their mellower sounding new album ‘Machineries of Joy’. After two albums where they’ve headed further and further into full-on rock territory they have now returned to something closer to what some would say is the ‘classic’ British Sea Power sound.

These three new songs have for accompaniment a couple of not always played classics in ‘True Adventures’ and ‘Blackout’. So far, so good, so mellow.

I guess it's also a way to pack a venue out for the support band. So can the Brown Brogues from Wigan live up to the pressure of a full venue and deliver? They also have at best fifteen minutes to set their gear up. Luckily there are just two of them, a guitarist and a drummer, who has handily a slimmed down drum kit. Yay it’s the White Stripes, well not quite. They are soon setup, facing each other, and ready to go in ten.

Then with no messing and no fanfare they are straight into it. The guitarist has a rather unsettling dance routine and two microphones, which is just greedy, one of which is a reverb thing. 

Their sound is fast and furious garage rock, and in there amongst the distortion are some great tunes. Although they could just be playing a collection of their favourite riffs I suppose and I’m not sure what they’re singing because the vocals are hard to decipher most of the time but there's something there. Something that requires further investigation. 

They entertain us with a pretty lively half hour, it’s messy but then some of the best things are.

Since the last time British Sea Power played here the venue has had a refit. The bar has been moved to the back of the room and the stairs that once led from the stage up onto the balcony have also gone. This is important if you have guitarist like Noble who likes to do a high wire walkabout mid set. The situation looks insurmountable but I guess we'll see.

The band had turned up for their support slot in their casuals, well it was early. Hamilton was in his cardie and poor Abi was still in her jeans. At least they get their act together and dress up for their return. Abi dons furs and a long skirt. We have already been told to look forward to the appearance of the new BSP bear, provisionally named Bi-Polar, until the fan base can rename it. 

BSP have always had a bear. Don't ask. It would take too long to explain. Although now it looks like Abi has hacked a chunk off it.

The title track of the new album ‘Machineries of Joy’ leads us into the ever excellent ‘Lights Out For Darker Skies’ and we’re off rocking.

Then they’re slowing it down for a sequence of five quieter numbers which includes two non-album tracks ‘Bear’ and ‘Salty Water’, both outstanding. BSP are never afraid to chuck in something that the masses might not have. The later prompts one of many major personnel shuffles, a bit like a Formula 1 pit stop Yan points out.
 

Then the set was building momentum again with ‘It Ended On An Oily Stage’, which made it’s first appearance on this tour, almost as if I’d requested it. They are a band who tweak their set often, bringing back and casting aside numbers at will to keep it fresh. It works and it's why this listener comes back.

‘Valhalla Dancehall’, their last album, is sadly neglected this evening and, with the emphasis currently on a lighter sound, the only track we get is a belting 'Mongk II’ blending well with the following newbie 'Loving Animals'. 

The momentum continues all the way through to end where they ease off the pace slightly to finish with the not often played ‘Lately’ from their debut album. Which it was terrific to hear again.

The previously almost statuesque but appreciative audience suddenly came to life for the encore, ‘Remember Me’ and ‘Carrion’ getting a lot of the crowd moving.  

So a very good night, as ever, but where was the bear? They say later that they couldn’t convince him to get up on stage tonight. Is that the truth or has Abi murdered him for that fur top?

Oh and Noble kept his feet firmly on the ground all evening. So actually a bit of a quiet night by BSP standards.

 

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Sigur Rós, The Civic Hall, Wolverhampton

Supported by Blanck Mass

I wonder if the chap behind the safety curtain is Blanck Mass, the support act. We arrived a bit late and he was already there twiddling knobs and swigging from a bottle of something. The Civic website actually says support is by Declan Allen, who’s an associate of Blanck Mass, who is in itself the solo project of Benjamin John Power of the band Fuck Buttons. 

If he is the support, nobody seems to have told the audience, who aren’t actually taking the blindest bit of notice of him. It doesn't help that he's totally instrumental and sounds like background music.

Perhaps if they lifted the curtain? Too obvious perhaps. It’s an interesting gimmick, performing all your set from behind a curtain. Some performers obscure themselves with smoke but a curtain? 

Finally he finishes, gets a round of applause from some of the crowd and a what the f*** look from everyone else who wasn’t aware they’d missed something. He had a nice light show but overall did that work? Not really. Not for me anyway.

