I saw Elbow for the second time in 2 years at the 9:30 Club last Thursday. great performers, and it was a welcome injection of joy from Manchester that has basically been absent from the DC area since last autumn.
the crowning moment of the night was the set closer, 'One Day Like This'. this song has probably the stupidest video ever, but I figure this way more people can hear this song, in case they haven't already. (which is criminal!)
read my review of the gig here on There Goes the Fear; coming soon is my interview feature with guitarist Mark Potter on This is Fake DIY.
Showing posts with label elbow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label elbow. Show all posts
26 September 2011
14 October 2010
this week's Roundtable (14/10) - in Manchester!
celebrating In the City being back at its spiritual home of Manchester (RIP Tony Wilson), Steve hosts a special Roundtable with John Robb, Peter Hook and Guy Garvey
1. a Gorillaz track I missed warming up my lunch downstairs - Gorillaz. good but not great. I'm sure I've heard this song before if not this very instance this evening.
2. the Jim Jones Revue - 'Shoot First' - this band is a little rough around the edges. but better than Nick Cave's Grinderman thingy. "for anyone who hasn't seen them live, they genuinely kick butt" - oh Lammo...I love your enthusiasm! ♥
3. Sleigh Bells - 'Infinity Guitars' - the winner - ok ok. I give. pretty brill track!
4. a Cherry Ghost song - ...er?... - sorry, I'm a little preoccupied talking with my Irish buds Two Door Cinema Club on Twitter ;) whatever it was...wasn't grabbing me.
5. Hot Chip feat. Bernard Sumner - hmmm. not bad! (sorry, still convo'ing with Two Door)
6. the Vaccines - 'Blow it Up' - zzz...
7. Belle and Sebastian 'Write about Love' - thanks to Sam Halliday's tip, I am going to get this album. amazing!
1. a Gorillaz track I missed warming up my lunch downstairs - Gorillaz. good but not great. I'm sure I've heard this song before if not this very instance this evening.
2. the Jim Jones Revue - 'Shoot First' - this band is a little rough around the edges. but better than Nick Cave's Grinderman thingy. "for anyone who hasn't seen them live, they genuinely kick butt" - oh Lammo...I love your enthusiasm! ♥
3. Sleigh Bells - 'Infinity Guitars' - the winner - ok ok. I give. pretty brill track!
4. a Cherry Ghost song - ...er?... - sorry, I'm a little preoccupied talking with my Irish buds Two Door Cinema Club on Twitter ;) whatever it was...wasn't grabbing me.
5. Hot Chip feat. Bernard Sumner - hmmm. not bad! (sorry, still convo'ing with Two Door)
6. the Vaccines - 'Blow it Up' - zzz...
7. Belle and Sebastian 'Write about Love' - thanks to Sam Halliday's tip, I am going to get this album. amazing!
04 February 2010
this week's Roundtable (04/02)
Steve has Radio2 late night stalwart Janice Long, Robin Ince and Tom Ravenscroft (aka 6music presenter and probably better known as John Peel's son) as guests on Roundtable on Thursday
(FYI: Janice Long s a celebrity in Morrissey fan world, as she and Stuart Maconie are two of the chosen few that el Mozzer has allowed into his secret realm again and again.)
1. Jonsi - 'Go Do' - don't know anything about this band. not getting this.
2. General Fiasco - 'Ever So Shy' - I am really eager to see this band live sometime. not only are they mates with *my* mate Matt of S&D, this and the excellent 'Rebel Get By' would be awesome live. Northern Ireland has been doing well as of late - GF, the renewed Ash, and Two Door Cinema Club. Janice, I wuv you, I wuv his voice too!
3. Goldheart Assembly - 'King of Rome' - I know this band is one of Lammo's favourites. it's poppy, but not terribly exciting to me.
4. Tunng - 'Hustle' - the winner - twee. I prefer Camera Obscura, thank you very much.
5. Midlake - Acts of Man - this band (or perhaps more correctly, their album) was panned by a hapless ignoramus of a reviewer on PW. how embarrassing. while I'm not wild about it, I wouldn't say it's as terrible as the reviewer said she thought it was. you like Fleet Foxes, but darker? then this is for you.
6. French Horn Rebellion vs. Database - 'Beaches and Friends' - LMAO this reminds me of Sister Sledge and 'We Are Family' - anyone else? is disco staging a comeback?
7. Massive Attack's new 'Heligoland' album including 'Pray for Rain', 'Splitting the Atom' and 'Paradise Circus' - atmospheric, fuzzed out relaxed dance music. just perfect for this winter. I can't wait to hear Guy Garvey's voice on one of the tracks!
