WeAreLondon Gigs

17-19/07: Green Man Festival @ Breacon Beacons. Festival of the year? Again?!? This was such a fantastic weekend of relaxed festivalness and killer performance after killer performance from: Joanna Newsome, Fanfarlo, Findlay Brown, Euros Childs, Richard James, Alela Diane, James Yorkston, Emmy, Vashti, Malki, Aly Roberts, Seasick Steve and Pete Molinari, plus groovy DJ action from Cherrystones, SFA, James Yorkston, Richard Norris and In the Pines. Despite the rain and the cold, this festival ran like clockwork. Field Day folks, take note.

11/07: Field Day Festival @ Victoria Park. What could have been a great day was, frankly, a bit crap, even despite the glorious weather. Too many acts crammed onto the bill, stages/tents all too small and too quiet, not enough toilets and not enough bars. People having to queue for an hour to get a beer, which they then run out of. Chaos and a shambles! Despite this, manage to catch bits of Florence and the Machine, Euros Childs, Laura Marling, James Yorkston, Vetiver, Adem, Erol Alkan, Andrew Weatherall, and Justice. Where did the rest of the day go?

30/07: Sandrina Mixtapes @ 93 Ft East. A mate from work plays in the band and I finally get round to seeing them. I don't think he'll be giving up the day job any time soon, but Catch the Light is a great song.

28/07: Nu-rave @ the South London Gallery. Not strictly a gig but noteable for the great visuals, interesting venue, and the most arresting, classy striptease routine I've ever seen...

27/07: Wanda Jackson @ The Luminaire. Back to play two nights after the success of the gig here last year, Wanda plays a very similar set and says very similar things (romancing with Elvis, being the first woman in rock n roll, finding God) but it's still brilliant. The audience are slightly more into it and up for dancing than last time too. And STILL she isn't in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame!

19/07: Some acoustic acts @ Bar Music Hall. Acoustic acts of variable quality plus a headline set that was ok... and some nice DJing after at this WaterAid fundraiser night.

16/07: Johnny Flyn @ The Big Chill House. There's no doubting JF's talent and there are a couple of real cool songs in his slightly over-long set. The famous Swaying Lady (normally seen at Notting Hill Arts Club) seems to enjoy it.

25/06: Kimya Dawson @ The Spitz. A really sweet gig, with the between-song moments punctuated by the contented giggles of baby Dawson (who Kimya fans will know through her MySpace page, which charted the pregnancy and birth in great detail!) The gig ends with Kimya getting everyone in the audience to hold hands and then spiral around her for a group-hug to end all group hugs. We heart Kimya Dawson!

21-24/06: Glastonbury Festuval @ Worthy Farm, Somerset. Back at Glasto after 10 years, and it's still got it... mud, that is. Although I was working (with WaterAid) most of the time, I still witnessed some great musical moments, including Spiritualized's mammoth set, SFA and CSS having fun, !!! blowing the roof off the dance tent, Iggy Pop and the stage invasion, and Hot Chip warming things up nicely in the half-flooded John Peel Tent. Lots of boring arse as well though - Paul Weller, for example.

17/06: Forest of No Return @ Royal Festival Hall. Very odd and highly enjoyable gig, part of Jarvis Cocker's Meltdown festival. The line-up features Shane McGowan, Pete Doherty, Grace Jones (GRACE JONES!) Beth Orton, Nick Cave and many more doing the songs of Disney. Jarvis' version of King of the Swingers is a particular highlight, along with Doherty doing Chim Chim Cheree. Quite an Event!

15/06: Bob Lynde @ Luminaire. This guy is billed as asongwriting lengend and he's certainly written a lot of songs in his time. There's a lot of affection for the man tonight, from a crowd including Jarvis Cocker, and I enjoy it, even if it's not the most cutting edge event I'll attend this year (I hope).

11/06: ??? at The Queen's head, Islington. Can't remember the names of the performers but it wasn't bad. Do remember that at the end of the gig the not particularly good singer-songwriter headliner gave flyers out offering us the chance to invest in him via sellaband.com. Weird.

05/06: Los Campesinos @ Scala. Big London gig for these Welsh indie kid students to celebrate the release of summer anthem You! Me! Dancing! This was a joy-of-music gig sending off sparks of youthful indie enthusiasm. And very loud too.

02/06: Homefires @ Conway Hall. A soothing all-day event with suitably restrained performances from Adem, Nina Nastastia, Emmy the Great, St Vincent and plenty more. An all-round enjoyable day.

01/06: The Hotwires @ Buffalo Bar. This is a birthday gig for my friend Tamsin. Her boyfriend's band The Hotwires are playing on a bill put together by the Stool Pigeon and although it's not one of their best gigs, it's still a lot of fun.

05/05: Battant @ Luminaire. Just popped down to see how Battant are getting on these days. Answer; so so. I think they're just too cool to make the breakthrough. Then again, NYPC did it. This gig seems to have been organised by a bunch of Aussies; the icy Frenchness of the band doesn't quite work.

27-29/04: All Tomorrow's Parties @ Butlins, Minehead, curated by The Dirty Three. A fantastic weekend of live music, with great performances from The Dirty Three, Joanna Newsome, Bill Callaghan, The Only Ones, Nick Cave, Low, Spiritualized Acoustic Mainline, Digital Primitives, Nick Cave, Secretary, Conway Savage and Papa M. All topped off with the legendary Sunday night ATP disco! Great weekend.

22/04: CSS + Tilly and the Wall @ Astoria. Lovefoxxx and Co on absolute fire - sweaty, sexy and the most fun I've had at a gig in ages. Tilly and the Wall played a great support slot too.

18/04: The Pipettes + Metronomy + Playthings(?) @ Shepherd's Bush Empire. The first band on are truly awful transatlantic trash, Metronomy play another fun gig although it's not as fun when you know what's coming, and The Pipettes dance a lot. From seeing them at The Arts Club just a year ago, it's amazing how big they've become based on just the one (admittedly quite good) idea: get some girls who look like they are secretaries during the day to dress up in polka dot dresses and sing catchy 50s inspired pop songs. I kind of enjoy it, but it's all a bit odd seeing so many men get so enthusiastic about them.

17/04: Ali Roberts @ The Luminaire. Intimate gig for Alasdair and he doesn't disappoint. Ok, there are a couple of acoustic Scottish traditionals-by-numbers, and he does forget the words to one song (easily done I'm sure) but on at least three tracks he and his band (with TFC's Gerry Love on bass) conjour up a really atmospheric, out-there sound. Impressive stuff.

