Videos of the day - Best Fwends

What happened to Best Fwends? I haven't heard anything since SxSW last year? I defintely think the world needs them.

Best Fwends - Dream Off



Best Fwends - Blood

Best gigs of 2010

2010 has been an incredible year for gigs. I have seen so many amazing bands in so many amazing places and organising them into any sort of ranking would just be impossible. Below is a list of the ten gigs that sticks out in my head for one reason or another. Photos by me, unless ptherwise specified.

Japanther and Ninjasonik @ Hoodstock, NYC, USA - 22nd May 2010
This was an insane night. Incredible bands, playing in amazing space.


(photo by Rebecca Smeyne, Village Voice)

Loads of photos from the night can be found here.
Village Voice slide show from the night, with more photos


Nana Grizol – The Silent Barn, NYC, USA - 4th June 2010
It's hard to go wrong with such an amazing band, playing in such a small quirky "venue".



Andrew Jackson Jihad – The Gaff, London - 8th October 2010
They've been around for ages, but I only really discovered AJJ this year. If two people using only a double bass and an acoustic guitar can get a massive moshpit started in North London, they are definitely doing something right. Great show.



Jad Fair – The Salvage Vanguard Theatre, Austin, USA - 14th March 2010
I stumbled upon this show by accident. I'm a huge Half Japanese fan, so seeing Jad play was a very special treat indeed.



Withered Hand – The Wilmington Arms, London – 22nd January 2010
The first show I put on this year and a roaring success, despite equipment issues and the venue being too small for the demand. An incredible show.



Times New Viking, Pavement ATP, 14th May 2010
ATP was all about Pavement, but in levels of fun Times New Viking was hard to beat. From the first distorted note to the very last, the whole venue was just one giant moshpit of smiley happy people.


Trouble Books – The Betsey Trotwood, 14th September 2010
I have nothing to compare it to, so I don't know if this was particularly great Trouble Books show. One thing is certain, though - I absolutely adore this band and seeing them in the tiny Betsey Trotwood basement was always going to be special. It was the first time I'd seen them and I doubt they'll be back any time soon.



Best Fwends – Houston, USA - 13th March 2010
I was jet-lagged, drunk and lost in the weird and not especially wonderful world that is Houston, Texas. Best Fwends were running around like crazy, screaming along to a backing track of bleepy electro-punk and wrestling giant inflatable gargoyles. Obviously this was absolutely amazing.



Allo Darlin' – British Music Embassy, Austin, USA - 20th March 2010
I've seen Allo Darlin' over 30 times this year, but the one that sticks out in my memory is this early day-time show in Austin. It was great atmosphere, with free food and a free bar and the band just played a perfect set.



Les Savy Fav, Electric Ballrom, London – 22nd November 2010
What can I say? You had to be there. Absolutely insane.


Photo by Tim Boddy. More here.

It's on! - Texas, Day One - Best Fwends

So, my South by South West adventures have begun. Landed in Houston at around 1pm and spent most of the day just exploring the area. Looks like a nice place actually. There's a bunch of nice bars on Westheimer, along with a shitload of vintage clothes shops and thrift stores. Originally, I was going to go to the rodeo for that true Texas experience, but I got hold of a "what's on" type of magazine and saw that Best Fwends were playing at Mango's. So, I checked out a bunch of bars, had some food, spent an insane amount of money on beer and eventually went to the show.

I don't really know Best Fwends that well. I listened to their album a few times when I first got it, but it was always just a bit too loud and messy. Last night, though, after 28 hours of no sleep, a ten hour flight and plenty of beer, they hit just the right spot. Singing (well, screaming) along to a back-up track of 8-bit bleeps and fast beats and dancing with two giant inflatable gargoyles, it was...just a bit insane and an awesome start to the week! Unfortunately, in state of drunken confusion I deleted both of the two videos I shot of the band. Ah well. Might well go and see them again during the week.

Alright, Austin's calling.

Austin...here I come

OK, so it's almost time. In about 23 hours or so I'll be on a plane to sunny Texas, home of Dallas the TV series, erm Dallas the city, a bunch of gun nuts and one of the most famous indie music festivals in the world, South by South West or SxSW if you prefer.

SxSW, eh. It's a monster of a festival and navigating the festival website in order to create a schedule is quite a task. There's so much going on and everything seems to clash. But, I guess that's the way of most music festivals.

My SxSW so far:

Sunday 14th March - Tuesday 16th March - I'll just be bumming around the city trying to catch a movie or two at the SxSW Film Festival which is also on.

Wednesday 17th March

The Muffs, back in the days

The music starts! This is the day of Allo Darlin's main showcase show, which takes place at 11:10pm at The Tap Room at Six....so the place is called Six, that's not a time. How confubbling. I have no idea where anything is in Austin, but in an ideal world I'll manage to catch French actress-turned-mega-hyped-then-completely-disappeared-only-to-reappear-this-year-singer-songwriter-songwriter Soko at 8pm. At midnight old-school pop punkers The Muffs are playing. Probably won't make it to that, although it would be awesome.

Thursday 18th March

Math The Band

Busy, busy, busy evening. Trying to catch crazy electro pop loonies The TerrorPigeon Dance Revolt at 7:30 and will most likely hang on in that same venue for some riotous chiptune/8bit pop madness from Math The Band at 10:30. Mega clash follows with Adam Green, Dum Dum Girls, Beach Fossils, Roky Erickson and Man or Astro-Man? all playing at the same time (midnight-ish), but they all might have to be missed in order to ensure I get in to see Japanther at 1am. It's been over two years since I saw those guys and their new album is absolutely amazing, so I really don't want to miss that.

Japanther at Barden's Boudoir, London (March 2008)

Friday 19th March

Grass Widow

Another crazy eveing. A Say Hi solo show at 7:45, followed by Quasi at 11 and Grass Widow at midnight. Hoping to finish off the night with either Les Savy Fav, Liars or The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, who again, all are playing at the same time.

Saturday 20th March

Best Fwends

This will be a tricky day, since Allo Darlin are playing three shows. I might have to sneak away from at least one of those, casue there's alot of other stuff on. Kimya Dawson at 3pm, Best Fwends at 10pm, The Wave Pictures at midnight and Liars or No Age at 1am.

Eek. That's alot of music. I expect to miss most of the planned things and see alot of random things instead, but I feel very organised having a plan. OK...no sleep for eight days.....GO!