A is for Apple (ctd).
Of course, coming to London was not an intentional act to increase my musical input.
It just turned out that way.
Where was I?
As I'm leaving The Borderline for now, let me move towards the North of London.
Camden seems the obvious place, and these days we have to pass The Scala, which was a cinema where I saw Clive Barker (interviewed by Kim Newman) explain that the British censors had a clear idea of when sex with a reanimated corpse became "obscene" – "After the third thrust" apparently. Then the Scala Cinema closed because of trying to show Clockwork Orange against Stanley Kubrick's wishes and some time later it reopened as a music venue.
It's been a transition venue for a lot of the bands I have enjoyed seeing at smaller venues. Recently the Broken Family Band played there and lead singer, Steve Adams, told a story that went something like "We played at the 100 club and invited a guy who was going to be our publicist. The gig was a sell out and we did a good show or so we thought. After the gig he said he was not going to be our publicist any more because we only play to our friends." What that chap failed to realise is that Broken Family Band treat all of their audiences like friends, and they do have quite a few friends. At the Scala it was no difference. I must admit I did not like that we had to stand at the back (because we'd been at an Alan Moore conversation earlier that evening) but the friendly atmosphere was no different. Even the guy who claimed his £10 refund in response to Steve Adams' offer to refund any satisfied customers.
Also at the Scala, I've seen The Jeff Lewis Band put on a quite nice show (though they were much better at the Luminaire which I will get to in a short while); The Handsome Family (always good fun, certainly more to say on them); 18th Day of May and Robyn Hitchcock and The Minus 3, who have an involvement with me and toilets that goes back to The Powerhaus (17/10/1992) which I will not go into again.
If you get there early enough it's a decent venue. One where anyone who talks is in earshot of the band, which shuts a few up.
Ah. People who talk at gigs.
This eventually brings me to Dingwalls, although on the way is Koko (formerly Camden Palace) where I went last week to see Neko Case and m ward. Two acts I am very fond of, but the latter did not meet the approval of the people behind us. Now, the cynic in me thought that this would be due to the fact they spent most of his set talking about other things, only occasionally pausing to mention that he was "trying to sound like Tom Waits". Waits is someone that I have surprisingly never gotten into. I like him, and several of his songs appeal to me, but there is something that keeps me from committing – possibly the huge back catalogue, but recently the preposterous price of his gig tickets. Now, Matt Ward may well be influenced by the same acts as Tom Waits, he may even count Tom Waits as an influence, but musically and lyrically his mentor is Howe Gelb. And he requires listening.
Devendra Banhart got some stick earlier in this piece for his ROCK show at the Astoria. In the rococo Koko he was perfect, a new folk dandy, for those who have never seen him, imagine if Russell Brand, Marc Bolan and George Best were sent through that machine in The Fly. On top of his game he is very good, and at Koko (11/8/2005) he was great. As were the supporting band Espers. He was also good when playing with his mate Andy Cabic's Vetiver at the Twisted Folk night at The Lyric (on a bill with Micah P Hinson and Curritruck Co). I think once Devendra's star is the centre of attention that I lose a bit of his charm and so Vetiver are much more preferable, with or without him. Certainly he was in the audience at The Spitz a few months ago and they gave a great show.
Koko has a lot more charm than did The Camden Palace, but you have to get there early to get a decent spot on its many-tiered balcony. Which we did for Gogol Bordello - directly above the front of the stage, at the side.
I was heading towards Dingwalls, wasn't I?
There's the Camden Electric first, but I only saw two gigs there. The sadly waste by Fire Records, Salamanda who were supporting The Audience before Sophie Ellis Bextor became a celebrity, and Camper Van Beethoven just prior to the original split (with Poi Dog Pondering support and without Jonathan Segel on violin).
Not a happy venue really (although "All Her Favourite Fruit" live would have to tide me over until the reformation of Camper a few years ago.
The first gig I saw at Dingwalls was Camper Van Beethoven, as it happens.
