If you don't blink soon your eyeball's gonna fall out
So, for the past few years January has always started with the mini-festival that was Fortuna Pop's Winter Sprinter. Sadly, last year, the record label Fortuna Pop closed its doors (in an amazing flurry of farewell gigs) and we thought that that was it on the Winter Sprinter. But no! Step forward Fika, WYAIWIA and Gare du Nord, three record labels who ganged up to make it happen again this year. Hurrah!
The principle problem with the Winter Sprinter is that it is the first week in January, when all of us are emerging blinking from the indolence of Christmas, and it involves four late nights on the trot. Not very late, in fairness, as I got to bed a bit after midnight each day, but when my alarm goes off at seven every morning... basically I am a delicate little flower who's too old for such nonsense :)
For some reason we also seem to have managed a nice meal each evening, rather than grabbing a sarnie en route, so this review comes with tasting notes.
Tuesday
Pre-gig Food Solution: Mildred's. Mildred's has been a Soho staple since the late 80s, and in recent years has opened more branches, including one in Pentonville Road. It's a busy place, with a stripped-back, hip vibe - and even on January 2nd there were no empty tables. It has an exciting "hey, I want everything!" kind of menu, food that lives up to its promise, and rapid service. All in all, it was a fabulous meal and exactly what you want when you're keen to get up the road to a gig by 8pm. As an afterthought, I should mention that all the food is vegetarian or vegan - but it really is an afterthought. Main courses are around £12.
First band of the marathon was Jessica's Brother, a trio made up of The Wave Pictures' drummer and two others (guitar/bass) I didn't recognise. They were decent, but hadn't a definite sound that I could really catch hold of. Of all the bands from this week, I fear this is the only one that has left no lasting impression on my memory.
Pete Astor is one of those famous-for-being-in-a-band people that I can never quite place because I'm no familiar with the relevant band. He dresses in a manner than makes me suspect he's hoping people will mistake him for David Bowie, and does laid-back, smart songs. He'd also brought a backing band with him which seemed to be largely made up out of spare members of The Wave Pictures.
Try it: The slightly country-tinged My Right Hand [link to SoundCloud; sorry about the ad]
The evening's headliner was Surfing Magazines, a four-piece guitar band made up of two people from Slow Club and two people from (can you guess?) The Wave Pictures. (Honestly, I don't know what's going on here. There are only three people in the sodding Wave Pictures and there were five of them on stage. Is there a shortage of spare musicians in London or something?)
Anyway, they have a bit of a surf-rock thing going on, and the songs sound very different depending on whether Mr Slow Club or Mr Wave Picture was singing (the latter has a very distinctive voice). However, their set just felt like it went on a bit long, and by the end I'd slightly lost patience with their extremely long and noodling solos.
Try it: New Day [bandcamp]
Wednesday
Pre-gig Food Solution: We tried out the delightfully-named Piebury Corner (which is nearish but, disappointingly, not on Highbury Corner). Pie, mash, gravy, done.
The pies were decent, but not overwhelming and - because you order all the bits separately - seemed a little expensive. (The pies are £6.50 - £7.50, but then mash is £4.50, gravy is £1.50...). I dithered over sweet potato, goats cheese and spinach or chicken, ham and leek. I went for the former, which was just as well because ChrisC's example of the latter turned out to have tarragon in. Honestly, world, stop messing up chicken pies with tarragon. Or, if you insist that some people like the stuff, at least mention it on the menu so the rest of us can avoid it.
The Lexington's stage was decorated with gold balloons which spelled out 'FEMINIST' - the decor choice of first-support Charmpit who describe themselves as anarchic, feminist and DIY. They're fun, and raucous, and entertaining but lacked the musicianship of most of the previous day's bands. I figure with these people the idea came first, and they learned the instruments after. And yes, they're aiming for lo-fi and not a polished performance, and I get that, but I just felt they were a little lacking. Still they are good value for a half-hour slot, and in between explaining that cheerleaders are feminist icons and explaining what their plans for world domination were, they rattled through a fair few songs.
