Animal Collective

I need to visit more British cities to be completely sure about this next statement, but I'm pretty sure Glasgow is the coolest British city.  It just oozes cool.  Particularly music cool.  Some of my favourite bands are Glaswegian and I geeked out a little when I was up there for this Animal Collective gig.  I flew from London up to Glasgow for it, and it was the last of the four gigathon gigs.  By this point my brain was pretty much in shreds, and for once my body was less tired than my mind.  The other three gigs had blown my mind out of the water and I had built the AC gig up to be the pinnacle.  I was extremely excited to see them live.  My adoration of AC went from zero (i.e.. unaware of their music) to hundred (in love with their music) really quickly, and I am super keen on the new album.  (I know not all AC fans are, but I really like this direction.  I like its confidence, and the sound is so clearly theirs.)

Like I said, I'd really built up this gig in my mind and was beyond excited for it.  I'll just say it now; I wasn't disappointed.  I loved every second.  I was really lucky that again I managed to be right up at the front.  (My photos are all bitty because I was too close to get everything in one shot!)

The vast majority of AC's set was Centipede Hz stuff.  This is one really tight knit group, and for such (at times) dense sound structures they are so in tune to each other.  You'd expect this from a band anyway, but you don't always get it and it can ruin the sound completely.  Here you are carried away by how in sync they are...it's incredible.

Visually this was a really incredible show.  The set demanded your attention, but wasn't overwhelming and totally complemented the sound.  I remember the first time I really listened to AC, it was probably Merriweather Post Pavilion, and I just kept thinking "this is so good I almost feel like I can't understand it" and "where the hell did they get this sort of sound from?"  Seeing them live I definitely still had these thoughts as they were doing their thing, but I felt like I started to understand more where it comes from.  These are guys who push their love and understanding of music to the edge and all components come together in one immeasurable burst of...of....something I can't define.  All I do know is that I adore it, and I adored what I saw on stage.  A band that can make so many different sounds (and sometimes sounds that seem bizarre and alien to the norm) be so natural and wonderfully easy to listen to is a band I rate.

I definitely heart Animal Collective.

(Cue awful quality iphone photos, and lots of them)

Spiritualized

I saw Spiritualized back in February, and was hoping for a little more from this November gig.  To begin with the Roundhouse is a much better venue and has a really special atmosphere, particularly when compared with Bristol's O2 (the more I go there the more I wish I wouldn't.)

This gig was a little strange.  It felt like (like it did at the last one) like J. Spaceman just isn't that keen on being there.  That mysterious musician thing wears a bit thin, especially with such a well established band.  Having said that (and I feel bad for saying it) it may be that being so well established, with songs that people adore and crave at a gig, maybe that makes it difficult to bring new material into a set.  I don't know.  

Despite the above, I really enjoyed the gig.  It felt really refreshing, and so different to GYBE the night before.  I was right up at the front, and it did help with feeling connected to what was going on on stage.  One thing about Spiritualized I love is the way the vocals tend to drip off the melodies so easily.  This definitely is the case on record, and it becomes even more palpable live.  Every syllable means something, and you're supposed to take it all in exactly as it's presented to you.  That's what I really love about Spiritualized live.  The set and graphics are almost a bit underwhelming, but in a good way.  Too much would detract from all the subtleties in the music and you'd lose the psychedelic wonder of the whole package!

Spiritualized feel to me like one of my staple bands.  I listen to them to obtain something really specific from the experience, and after seeing them twice this year, I now know this is how they work live too.  When I really take a minute and think about what I've observed and heard, it's pretty epic and special.

I know I started off sounding as if I was a bit iffy about this gig, but I wasn't.  It's just irritating to me that twice I've felt that I'm watching a very reluctant frontman, but if there's anything about J. Spaceman's public persona it's that he does things his way and isn't pushed by others musically.  His word goes, I guess.  Thinking like this makes me feel better about the whole reluctancy thing.