12/04: Joan as Policewoman + Peggy Sue and the Pirates @ Scala: PS&theP's are two funny funny-looking girls with songs about Superman. They are like if Kate Nash had a twin, but not as annoying as that sounds. In fact, I rather like them. Joan is brilliant - beautiful voice, great connection with the audience and, it would seem, permanently horny.

15/03: Arcade Fire + Patrick Wolf @ Brixton Academy: Wolfboy is entertaining as the warm up act, great costumes even if those trousers were a little... figure hugging, shall we say. Arcade Fire are on fire tonight - fantastic gig, great atmosphere, audience singalongs. Total joy of music, yeah!

09/03: ? + Metronomy @ South Bank: Can't remember the headline act's name, they were folktronica, quite good but not amazing. Can remember that we see Paul Weller in the audience, and that this guy who is The Modified Toy Orchestra joined the band onstage. Metronomy, with their robotic dance routines and "light show", are very entertaining.

08/03: A random girl @ the ICA's Illustrated London Noise evening. Notable because she plays a theramin... with her hair! Very entertaining.

17/02: Jarvis + Bat For Lashes @ The Astoria. B4L do a nice job of warming up with their enchanting theatrics but JC is the only one we're interested in tonight. A great gig full of entertaining asides and a triumphant Ruling the World. Jarvis has still got it, even if the band are musically a little pedestrian.

02/02: Various artists @ Late at Tate. Tate Britain doesn't strike you as being the best venue for seeing music performed, and you'd be right. The avant-garde adventures in electronica downstairs don't really work above the art-crowd chatter. Upstairs, the 17th century folky stuff fairs better - it could almost have been inspired by some of the ancient pics that provide the backdrop.

23/01: Isobel Campbell + Mark Lanegan @ Shepherd's Bush Empire. Sitting in the balcony for this one, right next to the speaker stack at the side. The result is Mark Lanegan's warm, grizzled tones dripping out of the speakers all over me and it's sweet! Isobel's vocals are more fragile but just as tasty. To hear the songs on Ballads... re-created so lovingly in the flesh is a real thrill.

19/01: Joanna Newsome + Alasdair Roberts @ The Barbican. Ali Roberts is just great as a warm-up: powerful voice, delicate touch on the guitar, gentle and graceful in manner. To see Joanna in full flow is a beautiful thing indeed. Her fingers dance on the strings and, although following the lyrics on the new songs is demanding, we're rewarded with a second set of favourites from The Milk Eyed Mender. Sometimes you close your eyes and you can't believe it's just two hands (ok... and a few Fx pedals) making such beautiful sounds.

18/01: Emmy the Great + Noah and the Whale @ Hoxton Kitchen. Starting the year as I mean to go on... Support comes from Noah and the Whale, who Emmy also does backing vocals for. Despite the (contrived?) West Country farmer-boy enunciation of the singer, a couple of their tunes, Rocks and Daggers especially, are great. Emmy is in good form, although she doesn't come across as powerfully as at Bush Hall in December (see below). The one that goes "Gloria... in excelsis, Deo, Deo" is fantastic, and she even manages to silence most of the Shoreditch twats in attendance.

2006

18/12: Emmy the Great @ Bush Hall. Tonight Emmy is supporting some guy called Fyfe Dangerfield, who's in some band called The Guillemots. With a backdrop of candles and curtains, she plays a spine-tingling set to a hushed crowd. I think this was the best I've seen her play: goose-pimple city! After that, hanging around for Fife's set just didn't seem like a good idea.

12/12: King Creosote + Bicycle Thieves @ Bardens: Attempting to see KC in a more intimate success following the Shepherd's Bush trauma kinda works, although (thanks to GNER) he doesn't start playing until about 11pm, so it's a long old night. Bicycle Thieves have one great song, Open City (myspace it), and a very cute singer, but they do get a bit dull after a while. 30 minutes max for all support bands is the golden rule, and they break it. KC is alone, acoustic, and totally committed to the cause. What a legend.

06/12: Bat For Lashes @ Scala: And so, I come full circle with B4L in '06, from being blown away first time at ATP, enchanted at the Luminaire, drunkenly seduced at Green Man, and now, tonight, satisfyingly entertained by this got-the-album gig (although the two non-album tracks played also sound great).

28/11: Nina Nastasia + Jeffrey Lewis @ The Scala. Jeffrey plays a sweet little set which includes a song all about the history of Rough Trade, a song performed by his touring buddies Scritti Politi, who look like the happiest band alive, plus a video and song about a huge Creeping Brain which takes over the USA. Nina's performance is as pure as the driven snow - no gimmicks, nothing kooky about her - just beautiful, honest, songs. Great stuff.

26/11: Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Astoria. Oh dear. The BJM audience has gone from being comprised of cool cats to beery, leery idiots who shout "Get yer tits out for the lads" when a pretty young women reads some (admittedly ropey) poetry during an interlude. Then there's the nasty heckling, goading Anton until he finally snaps and goes into one of his rants. Shame, cos the music is great when they get their shit together.

24/11: Seasick Steve + Pete Molinari @ Tapestry Club, Euston. Fantastic headline gig from nu-blues legend Seasick Steve. Playing on improvised instruments and wandering off into the audience when the mood takes him, this is a bit like what I imagine an RL Burnside gig might have been like. Nice Dylany stuff from Molinari in support.

15/11: ESG @ Dingwalls. Still just as essential as ever, ESG live are one of the funkiest, grin-inducing acts around. And don't let anyone tell you the new stuff isn't much cop - tonight Purely Physical and Insane stand up against past classics like Moody and You Make No Sense. What a gig!

05/11: Antony & The Johnsons @ The Barbican. Performing to a continually "Turning" backdrop of beautiful, dignified women as they stand statuesque on a revolving plinth, this is a fantastic and captivating gig. The way Antony was meant to be enjoyed.

04/11: Arab Strap @ Cambridge Junction. A slightly strange affair, this seated gig takes place in the Junction's new theatre arena, which doesn't feel like quite the right place to say goodbye to the 'Strap on this, their "farewell" tour. It's still pretty great though, with Aidan in unusually jocular mood throughout - maybe the thought that he won't have to sing his confession for much longer is spurring him on.

