Tue 3 Apr – Shearwater, Julie Doiron, My Sad Captains

Oh dear. I didn't expect this. After two glorious previous experiences of Shearwater live, the last thing I expected was RAWK. The beautiful voice is still there of course - but apart from perhaps 3 songs of blessed relief the songs were submerged in meat-and-potatoes drumming leading arrangements that did them no favours.

Julie Doiron was charming, and thoroughly enjoyable.

Wed 3 Sep – Sons of Noel and Adrian, Stanton Delaplane, Blacklands (Al Murphy)

Real serendipity from last.fm here. Wednesday evening I play football. It's that simple, and there's no question about it. Unfortunately, and inexplicably, many of the best gigs in London are also on a Wednesday night.

This week though, the hall was shut. Couldn't play football, but it also seemed to be the one Wednesday with no decent gigs either…

So, Tuesday night, late, I'm listening to the music like Woodpigeon station. Because they're playing at the Luminaire on Saturday, I'm out of town, the Luminaire mailout's…

Can't find any gigography referring to this - but it took place before I went back to Canada on holiday in July, and it was a hot night. So May, June or July.

In the late spring of '77 a whole new live circuit sprung up in south west London. There were punk gigs in unlikely venues in hitherto quiet suburbs such as Twickenham and Teddington. It didn't last long, usually because of some kind of violent incident, but perhaps the most incongrous venue of all was the Railway Inn in Putney. A big old pub, it was filled with…

Inspired by some of my friend's fascinating journals, I'm going to try to dredge up some memories of gigs past…

As far as I can figure out from the www, it was June 5th 1977. The gig that I’ve ever since accounted my best ever. I can’t remember who all went. I know Dave H did, because I remember how the sweat roiled an inch deep in the back of his Morris Minor on the way home. But all of us who took up punk gigs at the time wouldn’t have possibly fit in – so probably three of John,…

Saw the Mountain Goats at the Old Blue Last in Hoxton Thursday night, and it was very marvellous. Don't understand how I've managed to never see them live before. Several songs from te forthcoming album, several from the Sunset Tree plus a The Chiffons cover (One Fine Day) and a couple of classics (No Children, Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton).

I first heard of the Mountain Goats at a Herman Dune gig in another pub not far away a few years ago. The Dune played a song which they announced as "Monkey Song" - a Mountain Goats cover.…

I've put a photo of the remarkable Salvador Duran up to be voted (or improved) upon. He was special guest at the Calexico / Iron & Wine show last night, and showed us some powerful mariachi style vocals, clever vocal percussion, the best farmyard animal impersonations I've ever heard, and a great pair of trousers!

Akron/Family - the good bits were very very good.

http://img174.imageshack.us/img174/6048/akron2oe.jpg

There were moments of bliss tonight where this seemed like one of the best gigs I've ever seen. In the end, the set was too long (especially the freeform feedback freakout sections) for that - but still - top 10%, great fun, and highly recommended.

I've got tickets now for the London gigs:

4th Merz
8th Okkervil River
9th Fiery Furnaces
11th Edward Ball
15th Cocorosie
18th Tapes 'n Tapes
19th Decemberists
23rd Not exactly sure who's really playing.. the venue website says the Microphones, but the CftPA website says Casiotone for the Painfully Alone. Both agree that Mount Eerie are on the bill.
25th Handsome Family

and there are still 6 weeks for further temptations to be placed in front of me…

Better than I'd hoped, charming and thoroughly entertaining - it was a privilege to see Deerhoof Monday night. Hadn't realised from the recordings what excellent musicians they are. And the self-indulgence/pretension I'd feared simply wasn't there.

Well.. there was plenty of both - but it was support group Wilderness which featured them. I hadn't heard of them before (and am surprised to see how many listeners they have here on Last.fm). The music was highly reminiscent of Joy Division but without tunes, and with some bloke shouting randomly.

First support Brown Owl were more palatable - an instrumental trio from…

Back this evening from seeing the Wild Man Fischer documentary "Derailroaded". A sad story, but a really enjoyable film for anyone with as much as a passing interest in Larry. I didn't know he'd sung a duet with Rosemary Clooney!

Interesting footage of Frank Zappa too