I'm not going to lie, I don't think I've told you much in this post about the gig, I've just confirmed for myself exactly who and what Spiritualized is for me.  An opportunity to experience a trance like gig with frontman who knows exactly what he's doing, even if it doesn't always seem like he does.

GYBE

Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

This gig was almost too much to take in.  I am often so overwhelmed by seeing one of my most loved bands live that I am unable to find the right words to describe the experience.  In this case, this feeling is around a hundred times more intense.  This may be in part due to the fact that GYBE's sound is difficult (for me) to descri be to people who may not know their music.  'Instrumental,' 'melodic' and 'epic' just do not cut it.  The point I'm making here is that I'm not going to describe the gig to you, as I don't think I really can.  I'm going to just write about the experience.

The gig left me completely disorientated.  Walking from the venue to the tube, which is a short walk, felt like a complete blur.  My mind will go blurry as a result of ringing in my ears, but this was a blur caused by all my senses being affected by the gig.  In short, GYBE were everything I thought and hoped they'd be.  I'll be honest, I had expectations that live (as they are on record, really) they would be something alien and so moving that it would basically freak me out.  Change me.  The gig was just that, which is something incredible to comprehend.  They went beyond my expectations to such an extent, and moved me to such a level that I almost feel I don't really know what happened to me.  I feel like I can't understand how completely torn apart my senses were by them.  I cried three times, held my body so still I ached and was completely unaware of my personal presence in that space.  How ridiculous is that?  I literally felt the music flow through my body, and it completely took over.
From the moment that first singular violin sound began the set I was truly enveloped in the music.  

Every band member is so at ease with every element of what they're doing (they switch instruments frequently) that it becomes even more impressive that each track flows from one to the other without even the slightest pause.  Every band member and instrument is pushed to the limit, and undoubtedly a real 'moment' for me was seeing the whole venue shudder to a complete silence as a cymbal was strummed gently by a violin bow for around a minute.  This was the only sound in the whole place.  The only sound.

The ambience was so unfamiliar and as close to perfect for the sound being created that it was exhausting to experience.

On my way out I heard someone say that it was "noise and ambience for the sake of it."  This person is of course entitled to his opinion, but personally I think he missed the whole point and may even have been so unaware of what he just experienced it completely passed him by.  To be honest, that noise and ambience is the core of what GYBE do and do so delicately.  For me, it's all so meaningful and necessary.

In my notes (written on the tube on the way home) I wrote "should be prescribed as an upper instead of drugs."

I've been quite, well, very gushy about this gig.  But it truly is sincere.  I feel privileged to have witnessed GYBE create their sound live, but I'm also so so thrilled that I felt as pushed by it as I did.  It was a wonderful reminder of why I run around the place to see musicians I love do what they love to do.

This truly was music.  It gave me everything I want music to give me.

Here endeth the gush.

In a Matter of Time: Beach House

Beach House were the first (out of four) band of the week.  I was looking forward to a relatively relaxed gig and thought this would be the perfect start to the week ahead.  I guess what I'm saying is is that in lots of ways, the music Beach House make is the most accessible out of the four bands I was seeing.

I'll be honest, I really didn't like the Anson Rooms as a venue.  I'm not quite sure why.  It may have been that the vastness of the space didn't feel suitable or something.  If another band I like were playing there I would go to see them, but I'd feel a bit disappointed about the venue as it just didn't do it for me.  (Maybe I was put off that it's part of a students union building..hmm.  Maybe)

The stage set was simple, white and just right for setting the tone without being eerie.  Its simplicity could not have been more suitable when matched with the sound Beach House created. I think this gig was truly one where the vocal was completely unwavering and quite unbelievable. It was the best combination of the 'perfect' vocal you get on the album with the atmosphere created by the backdrop and lighting.  On that note, I really did fall a little for the lighting, and at one point it was throwing the most incredible shadows on to the walls either side of the stage.  (The only thing I liked about the vastness of the venue.)

