Inflatable Mystery Parade @ Islington Academy

On Saturday evening I had the pleasure of going to see my old friend Alex Gale’s band Inflatable Mystery Parade (IMP). I had seen them once before about a year ago, and they seem to have quite a few new tracks. They remind me of  The Talking Heads with a dash of Joy Division thrown in and a helping of Foals in there as well.

What I really appreciated was the band chemistry that was already evident. Their new drummer was quietly cool, sitting at the back; how all drummers should be. Then they have the oh so necessary geeky synths guy. The lead singer is great, he possesses a sort of anti-charisma quality, but it works. Mr. Gale on lead guitar, takes the shoe-gazer approach; effortlessly cool. Then on bass is the firm fan favourite; Charlie – constantly engaging in healthy ‘banter’ which allows for entertainment in-between songs.

When they play live, they have a big sound, and it’s a good sound. They seem to have the right mix between the jaunty high pitched guitars and well placed synths. My highlight came from a nice reworking of Beatles classic, Ticket to Ride. In a few years these kids could really go somewhere.

Alex Gale & Charlie Brodie of I.M.P.

Rhodri’s World Tour of The UK #3 – Saffron Walden & Haverhill (also Jan Akkerman)

Me and the old man went to see top notch Dutch guitarist Jan Akkerman, a guitarist who in the 1970s was the core of prog rock band Focus. If you don’t know Focus, they are responsible for such gems as this:

and this:

He left them in ‘76 and has been puruing his solo career ever since.

But Mr. Akkerman wasn’t the only act we had the pleasure to see, support came from a young man called Gareth Pearson.

You can listen to a bit of what he’s made of here.

But here’s the weird thing…

My Father’s favourite band when he was in school were Focus. It sounds like he had a slight obsession (he still has!) There was a boy he was friends with who really wasn’t keen on Focus and used to give him quite a bit of stick for liking them.

Shoot forward a few years, this non-Focus fan (who goes by the name of Graham Pearson) has a son… Gareth Pearson. The man who has been touring with world famous guitarist Jan Akkerman. Graham also has been designated to drive Jan around! I’m sure my Dad would have given his right arm to drive the one and only Jan Akkerman around when he was in school. Isn’t life strange?

Anyway…

the gig was good, you can read my Father’s review of it and a cool video here.

Here are some photos of our fun daytrip:

Somehow, the prospect of four hours worth of progressive rock seemed to excite Rhodri considerably less than his Father.

Perhaps, 'it worked for Take That' wasn't the best choice for an opening line as Gary shared his thoughts on that inevitable Focus reunion tour.

I don't like being called 'Ugley' when asked to reduce my speed.

Sibyl’s Travelblog – Issue 7

We have had some very fun nights out in Hanoi and have found some local places to chill in the evenings as well as play Jenga – they seem to have it everywhere here. The Police are very strict about drinking after 12 in Vietnam. Most places close down or shut their doors before then so we have not had many late nights. There is a lot of corruption among the police and military – bribery and other things that I am sure we do not even know go on. It’s when you see things like that you realise you are in a very controlled socialist country.

We went to see the band Regurgitator [attractive name] a few days ago which was so awesome but really random that they came to Vietnam! They are an Aussie band and they are actually really good (not implying that Aussie music isn’t) It was just a strange experience to have in Vietnam because it was like being at a festival at home. It was basically a mini festival from 5 until 10 at night. It was outside, they had festival food and there was (of course) loads of Australians there. We could have been in Australia or even England (apart from the heat.) The music was great and their was lots of ‘moshing’. I crowd surfed too! A few of us did. It was very cool and I landed on my feet.

Seth, the other volunteer teacher at our school, has left because he became frustrated with the situation (they mess us about quite a bit.) Glen and Craig are going to take his place at the school, and be paid as much as me and em earn in a month in two nights work! (But never mind.) At least we have some extra help at the school and will be cool teaching with people we know. We met up with Seth today to talk about it, he’s a really nice guy and is going to cook us mac and cheese to apologise for leaving us behind. Hopefully the school will realise that they should treat us better now.