(FYI: Janice Long s a celebrity in Morrissey fan world, as she and Stuart Maconie are two of the chosen few that el Mozzer has allowed into his secret realm again and again.)
1. Jonsi - 'Go Do' - don't know anything about this band. not getting this.
2. General Fiasco - 'Ever So Shy' - I am really eager to see this band live sometime. not only are they mates with *my* mate Matt of S&D, this and the excellent 'Rebel Get By' would be awesome live. Northern Ireland has been doing well as of late - GF, the renewed Ash, and Two Door Cinema Club. Janice, I wuv you, I wuv his voice too!
3. Goldheart Assembly - 'King of Rome' - I know this band is one of Lammo's favourites. it's poppy, but not terribly exciting to me.
4. Tunng - 'Hustle' - the winner - twee. I prefer Camera Obscura, thank you very much.
5. Midlake - Acts of Man - this band (or perhaps more correctly, their album) was panned by a hapless ignoramus of a reviewer on PW. how embarrassing. while I'm not wild about it, I wouldn't say it's as terrible as the reviewer said she thought it was. you like Fleet Foxes, but darker? then this is for you.
6. French Horn Rebellion vs. Database - 'Beaches and Friends' - LMAO this reminds me of Sister Sledge and 'We Are Family' - anyone else? is disco staging a comeback?
7. Massive Attack's new 'Heligoland' album including 'Pray for Rain', 'Splitting the Atom' and 'Paradise Circus' - atmospheric, fuzzed out relaxed dance music. just perfect for this winter. I can't wait to hear Guy Garvey's voice on one of the tracks!
16 January 2010
listen up 2010! my personal band wishes
bands I'm desperate to see live for the first time
Two Door Cinema Club - just between you and me, I've got a terrible crush on the ginger Alex Trimble (teehee)
Dan Black - but I'm missing him at SXSW, arghhhh!
Delphic - in love with 'Acolyte', particularly 'Doubt'; would be particularly awesome if they played Ultra Music Festival this year in Miami
Hot Chip
bands I'm desperate to see again
Camera Obscura - but they are not coming anywhere near D.C. this spring, dayum!
Elbow - not likely to tour this year, boo!
Patrick Wolf - b/c 3x a lifetime is not enough. seriously.
Matt Skint (formerly Skint and Demoralised) - mah m8. it's been far too long.
Keane - the Forest Tour sounds soooo cool. the opening acts are awesome too.
bands I'm so flippin' excited to see this year (meaning I've already got these scheduled)
We Are Scientists (again) - and a new album on its way too!
La Roux - finally!!!
We Were Promised Jetpacks (again)
Editors
Muse - so I can wave my "I ♥ Dom" sign and fangirl over Mr. Howard, woot!
the xx (again)
Vampire Weekend - seeing them finally, after over 17 months of being completely shut out - twice - for their 9:30 Club shows in 2008
oh, and I really want to have drinks with Steve Lamacq and Stuart Maconie. ::grin::
--
not sure about this b/c it pains me terribly to say it but: I'm probably not going to England this year. mama needs a laptop and they don't come cheap - one laptop is about the price of a ticket from here to England, if you were wondering.
I don't like laptops at all: the screens are too small and the keyboards and touchpads are annoying as heck. but yeah, I need to enter the 21st century so I can write from the road if I'm travelling for gigs and festivals.
England, I ♥ you. why do you have to be so far away and so expensive? :(
Two Door Cinema Club - just between you and me, I've got a terrible crush on the ginger Alex Trimble (teehee)
Dan Black - but I'm missing him at SXSW, arghhhh!
Delphic - in love with 'Acolyte', particularly 'Doubt'; would be particularly awesome if they played Ultra Music Festival this year in Miami
Hot Chip
bands I'm desperate to see again
Camera Obscura - but they are not coming anywhere near D.C. this spring, dayum!
Elbow - not likely to tour this year, boo!
Patrick Wolf - b/c 3x a lifetime is not enough. seriously.
Matt Skint (formerly Skint and Demoralised) - mah m8. it's been far too long.
Keane - the Forest Tour sounds soooo cool. the opening acts are awesome too.
bands I'm so flippin' excited to see this year (meaning I've already got these scheduled)
We Are Scientists (again) - and a new album on its way too!
La Roux - finally!!!
