Good Shoes at King Tut’s was quite the night. The first band, Self Starter, was typically Scottish indie, with a sprinkle of folky vocals. more… “Good Shoes / Copy HaHo / Self Starter”
Wha’s like us? Gey few, and they’re a’ at home watching the X-factor. more… “Homecoming – The Final Fling”
Sorry to Autistic Angus…. but we arrive just in time for a lovely set from Rick Redbeard, who you might know better in his day job with the Phantom Band. more… “Burnt Island / The Starlets / Rick Redbeard”
What to expect when a well-respected hardcore punk band decides to perform as a mariachi group? more… “Mariachi El Bronx / Jakko and Jay”
With two albums under their belt and a pretty dedicated following of their own, Manchester Orchestra seemed completely out of their comfort zone playing to a room of restless Biffy Clyro fans.
Their sound is a much more delicate thing than that of the headliners, and unfortunately not a lot of the Barrowlands crowd are in the mood for listening.
As if to acknowledge this fact, Manchester Orchestra play a mere five songs – their set just short of half an hour. In comparison to headline shows, this must be pretty much like pulling the plug on them just as they’re getting in to their stride.
Playing four songs from their latest album, Mean Everything To Nothing – with the beautiful Where Have You Been from their first album thrown in for good measure, everything sounds impeccable. Every quiet loud transition is delivered just as it should, every vocal is delivered with heartbreaking vulnerability, and those in the room with the manners to pay attention provide applause that gets consistently louder as the set unravels.
While the band wisely focus most of their energy on the more instant songs in their repetoire, perhaps their 6 minute mini-epics are just too heavy going and serious for a Biffy support band. Not playing their two and a half minute gem The Only One seems like a missed trick, and one they could almost certainly have slipped in without going noticeably over their allocated stage time.
Despite the tepid response, Manchester Orchestra proved themselves to be a band certainly worth seeing, and masters at their art. Although we’d rather see them in front of their own crowd next time.
Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.
If there’s one thing that this Glenrothes venue can’t be accused of, it’s a lack of diversity or ambition in its bookings. more… “Cruiser / Persil / Ono Palindromes”
In many ways, Daniel Johnston might well be the living embodiment of what it means to be a cult figure. Lauded by the hip, and covered by many other artists, his reputation enhanced by time, he inspires devotion from many. more… “Daniel Johnston / Laura Marling / The Wave Pictures”
While not considered quite the watershed moment ‘Sgt. Pepper…’ – ‘Never Mind the Bollocks…’ or indeed ironically ‘Nevermind’ provided; ‘Doolittle’ nevertheless paved the way for the epoch of the alternative-rock scene of the early 90’s more… “The Pixies / Sons & Daughters”
Post rockers are always perceived as intelligent – perhaps a little too smart for their own reputation – but there is something about the ability to change and shift time signatures and go quiet and loud and stop and start which divides opinions. For those in the ‘pro’ camp, the fans’ mono-tasking – listening intently with chin perched on hand – seems to sit at odds with the stereotype. more… “Efterklang”
As Essex 4-piece Amoriste finish setting up and draping their moniker-emblazoned banner across the Box window, watching frontman Liam Tolan readying himself at the mic with an Alex James-like hairdo you could be forgiven for expecting 30-minutes of stand-offish indie arrogance. more… “Amoriste”