Fringey

killed it

2008-03-27T22:03:00.000Z

Yep we've killed Fringey.

Killed it dead.

We've decided that life's too short to be writing blogs ... or even read them!

So go get your own to play with!

lots of love from

Luce and Jo

So what is this Fringey of which you speak?

2007-12-31T06:00:00.000Z

Welcome to the Fringey world of gigs and clubs.

But don't you go thinking that this is simply about reviewing the music oh no, no and thrice no. Fringey is about .....

whether or not they give you ice and a slice (of lime naturally) at the bar.
the haircuts, the hats, the shoes and cravats! (both crowd and band)
the proportion of paying customers to liggers.
spotting the famos lurking at the back or on the VIP balcony.
the free merch, especially the badges (oh how we love the badges).
the onstage banter.
being brutally honest (when necessary... ok and sometimes when not) and not giving a damn.
(usually) getting 2 reviews for the price of 1 - one by Jo & one by Luce .

If you want to know more you could send a SAE and a 2nd class stamp for a fact sheet or better still click on the profiles, have a little look see at the links and, most importantly read the posts - go on you know you want to.

Blondes in Belfast

2006-10-11T23:35:00.000+01:00

Flippin eck - they aren’t half casual out here in the regions. The Long Blondes are about to hit the stage in the newly refurbished QSU Speakeasy and there are apparently still some tickets left on the door. Such a thing would never happen back in London!

But first up are the 1990s. Like a cult indie version of shiny Franz Ferdinand, they do a kind of new britpop, (more Supergrass than Pulp) and we do like em. The band dedicate a song to the overly keen kids down the front who make up the first row (and almost their entire audience). Bless the singing chaps big toothed grin, he's bringing the heroin geek chic look to a whole new generation.

So anyway, back to our regional audience, don’t these kids know how to dress out in the sticks? My god they almost look - gulp - normal. Yeah, ok, there are a couple of Top Shop Debbie Harrys kicking about, but where are the full on White Rose Movement rejects? the Klaxon inspired new cross new rave hooded top, white jean combos?? Christ, we’re all here to see the Long Blondes and I cannot believe I’m the only girl in the room who’s thought to wear a neck scarf. What will Blondes think off us?

Well they appear to think that playing the boonhicks means Kate can get away with going casual - and wear a teeshirt!! Well I’m sorry Ms Jackson, but what the hell kind of example is that to be setting these poor impressionable youths of Northern Ireland? I mean, most of them won't have been as far as Manchester, never mind London. To these children Shoreditch is but a fantasy, Hoxton a shiny never never land they’ve only ever read about in the Guardian style pages, and the Old Blue Last a mere rumour of boys wearing girls jeans.

Having said that the LB’s put on a damn fine show and they seem to enjoy themselves, banging out tune after indie pop tune, (so much better now that I know enough to hum along). They even manage to get the audience to have a bit of a bop. (An audience who, despite their lack of knowing about Old Street, were extremely arms foldy and ‘go on, impress me‘. Tough crowd!) I do believe that by the end of the evening there was even a bit of dancing about. But that may have just been me after drinking far too much gin.

Oh, didn't I mention a gin and tonic was only £2.60? Yep, two pounds and sixty pence. HA!

Cansei de escutar de Kasabian

2006-09-12T23:13:00.000+01:00

I think that’s the correct translation - but you never can tell with babelfish.

Anyhow the knuckle dragging minions are out in force tonight to see their monkey leaders - Kasabian, here at the NME.com shindig in KOKO. Christ alone knows why we're here. (Oh yeah, it’s free and we have no social lives). And of course those lovely Brazilian poppets Cansei de ser Sexy are playing this evening. Hurrah.

Unfortunately for them they're playing in front of what appears to be a crowd of braying Neanderthals, howling at the giant glitterball and throwing glowsticks (provided by the NME lot, who have obviously overestimated the intelligence of their readership/Kasabian fans) at the, almost, all girl group. Lovefoxxx wants us to dance, but she's not having much luck. Poor the CSS. Bouncers go round confiscating glowsticks afterwards; it wouldn't look good to injure the headline act tonight - or their 'special guest'.

And my God they're bloody arrogant. Tom and Serge sneer and swagger their way around the stage rapidly becoming a parrody of themselves; the only respite is when Serge gets his chance to perform a quiet acoustic solo. This confuses the audience, who take the opportunity to have a chat and pretend it isn't happening, hopefully waiting for the next thumping anthem to come along.

But then out pops a Gallagher and there is much rejoicing as the assembled throng hail their ape leader. He plays along to a couple of tunes before disappearing back whence he came.

Goodness - am a bit tired out by the displays of manly testosterone going on - thank Christy for the lovely CSS who single handedly saved it from being a celebration of loud lad rock and who really are worth listening to.

I came. I went. I jawed. I saw ...

2006-08-30T23:45:00.000+01:00

Tapes 'n Tapes @ Dingwalls, Camden

Well I did say I wanted more Tapes n Tapes after I last saw em at the Barf, and they don’t disappoint.

Banging out the album in the sold out Dingwalls they are having a fantastic time, they know they’re on their way to rock and roll glory and they’re gonna enjoy every minute of it. Unfortunately this time round Josh isn't too bothered with chatting up and charming the audience, but then Lock 17 is a good bit bigger than the barfly. Anyhoo, the tunes no longer need any introduction, we all have the album and can yell along to “Cowbell” and “Insistor” if we feel like it. Many people feel like it. They end on “Jakov’s Suite” and for a moment (as always) I think they’re going to launch into a bizarre cover of Art Bruts “Good Weekend”. (I can’t be the only one who hears it??) But they don’t.

They don’t need no gimmicks to win us over. (FYI - french horns, sleigh bells and cowbells are not gimmicks, but genuine precussion instruments!). They just need to get on that there stage and play!

Support was from the retro electro two piece To My Boy, whose futuristic synth stylings were quite fabulous and strange, kinda like Clor, but more quirky. If thats possible.

Our only complaint is that there is a chronic lack of free badges and stickers this time round, which is a bit disappointing, but you can’t have everything.

Till next time then.

Aussie Mega

2006-08-29T23:59:00.000+01:00

The Vines @ Kentish Town Forum 29/08/06

...is a definite Hair 'Do'.

During an somewhat subdued set from The Vines Master Nicholls's hair was working overtime. Both the right and left sides of this boy's barnet put in sterling support work throughout whilst his fringe flipped, flopped and flew all over the shop and the beautifully backcombed back left bit played an absolute blinda.

In a current music scene where there are far too many feeble follicle stylings (yes I mean you Razorlite) it's good to see some seriously rocking roots. If I hadn't recently acquired meself a most marvelous mullet I'd be getting me coiffured a la Craig Nicholls quick smart.

Jo Said:

The Vines & the View at the Forum

2006-08-29T23:30:00.000+01:00

Oh The Vines are back in town. They've been gone ages - and at one point we thought they'd never be coming back. So what are they like now?

Well, they played all the hits – the shouty screamy ones, the swirly whirly ones (although less swirly now without the lush production) and the inbetweeny ones. But I found the entire show ever so slightly underwhelming. Possibly proving that there is a time and a place for everything and for the Vines that time was 2002. Oh dear.

They finally hit bottom with an outstandingly poor rendition of the lovely "Autumn Shades" (cats drowning in a sack). I was even thinking about leaving, when suddenly they whip out "Ride" - and the audience finally find their moshing shoes. (not me tho, I’m in heels). By the time they get to the encore the entire night is turned on its head and they bang out the quite fantastic "Get Free" and then an unexpected cover of "Miss Jackson", before closing on "Feck the World" and trashing of guitars and drum kit (for old times sake). Thank goodness. Was almost a bit worried there.

I could mention that yes Craig is no longer mental, has obviously been at the pies, and yes, does desperately need to get his hair sorted, but there was also really nice matey directness between him and the audience and you could tell he wasn’t entirely sure of himself (or off us for that matter) which made for a different – if less exciting – experience.

The less said about tonights support - The View - the better. I really tried to like em, honest guv, but they don’t make it easy do they. A bit of focus, maybe an original guitar riff or a completely new musical direction might help.

G&T with Jamie T in the Ginglik

2006-08-15T23:00:00.000+01:00

So, I’ve managed to talk a friend with T-Mobile to take me to a ‘street gig’ with Jamie T – at the rather intimate (boiling hot!) Ginglik Club (formerly a Victorian public convenience!) - Hurrah! She’s never even heard of Mr T or his minimalist, no frills approach to the performance ethic, but is happy enough to come see what I’ve been banging on about.

Tonight a cheeky, chatty Jamie is without his backing band (The Selfish Sons). Its just him on his stool at the front of the room, his music a hybrid of lo fi hip hop and folk (without samples or backing tapes). He, literally, lets his words do the talking* and leaves the articulate observant lyrics to cut their own way through the tiny claustrophobic room, painting rough verbal sketches of life lived at the edges. Or in Putney, as the case may be. A compelling combination of spoken songs (or is it sung poetry?) with a barely there backing of bass guitar, the verses practically trip over each other in an effort to get out and tell their bleak urban tales. All the while, deceptively cheerful rhyming couplets lend themselves to singalong choruses. The crowd holler along at appropriate moments.

He ends with biggest single so far, ‘Sheila’, and some more audience participation.

Altogether now:

“LAANDAHN!!!”

*I think the kids call it ‘flow’.

That way lies Madness!

2006-07-30T22:00:00.000+01:00

No. Really.

It’s the final night of the Benicàssim festival and Madness are taking to the stage. I swear I couldn’t move my legs 20 minutes ago, but now I'm compelled to knees up elbows out dance, as Suggs welcomes us to the House of Fun!

Christ - I think this might actually kill me.

It seems a like a lifetime since we got of the train from Valencia and went hunting for our hotel. (Camping? I don’t bloody well think so!) But in four nights we’ve managed to squeeze in a months worth of partying.

Starting on the Thursday we're on site by midnight and are in plenty of time to shake our booty to the camptastic Scissor Sisters. This is followed by a delicious dj set from Erol Alkan – We might have gotten a bit carried away with the dancing here, but the Fiberfibs MAKE us drink beer by the bucket, before free pouring vodka down our throats – those Spanish bastards!!! So we end our first night at the festival by being swept up with the trash on Friday morning. Ooops, so much for pacing ourselves.

Friday evening kicks off with unexpectedly alright Babyshambles! Not only does Pete turn up, but the performance is coherant and actually a bit good. Shane McGowan even joins in for a bit of ‘Dirty Ole Town’. Then its the Walkmen who are brilliant as always, followed by a fabulous Futureheads. Later on the mainstage, the Pixies have to be stopped suddenly - “this monkeys gone to heav … !!?!” – the barriers are breaking and theres a life threatening crush at the front! Eeek! They're followed by uber dull Echo and Bunnymen. Then finally tis the turn of the Strokes, who totally redeem themselves as Casablancas rediscovers his mojo after midnight, and we consider ourselves 'rocked'.

On Saturday we were a bit tired (a day spent on the beach can really take it out of you) and we don’t drag our sorry arses up to the festival site till after ten oclock in the evening. But its not our bums we'll be needing tonight! Oh no. On go the dancin shoes andn we punish our knees and feet with many hours of happy dancin'. We get the tasty treats of Soulwax followed by the genius 2 Many DJ’s; Justice open with an extended mix of ‘We Are Your Friends’ and there's even time for a quick trip to the mainstage for an hour of Franz Ferdinand (doing their ‘yes, we OWN this festival’ thing!!). The booty is duly shimmied and shaken all over the festival (looks like we did need bums afterall).

Phew! - pass me the vodka, its like, 10 billion degrees and only 3am! Helpfully the dance tent has wonderfully cool sprays of mist coming down from the ceiling. Those Spanish think of everything they do. (incidentally - the sound at this festival is the best I’ve ever heard – anywhere.)

Sunday is quite painful, in the physical sense, not the aural. We can’t drink (any more) and are weak with hunger (after surviving on a diet of fruit, falafels and limón vodka all weekend). Too hungover to eat, let alone booze, we’re mostly sober for Editors (Tom throws a rock strop and storms off cause his guitar didn’t work). And then we’re back with Madness, who are now taking us one step beyond exhaustion. We dance, dance and dance some more, away from the main stage and over to the little indie tent to shout along with We Are Scientists and finally, to see Eddie Argos give his festival highlight of a performance, as Art Brut play a joyous 1hr 15min set. (That’s three times longer than their album - oh yes.) Keith Scientist comes on to help Eddie cover ‘Great Escape’ and Argos closes by Top of the Popsing nearly every band on the bill. Perfect.

We really, really want to stay for the Rakes (at 3.40am), but simply cannot sit through Placebo sober. So we go back to the hotel and save ourselves for Monday and the …

Beach Party!

Pints of limón vodka, sea, sand, strange Germans, sunrise.

Muchos gracias Benicàssim.

*I might have mentioned the dancing quite alot in this, but then that's what we mostly spent our time doing!

Beni in pictures

2006-07-30T19:11:00.000+01:00

Words cannot describe the funness of FIB, so here are some pictures taken from the lovely fiberfib site:

Alkan and the Scissor Sisters kick things off!

The beach!

The bands ...

some more beach ...

Franz stole the mainstage on Saturday night and ran off with it!

Even the foul festy toilets can look pretty and ethereal in Beni!!

Art Brut Top of the Pops!

Although I don't think I'll be touching vodka again. Ever.

Bliss ... ...

lots and lots more pictures are on the fiberfib website here.

Viva Espania!

2006-07-29T23:07:00.000+01:00

Ole Ole Ole Ole Oleeeeeeeeee!

So we're back from sunny Spain...

...sun kissed and blissed out by the beautiful thing that is Benicassim. We can't wait to share the Spanish love with you and we will do our fine friends, we will do but first Fringey need to have a little lie down...!

From where I'm standing...

2006-06-29T23:59:00.000+01:00

The View - Levis Ones To Watch @ The Barfly 29/06/06

....The View are looking pretty damn good right now.

All big hair and even bigger attitudes, the ramshackle rock stylings of indie upstarts The View, have already acquired them an army of fans and the troops are here in force tonight they're the ones right down the front leaping up and down and singing along as if their lives depend upon it. And thanks to the Arctic Monkey-esque infectiousness of The Views tunes the rest of The Barfly have all signed up to The View Army before the first song is even half way through.

If tonights storming show is anything to go by the music world better brace themselves because The View and their fans are on the march and they're not taking any prisoners.

NB: This is an 'official report' from the Levis Ones To Watch Official Gig Reporter - yeah that's right Fringey's gone legit, well once a month anyways!

Jo said:

The View, Cord & Jakobinarina @ the Barfly

2006-06-29T23:00:00.000+01:00

So Levi's are doing their "ones to watch" thing at the Barfly this evening. But all I can see are "ones to talk over the top of and possibly ignore".

Headlining tonight are The View, bless em. They're another retro band reliving the heady rock and roll days of the mythical East London music scene of ... ummm.. 4 years ago. With their own personal (probably signed in blood) copies of Up The Bracket they can even lay claim to knowing a Libertine or two (this being incestuous london an' all). But headliners they are not - not just yet - and not even in the skanky Barfly. We left after two songs. (The fat chicks down the front were lovin' it though.)

No one loves C/O/R/D as much as they do. They attempt to combine Keane with Queens of the Stone Age (!!!), and cross lines that should never even be looked at sideways. Christ save us. But in trying to be all things to all people they come across like sub pub rock Coldplay - desperate for regional radio air play. OK, so the singer might be a bit fit, but look beyond the rock posturing (ridiculous on the tiny Barfly stage) you only see a deep pool of emptyness, in which he can check out his reflection.

The one glimmer of hope and saving grace from this evenings unrelenting crapness comes from a bunch of punky school kids from Iceland, (or somewhere bloody cold and mostly dark for a good portion of the year), Jakobinarina. First on the stage tonight, we very nearly miss them (due to our reluctance at leaving the cosy Lock Tavern). But from we did see, they were much fun and could possibly be brilliant in about 5 years time, thats if they all don't splinter off and from lots more excellent bands. Young, so very, very young, dumb and full of carling, this pubescent Clash were the ones we really should have been watching tonight!

"You Turn Me On You Turn Me Wrong..."

2006-06-28T23:59:00.000+01:00

Lupen Crook & The Murder Birds @ Metro Club 28/06/06

...sings Lupen Crook.

He's a little boy lost with the devil in his eyes, spitting out shiver making lyrics and spinning them into twisted tales of love, hate and vibrators. And despite the vast majority of people in the Metro this evening seemingly determined to talk VERY LOUDLY through every bands set (why are you people here?!?) Master Crook is not to be put off because he and The Murder Birds have stories to tell and they're going to tell them god damn it.

And thank Chr*sty for that because the dark and delicately demented tunes that they're dealing out are exactly this Fringey's cup of gin.

In between songs, as Lupen addresses the crowd, he seems nervous and shaky, hiding behind his hair but when he begins to sing the darkness descends and the boy becomes a man, eye balling the crowd, leading you into his wonderfully wicked world and making you want to do very bad things, very bad things indeed - hurrah!

