Ho! Ho! Ho!
I did have a full Christmas blurb prepared, extolling the myriad virtues of Mince Pies and the joys of bad jokes in Christmas crackers, but I feared the heady mix of bad festive puns might be a bit too much for some of you.
No, really I did. Honest.
*koff*
Moving swiftly on for the last time in 2008; here are the pick of the gigs coming our way, freshly selected from the back pages of this week's bumper Christmas edition NME:
Of Montreal @ Digital, Brighton - 24/01/2009
Sky Larkin and Pulled Apart By Horses @ Audio, Brighton - 30/01/2009
Emmy The Great @ Komedia, Brighton - 02/02/2009
The Twang @ The Old Fire Station, Bournemouth - 03/02/2009
Fighting With Wire @ iBar, Bournemouth - 04/02/2009
The Coast @ Audio, Brighton - 04/02/2009
Fighting With Wire @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 06/02/2009
Fighting With Wire @ Hamptons, Southampton - 07/02/2009
Stricken City @ The Freebutt, Brighton - 11/02/2009
Stricken City @ Lennons, Southampton - 14/02/2009
Alkaline Trio and The Audition @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 15/02/2009
Secret Machines @ Digital, Brighton - 17/02/2009
Hockney, Passion Pit and Bear Hands @ Audio, Brighton - 17/02/2009
Late Of The Pier and Micachu @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portmouth - 20/02/2009
The View @ Southampton University Student Union - 22/02/2009
General Fiasco @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 22/02/2009
The Spinto Band @ The Joiners, Southampton - 27/02/2009
School Of Seven Bells @ Audio, Brighton - 01/03/2009
The Ting Tings @ The Guildhall, Portsmouth - 05/03/2009
Fall Out Boy @ The Brighton Centre - 08/03/2008
Goldie Lookin' Chain @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 23/03/2009
Goldie Lookin' Chain @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 25/03/2009
Bat For Lashes @ The Corn Exchange, Brighton - 16/04/2009
65daysofstatic @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 25/04/2009
If you fear the outlaws may drive you mad over the Christmas period, or that you'll over-indulge with the Quality Street, or find you've watched The Great Escape that one time too many and are in dire need of leaving the house for an evening, then have no fear; I've perused the net and found the following gigs taking place during the forthcoming festivities...
19/12/2008
The Bog Rolling Stones @ The Brook, Southampton
Rusty Sheriff @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth
Viatrophy, Gehenna VII VII VII and In Her Ruin @ The Joiners, Southampton
The Visitors, Loz Bridge & The Box Social and Emily Barker @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth
Julian Nicholas' Heavy Plant Crossing @ Komedia, Brighton
The Booze Brothers @ The Rifle Club, Portsmouth
The Fabulous Rockman @ The Railway, Winchester
Amy MacDonald @ The Guildhall, Southampton
Zetan Spore @ The Fawcett Inn, Portsmouth
Roadhouse @ The Firehouse, Southampton
20/12/2008
Installation, Hijera and Zoo Zero @ The Joiners, Southampton
Perfect Alibi (Pink Floyd tribute) @ The Opera House, Bournemouth
Steve Arnott @ The Frog & Frigate, Southampton
The Ben Waters Band and The Spike Drivers @ Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham
Pencil Riot, The Bluescreen Of Death and Rosenkrantz @ The Hobbit, Southampton
Chicago Nine @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth
Rufus Stone @ The Brook, Southampton
The Reason @ The Railway, Winchester
Lynchpin @ The Firehouse, Southampton
21/12/2008
Speed The Collapse, Tigre Bite Tigre and Faireway @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
Furthest Drive Home, Out Of Sight and Skyline Heroes @ The Joiners, Southampton
Jools Holland and His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra @ BIC (Windsor Hall), Bournemouth
Brontide, Sion and Great Walls @ The Railway, Winchester
Gentle Bren (DJ) @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth
Jezebell @ The Platform Tavern, Southampton
The Damned @ Komedia, Brighton
22/12/2008
The Damned @ Komedia, Brighton
Kodiak Jack @ Havana Bar, Southsea
Lost On Landing, Not Advised and Burn The Fleet @ The Joiners, Southampton
Sensational Alex Harvey Band @ Concorde 2, Brighton
23/12/2008
The Jamm (tribute) @ The Opera House, Bournemouth
Inklings @ The Joiners, Southampton
The Bog Rolling Stones @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth
Status Quo @ BIC (Windsor Hall), Bournemouth
I See Sparks @ The Railway, Winchester
Bad Manners @ Concorde 2, Brighton
24/12/2008
Stone Free, Dave Miatt and Joe Parker @ The Hobbit, Southampton
Santa Gold (DJ) @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth
Rebel Yell (tribute) @ Chicago Rock Cafe, Fareham