Bloc Party @ The Forum

I received a phone call on Thursday, it was from Q magazine (no it wasn’t them asking for an interview with the world’s greatest blogger/youtube celeb/generally cool guy) they were in fact calling to tell me that I was the winner of two tickets to see Bloc Party on Tuesday evening at The Forum for their ‘Q Awards: The Gigs with Russian Standard Vodka’. I didn’t even remember entering this competition! I never win competitions! Except for last time when I won tickets to see Feeder.

Tuesday morning came and went; it wasn’t until about 1:00 that I realised I had completely forgotten about this gig, until Ivan reminded me. I realised that I should probably call someone and ask them to go with me. Sam actually picked up his phone and agreed gleefully to come. It was going to be an exciting evening.

I promptly arrived at the station ten minutes early (as always) and tried my best to actually find the venue. I asked the lady giving out free London Lites for directions, but was answered by a tall looking chap who when I turned round realised it was Freddie, an old school friend. He was with the drummer from support band Esser. I said “Oh hi, errm…what’s your band called again? Oh yeah…err…I heard that song…yeah…heard it on Radio 1…yeah errm…s’good”

When Sam arrived we made our way there, and cued up in various different places happily soaking in the drizzle. Eventually we found out that our form of entrance was to be the ’stage doors’. After more waiting around with the four other competition winners, we were finally escorted in. Sadly my high hopes of receiving a back stage pass along with the tickets were destroyed, and we made our way to the already buzzing dance floor.

After waiting around for another hour, support act Esser stumble onto the stage. I don’t really know how to describe them. A bit like the Kaiser Chiefs with no charm or wit. There was a bit of blues chucked in, add a bit of The Specials but without the brains. They made a great sound but it was nothing new and I would never download their songs; free or not.

At 9:15 some woman from Q radio appears on stage. She tells us that Keane were here yesterday, and is replied by a choir of ‘boos’. To which she encourages us to make far more noise than the Keane fans. Which we did. (But I do like Keane!)

Bloc Party stroll on stage, and everyone makes a sudden rush to the front. I went from being around the middle to four rows from the very front. Whereas this was something of a spectacle, I had forgotten how painfully annoying it was to be as close as one possibly could get to hundreds of sweaty music fans.

The first song they played was Halo, from the new album. I appreciate the song a lot more from hearing it live. Hunting for Witches was brilliant, as was Positive Tension. Then came two more noobs; Talons and Signs. Song For Clay, Banquet and one of my favourites from Intimacy; Better Than Heaven. Mercury and This Modern Love were also fantastic. These were the first few songs that they played when I was at the very front. I found myself longing for a quiet song just so that I could actually breathe. I began to ask myself, did I ever find the whole cramped sweaty thing enjoyable? Does anyone?

They played The Prayer, what a track; I decided to bust my way further back, and found myself in a place where I could actually move my arms and dance freely. I began to enjoy it a lot more. So Here We Are was fantastic, an apparent non-mover but it has an inescapable groove to it. They played Like Eating Glass before going off. I was a lot happier not being at the front. I wasn’t one of those people who just wanted to touch Kele Okere.

The encore; war-anthem Ares, was actually amazen. One slight annoyance came from a little girl standing behind us who seemed to find the need to pinch my lower back repeatedly. ‘Whatever floats your boat.’

What a great track Price Of Gas is? All the more relevant than it was even back in 2005, and it once again possesses that irresistible pulsing groove. They played Flux followed finally by everyone’s favourite anthem; Helicopter. I enjoyed the first two thirds of this track until I was headbutted in the face by some cretin in a polo shirt. There’s always a particular strain of Bloc Party fans, they are body building, sweaty, obnoxious oafs with gel in their hair. They somehow get joy out of punching each other and various innocent members of the public. I guess it’s the only opportunity they get to let out their emotions. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for moshing; it’s just not what I go to the gig for. I go to see a band play so that I can enjoy their music, not so that I can get my skull dented by imbeciles in string vests. Sigh.

