It was Marks Birthday and hed got tickets to see The Decemberists with Kev and Martin. His better half Sarah was up from Cambridge but didnt fancy that gig as Mark had mentioned the F word (folk that is). Other gigs in town that night included The Charlatans at the Brudenell and Pauline Black at Rios but as we’d met in the Vic, we decided to go for a four band night at The Well. Im ashamed to say that the last time I frequented Josephs Well (as was) it was to see Parva. We used to go there all the time then and it brought back good memories.

We caught the last 3 tunes by Doyle & the Fourfathers who with a little luck could really start something. They were one of the bands involved with saving 6 music so are OK in my book – really going for it at the end energy to burn! There were 2 beautiful bass guitars on show tonight and these had one of them.

Not knowing any of the bands, we thought we were probably in for a bit of Motown sound going by their names we thought wrong. Soul Circus are a rock band whos lead singer is dripping in self belief just what you want from a hard rockin band. The guitarist had a dazzling array of effects peddles Id love to know what the bright orange one did.

The band that stole the night for me was 12 Dirty Bullets. They just encapsulated everything I love about indie rock music great tunes, and a great frontman: intense and with a need to speak his mind. “He looks like hes got issues” noted Kul as he threw away a faulty mike stand – but when I met Jamie after the gig he was the nicest of guys & more than happy to sign my copy of their CD Downsides to Making a Living. Please go and see them if you get the chance!

Detroit Social Club again have no Stax-axe to grind. They do have a fervent following reminded me of early James gigs with unashamed male hero worship and the obligatory stage invasion. The bass player had a beautiful red bass guitar that was worth the entrance fee alone. The lead singer was a dead ringer for Kev from Shameless, the synth player could have been from Inspiral carpets and the lead guitarist could stand in as a Brian Cox lookalike. Crowd pleasing anthems left us all smiling.

Mark, Kev and Martin had had a great gig too and met up with us in The Well to finish off the night, drinking and chatting til one. It wont be as long before well be there again a great evening.

Bob the Chiropodist

Its been 2 years since Fujiya & Miyagi last strolled into town and this time they brought with them a couple of class acts!

Plank! Started with ‘La Luna’ and did a storming set. Their drums and bass make a sound ‘Can’ or ‘Neu!’ would be proud of! The overlay of guitar solo’s works well. They really impressed and I can imagine them going down a treat late night at Glastonbury….or anywhere actually.

Mirrors plunder Krautrock for their image (looking like a Top Shop Kraftwerk) but their music and enthusiasm remind you more of Depeche Mode or OMD. Fantastically loud synth-bass riffs got us to our feet to dance, unashamedly bringing back the fun of the 80s.

They had a backdrop of movies and showed a lot of clips from Jean Cocteau films.  “Probably Bill Nelsons influence” I thought………”Who?” they said when I suggested this to them at the bar…..Oh these kids have SO much to learn

Fujiya & Miyagi should be huge on the strength of Knickerbocker alone infectious, cool and ultimately danceable – I’d be happy if it lasted 10 Mins plus. A good spread of tunes: old (collerbone) and new (black and blue) were dispensed with the best saved til last..as a Musculoskeletal Podiatrist, how could I not love a song called Ankle Injuries. A fantastic way to end a fantastic night

Bob the Chiropodist

Thanks to Tony for some of the pics

After 3 weeks of being indoors post eye surgery for a detached retina (It happens with age “Cheers!”) I was getting a little stir-crazy. Ive been in contact with Alun from ‘Y Niwl’ after meeting them at their 6Music session. They play surf music so well, I thought they must be aficionados: “I’ve only got 2 Albums….” said Alun “..a Dick Dale one and The best of surf volume 2, I haven’t even got volume 1!” So I’ve acquainted him with The Treble Spankers, The Phantom Surfers and The Halibuts as well as some more recent Dick Dale..hoping of course, that it wont taint their style.

He kindly put me on the guest list ‘Plus 1’ for their Liverpool gig supporting and backing the Super Furry Animal that is Gruff Rhys. My Niece and Nephew Hannah and Tom both went to Uni in Liverpool and have stayed on there post degree. Hannah’s man Dave has been on the Liverpool music scene for a while and was in charge of looking after me til gig time. We went to the Cavern and walked around the Dock. Met up with Hannah and tried to get up to the top of the Anglican cathedral but we couldnt – the lift was out. Hannah headed for work and we had food gabbing about music all the time. His old band The Black Velvets supported Motley Crew on a Japanese tour “we were treated like royalty”. Fingers crossed for his new band Seville.