The Silver Beatles (tribute) @ The Brook, Southampton
27/12/2008
Autons, Shegotsick and Night Of Treason @ Moodeaze, Gosport
Cream of Clapton (tribute) @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth
Stickee Ickee (DJ) @ The Hobbit, Southampton
Great Pretender (Queen tribute) @ The Opera House, Bournemouth
Red Indie with Dr Watson (DJ) and Skidmark (DJ) @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth
The Vegas @ The Joiners, Southampton
Mary Jane @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth
Timebomb @ The Brook, Southampton
28/12/2008
Clym Arnold & The Delta Breaks, The Lonely Cardinals and The B Of The Bang @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth
White Knuckle Revolution, Deity and Minds Gone Blank @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
Crossfire, The Realists and Castillo @ The Joiners, Southampton
Gentle Bren (DJ) @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth
29/12/2008
All New Comics @ The Joiners, Southampton
Kojak's Revenge @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
Max Hayes @ The Hobbit, Southampton
30/12/2008
Remain Silenced, Typheous and Boilith @ The Joiners, Southampton
Eric Prydz (DJ) @ The Opera House, Bournemouth
Dragon Eye Morrison, Little London and Cut The Blue Wire @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
31/12/2008
Burn The Fleet, Science Of Eight Limbs and Venice Ahoy @ The Joiners, Southampton
The Bog Rolling Stones @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth
Valhalla @ The Firehouse, Southampton
...and here are gigs in the new year that you may want to add to your diary...
Miles From Anywhere, The White Coats and No Access @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 02/01/2009
Tiny Spark @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 03/01/2009
One Weird Fish @ The Square Brewery, Petersfield - 03/01/2009
Get Your Ass To Mars @ The Railway, Winchester - 03/01/2009
Mindless Self Indulgence, Bring Me The Horizon and Black Tide @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 18/01/2009
[spunge] @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 09/03/2009
You Me At Six @ The Pyramids, Portsmouth - 12/03/2009
And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 14/04/2009
Tonight Indie club night Waster will break out the snow machines for more winter mayhem at Liquid Envy, with Will Chump (Chaos) and Philip Harvey (HKGC) of the Southsea Mafia DJs supplying the tunes. There'll be plenty of tinsel and sparkly lights as well, plus the chance for one lucky punter to win a fridge full of Kick energy drink (just the thing for a Christmas hangover). Doors open from 2200, with admission £2.20 before 2300, rising to £3.20 after. Further details can be found on the event's Facebook page.
The Wedgewoods Rooms goes back in time tomorrow night, Friday 19th December, when retro night It's A Sin fires into life. DJs Monsieur Dangerous and Carlos De Lemona will be raiding the vinyl under the stairs for a heady mix of oldies and goldies; doors open from 2300 and admission is FREE!
The Hong Kong Gardeners Club have lined up an evening of live music at Southsea's Havana Bar on Boxing Day, just the thing to cure the cure the post-Christmas blues. As well as sets from Joe Black, Thos Henley and Balk Fiction you'll also be able to savour the DJing skills of Myke Eales (Aspect) and Andy Summerly (from The Strange Death of Liberal England). Doors open from 2000, admission is £3 on the door.
Hipshaker hot-steps it into Christmas this Saturday, 20th December, with a seasonal offering of classic 60s funk and soul served up by the resident Hipshaker DJs plus live music from Pompey surf/punk outfit Emptifish. Doors open at The Wedgewood Rooms at 2130, admission is £5.
The Macabret will be taking over The Edge of The Wedge this Monday, 22nd December, for an winter's evening of burlesque entertainment in aid of All Saints Hostel. In addition to performances from Ms Honour Mission and Ms Ruby Red there'll also be live music from Joe Black and Kelly Kemp. Admission is £4, doors from 2000-2330 and it's over 18s only.
Contact returns to South Parade Pier this New Year's Eve with sets from guest DJs Uberdruck, Chris Liberator, DJ X and A+D+A+M, plus residents Matt Handy, Gav Ravenous and Nathan D & Lanslide. Tickets are £25 in advance from from Ticketweb, doors open from 2100, with music through till 0400.
The Wedgewood Rooms hosts A Night For Joe Strummer on Tuesday, 23rd December, with all profits donated to Strummerville, the Joe Strummer Foundation for New Music. The line-up so far features The Racketeers, The Good Time Charlies, TFA and Archive 45, with further acts to be announced. Doors from 1930, tickets are £8 in advance.