30/10: Emmy and friends @ The Luminaire. A hectic night with about 7 acts squeezed into the evening, which means everyone except headliners The Mules get about 15mins each. Good when you're not digging an act (er, most of them), less good when you are (Emmy). Certainly a mixed bag, ranging from the indulgent and pretentious to good time country folk rock from Johnny Flynn and co.

26/10: King Creosote + Larrakin Love + Peter, Paul and Bjorn @ Shepherd's Bush Empire. All in all a bit of an ordeal. Queue to get in, OTT body search, queue to pay £3 to put your coat away, queue for half an hour at the bar (no joke unfortunately) for a £4 pint, all to stand behind a load of people who aren't really watching the bands anyway in a too-full room. Great! PP&B are a bit lackluster until their hit, Young Folk, then get much better. LL are a bit happy-clappy for me but the kids like 'em, while KC really is/are a good live act, especially when they hit a more psychedelic groove. Best moment is when KC spells out a marriage request on behalf of someone in the audience at the end of KC RULES OK. She says yes, by the way.

23/10: J Spaceman @ Queen Elizabeth Hall. What an awesome gig! Building on his performance at the Daniel Johnston tribute concert earlier in the year, this is Jase Spaceman stripped right down to acoustic guitar and voice, then augmented with keys, a string quartet and three amazing voices from the London Community Gospel Choir. A mix of new songs (which sound great), covers (True Love Will Find You in the End), and absolute gems from the past, including Cool Waves and Walking With Jesus. The sound of joy and redemption.

21/20: Jean Claude Vannier, BBC Concert Orchestra and friends @ Barbican. Seeing an orchestra in full flight is something special, especially when conducted by a cool French dude, playing L'Enfant Assassin Des Mouches and Histoire de Melody Nelson, with guest vocalists including Jarvis Cocker and Laetitia Sadier. Both stylishly beautiful and FUN.

15/10: Mara Carlyle, Upstairs @ Paradise, Kensal Green as part of a night called John Peel's Living Room. Ah, now this was a really nice event. She was great, really friendly and decent songs, the guy on acoustic guitar for a while was great too, and a lovely Sunday afternoon atmosphere.

08/10: Mr David Viner + Pete Molinari + Eamonn McNamee @ In the Pines, The Harrison. Laid back afternoon of singer-songwritery action from three men who all owe a certain something to Bob Dylan.

04/10: Micah P Hinson @ ULU: Micah's performance tonight is a class above his previous rasping, almost painful vocal workouts, and yet there's still that raw energy and enjoyably self-deprecating streak running through. Everything about his set is perfect; he makes his guitar sing then weep in front of a reverential, well-behaved crowd, and the band are tight and sensitive. Mum and Dad are in the house watching - they must be proud. Great support act too, alas can't remember their name.

21/09: Wanda Jackson + Pinny Gur + Vince Vincent: An incredible night in the presence of a true living legend. VV solo is a good warm up act, Pinny Gur leave me a little confused but are OK, and then the main event. Wanda is on amazing form, giving a lesson in the history rock n roll, from its roots in the 50s, through the swinging 60s with Elvis, and then into more mellow country territory. And she tops it all off with a version of Tunnel of Love that is just amazing. Great rockabilly tunes after from the DJ too.

20/09: Emmy the Great @ The Pelican. The people in the pub who were talking all through her set will one day see the error of their ways. Emmy is my favourite performer right now and this intimate little gig, featuring Farewell to Ed, Secret Circus and a fantastic song dissing cocaine, leaves me feeling happy as larry.

17/09: Tindersticks @ The Barbican. This epic, lush gig cost £25 (a big fat pay day for Staples and Co?) but is worth every penny. A majestic, string-laden performance of Tindersticks II plus a few faves from their impeccable back catalogue. Makes you remember how good they were/are, and what an amazing instrument the violin is. If this was their swansong, it was a mighty fine way to go out.

12/09: Love is All + Tilly and the Wall @ Kings College. Another strangely unenergetic, low-key gig at this student venue where people seem to be just checking out bands rather than be into them. Neither the brilliant Tilly, who have previous rocked the Luminaire and Buffalo Bar, or the punk-funky LiA can do much to raise spirits and both bands fail to fill the stage. Too big a venue too soon perhaps? A weird one.

18-20/08: Green Man Festival 2006. Wow what a festival! Lots of highlights... On Friday: Adrian Crowley isn't bad, Circulus are hilarious, The Aliens start out well then go a bit Pink Floyd. Catch the end half of Skygreen Leopards and it's totally lush, restrained psychadelia. Nice. Gruff Rhys' set is interesting and goes down well, but doesn't really get to me. Catch a bit of Donovan but it's not really my thing. End the night listening to a mix of Cherrystones' rockin DJ set and a wee bit of Simple Kid (miss the duo with Kermit the Frog). Saturday: Vito get things off to a gentle start, then catch Foxface who have the best name and also prove to be a highlight - a bit like a less frenetic, more countryish Sons and Daughters. Nalle and Aiden Smith pass the time before Euros Childs plays a blinder - he never disappoints. We drift off during Tunng to catch Bat For Lashes, who are awesome again. She so cute. Micah P Hinson is brilliant as ever, while King Creosote seems to go down well and soundtracks our pie eating, then catch a bit of Brave Captain (brave being the word), before enjoying an evening in the company of James Yorkston and Malcolm "Malky" Middleton. Lovely. Sunday: More gentleness from Cymbient to start the day, then a bit of Onions (complete with random mad woman joining in - very nice she is though) and Nancy Elizabeth Cunliffe, followed by 18th Day of May (good, but i fall asleep), Merz, Marissa Nadler (cute), Richard James (very good, when I wake up), Alasdair Roberts, and Andy Votel in the DJ tent. Sunburned Hand of the Man are a bit of a disappointment. But what an amazing weekend of good music, people, food, vibes, countryside and smiles.

12/08: Tapebox Organ Eyes @ Sleep All Night, Drive All Day - Ye Olde Axe. Must confess that I sit most of this out at the back of the club. It's messy, noisy and often quite a tough listen, but by the end I'm thinking maybe there's something good hiding under it all...