Jo said this:

All Aboard For...

2006-06-28T23:30:00.000+01:00

i LiKE TRAiNS @ Metro Club 28/06/06

I like i LiKE TRAiNS - a lot.

Their music covers you completely. With each sprawling epic it pulls you further and further in, making you forget yourself and where you are. It's like you're falling and falling and never hitting the ground. It's like you're lying on your back in the long grass watching the clouds speed by. It's like you're sinking deep under the water. It's like you're running for your life yet it's drama roots your feet to the spot. Its sound haunts you long after you leave the venue. Its sound follows you in to your dreams when you close your eyes in search of sleep.

It's dark, it's melancholy, it's vast, it's uplifting, it's bittersweet. It's one of the best gigs I've been to all year.

Jo, on the other hand thought this...

we love our rock and roll ...

2006-06-28T23:00:00.000+01:00

with gypsy rags and mindless goals .. la la la la la la la la

iLiKETRAiNS & Lupen Crook @ the Metro Club

Oh the Metro Club is only tiny but it feels like every tall lanky bastard has decided to come along tonight and place their bean pole body between me and the stage! Add to this the fact that they all they seem to do is chatter and quack, like a flock of geese, and I'm fit to kill by the end of Lupen Crook's first song!!

Luckily it seems that so is he - and Crook matches my bile with his own, hissing his acerbic lyrics at the, unfortunately oblivious, fashionista audience. "Kids of only 17, they don't know what you mean, but love the London scene!" Intensly charismatic, he's a pretty boy spitting acid, but his filthy (good) looks are wasted on em!

If I thought the braying scensters would shut up for tonights headliners I was mistaken - twats. Still, this next lot can be bloody loud when they want to be and with a name like iLiKETRAiNS - how can they not be brilliant as well? They work the tension/release format into mini prog rock epics and end by getting the first support, (who we missed) back on stage for a proggy wank fest of a finale.

But I suspect that this type of music is slightly lost on me. Maybe it works better with the visuals (missing this evening), but I did find myself drifting off a few times. Ultimately I thought they lacked focus or energy and their sophoric prog would be better suited to a depressed teen's bedroom. Not that they're actually rubbish though, not by a long shot. When the TRAiNS properly wig out it is very entertaining indeed. So good - but only if you like that kinda thing. (and it seems that everyone else does). Luce tells me that I wouldn't like Lambchop either.
I'll take her word for it.

The Rakes @ the Islington Academy

2006-06-27T23:00:00.000+01:00

This evening Fringey managed to get hold off some free tickets to a Converse sponsored RAKES gig. Yey us!

But rarely do we get to see a band who are so spectacularly shite as this evenings first support, Lorca. (If you don't believe me then take a look at their website and tell me you don't want to punch them.)

Lorca don't seem to care that they are the hybrid spawn of a crap Kasabian and a bollocks Bravery. They casually abuse our ears with derivative songs, held together with bits of string and tramp juice. The ‘singer’ for all his rock posing can’t actually sing. At all. Although I was impressed by their guitarists ability to maintain a steady slack jawed chewing action on his wrigley's spearmint throughout the entire set. Please, somebody save us... !

Next up were The Heavy. Not what we were expecting from a Rakes support, but they brought the funk with them and, dodgy sound aside, they were an unexpected treat.

So finally tis the Rakes – oh and how they've changed. ... They’ve only gone and messed about with the clean production of the album! Now we can hear echoing vocals, heavy bass and rocking guitars, making for a bigger, stronger, more robust sound. Unlike the Rakes themselves, it turns out that these tunes have muscle!

But Donahoe is still a strungout ball of energy, all jerky dance moves and hyperactivity. He easily alters his already sharp lyrics to suit the occasion and his tireless efforts to whip the crowd (many of whom didn’t even know who the Rakes were at the start of the night) into a frenzy of arm waving indie sweatiness are successful. The entire performance zips along in no time at all and they get through most of the album, some new songs and even old b side - ‘Ausland Mission’!! Lovely. And all this for free, courtesy of Conversemusic.

ta muchly.

Meanwhile Luce gets absolutely enraged by Rakes support Lorca!

Shame on you

2006-06-27T22:34:00.000+01:00

Lorca 'supporting' The Rakes @ Islington Academy

"We got a riot" mewls Lorca's lead singer (and I use the term 'singer' in the loosest sense of the word). Uh no, what you've got, sonny Jim, is a room full of people wearing glazed expressions and wondering what in Chr*st's name they did to deserve this. So the tickets were free but surely that doesn't mean that we have to put up with this sort of sh*te. If it wasn't for the fact that the lovely ol' Rakes are headlining tonight I'd have hot footed it outta Islington Academy faster than a Priest who's just been caught with his cassock down, but as it is I'm going to have to stand through another 20 mins of this gumph.

On the one occasion that I'm forced to remove my fingers from my ears (in order to hold a much needed gin) I catch lead Lorca screaming "You look like a chainsaw". Well you sir look like a total t*t! But whilst we're on the topic of chainsaws right now I'm really wishing I had one so I could take it to you and the rest of your sad excuse for a band - Texas Massacre Stylee. Make it stop! Make it stop! Someone make this aural torture STOP! Oh Oh think calm thoughts, think calm thoughts. Where are the kittens, the picture of the kittens in the barrel....oh there you are...and relax...

...ahhhh that's better. Thank you kittens.

Sorry about that folks but Lorca rile me somink awful - I'd rather listen to Westlife than this lot! I think what they're trying to do is sound something along the lines of Kasabian and Primal Scream but they don't, they sound bloody awful so they should just stop it right now and go away. Thankfully The Heavy and The Rakes were on hand to save our ears but I need to go and have a lie down now so click here to read what JoFringey has to say.

lets go goth!

2006-06-25T23:00:00.000+01:00

So we saw the opening day of the O2 Wireless Festival earlier in the week, but now its the final night and we're here for one thing. Niteversions.

But more on Soulwax later.

We kick of with OK Go! Who'd have thought they were such rock monsters? They even remembered to thank James Blunt for opening for them the previous evening and then reinacted the genius dance to ‘Million Ways’ - quite brilliant. New Young Pony Club, had a late start, but we saw enough to know that might be quite good in a club. Saw about 3 mins of Fratellies, another sub Libertines and looking old enough to know better, while we were dashing into the O2 bubble to see Viva Voce, who were a beautiful surprise. Two lovely gentle girlies giving it some wall of guitar sound action, working a woozy blissed out retro sixties vibe. A bit lush and trippy, but with a proggy wiggout at the end. Then off to have a look at some Good Books, sixth form poshos producing quite edgy guitar numbers and we liked the fat ginger bass player, made us laugh and were not at all commercial, well done. Then another dash back to the xfm tent (past the pimms bar of course) for Matisyahu – genius, an unexpected treat round these parts, kosher dub reggae!

Then, at last, Soulwax doing the remixed Niteversion of their own album 'Any Minute Now', our reason for getting up this morning! Dressed head to toe in brilliant white they look - literally - untouchable and don't even bother with vocals for the first 5/10 minutes - then 'Miserable Girl' kicks in – oh yes indeedy. Lots of space to dance as well. At the end we were approached by a nice young chap who insisted on being told "WHO WAS THAT"???

Then back out to the mainstage for the tail end of Goldfrapp, I wasn’t a huge fan, but she is a beautiful saucy lady and is amazing live, sounded fabulous. Then there was just time to squeeze in Gang of Four. They were heavier than I thought they’d be, but have a fantastic fresh sound and could be from 20 minutes ago, not 20 years. Unfortunately I absolutely couldn’t watch them. At all. They're far too old to still be doing the punk thing from a stage and I cannot bare, bare chested dad dancing, even if it is from rock legends. I might be ageist, but it doesn’t make it right. Then finally, Depeche Mode, (aka the Gay Goths) who completely killed the mood for us with their scary obsessive fans and unexpectedly depressing electro. So we ditched them and went for hot chocolate, (but made sure we were back in time for camptastic ‘Personal Jesus’). They're the Goth Erasure, which was a tiny bit funny. Gay Goths with a God complex - lovely. And home by 11pm. So very civilised.

Sleb spots were Alex Zane (as always), just outside the Pimms/Champagne bar looking girlish and pretty (as always), and Darius Danesh, who is surprisingly tall and good looking, but couldn't get his arse into the VIP area fast enough.

Hyde Park goes all skinny tie and straw trilby

2006-06-21T23:00:00.001+01:00

So Fringey are at this years O2 Wireless festival. Again.

HURRAH!

We kick off in the Xfm tent, with the Pigeon Detectives, who are pretending to be the Kooks covering Hot Hot Heat, blah, - but they are very bouncy – (and the singing chappie will have someones eye out with that mic!) - Then its to the main stage for Gogol Bordello, doing their fabulous screwball gypsy folk thing, they steal the show and own that main stage with their cymbals, drums and bucket bashing - mad as nails! - Next up are the Young Knives, who do have good tunes, but are not as good as I hoped they’d be, they cover by being funny and charming. - Then was the Dirty Pretty Things - yummy. Unfortunately it was very windy and the sound was totally pants, we couldn’t tell the difference between 'Death on the Stairs' and 'Gin and Milk'. (And I'm not being sarcastic.)

Phew! A quick breather and more pimms, then its off to the Myspacca tent for the Cazals, who try to sound like Dogs or Weller, but rubbish vocals and a singer who looks like a rat lets them down somewhat. - So we bin them and go to the O2 Blueroom for a bit of Dirty Little Faces, (average garage rock). - Before hightailing it to the xfm stage for Super Furry Animals! - (we walked past the mainstage while the Rac*ntours were on. They do annoy me, but that Brendan Benson looks a bit filthy.)

AND WE CAN'T GET IN!!! So while Bellend and Sebastian were boring everyone to tears, tweeing their tits off all over mainstage, the Super Furry tent is completely oversubscribed and can't squeeze us in. We danced about under the trees outside for a bit, but not being in the tent was well annoying, so off we went to catch the end of White Rose Movement. Who were ... ... surprisingly quite good!! So not at all like the last few times we’ve seen em, when they were utter crap. The God of Large Corporate Sponsored Music Events must have been smiling down on us, as the Movement kept all their excellent singles for the end of their set and we didn’t have to sit through any of the album filler. Also, Finn has finally had that rod removed from his arse, or maybe they’d just had access to a free bar somewhere? Anyway, this was kinda how we always thought they should/could be. A bit sleazier, a bit dirtier.

So we danced and danced and danced out the tent, to the loos (using the fairground music from the dodgems to keep going), to the bar and down to The Strokes - we may have been a bit tipsy.

The thing about the Strokes is they’re a rubbish festival band*, they have no big singalong chorus’ ('Last Night' is an exception) and most of the vocals are mumbled. Yet tonight they are on form, Julian is chatting with the front rows and is not pissed, they seem to be having a 'fab' time. But their edgy New York cool does not work on a breezy summers evening in Hyde Park. (If ever a band needed to be under a low ceiling in a dirty club somewhere!) And, as with the DPT’s, the wind snatches the sound and flings it into the ether and away from our ears. Most inconvenient. I still love em tho and they cover ‘Walk on the Wild Side’.

Doo da doo da doo do doo de do ……

So then its onto a Sunday night out with the Goths!

* Except at Benicassim, where they were completely brilliant. I obviously don't know what I'm talking about.

Larrikin Love @ KCLSU

2006-06-07T23:30:00.000+01:00

Its GLORIOUS summer sunshine outside, so Fringey have decided that it is Pimms o’clock in the Kings College SU and we are doing our absolute level best NOT to be mistaken for skint fashion students, (who are currently rammed into every available corner of the Union).

Don't get me wrong we love the supper individual dress sense of the London indie elite, both boys and girls! The strange way they essentially all look the same, have the same asymmetric feathered mullet and wear the same skinny jeans with eye crossing striped/polka dotted tops. And on this occasion there are even a few Paddington Bear pedal pushers kicking about, in honour of tonight’s headliners – Larrikin Love!

The Larry Loves are *deep breath* dub, reggae, ska, gypsy, folk, blue grass, calypso, cajun, jangly indie, indie skank, twee, garage punk, punk rock ….. I could go on and on. They’re a wonderful eclectic mish mash of all sorts of stuff, but it all seems to work out marvellously well. (Ed Larrikin isn't kidding when he sings that everything he adores came well before 1984 in 'Downing St. Kindling'). They sound like they've been around for ages – but I doubt any of the band have even cracked 20 yet!

Unlike the Water Rats gig, tonights musical stylings lean more towards dub/janglyindie than folk. They’ve got a trombone instead of a fiddle and an extra set of girl pipes on backing vocals. As a noise made by a bunch of second generation Irish chancers, its not so much ceilidh as a punky pogoing free for all. Ed, on vocals, smiles beatifically at the hot sweaty indie kids, dancing their stripey socks off and bangs away at his cowbell.

Ohhhh…. it might just be the sunshine and the gin (cause that’s what pimms is made of you know) that’s made us a bit giddy, but we are loving Larrikin Love and you should too!

I'm so glad I found...

2006-05-31T23:39:00.000+01:00

...Editors @ Brixton Academy 31/05/06

Twas just over a year ago that Fringey first saw Editors playing their little hearts out at The Garage in Islington* and now here we are at the second of their 3 sold out nights at the Academy of Brixton - oh we're so proud!

Now there's a big part of me that hates the idea of the mainstream getting their hands on bands that we really love because it means that people whom we most definitely do not love start coming to their gigs (just look what happened when we saw them at The Astoria). It makes you pine for the days when the badges were free, the tickets were under a tenner and Edith Bowman had to watch round the front like the rest of us.

But of course you want your beloved bands to be successful too so that they can keep making music for your ears. Sadly you can't have it both ways. What you can have though is hope that as the band get bigger and bigger their egos don't follow suit. And thank chr*sty that, so far, Editors seem to have avoided disappearing up their own Back Rooms.

When lead singer, Tom Smith, tells the crowd that so many people wanting to see them live 'means everything' to the band, you believe him. But I suspect that maybe the whole '3 nights at Brixton' thing was blowing their minds slightly because whilst they put in a performance that gave us goose bumps and had Fringey dancing about like good 'uns they did seem a little overwhelmed and never truly let themselves go. It was as if they were expecting the venue to announce that there'd been a terrible mistake and everyone was actually there to see The Artic Monkeys. But we're not, we're here to see Editors because whether we found their jaggedy, filmic phonics before they got big or after we're all just so glad we did.

*Actually I only saw about half their set at the Garage gig as I had a bit of a funny turn as they came on and had to go have a bit of a sit down in the front bar where the very nice bouncers made me better by getting me to drink iced water and sit with my head between my knees (not at the same time, obviously that would be silly).

Jo said:

Editors @ Brixton

2006-05-31T23:25:00.000+01:00

Christ it really is all about the World Cup these days, I wish people give over already. I don’t get football - supporting a team up and down some kind of league thing, buying their merch – going to see them play over and over again ... ...

So anyway, here we are at the second of Editors triumphant Brixton gigs – we first saw them play in the Garage way back in April 2005 don’tchaknow, then it twas in the Astoria, and now they've entererd the premier league, playing 3 sold out nights at the big momma academy!

The Eds come on stage looking confident enough, but they aint much for the small talk. Thankfully Tom has forgone the too tight grey/white/monochrome buttoned up shirt in favour of ummm... a baggy grey t-shirt - how casual of him. (Maybe Edith burned them? Maybe he’s put on a bit of ‘we can afford to eat now’ weight? Who knows?) This does not appear to affect his performance. He’s still an intense, tightly wound spring of nervous tics and twitches (not quite in the same league at BB Pete tho - and he doesn't use his guitar as a 'hat' either this time out).

Actually the only criticism we had was with the staging:- the sound was cack, especially at the beginning, the back drops were sparse, minimal and tacky looking, the piano looked like it had been rescued from a skip and the lights were pretty shoddy as well. (I get they're after dark brooding type atmosphere, cause they aren’t already living with that cliché, but really, how much for an extra few light bulbs?!) Tickets were £20ish – including extortionate booking fees – what’s with the cheapness?

Still, it’s a bloody good show and Editors are justifiably proud of themselves as they leave the stage. They even they do a fabbo cover of Talking Heads ‘Road to Nowhere’ as their penultimate song. Bring on the next album please; it’s bound to be a corker.

Who needs MP3s when you've got...

2006-05-22T23:50:00.000+01:00

Tapes 'n Tapes @ The Barfly 22/05/06

So this little Fringey went and got herself made the official gig reporter for Levis Ones To Watch at The Barfly - no really. Clicky here and have a look - my name's next to them and everything. Anyways, this is what I thought of the latest up and comers...

Insert Tapes ‘n Tapes in the Barfly, press PLAY and get ready to meet your new favorite band:

As the demon drummer, beats out his demented/driving rhythms your feet start a movin’.

As the low-down, dirty bass line throbs through the floorboards you can’t help but shake your booty.