Chaos will be celebrating Christmas in style this year, with two events at the The Wedgewood Rooms next week. First up is a cracker of a Christmas Eve special, featuring live music from Kill Kasper, Wyldside and Tricorn plus DJs Hev Stillet-Hoe and Ruby Soho. Then, if your liver has recovered from all the yuletide excess, Will Chump and DJ Lemon will be seeing in 2009 a few days early with The Alternative New Year Party on Saturday 27th December. Admission is £5 for either night; doors open from 2200 on the 27th, from 2100 on Christmas Eve.
Club night Kiss My Bass have planned the mother of all New Year's Eve parties at Southsea's Havana Bar, guaranteed to see 2009 in with a bang. DJs Charge and Tom Mayhem (Ricochet) will be joining residents Udy, Vol.1, Eratik Behaviour, Neil Doc and Fotza for an all-night session, with a live beatbox countdown to the New Year courtesy of Ochs. A new sound system and lighting rig are promised, plus the DJs have been told anything goes, so it's going to be large. Tickets are available in advance from the venue, or online from the Portsmouth page at http://www.dontstayin.com, priced at £8. The fun starts at 2100 and runs through to 0500. Oh lordy.
And that's it for the Gigwatcher for 2008; today I have mostly been listening to Pearl Jam, Muse and Kodiak Jack (with the Bo Selecta Proper Chrimbo tune on random for good measure). Thanks for putting up with my drivel landing in your inboxes or taking the time to read it on the blog, I hope Santa brings you all something very special (I've asked for Cheryl Tweedy again, fingers crossed) and not that CD by The Priests (which is a total rip off as it doesn't have My Lovely Horse on it). Be sure to join me in the New Year when I'll be breaking that resolution I foolishly made in a rare sober moment.
:o)
Splitsville
So, that's that for Madge and Thingy; hands up who didn't see it coming? Well, to be honest my money was on Jordan and Peter Andre calling it a day first, but what do I know?
*koff*
Moving swiftly on, here are the slim local pickings from the back pages of this week's NME:
Bombay Bicycle Club @ Audio, Brighton - 19/10/2008
Goldfrapp @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 29/10/2008
Kid British @ The Joiners, Southampton - 30/10/2008
The Futureheads (DJ set) @ The Old Fire Station, Bournemouth - 01/11/2008
Cage The Elephant @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 04/11/2008
I may well have time to add the above to the slightly forlorn looking SoMC Events Calendar this weekend, unless I actually steel myself to watch the whole second series of Heroes that's still (!) hogging space on my PVR. In the meantime here's a bumper list of some of the local gigs happening over the next seven days...
Scorpions @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 16/10/2008
Matthew Lee @ South Parade Pier, Southsea - 16/10/2008
Jay Tamkin & The Crackers @ The Platform Tavern, Southampton - 16/10/2008
Graham Robbins @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth - 16/10/2008
Natty @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 16/10/2008
The Manfreds, Alan Price and Maggie Bell @ BIC, Bournemouth - 16/10/2008
Polyester and DJ Mooner @ The Freebutt, Brighton - 16/10/2008
Cojack, Melodramas and The Darling Age @ The Fat Fox, Portsmouth - 16/10/2008
The Popes @ Komedia, Brighton - 16/10/2008 CANCELLED!
Gideon Conn, Barefoot Confessor and Glad Rags @ The Railway, Winchester - 16/10/2008
White Hinterland, Bird Engine and The Pangs @ Komedia, Brighton - 16/10/2008
Devil Sold His Soul and Fei Comodo @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 16/10/2008
Zebrahead @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 16/10/2008
Billy Cobham & Asere @ Turner Sims Concert Hall, Southampton - 16/10/2008
Mari Wilson @ Komedia, Brighton - 16/10/2008
Sarah Saville @ The Fawcett Inn, Portsmouth - 16/10/2008
Steely Scam (tribute) @ The Brook, Southampton - 17/10/2008
Boy George @ The Anvil, Basingstoke - 17/10/2008 SOLD OUT!
Two Fingers Of Firewater, The Visitors and The Jet Black Heights @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 17/10/2008
The Dreaming Tree and Arilyn @ The Hobbit, Southampton - 17/10/2008
The Filth Cartel featuring Tim Cook (DJ), Junior Gee (DJ) and Phil Thompson (DJ) @ Drift, Southsea - 17/10/2008
Kill Kenada, The Horse and To The Bones @ The Freebutt, Brighton - 17/10/2008
It Hugs Back, Rod Thomas and Ascari @ The Joiners, Southampton - 17/10/2008
The Arteries, The Computers, Monrobots and L Morgan @ The Fawcett Inn, Portsmouth - 17/10/2008
Headway @ Hamptons, Southampton - 17/10/2008
Akira The Don and The Gary Munday Band @ The Railway, Winchester - 17/10/2008
Imperial Leisure @ Salisbury Arts Centre - 17/10/2008
Level 42 and The Mercurymen @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 17/10/2008 SOLD OUT!
