After a week of live music I didn't really think I could handle any more for a while. I had decided to stay home despite the amazing triple-bill lined up by Upset The Rhythm at the Scala. But, but, but...that line-up! Seriously. How could I not go? So, of course we went.
The Lovely Eggs were great, rocking harder than I think I've ever seen them before. Maybe it was the influence of Jad Fair sitting on stage and watching.
Let's Wrestle were LOUD! They are always going to be great, but it really is a band I want to see in a dirty basement and not the Scala. They didn't seem to go down too well (someone even threw a beer at Wes) with the strangely passive crowd, but they soldiered on. Despite having just released a record in the last month, they managed to play a selection of even newer songs.
Finally, the legendary Half Japanese. I saw them at Primavera on Friday and they were one of the highlights of the festival. Last night was even better. An incredible set, they played many of the classics. Red Dress, Secret and Firecracker...they were all there. The absolute highlight though was the incredible performance of I'll Change My Style. Absolutely brilliant!
In the end I was so glad I went. I even slipped Jad a copy of the Fika cassette that has the song Jad Fair Drew Me A Duck on it. I wonder if he'll listen to it?
Just some phone mobile photos from last night. Hexicon were great as usual, we played a rather shambolic show and The Lovely Eggs were awesome. All in all a lovely evening.
Thunder Rains and Elizabeth
Hexicon
The Lovely Eggs
I do have some longer posts coming up with photos and tales of awesomeness from the Allo Darlin/Smittens European tour. Stay tuned.
The Lovely Eggs are bloody brilliant. And they're playing in London tonight at the Buffalo Bar. You should go and see them. That's about it. Have a great weekend!
That's it. Indietracks 2009 is over. Three days of far too much booze and not enough sleep...but also three days of amazing fun and great music. I must say I was a bit worried beforehand, with Elefant Records being involved and all that. I guess I feared that with bigger names on the bill, it just wouldn't be as nice and cosy this year. But, in the end it was pretty damn awesome again. Sure, I missed some things, but then some things were improved, so you know...you win some, you lose some. I missed the spontaneous late-night platform gigs from last year, but we did them in the marquee instead, so it didn't really matter. And no tea tent (meaning no tea tent gig surprises) either. Anyway, it was an ace weekend.
Some personal highlights...
Friday is a bit of a blur, but I did have an awesome time. I remember catching bits of Au Revoir Simone and they sounded lovely. Caught up with the Smittens gang and we all danced like loons to cheesy 80's pop classics in the shed. I went to the bathroom and heard Dream Bitches' Maniacal Mechanic being played in the marquee, which made me develop a giant cheese-eating grin. I love that song. In there, I remember drunkenly wondering whether the flourescent tubes on the table in the marquee were tubes of sherbet or glow sticks. I soon found out that they were full of sugary goodness. Oh and Silke gave me a Pop Kombinat tote bag. Yay! Back to the tent for drinking and funness.
Saturday was when it really started. It was hard leaving Little My in the middle of their set, but I just had to see Let's Whisper on the train. And they were awesome.
Dana and Colin on the platform before the show.
I'm sure they get awfully tired of always getting requests for the ice cream song, but it still makes me so happy.
I LIKED YOU BETTER WHEN YOU WERE EATING ICE CREAM!! LALALALALALA!
The rest of the Saturday went by quickly. The Lovely Eggs were rather brilliant in the church, despite the fact that they didn't play their amazing Christmas song. I guess it was July. Tender Trap were great on the main stage. Watched from Camera Obscura from afar whilst eating a yummy curry.
The Tender Trap gang
Malcolm from Eagleowl (who were sadly not playing)
After working a bit on the merch stand and watching Emmy The Great, it was time for my highlight of the day, the "secret" marquee gig. Members from One Happy Island, The Smittens, The Just Joans, Allo Darlin and Moustache of Insanity took it in turns to play a song or two to a packed tent.
This was seriously amazing....
Afterwards we headed back to the campsite and finally managed to get into the disco tent. Dancing, dancing, drinking, drinking....then eventually...sleep.
Sunday and I started getting nervous pretty much immediately. What if nobody would show to our train show?
Bill Moustache in front of the wheely thing.
Anyway, we watched a bit of The Smittens and headed to the platform. To our surprise the place was packed. The train was early but we all piled on. Our set seemed to go down well. When the train came back to the platform, we realised we had taken the wrong train and there was even more people waiting for us.....so we stayed on the train and played another set for them. It was much quieter, but also really nice. All in all I think we played for one hour and ten minutes and got through 19 songs. That was quite some PRS form to fill in.
Sadly this meant we missed the Talulah Gosh set, but you know....these things happen.
After the giant set we dropped of our stuff I got back to merch tent and realised that pretty much all our records had been sold. Woo zaa!
And then....one of the big highlights of the weekend. Art Brut in the shed. AMAZING!
Elizabeth and Pete
Elizabeth and The Smittens trying to decide whether to brave the rain for Teenage fanclub.
We were a bit wimpy and had an early night...no more dancing.
Elizabeth playing football with Little My.
Monday....all over....brekkie...packing up a soggy tent....
365 days or so to go to the next one.
Thank you Stuart and everyone involved for an incredible weekend.
I'm Nik, a Swede in the wonderful mess that is London. I watch a lot of films and I listen to a lot of music.
I mainly seem to write about films these days, but occasionally I do post about music. If you want me to remove a song, send me an email (recordsmakegreatpets@gmail.com) and I will remove it immediately. If you like what you hear, please support the bands by buying their albums and going to their shows.
