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  I listened to Gideon Coes excellent July 4th show (on the now reprieved 6Music) in which he played 2 hours of live music from this years Glastonbury Festival, featuring bands on independent labels. Of all the wonderful stuff he … Continue reading →

I discovered Frank Sidebottom on Piccadilly Radio around the time of the World cup in Mexico 1986. Id finished my studies and in the months between leaving college and starting work in London I listened to the radio a lot usually Mark Radcliffe who had Franks Radio Timperley on each day. There was just something hilarious about Frank more his turn of phrase than anything else. Mark was reviewing the new Fall LP whilst Frank was in the studio reading the sleeve notes “Brix Smith! Is that Mark E Smiths mum?! I wouldnt let my mum make a record shed make a right pigs ear of it!” Continue reading →

To celebrate his 50th birthday and his dads 80th, Ivan hired the Abbey Tavern in Kentish Town for the afternoon and had a private party with TJ Johnson and his Band playing a couple of live sets. A gathering of … Continue reading →

erly gig on his perilous Pedals and Pumps tour (hes had several run-ins with drivers and got knocked off on his way to our gig by the landlord of the previous pub, who was cycling with him).

This show could have run for several more hours and wed all have been very happy. His intelligent lyrics, punchy in the more rocky numbers and soothing and sensuous in the ballads hit home much more live than they do on recordings, and hes a great front man dancing and running around the stage, which was adventurous given the small barn we were crammed into at the back of the pub. A combination of new songs, older solo stuff and loudly-welcomed Housemartins numbers made for a night that, at £15 a head, was the best-value gig Ive been to in a long time. With an encore that included a great piece of political writing, performed with total conviction, only the need to get back and pay the babysitter stopped me from staying to buy the man a pint and talk about saddle sores and a Tory party in government.

Its gigs like this that remind you why you love live music in the first place. The proximity to the band, the vibrations through the floor and the connection with the music were fantastic at this gig and Paul, whos cycling between each pub on this 3 week tour had more energy than anyone averaging 60 miles a day should reasonably expect to conjure up. Support band Gus Devlin and The Resistance was a soulful-folky-country start to the evening and with Gus joining Paul on the cyclethon, itll be interesting to see how theyre both sounding at the last gig in Chorlton in a couple of weeks time.

Gill Perkins

Photos C/O dr-photography.com
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on Marc Riley. They were smartly dressed and served up some 80s style camp indie-disco. We reconned they were brother and sister. The lead singer looked like Gareth Southgate doing a David Byrne impression. 10/10 for enthusiasm.

I was pleasantly surprised by the number of people at the gig didnt realise they were so big. James Murphy isnt a likely pop star slightly portly with a baggy white T-shirt on but he and his 6 band mates know how to get a crowd going.

They impressed from the off with driving beats, synths and bass line Its like watching Cabaret Voltaire in the 80s – Jez. Everyone on stage took a turn at everything with some songs having 3 on drums and others 2 bass guitars. During the heavy hard hitting bits of some songs they gathered around the drummer as if egging each other on. They reminded me of all the best bits of so many other bands I love The Fall with Murphy messing around with everyones amps and using the microphone like a walkie-talkie, Talking Heads for the quirky lyrics, New Order for the cow-bells and extra drums they were like the Friendly Fires on Steroids. Absolutely Loved them!

Someone Great and Losing my Edge were my favourites the former for its synth pulse and the latter for its hilarious lyrics. The only downside was the beer-throwing crowd. Why do Academy crowds think its funny/acceptable? Kids eh!

Bob the Chiropodist
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