09/08: Ari Up's The Slits @ The Underworld. A compelling and brilliant set from Ari and band (including 2 members of the audience, and 2 absolutely stunning young singers), who are different to the one who backed her at The Vibe Bar earlier in the year. They do a lot of reggae and dancehall numbers, complete with spooky On-U-Sound-System dubs and echo effects, plus a few Slits faves, including a wicked version of Heard It Through the Bassline. When it comes to communicating with an audience, no other frontwoman comes close to Ari.

07/08: Gaz Mayall and the Trojans @ Inn On The Green, Portobello. Cool blues and ska, with an amazing sax player, from Gaz and Co. Gaz, who's been up to no good with Pete Doherty and Shane McGowan the night before, only manages to sing on two numbers, but it's still a great show, with a real oddball audience making whoopy. Great ska and reggae disco after too.

05/08: Nouvelle Vague / Arrested Development @ Fruistock, Regent's Park. From a stage a very long way away, the sounds of Love Will Tear Us Apart and Everyday People drift, while the sun sets and the white wine goes down a treat. Lots of people damn it, but a very pleasant, un rock-n-roll kinda event.

28/06: Brian Jonestown Massacre @ Koko, Camden. A certain amount of expectation amongst the crowd of beautiful people, all hoping Anton will do something crazy - just like in the movie. As it is, he and his band just play a set of superior psychadelic rock which, when it enters the zone, really is stunning.

16/06: Go Kart Mozart @ Button Down Disco, 93 Ft East. A bizarre choice of headline band. Most of the audience are too young to know Lawrence's long history in music, and probably think he's just fronting another ironic Shoreditch bunch of chancers. That's certainly what they look like. It starts off ropey but grows into something quite good. Donna, and Stupid & Ugly & Lazy are great. The clubnight is pretty pants though, so head off to the Pride of Spitalfields.

06/06/06: Bat For Lashes @ Luminaire. Despite feeling unwell, made the short trip on the Free Train and it was well worth it. Another spooky, spellbinding performance, that prompts the best heckle heard in a while: "You made me cry last night!" I know what she means - the last song nearly has me blubbing.

03/06: Brick Lane Boogie Boys @ Bethnal Green Working Mens Club. Incredible RnB and rockabilly stuff that filled the dancefloor and had us begging for more.

28/05: Gobsausage @ Ye Olde Axe, Shoreditch. Possibly the worst live act I've ever seen, but they probably enjoy hearing that kind of thing said about them. Like that horrible episode of Nathan Barley with all that "terrorists are gay" extreme noise terror, only worse...

27/05: Stone Cold Queen @ Portland Arms, Cambridge. Now this was a fun night. Something incongruous about a fat Freddie lookalike singing It's A Kind of Magic in the back room of a pub in Cambridge...

19/05: Tilly & the Wall + Semi-Finalists + Emmy the Great @ Luminaire. Emmy, tonight accompanied by a couple of pals, warms up an expectant crowd with a tantalisingly short set of prim, proper songs. Absentee, sad and dramatic, is the highlight. Semi-Finalists are just baffling. They have their moments but don't really gel into anything convincing. That Japanese dude looks great though. Tilly & Co play a blinder, despite problems with their sound (which they deal with graciously), including Reckless, Bessa, and a totally beautiful version of Let It Rain. The show ends with one of the more unpretentious stage-invasions I've witnessed, with about 20 people up there with the band smiling and yelling "I wanna fuck it up, I wanna fuck it up, and I feel so alive and I feel so free..." Special.

14/05: Devendra Banhart + Bert Jansch + Vetiver + Espers + Metallic Falcons + Tarantula AD + Bat For Lashes + Vashti Bunyan + Jandek + Ramblin' Jack Elliott @ ATP, Camber Sands. Wicked day of mostly chilled-out stuff, with Bat For Lashes being the discovery of the day - a crystal clear, beautiful sound somewhere between Cat Power, Scout Niblet and Bjork. Vashti could have done with being downstairs - it's just not intimate (or quiet) enough for her upstairs. Vetiver are pretty sweet, Tarantula AD get the day started with a really beguiling sound, and Devendra, once he gets going, plays a great show.

13/05: Yeah Yeah Yeahs + TV On the Radio + Oneida + Celebration + Hundred Eyes + Imaginary Folk + Services + Liars @ ATP. A great day of Rock Action. YYYs especially are amazing, Liars intense as ever and what I catch of Oneida is pretty mesmerising.

12/05: Mudhoney + Black Mountain + The Drones @ ATP. I was still in warm-up mode and didn't see as many bands as I'd hoped too on the Friday. Can't really remember much except that Black Mountain were pretty cool, kinda stoner bliss-out rock.

09/05: Fiery Furnaces @ Kings College. Strange gig and not realy sure why I even went. The FF's entertained me back at the Buffalo Bar a year or two ago, but they're not much fun these days. Despite being a sold-out show, no-one seems really into it - there's just polite applause after each song. Must stay in more!

04/05: Mother & the Addicts + Mocky + Son of Dave @ Luminaire. Son of Dave's wheezy one-man band show doesn't impress and after a gallant attempt at engaging the crowd he throws in the towel. Mocky, complete with mickey-mouse ears, is kind of entertaining, while the Addicts treat the crowd to a selection of ragged RnB-influenced rock n roll. All good fun, celebrating BBC Collective's 200th issue.

30/04: The Slits + Pink Grease @ The Vibe Bar. Odd choice of venue for one of a handful of comback gigs for The Slits. It's rammed, well humid, and the sound system just isn't up to it (the disco next door sounds awesome though). Anyways, PG's ramshackle din is lost on me. The Slits though sound wicked; their punky-reggae sound is often copied but never bettered, and there's a minor moshpit down the front. Ari looks and sounds great.

21/04: BeYourOwnPET + Rogers Sisters + Black Time + Cake Maker Betty @ ULU. A strange old night. Good bands, Black Time giving it some playing one of their biggest London gigs, Rogers Sisters going all psyche-out on us, but still good, and then the Kids going crazy for BYOP, but by this time I'm just too darn tired.

14/04: Daniel Johnston & friends @ The Barbican. A really great, if at times odd, musical evening, featuring James Yorkston, Vic Chestnut, Howie Gelbe, Teenage Fanclub and Jason Pierce (in absolutely beautiful voice), before Daniel finally takes to the stage to play 4 ramshackle songs. Pierce's magical takes on True Love Will Find You In the End and Funeral Home are the highlight.

