Thursday 5 February 2015

First Aid Kit

I wasn't sure.  It is Janie who has a soft spot for all things Swedish and I have few female vocalists in my playlists so why I was going out on a cold work night to see Swedish sisters sing wasn't entirely clear.
First Aid Kit - January 27th 2015


 I had, of course, heard First Aid Kit and they make an undeniably beautiful sound.  I like their voices in my kitchen, but I wasn't sure that there was anything to be gained from seeing them live.

 I was wrong (ish)

 The Hammersmith Odeon, as was, is a special venue for me (the screen ripples and I allow myself a few minutes to wallow in nostalgia) but it is a tricky venue for a woman of my advancing years and pathetically disagreeable back.  The floor is quite seriously raked and it isn't easy to stand for any length of time.  Obviously I was not alone, as before the music began, the ground floor resembled something of a university 'sit in' circa 1985 and the urge to give a rousing chorus of "We shall not be moved" was strong.

 The support act was a jolly but sadly forgettable pub singer from Croydon. 

 Then the girls arrived on stage.  They don't just make a beautiful sound.  They are musicians.  They are artists.  They are also mesmerising on stage.  The blonde one, Gah!  I don't know which is Johanna and Klara, is like a puppy.  Enthusiastic and playful she looks simply thrilled to be on her stage.  She manages to change from angel, to minx, to Cousin It and back again in the blink of an eye.  It's hard to take your eyes off her.

 The other one who may or may not be called Klara appears  calmer and takes control of the set.  I can't say much more about her because an amazonian woman had chosen an 'up-do' to go to a gig.
Why?  Just why???
  
But together they do something magical, and these two young women cast such a spell over the sold out Apollo that they unplugged themselves, came to the front and sang - just sang to a silent crowd.  Stunning.



The gig was all kinds of beautiful.  The country influences are a little overpowering for me at times and even their youth, beauty and song writing failed to make it sound entirely relevant.  In fact, some of my favourite moments were the covers and none more so than their homage to the genius of Paul Simon.
Overall I left with a warm glow.  These girls are class, there's something ethereal about them.  And as such, the venue didn't quite work for me.  If there's a next time it will be in the open air with champagne.

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Blog like no one's watching - Careless Sons and Lux Lisbon

My first gig of the year was a return to the Lexington with fellow dance happy girl Janie, for Lux Lisbon. 

Saturday 24th January 2015

With lots of catching up to do we got to the lexington early.  The Lexington is under-staffed, under-seated but definitely not understated with a huge chandelier, baroque benches and random antlers.  I have a soft spot for it.  It's the sort of place you might share a beer with Dickon from Careless Sons at the bar or watch Charlotte Austen charm the entire pub with a pre gig  smile and a quick word.  

We went upstairs early, I like support bands, who knows when you might stumble across a hidden gem.  But Joseph wasn't it.  Joseph is a one man band masquerading as a trio.  The lead singer, presumably he who puts the Joe into Joseph, has a great voice but that's it, the songs were forgettable, the lyrics indecipherable and the personality was missing in action.  The base player appeared to have a bad case of alopecia under the lights but in hindsight I think it was an ill advised bandanna.  


I wonder if Joseph breathed a collective 'Oh we get it now' when Careless Sons took to the stage and actually performed.  These boys have chutzpah.  Maybe if Careless Sons and Joseph had babies you might have the bad boys and girl of folk - Skinny Lister.


But back to careless Sons.  They're good!  I had banished all thoughts of werewolves and vampires (although better a Spike than an Angel I say) and so it was a pity that they had to compete with the mother of all ear worms once Janie whispered in my ear that Rob was a dead ringer for a young Chesney Hawkes GAAAAAH  HE is the one and only…..  I like Ben's bouncing joie de vivre and Dicken's too cool for school demeanour.  It just works. 



Lux Lisbon followed - this was a more self assured and a less self depreciating band than we saw just three months ago.  The Lexington was full and this was an audience not of friends, rellies and the curious - but of full on fans (and I count myself in that number) who now have favourite songs, know the lyrics and are prepared to sing along.  Stu may be the king of self promotion and his charm, persistence and attention to detail will bring people to see the band - once - but the strength of the music and the passion of the performance is bringing people back.  

