23 Sept - Kasule @ The Mint

I've been going to The Mint for years, since I was 15 if the truth be known. It was always a good solid indie pub until a few years ago when the powers that be decided that they should try and turn it into a trendy eatery, which in my opinion ripped its heart out and now it doesn't know what it is.

Tonight I was going to The Mint to hear some live music. I was aware that they had bands on a Thursday night as I had been talking to the promoter to get SmytherJones a slot and tonight was electronic noise makers Kasule.

...and make noise they did! 4 tunes all around 7-8 minutes long played at 500 amazing decabels deafening the crowd at the bar and shaking their pints! Their musical style is in the same vein as My Bloody Valentine or Mogwai and are well worth checking out. Get logging on to their website at www.kasule.co.uk where you can listen to some tunes and see what these reprobates actually look like.

Class.

Al

21 Sept - Charlotte Hatherley @ King Tuts

For those who don't know, Charlotte Hatherley is the guitarist from Ash. Now I'm not the biggest Ash fan, they do have some excellent songs (eg Shining Light, Envy) but on the whole I could live without them. However, as one of my best mates is from Northern Ireland I agreed to go along to King Tuts to see what turned out to be her debut solo gig.

We got tickets from the local support band Wake The President, which made us feel duty bound to turn up early to check them out and what a treat they were! Good gentle tunes and a plesant surprise for all of us. I will definately try and see them at a later date.

On to the main reason we were there. I was hoping that Charlotte's solo material wouldn't be a carbon copy of Ash but it has to be said that much of it was very similar, she is an exceptional musician and it is refreshing to see a powerful front women who can really rock.

But on the whole the set was a unbalanced as there were so many styles on show and its clear that Charlotte hasn't quite decided what she wants to be or where she should be going. Lets hope she decides soon or the solo career might be shorty lived.

Al

7 Sept - Nationwide Mercury Prize

Bit of a strange competition this. 12 albums chosen as the best of the year, all most deserving and one wins the prize as the best as chosen by a panel of "indursty experts". Even stranger, I agree with their choice this year.

And the winners........Well done to the boys in Franz Ferdinand, who have had am amzaing year and deserve all the plaudits and cash they are currently receiving, including the £20,000 winners booty . Take it all while its still there guys, it won't last forever!

My top 3 from the list would be...

1. Franz Ferdinad - Franz Ferdinand
2. Belle & Sebastian - Dear catastrophy Waitress
3. The Zutons - Who Killed The Zutons

All the goss before the announcment was that The Streets would win but that would have been a travesty and I more than agree with the judges choice. Maybe I should be a judge? Ok maybe not.

Al

3 Sept - Morrissey @ Perth City Halls

3rd Mozza gig of the week - if only every week was like this. Another intimate venue in another obscure Scottish town and another amazing gig.

Not much I can add to this, went with my mate Stuart and he drove so I was able to have a few pints. After last nights behaviour, I stayed back and watched from afar.

The surprise tonight, and there always is when you see Morrissey, was Shakespears Sister. What a treat!

Al

2 Sept - Morrissey @ Paisley Town Hall

Yes its not a mistake. I'm not taking the piss. The legend that is Steven Patrick Morrissey did play Paisleys Town Hall on the 2nd September 2004.

This was a bizarre and surreal night. I've seen Morrissey in big venues, 8 to 10 thousand seater venues and before this the smallest being probably the Barrowlands (capacity 2000ish) but this was intimate with a capital I. 700 fans packed the Town Hall and it was one of the best gigs I have ever been to. I hate nasty big venues and this illustrated why, the initimacy was unbelievable. Everyone in that small room felt that Morrissey was singing to them and that no one else mattered.

We were in early to get to the front and with one hand on the barrier, dead centre it couldn't have been much better, although just out of reach which was probably for the best. There was almost a riot when he threw his sweat ridden shirt into the crowd and for a second I did have my heand on it but remembered that that sort of behaviour is not fitting for a 31 year old.

All my favourites were played - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out, Everyday Is Like Sunday, Now My Heart is Full, Let Me Kiss You and Morrissey chatted in between all the songs even taking some time out to slag Billy Sloan who was perched on the balcony no doubt with his poison pen in hand.

