Video of the day (Tigercats - Full Moon Reggae Party)

My dear friends in the super awesometastic band Tigercats are currently on tour in Europe. A few weeks ago, they released this beautiful video, hand-drawn and animated by singer/main song-writer Duncan Barrett.

It's a stunning piece of art. Be aware, tho. It contains cartoon nipples!

Tigercats' debut album Isle Of Dogs is released on 9th April on Fika Recordings.

Tigercats website
Fika Recordings website

Top-10 gigs of 2011

Here goes...the ten best/most memorable gigs I've been to this year.

10. Let's Wrestle (26th February 2011, The Victory)
This one was a hard one to decide on. I've been to so many great shows this year...but there can only be ten in a top-10. Maybe it's unfair to pick a gig that I can't really remember much of...all I know is that I had a lot of fun. It was dirty, smelly and hideously cramped but I was too drunk to care. I'm pretty sure it was awesome!

9. The Death Set (13th April 2011, Old Blue Last)
The show that almost didn't happen. The Death Set were meant to play the night before, but had to cancel because of some transport issues. I can't remember happened exactly, but they didn't get to the venue in time for curfew anyway. Luckily, the venue managed to find a slot for them the following night. It was my first time seeing them live and it was just as great as I'd imagined.

8. Withered Hand, Standard Fare and Tigercats (9th February 2011, Catch)
The only show I promoted this year, but it sure was a good one. It didn't matter that it was unbelievably packed, uncomfortable and almost impossible to see anything. All three bands were incredible that night.

7. Allo Darlin' (Greg's garden)
I've seen Allo Darlin' play all sorts of venues this year, but this was probably the one I enjoyed the most. Playing in the garden at a friend's birthday party, the band came alive in a different way than normal. I love how these kind of small shows makes bands relax and just have fun.

6. Half Japanese (31st May 2011, The Scala)
I had seen Half Japanese play an amazing show in Barcelona just a couple of days earlier, but this was even better. Everything was spot on. They played all the the songs I wanted to hear and Jad made full use of his amazing bendy guitar.

And with support from Let's Wrestle and The Lovely Eggs of course this was an awesome evening!

5. Times New Viking, Veronica Falls (3rd May 2011, XOYO)
This was a great night. I hadn't seen Veronica Falls for a long time and was really excited about hearing some new stuff. They certainly didn't disappoint and I rememeber being blown away by how great they were live. Times New Viking are always awesome and this show was no different. To finish off a great set they tried to play Fuck Her Tears (one of my favorite tracks on the new record) twice, before giving up. The guitar strings just couldn't handle it and snapped during the intro both times. Great end to an awesome show.

4. Humousexual (25th February 2011, Andrew's living room in Notting Hill)
Now this is what I'm talking about! It doesn't get much better than a proper bedroom show. Humousexual in a small bedroom, playing to just a handful of people. This was very special indeed.

3. Japanther (14th February 2011, Tufnell Park Dome)

I've seen Japanther five or six times and it's never been less than amazing. This show in North London was one of the best. The atmosphere was just unbelievable. Not many bands can get a London crowd going like these guys can.

2. Math The Band x 3 (Guildford/Harlow/Tunbridge Wells, October 2011)

I'd been wanting to see Math The Band for a looooong time and I never expected to have to thank Wheatus for finally making it happen. Kevin and Justine were invited to join the more-than-just-a-little-older-than-teenage dirtbags on an insane UK tour that lasted something ridiculous like five weeks.

I skipped the London show and instead decided to visit some nearby towns and venues I'd never been to. It was weird and great on so many different levels. Great to see one of my favorite bands play to a packed venue...weird that it was happening in Harlow, Guildford and Tunbridge Wells....and even weirder that they were supporting Wheatus, a band that played my University graduation ball ten years ago!

Anyway, every single show was great and the only thing I regret now is not going to more of them.

Finally...

1. Weezer (6th July 2011, Brixton Academy)
I know Weezer doesn't really need the publicity and in general I tend to prefer smaller gigs, so this might come as a surprise. But, the thing is...Weezer at Brixton Academy was just unbelievably AMAZING!

Just look at the setlist! (from http://lullabyforwayne.blogspot.com)

Reading that makes me want to go to that show again and again and again and again...you get the point. And Male Bonding were supporting! Best gig of 2011. FACT!

That's it. My ten gigs of 2011. Many awesome shows have been left out. Other incredible gigs that spring to mind are Proper Ornaments at Power Lunches, Pulp in Hyde Park, Enfant Bastard in Edinburgh, Cloud Nothings at CAMP Basement, Omi Palone at Duke Of Uke, Best Friends Forever and The Middle Ones at the Old Blue Last, Anguish Sandwich at Indietracks, Spaghetti Tree weekend in Peckham (with Japanther, Please, John Maus etc) and the awesomeness that was Primavera Sound in Barcelona.

