What a day. 11 bands (if you saw them all) for only £7, hot, hot temperatures, humidity, sweat, beer, noisy rock 'n' roll. Mmmm beer. Unfortunately the beer may have coloured my memory of who came on when a bit, so bear with me and here goes.
Got to Naylor's just after two (we'd already disregarded the 2 o'clock start on the tickets) and wandered down in Herdy's magic bus to the Vat and Fiddle for a couple of pints of loverly cider before heading for the venue.
We saw Andy Clambake loading his stuff into the car, so assumed he'd done his bit. I've seen Clambake before supporting either the Cramps or JSBX, can't remember which, they were quite fun so was a teeny bit disappointed to miss him. Still, there'll be another time.
First band proper we caught were Hirameka Hi-Fi. I hadn't heard anything by/about them, but I understand from their MySpace page that they have done a Peel session (in 2002). Anyhow, I wasn't initially too impressed, never trusted bands who have their backs to the audience. Anyway I soon warmed to them, and felt that maybe if they could have stronger voices they could be really good. I feel a bit smug and pompous (well this is a blog) that the track "hold it up" on their MySpace is very good and has noticeably better vocals (sounds quite different to me). anyway I'd check them out if you can, but I'm unsure if they're still a going concern as I thought I heard a "this is the last time we'll be playing" from the stage, but unsure whether that was about the song or as a band. Big bass drum sound too, niiiiiice.
Hey Colossus may have been next (memory) and I've seen them before supporting Boris (Mark's review of the night here and I commented there were three solid bands, so must've liked them). Afraid to say I didn't remember them at all. Tell you what though, they were great. A really noisy roaring maelstrom of anger proper journos would say. Very good, recommended.
Owen Tromans (My Space here) came next in my head. I mean he was on stage next in my head, he didn't actually come in my head (the very thought). Was predictably impressed by female bassist (it's a Suzi Quattro/youth thing), but felt they were not really a band, more Owen and some others helping him put his stuff over. that seems a bit half-arsed, and listening to the songs on his MySpace I think I may have dismissed them a bit lightly. What can be said is that they didn't really fit in stylistically with the other bands. A much more poppy bent Owen seems to have. Also he isn't a Nottm regular and that may have increased his isolation from the audience. I think George liked them and I'm sure he'll come up with more of a description of who how they sound, which I'm failing to do. Anyway his mention of the Spanish Civil war got my goat a bit and I stomped off to read a copy of Doctor Who annual 1973 and Dada's Army annual 1974 (which were on the bookshelves of the Art Organisation I didn't take them with me honest. So a skeptical maybe for Owen (like anyone gives a flying one).
Sailors came on next. Buggered if I know what to write here. They inhabit a Spin Spin the Dogs or Bilge Pump kinda neighbourhood, but aren't as irritating as SStD or as good (for my money) as BP. We stayed fort heir full whack though so they had something just maybe not quite enough at this point. OK.
We ventured to the chippy for tea at this point (it may have been before though who knows) post merching (did I say I got the last Lords/Part Chimp/Hey Colossus/Todd 10" guys/). Still don't understand the lack of sausage rolls in English chippys, or people's disgust at the though of chippy sausage rolls. bets thing ever, soaks up your alcohol and packs a meaty punch. Get to Wales and try it guys.
After more cider in the Vat (here things get a particularly lurid colour scheme in my memory)got back to the gig to find we'd missed Designer Babies (MySpace is here). OK we made sure we missed them. Don't like them, though their MySpace songs sound OK (what is wrong with me). Sorry 'n' all.
On our return we found Reynolds (MySpace here) on stage. Chris from Lords is a member (of the band, not a cock, well I don't really know...what is wrong with me today?) and they were really good, well what we saw was good. Maybe a difficult time to play though because I felt they didn't get the feedback from the audience they deserved. Or they could have been shit before we got there so who no??? Anyway I liked them fine and would like to see them again in an extended setting. think they've split up now though and re-formed for this show, hope it wasn't a one-off.
Next up were Souvaris (MySpace here) who again I felt were not of the same genre as most other bands on display. Different to Owen Tromans was the way they went about overcoming that. Party poppers and party horn noisemakers. Great! kind of shoegazer-y instrumental stuff. and an all metal guitar! Well i was impressed even if Health and Safety Eldritch though there was danger of death in the whole idea. they were a welcome change of pace, fun and varied, maybe a bit Mogwai-esque. That doesn't sound very glowing does it? They were really good, check them out if you get chance.
The Unit Ama were supposed to fit in here somewhere, but pulled out a few days before due to work commitments.
Anywho, onto the big three for this gig. I was really exited to see Lords, Bilge Pump and Part Chimp playing end to end, and glad to say they didn't let me down.
Lords (MySpace here) stole the show for me. Great fun, loud and engaging, they deserve to be massive. i know I say a lot, and don't seem to have much serious to say, but I mean this, I've been going to gigs for 25-odd years and there aren't many better nights out than Lords. Buy a ticket on the bus, buy their album, buy anything with their music on it, because you won't be disappointed (disclaimer: you may be disappointed). Magnifique.
Bilge Pump had the unenviable task of following Lords. They're a fine band like, but there's something not as good as Lords about them. Maybe they seem a bit more precious, I dunno. They really rocked, but I didn't quite feel they were as good as they were at Bunkers Hill a while back. Still liked them. Was very drunk by now. Oh dear. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Oh yeah.
Part Chimp (MySpace here looking be-au-ti-ful) finished the whole thing off. They had to, because you can't follow them, they're so fucking LOUD. I'd not seen them before, but had heard tell of their sonic attack (hey Hawkwind!). Their is hairier than me (and that's saying something - my nether regions look like that picture of Einstein with his tongue out at the mo', such pubo-growth! Quelle dommage!). They didn't disappoint, and their blunt instrument trauma was about the only thing capable of getting the message through my thickened drunken skull by this point (maybe missed some of Bilge Pump's subtlety due to that). Amps collapsing, feedback, roaring, noise, mad flailing arm drum action. They were pretty feral. Schmool.
So all-in-all a great day out. Once again kudos to Damn You in general and Matt in particular for assembling a great line up finding another great venue and putting it all on for next to nothing to Joe Q Public. Also big thanks to the Herd-man for driving, you should've stayed at ours M I didn't think, that must've been a bugger of a trip back to Harborough. And as ever thanks to scoop Naylor for so many things not least showing me how to write "cunt" in shorthand. And getting the tickets.
Did I really say his metal guitar was a safety risk? Bloody hell, really entering into the rock n' roll spirit there, wasn't I?
And don't listen to him about Lords - you WILL NOT be disappointed !!!!
Posted by: palmer_eldritch | June 11, 2007 at 09:01 AM
We personally prefer Bilge Pump to us. Our respective next albums will bear this thought to be truth...
Posted by: LORDS | June 13, 2007 at 11:20 AM
Hate to get into an argument here, but I think we're the worst placed people to judge our own stuff.
You were great, best band there, deal with it :-)
Posted by: Gilbert | June 14, 2007 at 10:50 AM