08/04: Jeremy Walmsley @ Luminaire, Kilburn. A cosey, good-vibes little gig from Jeremy and pals. It's really nice to see the interaction between the musicians close up, you can see it in their eye contact. And Jeremy is on fine form tonight, just a shame that his keyboard sound is so plinky-plonky. When Emmy the Great pops up for the last couple of numbers, it's the icing on the cake. The last number, You're So Goddamn Young (?), is fantastic. I'm gonna have to be careful not to develop stalker tendancies towards Emmy.

03/04: Intoxica + Soixante Neuf @ Plan B, Brixton. SF aren't too bad, even if the most interesting thing about them is their seedy backdrop projections. Intoxica are a truly dull proposition - how do bands like this even get a gig, let alone a headline slot? There's almost a collective sigh of relief when they strike their last derivative chord.

01/04: The Sugars @ Metro. They look great with their 50s microphones and vintage clothes. On stage chemistry is kind of like The Kills, but with a sexy drummer thown in, while the sound is like a duet between Jack White and Holly Golightly. The Hit! single, TV, sounds great.

31/03: Modeselektor @ Coronet. First time at this venue and what a wicked place it is. The cinema is huge! It's a Seed records night with a great line-up, of which Modeselektor are the highlight. Massive sound, top atmosphere.

29/03: Shack @ Heavenly Social. Only caught the end of this one but from what I saw it seems Michael Head was having difficulty remembering words, chords, etc. Still, the faithful were happy after, saying how glad they were that the band played so much classic old stuff and only attempted one new one.

27/03: Baxter Dury + Mr David Viner @ Heavenly Social. Viner's Vinerism night sees him play first, with cello and double bass accompaniment, then Dury headlines. For some reason (possibly their sampling of the Velvet Underground) I thought he was New York, but of course Baxter is son of Ian Dury, and a Londoner good and proper. It's a bit of a chaotic gig (power failure, fight between a girl and a guy dressed up as a bunny rabbit) but pretty good, with great versions of Lisa Said, Floor Show, Oscar Brown and newy Love in the Garden.

20/03: New Young Pony Club + Velofax @ Hoxton Bar & Grill. Velofax, who I thought said they were called Filofax, still have a terrible name but aren't quite as bad as that. Sound best when the singer isn't singing. NYPC are good, but not as good as they think they are... The Get Go sounds great though.

18/03: Dave Greenald @ Sleep All Day Drive All Night, The George Tavern. The flyer was half right - it's like watching Tom Waits' younger brother in action. Spectacular stuff.

26/02: Beth Orton + Clayhill @ Cambridge Corn Exchange. Clayhill have to be one of the dullest bands in history. Nice, but dull. Beth, by contrast, is in spellbinding form tonight. Playing mostly new material (and, she says, relieved to be doing so) she pushes her voice to the limit, particularly on Feral and Comfort of Strangers. Old songs like She Cries Your Name seem dull in comparison.

22/02: The Concretes @ The Scala. Ok, so I spent most of this gig behind a glass wall in the VIP area (something I swore I'd never do but hey), so I don't hear much. The Concretes play nice tunes inoffensively, and there's one really nice one when they all harmonise. The singer is an elf. Three of the Magic Numbers join them for the encore. Everyone goes home happy, although Seems Fine (the Hit) would have been nice...

20/02: Tony Benn @ Bloomsbury Theatre. Ok, not a gig as such, but a public gathering to hear the thoughts of a great, wise man. "Be both impatient and patient for change" was the message I took away.

19/02: Tilly and the Wall + Emmy the Great @ Buffalo Bar. Great double-bill for a Sunday night. Emmy (who, I'm reminded, I've seen before at Hill Arts Club, playing with Jeremy Walmsley) is fantastic. Young, talented, and such beautiful enunciation. Tilly are amazing. The tap-dancing instead of drums is all true, and they bring the album to life in a way I could barely have imagined. Worth missing the last train home for.

10/02: Clap Your Hands Say Yeah @ Koko. Nice venue (my first time here), shame the gig started so early. I arrive at 8.45pm and CYHSY are just coming on stage (presumably so that Koko can fleece more punters arriving later for the club). They're as good as the songs on the album, which they play almost in full, although the gig doesn't quite reach the Arcade Fire heights I'd fantasized about. Tunes spun at Club NME after are atrocious, and apparently Babyshambles play a surprise live set at about 1am, long after I've gone. Ah well.

04/02: The Long Blondes + Neil's Children @ The Spitz. Neil's Children sound bad and look ridiculous (Duran Duran meets Busted). Long Blondes are good, especially Giddy Stratospheres, but not quite there yet.

03/02: Colder + Battant @ Electrowerkz. Battant are just as bonkers as last time I saw them. I love their guitar licks over electro beats. The crowd were well up for it and they should make their sound even harder and bigger now. Colder are stunning. Great locked-on repetitive live grooves in a brilliant club atmosphere. Shiny Stars is about 100x better than it is on vinyl.

02/02: Belle & Sebastian + Brakes @ Cambridge Corn Exchange. Brakes win over the crowd with their mostly very short songs (like, 30 seconds). Belle & Seb have the crowd in their hands from the start and play a great set, including old faves Electronic Renaissance, Fox in the Snow, and The State I Am In.

31/01: Nick Cave @ Cambridge Corn Exchange. Possibly my most expensive-ever gig, and there isn't even a support band. Nick's on good form, playing with a stripped down Bad Seeds, and stepping out from behind the piano to sing and play guitar a couple of times. He looks great (middle age suits him well), and the stage presence is still as strong as ever. There are old, new(ish) and first-time-played-live songs. It's all great. But I think I've had my fill of him now.

2005

22/12: The Pogues @ Brixton Academy. Shane in sober-after-all shocker. He proves it by balancing a glass of water on his head. And you can hear the words. This is the best performance from Shane I've seen in a while and a fine end to the gig-going year. Even Katie Meula (?) can't ruin Fairytale of New York. Great stuff.

18/12: James Yorkston @ Luminaire. James is playing mostly-solo tonight at this intimate Christmas show, and he's on fine form. Brilliant playing, beautiful songs, friendly banter, this is just a lovely Sunday evening's entertainment.

15/12: Annie @ 93 Ft East. Sure she's a talented, sexy poster-girl, but the live show's not quite there yet. It's good, but not great, and the atmosphere isn't as lively as it was in Canada (but that's London for you). Apparently this is her first 'proper' London gig, so maybe she's all nerves. Heartbeat is pretty rockin though.

