Not a lot About Nothing

It's been surprising cold today. As the day draws to a close, the sun is bright and the sky is blue.

Fabpants Recommends:

I listened to the new Cage the Elephant album 'Thank You, Happy Birthday' once on Wednesday, four times yesterday and I am listening to it RIGHT NOW! Join me. Take the rough with the smooth

The Rough...

Indy Kidz reminds me of The Violent Femmes – Add it Up...




The Smooth

...and Flow is plain lovely.

Fabpants Festival Fever

It's fabulously official. I'm going to Glastonbury Festival, Latitude Festival and Camp Bestival this year.

This month, Brighton has been in full festival mode, with the Brighton Festival, the Brighton Fringe Festival and the Great Escape. I'm so in the festival spirit right now. YEAH BABY. YEAH. This is my season.

This week, I'm most excited about seeing The Great Wall of Vagina by Jamie McCartney. The images, in the programme alone, were a huge eye opener! Wow. All going well, that will be Tuesday’s treat.

For the past three weekends, I've been enjoying street theatre, free exhibitions and - of course - the vibe at large.

As well as enjoying upbeat treats, I would recommend a dip into Evolution of Fearlessness by Lynette Wallworth. It's at the University of Brighton Gallery (Grand Parade). The exhibition pays tribute to women who have survived horrors, such as wars‚ concentration camps or extreme acts of violence.

The exhibit encourages you to walk up to a screen, where each woman - on film - walks towards you. One by one, the women place their hand against yours and communicate with intense eye contact. It's surprisingly moving.

Fabpants Recommends:

I’m attempting (!) to listen to all the bands on the Glastonbury line up this year. Until the big Glastonbury Listening Exercise began, this act had slipped me by completely:

Download MP3: Jenny and Johnny - Animal (courtesy of cortesiadelacasa.com)




Download MP3: Jenny and Johnny - Big Wave (courtesy of whaleinacubicle.com)

Gig Review: What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?

I was babbling with excitement when I saw the programme. I made a little list, and then assertively committed to a plan. To make a Great Escape, one needs a solid strategy.

The Vaccines beat Yuck to the post. I've seen both before, don’t you know!

After finding a spot in The Corn Exchange, I kept it. I was a rubber rock for two bands in a row. I went up and down, but never more than 3 rows back. Outside the queue got longer and longer, wrapping itself round the Royal Pavilion like a drunken barricade. Over a thousand people tried and failed. I'm a jolly lucky thing.

The Vaccines stole the night. Anri Hjorvar raised his arms, clapped, and the night was set. Result!

Release your rhythmic force and the Vaccines won't let you go. Hundreds of ecstatic people threw their inhibitions to the wall. They joined the frenzy of the night.

The sparkling throng bounced against each other, hands reached out to catch the fallen, faces grinned with delight and lungs excitedly gasped. The breaks were short and sweet. That's what I call a gig.

The Vaccines nailed it. In a room of 1200 people, they found their stage presence. Justin Young looked across the room and allowed himself a smile. "What about you sceptics at the back?" he asked, "People couldn't get in because of you."

It must be must be a great relief to live up to the hype.

The Vaccines Set List
Under Your Thumb
Wreckin' Bar
Blow It Up
Wetsuit
Wolf Pack
If You Wanna
All in White
A Lack of Understanding
We’re Happening
Post Break Up Sex
Family Friend
Good Guys (Don’t Wear White) – The Standells Cover
Norgaard

I cycled home FLYING. I wanted to say 'hello' to everyone I saw. I wanted to share my immense feeling of joy. I wanted to make it universal. I was high: so high. The free wristband did that. The Vaccines did that. Signed, sealed and delivered.

Fabpants Recommends:

How can this not make you wanna bounce merrily with hundreds of people?

Download MP3: The Vaccines – Post Break-Up Sex (courtesy of blahblahblahscience.com)

Gig Review: Naked Lunch and Infamous Tea

Following two years of feeling somewhat annoyed, I stopped buying tickets for the Great Escape. Why? Tickets are expensive, the queues are snakes and the auditory delicacy odds are as low as they go.

A free wristband is exactly what you need. I thank my sponsor.

I stood outside The Corn Exchange, 200 people in front of me, 800 behind, with an ever-fattening line. The math was simple: jump in or miss out. Blaggers came, bantered, blended and took lodge. The bulge bubbled with anticipatory glee. Queue jumping elicits a certain charm.

I lost track of who was who: original queue master or charismatic interloper. The retros became a rare breed. One by one, the venue spat out punters and we optimistically took their place.

With a wee in the pot, I headed straight for the front. I had just moments to spare.


The Naked and Famous, Brighton Corn Exchange, 14th May 2011

Ahhh. The Naked and Famous. They were fant-ace-tic! New Zealand has birthed a monumental force and I a new low for wit. It's the ace in the accent.

Feedback united with perfectly formed pop. It roared at the crowd like a majestic lion.