Next stop Parr Street Studios where Tom works producing bands. A sad state of affairs but they had to convert the downstairs into a bar to make it pay..a great bar with tonnes of atmosphere but when you see whats been recorded there (Bunnymen, Coldplay, Inspiral Carpets, Mighty Lemon Drops…etc.) it seems a shame. Tom was hard at work with an artist that was new to me but quite well know apparently. He invited us in and we got to see the piano used on Coldplays Scientist.

“They’re £40,000 a piece” says Tom of the speakers mounted in the wall. I was more impressed by the old tape decks “It looks like the start of Joe 90”.

Hannah arrived and we went off to the gig. I used to take her to the Leeds Festival (first time in 2000 when she was 13 at which by coincidence, we saw the Super Furry Animals!) until she got too old/cool to go with Uncle Bob. Tonight, I felt like a cool uncle again! The Kazimier is a fantastic venue and only about 3 mins walk from her city centre pad. As we entered they were playing the theme from ‘Joe 90‘ on the PA – wierd! We met Alun as we got in there but he was soon off to open up with Y Niwl.

What a band!  I just love their sound. If you havent got their LP yet then do yourself a favour. Their set was over far too quickly, but as they were also Gruffs backing band, I guess they’d be pretty tired by the end of the night.

Gruff was in great form, a natural joker he just radiates good vibes. The crowd were all up for dancing and even had a Mexican wave going at one point. There was a surf board signed as he’d promised on his website and lifejackets were donned and emergency exits pointed too at the end.

Hes been involved with so much of the music Ive loved over the last 15 years (I don’t think my SFA‘s top ten would be the same on subsequent days) it felt so nice to be in an intimately small crowd of like-minded souls. His new stuff came across really well.

We had a quick look round at the venue before saying bye to Al as he was packing up. Top bloke. Top gig. Top venue. Top company. Wonderful evening!

Bob the Chiropodist

You’re always in for a good show with Jeffrey Lewis. This time round he was touring with Peter Stampfel who I’d never heard of although, it turns out, I do know a couple of his tunes, more of which later……

First act was Wind Up Birds whos ranting style reminded me of someone but I couldn’t quite put my finger on who. The tune ‘In a Yorkshire call centre I used to weep on my knees’ was a winner.

Next up was a quite extraordinary electro 3-piece act who provided epic length dance tunes that built up and up and up in a krautrock stylee. I thought they were called KP at first which seemed to fit as they were NUTS but they were actually KXP from Helsinki. Would happily see them again and look forward to getting their stuff!

Jeff and Peter took the stage with Fanic Rozycki (a member of the wonderful Wave Pictures) and Jeffs old drummer (I thought I recognised him from another band but after he went through a huge list of bands who I’d never heard of let alone seen, we decided it must have been with Jeff). After a dodgy first tune, where just for a minute I thought Mr Lewis might have lost his midas touch, the band rose to the occasion. There was obviously a lot of mutual love and respect on stage that shone through. Jeff: “Some folk songs are around so long that other folk singers improve them” Peter “They get around so much they end up with STD’s and herpes” Funny as anything

Jeff told stories of how he first heard Peters band ‘The Holy Modal Rounders‘ on a late night psychedelic radio show and how Peter was the first person to us the word psychedelic in a song. They had us laughing with Stick your ass in the air and ruminating on the nature of time as well as grooving to ‘Surfin Bird’ – AWESOME! There was Jeffs continuing story of the fall of the Russian empire and a song about Peters bottle tops collection with accompanying scanned in images of some great examples

The songs that i knew were ‘Griselda’ which Yo La Tengo covered on the wonderful ‘Fakebook‘ (which, looking at the liner notes, features Peter Stampfel on another track ‘The one to cry’) and a track off the Easy Rider Soundtrack, a film which Peter mightily slagged off! They played for a good two hours including an encore “The Cribs say ‘we don’t play encores cos we’re not wankers’ (in a remarkable accurate accent) but I guess I am a wanker….sometimes”.

Three wonderfully different acts. One amazing evening Thanks to all involved.

Bob the Chiropodist

Thanks to Tony for some of the pics