10/12: Hawkwind, er, sort of @ The Inn on the Green, Portobello. Cosmic vibes man, lots of trippy lights and old hippies tripping over. Actually surprisingly good.

05/12: Antony and the Johnsons @ Shepherd's Bush Empire. Third time I've seen him in almost as many months, and tonight is just as special as every other. He looks a bit knackered (too much fun had at ATP?) and hits a bum note in the first song, but he soon hits his stride and it's another beautiful gig. Tonight's special guest is Boy George, but the special moment is the audience participation during new song Trust Your Mother.

30/11: Akira the Don @ Plan B, Brixton. Funny old evening, with loads of freestyling before the blonde-haired, orange boiler-suited white geezer from N Wales finally makes it onto stage. He plays with a full band and they can't seem to get their sound levels right, but they're good, or at least there's potential there if he can cut out his between-song GLC-esque banter.

29/11: Liars + Celebration @ The Luminaire, Kilburn. Celebration are an odd blend of antiquated piano wheezes and slightly bonkers frontwoman. Liars are surreal verging on the incredible. Primeval drumming, mad screaming one minute, beautiful crooning the next, fantastic clothes, amazing moves and, for the encore, a cover of Nirvana's monumental Territorial Pissings.

27/11: Atoms for Peace / Known @ Strongrooms. This is the new Sunday night thing at the Strongrooms and it's a pretty cool evening. Nice DJ sounds in between too.

20/11: Antony and the Johnsons @ St Luke's Church, Old St. A special gig for an "invited audience" (industry freeloaders plus the odd prize-winner), this is an amazing gig in beautifully civilized surroundings. Antony is a sweetie, and Mark Almond's guest appearance is pretty special, even if he is out of tune.

06/11: Kimya Dawson + Jason Anderson + Tigersaw @ Redgate Gallery, Brixton. Lovely intimate setting for an amazing gig. The guy from Tigersaw (no band tonight) is v sweet and he does a nice version of Milkshake, while Jason Anderson performs with the audience stood round in a circle singing along. It's intense and uplifting and he gives it everything, as do we - "it's your night, you are the show" he keeps on saying, and he's right. Kimya is on very low-key form but, in explaining the background to some of her songs, they become even more personal and moving.

02/11: Battant + TV-OD + Theoretical Girl @ Artrocker. Two weeks in a row at Artrocker, and tonight's line-up is top. TG is a very cool girl doing a solo set with bass and drum tapes and some really great songs. TV-OD do their rockin with a Korg thang and sound like they should come from Sheffield not Nottingham, while Battant are simply ace. They look and sound amazing. A bit like if ADULT. had some decent tunes.

25/10: Kalev @ Artrocker. Loud, varied and good. Particularly like the hi-end analogue keyboard squeals.

29/09: Antony and the Johnsons + Coco Rosie @ La Tulipe, Montreal. This sold out crowd don't seem to know quite what to make of Antony. Most are probably here to see what all the fuss is about. But they love Coco Rosie, and deservedly so. With intriguing vocal interplay, human beatboxing and a couple of awesome songs, they suit this cabaret venue perfectly. Antony goes down pretty well too, and as he begins to relax, there's even a few jokes, an audience clap-along, and a very nice little song about root vegetables...

27/09: Annie + Dragonette @ Theatre Plaza, Montreal. Dragonette are a stylised, slightly embarressing 80s electro-rock act, although they do have a couple of seductive slower ones and the singer's a fox, but nothing compared to the svelte Annie. Despite the beats not being loud enough and Annie clearly having problems with her earpiece, this is still a triumphant occassion. Montreal's hipsters love her, and there's no denying the quality of songs like Happy Without You, Greatest Hit and, especially, Heartbeat.

26/09: M.I.A. @ Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto. An absolute blinder. It takes a while to get going, but the DJ eventually warms the crowd up, before a cool MC set from er, not sure (possibly Spank Rock) and finally, M.I.A.'s triumphant entry. Playing Arular almost in its entirety, every song fizzes like a shaken up can of cherry cola. The sold-out 1000+ crowd go nuts. Near the end she confides that she's suffering from flu ("a big shout out for Lemsip" baffles the locals). If this is M.I.A. under the weather, god knows what she's like at full strength.

24/09: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto. This is a pretty cool gig, starting off with some of the more fireside-folky stuff from the new album Howl, and then plundering their back catalogue for lots of feedback-heavy spacerock. They're shooting the video for a new single, too, so watch out for me in the audience...

20/09: Laura Cantrell @ Islington Academy. On record Laura's got an amazing voice and live, she's note perfect too. Her band are fantastic too, full of country twang. Highlights include a new song dedicated to John Peel, and a lovely rendition of Two Seconds. A word about the crowd: never have I seen such a bunch of well-behaved, 30-something couples together in one place. Weird.

19/09: Mitchell Brothers + Plan B @ The Garage. Artrocker's first hip-hop night isn't very well attended, but those who are there have a wicked night. Plan B's spooky raps backed by acoustic guitar and minimal drumming is unique and affecting. He spits his lyrics and is brimming with mean energy. The Mitchell Bro's are the exact opposite - all ladish banter and givin it the "oi, bruv" routine between every song, which does get a bit tiresome. Their beats are bouncy though and the crowd love 'em.

14/09: Lemonheads @ Shepherds Bush Empire. One of the "Don't Look Back" series of concerts, in which Evan Dando and Co (sadly, not including Juliana Hatfield), play the Shame About Ray album. They breeze through it, and it's fun, but also feels a little hollow.

11/09: Alan Tyler @ Fiddler's Elbow. For some strange reason, Tyler and band completely blow me away tonight. Their country-tinged rock songs aren't doing anything new, but they are just what's called for on a grey Sunday afternoon. And they even play Jonathan.

08/09: Rifles @ Borderline. Free gig as part of City Showcase 2005, Rifles are a competent and tuneful four piece from Chingford, Essex. They seem like nice lads who have heard the odd Small Faces and Jam record in their time. But boy is it hot in the Borderline - too hot to hang around for headliners Duels.

05/09: Sway @ 100 Club. Part of the City Showcase, Sway heads an impressive line-up of hip-hop/grime MCs and DJs. Kid's got talent, especially when freestyling, as have loads of the people getting up on stage tonight. Fresh and entertaining.