Borrowed from the Lux Lisbon website.  I'm in speccy corner -
seemingly showing you the size of the one that got away.




There were some great numbers tonight 'The Devils' Got Me Dancing' showcases the mesmerising quality of Charlotte's voice, and sends shivers down your spine even in a crowded bar in Islington.





There is essence of Billy Bragg in The Bullingdon Club - no better flavour if you ask me, made me wonder how it would be to hear Lux Lisbon perform 'The Milkman of Human Kindness' or 'Sexuality'.



And Get Some Scars is just special (not in an educational way) a song to get lost in and I defy anyone not to resonate with it at some level.  There's a redemptive quality to the song in both lyrics and music the scars don't disfigure - they were bloody won!


I could wax lyrical about Lux Lisbon - they are musicians, story tellers, performers and some of the nicest people that you could hope to meet in a bar.  Seeing them live reminds you that music can still speak to you.  What did these ears do before they heard you? 

But don't take my word for it http://luxlisbon.com













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It's SKAAAAAAAAAAA MAS!




I hate the O2.  I really do. It's mahoosive.  That is all.  

But the siren's call was too strong…..
The O2
21st December 2014
Scouting for Girls, Madness 
& the mother of all Christmas parties.
It must be love!
So, it was champagne and sparkle all round - We got to the O2 early and as the champagne bar was right at our entrance, and empty… well it would be rude not to.  We took a deep breath, a second mortgage and treated ourselves.  Well, it's christmas! 

I had us in our seats (yes seats!  What can I say - I hate the O2)  in plenty of time to see Scouting for Girls who are, as you know my guilty pleasure.  (If you DON'T know this, please can I refer you back to the 8th April and ask you to pay attention)  I have seen Scouting For Girls play a small intimate venue and also fill the Albert Hall with adoring fans so it was frankly disconcerting to see them play support to a largely disinterested ska crowd.  We stood, we danced, we sang loudly in support and the boys did their best to work the crowd they had available to them, but it was frankly a bit weird.  I wanted to tell people to shut up and listen, or better still get up and dance, but in the end I gave myself up to singing along to classic lyrics about posh girls (Is it true what they say about posh girls?) and wishing I was James Bond.  





It was over in a Heartbeat (see what I did there) and in the space of grabbing a couple of beers (and going to the loo to be fair) the O2 had filled to capacity with a seething mass of 'salt of the earth' blokes and blokettes intent on partying.  
Making friends,
My favourite image is the gurning guy in the fez :)

 The DJ knew what his audience wanted and partying was the order of the day until Lee Thompson ran onto the stage, clad in a radiation suit and goggles, complete with fire extinguishers.  The  sound of horns announced the arrival of Madness on a NIGHT BOAT TO CAIRO.  The screens fell away to reveal the band and the audience went bonkers!













It was a greatest hits gig - everyone a winner (well, lets gloss over the last rag & bone man) so much so that going to the bar wasn't an option.  Luckily the plight of the beer-less woman was spotted by a 2 tone ruuuuuuude boy standing down on the floor, he bought me a beer and passed it up into the stands.  Good man!  After the third such rescue attempt I decided payment was in order and swapped my hat for a beer.  I like people.
Fezzes off to Madness - there was nothing dated or cheesy about this performance.  They perform the seminal numbers with utter commitment and even Baggy Trousers sounded fresh and relevant.    There were some gems in there, 'Shut Up' has one of my favourite lines of all time, 
'I'm as honest as the day is long - 
the longer the daylight the less I do wrong." 

and filling the 02 with hearts for it must be love was…..
well, lovely!

Thanks to my dance happy buddy for capturing this great moment.

This was a feel good factor 10 gig.  We made friends and traded hats for beers.  We danced and sang and I believe we quizzed people on the correct plural of fez.  There was no question of leaving early to avoid the rush, instead we settled for finding a bar and leaving late.

The entire night ended in Southfields at chip shop man's Christmas party.  

But that's another story.

Madness?  It must be love.
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