Golden Filter

First of all, this one man epitomizes the audience, focused. On a Friday night 13th March in Pure Groove, the cafe, Golden Filter were not bad, it was good electronic music live. And I remember very well the times, dear readers, when I was dancing all nights to music that sounded pretty much like Golden Filter. And I would not mind doing so on that Friday night but it was a cafe, just a cafe, so I gave up.

Hatcham Social

Please do not ask me, dear readers, what magnet the word social has but one could consider rebranding the blog you have the pleasure or not reading. So what have we got here apart from another social name, we have Rough Trade East on 16th March 2009, Monday to be precise. So, dearest readers, there is every reason for many people to enjoy bands like Hatcham Social but for me, there was 'nothing new' and 'I have heard it before' as well as 'they look weird' standing in the way of enjoying the gig fully. Anyway, it was worth it, lovely, but, dearest readers, no, I would not listen to bands like this on my stereo. Or pay for that matter. But I am moaning, it was a great evening. And the picture, I had better ones but chose this, matches the weirdness.

Dead Social Club

This is a story of a band of people who sound so professional with a great drummer and a live sound from heaven. At Barfly in a sparkling clean Islington. So, dear readers must know a million and one bands like Dead Social Club and wonder why Wavves and not them. And I have broken one of my rules not to be bitter about bands I do not really like but it just came to me and I will not go as low as to delete it. But because I can be bitter about bands I like, I will mention one thing, dear readers, the name. And that is it, if you happen to enjoy quality live music, you will not be disappointed. But I will not bet on it as I do not trust my judgement.

Peter Bjorn & John

Peter Bjorn & John at Pure Groove on 5th March practiced some of their new songs in front of a lunchbreaking audience. Yes, dear readers, lunchbreaking. Short sharp and sweet, utterly cute and funny. And, unbelievably, they made me forget it is just a tiny lunchbreak, which is, as discussed, unbelievable. They played a couple of songs whose titles I do not know or if I knew them I would not have recognised and remembered but they managed to evoke my curiosity about the new album and now high hopes, high hopes. Bitter, bitter experience. But why, bitter you may ask, I regretted that I would not be able to see them live at Scala. The tiny Pure Groove was packed I like to think not because of Young Folks.

Crystal Stilts

At Bardens Boudoir on Thursday 26th of February 2009, I was determined to get to the front row. Why, my dearest readers ask. I will not go into details, but with small venues oftentimes you get a rough deal, bad sound but you can reach and grab. Reach and grab?! Anyway, congratulating myself on not forgetting to take my earplugs I survived two bands whose names I would rather not mention as, I trust, they may have cult following and, besides, they may be good and perhaps I was too tired to notice, which is more than likely. Having ended up in the first row, I could enjoy Crystal Stilts who did not disappoint me. Apart from an attempt to kill my friend-in-first-row with a mic stand, it was a great gig. I kept earplugs in so my reception was skewed and I do admit, without the keyboard player, interaction with audience would have been non-existent so I deeply regret he is not in the only picture that made sense but I am sure my dearest readers know how to find his images on the internet or the band's for that matter as the above one is, historically, poor.

Fleet Foxes

As opposed to The Walkmen, Fleet Foxes, proudly presented in the title, brought me to tears. Yes, indeed. Your devoted blogger was deeply moved by their performance at the Roundhouse on Tuesday the 24th of February 2009 (insignificant date), which may be, most probably, attributed to frequent acoustic references to dying and being no more. I no longer trust my taste, it turns out. Needless to say, it was a pleasure to see a band who enjoy being on stage and skillfully interact with their audience, devoted audience it must be said. Because I feel this review is going nowhere and my dearest readers are getting annoyed having read better reviews of Fleet Foxes performances, I leave them with a picture begging for mercy.

Friday, 20th February 2009, Scala

I thought I would put emphasis on the fact that it was a Friday and Scala as The Walkmen, being a fine live band, failed to make my day. Friday made my day. Nevertheless, as already mentioned, they sound just fine and undoubtedly made other people's day, they would have made their Monday even. As a tribute, I present yet another annoying live photo and expect a torrent of abuse from my, as usual, dearest readers.