29/08: Notting Hill Carnival. Not exactly a gig, but still lots of dancing to be had, and way more fun.

20-21/08: V Festival, Staffordshire. This kind of reminds me why I gave up on these big festivals years ago. For a start - no band times listed anywhere, except on the £8 neckchain laminates. Thousands of lairy people getting sunburnt. Shit in a tray (as Mike Skinner might put it) for a fiver, Carling in a paper cup for £3, and so on... This isn't a festival, it's a money-making machine. As for the bands, mostly average with a few highlights; Goldfrapp doing Strict Machine, Magic Numbers doing Forever Lost in glorious sunshine, The Prodigy peddling the same old act but sounding a little more menacing in the darkness, Scissor Sisters' costume changes, Ian Brown playing Stone Roses songs and not ruining them. Lovely weather too.

19/08: The Streets + The Ordinary Boys @ Brixton Academy. The £25 ticket price appears to have backfired - the place is barely 2/3rds full tonight. The Ordinary Boys are, well, ordinary, while Mike Skinner is entertaining, but as a live band The Streets (complete with "funky" live drummer), are clumsy at best. And what's with all that "I predict a riot" shit?!? Dry Your Eyes is pretty well done though.

09/08: !!! + Sympathy for the Diamon Industry @ 100 Club. !!! are on top of their game tonight. Every time I've seen them live they've seemed like a different band. Tonight the emphasis is more on the rhythms rather than the bleepy electronics, and it's bloody ruddy brilliant. Mostly new stuff but it doesn't matter because everything is effortlessly funky and danceable. Great atmosphere down the front too. Full review here.

06/08: Black Time @ Ryan's Bar, Stoke Newington. Playing last on a 4-band bill, timings slip and Black Time end up only playing about 5 songs before the punk-rock-unfriendly landlord decides enough's enough. "Always leave 'em wanting more" taken to the extreme.

02/08: The 5,6,7,8's + Vince Vincent & the Villains + Naked Ruby @ Boston Arms. The hot and stuffy setting of the Boston makes this gig a bit of an endurance test, but in the end it's worth it. Naked Ruby are good for the first few songs but play far too long. They pay the price though - the sound is cut as they launch into their encore, leaving them all looking rather pissed off. Vince Vincent's sound is a bit weedy and the 50s rockabilly of their records sounds more like The Jam live. The 5,6,7,8's start off tamely but, after dropping Woo Hoo mid-set, they really step it up a gear. Their version of Night Train is fantastic, and the bluesy licks towards the end from ultru cool Japanese dude Enocky make this a killer gig for dancing.

12/07: Bloc Party + The Kills + The Cribs @ Somerset House. This is a lovely evening outside in the warm summer air. All the bands are good, even if I'm a bit bored of the Kills ubercoolness now. The Cribs live up to all those "entertaining northerners" cliches, and seem to think us lot in London are all poshos. BP, back on home turf, really enjoy it, as does the audience, singing along to most of the words. Full review here.

09/07: Sugarhill Gang @ NASS Extreme Sport Festival, Somerset. Ooh, spooky Somerset link... Don't ask what I'm doing here, but Sugarhill's set is actually pretty entertaining. They do a sort of hip-hop karaoke, taking in classics like White Lines, Walk this Way and The Message. Lots of hands in the air.

08/07: Cradle of Souls @ Mau Mau Bar. Interesting gothy/electro act, pitched somewhere between The Cure and The Faint. Going out, via public transport, and showing "we're not scared" seemed the only thing to do after the events of 07/07.

06/07: The Duke Spirit + Architecture in Helsinki + Autolux @ Camden Barfly (Monarch). Had been tipped off that Autolux were worth catching and then managed to miss most of their set. What I saw was pretty good post-rawking stuff. AinH are like Arcade Fire meets the Avalanches and the Polyphonic Spree. A bit hit & miss, but good fun. Duke Spirit are a bit dull in't they? Well, maybe not dull, but definitely one-dimensional.

16/06: The Long Blondes @ Pure Groove, Archway. A short in-store gig in this funky little independent record shop, to launch the new single. They're up very close and personal, which makes their rendition of Giddy Stratospheres all the more exciting.

15/06: Malcolm Middleton @ Luminaire, Kilburn. Malcy and band are on fine form tonight. Some of the new stuff sounds great, but he saves the best moment until last. Devil and the Angel makes you fear you're the one who will "never amount to anything", not him. Great venue too.

12/06: The Pipettes + Lucky Soul @ Music4Life, Notting Hill Arts Club. Lucky Soul, playing their first ever gig, are cute in a St Etienne style, while The Pipettes' all singin-all dancing take on 50s style pop is great. The girls all look fantastic in polka dot, while the boys' cricket jumpers are very stylish too.

11/06: The Makeouts + Black Time + Venom Seeds + Dirthole @ the Marquis of Lansdowne, Stoke Newington. Dirthole's three-person drum assault (and they're a man down tonight) is a great start to the evening. Venom Seeds (featuring the cute gal outta The XR5) are ok, Black Time's psycho-boogie leaves me wanting more, while The Makeouts sound a bit generic garage rock to these ears.

04/06: Micah P Hinson + Vetiver + Currituck Co @ Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith. Currituck Co is on early but the few who watch get to see some neat finger picking. Vetiver is a twisted folk supergroup, with Devendra Banhart on main vocal duties. Every song is great. Micah P Hinson is amazing; his horse voice spitting out lyrics over the most gently plucked guitar lines. The possibilities for Micah Paul Hinson are endless.

28/05: Weather Underground @ Barden's. Can't hear a word they're on about, but they make a fine din for two people, and you can dance to them, so I do.

26/05: Chemical Brothers + Lali Puna @ Brixton Academy. It's cool finally seeing Lali Puna, after they released such a great album last year (#7 in our top 10, no less). Towards the end of their set they really hit onto some mesmerising krautrock grooves. Chemical Brothers are not much to look at but they know how to put on a show and, although some of the early stuff sounds pretty dated these days, more recent tracks (notably Star Guitar) sounds awesome. With the whizzy lights and lasers, it's like a proper rave.

25/05: The Magic Numbers @ Selectadisc. In-store acoustic show to celebrate the release of new single Forever Lost. After playing a 30 minute set they do a stint behind the counter signing and chatting. Genuinely lovely people, the lot of 'em.