The band truly were magnificent, and I found their set warm and embracing.  Their sound was much bigger than I'd expected, and by far surpassed my expectations based on their albums.  They ended their set with this great reverb and the sound felt huge.  I was blown away to be honest.  I hadn't considered Beach House to be a band that could create such powerful and large sound, and without a doubt I now consider them to be far better than I did before the gig.  Upon reflection, I now see it was imperative that they manipulated their sound this way.  It gives their music a whole new dimension, and that's exciting!  My only concern is that the albums will have almost have an emptiness, but I guess you run that risk whenever a band are just THAT much better live than on record.  

I'm so happy that they were the first stop of the gigathon.  They were an ideal way to begin, and I'm glad that they surpassed my expectations.  That's always a good and inspiring outcome.

Home Made Festival/Gig-a-thon/Independence

For the past few months I have been really looking forward to November.  So, to begin, yesterday I was honoured to witness two dear friends get married (to each other) and it felt incredible to be a part of their day.

The other huge reason I've been so focused on wanting November to arrive is that I'm embarking on a bit of an adventure.  Over the course of the next five days I'll be seeing four bands that are significant to me play live.  This adventure will also mean a fair bit of travelling.  I will be using planes, trains and automobiles, as it happens!  

The itinerary looks a bit like this:

Saturday - Beach House, Bristol

Sunday - Godspeed You!  Black Emperor, London

Monday - Spiritualized, London

Tuesday - Rest!

Wednesday - Animal Collective, Glasgow.

I know.  Amazing isn't it?  All these incredible bands playing within days of each other.  I almost feel as though their tour schedules were for my benefit, so that I could something as exciting as this.  I'm embarking on this adventure alone too, which is really key for me.  I don't want to ever feel dependent on anyone else to do the things that are important to me.  Especially when that involves creativity.  I'm really excited to write about each gig here.  I want to always remember how big a deal this is to me at this moment, and how fulfilling it is to be doing something so 'me' without it being for anyone else.  I guess I want to be a bit selfish...

I'll be back with a post about Beach House soon  xoxo

Boots

With the weather changing and becoming cooler, fresher and just a little chilly I'm finding myself thinking about how my wardrobe is going to transition to toasty layers and coziness!

For some reason I'm also pretty focused on boots.  I just want to buy boots.  I already have a fair few pairs, but for some reason I'm dreaming of some really spot-on 60s boots.  I've found a few examples of some favourite 60s inspired ones.  

You guys thinking of autumn yet?

xo

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, Another fun link

Le petit pick-me-up

I was feeling a little low earlier.  I always get anxious on weekends if I don't have lots and lots of plans.  As much as I love the opportunity to be a little slower paced, my "your life is passing you by" button kicks in pretty bad and I tend to get all boo hoo.  First world whinge eh?

I felt tired too (as well as a bit boo hoo) and thought "I need to get away from my head for a little while."  As I didn't have my passport handy to just get to the airport and say "book my a place on the next flight outta here baby" (although I am determined to do this one day) I thought a little escapism at the cinema would be ideal.  I live around the corner from an independent cinema and have seen lots there recently (please see last post!).  I decided to just see whatever film was on next, and that film was..... Le Petit Nicolas.  A film based on some French children's books.

And I adored it.  Such a sweet, laugh out loud, pick-me-up of a film.  Seriously sweet, but not toooo saccharine.  The characters are fab, and the cast amazing.  Each one of the young, adorable little guys in this films were perfection on screen!  Something else I really liked about the film was the opening titles.  I basically fell in love with the film from the beginning.  Another plus;  the film is set in the 1960s and is not in any way an over the top, mod-esque parody of the era.  Even more loveliness for me to enjoy!

If you get a chance, check it out.  If it doesn't make you smile, I'm not sure what will...

Here's the trailer

And here's the brilliant title sequence!

Go see it!  Go see it!

xoxo