Oh me oh my, that bass. It was so heavy, the ground tingled. It's been a long time since my teeth rattled so. Distortion, rumbling resonance, synth-laden melody and wonderful 'female eats male' harmonies.

Sweep back the hair. Swallow the room with your dark meets light, fuzz greets pop, bass bites grace and the accumulative power of sonic wisdom. Then leave.

I have seen The xx live and you kicked their arse.

Naked and Famous Set List
All of This
Punching In A Dream
A Wolf In Geek's Clothing
The Sun
The Source
No Way
Girls Like You
Young Blood

Fabpants Recommends:

Get 'Passive Me, Aggressive You' this minute... It's an album you WILL worship. For full effect, turn the bass up LOUD and play Arkham Asylum.

Here's my fav:

Download MP3: The Naked and Famous – Girls Like You (theburningear.com)

Gig Review: The Accidental Escape

Last night I came home FLYING. I wanted to say ‘hello’ to everyone I saw. I wanted to share my immense feeling of joy. I wanted to make it universal. I was high: so high. Does anyone over 18 get as high as me without drugs or alcohol? Do you?

Yesterday, I ventured into town, to catch some Brighton Festival magic and to watch Amongst the Pigeons mixing up his own unique blend of sounds and beats, on a stage outside the library. I got more than I bargained for. Amongst the Pigeons not only got the toddlers dancing, he got me a Great Escape wristband. Yeah, baby. I could barely contain my excitement. To top that, the evening was even better than expected. It was IMMENSE.

I watched Hanna at the Odeon, announced ‘That was Ace!’, compared it to the film Species, and within minutes my Great Escape began. The Coalition is just a few minutes from the seafront cinema, and at The Coalition I saw K.Flay (Kristine Flaherty to her ex-teachers) and Foster the People.


K.Flay, Brighton Coalition, 14th May 2011

Is she too weak to be strong for you? Probably not. Forget the nervous breakdowns Flay. I’ve rarely seen a set so tight.

I knew nothing about K.Flay before seeing her at the Coalition. I came out of the loo, and there she was. Before long, I looked about the room. I wanted to make sure my ‘wow face’ was duplicated in other facial forms. It was.

K.Flay chops up and samples tunes, driving the beats and melody with force. Overlaying these, with a gentle tone, she issues rapidly delivered and deliciously crafted sentences. A melodic chorus splices in, to calm the moment, while the verses are trepanned through your skull, and at the end of air, a word becomes a yelp: like a bullet in the head.

K.Flay may have chopped up The Decemberists, to the delight of the indie rockers, but the stand out track was CRAZYtown. K.Flay is now on my radar. I keep hitting ‘download’ on her website.


Foster the People, Brighton Coalition, 14th May 2011

Last year, I was introduced to Foster the People’s Pumped Up Kicks. It’s an absolutely superb track. I checked out more of their songs on the internet. Only Last FM provided at that time. My conclusion was that Foster the People had some way to go to come close to matching Pumped Up Kicks. A friend of mine continued to drool over every track.

I took the opportunity to see Foster the People with relish. They have been compared to MGMT, Vampire Weekend and Passion Pit. Opinion is best based on direct experience, and I like a bit of that.

The first track was Helena Beat, and the beat was surprising fierce. The extra drum, besides the main kit, got a proper smashing. Mark Fosters' falsetto wove in and out. I got the MGMT referencing, but - for me - it lacked the psychedelic grit to break the armour of my heart.

The second track was Miss You. The Vampire Weekend comparisons began to make sense. It’s like a dirty Vampire Weekend that hates all things sugary. At this point, I started to wonder why I don’t like this band as much as I should. Is it that I find the style pretentious, like a falsetto Beck, with 80s rock-dance gusto to boot?

Houdini bounded in: rock-dance drive full throttle. ‘Sometimes I want to disappear’, Foster revealed. I visualised high waxed hair, tight shiny trousers, 90s slacker rap and a tab of acid jazz. A million of middle class dwellings will no doubt pipe Foster the People through their surround sound speakers. I realised why Foster the People and me don’t work. While I can sum it up with one word: Jamiroquai.

I couldn’t fault the beat in Houdini. It caused the drum kit to collapse, and for the rest of the set, two men had a place on either side of the bass drum holding it in place.

While I enjoyed the gig, for t’was a good show, Hustling and Call it What You Want went on to confirm that Foster the People probably aren’t the band for me. When vocal style grates, what can you do?

Pumped Up Kicks was brilliant. I loved it. I then left during their final number. I had a queue to join. More about that tomorrow...

Fabpants Recommends:

Download MP3: K.Flay - CRAZYtown (courtesy of myindienation.com)




Download MP3: K.Flay – 2 Weak (courtesy of theswollenfox.com)




Download MP3: Foster the People - Pumped Up Kicks (laisthenewny.com)

The Wicker Man

Sometimes Brighton steps up and reminds me why I chose to live here.