ZU2 (tribute) @ Komedia, Brighton - 17/10/2008
Akala, Installation and 8 Fold @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 17/10/2008
The Smyths (tribute) @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 17/10/2008
Unforgiven @ The Firehouse, Southampton - 17/10/2008
Hated In The Face (DJ) @ The Fat Fox, Portsmouth - 17/10/2008
Dirty Pretty Things @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 18/10/2008
The Manfreds, Alan Price and Maggie Bell @ The Anvil, Basingstoke - 18/10/2008
Julie Fowlis @ Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham - 18/10/2008
The Guns Of Pig Alley (Dirty Pretty Things after-show) @ The Soul Cellar, Southampton - 18/10/2008
Gentle Bren (DJ) @ The Fat Fox, Portsmouth - 18/10/2008
Legend (Bob Marley tribute) @ The Brook, Southampton - 18/10/2008
Mary Jane @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth - 18/10/2008
Camera Obscura @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 18/10/2008
Endless Doubt, The 2nd Fret and Guilded Youth @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 18/10/2008
Steve Arnott @ The Frog & Frigate, Southampton - 18/10/2008
Mozy Dare @ The Square Brewery, Petersfield - 18/10/2008
Instill, The Blue Screen Of Death and Monrobots @ The Joiners, Southampton - 18/10/2008
Jeremy Warmsley and Peggy Sue & The Pirates @ The Freebutt, Brighton - 18/10/2008
Red Indie with Dr Watson (DJ) and Skidmark (DJ) @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth - 18/10/2008
Esser @ Lennons, Southampton - 18/10/2008
Dirty DC (tribute) and Mars Bonfire @ The Opera House, Bournemouth - 18/10/2008
Lady & The Lost Boys, The Inklings and Bryony @ Hamptons, Southampton - 18/10/2008
The Musical Box (Genesis tribute) @ The Guildhall, Portsmouth - 18/10/2008
Martha Wainwright @ The Pyramids, Portsmouth - 18/10/2008
Takács Quartet @ Turner Sims Concert Hall, Southampton - 18/10/2008
Shaped By Fate, Red Mist and Rinoa @ The Railway, Winchester - 18/10/2008
The Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain @ The Corn Exchange, Brighton - 19/10/2008 SOLD OUT!
The Bishops @ Hamptons, Southampton - 19/10/2008
Lee 'Memphis' King (Elvis tribute) @ The Anvil, Basingstoke - 19/10/2008
Deviant UK, Apnia and Vampyrous @ The Soul Cellar, Southampton - 19/10/2008
Chris Wood @ The Forge, Basingstoke - 19/10/2008
Karnataka @ The Brook, Southampton - 19/10/2008
James & Denovo @ The Hobbit, Southampton - 19/10/2008
Champ Of The Day, Tim Atom Bomb, Hometown Shoot and Long Story Short @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth - 19/10/2008
The Maddisons (single launch party) @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 19/10/2008
The Courteeners @ The Pyramids, Portsmouth - 19/10/2008 SOLD OUT!
Guns On The Roof, By Definition and Death Cabaret @ The Freebutt, Brighton - 19/10/2008
Gentle Bren (DJ) @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth - 19/10/2008
Arnie Cottrell @ The Platform Tavern, Southampton - 19/10/2008
Azymuth @ Komedia, Brighton - 19/10/2008
Die!Die!Die!, Run Walk! and Bright White Lights @ The Railway, Winchester - 19/10/2008
Jeremy Warmsley and Edward J Hicks @ The Joiners, Southampton - 19/10/2008
The Rifles and Jersey Budd @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 20/10/2008 SOLD OUT!
Tilly & The Wall @ The Brook, Southampton - 20/10/2008
Does It Offend You Yeah? @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 20/10/2008
The Rebs, The Tambourines and The Vision @ The Joiners, Southampton - 20/10/2008
Random Hand, Mike TV and Those Damn Owls @ The Freebutt, Brighton - 20/10/2008
The Stranglers and Starbase 109 @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 20/10/2008
Roland Chadwick @ The Fat Fox, Portsmouth - 20/10/2008
Dividing The Line, Lioness and All Forgotten @ Hamptons, Southampton - 20/10/2008
Glen Campbell @ The Anvil, Basingstoke - 21/10/2008 SOLD OUT!