Try it: Vacation [bandcamp]
Fever Dream arrived as a massive contrast. Clearly awkward about speaking on stage, they blasted out fuzzy, shoe-gazey guitar noise. It's the kind of music where you can tell without looking that at least one of the band members will have hair flopping over their face (he does) and at least one will be playing with their back to the audience (she does).
Overall, it's not a sort of music that immediately wins me over, but they do it well and I'll happily watch them whenever they turn up on the bill. I think I might have said before that they always strike me as a band who should be playing in the background of a nightclub scene in Buffy.
Try it: Youth is Wasted on the Old [soundcloud]
This was a pretty mismatched bill, and there was another change of musical direction for headliners Steven James Adams & the French Drops. For those who remember The Broken Family Band, Steven James Adams is the former singer - having done some solo stuff, he's now roped in a band to back him up.
He remains one of the most engaging frontmen I've ever seen, delivering his offbeat between-song deadpan banter with perfect timing. His band are all excellent musicians, and they put out a great set of slightly countryish, slightly folkyish, witty songs.
Try it: Tears of Happiness [YouTube - this is the 'solo' recording, although there are clearly other people playing. I don't think the French Drops have recorded anything yet.]
Thursday
Pre-gig Food Solution: Wahaca. I'm not sure I've actually been to this chain Mexican before; it seemed to have a decent selection of interesting choices (although I slightly mal-ordered, being a bit confused about the sizes of some of the portions and didn't get quite enough food. Fortunately Xian swapped me a tiny beef taco for half a quesadilla to make up). I think my review is again: fine, but not exciting. Bonus points to Wahaca for having a handy wash-your-hands option on one side of the restaurant - but points back off again for managing to stick the little "this is chicken" and "this is vegetarian" flags into Xian and ChrisC's enchilladas the wrong way round. No harm done, since no parties were vegetarian and agreed to each eat half and swap, but that's pretty poor kitchen management.
I didn't know anything about Enderby's Room, other than that it involves that bloke and he plays violin. And that Nick recommends them. Anyway, it does involve that bloke but apparently he plays guitar. It also involves Emma Deerful playing a portable harmonium, and someone playing a French horn (plus a bassist, but apparently no drummer). That's a pretty odd line-up right off :)
Anyway, they turned out to be awesome, playing a sort of folk-inflected, slightly antique-sounding, bucolic sort of music that had the (sadly rather small) audience spellbound. Both that bloke and Emma Deerful sing, and produce between them a really beautiful, choral sound. For some reason it kept reminding me of the Albion Band's Larkrise concept album, but that might just be the harmonium. No points for the truly awful run of bird-based puns in the middle of the set, though.
In some of the songs, the lyrics and arranging to tip over into the truly twee, but overall I'd say a definite win.
Try it: My Old Friend [YouTube]
The Leaf Library slowly shambled onstage, taking their time to set up as there are about 15 of them. (OK, that is a lie, but there are many of them. And they kept up the brass oddity theme by having a flugelhorn onstage. And a saxophone, played by the French Drops' drummer.)
Although they sound very different to Enderby's Room, they kept up the peaceful, atmospheric vibe with swooping instrumentals and up to four singers at any time. It's dreamy, and chilled out, and a lot less twee.
Try it: April [bandcamp]
The evening's headliner was Laetitia Saedier, formerly of Stereolab. ("I only know one Stereolab song," I claimed. "You know two," said ChrisC. "The one that goes like this [does dance move] and the one that Editors covered." He's right - Ping Pong and French Disko respectively. She didn't do either of them.)
She came onstage - just her and an electric guitar, no backing band. And... well. She plays the guitar lefthanded (which always looks odd) and gave the impression of not really quite knowing what to do with it. I think this is a false impression, of course, and after a few songs I'd got back into the swing and was enjoying it again. In later songs she used a looper pedal to build up layers of a song - and, while I wasn't bowled over because I've seen Jordan Reyne live and thus know what one woman can do with a guitar and a looper pedal - it was pleasant to listen to.
