Red Shoe Diaries at the Nottingham Indiepop Alldayer @ Bunkers Hill
Red Shoe Diaries have smitten me far more than I expected. They started playing a lot after we left Nottingham, so the first I heard of them was the wonderful ‘Underage Disco’ from an online London Popfest 2009 comp. They were great in an early slot at Indietracks this year too. This time they had sound problems too. Were too loud. But like several other turns, things just about got sorted after a few songs. ‘Infinity +1’ jerked a tear or two. I’ve missed many things about Nottingham. Seeing Michael taking photos and seeing Indiehorse dancing down the front rank highly amongst my most missed sights.
The Sunny Street at the Nottingham Indiepop Alldayer @ Bunkers Hill
The sound wasn’t helping them at first, took a while till they sounded right. They’re a delight on record, perfectly measured half-dreamy, half indiepop. Things clicked eventually here. They finished with their cover of ‘What Is Love’, they covered a New Order song, can’t recall which, something off ‘Technique’ I think. Both worked, were more them than anyone else. Could’ve fallen into Nouvelle Vague territory easily, but they aren’t measured enough, and emit too much melancholy to feel like a facsimile.
The Peterboroughs at the Nottingham Indiepop Alldayer @ Bunkers Hill
Their last show. They were wonderful. Low key, vocal harmonies, glockenspiel, banjo, more vocal harmonies. They covered The Go-Betweens (‘Right Here’) and it was wonderful.
Ducktails / Dolphins Into The Future @ Prince Albert, Brighton
This was good. A late decision to go, spurred by the visit of our Nottingham friend Will who came down for the week. Also by chance bumped into Lauren, an old acquaintance from Bowlie board days, now London based. The presence of people from out of space, time, context, especially on a Monday night, was good. Dolphins Into The Future was great, one guy on a synth and some loops and tapes. Ascending and cascading shimmering micro-melodies. Not as new age as on record perhaps. Ducktails (above) was more songy than expected; two members of Leeds band Spectrals filled out the band. Was loose - there had been minimal rehearsal - but great. If you could do dub jams with indie DNA it’d sound like Ducktails. A warm show.
Dolphins Into The Future @ Prince Albert, Brighton
Beau & The Arrows / Hong Kong In The 60s / The Cursors @ The Hope, Brighton
An odd line up. The Cursors were engaging, bit straight rockish, felt very 90s indie but the singer had a strong personality and they held the attention enough. Headliners Beau & The Arrows were a mixed bag, the Beau being a slightly affected gent in pointy white shoes with union jack draped microphone stand. The lady singer/bassist carried their better moments. But Hong Kong In The 60s (above) were exquisite. Gentle and charming, melodic and concentrated. Their sound recalls Stereolab’s gentlest moments (such as ‘The Black Arts’ off ‘Sound-Dust’). Lovely stuff.
So Cow - ‘Casablanca’ (live at Primavera Sound, 29 May 2010)
So Cow / Novella at Sex Is Disgusting #20 @ The Hope, Brighton
A very rainy day… The first lesson learned was downstairs: be careful with The Hope’s spicy meatball pizza, it spiced my face off. The middle band due to play had pulled out, the show was good though. Openers Novella were playing only their second gig. Started slow, doing de rigueur post-punkishness but once they morphed into a more relaxed and natural indie with synthy bits mode for them they were fun enough. So Cow seemed to play for ages; rapidfire, to-the-point pop punk nuggets. The crowd were tired seeming, quite possibly due to being soaked en route but were quietly appreciative. Covers of the Television Personalities and Del Shannon were good fun but So Cow have got a lot of their own goodness to not need to use them as a crutch.
