Tom Hatred, The Betsey Trotwood, 23/02/07

“I’ve broken the first rule of GigClub: Don’t Drink”. If, inwardly, Tom Hatred was feeling the effects of an evening on the sauce outwardly it didn’t show. Well not much. Moving through his set with charm and modesty, Tom conjures beauty with three simple tools: guitar, harmonica and, of course, his enviably deep, resonant voice. Moving through some new tracks in quick succession whilst he could “still remember the words”; showing us that we have much to look forward to from Mr Hatred over the coming months. Dead man down, exploring the pain of lost love, is reminiscent of Johnny Cash, particularly during the chorus. Whilst on Arrow in my heart Tom sings of the often visceral nature of falling in love (Cupid shot me/The bastard got me) and includes one of the finest uses of mid-track whistling heard in quite some time. Ending the set with Fell off my bike, for what was, allegedly, his first encore, Tom Hatred played a tight, well-paced set, evocative of the pain of love, the love of pain and anything else to induce idle musings over your nearest harmonica.

Oh and finally, I don’t want to get overly folksy or anything but when did it become okay to talk so openly in an audience at intimate gigs? Whilst I shun cross-legged holy reverence to music, loud conversations, especially in a venue this size, are just not on. Understood?

Album Review: Giant

(Outdated I know but...)

Giant

Herman Dune

Herman Dune are the purveyors of the sort of giddying, sun-drenched pop that immediately induces in the listener a yearning for long days with friends, Frisbees and fizzy pop. However, what sets them apart from their saccharine counterparts is the bittersweet tinge that infuses the lyrics throughout Giant. This is an album about love, joy and the spectrum of emotions that make the world a beautiful place. The brothers Dune mix attempts at expressing the often inexpressible – how do you adequately tell another just how much you love them? (“Well your name ain’t Susan but I would call you Sue/To show you how bad I want to be with you”) with the weightlessness that stems from relinquishing control to the Universe (“Do you think that she will wait for you?/ Well I have no way to say and there is nothing I can do”). David-Ivar is the driving force behind Giant but it is clear he thrives off the band dynamic; seeking out Andre and cuing in backing vocals from younger sibling Lisa Li-Lund. This engenders a close-knit clarity in the album, leaving you with the hope that when you whip out the Frisbee, a Dune will be there to catch it.

Clash Club, Luminaire, 17/02/07

Saturday nights: a time for drinking, dancing and fucking. Perhaps Clash Club didn’t get the memo as night openers, Alberta Cross, and their well-worn brand of funereal alt-country left the spirit distinctly unmoved. Their uniform of black hats and overcoats doing little to lighten the mood, the London duo proceeded through a thirty minute set, which gave credence to the argument that music is as much about the moment as it is technical accomplishment.

The arrival on stage of Kubichek! sent a buzz through the room. Aided, no doubt, by an initial PA problem; the resulting whine of feedback spurred the crowd into action. Spiked guitar and repetitive, catchy lyrics brought reckless abandon that was delightfully offset by slightly indulgent solos and feedback play. Ending the set on new single Nightjoy the Newcastle lads tempted Kilburn’s finest to “put on your silver shoes and watch the house collapse”. What else are Saturdays for?

Frustrated minutes spent waiting for The Rumble Strips to perfect their sound settings were dispelled when they did start to play. Solid guitar and drums underscored by perky brass had heads, hands and feet moving in no time. Always attracting an appreciative following, the band, tonight channelling an aesthetic that was Dexy’s Midnight Runners via a vintage clothing exchange, moved through their setlist at full throttle, leaving the stage primed, sweaty and the crowd begging for more.

Welcome

I go to quite a lot of gigs and so I've decided to write about them....