But a larger part of me doesn’t. We were both psyched up to do the Memphis music tour, which has a free shuttle bus between the sites, but then it rained, and rained, and rained some more.
February 20, 2009
Bet your bottom dollar you’ll lose the blues in Chicago…
The New York–Chicago journey was the most unique train ride I’ve ever taken. The carriage ran right along the waters edge – and I’m talking about a yards distance. Vast expanses of water were covered with thick chunks of cracked ice and backed by monstrous mountains. It was truly overwhelming. I read and read and read to soak up the hours between being shocked from sleep by my erratic footrest.
February 18, 2009
New York you got money on your mind…
“You looking for Candy?” Said the tiny Indian man behind the tiny window in the deep red wall. Oh New York, how I love you. Yes, we are looking for Candy. Candy the hostel, which took us through a maze of three buildings to find – European techno blaring through the corridors as we went, while the strip lighting blinded us.
February 13, 2009
I’m weary from waiting in Washington, DC…
For me, DC was a gale of disappointment, irritation and enmity. I just could not warm to it. It may have been sunny, but the wind averaged at 17 mph, with the highest speed at 31 (yes I looked it up) and I couldn’t handle it.
Homesickness + (wind x nothing of interest) = misery
February 13, 2009
Philadelphia freedom…
When we arrived in Philadelphia we met Lauren and her friend Jeff by Independence Hall and I practically ran to Jeff’s to have a shower. However, I hadn’t slept much the night before or on the bus, so I dragged my heels around the city while Lauren and Jeff showed us round.
February 9, 2009
I saw the tea float in Boston…
We hauled ourselves from sleep at six this morning to catch the Megabus to Philadelphia, which is where I sit now. So what better time to make my second entry than a seven hour bus ride?
February 7, 2009
They’ve all gone to look for America…
Yesterday morning, as you may well know if you’re reading this, Fin and I set off for America. Our plan stands roughly around the following:
Boston – Philadelphia – Washington, DC – New York. – Chicago – Nashville – Memphis – New Orleans – San Diego – Tijuana – (bit iffy on the West Coast so these won’t be in order) Tucson – Grand Canyon – Las Vegas – Boulder City (Hoover Dam) – Los Angeles – San Francisco – Austin (for South By South West)
Whether it’ll stick to that I’ve no idea, but I don’t suppose it really matters.
April 24, 2008
Pile-Up on this lot
Do you spend sleepless nights wondering what your favourite records would sound like if you stuck your finger on them so they slowed down and shuddered? No? Well for those of you who do, toss and turn no longer because Dinosaur Pile-Up is your Pull Tiger Tail record in jerky-slow motion. It’s your Ben Kweller seven inches on 33 speed. It’s your…well never mind all that. What matters is that Dinosaur Pile-Up is your new favourite noise and it comes in the shape of 22-year-old Matt Bigland from Leeds. Matt writes gloomy songs to watch the rain by and has a weakness for Back to the Future and a good cup of coffee. Matt also pairs grunge-filled Weezer riffs with breathy Graham Coxon-harmonies that hang in the air after each line. In other words, this is isn’t music to take lightly. So make sure you’ve geeked up on ‘80s sci-fi and fill your head with blissful thoughts before approaching this songster.
April 23, 2008
O Fracas @ Buffalo Bar 22/04/08
A guy with a peacock feather wedged in his afro is having a dance-off with a blonde girl next to a huddle of tipsy office workers who are proceeding to steal the percussion instruments from the stage. As far as gigs go, this one is pretty surreal, and Leeds four-piece O Fracas have no intention of upping the rational stakes as they start playing odd pieces of rope with wooden shells on.
The band skips straight into ‘Moth to a Flame’ with offbeat rhythms and angular riffs. Could it be that we’ve unearthed the new Foals? After all, they share the same throbbing beats and cutting guitars. They even flop over their guitars like Foals do. But they have a far more melodic vocal tie-in to balance out their jerky, tug-o-war tempos.
They battle through ‘Factfinding’, notes flying in all directions, and climax on ‘Zeroes and Ones’ with help from the audience, who have all acquired maracas, bells and tambourines because O Fracas are a band you can’t go to see with getting a little rattled.
April 16, 2008
Esser @ Astoria 2 12/04/08
“Esser is a person not a band,” proclaims his Myspace. Well, Esser is also a flurry of electronic beats and East End rhythm. Esser is your new favourite toy and he’s not ready to be put down yet. This 23-year-old, jerky-tempoed Essex boy started out on the Butlins circuit aged 11 and drummed in the now defunct Ladyfuzz before unwrapping his solo project. He’s like a more electronic Daniel Johnston (Texan song-manipulator). His vocals are just as lazily drawn but with a cockney tinge. “You got me acting like a desperate youff” he slurs in ‘Headlock’, like a moody kid. While ‘Satisfied’ rings of a dance hall throw back from a Caribbean band. The clattering steel pan greets a waltz-y piano and off-beat hand claps.
Disjointed ‘oohs’ and arcade-game blips bring things to and end before he storms off, giving things a stroppy shove on the way, but while Esser’s throwing his toys out of the pram, you want to make sure you’re there to catch them.