Friday
Pre-gig Food Solution: Pizza Express. Since we discovered you can convert Tesco Clubcard points into restaurant vouchers at a rate that means they're worth 4x the money, we've been prone to occasional outbreaks of Pizza Express. You know what they're like, right? Well, they were like that.
Picturebox opened proceedings, a three piece guitar/bass/drum outfit that seemed to hover slightly uncomfortably between proper band and novelty act, with occasional silly lyrics about daft topics and then songs that were not like that ("A cut-price Lardpony," was actually my review, but I realise that is helpful to approximately no one.)
They were briefly joined by a man in a leather jacket and woolly hat, who played the violin on one track and then went away. Overall, I just couldn't work out quite what sort of a band they were, or determine their defining characteristics.
Try it: Friday Morning 11AM [bandcamp]
Ralegh Long is a somewhat floppity haired and polite-sounding singer-songwriter with a guitar. A rather shimmery-sounding guitar that produced a rather nicer soundscape than his diffident stage manner had led me to expect. His songs aren't big singalongs, and they slightly blended into one in my memory - hence use of the word 'soundscape' :)
His band also involved woolly hat guy, now playing slide guitar. Really, there apparently aren't enough musicians to go round London at the moment.
Try it: Take Your Mind Back [YouTube]
Last act on was Darren Hayman, formerly of Hefner, backed up by two of Picturebox, that bloke from Enderby's Room (see, I told you he played the violin!) and woolly hat guy (now revealed to be Jack Hayter, also ex-Hefner).
Darren Hayman is a hilarious performer, who has elevated self-deprecation (and self-commentary) to a level all of its own. And the songs aren't bad either - a mix of things from his various solo and band projects in recent years, plus a couple of old Hefner singles. His lyrics range through documentary, sweet, biting, political - one minute you're in among William Morris' Chants for Socialists, the next you're visiting a village fete, then you're listening to the bitter regrets of an abandoned lover.
It's a roller coaster, but really the thing I like most is his relentless ability to send himself up :)
Try it: The Voice of Toil [YouTube]
[Originally posted at https://venta.dreamwidth.org/535215.html]
The principle problem with the Winter Sprinter is that it is the first week in January, when all of us are emerging blinking from the indolence of Christmas, and it involves four late nights on the trot. Not very late, in fairness, as I got to bed a bit after midnight each day, but when my alarm goes off at seven every morning... basically I am a delicate little flower who's too old for such nonsense :)
For some reason we also seem to have managed a nice meal each evening, rather than grabbing a sarnie en route, so this review comes with tasting notes.
Tuesday
Pre-gig Food Solution: Mildred's. Mildred's has been a Soho staple since the late 80s, and in recent years has opened more branches, including one in Pentonville Road. It's a busy place, with a stripped-back, hip vibe - and even on January 2nd there were no empty tables. It has an exciting "hey, I want everything!" kind of menu, food that lives up to its promise, and rapid service. All in all, it was a fabulous meal and exactly what you want when you're keen to get up the road to a gig by 8pm. As an afterthought, I should mention that all the food is vegetarian or vegan - but it really is an afterthought. Main courses are around £12.
First band of the marathon was Jessica's Brother, a trio made up of The Wave Pictures' drummer and two others (guitar/bass) I didn't recognise. They were decent, but hadn't a definite sound that I could really catch hold of. Of all the bands from this week, I fear this is the only one that has left no lasting impression on my memory.
Pete Astor is one of those famous-for-being-in-a-band people that I can never quite place because I'm no familiar with the relevant band. He dresses in a manner than makes me suspect he's hoping people will mistake him for David Bowie, and does laid-back, smart songs. He'd also brought a backing band with him which seemed to be largely made up out of spare members of The Wave Pictures.