This time it was the proper line-up and when I got onto the internet in 1997, one of the first things I went after was a bootleg of that gig. Tales of Rumania werewolves narrated by David Lowery of one of Camper's prog improvisations and Cindy Lee Berryhill looked at me but I did not have the confidence I now have to talk to acts I have liked. I still check her website for news of gigs, as she's something of an inspiration to the anti-folk scene that I have been exploring for the last three years or so. And she gave us the line "Damn, I wish I was a man, I'd sexy with a belly like Jack Nicholson". The venue has changed a couple of times, and changed names a few more, but it will always be Dingwalls for me. You may remember that what brought the venue to mind was "people talking during acts". I went with my friend Kim to see Hawksley Workman. He's someone who spins a good yarn between songs and plays a few upbeat and raucous tunes. But he also has some heartbreakingly good ballads, and it was during one of these that "Talkative Girl" came and stood in front of us and proceeded to have a much-needed chat with her friend. After half of the song, I moved towards them and said "There's plenty of room at the back for people who want to talk". "What did you say?" said her American companion angrily, despite the fact that they had clearly heard me. "Can you please move or SHUT THE FUCK UP" I replied. "How dare you, that is so rude," he retorted before shutting the fuck up.
I despair at the manners of the modern gig-goers.
Next time it happens, I am going to have some cards printed out with witty put downs for people who talk so that I can get on with listening rather than having them try and engage me in face-saving debate about who is ruder.
Do you know, I forgot to mention the 12 Bar Club, which is right by the Astoria.
What reminds me of that is Lauren Hoffman singing "It's so quiet here" (a line I still think of as "Instant Quiet Here") just as a Spanish couple started talking loudly by the door of the tiny stage area. Did I say tiny ? That place is so small, when I saw the Handsome Family, and Brett Sparks was standing up, I could not see the top half of that very fine alt.country singer. Luckily Rennie was sat down for most of the show.
Back to Dingwalls, and don't spare the horses !
Three more gigs stand out at the New Dingwalls lay out, which I like a lot because it is tiered and, as I say, talkers can stay by the bar.
Neko Case is going to be good in any environment – it is still a disappointment of the year that I could not save enough to go to Camper & Cracker Camp Out at Pioneertown, and I was nearly convinced when I heard that Neko was going to be there. But that night at Dingwalls, supported by The Devics, she was in her perfect environment, a small club full of people who have come to hear the singer.
What a voice and what a show.
Another tale of music from the radio. I heard a track that combined opera (not at all something I like outside of ELO and the like) with synthesisers and a very interesting sound. This was Flotation Toy Warning, and I quickly found out there website and emailed them some praise to get an almost instant reply "We're playing at Dingwalls next week, why not come along, we'll put you on the guest list".
A splendid response and one I really enjoyed.
Even when their Moog blew up at the Borderline at a subsequent gig they inadvertently gave me something, as The Earlies came on (ahem) early. I've missed FTW who seemingly vanished after that gig, but I recently heard they are soon to return.
Another connection from The Borderline (even though I am saving it, you'll notice I can't help but referring to the pokey old bar) was Lift To Experience. On one of those nights of Sparklehorse, I arrived as usual for the support act, and was chatting to Craig and Mark at the bar. We didn't notice the three cowboys stroll onto the stage, and if we did we'd have totally misread what we were about to hear.
What happened was a sudden explosion of sound from the stage. This was two guitars and one drummer but it sounded like Led Zeppellin had joined The Who for a jam session. But at Dingwalls, a few months later, the sound was a notch better.
They were not a big band, and in fact, they were not actually loud, but rather their sound was dense, like a rainstorm just before it turns to hail. There was a moment in the middle of one song where the guitarists stopped and the drummer gently brushed his cymbals – if they'd been loud we would have certainly been too deaf to hear that.
Sadly lead singer Josh Pearson went through some problems during their next sessions and the split, but I am off to see him at the Luminaire next month.
And that's the venue I will move onto next.
Way across town in the wrong direction (because I need to get back to Kentish Town for the Forum and Islington for The Union Chapel) to Kilburn High Road.
The Luminaire won best venue from Time Out last year and it's probably my favourite of its type because of the architectural problems of The Windmill and The Borderline. ie it is not big, and some great bands play there. I saw King Creosote with The Earlies among his backing band. I saw Jeff and Jack Lewis sing "Eye of Fatima". Mistys Big Adventure's Gareth joining them on stage. I saw The Essex Green.
And I saw my friends' band Kunta Kinte.
The Luminaire's bar is about fifteen yards from the stage.
Behind that bar is a sign that advises people not to talk during the acts, and when people do talk, the staff tap them on the shoulder and point to the sign.
Great venue, great policy.
Back to the other side of North London tomorrow, then I really must move on to "B is for Boot".
(in case anyone is counting, that's 5400 words so far, and I don't have time to do the links in this one tonight, so I'll get back to it.)