Anyway. During the pre-concert build up, me and Sam had discussed what our most preferred Bloc Party song was. After mentioning the obvious classics, I mentioned that I loved the track Skeleton. Very few people know it, as it is a rare track. I downloaded it during the very early Bloc Party days, when they had the MP3’s up on their homepage for free. There seemed to be many die hard fans there, many of them (myself included) when hit with a moment of silence from the band would shout out requests of ‘Skeleton’. I gave up after a while, many slightly sadder members of the Bloc fan-base began to chant it at various points throughout the show. Kele soon clocked on, but seemed to not be keen to actually play this unknown gem. They left the stage after Helicopter and the lights and music came back on, people began to make their way to the exit. However just when we thought it was over, they return to the stage! They mention that they had heard a few requests and that they would play whatever people wanted, Kele threw the microphone into the audience, and unanimous shouts were for Skeleton.

I’ve only once heard them play it live. They warned us before they played it, that they hadn’t practiced it for a good while. I really enjoyed that song. I had forgotten how sensationally terrific this song was. The elite Blocheads rocked out joyfully.

How would I rate the gig? Well I would definitely say that every time I see them they get better and better. They didn’t play any songs that I didn’t enjoy listening to, despite the yobs.

Would I recommend seeing them live? Most definitely, the intimate venue also added to the whole experience. (I later found out that tickets were going for £80!) It will be pretty unusual to see them in such a small place again.

I had a post-gig chat with Sam over some fried chicken, we discussed whether it would be in their interests to rework some tracks for the sake of creating some variety in their live performances. We concluded that they weren’t that sort of band. The main perk of seeing them live is the charisma that they bring to the stage, not a huge difference in what’s actually on the CD. On the other hand it is clear that the tracks have a different feel to them when played live. What I do know is that Bloc Party will always provide us with something we can dance/sing/chant along to. Then again the tendency they have to bring this out in the audience sometimes ended up drowning out their actual sound output.

I don’t think my sixth Bloc Party outing will be my last.

Feeder @ KOKO

Just got back from seeing Feeder!

They played KOKO in Camden, so it was just up the road. It was all part of this iTunes festival thing going on all month, they give away free tickets, but you have to win them. Providentially I won!

Feeder were one of the first bands I properly got into, along with Coldplay and Red Hot Chili Peppers. I got their album ‘Comfort in Sound’ for Christmas ‘03/’04 (?) So they hold a special place in my heart for that reason.

I’m also have an affection to them because of a track from that album (Comfort in Sound) entitled Just The Way I’m Feeling not only because I have fond memories of listening to it on Virgin Radio and on Christmas morning, and not only for it being a cracking track with a very cool video. I also love it because Sibyl adores it just as much as I do, so it kind of became ‘Our Song’. (Awww)

They formed in Newport, South Wales, in 1992, a place very near where my father grew up. I had no idea when I first liked them that they were welsh. I later started a huge debate with my friend claiming they were Welsh when I KNEW that they weren’t, but they were – Grant Nicholas (front man) just doesn’t have much of the unmistakable Newport accent.

So I’ve stuck by Feeder through the years, and they haven’t exactly had the easiest past. In 2002, the band’s drummer Jon Lee committed suicide in his Miami home. So things haven’t been great for them. Which accounts for why some their music, post Echo Park has been a bit wet. But I saw them in 2006 at Reading Festival and they were fantastic. Still rocking, and by no means soppy or rubbish. So today I had high expectations.

Support came from Infadels who funnily enough used to have some trumpet playing done by Sibyl’s amazen brother in law Ivan Anchant. They’re a good band, and have a nice happy sound.

KOKO is a nice venue, intimate yet spacious, ideal for Feeder. I will now outline the top 3 things I LOVED about the gig, followed by the top 3 things I HATED.