As the keyboard player who, not content with just tinkling the ivories, keeps whipping out different instruments ―including a tambourine, which he plays off his own head, sleigh bells and, my personal favorite, a baby tuba ― you find yourselves grinning from ear to ear.

And as the lead singer/guitarist encourages us to believe in time travel and then manages to make his voice sound like a Theremin (!) you’re whooping and applauding.

It’s low-fi hoe-down, it’s 70’s rock and 50’s roll, it’s heavy blues, it’s even a bit electro. Sound like a messy, musical, mish mash to you? Nah, sounds like one of the best live bands you’ve seen in a long time.

And then it’s over and no one wants it to be. We want more, more, more. But Tapes ‘n Tapes have to go spread the love around the rest of the UK and so we’re forced to bid them a very fond farewell. Oh if only we could FAST FORWARD to their return…

NB: If anyone from Levis or The Barfly happens to be reading this I'd just like to point out that JoFringey is a law unto herself and in no way do her opinions reflect what I may really have thought...

Tapes 'n Tapes @ Barfly

2006-05-22T23:41:00.000+01:00

So we've come all this way (to sunny scummy Camden!!) to see Tapes 'n Tapes - North American buzz band du jour.

But first we get to lean against the bar, drink gin and have a chat. Oh yeah, and watch the support ...

Sister Flo should have been scando poptastic. From Finland? Organ used extensively? Hand claps? – Yep! Yes! and Lots! But did we hear any actual tunes? Nope, none at all I’m afraid. They look good on paper, hurt on my ears.

Next up are the The Delorentos. I’ve seen their sort before, flaunting their angular (sorry) guitar pop at the best toilet themed venues in London. They’re all 2nd hand rock 'n roll attitude, with some sharp jerky guitar action thrown in. These Irish chancers can just sling their catchy hooks back to Dublin. - Hang on a minute, is that MY foot that’s a tappin? Pants.

So far so Eurovision, but finally its the Tapes 'n Tapes - and they absolutely STORM it! Breaking guitar strings on opening track 'Just Drums' and shutting the yabbering gobs of all those annoying gig liggers stood chatting at the back of room.

The yelping, rocking Americana of the Tapes isn't following any dull British indie format, – they've a Harry Potter looky-likey drummer, who brings a light jazzy rat-a-tat-tat touch to many of the songs and in Josh Grier they've got a charismatic, unpretentious (GINGER! GINGER! GINGER!) singer/guitarist. The set does dip a bit in the middle, we’re unfamiliar with the material and some of the more random tunes do drag a bit, but the Tapes breeze through on charm alone.

Apparently they sound like Pavement, I was never very into the Pavement, unless you count me hugging it at the end of a drunken Friday night. But I suspect I'm liking the Tapes 'n Tapes for the same reasons I like other American indie - (The Shins, Modest Mouse, Bright Eyes or CYHSY) - and it’s not the dodgy vocals!

More please.

Hell Yeah...

2006-05-16T23:40:00.000+01:00

...Yeah Yeahs @ Kentish Town Forum 16/05/06

They're not big on talking the Yeah Yeahs Yeahs but then when your front woman is wearing a psychedelic Elvis cape, wielding a glow in the dark mic and has the ability to spit a fountain of water 6ft into the air who needs chat?

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah and did I mention just how flipping cool these guys sound live? Sure they go a bit prog rocky in the middle but turns out it works very nicely alongside their shiny nouvelle new york punk stylings. And the crowd were so good too. A crowd (I should add) which I had assumed (given the uber cool credentials of the band) would be too busy pouting and posing to be truly getting into the gig. But oh how wrong I was (thank fook). For despite numerous Karen O-lets and a mega amounts of fashionistas in attendance this lot danced, whooped, moshed, sweated and even got their lighters out - how marvelous!

But of course a gig is never all good and, not to put a dampener on things but, to the merch stall selling badges for a pound each (a pound) and YYYs handbags (a handbag!) for 30 we say a big No No No.

Quote of the night: Girl in cloakroom queue to mate "Well she (Karen O) was a bit of a show off wasn't she?" Ummm so what exactly is a front woman supposed to do! Honestly - some people!

JoFringey was there as well and she said:

YYYeah's @ Kentish Town Forum

2006-05-16T23:39:00.000+01:00

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs open with the anthemic pounding intro to ‘Gold Lion’ and Karen O struts out onto the stage … ...

So many charismatic front women get compared to Orzolek, it's almost become music journo shorthand for -'yells, shouts and waves her arms about a bit'. - But tonight we realise that those ladies only wish they could pull off this fantastically brazen display of bold theatrics.

From throwing spastic shapes in ‘Y Control’, to moving us with the Yeah's one and only love song, the beautiful as ever, ‘Maps’; Karen shines like a silver star (made of tinfoil!), but performs like a demented banshee. Meanwhile Brian Chase absolutely thunders behind his drums, driving the music ever forwards – part of the three pronged attack on our senses. (Zinner keeps to the shadows; we suspect he is a creature of darkness and sold his soul a lifetime ago. “take it away Nick” indeed.)

With the surplus of cracking choons its easy to forget how innovative and experimental the Yeahs can be. From the screams and yells of ‘Fever’ to the acoustic progression of ‘Bones’, the three headed Yeah Yeah Yeah beast challenges as much as it entertains and Fringey joins the rest of the fashionistas in the forum, dancing about 'till we get a bit sweaty.

Things get Pretty Dirty in the Astoria!

2006-05-14T23:37:00.000+01:00

I loved the dirty pretty Libertines.

So I'm desperately trying to keep my expectations low for Carl Barats all new fetchingly filthy ensemble:

Dirty Pretty Things!

They come on stage to the adoring frenzied screams of the indie kids (in their uniforms of breton stripes and pork pie hats), and launch straight into ‘Deadwood’. Barat’s vocals are angry and harsh, and only occasionally slurred. Oh, he's taking this quite seriously isn't he, there’s no chit-chat, he just says thank you and introduces the next song. And fair do’s to the chap, he doesn’t even flinch when he gets a half pint of water flung at his face during ‘France’.

If Barat is a man on a mission, then the rest of the Dirty Things are there to have a bloody good time, (and I bet they can’t believe their luck!). Rossomando flings himself all over the stage, bouncing about with a tiggerish enthusiasm, while Gary is completely blissed out, drumming like a sweaty demon. Didz just looks grubby.

‘Gin and Milk’ and ‘You f**king love it’ are big chunky monkey anthems in waiting, while ‘B.U.R.M.A.’ has Fringey weak at the knees. But the biggest scream of the night is for ‘Death on the Stairs’. Its unfortunate that other songs from ‘Waterloo to Anywhere’ kinda blend into each other, in a big sub-libertines-soup. (a b-side broth if you will*) But they’re getting there, and the better tunes are songs you will fall in love with.

Finally, in true indie boy band stylee – they all get their tops off for a sweaty ‘I Get Along’ at the end.

(*I am the KING of alliteration.)

"You F*cking Love It..."

2006-05-14T23:30:00.000+01:00

Dirty Pretty Things @ The Astoria 14/05/06

...when dirty, pretty boys in bands get all sweaty and take their tops off. Come on, admit it. Not to take anything away from Carl Barat and Co's scuzztastic performance this evening but everyone in the audience was waiting for two things:

1. For Carl Barat to get his kit off

2. For a half naked Carl Barat to leap into the crowd

Both of which he did (but not till right at the end, the big tease) and both of which sent the crowd into a wild frenzy. Fringey of course remained cool, calm and very collected throughout. At no point did our knees go weak or gormless grins appear on our faces. And under no circumstances did I utter the word "Phhhoooooowwwwaarrr" and then laugh like Sid James. Nope this Fringey was far more impressed when Anthony whipped his trumpet out for Bang Bang You're Dead because as regular readers will know I like a good blow...ahem.

The Walkmen @ the Barfly

2006-05-05T23:30:00.000+01:00

F*ck me, but the Walkmen are brilliant.

They were just too good for the tiny scummy Barfly and with their laid back New York cool they completely destroy Camden for us, ruining it for any future bands we might see here by setting an unattainable standard. They casually trample our hearts with a passionate, vicious, darkly urgent performance. The bastards.

There is a late start due to the organ being completely banjaxed – leading to lots of knob twidling and the twisting different coloured wires together, but still no dice. Not sure how much not having it changed the set list, there's no ‘Bows and Arrows’ or ‘What’s In It for me’. Boooooo!

But who cares when Leithauser’s intense, masculine vocals are so hairs-on-the-back-of-your-neck terrifying. The rest of the Walkmen were just genius, swapping instruments and chewing gum, they look relaxed and not fussed, completely at odds with the sounds they are making. They end with a triumphant ‘Rat’; the Barfly looses its mind, we’re all going to be damned! .... ... Then they’re off stage and we’re left speechless in the aftermath.

No – not really, for they bounce back for a quick cover of Bill Haleys ‘Rock around the Clock’ – I’m not kidding.

It was the kind of electric performance that makes groupies of us all, with the ecstatic audience left milling about in a wash of euphoria. Am I overstating it a bit? Possibly but I was about 3 ft from the stage and had to literally pick my jaw up from the floor afterwards.

Sigh… …

Luce has a musical epiphany here:

Sob story

2006-05-05T22:39:00.000+01:00

The Walkmen @ The Barfly 05/05/06

The Walkmen - they made me cry...well nearly. And no it wasn't because of the copius amounts of gin I'd consumed in the Lock Tavern before hand or the excitment of Messers Tapper and Murray, of We Are Scientists fame, both being present in said pub. Nope it was purely down to this bands mind blowing performance.

As soon as they hit the stage my jaw hit the floor - seriously. Now I've seen some blinding gigs this year but nothing that took my breath away like these guys. Intense, passionate, I couldn't bloody speak afterwards and as JoFringey will happily tell you rendering me speechless takes some doing.

So yeah if you get the chance go see them but remember to take a hanky.

Carling Twenty Poor

2006-04-29T23:59:00.000+01:00

Carling 24 Live, Kaiser Chiefs @ Brixton Academy 28/04/06

& Razorlight @ Shepherds Bush Empire 29/04/06

Poor? You ask. How so?

Well first up there's the piss POOR beer (Carling in case you hadn't guessed) which is only made bearable by half drowning it with lemonade.

Then there's the POOR show by Fringey - we only managed 7ish of the 24 hours of musical mayhem (4 at the start and 4 at the end with a nice big sleepy inbetween). And the fact that we were drinking pints of shandy!

But when you consider the aPOORling (sorry) crowd that the gig-aranza pulled in this year can you blame us? Hell no!

What a bunch of dirty rotters. It was like you'd walked in to a Whetherspoons on a Friday night. The glare of white trainers and the stench of Lynx was overpowering and don't get me started on the amount of static coming off the girlie's extensions! But worst of all were the attitudes. Whilst the birds stood with their backs to the stage and bitched and moaned throughout the gigs the blokes heads were in constant motion - their faces fixed with 'are you looking at me' stares. Needless to say the atmosphere was not good, not good at all. If it keeps on going like this I swear by next year it'll be WKD 24 and no amount of lemonade is going to make that easy to swallow.

Up All Night?

2006-04-29T20:02:00.000+01:00

Not bloody likely!

After going home for sleepies (following the Kaiser Chiefs in Brixton), Fringey rock up to Shepherds Bush, to see the final gig in the Carling Live 24 hour extravaganza. Razorlight.

While I'm glad of the snooze, I’m also kinda envious of those hardcore few who did the entire 24 hrs, Larrikin, the Holloways, Dirty Pretty Things; lots of good line-up in there. - Oh who am I kidding, it woulda killed me. (What AM I gonna do at Beni?)

Anyhow, the Empire is choca with people who really have been – ahem – up all night (and die hard Razorlight fans – chr*st)! This is a really small venue for the Razors to be playing even though, as with the KC’s, they’re still flogging their first album. Borrell and the blondes know how to whip up an audience and they are supremely confident. While they could never be as brilliant as when they were still clawing their way up the greasy indie pole - the band are tighter than Johnny’s spray on white jeans and the audience are going mental, singing along to every word of every song. Even newie (that sounds like an oldie), ‘In the Morning’ goes down like a spoonful of gin. At one point Johnny manages to slip in a bit of Kings of Leon ‘Milk’, oh he wishes … ...

They end on ‘Somewhere Else’. Never mind that all Razorlight songs pretty much sound the same; “haven’t they already played that one?” Never mind that they now seem to be holding something back from us, (Johnny Bovril looks out at the fanatical crowd with suspicion - I think he might be dead inside). But damn his paranoid fishy eyes, these songs are monumentally catchy and cannot be ignored. We sing/shout/dance and are squished a bit. Oh and we're out the door by 7.30pm, the weekend has only just begun!

Hurrah!

LuceFringey thought this!

Oh my God I can't believe it ...

2006-04-28T22:47:00.000+01:00

The Kaiser Chiefs are rather good aren't they!?

So Fringey is partaking of the Carling 24 music marathon! - Well not really, we’ve decided to cheat a bit and just be around for the kick off and the finish, but have a bit of a sleepy in-between. 24 hours of music is fine in theory, but really do we have to?

We arrive in Brixton and dodge Alex Zane to get into the academy, just in time to catch the fabulous Pipettes all retro vocal styling and dance moves from a time before scruffy indie boys with guitars took over! They look like they'd be brilliant on a night out dancing down the local indie disco. Tis a pity that the acoustics in a half empty Brixton are so pants.

Also we're drinking Carling this evening – God help us – Luce is hungover and I’m just feeling ill, so its lager tops all the way!

Captain are next and they're all lovely jangly pop songs and chiming guitars. Almost wish we hadn’t chatted through most of the performance. Their closing song shut us up though, with an unexpected “look at our MOR!” display of sweet poptastic sound.

Then it’s the Kaiser Chiefs. I last saw them at the Astoria almost exactly a year ago, and they’re still flogging the same 10 songs from the album. (well they do include a few newies, one of which sounded a bit like something the Ordinary Boys might come up with, but I’m not going to dwell on that!). I’d forgotten how entertaining the Chiefs are, how brilliant it is to shout along to a song like ‘I Predict a Riot’, and just jump up and down for a bit. They’ve got this 'big gig' thing sussed, with Ricky disappearing and reappearing at the back of a room; dancing with a girl out of the audience for that U2 moment and a Brixton sized Mexican wave. Its like Butlins. But bigger.

Luce had this to say!

Brandy Snaps in Soho

2006-04-25T22:02:00.000+01:00

Well, not really.

This is the third time that Russell Brand has made us laugh like a drains! And the second time we've seen the 'Work in Progress' that will become the show he takes to Edinburgh.

A unifying theme of 'shame' is the glue that hold Brands various humiliating anecdotes together, and we all get the chance to cringe with Russell and share in his ignominy. From being at called a c**t by Bob Geldoff (at the NME awards) to using Cadburys mini eggs as a sex aid, the Brand confesses all, leaving nothing to our imagination. He reckons he just can't help himself, and cannot really be held responsible, can he?

So how many people do you know have accidentally pooed in a Jacuzzi - sober??

Now that he's apparently off the booze and drugs, an addiction to sex leads to many of his more dissolute moments. Indeed, any prospective one night stand is left with a handy, if slightly prescriptive list, of dos and don’ts in the bedroom. (Do talk dirty, but don't be too vulgar etc) - Charming.

You end up wondering if perhaps Mr Geldoff had a point? While Brand admits that he's a selfish insecure bastard; acknowledging your faults doesn't make them any less true. Whatever he’s like in the real, when Brandy is putting on a performance he is a very, very funny man. But as he says himself, you don't want to be around when the laughter stops.

(luce stops laughing here:)

Yawn

2006-04-25T21:56:00.000+01:00

Russell Brand @ Soho Theatre 25/04/06

Yeah, yeah so you know Carl Barat, you once helped Pete Doherty to shoot up and now you're boffing Kate Moss - how badly does Russell Brand wish that he'd been in The Libertines.

"Oh I wear girls jeans. Oh I do Big Brothers Big Maaafff. Oh look how masiiiive my hair is" - yadda, yadda, yadda. Bored now.

Best read what Jo said if you want an actual review of tonight's performance I'm off to watch The Mighty Boosh.

Never Mind ...

2006-04-20T23:56:00.000+01:00

Adam Green @ The Scala 20/04/06, I want this crazy crooner with me at all times.

He could come to work with me, perch atop my desk and sing dirty ditties in my ear. He would photocopy his bum and send it out in the internal mail, roller skate with raccoons up and down the corridors, make paper areoplanes as big as tractors and rubberband balls the size of planets. He'd press all the buttons in the lift and then get out. At lunch time we could bunny hop hand in hand down to Regents Park and chase the pigeons. We'd eat ice cream till we felt sick and the pretend to throw up in the fountains. After lunch we'd stage a military coo in the post room then head to the bathroom and write rude words (like bum) on the mirrors with lipstick. At home time we'd waltz down to the tube then swing on the handles squealing and making monkey noises. We'd dine on Chambossy Hippopotamouse and mashed potato, brush our teeth backwards and finally, as the stars come out, he would tuck me up in bed and sing me to sleep with Before My Bedtime - bliss

Jo said this:

Adam Green @ the Kings X Scala

2006-04-20T23:51:00.000+01:00

My God, I'm hungover. The Boosh aftershow went on a bit past my bedtime, and then I had workie this morning, so I'm hoping Adam Green will serenade me with some fantastic, filthy lullabys to soothe and distract my aching soul.