Swarb's Lazarus @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 21/10/2008
Roots Manuva @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 21/10/2008 SOLD OUT!
Andrew Jarmin, Jay and Ethan Owen @ The Edge of The Wedge, Portsmouth - 21/10/2008
Mumford & Sons @ Komedia, Brighton - 21/10/2008
Andy & Denovo @ The Hobbit, Southampton - 21/10/2008
From Plan To Progress, The Living Daylights and A Man Down @ The Freebutt, Brighton - 21/10/2008
Jane Taylor, Ben Pinwill and Aitch @ Drift, Southsea - 21/10/2008
Trash Fashion, Venice Ahoy and Cut The Blue Wire @ The Joiners, Southampton - 21/10/2008
Does It Offend You Yeah?, South Central and Let's Talk Tactics @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 21/10/2008
Chemical Sunset, Get The Tape and Coast @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 21/10/2008
Karnataka @ Komedia, Brighton - 21/10/2008
Hoarse Feathers @ The Fat Fox, Portsmouth - 21/10/2008
Agaskodo Teliverek, Illness and Power Up @ The Freebutt, Brighton - 22/10/2008
Deborah Bonham @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 22/10/2008
The Police Force (tribute) @ Chicago Rock Cafe, Fareham - 22/10/2008
The Covers @ The Square Brewery, Petersfield - 22/10/2008
The Strange Death Of Liberal England, Melodramas and Recreation @ The Joiners, Southampton - 22/10/2008
The Datsuns, Telegraphs and The Levels @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 22/10/2008
Sam Forrest and Hayley Hutchinson @ Komedia, Brighton - 22/10/2008
Linda Lewis @ Komedia, Brighton - 22/10/2008
Hardly Heroes @ The Fat Fox, Portsmouth - 22/10/2008
My Ruin, Speed Theory and Sanctorum @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 22/10/2008
Polar Bear @ Komedia, Brighton - 22/10/2008
Luke Doucet & Melissa McLelland @ The Railway, Winchester - 22/10/2008
The Orchestra (ex-ELO) @ The City Hall, Salisbury - 22/10/2008
Osibisa @ Salisbury Arts Centre - 21/11/2008
Orange Street @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 28/11/2008
The Rezillos @ The Brook, Southampton - 10/12/2008
Ray Lamontagne @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 12/02/2009
Reel Big Fish @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 25/02/2009
Waster this week features live music from local indie funksters Kill Kasper plus the best alternative tunes in town spun by the Southsea Mafia DJs. Admission is £2.20 before 2300, rising to £3.20 after; further details, including how to get in even cheaper, can be found on Facebook.
Promoters Unit 6 have organised an Indie-toberfest at Southampton venue The Hobbit this Saturday, 18th October. Thus far confirmed as appearing are Coast, The Bizets, Alex Kriche, Recreation, The Docks and Happy As Larry. Doors open from 1700.
Little Johnny Russells on Albert Road has teamed with club-night Sumo for a party with a multi-coloured flavour tomorrow night, Thursday 16th October. The event, one of many across the country organised for Amnesty's Protect The Human week, will feature the Sumo DJs plus some special guests. It also has a fancy dress theme, with all planning to attend asked to wear the brightest clothes in their wardrobe. From 2000, donations on the door.
Southampton-based recording studios Shelter Studios showcase more of the best local talent at The Joiners tomorrow night, Thursday 16th October. Unfortunately I've no details of the line-up, but doors open at 1930 and admissions is £6 on the door.
Hipshaker returns to The Wedgewood Rooms this Saturday, 18th October. Packed with more classic 60s soul and R&B than you can shake a funky stick at, courtesy of the resident DJs, there'll also be live music on stage from ska/reggae band Django. Doors open at 2130 and tickets are £5.
The recently peripatetic Hong Kong Gardeners Club has finally found a permanent new home at Southsea's Café Havana, and will be open for business this Friday, 17th October with live music from Showcase 08 winners Melodramas and Canadian indie popsters Coast. Doors from 2000, music through till 0100, entrance is £4 on the door.
This week Roger Courtney's Open Mike Club features a full set from guest artist Paddy Taylor from 2000, with the regular Open Mike session following from 2130 through till Midnight. Doors open at The Barn at The Milton Arms at 1900 tomorrow, Thursday 16th October. Admission is FREE, more information can be found on the Facebook group page.
Spray me gold and call me Oscar, that's it for another week; today I've mostly been listening to Blood Red Shoes, Mew and large chunks of The The's back catalogue. Be sure to join me next week when I'll be a beautiful butterfly.
