I'd not realised the last time I'd updated this was November! There have been a few CDs of note arrived in the post since, but I'll leave them until later. For now, a 60-day gig round-up...
OldSolar and theonewhoflew at Stereo. I reviewed this for The List so maybe it'd be asier to post that review up here somewhere. Maybe later. I love OldSolar's really delicate take on soundscapery and pop and loud/quiet and everything else, their new album should be a cracker. theonewhoflew contrasts, an acoustic act of course, and a one-man-band (the mouth organ confirming this). The similarity is in the (again) delicate songs and the decided poppiness of some of his material - not a criticism however!
I'm looking at the diary and am not rightly sure if there were loads more gigs I never actually noted. Teenage Fanclub did John Cavanagh's Pink Floyd booklaunch at Mono, covering Interstellar Overdrive and others (this one is reviewed in The List too). It's also in the Winter edition of is this music? -go buy a copy, you cheapskates, as the site's even more infrequently updated than this one...
On a Glasgow indie alumni tip, the BMX Bandits played in East Kilbride (as had the Pastels some months before). Norman Blake was in the audience too, having co-written a song on the Bandits new album. High point however was a version of Green Grow The Rushes (traditional Scottish folk song updated for 80's janglepop).
I'm realising that I actually need to do reviews for the next itm? anyway so I'll just say that a drummerless Boy Cartographer were pretty good at the Note (considering their set was largely improvised) while the Flying Matchstick Men were pretty awesome, very punk rock compared to the feel of their album. And Deerhoof - well, after one song I'd expected a lot of 'angular' post-rock nonsense, but they suddenly kicked in, a yelping Japanese singer battling against one of the most dextrous drummers I think I've ever seen.
At some point I saw Macrocosmica at Sleazys and the ROCKED MIGHTILY and took time to puzzle over how they were in support slot. Though not to metal-oriented bands, to be fair. Mono are from Japan and as is the wont of that nation, they provided a precise replica of Mogwai's back catalogue, only in minature (i.e. wall-of-noise wigouts all clocking in at under 10 minutes). Some of the audience, perhaps to be fair having not seen his kind of thing live before, were rather blown away by the wholething. Seattle's Kinski, sadly (as they seemed like a nice bunch) were, well, ok, and received ok too, but thir take on mid-period Sonic Youth was kind of disjointed and lacking any particular direction. Not a bad gig by any means, maybe I'm just getting gig fatigue (I think there had been 4 shows in as many days by this point).
TBC turned up again at the Winchester Club Xmas party which saw a mamoth 8 (?) acts. Other highlights - the Poppadums with full brass section, a very nervous fella called Red Bull Ken (?) doing a comedy Darkness xmas song, the Gone Aways with some accomplished acoustic impressiveness, some celebrities including Gary Snow Patrol applauding loudly at the Hector Collectors (during one of their false endings), a bloke dressed as a wizard and doing a great 'I Believe in Father Chrisdtmas' until his tuning went up the spout, and the Zephyrs version of 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'. Though pride of place went to Sons and Daughters - uber-fashionable, but somehow still enjoyable, a full-band skiffle-cum-garage rock thrashabout.
This is getting a bit long but there were 2 further Xmas gigs, if you don't count the is this music? party at the Note, which was great with Projekt A-ko doing a briliiant set and Kasino also taking the care to rock out in such indie-oriented company. A great time and some pies were had by all. Anyway, Huckleberry/Lapsus/Moniack at the Cafe Royal (that one'll be in The List too, I believe) and the Traveled Music show at the Venue. This boasted the Stick Finlays (pretty convincing grunge, Cayto (even more angular classical-metal hybrid than before) and Eastern Lane, who I hope haven't missed the punkpop bandwagon as they have a bunch of big ideas and catchy tunes in a Strokesey vein.  ¶ 3:16 PM

  well, the first blog of 2004. Maybe the last, who knows? Certainly actually remembering to update this damn thing seems to be the hardest bit. I shall set the blog entry page as my homepage in the browser which may act as some encouragement to type up my thoughts when I start the computer up. At 7am. Or maybe not.
Have just spent some time faffing around with my xmas present, a couple of CD decks which should make the process of recording Fallout (www.radiomagnetic.com, Tuesdays, 4.30-6pm GMT, music fans) somewhat easier. Once I've figured out how to operate this hulk of baffling technology it should make the shows that bit more relaxed and hopefully I can actually enjoy putting together the first one of the year this weekend (though recording directly to mp3 is something I'll leave for later). Expect The Magnificents, Gasgiant and some remixes of My Legendary Girlfriend to feature...  ¶ 2:55 PM