Oh lordy. Where does the time go? Hmmm still on day one are we, right, hold on to yer hats. Where had we got to? Oh yes...Eugene McGuiness, right, what next? Oh yes. Doll & the Kicks, for the second time in a day. Not many bands would flick my switch twice in one day but D & the K did just that. A slightly rockier set this time, but just as rump shakingly great.
They were followed by Sometime, all the way from Iceland (not the cheapo frozen food outlet I hasten to add, although that could be why mum's go there...). Catchy blend of electro with some wiggly scratching, some Iceland-ish nuttiness and laid back, sensuous female vocals. Think Goldfrapp-ish...but more Icelandic (now that's the kind of cutting edge reviewing you've come to expect eh?). After a quick dash across town we caught a large slab of AA Bondy...who describes himself as sounding like 'creosote and warm skin'. I'd plump more for a chilled, much younger Seasick Steve...covered in creosote.
Right, this could take forever...I'll tell you what, just this once I'll skip through the bands I saw and just focus on the real highlights. Happy? Good. Sunset Rubdown next, then Okkervil River (pictured). Ah...they were very good. Kind of a midwest Joe Jackson, new wave Americana if you will...but poppy too. I've been in lurve with their track 'Unless It's Kicks' for ages which, now I come to think of it, has a touch of Adam Green to it (ie lyrically a notch above your average bear boo boo). Go and listen to it please. It's really rather splendid.
After that Lady Baron came over all queer and had to retire to our boudoir. I, being either (a) totally hardcore or (b) too tight to let any bands escape me, toddled off to see Arun Ghosh. Actually this was another treat, Asian dubby jazz. Arun plays clarinet, backed with bass, drums, tabla and a variety of other wonderful instruments. Distinct middle eastern notes coming through here too. Proof that musical fusion, when done really well, creates something new and, in the words of the kids, phat (hell yeah, I'm down with those kids). Finally, for Day One at least, Nathan 'Flutebox' Lee. Yes. Flutebox. That name might give you a clue. He plays a flute. Ahh, but there's a twist dear reader. He beatboxes at the same time. Hang on. That can't be right. That's not possible is it? Well, yes, it is...somehow. I've seen it with my own eyes. Awesome. Like Arun, he fuses indian influences with all sorts of other stuff, ragga beats, hip hop, jazz. You don't believe me do you? Go. Check out the vids on his Myspace page. With ears full of 'Flutebox' I retired to bed...
No comments:
Post a Comment