I want one of those posters!

Got backstage before a Joan Jett and the Blackhearts gig (opening for the Police)in Norman, and she asked a manager-type if she should say "Hello Oklahoma or Hello Norman" when she got on stage. At least she was cognizant of her surroundings...and she decided on "Hello Norman!"

What a waste of threads eh?

New Order were excellent in Birmingham on Sunday. Much more focussed and enthusiastic than before their latest sabbatical.

The crowd seemed a bit less laddish than some in the past too; whether that's a consequence of losing Hooky and getting Gillian back, or just the advancing years of the fans, I'm not sure.

The Legendary Shack Shakers at the Kazimier in Liverpool were superb as usual although quiet in comparison to the last times I've seen them in that a) the lead singer 'Colonel' Wilkes did not rip out his chest hair or pubes and b) the regular guitarist was in hospital and the replacement didn't threaten to twat someone with his guitar to keep them off the stage - still a good show though.

Link below if anyone's curious.

www.theshackshakers.com/media/videos/

The organisers of Guilfest are tormenting me again!

It's such an inherently shit festival and I baulk at ticket prices of £50 for anything! However... if they had managed to combine Bryan Ferry, Gary Numan, Chic, Candy Staton, Jimmy Cliff, Nouvelle Vague and Buzzcocks into one day, rather than spread them out across the three days, then I might have been tempted.

As it is, I'll hold on to my cash.

I'm very tempted to see New Order and Primal Scream in The Village (Portmeiron, where The Prisoner was filmed) in September. Might be quite magical and that last tab of acid might even get used ...

Adam Ant's announced a November UK tour for those interested.

evilC wrote:


I could have the pleasure of watching Joss Stone and Bryan Adams in a few weeks time, as they're on the same bill as Stevie Wonder at Rock in Rio Lisboa. As it is, I reckon I'll turn up half an hour or so before Stevie comes to stage.

60 euros though, f*ck me, and I've had to buy a ticket for the other half too.

Mumpo wrote:


Or at least we were, until they decided yesterday to cancel their entire tour - on the eve of the first date - to stay in the studio and carry on recording their next album.

So that's no Death Grips tour; repeat, no Death Grips tour.

Nightmare, Mumpoznan!

Is it too late to redeploy back to Grimes? I've got tickets to see her in September so could use a scouting report.

Ah, nice idea, but it seems that with only two days left, all the tickets have gone.

Man seeks gig.

Went to see Gemma Hayes in the unusual but remarkable venue of St Ann's Church in Manchester last night. The acoustics were perfect for singer songwritery type stuff and it was all very egalitarian with the singer on the same level as the audience and the vicar doing the introduction and apologising for the toilets not being very good. The bar consisted of a trestle table at the back with wine and soft drinks. She was excellent and a cover of 'Cloudbusting' would have been good enough in a normal venue, but in a church was almost angelic.

as part of the rebuilding of the ireallylovemusic clans life, today i bought tickets for me and the boys to go see dick-n-dom do their thing @ camp bestival in the rather wonderful surroundings of lullworth castle.

now, i realise this is a long shot, but if there are any of the WSC crew doing this celebration of kids and music, then holla as i'd love some grown up moral support to get me through the whole experience.

i mean adam ant is making appearance.

surely that has to mean someone here is coming along.

ahem.

Well, don't look at me. Although Bestival looks great and Mr Ant has been on very good form onstage of late.

I'm very excited by the Wobble and Levene gig coming up this Friday. Squeeeeeeee.

Sharon Van Etten very impressive last night; lots of songs from 'Tramp', but clearly she's got a decent back catalogue, too.

Brudunel Social Club in Leeds is a cracking little venue.

An acquaintance asked me if I was going to The Soft Moon at XOYO on Friday, but I'm not so sure. I mean, they're good ...and it looks like they're set to be the highest profile representatives of this scene yet. But there's something about this new wave of Goth (basically) that feels like it's a bit of a stylistic dead end (pardon the unintentional pun) to me.

I can't preach about revivalism, being firmly stuck in 1980, but I just can't quite immerse myself in any Cure, Chameleons, Banshees or Death In June soundalikes to the same extent I can with Electro(pop) - even if this lot have collaborated with John Foxx.

Just got tickets to see The Shins at Hordern Pavilion in July, and realised it's absolute yonks since I've been to a gig.

Wobble and Levene playing Metal Box in Dub were phenomenal tonight. off to Buzzcocks plus Devoto tonight. Full circle.

Devoto is a true great.

To not set foot on a stage for twenty odd years and then return with such confidence and style, as he did for the Magazine reformation, was fantastic and really quite moving too.

Yes. He's brilliant. I went to the Magazine London gig a couple of years ago, and was present at their first London (and other) gigs in 78; I knew them then, but not now (well, I know Shelley and Diggle, but not Devoto). Never saw Buzzcocks play with Devoto and am prepared to be moved.

It would be nice if PiL could play with the original line up but I understand why it's not going to happen in the foreseeable. The singer last night did a great job, and the trumpet worked brilliantly. I got a big hug and kiss off that Wobble geezer, still a proper heartthrob. Cor.

I too was at Brixton Academy to see Buzzcocks last night. 34 years since I last saw them, FFS! A bunch of 50-somethings in the crowd reliving their yoof and, in many cases, digging out old punk t-shirts to squeeze over their expanding waistlines before bouncing around the moshpit.

The sound was really muddy and loud, with the guitars far too prominent in the mix, so that a lot of the poppiness and vocals were lost in a buzzsaw dirge, but once they'd got the current tunes out of the way in the first set (stayed in the bar for most of that), they reeled off a string of singles and classics, before Devoto joined the other original band members for the Spiral Scratch songs, which was by far the highlight of the show for me.

I have to say Steve Diggle made a bit of an arse of himself, pulling off a number of Rock God poses amid windmilling arm actions, whilst Shelley and the others just quietly got on with it, but the angry-old-man act kept us unintentionally amused.

I bloody hope my ears stop ringing soon.

Similar impression here; although I've seen Buzzcocks quite a few times in last few years. First set, muddy sound, aaargh, too hot, too crowded, retreated to the bar ... Perked up with the hits in the second set (coincidentally or not, after my second drink) and was fab when Devoto came on.