There’s no Justin Bieber style lateness from Sigur Rós tonight, in fact they come on slightly ahead of schedule. I also owe an apology to Mr Mass, it seems the safety curtain thing is not of his doing because Jónsi starts by performing a bow guitar solo from behind the curtain. Perhaps it’s not Jónsi, who can tell.

I miss a lot of the visual spectacle of the first few songs because I’m too busy trying to see how the curtain can be detached, if at all. Come on guys, shift that bloody curtain now. If only because, if you don’t, my photos are going to be so crap.

Finally, three songs in the damn thing fell down or was it pushed.

By the way, this is my first Sigur Rós gig, perhaps you can tell. It is, as anticipated, an experience.

Tonight we have, I’m told as I’m no expert, a mixture of brand new material and old classics. Not last year’s first album in four years ‘Valtari’, which has apparently proved to be untourable, save presumably for the one track ‘Varúð’ that is played tonight.

The setlist pulls heavily on the albums ‘Ágætis byrjun’, ‘Takk...’ and the one with just brackets for a title. Again, so I’m told. Although having revised heavily for this, I still couldn’t put names to tracks, other than ‘Hoppípolla’ of course. Everyone knows ‘Hoppípolla’.

With the curtain gone, I can count the band which, including violinists, trombonists and the like, I think comes to 13 or 14, although they are officially now just a three piece.

A huge curved widescreen TV delivers images above the band. At one stage the visuals were of a rock face going down making it look as if the stage was rising, until we popped out of the top, of what I think was a volcano and I wonder how much they paid those people to stand on craggy rocks switching their torches on and off. Yep, it’s visually intriguing.

Musically intriguing too of course, I am supposed to use words like hauntingly beautiful. So I will. Hauntingly beautiful and with not a word of English spoken, apart from a couple of thanks you. Actually probably very little Icelandic either given Jónsi one man crusade for his own language.

With another new song they close a majestic 90 minute set. I actually think I prefer the new songs, much heavier and darker, perhaps if the ambient ‘Valtari’ hasn’t worked out they’re planning a heavy metal concept album next.

The encore disappoints a little. Choosing to play two of their classics sounds a good idea on paper but when both clock in at over ten minutes, it distracts a bit from the experience that went before.

Still I’m impressed. I always swore I would not allow anything with a name like ‘Hoppípolla’ inside my head. Failed.

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Frightened Rabbit, Rescue Rooms, Nottingham

Supported by The Winter Sleep & Three Blind Wolves

We arrive to find ‘Three Blind Wolves’ on stage, looking a bit hemmed in. Being the first of three bands, they don’t seem to have been left much space. They sound distinctly American and for a second I think they have Craig Finn of the Hold Steady playing with them but nope, that’s definitely a Scottish accent. They’re another band off the prolific Glasgow production line, albeit playing some, sort of messy, countrified rock complete with what appears to be the odd barbershop harmony. They’re a lively bunch though, with a very animated front man and some interesting tunes.

They’re also overrunning... as by consequence are Canada’s Wintersleep, all the way from Nova Scotia. Wintersleep have been around forever, or at least they appear to have been. I saw them back in 2009 playing with the Editors but I don't recall them leaving much of an impression.

They have an air about them that says ‘we’re been around forever and we know what we’re doing’ so their set is certainly competent, full of catchy boppy tunes. Perhaps their only crime is that they think they're headlining or at least wished they were, hence the later than expected start time. Not really their fault I guess. Anyhow I was really enjoying their short but sweet set until they ruined it with a rather self indulgent last track finale. 

 

When Frightened Rabbit take the stage, or is it an alter, it’s a very religiously inspired stage, it is to a big appreciative cheer. The F-Rabbit faithful are ready to worship at that alter/stage and appropriately the band open with the boisterous ‘Holy’. Now the Rabbits do religion, sort of.

Then with no messing, it’s into the classic ‘The Modern Leper’, followed by something to ‘dance’ to in ‘Old Old Fashioned’. Not one of my favourites, but it’s popular.

Then we’re back to the new album ‘Pedestrian Verse’ and ‘Late March, Death March’, which we’re told is about arguments during the walk home from the pub. So at least it’s not all religion then and it’s good to know we’re still having girl problems.