And to the triumphant strains of the Chariots of Fire theme, Mr Green and his gang make their entrance ... ..

Is there a wrong way to f**k a girl with no legs? Apparently not, as long as you remember to “tell her you love her as she's crawlin' away”. And the perverted New York pixie gets away with it. He’s saved by his big brown melty eyes and an easy Vegas manner. The performance seems effortless, and the many mistakes are just opportunities for more pisstaking humour.

Tonight he's abandoned the low fi anti-folk sound of the Moldy Peaches for lush string arrangements, a Bobby Darin/Andy Williams vocal style and an urban country sound that is as ‘pop’ as CD:UK. Still, he’s a vulgar wee sh*te. Why waste time on innuendo, and allusion when he can cut straight to the perverse and profane. (With lyrics that mostly detail how much he likes doing the drugs and doing the sex.)

There was also lots of friendly heckling and climbing up on stage for a hug or kiss or a bunny dance. No request was refused. Unless it was for a Moldy Peaches song. (Apparently he’s not allowed to do those anymore.)

With numerous encores – really, I lost count – Green was on stage for just under 2 hrs and for that time we forgot we were in the Scala, in skanky Kings Cross, in London town. Instead we'd all taken a small trip to Greenland.

(HA! always end on a crap pun!)

Robots in Disguise @ Plan B

2006-04-19T23:46:00.000+01:00

So Fringey finally make it to a Boosh Aftershow - still on a bit of a Boosh high after the Brixton gig (the Boosh FLEW did you not SEE!) - and we want booze and we want tunes!

The Dollyrocker djs read our minds and they seem to play every indie pop song we've ever loved! And there is indeed a bar in the tiny Plan B.

All that’s left is to dance dance dance to Metro Riots doing some filthy garage rock and then the superb ROBOTS IN DISGUISE! They have a drummer now. They dance, they shout, they play their dancy electro rock music at us. Oh we love it.

And then the Boosh are in the house! Noel, the pointy featured ponce and ickle Michael Fielding (who only comes up to my elbow), Dave Brown, sans Bollo costume and the beautiful Barratt, who didn’t stay very long – blah! There’s a stage invasion, half the boosh are on stage with the Robots! Fabulous.

But eventually we have to leave, we have workie the next day, so we go just as Noel has finally shaken off the last of the fans seeking autographs and hits the dancefloor. At 3am!! Jammy git.

Third Time Mucky

2006-04-19T23:45:00.000+01:00

The Mighty Boosh Live @ Brixton Academy 19/04/06

Brixton was Fringey's third outing to see The Boosh do their live thang but can you ever have too much of a good thing? Hell no this show just gets filthier and funnier with every viewing...

A Jazz Maverick, an Electro Ponce, a pint sized shaman and a talking Gorilla - what more could you want from an evening out?

What's that you say...?

You'd quite like to see some sort of deep sea transexual with a downstairs mix-up drunk on Baileys?

You got it...

With Old Gregg (see above, if you can stomach it), rabbit rapists, stumpf*cking and liberal usage of the 'C' word (no not "Coconut" you fools) - it's far from good clean fun in the world of The Mighty Boosh Live Show.

And thank chr*sty for that because it makes for the best bedtime story ever!

For those of you who didn't get to see it - ha ha and shame on you! Only joking (well not about you being ashamed) and never fear because a live DVD is imminent meaning that you too will be able to go on a journey through time and space to the world of The Mighty Boosh Live.

And in the meantime you'll just have to make do with this...

Jo said:

The Boosh @ the Apollo and Brixton!!

2006-04-19T23:33:00.000+01:00

Once would never be enough, so Fringey went to see the Mighty Boosh again at the Apollo, on the 31st March and again at the Brixton Academy on the 19th April.

There is no point in me doing any kind of actual review of the show, so I'm just going to list the 'best bits'. And there are many!

*The “Pies” sketch, so completely random, it got better each time. Julian only needs to say “pies”. (he lost it slightly at Brixton, which was quite brilliant).

*sweeping up the mimed shards of glass.

*Rich spitting (it was more of a gob) at Noel, but being “protected by the script”.

*"How dare you eat another mans applause?!"

*Julian wearing nothing but his pink boosh pants and the radio mics!

*Oh oh oh, and the Hitcher, the evil cockney geezer who kills the Boosh! It’s the stumpfucking rant that was so fabulously foul. That’s S_T_U_M_P kids!

*Bollo and his “sucking on my titties” Peaches segueway from the Naboolio song.

*The “LOUIS” heckles at the Apollo!

*The sweary moon!

*the songs! Especially newie 'Jean Claude Jacquetie'.

*The rabbit rapist (who destroyed Noel with a bunny bumming at Brixton).

*the Nabootique.

*But possibly the best thing we ever did see was the Boosh flying! - Noel and Julian on wires. It was a special kind of Boosh magic.

*And then, right at the end, when you think it’s all over, OLD GREG and his banksy downstairs mixup finally gets his man!

Oh, I could go on and on all night. If this is a bit rambly its because we also went to the Robots In Disguise aftershow at Plan B. Oh yes indeedy.

Needing sleepies now.

Last Night A DJ Saved My Life

2006-04-14T16:20:00.000+01:00

Insomniacs Ball @ SeOne 13-14/04/06

Nasty bouncers

Over priced food

Too many people

Not enough room

Sleep deprivation

Trodden on toesies

Broken sunglasses...

...20 mins in to the Insomniacs Ball this Fringey was pretty p*ssed off thanks to the above and the fact that when we arrived White Rose Movement were hauling their sorry arses through yet another lack luster set - what is wrong with this band (oh don't get me started)!

But this all paled into insignificance after several slaps from JoFringey and fantabulous performances from Black Wire, Vincent Vincent and the Villains, The Holloways, Dogs and DJ extraordinaire Eddie Temple Morris.

Eddie's big grin and jumpy, jumpy, dancey dancey mix master magic kept Fringey leaping about until the tubes started running again - and all without the aid of any illegal substances (no really I was on the water because of a shocking hangover from the night before - honest).

You see an audience with Mr TM really is better than drugs - this man's music can keep people dancing around and grinning like loons till the early hours of the morn without any naughty powders, pills or potions - genius!

Jo said

No Sleepies at SeOne

2006-04-14T04:30:00.000+01:00

Fringey is Squish at the Insomniacs Ball!

What better way to kick of the Easter weekend than with an all night disco party at Se One? So we rock up to London Bridge just before midnight, ready for even more dancy fun after the fabulous WAS earlier.

Se One is just as we’d expected - dark, cavernous, cold and more than a little rapey. Oh and White Rose Movement were playing as we entered. There really is no getting away from them. So we head to the bar for drinkies, which is where we all nearly get SQUISHED TO DEATH as everyone previously watching WRM decides to leave at the same time - out the same exit. You try holding three drinks, stay on your feet and breathe for an entire 10 minutes in a sea of indie kids - and it seemed lots longer. Bad, bad organisation!

But what of the music, the bands and the indie kids on the dance floor?

The Holloways are a proper band now, with real jaunty gypsy tunes and everything! If only we could have seen them behind the six, YES SIX, bouncers stood ON THE ACTUAL STAGE! - (There to protect them from the hordes of indie kids wearing dodgy pork pie hats?) - When the band get to the sublime pop hoedown that is ‘Generator’, there is a scuffle and a young urchin (small fan) is unceremoniously turfed off the stage. (The odds were against him, but he had a go anyway, well done that lad!) The band stop playing, point out that there’s no need for that kind of thing and then take it from the top. They really are starting to generate the music that makes me feel better!

We squish back into Room 2 for Art Brut. Never thought I’d say this, but they are starting to get a bit old, or maybe we’re just getting tired of watching them do the same show repeatedly? I can see why Argos would do the same schtick every night when touring the US for months at a time, but that won’t really cut it back in blighty. They need to be working in a few more new songs, before they become a parody of themselves.

Dogs are entirely different. Every time with the mucky pups feels like its the first! Johnny was loving it and the crowd were loving him back. It was another squeeze, but worth it and I’m guessing more than a few ‘cooler than thou’ indie kids were surprised to find themselves moshing along to 'Selfish Ways'.

Other previously unseen bands that we liked a lot were Black Wire and Vincent Vincent and the Villains. Didn’t get watching either of them for very long, but saw enough to plan to go see them again as soon as poss.

Fringey danced the rest of the night away to tunes chosen by the Rakes chaps and the excellent Eddie Temple Morris.

Dancy dancy dancy till the first tube home.

And the Nobel Prize for Peace goes too...

2006-04-13T23:46:00.000+01:00

...We Are Scientists @ Shepherds Bush Empire

These guys deserve a medal for what they've achieved tonight for inside the Empire we have a real mixed bag of peeps. Here to see Messers Cain, Murray and Tapper there are kids of the indie and emo variety, townies, rahs (complete with upturned collars on their rugger shirts), Fringey (of course), art rockers, I'm fairly sure I even spotted a couple of Gothlets mooning around at the back and down the front are a bank of screaming girlies! And these folks are together in one place without any agro or sneering between them.

What the hell is going on? You ask. Well ordinarily this is not the sort of crowd that Fringey would want to find themselves in the middle of (purely because of the fear that it might kick off over Warriors stylee) but this is a We Are Scientists gig and thanks to their pop, rock stylings, hilarious onstage banter, genius website, endless touring and all round nice guyness they are fooking irristable to one and all.

Fringey is of course pretty gosh darn happy to be in the presence of the Scientific ones again but we're not really into screaming so instead we bop, shimmie and "hell yeah" our way through a blindin' set. The highlight of which has to be when the troop of rollerskaing racoons scooted onto the stage and began wheeling their way round the stage in one of the most breathtaking displays of Syncronised Racoon Rollerskating I have ever seen - awesome dude!

We love Scientists @ the SBE

2006-04-13T23:18:00.000+01:00

BE MY BABY!!

Oh my, Fringey have been looking forward to this one.

When we first saw We Are Scientists they were the perfect foil to the slightly over earnest Editors at the Astoria, and they’ve kept with the contrasts by having the Cinematics support them tonight. (Nice and swooney if a little dull.)

The Shepherds Bush Empire show is a vindication that we do know what we’re talking about. We knew all along that the Scientists produced the most fabulous indie pop! - Their emo tinged geek art rock shouldn’t work this well. It is so what we hate and despise about manufactured indie.

But those songs - with their great big guitar hooks, that curl around our lobes and reel us into the Sci-cave - where the Scientists can 'seize our very minds' !! ... ... WAS are not just about the music, oh no - they’re about having a bloody good time and lets not get too serious about this being on a stage in front of thousands of people business! Lets call James Blunt a c*nt and do a slightly cheesy cover version of the Ronnettes 'Be My Baby' instead.

They’ve been constantly on tour since we last saw them at 93 Feet East and have managed to pick up some mono browed arctic monkey fans, and some screaming underage groupies along the way. Not quite sure how that happened, but I guess 'tis the price they pay for going on the NME tour. They have the angles, they have the rocks, they have the sense of humour and, most of all, they have a bloody good merch stall. (unfortunately there’s no Editors guitarist flogging t-shirts this time.)

We still love the geeks, even tho now everyone else does as well. They’re playing Brixton this Autumn. Get them! (I wonder how much they miss packing up their own gear at the end of a show?)

Luce had this to say:

Primal Screaming @ the Astoria

2006-04-06T23:18:00.000+01:00

Get your rocks off .........

How good are Primal Scream! (This is a rhetorical, the Scream are feckin' great!)

I have thought that there must be something about rock star egos that requires all the really great front men to be utter wankers. If this be the case then Bobby Gillespie is probably the biggest twat on earth. Still, when he can fill a 1 & ½ hour set with lots of completely new tunes, and still have the audience going mental, who’s complaining??

Kicking off with ‘Country Girl’ (a brand new single) they've ditched the dance in favour of bluesy rock'n'roll – rah! There were a couple of shit hot backing singers, giving it some gospel welly, especially on ‘Moving on Up’; and I never thought that ‘Swastika Eyes’ could be such pure strobetastic genius. It was a highlight. Mani was like a slightly chunky, bass wielding giant, chucking out rock poses all over the shop, while Bobby G spun around, leapt about and fell to his knees at every - crap dancing - opportunity.

The second encore included another outing for both ‘Country Girl’ and a riotous, joyous ‘Rocks'. We had to go for a post gig drink in Bradleys, just to catch our breath!

Get your rocks off indeed!

Nothing to do with Thundercats...allegedly

2006-04-06T23:00:00.000+01:00

Mumm-ra @ The Barfly 6/04/06

Mumm-Ra have just announced to a packed Barfly that they may have a broken amp. Not the best way to start a gig, especially when you're the support act, and the crowd (who aren't really here to see you anyway) are beginning to get restless ― things could be about to go very badly for these guys. Then suddenly, without warning, they launch into their set with an opening tune of such powerful proportions that it brings an awed silence to the audience and goose bumps to the arms.

But have they brought out the big guns too soon? No way. As they charge head first through their set their sound just gets bigger and better, building to a Muse-esque magnitude. There's a hypnotic intensity to their sound and performance (think Sigur Ros meets Editors). But there's a softness too and even moments when there's a hint of a pop sensibility which gives the crowd time to catch its breath. The band leaves the stage wearing big grins, the audience clamoring for more and, I would imagine, the headlining act a little worried.

If this is what Mumm-Ra sound like when they're having technical difficulties I can't wait to see them when all amps are gooooooooo.

Larrikin about in the Water Rats

2006-03-29T23:28:00.000+01:00

I defy you to watch the Larrikin Love live and not become a tiny bit infatuated!

Ok they might be slightly underwhelming when you first hear them on vinyl, but their live show takes us on a joyful jaunty romp around Ye Olde England.

Larrikin's performance is shambolic and eurphoric, getting heads a nodding from even the most jaded arms foldy types stood at the back. More Pogues-lite than Levellers, they also have a secret weapon in Rob Skipper (with his fabulous fiddle, on loan from the Holloways). But they're not just sub Libertines wannabes, they are folky, they are punky, they are reggae, they are crunky! (well ... ... maybe not that last one.) They are more than any single influence, bringing gypsy style and a 'ragga'-muffin poetry to the tired London sound that permeates absolutely everything else we seem to hear.

Oh yeah, and a bit of calypso.

Earlier on we heard a bit of Sheffield four piece, Little Man Tate. A band with a buzz who were good, but not quite the 'next Arctic Monkeys' they're being sold as. And then it was south London's very own Roland Shanks, bless, who were sandwiched between the two acts most people there had probably come to see. Still they do get better and better, maybe one day they will be the ‘band with a buzz’. (also singer, Jamie Shanks, previously described by someone as "physically box like" is starting to look a bit cute. What's that all about? - he's still a short arse tho.)

Luce was unusually quiet and a bit 'head down' before the gig. Can't think why.

All you need is...

2006-03-29T23:21:00.000+01:00

...Larrikin Love (ba ba ba ba baaaaa) @ The Water Rats 29/03/06

Originally this article was going to be about *what exactly one does when one gets to a gig and realises that, at some point in the not so distant past, one may have possibly slept with the guy on the door? And why oh why do I always end up standing behind the drunk, randy couple who insist on heavy petting throughout the entire set.

But as soon as Larrikin Love bounded on stage cowbells aloft, haircuts aplenty and a fiddler meaner than the former LA2 could ever wish to be I knew that all I want to say is "go see this band".

Go see them before they get too big.

Go see them when they are too big.

Just go go go go go see them.

And in the meantime go here and prepare to loose your heart as you get jigging to the Larrikin's punk prog-reggae, bluegrass, bogaloo, bogle.

*NB In case you were wondering one puts ones head down, hands over ones ticket and then one moves very swiftly in the direction of the bar without so much as a backward glance.

Style over substance

2006-03-13T23:45:00.000Z

White Rose Movement @ Kings College 13/03/06

If they can't be arsed to put any work into their live performance then I can't be arsed to write about it. So instead read what playlouder.com said it pretty much sums up my evening only I didn't get offered any poppers- more's the pity.

My suggestion to the Movement - put down the hair gel, turn off your straightners, pick up your instruments and get practicing. If you put as much effort into your musical stylings as you do your hair, you could be fooking awesome.

White Rose Movement @ Kings College Union

2006-03-13T23:29:00.000Z

Ohhh, all the kids from Trash have relocated for the evening!

To Kings College Union for a bit of pretendy 80's synth rock.

This fringey has been up from 6.30am and been in work all day, and still, I don't think I look that awful. But there's nothing like a haggle of coked up twentysomethings, with unlikely haircuts and dirty looks, to make you check yourself in the mirror that one extra time. And I hate them for it.

