I'm currently watching 'Hook'. A cursory glance at imdb tells me that it is not amongst Steven Spielberg's most critically acclaimed work, but that doesn't change it from being one of my top films of all time. It is simply brilliant. Better than ET, anyway. HA.
Back to Keyboard Choir, which is probably the reason you're reading this blog (I hope). We have a new member, his name is Alex and he is ace. We've played a few shows with him so far and he couldn't have fitted in any more naturally. He's currently over at Ady's working on a new tune which, and this is literally hot off the press, is called 'stagger'.
We have nearly completed 'In the heart of the sea' for live performance, and should be playing it 10th May at the Cellar. A demo version of it will be included on a USB stick on the cover of Amelia's magazine which goes out in May, along with a sexy feature of us.
The weekend just gone saw us playing at the George Tavern in Stepney and at the Sanctuary Cafe in Brighton. Both shows were ace, for different reasons. We nearly didn't make the London one for various reasons, but we're glad we did. We were playing alongside a guy from Sweden who goes by the name 'adventure kid' (check him, he's good!) and an MC called 'Verb-T'. Woody couldn't make it, and we forgot Guy's power supply so he had to make do with a MicroKorg. We played Macondo for the first time in ages, and it went well. I'm told that Thinking Won't Help was amazing.
We spent Saturday lazing around Brick lane after a night on Seb's floor during which he tried to mount me and received a punch to the kidneys for his troubles, and being serenaded by Ady's extremely bubbly snoring. GREAT.
Alex drove me and the equipment to Brighton at about 4 and we met up with the others at the venue. Inside the venue (which was otherwise lovely) there was a limiter which cut power to the PA should the volume peak. Luckily we bypassed this problem somewhat by having brought along our own monitors. The promoters (Chris and Kathy, also of support act and previous keyboard choir blog mentionees Power Up!) were very generous and nice to us, providing beer! Junkboy were on first, and played mainly instrumental stuff punctuated by intermittent blasts of vocals and glockenspiels. They were hindered by the limiter somewhat, feeling that they couldn't let loose, but they were great and are well worth a look. Power Up! were next, and having seen them a few times before I thought I knew what to expect, but due to a recent computer crash they were playing mostly new stuff, which was all great, it was the best I'd seen them. I must reiterate that Kathy's vocals remind me of Rachel Goswell, and the beats and textures crafted beneath by Chris made me think of a more playful version of Fuck Buttons(although, being a duo this could be construed as something of a lazy comparison, I can't really think of another reference point so it'll have to do).
Then we played, and with one eye constantly on the limiter, we played well, and Woody had returned so Free Lunch was wheeled out to hit the limiters on a number of occasions. It was fun!
After the show the rest of the band went home(!) and I was well up for a night out, so Greg(of we aeronauts fame), Mr B(of keyboard choir's future visuals fame) and Mo (of being a friend of mine fame) followed Kathy to the Freebut and proceeded to drink nowhere near enough alcohol. We then went to an awesome houseparty and sat on the roof with an accordion, before retiring home just as Joe Calzaghe's head hit the floor in the first round.
The next day we hung around on the beach and looked at expensive instruments in bric-a-brac shops while Mr B and Mo bought sunglasses. Greg dropped me off at reading station and I made my way home. It was a great weekend.
We've got a show (our first in Oxford for SIX MONTHS) on May 10th at the cellar with THEO and WHITE NOISE SOUND. Both of them are brilliant, and we do Ok so come and check it. We've also been added to the bill for the inaugural Stag and Dagger urban festival alongside such greats as The Duke Spirit and Atlas Sound. We're playing with CADENCE WEAPON on May 15th @ Vibe Bar, Brick Lane. No doubt there will be more blogs soon.
"now they dropping and yelling, its a tad bit late, Nate Dogg and Warren G have to REGULATE"
love from James KBQ.
xxx
PS: We have had a bit of a loving up from the folks over the 'the line of best fit'. They gave our album 90%! are they insane? possibly, because they also named us their 'new favourite band' and have included us on their May Mixtape which also features music by the Futureheads and Fleet Foxes amongst others.
ALBUM REVIEW:
http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/2008/04/09/keyboard-choir-mitzen-head-to-gascanane-sound/
SMALL INTERVIEW:
http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/2008/04/23/new-favourite-band-keyboard-choir/