:o)
Our Kid
Despite fingers again being pointed following the release of their latest long player, it appears Noel and Liam have had enough of the many accusations of 'channelling' The Beatles levelled at them and took inspiration from other quarters.
I wouldn't have thought Sir Cliff of Richard was their bag, but the ardent fans of His Cliffness are accusing the Brothers Gallagher of ripping off the 1976 'classic' Devil Woman on new album track, The Turning.
I wonder if Sir Cliff is going to return the favour, he'd be guaranteed another Number One then...
*koff*
Moving swiftly on, here are the pick of the forthcoming local gigs listed in the back pages of this week's NME:
Alberta Cross @ BIC, Bournemouth - 20-21/10/2008
The King Blues @ The Coalition, Brighton - 19/10/2008
The King Blues @ Mr C's, Bournemouth - 01/11/2008
The Airborne Toxic Event @ The Joiners, Southampton - 10/11/2008
The Airborne Toxic Event @ The Hope, Brighton - 19/11/2008
The Vegas @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 19/11/2008
I Like Trains and Jeniferever @ The Joiners, Southampton - 09/12/2008
I'll attempt to find time this weekend to add the above gigs on to the marvellous (but not magical) SoMC Events Calendar but, as I'm off to see England play Kazakhstan this Saturday, I may be otherwise engaged squeezing myself into my mankini (now there's a mental image you could've done without). To keep you going here's a list of some of the local gigs happening over the next seven days...
Cut The Blue Wire, Nicotine Smile and Speed The Collapse @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth - 09/10/2008
Olmec Digram @ Hamptons, Southampton - 09/10/2008
Pete Mitchell's Drive @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth - 09/10/2008
Daedulus and Tim Exile @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 09/10/2008
Shegotsick @ The Fawcett Inn, Portsmouth - 09/10/2008
They Came From The Stars, I Saw Them and Crowns Of The Rats Orchestra @ The Freebutt, Brighton - 09/10/2008
4ft Fingers, Death At Sea and Ex Boy Racer @ The Joiners, Southampton - 09/10/2008
Two Spot Gobi @ Komedia, Brighton - 09/10/2008
Big Joe Louis @ The Platform Tavern, Southampton - 09/10/2008
The Reservoirs, Bad Love & The Licker and The Zone @ The Railway, Winchester - 09/10/2008
The Subways @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 09/10/2008
Derek Meins @ Komedia, Brighton - 09/10/2008
Wishbone Ash, Big Linda and Lip Service @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 09/10/2008
Sonic Boom Six, Chris Murray and The JB Conspiracy @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 09/10/2008
Michael Bolton @ BIC, Bournemouth - 10/10/2008
Richie Havens and Rory Ellis @ The Brook, Southampton - 10/10/2008
Kid's Can't Fly @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 10/10/2008
Delirious? @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 10/10/2008
Asylum Seekers @ The Fawcett Inn, Portsmouth - 10/10/2008
The Legendary Derek @ The Frog & Frigate, Southampton - 10/10/2008
No Access, Four Fingers and The Blue Gazelles @ The Nell Gwynne, Portsmouth - 10/10/2008
King Furnace, Oxygen Thief and Monrobots @ The Hobbit, Southampton - 10/10/2008
Black Cock Envy @ The Freebutt, Brighton - 10/10/2008
Elliot Minor @ Southampton University Student Union - 10/10/2008
Rooftop Reggae Soundsystem (DJ) @ The Edge of The Wedge, Portsmouth - 10/10/2008
Thomas Tantrum, The Daisy Riots and Haunted Stereo @ The Joiners, Southampton - 10/10/2008
DJ Derek and Percy Fox (DJ) @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth - 10/10/2008
Lady Winwood's Maggot and Cash Converted @ The Opera House, Bournemouth - 10/10/2008
Hated In The Face (DJ) @ The Fat Fox, Portsmouth - 10/10/2008
Bad Boys Of '79 and Smokin' Guns @ The Railway, Winchester - 10/10/2008
The Family @ The Soul Cellar, Southampton - 10/10/2008
The Racketeers, No.1 Station and Rob Moore (DJ) @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 10/10/2008
The Ghost Frequency and The Science Of 8 Limbs @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 10/10/2008
Stephen Stills @ The Brighton Centre - 10/10/2008
Prozium @ The Firehouse, Southampton - 10/10/2008
Power Of Three @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth - 11/10/2008
Neil Cowley Trio @ Turner Sims Concert Hall, Southampton - 11/10/2008
John Coghlan @ Ashcroft Arts Centre, Fareham - 11/10/2008
Wilko Johnson @ The Brook, Southampton - 11/10/2008
The Datsuns @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 11/10/2008
Get Your Ass To Mars, Olympian and Shegotsick @ The Joiners, Southampton - 11/10/2008
Deltawave (DJ) @ The Fawcett Inn, Portsmouth - 11/10/2008
Lynchpin @ The Firehouse, Southampton - 11/10/2008
This Will Destroy You, Lymbyc System and Codes In The Clouds @ The Freebutt, Brighton - 11/10/2008
Hot Rats (DJ) @ The Fat Fox, Portsmouth - 11/10/2008
UK Guns 'n' Roses (tribute) and Voodoo Vegas @ The Opera House, Bournemouth - 11/10/2008
Beardy Man, Pimpernel Jones and Albino Monkey @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth - 11/10/2008
Cyndi Lauper @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 11/10/2008
Martin Newnham & Andy Parkin @ The Square Brewery, Petersfield - 11/10/2008
The Untouchables @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 11/10/2008
Mid-West Blues, a+m and Songs Of Our Lap @ Komedia, Brighton - 11/10/2008
Foals @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 12/10/2008 SOLD OUT!
