(Colombia Reports) Medellin is due to host a three-day jazz festival featuring US and Colombian university jazz orchestras for the fourth year running.
The University Jazz Festival, coordinated by language / culture institute Colombo Americano and the Medellin city government, will present three nights of concerts displaying “different interpretations of Jazz, from the classic to modern,” from three Colombia and three American jazz bands. Read full story at Colombia Reports
March, 13 – (MTTM) We tend to associate Billy Bragg with defiant left-wing political protest; in the 80s he spent a year playing benefit gigs in mining communities and identifies himself as a socialist. None of this has changed, but Bragg’s first studio album in 5 years ‘Tooth and Nail’ takes a step away from his outspoken political views with a collection of more personal songs. The change of tone in ‘Tooth and Nail’, which was recorded over a period of just 5 days, makes for a refreshing and uplifting listen. Heavily influenced by country music, Bragg’s voice takes on a new personality, deeper and mellower than the rough, shouty style vocals we are used to hearing on his earlier albums. Read full article at More than the Music
(MTTM) In 2010, approximately ten years after forming, Manchester’s I am Kloot made their breakthrough to a wider audience with the critically acclaimed and Mercury nominated fifth album, Sky at Night. For anyone who is unfamiliar with I Am Kloot, this album is so unarguably brilliant that I still listen to it on repeat. The question now, however, is whether they can live up to the impeccably high standards set by Sky at Night, – surely any attempt to match the subtle genius of a song like To the Brink is destined for failure? Read full article at More than the Music
(The Mancunion) For someone with a voice that can be so haunting, Houghton manages to sound warm and comforting throughout the debut album Yours Truly, Cellophane Nose. Listening to it is the audio equivalent of curling up by a warm fire and drifting into a dream infused sleep, full of bizarre but pleasant images.
‘The Barely Skinny Bone’ starts with a lone vocal, which is then replaced by mix of bass guitar and acoustic finger picking that mimic raindrops. Read full article at The Mancunion
Looking back, I should have been more excited by the prospect of seeing Carl live in my favourite little venue (as mother pointed out, if the Libs were still together you’d only be able to see them in big horrible stadiums by now). Back in the day, before seeing The Libertines, I was jumping up and down telling anyone who would listen weeks before the actual gig. I know seeing Carl is a little different from seeing The Libertines, but still, Carl was the one I couldn’t keep my eyes off, the one I was (and clearly still am) in love with. But the truth is, on Wednesday I was just scared and anxious for him. I was almost anticipating a depressing flop and I imagined it would be painful to watch. I quite like the album but it doesn’t come close to the genius (yes) of Up the Bracket. So simply put, I thought it might be crap.
As it turns out, my predictions were way off and it was glorious. You know when a gig is SO good you just can’t wipe the smile off your face and it gives you that overwhelming feeling in your chest that makes you want to jump around and do something reckless? Well this was like that. (If you are unfamiliar with this feeling, you’ve been going to the wrong gigs). We were treated to 6 Libertines songs (!), including France, Up the Bracket, What a Waster, Death on the Stairs, Don’t Look Back into the Sun AND Man Who Would Be King. Looking at the crowd, it could have been The Libertines up on stage and as for me; I had a massive smile on my face and sang every word like it was 2004. The songs sounded great – Carl’s voice is better than ever and no complaints about the band – and not for a minute did I think “I miss Pete”; I was just in awe of the beautiful, outrageously sexy and talented man on stage. I know it’s not The Libertines, but I think it’s time to accept that that ship has sailed. I don’t know how I feel about the “reunion” gigs; it seems all too soon and too forced for me. And perhaps it’s also better for Carl’s mental state not to spend too much time around Pete… (just a suggestion).
As for Carl’s own material, obviously it didn’t generate the same excitement as the opening bars of a Libs classic, however people were very respectful and even the outrageously drunk guy in front of me was singing to some of the new tracks, rather than hurling abuse and demanding more Libertines. “So long my lover” was a highlight, although the chorus is a bit too sing-along for my liking, but the way the verse flows is very legs 11, just lovely. It went down very well on Wednesday night, possibly, in part, due to the fact that everyone thinks it’s about Pete…
Conclusions of the fabulous night: Carl is still a great Libertine and doing just fine without Peter, if you would like to hear great versions of Libertines classics from the sex god himself then go to a Carl gig and Carl is still the sexiest man on earth, in fact probably the whole entire universe.
So until Pete decides to properly sort himself out and make genuine amends, I’ll keep going to the Carl gigs and listen to him playing their songs. It’s the best option we have. Let’s just not mention the album cover…
My mother sent me this link. She’s the second biggest Springsteen fan in the world. My uncle is the first biggest – he takes a day off work every time Springsteen releases an album so he can go and buy it and listen to it all day.
Anyway, it’s a lovely article, made me smile. One day I’ll have an awesome book published and made into a film about one of my heroes.
Check it out! So newsworthy it made the nme! Feel honoured to have been there.
So… last week I was lucky enough to dine with two members of Pixies (drummer and guitarist) and a few of their “entourage” thanks to a fortunate coincidence/friend of a friend type situation. Big thanks to Light Man Myles who made sure we got free entry to the gig in Santiago last night – it was a truly spectacular affair! They are undoubtedly as cool as ever (fucking cool).
Myles, legend, found us before the band went on and let us stand with him in the lighting box where he and the sound guy were doing their stuff. The band waited for the last miner to get out alive before starting the show – respect! Was great that the band wanted to celebrate the occasion and definitely appreciated by the fans. Black Francis kicked off the set, telling us (in pretty alright Spanish) that they’d be playing 33 songs, one for every freed miner! The atmosphere was buzzing, perhaps heightened by the fact it was Pixies first time in Chile, in spite of their popularity here – and with 33 songs we were really spoilt!
They eased their way through the set: after so many years the songs are still fresh, yet familiar, 3 minute slices of fucking awesomeness. The heavier grungy stuff got the crowd going but my personal highlight had to be the encore the audience lights came on for “Where is my mind?” It’s actually not my favourite Pixies song, but both times I’ve seen them live, it’s the one that really stood out for me. Perfect contentment. And all the more enjoyable to see they were having a good time too. After every song in the first half of the set Kim would coyly say “Gracias”, followed by a nervous laugh! But eventually she bantered more with the audience (in English) and would turn around to joke with Dave. We could see her big grin from right at the back! Radiant!
Set List:
“Cecilia Ann”
“Rock Music”
“Bone Machine”
“Crackity Jones”
“River Euphrates”
“Debaser”
“Wave of Mutilation”
“Monkey Gone to Heaven”
“I Bleed”
“Caribou”
“Cactus”
“Broken Face”
“Something Against You”
“Isla de Encanta”
“Tame”
“Sad Punk”
“Hey”
“#13 Baby”
“Gouge Away”
“Is She Weird”
“Dead”
“U Mass”
“Break My Body”
“Velouria”
“Dig For Fire”
“Allison”
“Ed is Dead”
“Mr. Grieves”
“Winter Long”
“Here Comes Your Man”
“Head On”
“Holiday Song”
“Vamos”
–
“Where Is My Mind”
“Gigantic”
Hannah Mead 