The Things That We Leave Behind

Going away on a big trip is extremely exciting but it also has a few downsides. I will miss My Geek and Poppy Cat. I will miss a month’s worth of lovely social gatherings. I will miss seeing a very dear friend tying the knot with his beloved. I will miss two good friends celebrating yet another year of life.

I will also miss far too much really amazing live music.

After a dire month of Guitar Hero inspired bands filling the moshpits with a horrendous noise, February is going to be one of the best months of live music that Brighton has ever seen. I’m fighting not to fling things around the room in despair.

These are the bands that I’ll be missing:

Polysics	A fantastic Japanese punk pop band with video game bleeps and matching uniforms. They do completely mad and pump arse covers of My Sharona and Wild One. Seeing them live is like going on an adventure.
Robots In Disguise	I’m not sure if any of their songs are actually good, but they are brilliantly mad and in the music biz. They’ve got to be worth a pop. More matching costumes!
The Death Set	Like Bearsuit and Help She Can’t Swim on pop laced amphetamines. They take the songs that little step further and fill me with rebellious energy. I think that they’ll be absolutely ace live. They are 'The Motherfucking Death Set'.
The Pistolas	Another great band from Norwich and I love the Norwich music scene. Once again I am drawn to mention Bearsuit. And Hyperkinako! The Pistolas do dirty dance floor punk. The output of Simian Mobile Disco and Klaxons sounds like a series of lame wanks in comparison.
Adam Freeland	Dirty bleeping says it all. Freeland takes me on a slow grinding trip into a dark but jolly place.
Jaymay	If I was able to see all the above acts, then this would chill me out afterwards. I have the Sea Green, Sea Blue EP and it takes me to a gentle place.
Fuck Buttons	These guys blew me away at Truck Festival last year. It was the best wall of sound that I have ever heard and will probably ever hear in my entire life.
Turin Brakes	They’ve had some brilliant moments and some terminally dull ones. If I got to see Future Boy live it would make me very very happy.
Los Campesinos	Oh yeah, I’m an indie punk pop kid. Did I mention that? They are my roots through and through and Los Campesinos sparkle with indie punk pop sounds.
I Was A Cub Scout	Soft indie that I’m yet to decide on, but haven’t dismissed yet. Is it too plain and wet for me?
Elle S'Appelle	I’ve been trying to hear more of Elle S'Appelle’s recordings for a while now. I saw them do a fine live set via the interweb. They are like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs crossed with German punk pop. They sometimes slip into the kind of talentless discordance that The Futureheads drown in, but perhaps Elle S'Appelle do it just enough to be punk and not enough to sound bloody awful. The Futureheads only made one good song and that was Robot. I have spoken.
Mike Park	Well, his influences include Eliot Smith, Billy Bragg, Bob Marley, Pedro the Lion, Operation Ivy and Simon and Garfunkel. I like all of them. In Mike Park’s own words ‘This World is Fucked’. And, of course, as Jarvis says ‘Cunts are still Running’ it. I like Mike Park and sometimes I like Jarvis too.
Nouvelle Vague	A mental easy listening style pop covers band. ‘Too Drunk to Fuck’ just sounds plain weird when they play it. ‘Ever Fallen in Love’ has been on my playlist for a while. Too be honest it could be a little freaky seeing them live. But, freaky is good isn’t it?
Vampire Weekend	Indie mixed with Afro-pop. I heard their album for the first time this week and I want to hear it again. I’m going to listen to it right now. It’s really tops. It’s indie at its best; sad lyrics and happy tunes.
Fanfarlo	The other perfect indie folk mix; sweet melodic songs that touch you in your sad place. Lovely, just lovely.
XXTeens	If you want some good advice about not being a victim of terrorism then this is your band. Only one song is carrying them into 2008, and it’s certainly worth the ride. I listen to the song daily to remind myself of how not to die at the hands of Osama Bin Laden. It's the kind of thing that I constantly fret over. Ooo, the terrorists are coming; quick hide under the sofa.

On the bright side, I understand that kwela music is rather popular where I'm going. My favourite kwela song is by Positively Testcard. It’s called ‘Uptrain to Kwelaville’.

It’s time to stop being sad. I’m catching the Uptrain to Kwelaville. You can see lions and giraffes from one of the trains that I’m going on. I’m going to see so many amazing things. If you happen to be in one of the above bands, then please come and play in Brighton again soon. In the meantime, I’m going be dancing to the good old penny whistle. Wahey, wahey and hooray for the good old penny whistle!