A large number of souls have abandoned the Sunday sunshine for the dark, sweating interior of King Tuts for White Rose Movement openers Station:Project. Purveyors of vigorous, muscular rock, they swagger with a violent air through their set, captivating the crowd with a driven, evocative cacophony of electro-influenced sounds and melody more… “Station: Project”
Theologians of ancient Christianity now agree that the devil had the best tunes. The fallen angel’s duties according to recent thinking would have included sound-tracking a soul’s utopian stay in his Father’s kingdom. If The Leg (formerly of this parish under the nomenclature of Desc) were one of those bands booked before his fateful tumble they would have joined him for the venue change more… “The Leg”
Arriving at the rather unusually laid out ABC2, I have to admit that I really did not care for an appetiser of a support act, such was my excitement at seeing The Walkmen at long last.
However, I am not one for shunning a band and goin to a bar across the road so I stood with anticipation as Actress Hands shuffled on to the stage. Looking remarkably unlike a band, they did, on the other hand, look a bit like the famous Arsenal back four of the nineties! more… “The Walkmen / Roland Shanks / Actress Hands”
This year marks the fourth outing for Edinburgh`s Spectrum Festival, and with an outstanding wealth of exciting new talent around it promises to be noteworthy from the start. Providing food, drink, a handful of stalls, and a whole hall full of exciting new bands, the festival was set up to celebrate all that`s great about Scottish music and media, and today it certainly delivers. With hardly a break between bands to catch your breath, they`ve once again proved that there`s more to Scottish music than just The Proclaimers more… “Ten Storeys High / Kiddo / Action Group / Callel”
`Let the wind blow high and the wind blow low, through the streets in my kilt I go, all the lassies cry, `Hello! Donald, where’s yer troosers?“ So begins Camera Obscura`s long-awaited return to the Scottish capital, and there`s certainly a sense of celebration about the gig tonight more… “Camera Obscura”
For those in the know Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid will need no introduction so feel free to skip to the next paragraph. Those partially in the know (myself included) will be aware that Kieran Hebden is 1/1 of Four Tet who has released three albums of `difficult to categorise but electronica is a reasonable lazy categorisation` more… “Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid”
Viva Voce ` or Viva Vochay to you and me, are a two piece from Portland, Oregon. On steps a guy resembling the 118 118 pair with his sweatband and a pretty looking country singer gal. Well. Impressive sounds, humble harmonies, quirky lyrics, unlikely instruments and some 90s soft rock head nodding later` I felt warm inside. more… “Viva Voce”
Trying to find the Classic Grand is a bit like stumbling into Narnia. There`s something rather elusive about its narrow black door, which sits nestled snugly down the back of central station. I could`ve sworn it wasn`t there last time I went for a Big Mac! more… “Malcolm Middleton”
Ok, so it`s not my favourite venue in the world, but I`m willing to give it a go. I stand on the main dance floor amongst a collection of friends, family (presumably), fans and happy wanderers waiting for the interminably bad, production line dance music to finish and musing on why the two preceding support acts even bothered more… “5th & Pontiac”
At long last Glasvegas arrive in the capital for a gig, albeit a support slot for tonights headliners Tiny Dancers. Having played last year with Dirty Pretty Things on two sold out nights, it was with great anticipation that I approached the gig and I was not disappointed. From the moment they stride on to the stage looking every inch a classic band, to the first strum of Rab’s guitar, they have already impressed me more than most bands ever have more… “Tiny Dancers / Glasvegas”