We breifly followed Mozzas car from the venue but after following them through two red lights we decided that stalking wasn't for us and we retired to a garage for a drink before we collapsed from dehydration. Not ideal with another intimate Morrissey gig to attend tomorrow!

Sweet dreams.

Al

29 August - Leeds Festival

I love the summer festivals. Hats, beer, toilet breaks from the bus from Coatbridge to Perth and usually magic weather. But this year we changed our plans from the usual T in the Park weekender. Instead we decided to have the weekend at my mate Duncans in Halifax and attend the Leeds Festival on the Sunday. A superb line up and an excdellent opportunity to spend some time with my mate Duncan, who we rarely get to see these days! Two birds, one stone.

Firstly, en route to the festival site, the sun shone, we listened to quality tunes in the car and everything was going to plan. We parked the car and decided not to takle our waterproofs as the weather forecast suggested fine weather, however as soon as we got in the gates after a miles walk from the car park the heavens opened and the three of us got drenched. Not very plesant when you've got 9 hours to get through. God bless Oranage Mobiles and their free plastic mats, which we used as makeshift ponchos.

The festival site itself is odd. The whole event is run round the main stage and there is less emphasis on the other stages. This is different from T in the P as they have 2 outdoor stages, 1 massive tent, 3 smaller ones and a massive dance ten. Not at Leeds though, 1 oustdoor stage and 2 small tents that were impossible to get into due to the weather, which meant we had to listen to Bloc Party from outside!

OK, onto the band, thats what its all about I suppose!

• RazorLight - I've seen Razorlight on several occassions but now they are receiving hype from the music press they seem top be getting a bit cocky for my liking. Strange set and very disappointing for me.
• Bloc Party - Sounded magic from outside in the rain! "Little Thoughts" is a superb track, go download it now.
• The Roots - Fucking shite.
• Franz Ferdinand - Another band I have seen before and they were excellent. The hits (Darts of Pleasure, Take Me Out and Matinee) were well recived and its hard to believe that they have only been signed for one year, they are a superb band and very modest, which is to their credit.
• The Libertines - Another reason why Leeds was a must, their new album is amazing and in my top 5 albums of the year. I was dubious as Pete Docherty has been kicked out of the band untill he gets over his heroin addiction and they would rely on Carl who isn't the regular singer. Another great set and to be honest Pete wasn't missed. Their energy was high and the new stuff sounded great. Another festival highlight.
• Morrissey - OK, this is the real reason we were at Leeds. I love Morrissey. Superb from start to finish - from How Soon is Now to There is a Light That Never Goes Out, I couldn't fault him. Although commenting that the city of Leeds is "beautiful" was hard to swallow!

For anyone that knows the Leeds line up, the actual head liners are missing from that list - The White Stripes. After Mozza, the rain started again and I could face getting soaked again so we decided to head home. A final treat was getting to the car and hearing The White Stripes come onstage, outstanding.

A brilliant weekend but I think next year it will be back to Ballerno.

Al

20 August - SmytherJones @ Furys

Tonight we were booked to play in Glasgow student indie club Fury Murrys - its behin the St Enochs Centre if you fancy visiting. It one of those places where the DJ will either be on superb form or it sounds as if he has picked up the record bag he usually takes to weddings! I've had a fair few good nights though so give it a go.

There are 4 bands in total; SmytherJones, Beggar's Lake, After Christmas and The Aquitted. We didn't know any of the bands so being on first we could get business out of the way and enjoy the other bands.

I'll not bitch about anyone but the sound check could have been better and as such the sound was disappointing and a far cry from the last gig at Barfly. The boys did well and the crowd were very complimentary.

Beggar's Lake are also from Coatbridge and had a pleasing enough sound, to be honest I had started drinking as soon as we had finished and was busy talking to people that I missed most of their set (sorry guys) and the entire set of After Christmas. The last band on were The Aquitted, but I'm sorry to say it guys but you did yourselves no favours by turning up almost an hour late for the sound check and then being prescious about your equipment. Very poor. It appears that these guys seem to think they are better than they really are.

It was a good night and we are booked to play there again on 21 October but lets hope the sound check can be a bit better and we can really show what we can do.

Al