It's been a good week for it.

At the weekend the Brighton Festival began, as it always does, with the Children's Parade. I didn't stumble across the Children’s Parade this year. When I do, I have to hold back the tears. The sight of small children, parading the streets in homemade fancy dress, touches a silly soft place in my heart.

Instead, I started the festival by visiting three Open Houses. Then, as the weekend drew to a close, I headed to my favourite park in town: St Anne's Well Gardens. Yes, for two nights running, very nook and cranny of the park devoted itself to the magical reverence of fire. Last night, it gently unfolded itself to me.



It was enchanting in every way.

Come back next year Jardin Flambeau. Pretty please.

Mother Effing Death

By reading these pages, you should know that I love The Death Set: The Mother Fucking Death Set! They are as fab as fab can be.

I was gutted when Beau Velasco died of an overdose.

Fear not. While it was very sad, The Death Set continue to generate the most glorious racket known to ears.

This year, The Death Set released an album called Michel Poiccard. It's guaranteed to cause extreme sensory tingling.

My MP3 player is stuck on random. There is no choice and I like it. Unexpected The Death Set equals sudden immense mood elevation.

I get a joyous whack around the head and then my brain euphorically explodes.

The Death Set never fail to provide an endorphin rush. There's nothing like it. I bounce down streets, I grin on trains; a wave of invigorating pleasure bum rushes me at a million miles an hour. I want to make the world feel what I feel. Every thought I ever had disappears. Only sonic ecstasy remains. It's 100% mother fucking ace.

The Death Set make music that sounds like LIFE... Amazing, intensely wonderful life.

Buy Michel Poiccard today. Spend 35 minutes and 32 second feeling invincible.

Fabpants Recommends:

This first album track, and the first single, is like the Beastie Boys on Georges Marvellous' Amphetamines.



From there on it's pure The Death Set, with added euphoric melody for good measure. Yes, melody! And a good dose of it too!

The City of Hippies

My vote worked! Brighton is awash with Greens...

The Greens are now the largest party in Brighton and Hove, with 23 seats out of a possible 54. The Conservatives have 18 seats and Labour 13.

We stole two seats from Labour in my ward, and we weren’t far off getting all three.

This is how we did on my patch:
Seat 1: Green Party 1753 14% Elected
Seat 2: Green Party 1748 14% Elected
No Seat: Green Party 1523 12% Fine Effort.

Fabpants Recommends:

Don’t say Yuck to this. It’s lovely.

Download MP3: Yuck - Suicide Policeman (courtesy of thefader.com)

Life is Sweet

Am I the only person that leaves the Polling Station feeling like I've probably made an awful mistake? Like accidently voting for the BNP? I feel so nervous making a simple cross or two...

Today, I made four. Yes, Green, Green, Green. Well, I hope I did.

So, will my vote count or should I have put it here?

No Fear and Some Biking on the Campaign Trail '11

Have you seen me riding around town this week?


I've never cast a winning vote. Based on the number of Vote Green posters in these parts, there is a wee chance and a glistening ray of hope.

Fabpants Recommends:

While I was being slack about blogging, I had a big party. These tracks made the party playlist. They are completely and utterly fab.

N.O.H.A. vs. Dizzee Rascal - Pussy'ole Café by Balkan Hotsteppers


Amsterdam Klezmer Band vs. Beastie Boys - Triple Son by Balkan Hotsteppers

Gig Review: The Kids Are Alright

Best Coast, Brighton Coalition, 2nd May 2011

This gig was sick.

Me and a bunch of school kids jumped around like loons.
Was it chaotic? Yeah, too right!

Best Coast's decision to play an unprepared cover of Blink 182's Dammit, with support acts in tow, created mayhem.

Band members took to crowd surfing and a girl from the audience found herself on stage, looking somewhat disoriented. We could all see her thought process, "Should I get off or should I pull a friend up? I sure as hell feel exposed up here alone." Cue the invasion: kids clambering over each other to fill that gap. If that wasn't today's number 1 topic in the school yard, I'll shoot myself in the toe: a stage invasion with 2 songs to go.

Best Coast played a natural set, lacking in pretension, and the crowd offered adoration. I like a gig where band and audience unite and, in doing so, create something special. The kids are fucking ace.

I hope Bethany enjoys having a wank and petting her cat. She said that was her homecoming plan. The last night of the tour was tops.

Fabpants Recommends:

I have been given an excellent compilation CD, created just for me. It is brilliant and 100% eclectic. Here’s one of the tracks, but I’m tempted to share more.

Example - Something in the Water

Love is...

No one will ever love me as easily and unconditionally as my grandmothers. They died within 4 weeks of each other (April 11th and May 1st). RIP.

May Day 2011

Waking with a small family - all airs and graces thrown to the wind - offers a deep seated and slow burning delight.

Hey Hey it's May Day.

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Misty's Big Adventure are giving away a free download of I See a Cloud.