1. They played most of the songs I like! Just The Way I’m Feeling, Buck Rogers, Come Back Around, Just A Day, Lost and Found, Feeling a Moment and Pushing the Senses. Every single one of these tracks were played amezenly, and I would greatly recommend you download each and every one of the tracks above, for some awesome Rock/Metal/Pop action! The two best were Just a Day and Buck Rogers – if you only want to download two tracks download those two.
2. Most of the people at the venue were great, what I want at a gig is to be able to dance happily, with no inhibitions, knowing that I am very much enjoying the music, and ensuring that everyone around me is in the same position as me. Almost everyone around me were just like this – very much enjoying the music, REALLY enjoying the big tracks, and generally very good. Woo!
3. We were in a perfect position, not too close to get crushed, not too far away to not see clearly and not be able to dance. So that was great.

Now for the downsides,

1. As mentioned, at a gig I want to be able to dance happily, with no inhibitions, knowing that I am very much enjoying the music, and ensuring that everyone around me is in the same postition as me. When Feeder just got on there were this couple standing in front of me and Sibyl, who were obviously rock concert virgins. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT, I would happily say to anyone ‘gig going is not the greatest past time ever, I’d greatly recommend going, but it ain’t essential’ and I have nothing against freshies, who feel to embarrassed to have a good time. What annoys me was that this couple insisted on not moving and on standing very near the front, occasionally having a little wiggle and taking a photo on their camera phone (I’ll get onto that). Fortunately we got away from them, but it ruined the start for me. Now that was one end of the spectrum, but then we have the ones who need to calm it a little bit. There was this huge guy, quite chunky, tall and sweaty; standing next to us. Well I say standing…. Now if you’re big you must take responsibility for your actions, I could have sworn that his head almost went through the ceiling, the height at which this guy was leaping, not only was he leaping about, but he insisted on chucking his girlfriend on his shoulders, which all gig going people will understand, is the most annoying thing ever. AND he was also one with the camera phone.
2. CAMERA PHONES & CAMERAS are doing a great job at changing the atmosphere of good gigs. Why do people insist on thinking that getting some footage on you rubbish little phone of the gig is going to do any good? Not only does it obscure others vision, it takes away from the atmosphere, there ain’t no fun going on when you’re surrounded by a camera crew. It gets worse – this being a big corporate event, it had to be filmed, they decided to stick a camera man in the audience – right bang in the center; and this camera man has the nerve to give me a dirty look when I accidentally on purpose shove him out the way!
3. They didn’t play a couple of songs I really love, one is called Shatter and the other is one off of Echo Park and it’s called Seven Days in the Sun I also would hae liked to hear High. Anyway… I was thinking, Feeder will never ever be that cool, they will never be ‘punk-rock’ don’t get me wrong – they are an absolutely phenomenal live band but it got summed up to me when Grant Nicholas grabs his guitar as if he’s about to smash it, but then stops – as if he was child realising that he shouldn’t hit his little sister. BE COOL!

Overall I’d day that it was a highly successful, enjoyable gig. I would have paid for it – the fact that it was free was a bonus.

Arts Week

I know thousands of you have been utterly devastated at the lack of posts here this week. I’ve been working in my old school on a thing they call Arts Week – it’s pretty much what it says on the tin. The whole school was divided up into little groups and given various Art based projects. I was involved in a few of the more Drama-ish projects.

The year 9’s were given the task of making a film, fortunately they were given a pretty good script (based on Woody Allen play Death, later made into film Shadows and Fog), a very good director (Michael Buffong) and some state of the art filming equipment. Another teacher involved in the film; behind and in front of the cameras was multi talented Ben Ackland – who is a good actor and also has a band called AGK who are very cool and have some good tunes. He was my English teacher for my first two years at Hampstead and my head of year until year 11, he’s a great man.

So in this film project I was mostly running errands or moving lights or telling kids to shut up, but on the last day someone didn’t turn up so I actually ended up playing the part of a relaxed homicidal killer; stabbing a small child – but all in a very comedic way.

I also helped out a bit with a Cabaret taking place on the Thursday evening, there were various dances, comedic sketches and musical performances taking place throughout the evening.