Try it: The slightly country-tinged My Right Hand [link to SoundCloud; sorry about the ad]
The evening's headliner was Surfing Magazines, a four-piece guitar band made up of two people from Slow Club and two people from (can you guess?) The Wave Pictures. (Honestly, I don't know what's going on here. There are only three people in the sodding Wave Pictures and there were five of them on stage. Is there a shortage of spare musicians in London or something?)
Anyway, they have a bit of a surf-rock thing going on, and the songs sound very different depending on whether Mr Slow Club or Mr Wave Picture was singing (the latter has a very distinctive voice). However, their set just felt like it went on a bit long, and by the end I'd slightly lost patience with their extremely long and noodling solos.
Try it: New Day [bandcamp]
Wednesday
Pre-gig Food Solution: We tried out the delightfully-named Piebury Corner (which is nearish but, disappointingly, not on Highbury Corner). Pie, mash, gravy, done.
The pies were decent, but not overwhelming and - because you order all the bits separately - seemed a little expensive. (The pies are £6.50 - £7.50, but then mash is £4.50, gravy is £1.50...). I dithered over sweet potato, goats cheese and spinach or chicken, ham and leek. I went for the former, which was just as well because ChrisC's example of the latter turned out to have tarragon in. Honestly, world, stop messing up chicken pies with tarragon. Or, if you insist that some people like the stuff, at least mention it on the menu so the rest of us can avoid it.
The Lexington's stage was decorated with gold balloons which spelled out 'FEMINIST' - the decor choice of first-support Charmpit who describe themselves as anarchic, feminist and DIY. They're fun, and raucous, and entertaining but lacked the musicianship of most of the previous day's bands. I figure with these people the idea came first, and they learned the instruments after. And yes, they're aiming for lo-fi and not a polished performance, and I get that, but I just felt they were a little lacking. Still they are good value for a half-hour slot, and in between explaining that cheerleaders are feminist icons and explaining what their plans for world domination were, they rattled through a fair few songs.
Try it: Vacation [bandcamp]
Fever Dream arrived as a massive contrast. Clearly awkward about speaking on stage, they blasted out fuzzy, shoe-gazey guitar noise. It's the kind of music where you can tell without looking that at least one of the band members will have hair flopping over their face (he does) and at least one will be playing with their back to the audience (she does).
Overall, it's not a sort of music that immediately wins me over, but they do it well and I'll happily watch them whenever they turn up on the bill. I think I might have said before that they always strike me as a band who should be playing in the background of a nightclub scene in Buffy.
Try it: Youth is Wasted on the Old [soundcloud]
This was a pretty mismatched bill, and there was another change of musical direction for headliners Steven James Adams & the French Drops. For those who remember The Broken Family Band, Steven James Adams is the former singer - having done some solo stuff, he's now roped in a band to back him up.
He remains one of the most engaging frontmen I've ever seen, delivering his offbeat between-song deadpan banter with perfect timing. His band are all excellent musicians, and they put out a great set of slightly countryish, slightly folkyish, witty songs.
Try it: Tears of Happiness [YouTube - this is the 'solo' recording, although there are clearly other people playing. I don't think the French Drops have recorded anything yet.]
Thursday
Pre-gig Food Solution: Wahaca. I'm not sure I've actually been to this chain Mexican before; it seemed to have a decent selection of interesting choices (although I slightly mal-ordered, being a bit confused about the sizes of some of the portions and didn't get quite enough food. Fortunately Xian swapped me a tiny beef taco for half a quesadilla to make up). I think my review is again: fine, but not exciting. Bonus points to Wahaca for having a handy wash-your-hands option on one side of the restaurant - but points back off again for managing to stick the little "this is chicken" and "this is vegetarian" flags into Xian and ChrisC's enchilladas the wrong way round. No harm done, since no parties were vegetarian and agreed to each eat half and swap, but that's pretty poor kitchen management.