Clayton Strange, The Computers, Munroe Effect and Lucky Ones Die First @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 12/10/2008
Amy Can Flyy, I Say Marvin and Canada Water @ The Joiners, Southampton - 12/10/2008
The Martin Harley Band @ The Forge, Basingstoke - 12/10/2008
Gentle Bren (DJ) @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth - 12/10/2008
Chris Wood @ Komedia, Brighton - 12/10/2008
The Moody Blues @ BIC, Bournemouth - 12/10/2008
Neil Innes @ The Brook, Southampton - 12/10/2008
Bob Fox & Stu Luckley @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 12/10/2008
Off With Their Heads, Four Letter Word and Chillerton @ The Hobbit, Southampton - 12/10/2008 EARLY SHOW, 1700-2100
The Skies @ The Fat Fox, Portsmouth - 12/10/2008
Beggars @ The Freebutt, Brighton - 12/10/2008
Sonny Black @ The Platform Tavern, Southampton - 12/10/2008
Minds Gone Blank and 3 Penny Puppet @ The RMA Tavern, Portsmouth - 12/10/2008
El Rodeo and Saqqara @ The Railway, Winchester - 12/10/2008
The Streets @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 13/10/2008
Bury Tomorrow, Seven Year Kismet and OMT @ The Freebutt, Brighton - 13/10/2008
Burnt Ice @ The Fat Fox, Portsmouth - 13/10/2008
Last Gang, Moses and Peter Moseley @ The Joiners, Southampton - 13/10/2008
Vodka Soap, Ta La Homa and Jerome Richards @ The Winchester, Bournemouth - 13/10/2008
Cajun Dance Party @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 13/10/2008
Blood Red Shoes, Rolo Tomassi and 1984 @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 13/10/2008
Tim & Sam and My First Tooth @ Hamptons, Southampton - 13/10/2008
Dean Friedman @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 14/10/2008
Towers Of London, Koopa and Jenna's Revenge @ The Brook, Southampton - 14/10/2008
Geoff Simkin & Nigel Price @ Havant Arts Centre - 14/10/2008
Jason Buckler, Andrew Gordon and Enny @ The Edge of The Wedge, Portsmouth - 14/10/2008
James & Denovo @ The Hobbit, Southampton - 14/10/2008
Boy George @ The Guildhall, Portsmouth - 14/10/2008 CANCELLED!
Sam Isaac @ The Joiners, Southampton - 14/10/2008
Spiritualized and The Shortwave Set @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 14/10/2008 NEW VENUE!
Los Campesinos!, No Age and Times New Viking @ Komedia, Brighton - 14/10/2008
K*nt & The Gang, The Moo and Alex Dawson @ Hamptons, Southampton - 14/10/2008
Andy Foster and Loz Bridge @ Little Johnny Russell's, Portsmouth - 14/10/2008
Josephine Oniyama @ The Freebutt, Brighton - 14/10/2008
The Martin Harley Band, Jackie Leven and Alex Roberts @ The Opera House, Bournemouth - 14/10/2008
Akala, Installation and Jackson & The Spangles @ The Railway, Winchester - 14/10/2008
Delirious? @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 14/10/2008
Derrin Nauendorf @ Komedia, Brighton - 14/10/2008
Kaiser Chiefs @ The Guildhall, Southampton - 15/10/2008 SOLD OUT!
CSS @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 15/10/2008 SOLD OUT!