As you would expect, a lot of the set is taken from their rather excellent fourth album. Which is a slightly more upbeat selection of downbeat misery but then I suppose 2010’s ‘The Winter of Mixed Drinks’ was too. Only this time, the main man, Scott Hutchison is back to his poetic best and excels himself with the lyrical depth that he puts into the songs. It’s an album that has finally taken them into the top 10 and the recognition they’ve deserved for years. Those rabbits have finally emerged from the warren blinking into the sunlight, although I did have quite a soft spot for that warren.

The new material ‘December's Traditions’, ‘Backyard Skulls’, ‘Dead Now’ etc, sit well alongside the older material and the band are on fine form throughout, at times impressively using four guitars plus a bass guitar to fashion out their sound.

Hutchinson straight bats the many requests, saying we work to a setlist you know and letting the crowd play what he calls ‘setlist bingo’ e.g. keep shouting until you reach the song he was going to play anyway.

They didn't used to of course, have a setlist I mean. Back in the day, they used to make the setlist up as they went along. It was part of their charm. My favourite FR gig is still the first time I saw them at Leicester’s Musician, unplugged, and the setlist finished after about 6 songs, then they took requests.

They’re more polished these days, which is a little sad, as it was the rough edges and the cosy, shambolic feel that I used to like about them but there’s still the Hutchison humour, they still do the amazing ‘My Backwards Walk’ as well as now having some equally amazing new songs such as ‘State Hospital’, their single from last year.

We do get an acoustic moment. Standing alone on the stage, Hutchison plays a splendid ‘Poke’. Then Andy Monaghan rejoins for an impressive ‘Good Arms vs. Bad Arms’ and then two thirds through the rest of the band return to finish it off.

If anything there’s too much tonight from 'The Midnight Organ Fight’, sadly nothing is played from their debut ‘Sing the Greys’ and I would have said not much from their third either until two more surface in the encore, taking the compliment to a respectable four as ‘Living in Colour’ and ‘The Loneliness and the Scream’ bring to a close tonight’s service in the church of the Frightened Rabbit.

They were good, excellent in fact, but I’d still hark back to saying those disorganised, make it up as you go along nights were the best.

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Evan Dando & Juliana Hatfield, The Institute, Birmingham

These dates looked like they may never happen. The ones in Europe had been cancelled because Juliana Hatfield was unable to make them, so Evan Dando did one on his own, which didn't go down that well, so they scrapped the rest.

The UK ones don't seem to be that well organised either. The Institute’s Facebook said this morning that stage times would be up later. They were, at about 7.30pm, half an hour after the doors had opened and I’d already arrived there straight from work.

Now we learn that the guys are on at 9pm, which would be fine but there’s no support. So two hours to kick one’s heels with only some really bad lager for company. No support is unforgivable really. How many local artists would have played for nothing? Plenty I’m sure.

The show has also been moved from 'The Library' to the smaller and cosier upstairs 'Temple' which is packed. Actually I think we're all here now, we’re just missing two people... I look at my watch, an hour to go... This better be good.

Evan and Juliana come on just after nine and spent the next five minutes tuning up while the PA continues to play. Couldn’t they have done that earlier...

16 years ago I stood Juliana up, well I didn't buy a ticket. I'd had what I hoped was a better offer and I'm still with that better offer, so it's looking like I made the right call. She and I had met up just the once before in October 1993 at Sheffield Poly or was it already Sheffield Hallam by then? But it’s a long time ago and I've not seen her since until tonight. We were both much younger then of course. Not that she seems to have changed much.

Finally tuning up is done and we’re off. Into Evan’s 'All My Life'.

The two of them are old pals as well as musical collaborators. Juliana played bass and provided backing vocals for the Lemonheads back in the day while Evan briefly returned the favour by filling in on bass for Hatfield’s The Blake Babies. So there’s some crossover as they produce a selection of songs from both of their extensive back catalogues.

Occasionally they share the lead, such as when they cover The Velvet Underground’s 'Pale Blue Eyes' but usually they just back each other or as often happens simply let the other one get on with it and take centre stage. It’s an off-the-cuff format that works well.