I didn't know anything about Enderby's Room, other than that it involves that bloke and he plays violin. And that Nick recommends them. Anyway, it does involve that bloke but apparently he plays guitar. It also involves Emma Deerful playing a portable harmonium, and someone playing a French horn (plus a bassist, but apparently no drummer). That's a pretty odd line-up right off :)
Anyway, they turned out to be awesome, playing a sort of folk-inflected, slightly antique-sounding, bucolic sort of music that had the (sadly rather small) audience spellbound. Both that bloke and Emma Deerful sing, and produce between them a really beautiful, choral sound. For some reason it kept reminding me of the Albion Band's Larkrise concept album, but that might just be the harmonium. No points for the truly awful run of bird-based puns in the middle of the set, though.
In some of the songs, the lyrics and arranging to tip over into the truly twee, but overall I'd say a definite win.
Try it: My Old Friend [YouTube]
The Leaf Library slowly shambled onstage, taking their time to set up as there are about 15 of them. (OK, that is a lie, but there are many of them. And they kept up the brass oddity theme by having a flugelhorn onstage. And a saxophone, played by the French Drops' drummer.)
Although they sound very different to Enderby's Room, they kept up the peaceful, atmospheric vibe with swooping instrumentals and up to four singers at any time. It's dreamy, and chilled out, and a lot less twee.
Try it: April [bandcamp]
The evening's headliner was Laetitia Saedier, formerly of Stereolab. ("I only know one Stereolab song," I claimed. "You know two," said ChrisC. "The one that goes like this [does dance move] and the one that Editors covered." He's right - Ping Pong and French Disko respectively. She didn't do either of them.)
She came onstage - just her and an electric guitar, no backing band. And... well. She plays the guitar lefthanded (which always looks odd) and gave the impression of not really quite knowing what to do with it. I think this is a false impression, of course, and after a few songs I'd got back into the swing and was enjoying it again. In later songs she used a looper pedal to build up layers of a song - and, while I wasn't bowled over because I've seen Jordan Reyne live and thus know what one woman can do with a guitar and a looper pedal - it was pleasant to listen to.
Friday
Pre-gig Food Solution: Pizza Express. Since we discovered you can convert Tesco Clubcard points into restaurant vouchers at a rate that means they're worth 4x the money, we've been prone to occasional outbreaks of Pizza Express. You know what they're like, right? Well, they were like that.
Picturebox opened proceedings, a three piece guitar/bass/drum outfit that seemed to hover slightly uncomfortably between proper band and novelty act, with occasional silly lyrics about daft topics and then songs that were not like that ("A cut-price Lardpony," was actually my review, but I realise that is helpful to approximately no one.)
They were briefly joined by a man in a leather jacket and woolly hat, who played the violin on one track and then went away. Overall, I just couldn't work out quite what sort of a band they were, or determine their defining characteristics.
Try it: Friday Morning 11AM [bandcamp]
Ralegh Long is a somewhat floppity haired and polite-sounding singer-songwriter with a guitar. A rather shimmery-sounding guitar that produced a rather nicer soundscape than his diffident stage manner had led me to expect. His songs aren't big singalongs, and they slightly blended into one in my memory - hence use of the word 'soundscape' :)
His band also involved woolly hat guy, now playing slide guitar. Really, there apparently aren't enough musicians to go round London at the moment.
Try it: Take Your Mind Back [YouTube]
Last act on was Darren Hayman, formerly of Hefner, backed up by two of Picturebox, that bloke from Enderby's Room (see, I told you he played the violin!) and woolly hat guy (now revealed to be Jack Hayter, also ex-Hefner).
Darren Hayman is a hilarious performer, who has elevated self-deprecation (and self-commentary) to a level all of its own. And the songs aren't bad either - a mix of things from his various solo and band projects in recent years, plus a couple of old Hefner singles. His lyrics range through documentary, sweet, biting, political - one minute you're in among William Morris' Chants for Socialists, the next you're visiting a village fete, then you're listening to the bitter regrets of an abandoned lover.
It's a roller coaster, but really the thing I like most is his relentless ability to send himself up :)
Try it: The Voice of Toil [YouTube]
[Originally posted at https://venta.dreamwidth.org/535215.html]