(Oh and I've still got alcohol poisoning from the weekend, so I can't even have any vodka. Pants.)

But, I'm ready to overlook all that, and begin loving the White Rose Movement. They have released some of my favourite indiedancerock tracks of the past 6 months. They seem to be quite genuine in interviews. They are (mostly) lovely to look at. So why are they so artificial and actually a bit poo when they get on a stage?

oh - here's why

Still, they did what they could to make themselves look good, by roping in a couple of exceptionally crap support acts. Can't tell you about the first lot, I've forgotten them already, but the Violets were shockingly shite. Cheaply dressed in tight black and with a fright of bleached hair, trying for Debbie Harry, but achieving a (poor) Toyah Wilcox, Alixus, screeched, shrieked and shouted her way through the Violets set, like realife a Shoreditch harpy.

The only thing stopping me from flinging myself off the balcony (a selfless act - intended to end the suffering of an innocent audience) was the hilariously crappy jigging and dancing about. Managing to - somehow - stay completely out of time with the music, she was pulled about the stage on invisible strings.

The rest of the Violets seemed competent enough. Except when the guitarist, wearing a rubbish pork pie hat, lost his balance and keeled over into the speakers. By that point, it wasn't even funny anymore.

Still, everyone there looked good, or thought they did. And that's what really counts.

Viva la Disco

2006-03-06T23:44:00.000Z

The Klaxons supporting Sh*tDisco @ The Metro 6/03/06

Arriving on stage looking like they've been dragged through Shoreditch backwards my initial reaction to The Klaxons is that I wish to poke their belly buttons with sticks - hard. My second reaction is that I want to poke the belly buttons of the 'rent a rave' audience which the band appear to have brought with them even harder.

All neon whistles and glow-stix this little lot 'is weeeeell up for it, innit - geeez'. Judging by the public school cut of both band and fans jibs I'm thinking that they think this is ironic - well it's not it's sh*t and both music and crowd is getting right on my ti...

Oh I know I sound like a grumpy old cow and maybe, just maybe, if I'd been given my own glow stick I would've got into it...nah they would still have been toss. You see it's all a bit too try hard for me. If the Klaxon's are a joke then it's not funny and if they're for real....well then they're just not very good.

Thankfully, as second support, the Klaxon's set is mercifully short and as the band leave the stage and 'the kidz' big fish, little fish cardboard box their way out of the venue (no doubt heading to trash Trash) those that remain heave a collective sigh of relief and get down to the far more enjoyable business of watching Sh*tDisco do their thang.

NB:lucefringey is fully prepared to eat her own words when she realises at some point over the summer that The Klaxons are her new favorite band.

Jo Fringey said:

A dandi time at the shitdisco!

2006-03-06T23:19:00.000Z

“rave is the refuge for the mentally deficient. It is made by dull people for dull people” - Morrissey. (hmmmmm.....)

Coming all the way from Montreal to play a half empty Metro, DANDI WIND didn’t just play - they PERFORMED for us! The shouting, singing, dancing and kicking front woman, Dandi, channelled the spirits of Patti Smith and Karen O with a gymnastictastic display of whirling sequins and face paint. Cool.

Last summer I thought the Test Icicles were the future of music, mostly because I’d never seen anything quite like it before and I'd been drinking lots of gin. Well, the KLAXONS are taking what the Testies have done, and made it slightly more 'novelty act'. They've removed most of the the 'metal' influences (and incidentally any edge) and then mixed in a bit of – “your names not down, you're not coming in” – rave! Chr*st how awful!

I really can’t be doing with glow sticks and rave whistles. Not even ironically. Not only do they borrow their gimmicky accessories from the nineties, their thumping lo fi dance music is a mindless rehash of 'old school' hacienda - done with real instruments. Any tunage or melody is purely accidental. I might like them more if they just did music and left the toys and the 'too cool for old school' attitude at home, but that's not likely. The kids down the front, in the Klaxons fan club, were absolutely LOVIN' it tho.

Hmmmm.... all the cool kids loving a band who claim to be unironically 'revisiting' a shit genre of music from their youth? ... ... The Klaxons are this years Darkness!!

SHITDISCO must have been ... ummmm…... bricking it, having to follow on from the over hyped Klaxon frenzy, so they kicked off their set with “I Know Kung Fu” a track that, in previous gigs, has inspired some members of the audience to dance like loons and drop their keks in excitement! (not fringey though!) And it worked 'an all. The leftover Klaxon kids went mental for it. Hurrah!

Blow Your Own Trumpet

2006-02-28T23:59:00.000Z

Absentee supporting The Research @ The Old Blue Last 28/02/06

Oh if only I could. Imagine what a party trick that would be - everyone's standing around chat, chat chatting then there's a lull in the conversation and suddenly you whip out your horn and go all Louis Armstrong on their arses! What?...no not that sort of 'blowing' or 'horn' you filthy little Fringelets I'm talking about a real trumpet and honest to goodness musicianship.

The reason for my sudden fascination with all things trumpety is down to tonight's support act - Absentee. Their brass secction (well 1 trumpet & 1 saxophone) added real Oomph to an otherwise subdued set. Tis the lot of a support act to be talked through and ignored by the majority of the crowd but not quite to this extent -even JoFringey and I lost concentration at points. But when the boys with the brass kick in - what a wonderful world the world of Absentee becomes. Suddenly everyone ssshhhhs and starts lapping up the Lambhop-esque choonage and Rakish lyrics which in my mind is preferable to the twee twitterings of headliners The Research.

I shall more than likely head out to see Absentee again - preferably when they're headlining - and I will most definitely being buying a trumpet. Toot toot!

The Research @ the Old Blue Last

2006-02-28T11:30:00.000Z

OK, so Fringey is in 'Shoreditch' theme pub, the Old Blue Last, and its rake thin pretty boys with shiny hair and skinny jeans everywhere you turn.
(Oh, I wants one. Maybe get a matching set? And make nice earrings??)

Anyway, we’re here to see The Research do the first of their 3 album launch gigs. But in support we have ABSENTEE. Who have a BRASS section, no less! Which works brilliantly when used, but in the rest of their set they tend to trail off into a dull stoner drone. (Or am I just being very impatient?)

Then suddenly it’s all goes a bit “scene”, we can spot boys from other bands, band managers and club promoters scattered and drapped all over the shop (hats! hats! hats! everywhere I look! hats!). It’s not a very big room, I suspect that luce and I are the only people who have actually paid to get into this thing. And there’s a lot of love in the room for the Research.

For THE RESEARCH are: kooky, quirky, quizzical, oddball, off-beat, off-the-wall, geeky, idiosyncratic, peculiar, quaint, unconventional and whimsical, but not TWEE.

"Good God no, don’t put them into a TWEE GHETTO" - their fans cry.

But they are very twee aren’t they? With lo fi indie pop songs about broken relationships? Played on a bashed about casio keyboard? I should say so. Its the lo fi that gets on my nerves, get some decent production and learn to play properly, then you can make the whole world go *POP* with those tunes.

Twee is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

Luce Fringey said:

What's in a name?

2006-02-22T23:58:00.000Z

Lorraine @ The Barfly 22/02/06

Well in the case of Lorraine - bacon, eggs, cheese and a dash of milk.

The problem is that every time I hear this band's name I just can't help thinking about quiche. And when I think about quiche I'm always reminded of buffets. And buffets remind me of weddings which reminds me that two songs in to (Quiche) Lorraine's set JoFringey announces that should she ever get married this is the band that she wishes to play at her reception. Which if you love the 80's as much as JoFringey does is a marvelous idea because these guys are seriously 1-9-8-0-s.

Now when I say 80's we're not talking Killer-esque synth schlock and lip gloss, I mean proper no messing, 'China in Your Hand', lighters in the air, oh my god I've entered a time warp and am now living in the fricking 1980's, 80's - and all without a hint or irony. The Lorraine boys take their music very seriously - a little too seriously for me. With much air punching and clenching of fists from the lead singer, head nodding from the keyboard player/knob twiddler and the meaningful staring off into the distance of the guitarist it wasn't long before I was reduced to a mass of giggles. Which is all well and good (I like a laugh as much as the next gig-goer) but it's not enough for this Fringey.

That's the trouble with Quiche and the 80's you see - they're nice in theory, but in reality they're not terribly filling on their own.

What? even more Rakes??

2006-02-20T23:30:00.000Z

Oh Yes! What we really need about now is yet another Rakes review, its been well over two entire weeks since the last one.

But this ones special see, its in the teeny tiny Metro Club and has even promised to go on well past my bedtime! ....

oh and its sponsored by the NME - God help us all!

So anyway ...

We chat through the support, the jammy greendayness of the ONOFFs and some desperately average electro synth eighties outfit called PERFORMANCE, before the THE RAKES bounce on stage and get straight into it.

Even so, its quite a relaxed performance from Donahoe (well it is for him) not nearly as manic as usual and, turns out, he's quite a witty chatty chap. We get the changing of lyrics to tease Matthew Swinnerton about a supposed obsession with Karl 'Neighbours' Kennedy and, at the end of the night, pleading with some of the more excitable fans not to do a stage invasion because ... "it's such a cliché”.

But, most importantly, there is space aplenty in the tiny Metro, for Fringey to do the dancin' and the jiggin' about.

This is Lucefringey’s "interpretation" of the Rakes gig:

I Like The Rakes

2006-02-20T23:00:00.000Z

The Rakes @ The Metro 20/02/2006

I like The Rakes

I like the Rakes's music

I like dancing to The Rakes's music

I like the funny things The Rakes say

I like The Rakes

By LuceFringey aged 20 something and a half

NB: This is what happens when you accidentally mix flu remedies with gin. LuceFringey has been sent to have a long lie down.

Cribs are not Automatically a Giant Drag!

2006-02-19T23:30:00.000Z

Can we just stand back and admire the subject heading for a moment ....

lovely. So anyway ...

The CRIBS, as good as ever and I still love the Wakefield accents. They put on a great shouty show for the kids, but sparkley glitterballs - really?? And some new songs might be an idea for the future.
The very hyped AUTOMATIC were dancerocktastic, with a limelight hogging show stealing maniacal keyboard player! But someone should perhaps point out to the singing chap that if you're a bit on the chunky side then its probably best not to go down the b/w breton stripes route. Although I did notice later that he and his girlf. were practically wearing matching tops. Weird.

GIANT DRAG, I really like the idea of them, but ultimately she is well annoying.

We'd chickened out of the downstairs mosh pit and had retreated up to the Astoria balcony, could see into the the wank VIP bit, but there wasn't anyone special watching. Har Mar doesn't count as a sleb anymore does he???

Stroking the Strokes @ the Hammy Apollo

2006-02-18T23:30:00.000Z

well not really ... (sigh).

I'd talked quite a few friends into coming along and I was bricking it incase they were pants. But Julian and chums absolutely kicked it tonight! They were far, far better than I'd been lead to believe - from previous reviews and my own witnessing of their *outstandingly* shite performance at the V festival in 2004.

hurrah the STROKES!

Blonde Ambition!

2006-02-04T23:30:00.000Z

Fringey spent this Saturday evening checking out The Long Blondes as part of 'Now Stand Tall - Icons Of The New Sonic Generation' ( the pretentious title for a 'boys in bands' photo exhib at the Spitz by Dean Chalkley).

But the only blonde hair seen tonight was the bad bleach job of NEILS CHILDREN singing chappie John Linger. At their best they're like a punked up Cure, at their worst they just make a god awful banging boring racket. I'm hoping that the tunes I liked were recent ones and indicative of an upswing in talent and ability. I think I liked them, even if they do look faintly ridiculous.

Then was the turn of the ladies (yes I know there are two entire boys in the LONG BLONDES and one even writes some of the songs, but really, do they actually count?). They launch straight into ‘Appropriation (By Any Other Name)’ and show exactly why everyone says they are so bloody good, in fact practically every song is a proper spikey indie pop tune. In Kate they have a fantastically sulky, sarky front woman, who can be feminine/sexy without the usual annoying flirty grimaces, pouting and eyelash flutters that can alienate half the audience. - (yes I'm talking about you Hot Puppies and Gin Palace!) - I’m liking The Long Blondes a lot, their website says they’re playing Lancaster Library in May. Brilliant.

The gig finished around midnight, but we wanted even more! So we thought it would be a good idea to hop on over to Frog, at the Meanfiddler. I hadn’t been there in over a year, and then it was to see the sublime Futureheads. This time round we got an indie super club, rammed with bused in 'Essex indie', - and the YOUNG KNIVES, who were not as good as we’d been led to believe. But they do look funny though don’t they? And I do like the slight mentalness of that ‘Decision’ song.

Still it was quite good going for a Saturday evening. Anyway I’m off now to buy me a couple of pencil skirts, neck scarves and stock up on the eyeliner.

Luce said:

Musical Heritage

2006-02-04T23:28:00.000Z

Neil's Children supporting The Long Blondes @ The Spitz 04/02/06

Neil's Children my arse - they looked more like the bastard offspring of My Chemical Romance and McFly to me...

Now before you fans of the NC3 start getting your spray on jeans in a twist let me make it quite clear that I happen to think theirs is a very good look. And if I could get away with spending that much money on hairspray and eyeliner I too would become a Gothlet, but sadly this little Fringey has bills to pay.

Work,work, work, Pub, (Phoenix Artists) Club, Sleep

2006-02-02T23:31:00.000Z

The Rakes @ The Astoria 02/02/06

Typical - you wait all gig for a famo and then 3 come along at once. HarMar Superstar, and two members of White Rose Movement to be precise. Then came guitar guy and drummer boy from the Rakes, the lead singer of Duels, the bassist from The On Offs and finally the marvelous Miquita offa 'Popworld'...oh hang on, that's considerably more than 3 famos thats...errrrm...8!

No really - I'm not making this up. You see my bus stop home from the Astoria happens to be right next to the Phoenix Artists Club and the Phoenix Artists Club just happens to be where the Rakes' aftershow party was happening this eve.

So there I was wondering if my bus was ever going to turn up and why the skanky snogging couple, who stationed themselves in front of me for most of the gig, had been born, when suddenly it's sleberama on Charring Cross Road - wooohoo! I of course remained very calm and collected throughout the whole experience and at no point jumped up and down and clapped my hands like a spaz.

Never have been so happy that my bus was late that little lots got to be worth at least 4 and half Sleb Spotting Points - ding ding!

Jo said:

The Rakes etc @ the Astoria

2006-02-02T23:30:00.000Z

Under what circumstances is the willful killing of minors acceptable?

It started of well enough; we turned up early as there were 4 (quite good) bands playing tonight, yep count em, 4 for £11. It’s a budget gig, and within pocket money grasp, so I shouldn’t have been surprised that lots of kids showed up. The fact that they were all off their faces was a bit of a shocker though, and the lack of personal hygiene wasn’t something I was prepared for either. Next time I’m bringing a cattle prod to keep the rank, repulsive, horny, violent, pilling little f**kers off me!

Still first on to a nearly empty Astoria the ON OFFS were ok, they made lots of noise and filled the stage doing a British Greenday, with shouty threepart harmonies included. The DUELS were next and I preferred their darker powerpop stylings, (even if Maximo has gotten in there first with this type of thing). The singing chap was working the heavy overcoat moody bastard look, but that could have been because the half empty Astoria was bloody freezing.

Still when it comes to image no one comes close to the mighty bleached WHITE ROSE MOVEMENT. Resplendent in a tight inside-out T (it must be how they’re wearing them at Trash these days) and skinny yellow - yes, YELLOW - jeans, Finn Vine strutted round the stage like an indie rentboy on the tout.

Then finally it was headline act time and out they trot, looking ever so ordinary after the shallow glamour of WRM, but THE RAKES are not without style and their performance is absolutely exceptional! They blend gritty clever lyrics and a dancy art rock sound with, some very silly, slightly effeminate jigging about. The mad staring eyes and the throwing shapes with his elbows are trademark Donohoe moves, and even though his energy on stage is less nervous now, there is still an intense spontaneity to everything he does. They end on 'Strasbourg' and the audience go nuts. Well slightly more mental than they had been. Perhaps next time I may think about finding a safer vantage point, or bring along that cattle prod!

More Rakes at the Meanfiddler.

The Spinto Band @ Cargo

2006-01-25T11:30:00.000Z

Fringey have been liking the SPINTO BAND since way back in 2005!

But I only started loving them when they handed me a Spinto badge and kazoo on entrance to Cargo.

There was the whiff of "industry gig" about tonight. NME hacks and xfm dj's were in attendance along with various other chin strokers, this didn't seem to bother anyone on the stage though.

The Spintos were fabulous. I haven't witnessed that much joy and jumping around since Arcade Fire, and their songs are beautiful indie pop, but not at all twee, oh no. There were six of them on stage and the interaction and movement was non-stop, they love the songs they're playing more than you ever could, and they aren't afraid to show it. 'Mountains' and 'Mandy' were obvious highlights, but they've got a strong set. The last proper tune, the 'kazoo song' (not sure what it's called*), was absolute genius (there should be more kazoos in indie pop!) and prompted a bit of a stage invasion from a couple of indie girls. Then they finally came back to do a Spinto cover version of Tiffany's 'I think we're alone now' as an encore.