Bring on 2012! I noticed on Songkick that my teenage heroes Guttermouth are playing in London in March. I might have to go, just for old times' sake. One of the first big concerts I ever went to was to see them support The Offspring in Gothenburg in 1994. Shit, I feel old.

Vostok 5 gig (Hexicon, Darren Hayman, Tigercats at The Wilmington Arms)

Last night all the artists behind the Vostok 5 art project performed with their respective bands at the Wilmington Arms. It was a great night, awesome music, packed with people and a lovely atmosphere. Below are a few photos of Hexicon, Darren Hayman and Tigercats (Fever Dream and Robert Rotifer also played).

Video of the day (Tigercats - Banned At The Troxy)

Here's a video I made recently for Tigercats upcoming single Banned At The Troxy. It should be available any day now from WeePOP! Records. Actually it might already be. Anyway...the video...does it have astronauts in it? Yup! Satanism? Indeed! Ice cream? Oh yeah! Totally awesometastic indiepop? Most definitely!

Tigercats live (Betsey Trotwood, London - 5th May 2011)

Tigercats put on an amazing show at The Betsey Trotwood last night. They really are one of the best bands London have to offer at the moment, both live and on record. They have a beautiful seven-inch picture disc coming out soon on WeePOP! Records and the A-side, Banned At The Troxy, is an incredible song. You should get it. Best place is probably from the WeePOP website, where it should be available shortly.

Below are a few photos and a video from last night...the sound on the recording gets worse and worse as the Cats get louder and louder. Sorry about that.

Withered Hand, Standard Fare and Tigercats live (Catch, 9th February 2011)

Putting on shows can be extremely stressful. I tend to panic for months in advance about not selling enough tickets or, in the case of last night, panic about selling too many. Last night's show should really have been at a bigger venue, but it just didn't work out that way. I do think it's quite nice seeing bands play different places, though, and with venues closing all over London it's nice to support the smaller ones and spread it out a little. I hadn't been upstairs at Catch for about five years and I was a little terrified when I saw the size of the place, knowing how many tickets I'd sold. But, but...it all worked out in the end. Managers/owners were all amazing, very accommodating and helped it all run smoothly. It was pretty damn mobbed in there, but I much rather see a band play a packed smaller venue than a half-full big one.

Anyway, the show. Three of my favorite bands in one night. It was just as great as I hoped it would be.

Tigercats kicked off the evening, playing a bunch of new songs, that I really can't wait to hear on record. Word on the street is that a bunch of new songs have been recorded/mixed and that a weePOP! seven-inch is happening in the not-too-distant future.



Next up was Standard Fare, a band that's impossible not to love. Their songs are just so fucking good. And the songs from the new single sounds amazing as well (you can and should buy it here)


Finally, Withered Hand. The third time I'd seen them in as many months, but I could really watch them every night. They are sooooo good.



Instead of just always apologizing for the terrible sound/video quality I should really just get myself a better video recordery thingymabob. One day. Anyway, here's a clip from last night of Love In The Time of Ecstacy


A brilliant night. Thanks to all the bands for playing. And thanks to the crowd for squeezing together and being all lovely.

The next Records Make Great Pets night!

So, I'm putting on a show on 9th February at Catch in Shoreditch, so put it in your diaries. It's a rather awesometastic line-up, so I definitely think you should round up all your friends and come join the fun. Duncan from Tigercats have made this awesome flyer!

Tickets are on sale now at http://www.wegottickets.com/event/101876 for the bargain price of £6!

Tigercats, Allo Darlin' and Magic Kids!

Some gig and post-gig photos from the Tigercats/Allo Darlin'/Magic Kids show at Barfly last Friday!

Video of the day (Tigercats - Easter Island)

I've been neglecting this blog thingymabob recently. To tell you the truth, I've just mainly been too busy working and watching horror films. So there. It's a hard life, but somebody has to do it. There should be some excitement coming up though. I'm going to the End Of The Road Festival tomorrow, so you can expect heaps of photos....if I don't freeze to death of course. Then, there are also at least two bands currently responding to interview requests, so that'll be fun.

For now, another video...this time from Tigercats, whose second single Easter Island is just as awesome as their previous one. They are playing at the Underbelly in Hoxton tonight, so if you're in the area you should pop along. Apparently, they're supporting a death metal/hardcore band....which means that the promoter has done some great research into compiling the bill.

Anyway, new video. Tigercats are GO!

More Tigercats...

Tigercats myspace