In fact it’s so off-the-cuff that both ,but particularly Evan, have a plethora of crib notes scattered on the floor in front of him. Occasionally this off-the-cuff-ness degenerates something a bit disjointed and rambling but the evening is probably all the better for that. It’s a really relaxed evening unless you’re Juliana who does seem a bit nervous at times. I get the impression they haven’t practised together much, if at all, since they last toured together over a year ago.

It’s a lot of fun with some very good natured banter between the two, making fun of Evan’s university days or lack of them, among other things.

The crowd throw multiple requests at the stage and they do their best to meet some of them. A shout for ‘$1,000 Wedding’ though, which is a Gram Parsons song they’ve covered before, is a step too far for Juliana. She recoils in horror, reveals a dislike of Gram Parsons and complains that she can never get Evan to take his records off her stereo. Then someone yells ‘Streets of Baltimore’ another Gram Parsons song. ‘Yeah, I’ll do that’ cries Evan, I think Juliana gives up at that point and disappears.

They seem to be totally making this up as they go along but I’m not complaining as Juliana chucks in ‘Ugly’ having previously given us ‘My Sister’. Playing it doesn’t go that smoothly though. She blames her guitar which she found in her mother’s garage and then apologises for blaming her tools, hating people who make excuses.

Then Evan was taking another request off the crowd with Juliana just telling him to give the people what they want while she puts her feet up. Cue ‘Laying Up With Linda’

The audience is pretty much split into two camps, Juliana fans and Ewan fans, with a bit of crossover. Evan’s ‘Into Your Arms’ and ‘The Outdoor Type’ win the singalong contest but Juliana offers some great highs too, ‘Candy Wrappers’, ‘Waiting For Heaven’ and a great cover of Teenage Fan Club’s ‘Cells’.

After a slightly shaky start, they seem to bring the best out of each other and what really shines through is that both have excellent voices. The only problem with the venue is the very subdued lighting. It’s not good for photography and I hate using flash. However Juliana likes it and complains when they turn it up, so back down it goes.

Then after a closing ‘My Drug Buddy’ they go off and the house PA comes back on. No encore?

After raucous protests from the crowd Evan reappears briefly before heading off to drag Juliana back. She appears alone and plays a slightly stumbling version of ‘Nirvana’ but she sees it through and then launches into ‘I Picked You Up’ all with Evan nowhere to be seen.

Then she goes and he appears to round off the night with a rousing ‘Big Gay Heart’. Then sadly it really is all over but a 24 song night, so all in all, a bit special.

Now I'm off home to that better offer.

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Feeder, The Civic Hall, Wolverhampton

Supported by The Virginmarys & Dakota Beats

Thanks to the M6, why is it always the M6? I only catch the last two minutes of the Dakota Beats. So I can’t really comment guys. Except to say, of what I saw, you were noisy, animated and got a good round of applause when you went off, so you may have been quite good.

Then the Virginmarys come on to Jay Z, which is not how to get me on side. It's the second time I've seen them and the first time, about 18 months ago, they didn’t leave much of an impression. This time they do.

They are the best kind of a three piece; just drums, bass and guitar. They open powerfully with ‘Bang Bang Bang’ and don’t really let up.

I like lead singer Ally Dickaty’s raspy vocals, even if he does tell us he’s ‘Out of (my fucking) mind’ before moving seamlessly on to the next number ‘My Little Girl’, which is perhaps not as sweet as the title suggests. I’ll get back to you on the finer lyrical points of that one.

‘Dressed to Kill’ is as close to a ballad as they get and even that's got serious balls. It’s a top tune, which I try to find on the CD’s they’re selling post-gig but I don’t think it’s been released yet.

In terms of pure entertainment you could actually just watch the drummer, Danny Dolan, who is ace and have a great evening. He’s a man with loads of energy and knows how to batter a drumkit, which half the time he’s out of his seat doing.

I recommend you catch them but I would do so smartish if I was you because the way Mr Dickaty sings I’m not sure how long his voice will last.

There's a huge gap between the crowd and the stage here at the Civic. Is that really necessary? Stage diving will require a most impressive leap of Olympic proportions. So unless Greg Rutherford is in tonight it ain't gonna happen.

So to Feeder. You may ask if this blog needs another Feeder review? I've seen them so many times it must be getting monotonous and what with me whinging more about what they don't play rather than commenting on what they do play... but they're one of the few bands that I got into from the start and that are still going 15 years on. So it’s personal, we have affinity.

