Last night's gig was

Lime Garden at The Lexington

Part of The Line Of Best Fit series of gigs this week but I think some were cancelled.

Didn’t want to hang around here too long and stuck around for three songs. Big man Lamacq was here too. Good live band and enjoyed the few tracks I’ve heard of. Probably one to watch.

Richard Dawson at the Roundhouse, ‘in the round’ tonight with just him. Pretty wonderful, as expected. Seems like a very good human being. Crowd was really into it.

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DakhaBrakha at the Barbican last night. Kept expecting this to be cancelled, despite being sold out. All of the other gig cancellations happening, and the fact they had to come from Ukraine, but thankfully it went ahead.

I only discovered them a couple of years ago, but loved their last album so much, and they were such good fun live, with great stage presence, humour, and nice animations to most of their songs. I wanted to get up and dance, and was at last able to do so for three of the last four songs when some other people starting standing up too. Two amazing hours of music, and then finishing at 10pm - perfect!

Half tempted to go see them again in Bristol on Sunday, but don’t think it would feasibly work out.

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Katy J Pearson at The Village Underground

Never realised she was fairly big until late last year when I saw that this was a sold out gig. This was rescheduled from December. I got a ticket via the DICE return thing.

Her album Return is a brilliant piece of work. I think I skimmed listened on release but very glad that I revisited it a few months ago. The album is worth checking out and enjoyed the few new tracks she played too.

A pretty good gig and a sincere thumbs up to the venue and its security and venue staff for a slightly more robust covid pass-ID check than usual…it even allowed a pub nearby called The New Red First (I think) to sell me a £7 pint as I waited for the queue outside to go down.

Old Blue Last?

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From the Beer Wankers thread.

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Caribou, O2 Academy Bristol

So much fun. Half tempted to go again tonight! Extended version of Sun and Can’t Do Without You I think were my highlights, but loved the whole set. Good crowd too, maybe because people had been waiting about a year for this to actually go ahead.

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Let’s Eat Grandma at XOYO

Saw them quite a few years ago at a church in Hackney on a Saturday afternoon presumably during one of the Visions Festivals. I don’t know their stuff too well. I only gave the new three singles a listen on the way to the gig. I thought they were quite good live back then and was expecting quite a good gig tonight.

Turned out to be a brilliant gig in fact. I got in at the start time and expectedly and acceptably got a bit of a shit view (outstretched arms with the phone for the photo above). Probably one of the signs of a great gig is when your view is shit, you don’t know their music too well but love the live show. Really looking forward to their album now.

(And a 9:45pm finish so I get to go to my usual post gig Camden pub for two pints and type this. Excellent evening.)

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Also Let’s Eat Grandma @ XOYO…

These guys are so much fun live - energy, dance moves, instrument swapping, everything. Plus the whole band seem to be having a great time which is infectious. Short set, but a nice snapshot of what to expect from the new album:

Not been to XOYO for a looooong time. They rearranged the layout, which means if you are stage left (like I was) you are basically trapped there for the duration of the gig :woman_shrugging:

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Alright Mr ‘I was right down the front’ :roll_eyes:

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I used to go to this place fairly often but that was 10 years ago when promoters put on bands on my radar here. I was here for Self Esteem last November but before that even prior to covid it must have been mid-00s. I can only remember seeing Sexwitch (Natasha Khan band with the bloke from TOY) here many years ago.

Not a huge fan of the venue as my usual spot of being at the back with an ok view and a pint isn’t an option here but fair that the venue’s back for gigs. Nation Of Language play here next week.

I got a great spot for Self Esteem at XOYO and I think that was my gig of 2021. Last night’s gig does show me that a below average venue for me can easily be overcome with a great live act.

Hopefully a great gig for you too?

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Just heading home now from The Bug Club in Guildford. Well worth the schlep to get there. Didn’t know much of them beforehand other than a mate’s recommendation and enjoying them when they popped up on Marc Riley. Nice to see the Boileroom pretty much full on a Monday night; the show was part of Independent Venue Week. Reminded me a lot of one of my favourite 3-pieces, the Wave Pictures - really skilled musicians banging out great songs. Can definitely see them playing much bigger venues - although I’ve been saying the same about the Wave Pics for a dozen years and I saw them play the same venue a few months ago. A good night out. Obligatory crap picture:

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Also on the way back home (London) from seeing The Bug Club in Guildford. Thought they were ace - they seem to have arrived fully formed. Agree with The Wave Pictures comparison - coincidentally my first gig at the Boileroom was when they played there last year.

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Cheers for this and @rococo_zephyr - just gave them a first listen, instantly a fan and they’re playing locally in April!

Result

Nation Of Language at Lafayette

I was late to the party with this band and have to thank @robluvsnic @kiyonemakibi and others for mentioning them on the various threads here.

Having heard them I love their two albums and live they were brilliant. Perfect synth beats, bass, vocals and guitars. Easily my top choice of when the “albums of last year that you missed and you’re into now” thread is dropped. Their cover of Gouge Away was expected from looking at their setlists but not needed as their two album catalogue is strong enough. I’d been to this venue once before and it’s improving, perhaps the last time was way over sold out.

Probably Electric Brixton or maybe even Shepherds Bush Empire or Kentish Town Forum next as London venues for the band next. I prefer The Nation Of Domination but they don’t do synth and so the Nation Of Language are the best outfit out there with that sort of name. Great night out. Brilliant live.

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Ha, you definitely win the photo contest. Doesn’t quite capture the bassist doing her full Angus Young impression though.

I was checking their gigs on Songkick on the train home last night and noticed they played a gig last year I was at (supporting Pip Blom) and I missed them. That’ll teach me to get there in time for the support rather than drinking in the pub!

Kathryn Joseph and Tinderbox Orchestra at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. The gig was split in 2 with KJ doing a solo set, then Tinderbox Orchestra doing their bit, ending with the 3 songs from the collaboration EP. KJ was predictably great, played a new song and mentioned an announcement about new releases for today. Tinderbox Orchestra where clearly talented and very enthusiastic but ultimately not for me. For the orchestrated versions of KJs songs, overall really good, some parts didn’t work for me but generally excellent, will buy the EP this Friday’s Bandcamp.

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Looks like you had a pretty good view.

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Didn’t know this existed