Wednesday, September 26, 2007

The Gigwatcher 26/09/2007

Dogs can't look up.

I don't know who the bigger child is.

Kanye West for throwing his toys out of his pram due to not winning at the VMAs? Or 50 Cent for cancelling his tour when he failed to outsell Kanye West?

[thinks]

Or is it that I just don't care?

*koff*

Eyes down for a full house; here's what I found listed in the back pages of this week's NME (which this week came with the annual Student Guide, notable for its mention of Scandal's as a cool and groovy place to to hear indie tunes.. well.. it is on Thursdays anyway):

Mr Scruff @ The Opera House, Bournemouth - 27/09/2007
Mr Scruff @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 05/10/2007
Misty's Big Adventure @ The Joiners, Southampton - 10/10/2007
The Hot Puppies @ Freebutt, Brighton - 11/10/2007
Jim Noir (supporting Super Furry Animals) @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 25/10/2007
Republic of Loose @ The Barfly, Brighton - 28/10/2007
boykillboy @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 01/11/2007
The Kissaway Trail @ Audio, Brighton - 06/11/2007
Sons & Daughters @ The Joiners, Southampton - 08/11/2007
Make Model @ The Joiners, Southampton - 17/11/2007
Dashboard Confessional (supporting Maroon 5) @ The Brighton Centre - 05/12/2007
Manchester Orchest
ra (supporting Kings of Leon) @ The Brighton Centre - 06/12/2007

As per usual the above gigs will be pasted onto the SoMC Events Calendar just as soon as I have a spare five minutes. As I mention every week, the Events Calendar is just packed with a chocolatey assortment of musical events for the discerning gig monkey. Such as these for example...

John Otway @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 26/09/2007
InME @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 26/09/2007
Girls Alouder @ Chicago Rock Café, Fareham - 26/09/2007
Seth Lakeman @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 26/09/2007
Kill Hannah @ The Joiners, Southampton - 26/09/2007
Ozric Tentacles @ The Brook, Southampton - 27/09/2007
Lloyd Cole @ The Turner Sims, Southampton - 27/09/2007
Robots In Disguise & Scarlet Soho @ The Railway Inn, Winchester - 27/09/2007
The Cropdusters @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 27/09/2007
Asobi Seksu @ Unit22, Southampton - 27/09/2007
Sonic Boom Six @ The Joiners, Southampton - 27/09/2007
Superfly @ The Admiral Drake, Portsmouth - 28/09/2007
Frank Turner @ The Joiners, Southampton - 28/09/2007
Barbwire Bob @ The Bird In Hand, Fareham - 28/09/2007
Suzerain @ The Railway Inn, Winchester - 28/09/2007
Fish @ The Brook, Southampton - 29/09/2007
The Plymouths @ The Joiners, Southampton - 29/09/2007
The Superheroes @ The Heroes, Waterlooville - 29/09/2007
Steve Arnott @ The Frog & Frigate, Southampton - 29/09/2007
Rod Clements & The Ghosts of Electricity @ The Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham - 29/09/2007
The Elements & The Rebel Ching @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 29/09/2007
Kirsty McGee & Matt Martin @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 30/09/2007
The Hollies @ The City Hall, Salisbury - 30/09/2007
Kula Shaker @ Student Union, Southampton University - 30/09/2007
McFly @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 30/09/2007
Al Goodwin Band & The Bog Rolling Stones (acoustic) @ The Edge of The Wedge, Portsmouth - 30/09/2007
Reverend & The Makers @ The Pyramids, Portsmouth - 01/10/2007
Foals @ Komedia, Brighton - 01/10/2007
Editors @ The Guildhall, Portsmouth - 02/10/2007 SOLD OUT!
The Blackout @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 02/10/2007
Acoustic Ladyland @ The Joiners, Southampton - 02/10/2007
Help She Can't Swim @ Unit22, Southampton - 02/10/2007
The Kodiak & Tremain (acoustic) @ The Edge of The Wedge, Portsmouth - 02/10/2007
The Puppini Sisters @ The Turner Sims, Southampton - 11/10/2007
The Mopes & Dead!Dead!Dead! @ The Railway Inn, Winchester - 13/10/2007
Eliza Carthy @ The Arts Centre, Salisbury - 19/10/2007
The Tord Gustavsen Trio @ The Turner Sims, Southampton - 20/10/2007
Soul II Soul @ The Opera House, Bournemouth - 02/11/2007
The Almighty @ The Brook, Portsmouth - 30/01/2008

The Grand Final of The Wedgewood Rooms' Showcase '07 competition will take place this Friday, 28th September. After eight heats, two semi-finals and a playoff the line-up for the final is as follows: Godsend, Hexagram, Wyldside, Days Of No Trust and Swampglow. Good luck to all the bands taking part but, just like Highlander, there can be only one (winner that is, not immortal). Tickets are £6 and available on the door.

Every Thursday the Barn at The Milton Arms comes alive to the sound of music when Roger Courtney's Open Mike Club hosts an evening of musical entertainment. Tomorrow, Thursday 27th September, sees The Monkey Butlars performing a full set in the guest slot (1915-2115) after which the stage will handed over to all comers to try their hand at entertaining the crowd. Admission is free, doors open at 1900 and you're advised to arrive early.

Put a fork in me, I'm done. This afternoon I have mostly been listening to David Bowie (and finding it hard not to shout Ziggy down the phone when I answer it). Join me next week when I'll be painting like Bob Ross.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

The Gigwatcher 19/09/2007

Nissan Micra.

I don't know what's worse.

My childhood memories of Paddington Bear
being sold to the Marmite Man as part of an animated plot to brainwash 'the kids' into eating the fetid gloop? Or Hilary Duff sampling Depeche Mode in a vain effort to kick-start her music career?

H'mm.

As much as I really dislike Marmite I think I'm going to have to go against the Duffster on this one.

*koff*

And so to business; here's what I found listed in the back pages of this week's NME:

Pete and the Pirates @ The Railway Inn, Winchester - 22/09/2007
Pete and the Pirates @ Pressure Point, Brighton - 02/10/2007
The Checks @ The Joiners, Southampton - 08/10/2007
Tunng @ Komedia, Brighton - 10/10/2007
Gravenhurst @ The Joiners, Southampton - 15/10/2007
The Whip @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 19/10/2007
Cajun Dance Party @ The Joiners, Southampton - 19/10/2007
Robots In Disguise @ The Barfly, Brighton - 23/10/2007
Robots In Disguise @ The Joiners, Southampton - 24/10/2007
Youthmovies @ The Railway Inn, Winchester - 25/10/2007
Youthmovies @ Audio, Brighton - 26/10/2007
¡Forward, Russia! @ The Barfly, Brighton - 27/10/2007
Iron and Wine @ St George's Church, Brighton - 02/11/2007
Dizzee Rascal @ Student Union, Southampton University - 08/11/2007
Rilo Kiley @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 14/11/2007
Queens of the Stone Age @ The Dome, Brighton - 23/11/2007
The Bluetones @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 09/12/2007

I'll add the above gigs onto the SoMC Events Calendar just as soon as I can tear myself away from the thief of time that is Facebook. As I mention every week, the Events Calendar is rammed to the gills with a variety of local gigs for local people. Like these...

Bury Tomorrow @ The Joiners, Southampton - 19/09/2007
Reuben @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 19/09/2007
The Move @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 19/09/2007
The Animals @ The City Hall, Salisbury - 20/09/2007
The Fall of Troy @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 20/09/2007
Daniel O'Donnell @ The Guildhall, Portsmouth - 20/09/2007
The Elements, Si Jubb Carruthers & The Haiku @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth - 20/09/2007
The Holloways & The Wombats @ The Pyramids, Portsmouth - 21/09/2007
The Storys @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 21/09/2007
Hayseed Dixie @ The Brook, Southampton - 21/09/2007
New Young Pony Club @ The Old Fire Station, Bournemouth - 21/09/2007
The Union @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 21/09/2007
Superfly @ The Wheelwright's Arms, Havant - 21/09/2007
Steve Arnott @ The Frog & Frigate, Southampton - 22/09/2007
Hugh Cornwell @ The Brook, Southampton - 22/09/2007
Kosheen @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 22/09/2007
One Life Left @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 22/09/2007
Klangers @ The Contented Pig, Portsmouth - 22/09/2007
Turisas @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 23/09/2007
The Velvet Hearts @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 23/09/2007
Blood Red Shoes @ The Joiners, Southampton - 24/09/2007
Rob Tognoni @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 25/09/2007
Euros Childs @ The Joiners, Southampton - 25/09/2007
Rusty Strings & Andy Foster @ The Edge of the Wedge, Portsmouth - 25/09/2007
InME @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 25/09/2007
Joey Nightmare & Hobos and Eskimos @ Drift, Southsea - 27/09/2007
Kicks @ Unit22, Southampton - 29/09/2007
Acoustic Ladyland @ The Joiners, Southampton - 02/10/2007
Walter Trout @ The Brook, Southampton - 04/10/2007
Hijera @ The Joiners, Southampton - 13/10/2007
The Eighties Matchbox B-line Disaster @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 29/10/2007
Rachel Unthank & The Winterset @ The Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham - 03/11/2007
Sons and Daughters @ The Joiners, Southampton - 08/11/2007
Captain @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 08/11/2007
The Smyths @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 16/11/2007
Catfish Keith @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 27/11/2007

The Dillinger Escape Plan and Meshuggah double-header, scheduled to hit The Pyramids on Saturday 3rd November, has been cancelled; punters are advised to contact their point of purchase for refunds. In other news the Madina Lake gig at The Wedgewood Rooms on Monday 24th September is now completely SOLD OUT. So there.

The Isle of Wight Folk and Blues Festival takes place in Ventnor this weekend, running from Friday 21st through Sunday 23rd September. For the most part events will take place in the festival village off Dudley Road, though selected (ticketed) events are scheduled for The Winter Gardens and several other venues in the area. The line-up includes Funkmother, Sarah Class, Swampfish, Last Night's Fun, The Hamsters (who'll be playing a Hendrix-orientated set), The Coal Porters, Fairport Convention, Lisa Knapp, Tony McPhee & Joanna Deacon and The Papa George Band. Tickets come in various flavours (Rambler, Event Specific and 2-gig pass) and are available through the festival website.

This Saturday, 22nd September, The Talking Heads will be playing host to the cream of the Polish Hip-Hop scene. The Polish Hip-Hop All Stars is made up of artists on Max Flo Records and includes members of the Pokahontaz and Projektor crews, notably Rahim & Fokus (of the former) and Miuosh (of the latter). The event runs from 2000 till 0200 and tickets are £12.

And that's it for another week. This afternoon I have mostly been listening to Maxïmo Park and King Creosote (who was really rather good at The Joiners last Friday). Join me next week when I'll be on a slow boil for twenty minutes.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

The Gigwatcher 12/09/2007

Nessun dorma.

It's true what they say, there's no such thing as bad publicity.

Well.

Unless you're Britney Spears of course. Oh dear. Oh dearie me.

*koff*

And that's quite enough of that, here's what I found listed in the back pages of this week's NME:

The Favours & The Talks @ The Hope, Brighton - 17/09/2007
Wallis Bird @ Pressure Point, Brighton - 22/09/2007
Ruarri Joseph @ Unit22, Southampton - 24/09/2007
Kano @ Student Union, Southampton University - 03/10/2007
Noah & The Whale [with Laura Marling] @ Hamptons, Southampton - 04/10/2007
Adele @ Hamptons, Southampton - 06/10/2007
SixNationState @ The School of Arts, Winchester - 11/10/2007
Harrisons @ The Barfly, Brighton - 11/10/2007
SixNationState @ Envy, Portsmouth - 17/10/2007
Oceansize @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 18/10/2007
SixNationState @ Freebutt, Brighton - 20/10/2007
Jeffrey Lewis @ Audio, Brighton - 24/10/2007
SixNationState @ The Joiners, Southampton - 27/10/2007
The Young Knives @ The Joiners, Southampton - 10/11/2007
Kanye West @ BIC, Bournemouth - 25/11/2007
Kanye West @ The Brighton Centre - 24/11/2007
Lucero @ Engine Rooms, Brighton - 08/12/2007
Hard-Fi @ The Brighton Centre - 10/12/2007
Hard-Fi @ BIC, Bournemouth - 12/12/2007

If I'm not camped out in front of the GameCube playing Lego Star Wars 2 (no, really) I'll bung the above listed gigs onto the SoMC Events Calendar just as soon as I can (might be some time, I've only just rescued Lego Leia from the Lego Death Star). The Events Calendar is, as I've mentioned before, packed with all manner of gigs that I stumble across. Like these for example...

Yo La Tengo @ Concorde2, Brighton - 12/09/2007
Little London @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 12/09/2007
iLiKETRAiNS @ The Joiners, Southampton - 13/09/2007
Does It Offend You Yeah? @ Audio, Brighton - 13/09/2007
Big Topp & Catch Me A Comet @ The Arts Centre, Havant - 13/09/2007
Scouting For Girls @ The Brook, Southampton - 13/09/2007
King Creosote @ The Joiners, Southampton - 14/09/2009
Frosthold, Minds Dead More Alive & As We Feared @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 14/09/2007
The Electric Light Orchestra Experience @ The Brook, Southampton - 14/09/2007
Hugh Cornwell @ Ryde Theatre, IOW - 14/09/2007
The Mustangs @ The Contented Pig, Portsmouth - 15/09/2007
Rufus Stone @ The Brook, Southampton - 15/09/2007
The Oli Brown Band @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 16/09/2007
To My Boy @ The Joiners, Southampton - 16/09/2007
Milburn @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 17/09/2007
Steve Arnott @ The Frog & Frigate, Southampton - 18/09/2007
Rawkis, Samantha Horwill & Kate Smith @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 18/09/2007
Dan Le Sac v's Scroobius Pip @ The Joiners, Southampton - 18/09/2007
Steve Dalzell & Slow Down Charlie @ The Edge of The Wedge, Portsmouth - 18/09/2007
The Move @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 19/09/2007
Turisas @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 23/09/2007
Tremain @ Drift Bar, Southsea - 23/09/2007
The Exits, The 47's & Midnight Dance Party @ The Alma Arms, Portsmouth - 28/09/2007
Starsailor @ Student Union, Southampton University - 08/10/2007
The Parlotones @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 09/10/2007
Martin Simpson @ The Studio at The Petersfield School - 19/10/2007
Will Haven @ The Brook, Southampton - 04/11/2007
The Carl Palmer Band @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 04/11/2007
Focus @ The Brook, Southampton - 17/11/2007
Martyn Joseph @ The Brook, Southampton - 18/11/2007
Wilko Johnson @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 20/11/2007
The Hamsters @ The Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham - 01/12/2007

John Power's scheduled gig at The Cellars at Eastney on Wednesday 19th September has been rescheduled. The new date for the ex-Cast front man is Friday 9th November. Metal-core supergroup This Is Menace have cancelled their UK tour, which means they won't be appearing at The Wedgewood Rooms on Sunday 7th October after all. Punters are advised to contact point of purchase for refunds for either gig.

The second semi-final of The Wedgewood Room's Showcase '07 event will take place this Saturday, 15th September. As winners of their respective heats Introduce Your Icon, Swampglow, Godsend and The Elijah Project will be taking part, all aiming to win through to the Grand Final (to be held at the Wedge on Friday 28th September).

And that about wraps it up for this week. This afternoon I was mostly listening to the new King Creosote album and the long player from St Vincent, both of which are really very good indeed. Join me next week when I'll probably be stuck on Lego Dagobah with Lego Yoda.

:o)

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

The Gigwatcher 05/09/2007

We've got to break it before it breaks us.

Kudos to Klaxons for winning this year's Mercury Prize. If only I'd put a bet on them when I tipped them to win way back in July; the band's lead singer had £100 riding on them taking the prize at odds of 9/1 (add that to the £20000 prize money and the Milky Bars are definitely their treat)

No wonder he wasn't in a fit state to judge Kate Silverton's hair on BBC Breakfast this morning.

*koff*

Moving swiftly on, here's what I found listed in the back pages of this week's NME:

King Creosote [with Port O'Brien] @ The Joiners, Southampton - 14/09/2007
Kosheen @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 22/09/2007
Euros Childs @ The Joiners, Southampton - 25/09/2007
Asobi Seksu @ Unit22, Southampton - 27/09/2007
Just Jack @ The Dome, Brighton - 02/10/2007
Trash Fashion @ The Joiners, Southampton - 17/09/2007
Trash Fashion @ Freebutt, Brighton - 19/09/2007
The Dykeenies @ The Barfly, Brighton - 22/09/2007
Asobi Seksu @ The Barfly, Brighton - 26/10/2007
65daysofstatic @ Student Union, Southampton University - 29/10/2007
Candie Payne [supporting Mark Ronson] @ The Pyramids, Portsmouth - 29/10/2007
King Creosote [with Emma Pollock] @ Duke of Yorks, Brighton - 09/10/2007
The Checks @ Freebutt, Brighton - 09/10/2007
The Bees & Nine Black Alps @ The Old Fire Station, Bournemouth - 25/10/2007
The Eighties Matchbox B-line Disaster @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 29/10/2007
The Eighties Matchbox B-line Disaster @ The Old Fire Station, Bournemouth - 01/11/2007
Blood Red Shoes [supporting Biffy Clyro] @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 20/11/2007
Róisin Murphy @ The Dome, Brighton - 26/11/2007
Funeral For A Friend @ The Opera House, Bournemouth - 10/12/2007
Bruce Foxton & Rick Buckler @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 11/12/2007
Explosions In The Sky @ Concorde2, Brighton - 23/01/2007

If I'm not otherwise detained fiddling about with content management systems I will, as usual, update the SoMC Events Calendar with the above gigs when I get a spare five minutes. The Events Calendar is full of local gigs for local people, like these...

Ezio @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 05/09/2007
Storey, The Rebel Ching & Will McNicol @ Little Johnny Russells, Portsmouth - 06/09/2007
Ben's Brother & Dlugokecki @ Unit22, Southampton - 06/09/2007
The Maccabees & Fresh Legs @ The Joiners, Southampton - 06/09/2007
Dead!Dead!Dead! & Stout @ The Joiners, Southampton - 07/09/2007
Jean Genie @ The Brook, Southampton - 07/09/2007
The Alive, The Acid Test & Breaker Breaker @ The Railway, Winchester - 07/09/2007
The Superheroes @ The Colonial Bar, Horndean - 07/09/2007
Superfly @ The Railway Inn, Gosport - 08/09/2007
The Arkwrights, The Edible Stems & Psyracuse Pyramid @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 09/09/2007
Steve Arnott @ The Frog & Frigate, Southampton - 08/09/2007
Straight Shooters @ The Contented Pig, Portsmouth - 08/09/2007
The Steers @ Unit22, Southampton - 08/09/2007
One Weird Fish @ The Wheelwright Arms, Waterlooville - 08/09/2007
Kill The Arcade, Leptany & Cracking Amy @ The Alma Arms, Portsmouth - 09/09/2007
Mesh 29 & Tremain @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 09/09/2007
Jessica Spencer @ The Tap, Portsmouth - 09/09/2007
I Am Kloot @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 09/09/2007
Vince's Teeth @ The Heroes, Waterlooville - 09/09/2007
Fandangle & Mr Shiraz @ The Joiners, Southampton - 10/09/2007
The Ian Siegal Band @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 11/09/2007
David Ford @ The Barfly, Brighton - 11/09/2007
Bearsuit, Sancho & Parcel Force @ The Railway, Winchester - 12/09/2007
Brian Wilson @ The Opera House, Bournemouth - 20/09/2007
Xavier Rudd @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 22/09/2007
Ozric Tentacles @ The Brook, Southampton - 27/09/2007
JD Souther @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 03/10/2007
Mr Hudson and the Library @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 17/10/2007
Redlands Palamino Company & Rachelle Van Zanten @ The Railway, Winchester - 18/09/2007
Miles Hunt @ The Railway, Winchester - 21/10/2007
Super Furry Animals @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 25/10/2007
Ricky Cool & The Hoola Boola Boys @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 27/10/2007
Anti-Nowhere League @ The Brook, Southampton - 28/10/2007
The Wedding Present @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 30/10/2007
Boy Kill Boy @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 01/11/2007
Job For A Cowboy @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 11/12/2007

Unfortunately the Richard Hawley gig at Southampton Guildhall, scheduled for Sunday 2nd September, was postponed. The venue's website is tentatively listing the rescheduled date for sometime in (wait for it) March 2008. Dirty DC's gig at The Wedgewood Rooms, scheduled for Friday 14th September, has been moved back to Friday 14th December (original tickets remain valid).

The Express FM Golden Plectrum Awards take place at The Wedgewood Rooms tomorrow, Thursday 5th September. Accompanying the presentation of numerous shiny trophies will be live performances from the likes of The Elements, Suburbian, Dragon Eye Morrison, The Stations, Hold Fast, Jon Walbrin and Emptifish. Tickets are a very reasonable £5.

The playoff for the last space in the Grand Final of The Wedgewood Room's Showcase '07 event is scheduled for Tuesday 11th September. The playoff features the four highest scoring losing bands from across the eight heats, all of whom will be in with a shout for the fifth and final spot in the Grand Final. So far confirmed as taking part are The Model Village, Days Of No Trust and BlackFox. Entrance is £5 on the door.

And, save for wishing all those travelling to the Isle of Wight this weekend for the Bestival a most excellent time, that about wraps it up for this week. This afternoon I have mostly been listening to Metric and Klaxons. Join me next week when I'll be learning how to smurf.

:o)