Walter Trout & The New Radicals @ The Brook, Southampton - 15/10/2008
Derrin Nauendorf @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 15/10/2008
Chris Garneau, Peter Lyons and Guided By Lights @ The Freebutt, Brighton - 15/10/2008
Random Hand, Mike TV, Slapface and Bigtopp @ The Joiners, Southampton - 15/10/2008
Robb Johnson & The Irregulars @ Komedia, Brighton - 15/10/2008
The Script @ The Pyramids, Southsea - 15/10/2008 SOLD OUT!
Fox Cubs, Glad Rags and Barefoot Confessor @ The Railway, Winchester - 15/10/2008
Electric Eel Shock @ The Talking Heads, Southampton - 15/10/2008 CANCELLED!
Focus, Wishbone Ash and The Groundhogs @ The City Hall, Salisbury - 15/10/2008
Jehst @ The Soul Cellar, Southampton - 15/10/2008
Steve Hampton @ The Square Brewery, Petersfield - 15/10/2008
Billy Cobham & Asere @ Komedia, Brighton - 15/10/2008
The Smyths @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 17/10/2008
The Hair @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 01/11/2008
The Blue Aeroplanes @ Concorde 2, Brighton - 13/11/2008
Finch @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 22/11/2008
Miles Hunt & Erica Nockalls @ The Cellars at Eastney, Portsmouth - 23/11/2008
Alabama 3 @ The Brook, Southampton - 30/11/2008
The Holloways @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 04/12/2008
The Hold Steady @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth - 14/12/2008
This week's Waster coincides with John Peel Day, the annual celebration of the late DJ's musical legacy, so fittingly features live sets from two hotly tipped local bands, The Daisy Riots and Fresh Legs. Add to this a selection of fine alternative tunes spun by the Southsea Mafia DJs and you've the makings of a fine Thursday night's entertainment. Admission is £2.20 before 2300, rising to £3.20 after; further more information, including how to add your name to the guest list, can be found on Facebook.
Southampton venue The Hobbit will be hosting a day of live music this Saturday, 11th October, in aid of the charity PKD, the only UK dedicated to aiding sufferers of polycystic renal disease. The event will feature live performances from Black Bart, The Lowis Lanes, The Boho Hobos, Kelley's Heroes, Kumiss, Shizamms Picbox and J Fashole-Luke & Nicola Ghiaci, with music from 1300 through to 0100. Admission is £2.
Chaos pitches up at The Wedgewood Rooms again this Saturday, 11th October, for more of the best alternative sounds in town. DJs Will Chump and Lemon will be manning the wheels of steel in the Main Room, with some slightly mellower beats (and Sega) on offer in the Chaos Lounge (aka the Edge of The Wedge). Admission is £5 on the door, with entry from 2200; the sounds go through to 0300, with last admission at 0100.
Winchester Live is a new, week long, festival to promote the city's music scene, running from Monday 13th through to Sunday 19th October. A series of gigs have been organised by promoters Placid Piranha and The Girls In Green Shoes, at a variety of venues across the city. Bands so far confirmed to be appearing include Die!Die!Die!, Art Brut and Youthmovies (who kick off the festival at the city University's Vault venue on Monday 13th October). Full information on who's playing and where is available on the festival MySpace.
The Hong Kong Gardeners Club has upped-sticks and moved from the basement bar of The Jolly Sailor to the swanky sounding Seahorse Showbar (what was The Frog On The Front). The first night at the new venue will be this Friday, 10th October, and will feature DJ sets from Matt Seeney, Paige Gregson, Phil Harvey and Abbie Eales plus live music from You Love Her Coz She's Dead. The fun runs from 2000 through till 0230. Tickets are £4.50 but, owing to licensing restrictions tickets, can't be purchased on the door. Instead they're available on-line from WeGotTickets.
The Edge of The Wedge hosts the PompeyMusic website's awards ceremony this Sunday, 12th October. The event starts at 1500 and will feature DJ sets from Udy (Kiss My Bass, Waster) and Ruby Soho (Chaos) amongst others. Admission is FREE and there's still time to vote in the awards, you'll just need to register on the website.
Roger Courtney's Open Mike Club this week features a special performance by local singer-songwriter Aitch, who'll be on-stage at The Barn at The Milton Arms from 2000 till 2130 tomorrow, Thursday 9th October; the Open Mike session follows afterward till midnight. Doors open from 1900, admission is FREE.
And that's me done for another week; today I was mostly listening to Elbow (who were damn good at The Guildhall last night), The Mountain Goats and Doves (who have a new album in the pipeline, which is nice). Be sure to join me next week when I'll be double-checking my Lotto numbers again.
:o)