At the end of the night the Spintos hung around to sell their own merch from the STAGE, adapting mic stands into mannequins for t-shirt display and signing vinyl singles for new fans. They were still at it when we were leaving. Bless. I want to be their mum.

The support FIELDS were quite brilliant too, they have a lovely lush indie pop/folky sound with lots of three part harmonies. They come in somewhere between the Americana of Rilo Kiley and the twee of Field Music and if we'd seen them headline (at the Water Rats or Barfly say) we'd have still come away well pleased.

The whole evening completely chased away my January/winter blues and I liked it lots. The Spintos have also keep their own blog here, detailing a disturbing obsession with snooker amongst other things. - Nope i've no idea why either.

(*the 'kazoo song' is, off course, the fabulous 'Brown Boxes'!)

THE MIGHTY BOOSH @ the Pleasance Theatre

2006-01-16T23:30:00.000Z

Words cannot describe the Mighty Boosh live experience.

But I'll give it a go.

When I first saw Boosh on the tellybox I was a tiny little bit afraid. I wasn’t used to the shiny newness of the Zooniverse and the sarky sparky Moon/Noir banter - (alter egos of comedy duo Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt). Still, … soon got over it. Enough to jump with joy when I found out Luce had got the Fringey tickets to one of their preview shows at the Pleasance Theatre. Hurrah!

Warning - flimsy boosh plot is revealed!

Vince 'electro poof' Noir and Howard 'jazz maverick' Moon charmed and entertained the pants of us, with their comedy equivalent of a Babyshambles gig, but without the narcotics, (I think). In fact I nearly peed those very pants - really - in the first half, as they did a greatest hits setlist of all our fav gags, characters, and songs. But now - live on stage - they brought an evil twisted slant to their weird wonderful humour.

The comedy bastards toyed with us, first killing off Naboo, then Howard and Vince and even Bollo, during the course of the evening! Using 'the Hitcher' as their instrument of Boosh carnage - damn his minty eye! - they were able to do lo-fi semi-improvised versions of many of the best set pieces from the tv and radio series. (Forcing the Boosh boys into an abstract plan to save Naboo, by retrieving the Ruby of Kakundu from the arctic Tundra.)

The show builds to a hysterical climax, we laugh as Howard is stabbed to death by the evil minty cockney geezer, and then scream at the narcissistic darkness of Noel claiming to have fucked his own head, (when the psycho Hitcher beheads Vince in Topshop – offstage obviously). Fielding and Barratt are hilarious, no wonder pairs of tickets were going for £100 on ebay. My face hurt from all the laughing.

I wish I could go see them again and again, but in the meantime series two is out on dvd, I’ve ordered it already.

Luce said

Come with Fringey now on a journey through time and space...

2006-01-16T23:00:00.000Z

...to the world of The Mighty Boosh @ The Pleasance Theatre 16/01/06

Laughed too much...can't speak..can har$%*\!!!!#?=dly type...need...to...lie...down...let the Boosh do the talking...

Boosh Boosh - stronger than a moose

Don't lock your door or we'll come through your roof - top

Stop look around take your mind off the floor

Because the Boosh is loose and we're a little bit raw!

If you don't get The Boosh get getting them here or get lost in your turgid miiiiiiiind space fools.

A Bum Deal

2006-01-14T23:59:00.000Z

Roland Shanks @ the Barfly 14/01/06

Tonight was Fringey's first 2006 visit to the beautiful Barfly of Camden Town and I for one definitely feel like we got a bum deal.

Not in musical terms you understand for the DJs were playing a fabulous selection of choons and for once there was actually more than enough room to dance both up and down stairs. Plus Roland Shanks have mightily improved since we saw them support WAS at 93 Feet East; although I still can't name any of their tunes (this probably says more about me than them though).

Nor was the arsiness anything to do with the barstaff who were as charming as ever and even managed to have some freshly cut lime ready for our gins - true we did have to prompt them to add it to our drinkies every time we went to the bar but it was at least there.

Nope, dear readers, the bum/bums to which I'm referring belong to yours truly. Yep that's right both Jo and I had our derrieres pinched, patted and prodded for a good proportion of the evening - there were stray hands everywhere. Christ knows what they've been putting in the water since we we've been away but oooooh we were dealt a terrific mauling...Not that we're complaining you understand (well Jo might be) but me - well a cheap thrills a cheap thrill and that's (ahem) the bottom line.

Jo Said:

High Jinks and Shonky Shanks at the Barfly

2006-01-14T23:30:00.000Z

So the New Year is well under way and Fringey decided to start as we mean to go on – by taking ourselves off to an indie disco in the Barfly (an antidote to the Fabric style clubbing of Christmas). We did intend to meet up in the Lock Tavern but there was a queue to get in by the time we arrived. - A QUEUE! To get into A PUB! In CAMDEN! Out – bloody – ragious.

So it was straight to the Barfly, and how dank and horrible it is when empty. Still, the indie children (and some grownups) soon piled in to flaunt their indie kid moves to the ‘Don’t Look Down’ djs. I’ve no idea who was on the decks downstairs, but they’re quite good at picking the indie that we wanted to be listening to. Lots of Long Blondes/Holloways/Larrikin Love/Futureheads/Walkmen/MysteryJets, you get the general idea. - Like I said, it’s an INDIE DISCO. (We even spotted an Indie Hen Party. Although the Barfly isn't an obvious choice, we liked that they tried.)

Also, no self respecting Indie Disco would be complete these days without a bit of real live music for our ears to hear and our eyes to watch, and tonight we get to see our first ever band cheekily ripping off the Arctic Monkeys (just a bit). O FRACAS are fun and pop. The 'indie kids' will love them.

Next up are ROLAND SHANKS, and oh my, haven’t they got lots better since the last time Fringey saw them. They have a sharper sound and are a bit poppy, a bit punky and a bit electro. A little bit of everything really that was played at the aforementioned disco, but not at all bitty. Its all mashed together into something we quite liked listening to. They finished up with new single ‘Cutting Teeth’ out in February, I think you should go purchase. ('tis a pity that Jamie, Shanky vocals/bass, is such a short arse.)

The rest of the evening was spent tracking down the prettier boys and dancing our socks off.

2006 should be lots of fringey fun.

the ultimate fringey venue review

2006-01-05T15:29:00.000Z

We all know that it's not just who you're going to see, but where you go to see them. Bad viewpoints and muddly sound make all the difference, so la Fringey are giving you some super short reviews of the London venues that matter!

*Betsy Trotwood - (capacity 60, I would dispute this figure! it is much smaller!) - for the band with a very select following and the crowd that likes to get cosy.

*12 Bar Club - (capacity 100) - tiny tiny venue/pub in Denmark Street, and split level, so if you are stood in front of the stage you can only see the performers from the neck down. Except the drummer off course).

*the Old Blue Last - (capacity 100-ish I think) - located in Shoreditch and owned by Vice magazine its the place to come for the pretentious, scene, type gigs. Prepare youself to be stared at by groups of selfconcious teenage bleached blondie wannabes. Bless.

*the Metro Club - (capacity 175) - a tiny subterranean venue bang in the centre of London with good views of the stage from the bar. But the stage is a bit low, so if the chap or chappess on vocals is a short arse, good luck with getting a look.

*Barfly - (capacity 200) - is actually a rubbish little sweatbox, but gets consistently good acts to play and we quite like some of their club nights too. But beware the heated rail running round the bottom of the downstairs bar- it's a scorcher!

*Water Rats Theatre - (capacity 200) - a pub at the front with a stage out the back, It's shabby, it's dingy, it's in the middle of Kings Cross...We love it.

*Islington Bar Academy - (capacity 250) - haven't got round to checking it out.

*the Spitz - (capacity 250) located right next to Spitalfields market, it's a small venue for more the more off beat act. Unfortunately the bar ran out of vodka AND gin the night I was there. Bad Spitz, bad, bad, bad venue!

*100 Club - (capacity 290) - has the longest stage ever, for such a small venue, with bars at either end. The stage is also low, so wear your heels if you want to see (and not much else, cause it can get hot in there!)

*Bardens Boudoir - (capacity 300) - seemed lots smaller, and the stage is only slightly raised, so it would help if you could be tall on the nights that you visit. Oh and the gin was randomly priced throughout the evening, but always on the cheap side!

*Marquee Level 5 - (capacity 400) - light, airy with nice squidgey seats, reasonable sized bar, a wee stage and a rather disconcerting view that won't let you forget that you are actually in Leicester Square!

*Rhythm Factory - (capacity 450) - a very basic big room out the back of a cafe bar type set up. Very low stage, so get to the front, although there are various places for short arses to perch along the sides. There is also another bar along the back, - if you can't stand the heat near the stage.

*93 Feet East - (capacity 450) - flippin pillars block your view, and the sound is crap if you aren't standing in the middle. but we love it, the bar next door is handy if the support band are rubbish and they will normally have barbque type burgers available to purchase out in the yard, should you feel a bit peckish.

*Cargo - (capacity 500) - a beer garden for the summer, loungable seating in the main bar and the stage bit has another bar sensibly along the back, so you can still see the support acts while getting the drinks in.

*The Garage - (capacity 500) - dark and dingy with sticky floors. like the worst students union you've ever been to.

*Islington Academy - (capacity 800) - a bit soulless, with it being in a shopping centre an' all, but the sound was good and had easy access to the bar along the side, allowing you to keep one eye on the stage.

*ULU - (capacity 800) - it's a student union so the bar's a bit airport loungey but drinks are cheap and the stage is well high so you get a real good view innit'. Sound can be a bit muddy though, if there's a lot of bass.

*Marquee Leicester Sq - (capacity 900) - thankfully, unlike level five, there are no windows in here so it's easy to forget that you are in fact having a night out in Leicester Square. Bar staff very friendly, with a penchant for free pouring and generous measures. It has a big stage along the wall that is easy to see no matter where you stand, but sound is best in the middle.

*Scala - (capacity 980) - another Kings Cross scuzz fest, this time spread over several levels

*Meanfiddler - (capacity 1000) - Just a big long room with the stage at the far end, so can be difficult to get a good view, although upstairs is ok if you arrive early enough to hang over the side. Also, while waiting on the roadies to set up, they will almost certainly play you 2 Many DJ's Radio Soulwax vol 2. On Repeat.

*Electric Ballroom - (capacity 1100) - Abysmal sound from the upstairs, so stay at ground level. Unfortunately then you probably won't get to see anything unless you are above average height. The bars were awkward to get to, and had huge queues, so we didn't really bother. It will never loose that 'goth' vibe either.

*Koko - (capacity 1500) - Lots of bonus points for putting a bit more effort into the ruby red decor, the multiple bars on multible levels and having a massive glitterball. Very good views if you're not afraid of heights, not so great at ground level.

*Astoria - (capacity 2000) - its the ultimate mid size central London venue, a good view from most postions and a bar along the back behind the lighting desk so you can still get the drinks in while watching the support act! - although the sound from behind the desk is a bit rubbish.

*Shepherds Bush Empire - (capacity 2000) - there seems to be a magical space that exists round the bar to left of the stage which means you are usually guaranteed a good vantage point and immediate access to booze.

*Kentish Town Forum - (capacity 2110) - a cavernous building with rubbish sound.

*Hammersmith Palais - (capacity 2230) - its quite a big place, with no balcony, so seems sprawling, but the ceilings are low giving it an intimate feel and the decor pretty good. (ie - it didn't have the industrial lead piping look or was just painted black). But the drinks were extortionate. I don't need Bombay Sapphire, Gordons will do! It's also the home of 'School Disco' and that's a big turn off.

*Brixton Academy - (capacity 4900) - yes it's a whopper but it has a gently sloping floor for your viewing pleasure, a rather fancy staircase should you suddenly wish to recreate that scene from Gone with the Wind and *LuceFringey's bus home goes from right outside- yey! *NB this is merely fact not an open invite for 'all back to mine'

*Hammersmith Apollo - (capacity 5000) - Not as good as Brixton, and had to go upstairs to use the bar.

*Alexandra Palace - (capacity 8000) - beautiful building, but crosses the line into "too big" as a venue for me. Only go if you love the band and you're sure that the next time they play will be in an arena. If not, just wait till they get over the ego stroke of playing the ally pally and get back to Brixton or Hammersmith!

*the Fringey Imaginary Ideal Venue - (capacity about 400)
Would be in Central London, have bars along any walls that were not the stage, a separate bar area away from the stage incase the support act is dire, a gently slopping floor and the Gin would always be on special offer ....

Here We Go Again

2006-01-01T23:33:00.000Z

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Oh ok so 2006 is actually Year of the DOG but this is Fringey folks so we're taking a little Liberty. We know it's not really fair to have favourites but regular Fringey visitors may have caught on to the fact that the canine ones have a special place in our hearts...I mean just look at their little faces, and thoose big eyes, how can you resist thoose... ahem anyway moving swiftly on...

We trust that you've all had suitably merry christmases (you can read about ours here and here) and are ready with your resolutions for the New Year (you can see ours here).

We have a feeling that 2006 is going to be a real booty. So friends and foes of Fringey let the fun commence...

I'm dreaming of a...

2005-12-25T23:28:00.000Z

...WHITE CHRISTMAS!

And so my Festive dream came true for it snowed and snowed and snowed during my rural crimbo which was all magical and amaaaaazing.

And then it kept snowing and snowing and snowing and then it was time for me to return to the big smoke for the New Year celebrations and it was still fooking snowing and the roads were blocked and...

"Oh My God I'm going to get trapped in the regions!"

Now don't get me wrong I love heading to the country to see my folks but my New Years Eve plans were based firmly back in the capital. Thankfully due to some nifty driving on me dad's part and the freak occurrence of National Rail actually running I made it back to Londinium in time to see in 2006 - phew!

Regional Crimbo

2005-12-25T23:00:00.000Z

Unfortunately there was no snow for me this year (of any variety), although Christmas in the regions was quite traditional. It was mostly meeting up with old friends in the pub we've been going to since we were 16 - so they can tell me about their wonderful new houses/husbands/babies – oh brilliant, how much fun can I take? - (Although I’m still the thinnest and have the best hair – hurrah!) - Christmas Day arguments with la family, very traditional that, and then out boxing night clubbing with a friend - from London - because people who live out in the regions apparently have better things to do than go out and get pissed for the third night in a row.

I'm so very glad to be back in a town where everyone has priorities as skewered as my own.

See you in the Barfly this Saturday!

fringey fading fast at FABRIC

2005-12-16T23:00:00.000Z

So after the Dogs extravaganza on Thursday night I was forced out into the world of 'good times' again, almost against my will, to go to FABRIC for a final fringey pre chrimbo boogie!

except I was ever so hungover. Back in Bradleys, but this time with a glass of water, I thought about all the reasons why I should be at home ... but it is my last night out in London before returning to the regions for Christmas, so deep breath and ....

my God the queues!

finally got in to see the INFADELS just after midnight. (they were very good - sound like the Faint), but we were hating Fabric. Everyone was pilling and from essex it was rammed and we kept getting lost and you couldn’t really see more than two feet in front of you. Blah!

But the Filthy Dukes saved us. They stuck on a remix of DFA 1979’s 'Romantic Rights' and it pretty much turned the night around for us. We stayed till the bitter end (for Alkan playing Wham’s 'Last Christmas' and then 'Fairytale of New York' - hurrah!)

Then Soho for breakfast before heading to Topshop at 9am!!
(no, we don't work there - it was for some shopping you cheeky bugger!)

phew!

Quite simply the Dogs...

2005-12-15T23:00:00.000Z

Dogs @ ULU 15/12/05

Paul Weller in support

Noel Fielding as compere

Dogs with tinsel round their doo dahs.

What more could a Fringey ask for this festive season?

Well ok a ten foot sprig of mistletoe and a willing Alex Zane would have been the icing on the Crimbo cake but let's not be greedy!

Jo Said:

Now THAT'S entertainment!

2005-12-15T22:30:00.000Z

So after spending most of the evening in Bradley’s (in the company of 'vodka' and 'tonic') I eventually meet up with the rest of the Fringey massive (ie Luce) at the ULU possibly slightly the worse for wear, this is what I can remember:

Straight to the bar for further vodka, conversation interrupted by a massive chear - something is happening – skip out only to see ... ...

PAUL - “no, really, it is” - WELLER on stage.

'Town Called Malice' – audience loving it – sing along

Then the wait for DOGS – and then .... oh bloody hell ...

Introduced on stage by Noel - “Mighty Boosh” - Fielding – and then Fringey barks like a dog!!! (only for Noel mind!)

Then Cooke and rest of the pack on the stage

FAIRY LIGHTS!!! – TINSEL!!!

Noel Fielding standing .. umm .... just over there!

Pickled brain can barely cope!

Dogs do a fabulous set as always

and then a Noel - “its all about the hair” - Fielding CROWD SURF!!

