Thursday, March 15, 2007

Pull Tiger Tail / Ali Love / I Say Marvin Birmingham Barfly Tuesday 13th March 2007


Part of the MySpace Bleep Bleep Tour (answers on a postcard please...) currently calling at a venue near you...unless you live in the Outer Hebrides...the night was kicked off in fine, enthusiastic style by Cornish pop pixies I Say Marvin. They were called Marvin and the Gayes (wonder why they changed their name?) and have been getting some pretty impressive press over the last 12 months, in particular from Messrs Lowe and Lamacq. I can see the appeal. A bit new ravey in places but with some chunky powerpop guitar chords thrown into the mix. They have a song about that whale that got lost, swam up the Thames and was then hauled aboard a boat before being beemed across the world's media...Jade Goody I think it's name was...anyway, it's got a nice little baroque-ish piano bit in it which says to me that they might go off into all sorts of strange directions given the chance. And lo - I hereby give them that chance.

Ali Love treated us to his own particular brand of white boy funk next. Fans of new rave anthem 'Lost in the K hole' will probably be surprised that much of his other stuff is more funk-like. I was. Vincent Brain reminded me a little of Syd Barret...probably 'cos it rhymes with Arnold Lane. Then you've got a song like Post Modern Blues...more Dylan-ish. Hmmmm...I'm guessin that Mr Love has been in a few bands before and is bringing his various musical influences together in one neat package. I quite enjoyed it all too, although I think it confused some of the audience who were possibly expecting full on 'K-hole' action (that sounds like a particularly disturbing kind of film genre doesn't it?).

Headliners Pull Tiger Tail generously dished out My Space glow sticks, and yes, I too waved one in the air. I apologise to no one. I can new rave like the best of 'em...ahem. In my humble opinion they've produced some of the best tunes of the last few months and have the kind of sound that could well find favour in the cooler parts of the US of A/B or C. Let's Lightning has shades of Killers Mk1 (before they discovered country) whilst Mr 100 Percent has that great chugging Supergrass guitar bit followed by some lush soaring vocals...and stuttery bits. Animator was probably the highlight of the set for me. Just that bit more urgent than the recorded version, with added grrrrrrrrrr. Maybe someone was pulling the tiger's tail? Anyway, this makes it to my list of great gigs of the year...which is already getting a bit out of hand. Damn it. Where are all the shit bands? People are going to think I like everything. I wonder if James Blunt is touring? That should do it...

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