Not sure what the first band were called, I'll have to check. But whatever they were, they weren't really my thing. A bit more indie than my tastes, there were fleeting moments where they became slightly noisier and more interesting, for some reason bring the name Girls Against Boys to my mind. But whatever, one thing that they did that is sure to get me annoyed, is that bloody habit of the singing putting his hands behind his back to sing. Stock still. "Feeling the moment baby". Bollocks. It's utter utter shite, something I really can't stand seeing a vocalist do. At least do the decency of trying to look as if YOU'RE enjoying it. Really can't stand that sort of thing, and a band will lose marks with me any time they do that.
Never heard Bardo Pond before. The flier was mentioning Sonic Youth and Spiritualised. Now I've never listened to either of those bands either, so I won't bullshit about whether it was like that or not. But what it felt like to me, was a show of 2 halves. It started all drawn out and trippy. The female vocalist has her eyes clapped tight. I'm sure she's feeling it. The music unwinds slowly. There's noise and feedback, but as the flute and violin is used by the vocalist as well, there's a feeling of hippy elements. It's almost like a contradiction. The closest I could think of was like trying to create trance music but without the trance. You know, sort of using guitars rather than technology. The vocals are altogether too low, you can't make anything out, though I'm not sure there was much to make out. Then, towards the end, things pick up the pace and the noise. They unwisely do a 2 song encore, which is one too many for me, even though the final track is a fine piece, holding a riff from the Sabbath back catalogue. Or maybe it's just the guitar tone that made me think it. But man was it hot in here this evening. There's a sizeable audience, so obviously my ignorance towards this band is totally that, my ignorance. Does feel a little exclusive. Even in this heat there's no excuses for the people that are sat on chairs. In this kind of venue, you don't sit to experience the event. Not in my book anyway. I was willing it to end, but that's the effect of an hour of unknown music, which isn't totally to taste, combined with intense heat. Still, there was a Jack Daniels promo going on tonight as well, something to do with marking Mr Ds birthday. Free whisky. Nice. With a bit of ice please in this weather.