24/05: The Earlies @ 93 Ft East. Bud gig #3, I'm even starting to get a taste for the stuff now. Tip: if you're going to one of these gigs, sneak in a few cans. I miss support band the Shortwave Set due to a big long queue, but get let in just in time to see Lauren Laverne welcome The Earlies to the stage - all 9 of them. They have a really nice sound, great sense of humour and the Manchester meets Texas vibe is cool, particularly during Morning Wonder, but they don't move mountains for me. Saying that, the single they've just cut with Sara Lowes is one of my favourites of the year so far. Maybe it's as DJs, tweakers and producers that this lot will really make their name.

21/05: Out Hud + Benjamin Diamond @ Marquee Club. Another Bud gig, this one is a bit busier. Benjamin Diamond looks like he's squeezing one out, but full marks for effort. Out Hud are storming; killer basslines, great live vocals and excellent fun. Basically, an even funkier !!! if that's possible. Then it's all upstairs for another couple of hours of excellent Out Hud action, this time from behind the decks.

20/05: Colder + George Demure + Trevor Jackson (DJ) @ Bush Hall. This is the first of the Bud Rising shows (free entry, but all they have at the bar is £3 bottles of Bud), and the first band doesn't come on until about 10pm, and only plays a handful of songs. I actually thought George Demure was Colder, until Colder came on at about 10.45pm and played a pounding electronica/krautrocking set. Good tunes from Mr Jackson too, shame there was hardly anyone around to hear them.

14/05: Various acts @ Mau Mau Bar, Portobello Rd. In the couple of hours I am there I see two kids displaying their MC-ing skills, some ol' crooner playing the electric keyboard and making trumpet sounds with his mouth, a pissed man doing angry acoustic songs, and a band that sound a bit like the Levellers. Quite a mixture, all in aid of Make Poverty History. Nice one.

12/05: Rufus Wainwright @ Cambridge Corn Exchange. I've never seen Rufus before, in fact I've only recently been lent Want One and Want Two, but this is an excellent gig. He plays a mixture of full-band tracks and just-him-at-the-piano numbers, including a tear-jerkingly beautiful version of Nothing's Gonna Change My World. The 2 cute backing singers are great, really adding their characters to the mix. Near the end they all strip down to their undies, and Rufus dons a pair of angels wings. Theatrical stuff, but it works.

10/05: Electrelane + Scout Niblett @ Scala. Scout is a tasty nible of a support act. Tonight she plays mostly new songs but still has time to remind us that "we're all gonna die". Electrelane are like a born-again band, full of confidence in their big new sound. It's almost all stuff off the new Axis album, and it's mesmerising wall-of-noise stuff.

22-24/04: All Tomorrow's Parties @ Camber Sands. Fri: Blues Explosion / Afrirampo / Peaches / Merzbow. Sat: Autolux / Olivia Tremor Control / John Foxx / PJ Harvey (solo) / Suicide / Women and Children / Money Mark / Kid Koala. Sun: Leslie Winer / Ted Curson / Gang Gang Dance / Magik Markers / The Tints / Jayne County / Trapist / James Chance / The Zombies / Yoko Ono. My highlights: Afrirampo, Peaches, The Tints, Jayne County, Ted Curson, Yoko Ono.

13/04: Bloc Party + Pretty Girls Make Graves @ Astoria. Pretty Girls do a pretty good job warming up the crowd with their earnest rock ("do you remember what the music meant?) Bloc Party are amazing, bringing the Silent Alarm album alive. Just extend those My Bloody Valentine-esque droney bits out a bit and you'll be my perfect live band.

03/04: The Superimposers @ Notting Hill Arts Club. Playing as part of an Oxfam club night (also featuring DJ Andy Smith), this two man band write undoubtably great songs, but they are perhaps too gentle and intricate to be enjoyed in a club where most people have come to dance.

01/04: The XR5 @ Dublin Castle. After watching one of the most dull support bands in the history of rock, The XR5 can't help but sound fresh. They're a cool little band with at least two good songs, and the female singer is a most engaging frontwoman.

24/03: Be Your Own Pet @ Infinity. Just catch the last few songs, including the single Damn Damn Leash. Their singer's gonna be a star.

18/03: Shane McGowan and the Popes @ Corn Exchange, Cambridge. If the pre-Christmas Pogues gigs were a triumph of sorts, then this is the flipside - slightly half-arsed and shambolic, even though Shane seems less pissed than usual tonight, and it's a thrill to see him up close and personal. The fans show their appreciation by chucking bear in his face, which he bears gracefuly.

10/03: Camden Crawl: Chalets @ Dublin Castle, Tom Vek / Secret Machines @ Underworld, Two Lone Swordsmen @ Electric Ballroom. Although the whole point of the Camden Crawl is that you can move effortlessly between venues and take your pick, the reality is that they are spread out over a wide area and by 9pm most have massive queues. So instead, the best thing to do is find a venue with a couple of good bands and stay there. Tom Vek is my highlight. So funky for one so young. Moshing to Andrew Weatherall singing Sex Beat is the oddest moment. The Chalets are sexy if a bit studied, and Secret Machines are very loud and psychedelic, but a bit noodly.

24/02: Kimya Dawson @ Marquee Club. Kimya is the most genuine, in it for all the right reasons singer-songwriter around right now. There's no bullshit here. She does what she loves, sings about what she knows and how she feels, and it's a pleasure to be a part of it tonight.

19/02: The Scha La La's @ Water Rats. Quite enjoyed this all singin', all dancin' all girl troupe, especially the first one they did and the last couple. Great tunes from the DJ after as well...

14/02: Milky Wimpshake @ Water Rats. Classic indie-loser band, they do a perfect rendition of Daniel Johnston's True Love Will Find You in the End especially for Valentine's Days. Cheers guys, you made my night.

05/02: S*M*A*S*H @ Water Rats. Started off a bit weird, but this got really good towards the end. The band of my teenage years, on stage ten years later. Real Surreal indeed.

29/01: The Real Losers + Black Time @ Pleasure Unit. Black Time just keep getting better, with more new songs and covering up well when first the bass went then the guitar. Real Losers, playing their last London gig apparently, are great fun. Respect to "Hotdog", the pregnant drummer.

10/01: Plush + Azita @ 12 Bar Club. Azita is a kooky singer-songwriter who sings along to a plinky-plonky electric piano, pulling faces like you've never seen before. Plush is genius songs, an amazing voice, style and grace personified.