Subculture, Leeds

It’s been too long since we made the trip up to Leeds, in fact it’s been nearly 12 months., and for a band that used to pride themselves on their nationwide touring habit it’s down right disgraceful. Fortunately there’s more than a handful of decent people in Leeds and they didn’t hold it against us. Rocking Fish hosted a suitably heavy night at the stickiest bar I’ve been in for some years, Magnificent supports from Xi (my jaw dropped, my heart broke)) and Swimming With Sharks (like an angry swarm of bees). Xi had in good grace lent us their gear and when I plugged into Daz’s Marshall the Strat made a massive roar, much louder than the lady Laney I use, but the stage had been set and you just can’t turn down. Unsophisticated though it is volume to some extent equals excitement.

There we were onstage in a cube of reflective surfaces, part deaf and completely blinded by the stage lights we open with Excuse Me. Don’t mistake this for the dull dull dull “I could’nt hear myself in the monitors” or “I’ve got a soar throat” style whining, I’m just letting you know what it felt like, and it felt amazing! Onstage with two people I know I can trust implicitly, we all know what we’re doing and just DOING it, blind and deaf, like running along a cliff top in the fog. Palpable tension coupled with total abandon, and that’s what we did, for the full 40 minutes, swaggering through the set part deaf and totally blind. Despite kicking the cables out of my pedals more times than I wanted the whole show was storming.

I wasn’t massively chatty on stage that night so I’ll make my thanks here, Pete, Steve, all the Xi and Swimming with Sharks, Katy, Sarah, Mark, Ben, Tony and Kog, THANK YOU! X

Bar Sonic SWINGS

This swinging little corner of London, technically the Lower East side, has attracted little crowds of music lovers for years. It’s got an impressively late license and there’s an amount of crowd exchanging between it and the Amersham Arms late late at night. When Jim and I are driving back from a gig we always pass this joint and more often than not there’ll be a diverse collection of faces, fags on the go, watching the world drive by. I’ve been one of those people on many occasions and it really is magical, how did this slice of New York evolve here? Less than 200 meters from entirely more sinister looking situations how does this harmonious corner retain it’s identity? Big question, no answer.

The set list went like this…
Morning Morgantown – aaaah Joni
Inch Me In – it has been a very long time since we played this, it felt great and Jim, using an unfamiliar guitar really underpinned the whole thing with that solid, insistent and swinging intensity that runs through his veins.
Maybes
Pariah –this was a request from Shey, who had been complaining about its long term absence from the set. Again it was really energizing to play this song after many months of resting it.
Excuse Me – Jim tells me this track gave him ‘the chills’ it was sounding so perfectly formed, the guitar chiming it’s introduction, Bob’s elastic bass line and the drums irresistible invitation to move your feet, I should say so.
Don’t Make Me wait
Miss Bigfish – my amp was sounding throaty and deep, lots of power behind it, and I really felt it in this song. It’s very exciting to give your guitar strings a glancing blow and FEEL the growl of your amplifier build up behind you, almost projecting you forward.
Only You – here’s where I turned to jelly, three part harmony, not so much Flying Pickets, more Beach Boys meet Breeder.
Nobody Else
Silver Machine
Blue Line
Emilie – I am so keen to demo this song up, it’s got such momentum despite being arranged for two acoustic guitars. We’d got a fair amount of feet shuffling and girl dipping going on in the audience. I do remember catching a view of someone playing the ‘air drums’ here, it’s good for the heart.
The Northern Line – I’d really like to mention Katy, who has an amazing memory for Bruise lyrics and had been singing along with impressive accuracy for most of the set. She’s asked if it puts me off, which it doesn’t; it’s a massive complement that always makes me smile. And for your reference Katy it goes,” You’ll be fine, I’m just 10 minutes on the Northern Line. Don’t waste your time, I’m just 10….” X
Coldburn – it felt very definitely that things had taken off; I remember a good friend standing open mouthed at the bar for remainder of the set.
Girls Best Friend – we sucked it right in…
The Game – we pumped it up…
I Don’t Like You – we splattered it all over the room…
Mr Rat – we all slid around it in self indulgently, weeeee!

There were cries for more so we obliged with Silvertown, (you’re very welcome Rupe).

It was a fantastic night, well supported, and one of those musical and emotional experiences that live music should always be. Thank you Dave for doing a fantastic job on sound. See you all in Leeds? Love X