We Were Promised Jetpacks (again)
Editors
Muse - so I can wave my "I ♥ Dom" sign and fangirl over Mr. Howard, woot!
the xx (again)
Vampire Weekend - seeing them finally, after over 17 months of being completely shut out - twice - for their 9:30 Club shows in 2008
oh, and I really want to have drinks with Steve Lamacq and Stuart Maconie. ::grin::
--
not sure about this b/c it pains me terribly to say it but: I'm probably not going to England this year. mama needs a laptop and they don't come cheap - one laptop is about the price of a ticket from here to England, if you were wondering.
I don't like laptops at all: the screens are too small and the keyboards and touchpads are annoying as heck. but yeah, I need to enter the 21st century so I can write from the road if I'm travelling for gigs and festivals.
England, I ♥ you. why do you have to be so far away and so expensive? :(
06 August 2009
Elbow room
I remember the day when I was finally converted to the religion of Elbow. you know, that time-honoured belief system led by guru Guy Garvey. I'd heard the most luscious love song ever - "One Day Like This" :
drinking in the morning sun
blinking in the morning sun
shaking off the heavy one
heavy like a loaded gun
what made me behave that way?
using words I never say
I can only think it must be love
oh, anyway...
it's looking like a beautiful day...
you must not be human if that doesn't move you. not to mention the orchestration behind the lyrics, whew!
so when I read that Elbow were coming to D.C. to do one of their only two headlining gigs in America this year (the other date being in Los Angeles; they have since added an Atlanta date this coming Saturday, 8 August), I knew I just had to be there.
I also schemed such that I would head down to the club directly from work (via D.C.'s lumbering mass transit system to avoid figuring out where to put my car downtown where it wouldn't get hit or stolen) and queue up early. this was rather farcical, because I arrived promptly as I expected, around 5 PM (a good two hours before the doors would open, and another 4 1/2 until Elbow would take the stage) and not one soul was there. good, I thought.
oddly, three city policemen were standing right in front of the venue. I wondered how long I was going to have to wait by myself. two girls went up to the box office and were turned away b/c the show had sold out. I suggested they come back later b/c there are always people walking around outside the 9:30 before the doors open, trying to sell their tickets to other fans at face value. (note: my only gripe with English venues: touts run rampant outside every gig - at least I've seen them at all the ones I've been to. scruffy blokes have tried to chat me up either to sell tickets at inflated prices - "d'you need a ticket for tonight's show, luv?" - or they want to buy them cheaply off you in order to turn around and tout it to someone else - "anybody got tickets they want to sell?") I hope the girls did come back and were able to get in.
15 minutes later, a couple who had driven down from Philadelphia (the girl being a fellow music blogger!) arrived. we chatted a long time. we also stood next to the front door and I could hear them soundchecking for "Starlings" (the trumpets!), "One Day Like This", and "Grounds for Divorce". they sounded great many, many feet away and through glass, so I could only imagine what they'd sound like a couple feet away when I'd be standing at the barrier.
this gig also marks the first time I've ever been first in line at a gig.
then around 6 PM, the girl's boyfriend walked over from where we were standing - next to the box office/will call window. I had no idea why he'd walked over there...but it turns out it was b/c he recognised the figure of Guy Garvey, who had just come out of the front door of the venue and was looking for the band's tourbus. I'd seen it earlier, parked on the side street next to the venue. but poor Guy, he looked lost b/c he was probably thinking, where did it go, I JUST saw it!
so the girl said, "I think that's Guy Garvey, I'll save your spot, go over there and talk to him!" so I did. I was a nervous wreck. I am always this way around people who make music I adore. I hope one of these days I'll become the cool as a cucumber that one of my good friends is ALWAYS around rock stars, but the truth of the matter is, the level of respect I have for musicians/singers/songwriters is so high, I have difficulty rationalising that they might actually be normal, nice people. for everyone I've met so far, that's been the case. so what am I worrying about?
I'm really not sure how I got words out of my mouth, but it basically consisted of me telling him I was covering the event for our American music blog and going to do a write-up (he thanked me for that, that was so cute!). then we started talking about Stuart Maconie and Manchester (he said, "you know Stuart Maconie too? he's a good man, he is...") and then I said I was so glad that they came back to D.C. b/c I missed the show in April 2008 b/c I was ill with the flu. they'd played the Sixth and I Synagogue, a tiny venue with awesome acoustics but where no acts are allowed to curse. (seriously.) I also added, "I'll look out for Elaine the singer, I listened in on your Finest Hour show on Sunday!" and he just beamed, I think he was so happy that an American listened to his 6music programme. (if I get a sideways mention in his show this week, I will die.) he is just one big, adorable teddy bear. in all, v. exciting event in my life.
this incident was even detailed on 6music yesterday by Steve Lamacq for his National Anthem feature - have a listen, when he played one of my favourite songs in addition to telling everyone in the UK what had happened to me. I seriously need to give that man a lifetime supply of pints.