That said, I almost skipped this tour because Wolverhampton is a fair trek on a Wednesday night and there's nowhere closer. It's also a fairly large unintimate venue and having seen them twice earlier this year in smaller venues, could it really be any better? They did say they would chuck in some real oldies on this tour... but then they always says that... then don't... either way, I promise not to whinge tonight.

As they’re setting up the stage, they're taping down around four sheets of paper for lead singer Grant Nicholas. That’s more than just a set list, has he forgotten the words of some of the stuff he intends to play?

Then the lights are down and is that Grant’s dulcet tones I can hear them playing over the PA? Are Feeder going to come on to their own backing track? I know this song... but can’t place it... quick, Shazam it! Ahhh, ‘20th Century Trip’, the last track or ‘outro’ on Polythene, their first album. Nice touch. Hope that’s not the extent of the oldies.

'Oh My' opens the show, it’s the opener to the new album and a great opener, the only question is why it's taken so long for it to get to that spot for the gigs.

'Sentimental' is the selected extra from the ‘Renegades’ album tonight which wouldn't have been my choice but perhaps serves a warning to the crowd that this is going to get heavier.

Previous nights have got either 'Yesterday Went Too Soon' or 'Hey Johnny'. Hell I want both, they are both great tracks. YWTS is a must in any Feeder set for me. A track that still gives me goose bumps every time I hear it live, which obviously isn't often enough. It's a song about not realising what you've got until it's gone. A bit like one’s back catalogue... Damn I promised not to whinge.

Grant seems undecided about which guitar to pick up next, as if weighing up what song to play. Finally the distinctive intro to YWTS tumbles forth from the stage. Good choice. I’m a happy man already. Then later we get ‘Hey Johnny’ as well, bonus. It’s a special song for anyone who knows their Feeder history.

I'm happy to see 'Tender' appear because it's a change and any change is good. Grant recently played it acoustic at the London Guitar show, where it went down well. Tonight, it’s full band and it sounds pretty ace actually. Another good choice mate.

Grant jokes that he’s lost the coin toss yet again about whether to include the next track in the set. This is met with a chorus of cries for ‘Tangerine’.

‘It’s always Tangerine’ he complains.

A track he claims to dislike and has tried to retire for good more than once. Yes it's always ‘Tangerine’ and probably always will be. I don’t understand it either.

You write two of the most ridiculous throwaway pop songs on the planet, one is a success and one isn’t, you grow to hate both of them but both haunt you forever. The band plays the other, more successful one, ‘Buck Rogers’. The crowd go predictably ape.

‘Buck Rogers’ actually brings to the end a sequence of seven consecutive singles played back to back tonight of which only 2010’s ‘Renegades’ didn’t chart. An impressive collection. Then four of the last five tracks showcase the new album ending with the epic title track of ‘Generation Freakshow’.

Encore time. Starting with 'Children of the Sun' with just Grant on guitar and CC on keyboards but then the rest of the band join until it’s full band part way through, as it is on the album, and it sounds better for it.

Then something for the ‘old skool’. It’s back to the early ‘Swim’ EP for ‘Sweet 16’ which is simply amazing and this ‘old skool’ reviewer is one very happy bunny. Then without a break straight into ‘Descend’. ‘Descend’ has certainly been toned down a touch, possibly to try and appeal to the newer fans who may find its original format a bit too heavy. Although I still thought it sounded absolutely immense as it echoed around the Civic Hall and probably down the street.

Grant looks a happy bunny too playing this and who wouldn't be, it’s such a colossal tune. Much better than a throwaway pop song eh? I would be more than happy for this ‘new’ version to become a permanent fixture.

Then as it comes to its conclusion and so too the night, the long jump competition starts with ‘Just A Day’ and there’s a lot of entrants. Despite that though, no one makes the stage. Clearly if Mr Rutherford is here, he's on the balcony.

Then its back to ‘20th Century Trip’ to play us out of what has been an awesome night. See what happens when you shake the set list up a bit. More please.

People who know better than me say the band’s manager wants Grant to ‘man up’ and play more of the old classics and is apparently twisting the thumbscrews for a Swim/Polythene/B-sides tour. I like their manager, whoever he is.

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