Two new songs.

Paul - “it really is all about the hair” - Weller back on stage for the final song, 'A Bomb In Wardour Street'!

*hic* - going home.

Happy Christmas Fringey!

Art Brut Top Of The Pops...

2005-12-12T23:39:00.000Z

...errmm I mean @ The Barfly 12/12/05

The other day I found myself telling someone at work that I have a bit of a crush on Art Brut's Eddie Argos (this was of course followed by a lengthy explanantion as to what an Art Brut actually is, gig going not being number one pass time amongst my work colleagues). Anyho intrigue by my crush, said colleague demanded that I find pictures of the object of my desire so they could judge for themselves sadly all I had was this....

...taken at the LCD gig last week and not really doing any justice to the adorable Argos. So heading to tonights gig I was determined to get a good pic of Eddie to prove to my doubting colleague that I don't in fact 'have a thing about mingers'. Sadly it was not to be as this is what I came home with...

But on the plus side I did get to see Sh*tdi*sco and marvel at their double bass fabulousness and chavtastic choice in clothes. Art Brut were on good form although Eddie may want to think about raiding the Christmas crackers for jokes as his inbetween-song-banter- is getting a little bit old now. I shall forgive him for now however as they have been very good boys and girl all year and because they played the intro to AC/DCs Back In Black - when you start with that you can't go wrong!

Jo Said:

Art Brut & Shitdisco @ the Barfly

2005-12-12T23:00:00.000Z

Fringey was very excited to find out that SHITDISCO were supporting ART BRUT at the Barfly tonight, but this meant we were forced to leave the lovely Lock Tavern a bit earlier than we’d like. Pants, but can’t have everything. And so, waving goodbye to the pretty barman with a flower in his hair, we head over to the dank dingy Barfly.

We ended up getting there quite a bit early and watched CICCONE do their thing. They were ok, (and the singing lady was wearing a plunging top with very good bra). Shitdisco also made an extra special effort with their “image” and were working the pikey chav look. While I appreciate their devotion to a particular aesthetic (and it makes a change from tight jeans and skinny ties) I think they can safely leave the leisure wear at home next time. They did however gaffa tape over the “Carling” part of the backdrop. So, bonus points for that chaps! And the Art Brut audience eventually warmed to their thudding lunatic disco punk, but I would love to see what they're like with a crowd who want to dance as hard as Shitdisco play.

Then came Eddie and his gang! The shy bassist, the amazing standing up drummer and the duelling guitarists who almost manage to upstage the Argos! But not quite. We know all the words to 'Emily Kane', 'Rusted Guns', 'Modern Art' etc now and I feel we’ve all seen Eddies new girlfriend naked more than TWICE, but we still can't wait to hear what else we’ve got to stay away from, besides the “crack” of course. (it’s Pete Doherty ... again.)

I get the feeling that it’s a tired Art Brut tonight, going through the motions, even Argos fighting his way through the audience, (to stand on the BAR and sing in his stripey socks) is a bit old. Running through an audience singing was way more impressive when he did it in the HUGE Brixton Academy and to the bemused LCD Soundsystem crowd! Still, we love him for trying. He's looking good (and has lost a bit of weight), being in love must agree with him.

Oh, and the campaign to move Top of the Pops back to Thursday night, starts here!

LCD Soundsystem & Art Brut @ Brixton Academy

2005-12-07T23:00:00.000Z

OK, so I did try to write a sensible review of LCD SOUNDSYSTEM and Art Brut at the big Brixton Academy, but each time it all went a bit wrong. Usually starting of with how very different, but equally wonderful they were, the review would then descend into a long list of the many reasons why I loved them (despite the slightly underwhelmed reaction from the audience to Art Brut!) This would then be followed up with further gushing about their genius and overall fabulousness.

So I’m going to skip that and am just going to say that despite feeling a bit squiffy, due to excessive cocktails and beers, (a fast track to falling over!), I had a fantastic kicking dancy evening and, quite frankly, there should be more nights like this one made available to me! - (Luce and I were even a bit thrilled that it hadn't sold out, allowing us some proper dancin' room!)

Luce Said:

The Winter of Fringey's Discontent

2005-12-07T22:50:00.000Z

LCD Soundsystem @ Brixton 07/12/05

The problem with this time of year is it tends to get fooking cold. And when it gets fooking cold choosing one's gig-going-get-up becomes rather tricky and expensive.

Take today, for example, it's 6 degrees out, so I pile on as many layers as possible plus a hat, scarf and gloves ensuring that I'm nice and toasty for the journey to work. Very sensible you say well yes indeed it is for this morning. The problem comes with this evening's entertainment -LCD at Brixton Academy.

There's no way I want or need to be looking like the Michelin Woman whilst jumping around to the System. But the what the hell do I do with all my layers of insulation?

What's that?

"Bung em in the cloakroom" you say

Have you seen how much they charge these days? 2 whole pounds per item! 2 pounds! It'll cost me more than the ticket did to stash this little lot away. Nope there's nothing for it I'm just going to have to sweat it out in my layers. But wait what's this a kindly a cloak room attendent is offering to put it all on one hanger and not charge me extra? Ch**st alive Christmas has come early how truly marvelllous! Saved at the last minute by an Academy Angel fingers crossed the Barfly are as accomodating on Monday.

Dustins Bar Mitzvah & The Maccabees @ Water Rats

2005-11-30T23:37:00.000Z

So anyway, luce is at home again with illness, (its a good thing I've got more than one friend!) And here we are at the 6Music/Club Fandango night in the Water Rats waiting on some random band to come on stage and persuade us that they are worth the £6 entrance fee. The bands playing are chosen by Mr Steve "indie" Lamacq, so we're hoping for an unexpected treat.

We decided to stand as close to the bar as possible, just in case like, but are literally dragged away from the booze by the frenetic sound of Leicester's REDCARSGOFASTER! Every song goes through a surging crescendo of noise and the energetic, kinetic performances from all the band pulls the audience in. The young whippersnapper on vocals was flinging himself everywhere and even faced the age old problem of 'what do you do when you've climbed on top of the amp?' (and can't even stand up cause you're too close to the ceiling) - - - its beat your chest dramatically and then carefully climb down - in case you were wondering.

The MACCABEES are tonight's buzziest band (they've got a couple of good reviews in NME already - get them!) and the room is rammed with scenesters wanting to check 'em out. Although I bet Lamacq got himself a good viewpoint, the shortarse. The first few songs pass me by, even the current tune 'X-Ray', (perhaps I shouldn't have been standing at the bar). But tunes that instantly please are usually easily disposed of also. The Maccabees turn out to have more than enough going on for me to want to delve a bit deeper and the more you listen, the more you're hooked. They're gonna be next years Futureheads! Hurrah!

Finally, the last minute substitution of DUSTINS BAR MITZVAH for Larrikin Love was annoying but putupwithable, as I hadn't seen Dustins either. They are quite shite. Just another band still trading on the scuzzy East London sound and they gave the most jaded bored performance I've seen in ages. Dustins have been around for a while now, and still haven't cracked it, that tells us something. And it must have been slightly galling for them to be so outclassed by the younger, better and brighter support acts! It takes more than a good hair cut and a nifty way with an eyeliner pencil you know! Even the Dustins only single 'Jimmy White' (which I quite liked) is lost in all the samey, shouting vocals, and tired old banging away on the guitars.

At the end of the evening we got chatting to a nice young chap who was chaperoning his sister in her quest to bag the Dustins singer. I told her she could do lots better!

Luce Said

I'm Sick

2005-11-30T19:43:00.000Z

Needless to say I'm spitting feathers that I've had to miss yet another gig due to illness- God damn it.

I hope it's nothing serious...

Starr*s In Their Eyes

2005-11-29T23:53:00.000Z

Stellarstarr* @ The Metro Club 29/11/05

The Strokes may be playing a not so secret gig up the road at ULU but are Fringey bothered? I don't think so because tonight Matthew we're going to see the true Kings and Queen of the NYC cool - Stellarstarr*.

And thank cr*p for that because as beautiful as Fab from the Stokes there's no way I would have wanted to miss the fabulousness of this evenings drummers.

First up is the drummer of Sweedish nutjobs THE SOUNDS. Not only does he chew gum like a hyeractive merecat halfway through his 15th E but the man is wearing leather BMX gloves- whilst banging out the back beat to tunes that could have come straight from the Pretty In Pink soundtrack.

And for the main act: with a wicked glint in his eye and stragically placed gaffa tape across his right nipple Stellarstarr*'s stick man was rocking a whole new kind of demneted rock chic plus more John Huges-esque sounds.

However this 80's-arama was marred slightly by the autrocious vocal stylings of Stellarstarr*'s bassist ( think howler monkey with it's nuts caught in a magimix), a couple of middle management types in the crowd who clearly can't handle their Stella (lager as oppose to Starr*) anymore and a noticebale lack of James Spader or Andrew McCarthy propping up the bar...well a girl can dream can't she?

Jo Said:

Stellastarr* @ the Metro Club

2005-11-29T23:06:00.000Z

Oh how I love the eighties – batwings, fringes, stripes, polka dots, pixie boots, can’t get enough of ‘em! And I seem to have loved STELLASTARR* for just as long, (although I only bought their 'self titled' back in early 2004) and 'My Coco' is one of my all time tunes, so you can imagine how I nearly pee'd my pants when I found out they were playing the Metro.

So anyway, they wander on stage and straight into newie tune ‘Lost in Time’, and I have time to reflect that I had absolutely no preconceptions about this band ... at all. I’ve never read a review, didn’t know what they looked like and got the album after hearing ‘My Coco’ a few times on the radio. And now all I can think is “oh, I thought he’d be a bit taller.” Like a bunch of randoms covering your favourite band, although they are doing it very well. Some people might point out that Stellastarr* are, essentially, an eighties cover band. Well they can just f*ck off!

Stellastarr* have a bloody good go at transcending their influences – (the Cure mostly I think), by placing a layer of art school New York cool over the top of what could have been just another eighties pastiche, and with 'Jenny' and 'Somewhere Across Forever' they succeeded.

The beered up crowd seemed old enough to remember the eighties the first time round, and knew all the words to many of the songs. - (I thought I was the only one!) – Some of the tracks do occasionally stray into the twanging guitar territory of ‘Rattle and Hum’ era U2, but Stellastarr* make a big sound that needs more space than the Metro can provide. The new songs aren't as indie pop as their earlier stuff, but they have added layers of lushness to their dark dramatic new wavey sound. I think I liked it.
And finally, ‘My Coco’ is the nights closer, everyone joined for this one.

Fabulous support from Swedish THE SOUNDS kicked off the evenings eighties vibe with shouty girly new wave pop punk not seen since 1982. They are the sound of the Violent Femmes fronted by Blondie with maybe a bit of A-ha thrown in to make it go scando POP!

I know its not cool, but I want to stay in my eighties indie pop ghetto forever. When John Hughes gets round to making my biog I’ll already have a soundtrack sorted. Re: the live performance, I’m still a bit undecided. But then no real life band could have lived up to the Stellastarr* that has, until now, only existed in my head!

(Oh - totally unrelated - but when I got home that night the Libertines were reunited on UKTV Gold in an old Jonathon Ross chat show. Bless.)

Damn Lurgy

2005-11-23T23:44:00.000Z

Sh*tdisco @ The Water Rats Theatre 23/11/05

I was supposed to be going to Club Fandango tonight to see Sh*tDisco with Jo but thanks to the onset of a particularly nasty cold or possibly a mild case of bird flu I had to head home and miss the gig- boooooo. But I couldn't leave you without some sort of review so I instead I shall tell you what happened to me in Sainsburys at lunchtime...

Marmite- you either love it or hate it, personally I can't stand the putrid paste but whilst in Sainsburys today I met a man who had flown all the way from Italy with the express purpose of stocking up on Marmite for his restaurant. Apparently it's the secret ingridiant in many of his dishes. I also met a man who had no idea that honey is sticky but less said about him the better. This lunchtime I'm going to hang round Tesocs in the hope of meeting a woman who has flown all the way from Osaka in search of Lee and Perrins.

NB Jo did make it to the gig and has, as ever, furnished us with a fabulous review which can be found situated beneath this one.

Jo Said:

Shitdisco & Eskimo Disco @ The Water Rats

2005-11-23T23:30:00.000Z

Desirable, Irresistible, Sensational, Crazy crazy ... Oh, oh, oh, oh
… well I wasn’t expecting that!

Now, I love the Rapture, but do they ever call, write or even come over to visit? No they bloody well don’t; so I’m forced to look a bit closer to home and it is the spectacular SHITDISCO (pronounced "shitdisco") who have saved me!

Playing a support slot in a half empty Water Rats isn’t the most auspicious of starts and Luce couldn’t make it either, so I really had to pay attention to this one. And they do not disappoint, exploding all over the place with their dark strobbing epileptic rock.

But our attention is taken by the manically dancing drunken nutter from Bolton [yes, I’d been chatting to him earlier - they always find me!] who has commandeered the dancefloor. He proceeds to strip off and drop his keks, while pogoing all over the place, so we were all a bit too distracted by the sight of his fun sized willy bouncing around in front of the stage to properly watch the band!

It escalated into a weird face off during the explosive 'I Know Kung Fu' between him and the Shitdisco chap on vocals, and a fight for the microphone spilled out into the audience!! Or at least the space where the audience should have been, but all the fey indie boys were absolutely bricking it, and hugged the walls in fear of the scary northerner with his dick out! Until, finally, the timid bar staff chuck him out. Thank you.

They ended the eventful set with ‘Disco Blood’, current single and dirty dancefloor stormer. (Although there wasn’t much dancing being done by the traumatised audience!) Any band where the lead instrument is drums is going to be a bit bloody good, and why use one bass guitar when you can have two – oh yes indeedy! Fringey likes to dance and is very partial to the drumming, and the bass.
We like the - not shit at all - Shitdisco. (I'm taking liberties speaking for luce, who couldn't come, but I know she would have loved it.)

How can you follow this? Why with the exceptional vocoder camp of ESKIMO DISCO! It takes a special kind of genius to do a disco cover of 'The Final Countdown' as your penultimate song and then rap over the top in the style of Dolly Parton! The rest of their set was pure indie electro disco, with a bit of hoe-down country thrown in. Why play only one guitar when you can play two ... ... at the same time. Normal keyboards aren’t enough not when you can sling one over your shoulder as well! 'Picture Perfect’ (new single/download?) is a damn fine tune, the girls and the gays will love them!

While Eskimo Disco do look good, sound great (and gave us postcards and badges), it is the superb Shitdisco who are the main event of the night, although it was probably the worst gig of their lives. We can’t wait for the chance to properly hit the dancefloor to their throbbing tunes and see them again. (without the distractions!)

A night of dance cock, eighties rock and D*I*S*C*O!
Fabulous.

Beyond Fringey

2005-11-20T23:43:00.000Z

This evening I turned down the chance to go and see (for free) the man who turned down the job of Led Zeps lead singer - how Fringey is that!

Field Music @ Water Rats

2005-11-16T23:02:00.000Z

When did it get so flippin' freezing?? It was positively balmy last week! But Fringey braved the sub zero temps and left the cosy cocoon that is downstairs in Bradleys, to trek all the way up to the Water Rats in Kings Cross to see FIELD MUSIC.

We got there to find that the Water Rats theatre had turned into an absolute mecca of pretty indie boys, I can't speak for Luce, but it warmed me right up I can tell ya.
Deciding against watching support YO ZUSHI, not that he was rubbish, just maybe a bit dull, we hung out at the bar. We'd both had a hard day at work and needed something a bit more resembling entertainment. Luckily the bar telly was showing the Take That documentary. (isn't Howard old looking now?).

So, anyway, Field Music. Or rather Field Music and friends - there was a cast of thousands (well, at least six or seven) crowding the tiny Rats stage, with electric stings and keyboards for their lush harmonies and lots of extra percussion - can I hear a big “HELL YEAH!” for the use of xylophones!
They warmed us further with some lovely Belle and Sebastian style melodic twee pop - by way of Sunderland, (a north east accent can give warmth to the chilliest tune). The Brewis brothers remained happy and smiley throughout, swapping drums and lead vocals easily between them. They are charmingly twee and not at all annoying. We left feeling lots better and warmer than hot toast.

Luce Said:

Keeping It Rural

2005-11-16T23:00:00.000Z

Field Music @ Water Rats Theatre 16/11/05

Growing up in the countryside I was often to be found off my box, dancing about in the stubble whilst someones makeshift soundsystem blarred out various choons. But never did I hear anything as delicious as this evenings Field Music.

And thank god for that because I was having the shittiest of shit days. So shit in fact that I was seriously considering ditching tonights gig in favour of running home and retreating under my duvet for ever more. But instead I dragged my sorry arse to meet Jo and we arrived at the Water Rats to be greeted by the aftermarth of someone having lobbed a rather large object through the front window.