the review is done, I finished it last night - I'll add the link to the featured item at Popwreckoning later today when it posts, so watch this space!
drinking in the morning sun
blinking in the morning sun
shaking off the heavy one
heavy like a loaded gun
what made me behave that way?
using words I never say
I can only think it must be love
oh, anyway...
it's looking like a beautiful day...
you must not be human if that doesn't move you. not to mention the orchestration behind the lyrics, whew!
so when I read that Elbow were coming to D.C. to do one of their only two headlining gigs in America this year (the other date being in Los Angeles; they have since added an Atlanta date this coming Saturday, 8 August), I knew I just had to be there.
I also schemed such that I would head down to the club directly from work (via D.C.'s lumbering mass transit system to avoid figuring out where to put my car downtown where it wouldn't get hit or stolen) and queue up early. this was rather farcical, because I arrived promptly as I expected, around 5 PM (a good two hours before the doors would open, and another 4 1/2 until Elbow would take the stage) and not one soul was there. good, I thought.
oddly, three city policemen were standing right in front of the venue. I wondered how long I was going to have to wait by myself. two girls went up to the box office and were turned away b/c the show had sold out. I suggested they come back later b/c there are always people walking around outside the 9:30 before the doors open, trying to sell their tickets to other fans at face value. (note: my only gripe with English venues: touts run rampant outside every gig - at least I've seen them at all the ones I've been to. scruffy blokes have tried to chat me up either to sell tickets at inflated prices - "d'you need a ticket for tonight's show, luv?" - or they want to buy them cheaply off you in order to turn around and tout it to someone else - "anybody got tickets they want to sell?") I hope the girls did come back and were able to get in.
15 minutes later, a couple who had driven down from Philadelphia (the girl being a fellow music blogger!) arrived. we chatted a long time. we also stood next to the front door and I could hear them soundchecking for "Starlings" (the trumpets!), "One Day Like This", and "Grounds for Divorce". they sounded great many, many feet away and through glass, so I could only imagine what they'd sound like a couple feet away when I'd be standing at the barrier.
this gig also marks the first time I've ever been first in line at a gig.
then around 6 PM, the girl's boyfriend walked over from where we were standing - next to the box office/will call window. I had no idea why he'd walked over there...but it turns out it was b/c he recognised the figure of Guy Garvey, who had just come out of the front door of the venue and was looking for the band's tourbus. I'd seen it earlier, parked on the side street next to the venue. but poor Guy, he looked lost b/c he was probably thinking, where did it go, I JUST saw it!
so the girl said, "I think that's Guy Garvey, I'll save your spot, go over there and talk to him!" so I did. I was a nervous wreck. I am always this way around people who make music I adore. I hope one of these days I'll become the cool as a cucumber that one of my good friends is ALWAYS around rock stars, but the truth of the matter is, the level of respect I have for musicians/singers/songwriters is so high, I have difficulty rationalising that they might actually be normal, nice people. for everyone I've met so far, that's been the case. so what am I worrying about?
I'm really not sure how I got words out of my mouth, but it basically consisted of me telling him I was covering the event for our American music blog and going to do a write-up (he thanked me for that, that was so cute!). then we started talking about Stuart Maconie and Manchester (he said, "you know Stuart Maconie too? he's a good man, he is...") and then I said I was so glad that they came back to D.C. b/c I missed the show in April 2008 b/c I was ill with the flu. they'd played the Sixth and I Synagogue, a tiny venue with awesome acoustics but where no acts are allowed to curse. (seriously.) I also added, "I'll look out for Elaine the singer, I listened in on your Finest Hour show on Sunday!" and he just beamed, I think he was so happy that an American listened to his 6music programme. (if I get a sideways mention in his show this week, I will die.) he is just one big, adorable teddy bear. in all, v. exciting event in my life.
this incident was even detailed on 6music yesterday by Steve Lamacq for his National Anthem feature - have a listen, when he played one of my favourite songs in addition to telling everyone in the UK what had happened to me. I seriously need to give that man a lifetime supply of pints.
the review is done, I finished it last night - I'll add the link to the featured item at Popwreckoning later today when it posts, so watch this space!
19 February 2009
Grammys vs. Brits - who's got the gong (not the clap)?