I directed a small group of kids on a comedy sketch about rivalry between Geography and History teachers ending in a break-dancing clash!

Little brother Dylan was involved in another sketch about teachers, where they try to ‘get down with the kids’.

Another project I dipped into was the making of a radio play, this scheme was fronted by acclaimed playwright Nick Grosso and Creative Learning Practitioner at Hampstead Theatre Debra Glazer. An Archers style drama, set in a small country town. It was to be broadcast on the school’s new podcasting station Switch FM but thus far I haven’t spotted it. I did some narration for them, which was fun.

The last big events of the week took place on the Friday night, there was an Open Air Festival / Rock Concert type thing – called ‘LiveStock’, they also had Ibiza – an entire beach was made (!), there was a traditional Garden Fete and also some Exhibitions documenting the weeks events. During the LiveStock event lots of kiddy rock bands had their moments, but some pretty good music came from Nimmo and The Gauntletts a great band with some pretty good prospects. I have shared classes with Sarah Nimmo and Reva Gauntlett of the band, so it would be especially cool to see them go somewhere.

The entire week was more or less held together by amazen teacher Sian Morrison; my Drama teacher for a good few years, (and a Welshie) who is sadly leaving Hampstead School for good! Don’t know what the school will do without her.

Anyway, it was a pretty good week – and all good fun, if not slightly stressful at times.

Radiohead @ Victoria Park

So on Tuesday I went to see one of my favourite bands ever, a band who I personally believe are in at least the top 5 best bands in the world right now. Heaven forbid I may even put them above U2 – I know, crazy.

They played a pretty awesome set, yet inevitably they didn’t play what you would expect. If a semi-big Radiohead fan made a list of songs that they should play at all of their gigs it would probably consist of:

1. Creep
2. Karma Police
3. Paranoid Android
4. No Surprises
5. Fake Plastic Trees

NO! These songs are too good for Radiohead to actually play to their paying fans, they are too bored of these hits, which they have so wonderfully written – instead Mr.Yorke says to himself, ‘let’s shake things around a little, lets not play what people are expecting us to play, then when we play something like classic ‘Everything in its Right Place’ the fans will appreciate it more!’

All that said, they did play an awesome set, and they must be so bored of playing the same old classics over and over, and they played almost every track (minus House of Cards) from current album In Rainbows. I think they hate ‘Creep’ a lot, (as do I) it was played while they were being interviewed on Radio 1 the other day and Thom suddenly shouts ‘TURN IT OFF!’

Fair dooz. Other highlights of the gig were, The Bends classic ‘Planet Telex’, one of my favourite tracks by them ‘National Anthem’ from Kid A, oh and everyone’s favourite ‘Just’. You can’t top that first line when Thom Yorke so bitterly spits, ‘Can’t get the stink off!’

Amazing.

So yeah, like I said, they hate their hits, when they played any track that they suspected the audience may enjoy slightly to much, Thom would quickly release a disclaimer and say – ‘It’s another one of those ones’ or ‘you better get ready to sing along’.

But guys, don’t get the wrong impression, they were magnificent, and even if they had just played Hail to the Thief and the bad tracks from Amnesiac I wouldn’t have cared, they are Radiohead – they are a pleasure to watch. AND they played a song which is at least in my top 10 songs of all time, ever – IDIOTEQUE.

If you don’t own this belter of a track, try and download it or buy it as soon as you can. This has been me and a couple of my good friend’s anthem for a good 2-3 years.

The constant pulsating beats, the beeping, the spooky synths, the lyrics – oh wow the lyrics.

ICE AGE COMING, ICE AGE COMING

So yeah to round off, Radiohead are still amazen, Thom Yorke is still amazen (even though he sent out loads of his troops to get us to sign some form, and don’t get me wrong, I was happy to sign it, as long as the bloke told me why I needed to, and he didn’t, so I signed as Paul McCartney.)

Oh yeah and Idioteque was AMAZEN.