Oh joy could things possibly get any worse? Well yes they could...but luckily they didn't and 5 secs into Field Music's first song, I'm wearing a Cheshire Cat grin - true this is partly due to the unprecedented about of cute indie guys in attendance - but mainly because of the general loveliness of this bands music.

So should you ever find yourself with a 'furrowed' (get it get it) brow simply slip on a bit of Field Music and feel your troubles melt away.

Freaky Friday

2005-11-11T23:43:00.000Z

I'm all for 'Care in the Community' but judging by the state of the freak that decided to harangue me on the night bus home this eve they need to get a hell of a lot stricter about who's allowed out after dark.

Having had an ok-ish Old Street outing I was half way home and merrily minding my own business when my soon to be tormenter rolled onto the seat in front of me. Initially I couldn't hear what the fecker was saying as I was plugged into me phone (yes I know I should really get with it and get an ipod, but this is Fringey remember). Still sober enough to realise that his taunts weren't being heard he decided to increase the decibel level until even Tarred and Feathered by Dogs (which had just come on) couldn't block out the little sh*t's rantings.

"You should be ashamed. Ashamed. You have all the power. All the Power". He screamed and then promptly fell of his seat, hitting his head on the floor with the most satisfying 'crack'. I do indeed have the power I thought to myself 'the power to form coherent speech' which I demonstrated by telling him to "Shut up or f*ck off". He of course did neither and continued to berate me and fall over.

I would like to say that at no point did anyone offer to take the freak off my hands or distract him so that I could get away. But I would like to say a massive thank you to the girl sitting opposite me who gave the (once more floor bound) weirdo a swift kick in the balls as she got off.

The freak was right about one thing though. I should indeed be "ashamed". Ashamed that I didn't punch his lights rather than enduring his verbal diarrhea.

Crawling round a few pubs

2005-11-11T23:14:00.000Z

Our mini old st pub crawl actually started in Bradleys Spanish Bar. Every Fringey night out appears to begin in Bradleys. This is not a bad thing, but it isn't anywhere near Shoreditch. (Coincidentally the lovely Julian from the Mighty Boosh was there also.)

We arrive in Shoreditch at 'homeless feeding time' - lovely. Avoiding the tramps wrapped in their blankets (and smelling faintly of wee and soup - - - - them not us!), we finally make it to the Reliance, which used to be good, honest. - We wanted haircuts and hats, and the Reliance was offering us Harriets with highlights! It had all gone a bit posho townie. No ta.

So was off to the Brickie Arms, we weren't taking any chances, there would be asymmetric hair there - oh yes. Pity about it being a friday evening and completely rammed though. Luce made friends with a local, we picked up a few strays and left. Finally ending up in the Mother Bar. It looks good, but just ... ... ... isn't.

Sorry kids, but Old Street is over. Especially now the Queens of Noize have taken up residence at the 333 downstairs. I had been told this many times, but now I’ve seen it with my very own eyes. (We did spot the pocket sized singing chappie from Komakino wandering around though.)

Need to find somewhere else to go of a Friday evening.
Any suggestions?

Remember Remember The 5th November...

2005-11-05T23:30:00.000Z

Don't Look Down club night @ Camden Barfly 5/11/05

A Robot In Disguise

Forget fireworks, bugger bonfires and sod sparklers, the 5th November will be forever ingrained on Fringey's memory because of Don't Look Down night at the Barfly.

Not only did Alex Zane have to squeeze past us to get in (I actually saw the fear in his eyes), not only was Noel Fielding dressed up as a Warrior (green face, baseball bat, the lot), and not only were Robots In Disguise one of the most spangdangly live acts ever but JoFringey has got the most fabulous new hair-do! It truly is 'bob' perfection with a Fringe to die for.

My only complaint about this evening (I know, I know- there's always something) were the feckers who decided to stand through the whole of Mr Fielding's 'ROCK-tastic' DJ set. What part of 'dance floor' don't you understand? At one point Fringey found themselves penned in by completely static folk for about 20 mins. So steadfast were these peeps that I was beginning to wonder if perhaps we'd inadvertently stumbled into the midst of a game of 'Statues'. But as at no point during our bopping did anyone tap us on the shoulder and say "you're out" I suspect not.

Actually I'm going to retract my 'forget fireworks' remark because these people really needed a rocket up their arse and should they require any help lighting the touch paper I'll be there matches at the ready and a glint in my eye!

Jo Said:

Robots in Disguise @ Barfly

2005-11-05T23:00:00.000Z

Fringey went to the Barfly on a famo brushing mission!

But did that stop us from having a rather good night out?

No it did not.

This included getting to see the SEAL CUB CLUBBING CLUB – a Tom Vek alike (with most of the talent removed) meets the Brakes (without the humour), but with a few flashes of genius that made us like them all the same. Sort of. And the ROBOTS IN DISGUISE - a flashy trashy girlie duo, with a punk performance ethic (that's being very shouty and some falling over), doing loud rawkus pop electronica. They made Fringey dance like robots from the future! (not 1984 then)

With dj sets from Noel Fielding and Alex Zane the music was more rock than indie, but it was still pretty darn dancable. It was also a very popular evening with the local camden kids and looking good on the dancefloor was difficult. - There wasn't much room to breathe let alone throw decent shapes, but we tried our very best and did not bring shame to the Fringey name.

Honourable mention has to be made of this fringeys new, very fringey, haircut. It did exactly what it was told and obtained many an admiring glance from the barfly regulars, including Mr Alex Zane! So much kudos and thanks to my wonderful hairdresser Bev.

The Cribs @ ULU

2005-11-03T23:00:00.000Z

"You know it's not right, but it's something you like!"

The CRIBS will never be cool and it even looks like they CUT THEIR OWN HAIR! (Toni & Guy mustn't have made it as far as Wakefield). But at least tonight they look like they've had a wash before coming on stage.

What the Crib sibs are instead, is a very, very good live act. Their tunes are practically contagious and provoke mass shoutalongs by the crowd. And crowd surfing. And mosh pitting. The grubby one’s lip does not split this time, but we lost count of how much bottled lager he managed to neck during the 45 minute set.

And their contempt for hipster/fashionista scenesters comes through in almost every song. Many of the cribbettes down the front have had an irony bypass, as the camera phones are out in force during 'I'm Alright Me' - "Like groupies with cameras/You come out like leeches/To bleed us". Still, not to worry, when the drummer is actually standing on his kit, competing for some of the attention bestowed on the indie rock twins down the front.

The night ends with ‘Wrong Way to Be' and the stage is totally trashed. Grubby twin flings himself into the audience - barely making it back alive and with his t-shirt in tatters. So he whips it off and dives back in. This time he has the arse ripped out of his jeans. If he’d tried for a third surf, the fanatical fans would have eaten him! But he’s physically dragged off by slightly more sober siblings. (Not before whipping off his shredded jeans and sending the young groupies into a feeding frenzy!)

The support act ENVELOPES, all multiple guitars, keyboards and vocals, stopped just short of wowing us with their take on beautiful quirky sixties indie pop - thanks to the muddy ULU sound. Wonder what they made of it all? - When we left the cribbettes were still fighting it out over bits of filthy denim.

Its their tragic uncoolness that makes the Cribs one of us – (I’m speaking generally of course, Fringey is extremely cool!). Remember kids - always - "Take drugs! Don’t eat!" and "Have contempt for those you meet!"

(Finally a big thank you to the seven foot chap who let me stand in front of him. Not that I gave him much of a choice. Cheers!)

Charity begins at 93 Feet East

2005-10-30T23:00:00.000Z

CEKI minifest in aid of breast cancer research @ 93 Feet East 30/10/05

It's warm and fuzzy feelings all round for Fringey this evening. No not from the gin, nor the fact that we were standing obscenely close to Mr Johnny Cooke but rather because we've done a good thing - we've been to a charity event. We all want to do good things for charity but getting sponsored to do a marathon (I run like a duck) or sit in a bath tub full of beans (well would you) I just can't do. So imagine my delight when Fringey heard about the CEKI minifest. Bands and DJs playing from 2-10.30pm and all in aid of breast cancer research- perfect.

So in the spirit of all things charitable I give every one of this evenings performers 5/5 for taking part. With extra brownies points going to the Holloways for wearing bras (and not being as shit as we'd heard) and the DJs for playing the theme from Trapdoor. But shiney medals and firm hanshakes have to go to tonights headliners- Dogs.

They truly are the leaders of the pack, inspiring full on mosh pittage, crowd surfing and jailbait groupies. Plus they geneorusly donated the 'Quote of the day' when, two songs in, Johnny Dogs demurely announces "Fuck. I think I just puked up a bit in my mouth" - I'd suggest laying off the Stella Mr Cooke - it's bad JuJu in a can.

For your very own feel good factor just click here and give up a little cash money for a very good cause... Cancer Research UK

And for a proper review of tonights event (courtesy of JoFringey) scroll down...

Jo Said:

DOGS @ 93 Feet East

2005-10-30T22:00:00.000Z

CEKI mini fest charity event in aid of Cancer Research.

Fringey quite likes gigs, and sometimes its good to know that you’re in for a guaranteed treat. Ever since we went to see DOGS at the 100 club they’ve been consistently good and we know that Johnny Dogs will give it up for us each and every time. This time it was for CHARITY! An all day mini fest of various bands based in London - hurrah!

We arrived late, but just in time to see MOBROWN do their thing, not exactly what we were expecting, but with the Eddie Veder vocals, a slap bass and a two armed guitar, not seen since the heady days of Slash and Guns’n’Roses, we liked their slightly funky groove. Next up, ROSEMARY, with familiar sounding guitars - but unusual vocal stylings. The main singing chap was not affecting a cockney accent, or indeed a mid Atlantic drawl. Hurrah! But then some bastard was heard to say “oh – he sounds like the Levellers!” And once it was out there, it could not be taken back.

THE ALPS - pretty tight and did quite a few chart friendly tunes (nodding in the direction of Franz Ferdinand). This coupled with an exceptionally cheekboned bass player, probably means that they could become one of those indie pop crossover bands. Not bad.

And the HOLLOWAYS were lots better than expected, but we’d heard that they were crap, so expectations were low. They immediately got us on side by coming on stage in (absolutely filthy!) bras - breast cancer charity - geddit! They were cheery cheeky chaps who bounced around and happily played their particular brand of oik rock into extra time, filling the gap when the ROCKS cancelled. I’m sure I heard a couple of good tunes in there as well.

THEE UNSTRUNG, inexplicably at the top of the support tree today, made a god awful racket, dispensing with their one good song – 'Psycho' – very early on. Although Luce swears she may have heard another ok tune in there. (Shes more charitable than I am.) I guess it’s sometimes a case of who you know and not what you know and they are the definitive sub standard libertines wannabe band. There was a small group of Dogs fans in the audience that night – we’ll call them Johnny’s Bitches – who made us laugh when they started loudly singing Dogs songs halfway through the Thee Unstrung set. Well done.

Johnny's Bitches continued to entertain us by singing along to the chorus of every song the dj played. And then when DOGS finally came on stage they created their own mini mosh pit. Bless, but I really wanted them to land on their heads each time they dived. Johnny pretty much ignored them, stage interlopers are power for the cause in a Dogs show, and got on with spitting out the now familiar bruised and bitter songs. Seeming a bit unwell when he kicked off - with 'London Bridge', by the time they finished up with 'Heading For An Early Grave', he really did look near death. Oh dear. But I’ve never seen the Dogs slack off and tonight was no exception, it was blood, sweat and tears all the way. Even if it was just a charity gig at the relatively small 93 Feet. We were also treated to a new song - something about stones being bullets - so nice to know that they'll be slinging new material at us sometime in the future.

Dogs will be playing ULU in December. I guess Fringey will end up popping along to that one as well.

Dogs at the Scala

Beat Your Root Night

2005-10-27T23:00:00.000+01:00

Adventures In The Beetroot Field- Seated Club @ KOKO 27/10/05

If I had to choose one word to sum up this evening of film, theatre & music it would be "W**k"

Tonight we were 'treated' (amongst other things) to a short film in which serveral men w**ked into plastic cups, another involving a man w**king into a blow up doll and a theatre piece with several men w**king in a public toilet. And when people weren't having a good ol' tug it was phallic imagery a-go-go. The best display of which was in a truly stunning/terrifying Chris Cunnighamesque film called Eels - if you have a chance to see it see it

Now please don't think my problem with tonight is that I found any of this shocking or in poor taste (it takes quite a bit more than a few toss pots to shock my much marred mind). No the problem is that that size does matter and 600 people in KOKO was simply too big making it all feel a bit impersonal and disjointed.

My advice? Next time stick it in the back room of a pub with about 100 people and I'll definitely come...

Jo Said:

The Seated Club @ Koko

2005-10-27T22:30:00.000+01:00

You know they just might have gotten away with it. Yes, the venue was probably too big and the drinks too expensive – like an awards ceremony without the awards. But the films were interesting, the performances unusual and, even if they weren’t that brilliant, it gave everyone at the table something to talk about. Yep, the Beetroot Field people very nearly got away with putting on an ok night out.

But: 'Adem presents the Assembly'? For the love of christ - why?

Stuck on right at the end of the night, when our defenses were at their weakest (I guess they had to clear the room somehow), it was essentially some music therapy, masquerading as entertainment. The whole thing was haphazard and shoddily put together. 15 minutes of “acoustic mass-improvisation group open to all. Many players have never played an instrument before, some people are from bands, some are classical virtuosos with no experience of improvising.” - No kidding.

And those 15 minutes - seemed a lot longer on the night. Eat Your Own Ears indeed. By the end of the performance the 30 odd “virtuosos” on the stage were the only people applauding, (themselves and each other!) - the volume certainly wasn’t coming from the audience. It was the worst kind of lazy pretentious toss and spoiled what would have otherwise been a good night. The gits.

(BTW – the Eels short film gave me nightmares. I’m not sure what this means.)

Double Dandies

2005-10-26T22:59:00.000+01:00

Dandy Warhols at Cargo on 30th August and then at the Hammersmith Palais on 26th October.

Dandies are back and they're older, but are they wiser? At Cargo we get the opportunity to get quite up close to the band, it is tiny (they also hang out in the beer garden beforehand). Sauntering on stage looking louche, jaded and slightly sleazy, it takes a few songs for the band to warm up. Pre album release, it was pretty much a greatest hits set list, with a handful of new songs thrown in. They were ripping off Duran Duran years before the Killers. A greatest hits setlist is a pretty good prospect!

They are also quite ambivalent about their own audience, at one point Courtney pointed out that if they’d released ‘Last High’ now instead of 2 ½ years ago there would have been "a lot more assholes in here than there are now.” After a collective “!!!” from the audience he did a sly little wink, knees turned to jelly, and it was all ok again. By the end Courtney’s voice completely gave out during ‘Smoke it’ and that was it. For this show.

The Hammersmith Palais gig was part of the official tour and now we’ve all heard the new album. Its unfortunate that, apart from a handful of songs, the new stuff sucks quite a bit. People were visibly bored when they launched into some of the new songs, but they always pulled it back with a 'Get Off', 'Last Junkie' or 'Bohemian'. Having said that, the prog guitar wig outs were quite fun to watch, but the 1 ½ hour set seemed to filled with .. um filler!

Extra bonus points came when Courtney got his top off quite early on in the set, but this didn’t distract us from the fact that his voice is cracked beyond belief.

Have the Dandies learned anything? Perhaps too much musical freedom is a bad thing, but if you cut Taylor Taylor in half it would say “sex, drugs and rock & roll” all the way through.

We Love Scientists @ 93 Feet East

2005-10-17T23:00:00.001+01:00

WE ARE SCIENTISTS have seized our very MINDS!

Oh how much does Fringey love the geeks?! And they give us BADGES and STICKERS hurrah! We are SO easily bought!

But first the support bands, where we discovered what a massive influence the Futureheads have been in the last year or so. We’re still wading through the Libertines wannabes, and yet here are the Motorettes “borrowing” entire riffs from the ‘heads, copying their vocal stylings and putting it all through a Blink 182 blender!!! I only wish I was joking.

If that’s the wrong way to do it then ROLAND SHANKS found the right way. Yes they also obviously own copies of some ‘heads cds (both Future and Talking) and maybe a bit of the Cure and we started off wanting to hate them. (Mostly because the singer looks a bit square - not geeky square, but physically box like - he was not the skinny-long-hair we felt should be fronting a band like this.) But they looked like they were having such a great time up there, that we ended up willing them to succeed. And then, right at the end, they covered ‘Great Escape’ – bless.

Then FINALLY (why the long wait boys) we get the indie power pop of WE ARE SCIENTISTS!

Geeky, Beardy and ummm.. Cute(??) come on a bit late but get straight into it - tune after catchy tune - they also do a nice sideline in amusing, between song banter to keep us entertained. Not that I was bored, although Luce did get a bit distracted by boys from other bands who were in the audience. (she’s quite fickle you know). Yes there are elements of HHH and the YYY’s in their music, so not breaking new ground here, but they do catchy pop tunes that make you bounce.

Deep down I was always more Smash Hits than Melody Maker anyway.

So there.

Luce Said: