Tuesday, September 16, 2014
What to see at Southsea Fest 2014
It seems to me that the relatively simple task of picking a small selection of bands to see at Southsea Fest becomes more difficult every year. That said perhaps I'm deluding myself that it was ever simple (every year I try, and usually fail, to be in several places at once to take in all of the delights on offer) and this year's line-up is, in my opinion, stronger than ever. Eventually, after much poring over the Clashfinder, scratching of head and imbibing of caffeine, I came up with these suggestions for acts that you should maybe see this year...
Honeyblood - The Wine Vaults 'Pie & Vinyl' stage [2100-2130]
Last year, at the inaugural Gland Rock, I found myself the lucky recipient of a bag of Fat Cat vinyl in the raffle. This stuffed Santa's bag of aural delights somehow made it home safely, despite my tired and emotional state (it had been a long day) and the next morning, whilst my hangover slowly abated, I rifled through my red felt sack. Tucked away inside I found a lone 7" single, Bug by Honeyblood, on soothing mellow pink vinyl. None of this is any explanation why you should see Honeyblood at Southsea Fest but, if you need one, know that they can make cakes explode with their minds.
Battery Hens - Southsea Social Club 'Champagne Justice' stage [1355-1725]
At Southsea Fest 2012 I found myself in the cramped confines that is the tiny room above Bar 56, watching a dedicated if not sizable mosh pit wreck themselves to Battery Hens. To this day I still have no idea how I made it out of there without being drenched in lager. If you like noise, and don't mind flying lager, then these are for you.
Wyldest - Bar 56 'Strong Island Recordings' stage [1520-1600] & Magick Bean Café 'The Boy I Used To Be' curated stage [1820-1900]
The duo of Wyldest (or Wildest Dreams as was) have had an eventful year so far. They've won a slot at Green Man, been tipped for great things by various music blogs and, to top it off, have had to change their name. All that and they still had time to produce a fantastic cover of Kate Bush's Cloudbusting.
Mazes - The Wine Vaults 'Pie & Vinyl' stage [2200-2300]
Manchester's Mazes arrive at Southsea Fest with a new album, Wooden Aquarium, under their belts. No, I haven't got it yet so I can't witter on about how good it most likely is; you'll have to toddle along to the Vaults and find out for yourselves instead.
Prides - Little Johnny Russell's 'Psychedelia/Quay West' stage [2130-2200]
Scottish trio Prides recently supported Foxes on tour and played the closing ceremony of the Commonwealth Games. If you don't get your synthpop fix fully sated by Curxes earlier in the day, and are jonesing for some 80s style keyboards and drums as Southsea Fest works its way into the night, then this lot should sort you out.
Gossling - Kings Theatre 'Southsea Fest' stage [1900-1930]
Australian Helen Croome produces beautiful folk-pop tunes, made slightly off kilter by her distinctive vocals. Quite lovely.
Fear of Men - Southsea Social Club 'Champagne Justice' stage [2200-2245]
Floaty but dark indie pop from Brighton, you can already feel yourself swaying along...
A selection of different acts then, different styles of music, some local and some from further afield. If none of these tickle your fancy, and if you have seven (!) hours to spare, I heartily recommend sampling the official Spotify playlist. If anything it made my cogitations more difficult (such that my plan for five acts to see went right out of the window) but there are gems on there waiting to be heard (including Brontide who, sadly, have had to pull out of Saturday's shenanigans).
Southsea Fest 2014 also sees a couple of local bands bowing out in style, both Attack! Vipers! and The B of The Bang have announced that theyll be playing their last gigs this weekend. Typically, in yet another turn of the festival screw, the Bang's set clashes with that of Curxes so, if you happen to spot a goatee'd oaf bundling across the road from the Kings Theatre to the Wedgewood Rooms (or vice versa) around 1520 on Saturday afternoon, chances are it'll be me.
Now, where did I put that Clashfinder...
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Cate le Bon @ The Wedgewood Rooms (10/09/2014)
I feel a bit sorry for Oxford.
The city of dreaming spires may have gifted the nation the likes of Supergrass and Radiohead, provided a home for Lyra Belacqua and played a part in the education of Professor Stephen Hawking, but apparently its audiences aren't very lively. Or, at least, this is what Cate le Bon tells us of her experience playing there the previous evening. Depending upon your level of cynicality this could be viewed as disparaging to the fine people of Oxford or, instead, that well used tactic of winning over a new audience by rubbishing an old one. If it is the latter then it's not a tactic that le Bon needs to use.
The comment regarding the previous night's crowd is dropped several songs into her set, needlessly as I (and, given the applause, the rest of the crowd) am enthralled. What a difference a few songs can make; at the outset I wasn't so sure what we were in for, with le Bon striding across the stage to stand in a dark corner, set apart from the three members of her backing band. Thoughts of J Spaceman, standing aloof at the side of the stage, stirred at the back of my memory. Would this be another such gig where I left feeling that I'd paid money to watch someone who didn't want to be looked at? No, obviously.
From the opening bars of the first song le Bon becomes possessed by the music, stepping into the light and swaying toward the microphone. Holding the guitar like a weapon she moves around the stage, a fluid and better choreographed Wilko Johnson she could machine gun us down at any time. That the set plundered latest album Mug Museum is no real surprise; the first track from the new long player, I Can't Help You, is dispatched early on and a stirring Wild is dedicated to the fine folks of Portsmouth (and sees an errant string broken midway through its wig out, thus the guitar is replaced by handbells for the next couple of numbers).
Her backing band of Huw, Dan and Steve (who were all introduced to in another break between songs) leave le Bon alone for the first song of the encore, a beautifully delicate take on Frank Mills (from the musical Hair but probably better known by some as the last proper track on The Lemonheads' It's A Shame About Ray album). The band rejoin for one last song and then, all too soon, the lights come on and we make our way to the door and the delights of the merchandise desk that awaits us in the foyer.
So, yes, I feel a bit sorry for Oxford. Cate le Bon was an exquisite delight, you'd have to have been staring at your shoes, with fingers in your ears, not to have been swept along with her.
The city of dreaming spires may have gifted the nation the likes of Supergrass and Radiohead, provided a home for Lyra Belacqua and played a part in the education of Professor Stephen Hawking, but apparently its audiences aren't very lively. Or, at least, this is what Cate le Bon tells us of her experience playing there the previous evening. Depending upon your level of cynicality this could be viewed as disparaging to the fine people of Oxford or, instead, that well used tactic of winning over a new audience by rubbishing an old one. If it is the latter then it's not a tactic that le Bon needs to use.
The comment regarding the previous night's crowd is dropped several songs into her set, needlessly as I (and, given the applause, the rest of the crowd) am enthralled. What a difference a few songs can make; at the outset I wasn't so sure what we were in for, with le Bon striding across the stage to stand in a dark corner, set apart from the three members of her backing band. Thoughts of J Spaceman, standing aloof at the side of the stage, stirred at the back of my memory. Would this be another such gig where I left feeling that I'd paid money to watch someone who didn't want to be looked at? No, obviously.
From the opening bars of the first song le Bon becomes possessed by the music, stepping into the light and swaying toward the microphone. Holding the guitar like a weapon she moves around the stage, a fluid and better choreographed Wilko Johnson she could machine gun us down at any time. That the set plundered latest album Mug Museum is no real surprise; the first track from the new long player, I Can't Help You, is dispatched early on and a stirring Wild is dedicated to the fine folks of Portsmouth (and sees an errant string broken midway through its wig out, thus the guitar is replaced by handbells for the next couple of numbers).
Her backing band of Huw, Dan and Steve (who were all introduced to in another break between songs) leave le Bon alone for the first song of the encore, a beautifully delicate take on Frank Mills (from the musical Hair but probably better known by some as the last proper track on The Lemonheads' It's A Shame About Ray album). The band rejoin for one last song and then, all too soon, the lights come on and we make our way to the door and the delights of the merchandise desk that awaits us in the foyer.
So, yes, I feel a bit sorry for Oxford. Cate le Bon was an exquisite delight, you'd have to have been staring at your shoes, with fingers in your ears, not to have been swept along with her.
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