I don't follow award shows anymore. there was a time when I was younger that I used to watch all of them, even the Country Music Awards (now known as the "CMAs") b/c my grandma was a big fan of Randy Travis. but over the years, it became obvious that the people who were chosen to win any award - at least in the U.S. - weren't any bands or singers that I liked.
so it was was interesting to hear about the Grammys this year that British artists swamped the nominations and indeed, ended up picking up most of the major category trophies. while I am happy to see that the Brits were well represented, I'm ambivalent to all the accolades being given to Coldplay - a band that I liked at the beginning before they got way too big and now feels so incredibly commercial.
so much that I was glad to see Elbow beat them for a Brit last night.
I was also happy to see that the British like Duffy despite Adele being the only one who gets any credit for this white British girl invasion.
what follows are the list of winners from the Brits last night and from the Grammys earlier this month.
--
From 6Music, the full list of this year's BRIT nominees and winners (in bold):
British Album:
Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends
Duffy - Rockferry
Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
Radiohead - In Rainbows
The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing
British Group:
Coldplay
Elbow
Girls Aloud
Radiohead
Take That
British Single:
Adele - Chasing Pavements
Alexandra Burke - Hallelujah
Coldplay - Viva La Vida
Dizzee Rascal featuring Calvin Harris and Chrome - Dance Wiv Me
Duffy - Mercy Estelle ft Kanye West - American Boy
Girls Aloud - The Promise
Leona Lewis - Better in Time
Scouting for Girls - Heartbeat
The X Factor Finalists - Hero
British Male Solo Artist:
Ian Brown
James Morrison
Paul Weller
The Streets
Will Young
British Female Solo Artist:
Adele
Beth Rowley
Duffy
Estelle
M.I.A.
British Breakthrough Act:
Adele
Duffy
The Last Shadow Puppets
Scouting For Girls
The Ting Tings
British Live Act :
Coldplay
Iron Maiden
Scouting For Girls
The Verve
Elbow
International Album:
AC / DC - Black Ice
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
The Killers - Day & Age
Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
International Group:
AC / DC
Fleet Foxes
The Killers
Kings of Leon
MGMT
International Male Solo Artist:
Beck
Neil Diamond
Jay-Z
Kanye West
Seasick Steve
International Female Solo Artist:
Beyonce
Gabriella Cilmi
Katy Perry
Pink
Santogold
Critics' Choice Award winner:
Florence & The Machine
Producer of the Year:
Bernard Butler
the list of Grammy winners is too long to list here, so go here if you are interested.
so it was was interesting to hear about the Grammys this year that British artists swamped the nominations and indeed, ended up picking up most of the major category trophies. while I am happy to see that the Brits were well represented, I'm ambivalent to all the accolades being given to Coldplay - a band that I liked at the beginning before they got way too big and now feels so incredibly commercial.
so much that I was glad to see Elbow beat them for a Brit last night.
I was also happy to see that the British like Duffy despite Adele being the only one who gets any credit for this white British girl invasion.
what follows are the list of winners from the Brits last night and from the Grammys earlier this month.
--
From 6Music, the full list of this year's BRIT nominees and winners (in bold):
British Album:
Coldplay - Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends
Duffy - Rockferry
Elbow - The Seldom Seen Kid
Radiohead - In Rainbows
The Ting Tings - We Started Nothing
British Group:
Coldplay
Elbow
Girls Aloud
Radiohead
Take That
British Single:
Adele - Chasing Pavements
Alexandra Burke - Hallelujah
Coldplay - Viva La Vida
Dizzee Rascal featuring Calvin Harris and Chrome - Dance Wiv Me
Duffy - Mercy Estelle ft Kanye West - American Boy
Girls Aloud - The Promise
Leona Lewis - Better in Time
Scouting for Girls - Heartbeat
The X Factor Finalists - Hero
British Male Solo Artist:
Ian Brown
James Morrison
Paul Weller
The Streets
Will Young
British Female Solo Artist:
Adele
Beth Rowley
Duffy
Estelle
M.I.A.
British Breakthrough Act:
Adele
Duffy
The Last Shadow Puppets
Scouting For Girls
The Ting Tings
British Live Act :
Coldplay
Iron Maiden
Scouting For Girls
The Verve
Elbow
International Album:
AC / DC - Black Ice
Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes
The Killers - Day & Age
Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
MGMT - Oracular Spectacular
International Group:
AC / DC
Fleet Foxes
The Killers
Kings of Leon
MGMT
International Male Solo Artist:
Beck
Neil Diamond
Jay-Z
Kanye West
Seasick Steve
International Female Solo Artist:
Beyonce
Gabriella Cilmi
Katy Perry
Pink
Santogold
Critics' Choice Award winner:
Florence & The Machine
Producer of the Year:
Bernard Butler
the list of Grammy winners is too long to list here, so go here if you are interested.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
