LEEDS FEST 07. pt 1

leeds festival 2007. in summary: more disappointing than 2006's fest, but a top weekend nonetheless.

i managed to avoid numerous bands i had really really wanted to see due to several reasons such as time clashes, the carling tent being moved FIFTY MILES AWAY (move it the fuck back!), not sleeping for 48 hours, and huge queues for the toilet/to get into the arena.
some of the bands i missed but wanted to see were: Interpol (i know, i know), Maximo Park, Arcade Fire, Sky Larkin (on both days!), Bombay Bicycle Club and Crystal Castles. bit rubbish when you think about it.

i am a walking disaster and managed to lose my ticket after i'd set my tent up but before i'd exchanged it for a wrist band. going out of my mind, i was distraught at missing the 'warm up' performances by several bands on Thursday put on by Dance To The Radio. luckily enough for me, one of my friends found a ticket a few hours later (not my ticket, so some other poor bastard went without) and i managed to catch the last song by Shut Your Eyes.. and the entire ¡Forward, Russia! set, which was, even though i have now seen them live 12 times, very impressive.

FRIDAY:

Late Of The Pier - kicking things off properly were the boys from Doninngton. they managed to blow away the cobwebs and slightly hungover feeling from the night before with their excellent electro pop. i've always heard mixed reports of LOTP's performances, however, having now seen them all of three times, i have not yet been disappointed.

Pull Tiger Tail - last time i saw them i wasn't impressed. this time i was killing time and still not that impressed.

I Was A Cub Scout - delectable! i loved this set.

Operator Please - absolute QUALITY. how they manage to be so good at such a young age is beyond me. it actually makes me feel really old. i am looking forward to seeing them again loads and loads and loads.

The Maccabees - good, but not any better. i'd have liked to hear new material perhaps.

Cold War Kids - one of my favourite performances of the entire weekend. gave me shivers up my spine with their haunting voices. massively enjoyed it. i've been wanting to see them for just over 18 months and that was not disappointing at all.


Gallows - i had to go and check out the madness that is Gallows. it was very mad. but enjoyable. maybe not if you don't know the songs but singing "MY NAME IS CASANOVA AND I'M BASICALLY A MAN" along with the other insane people in the tent was intense. if i could guarantee safety, i'd go and see them again in a smaller venue although they look set to get pretty big. although us northerners missed the onstage tattooing, we were treated to lead singer, Frank Carter deciding to climb the rigging holding the tent up and jump onto the crowd from a ridiculous height. ouch!

LCD Soundsystem - good, very good, BUT. not as good as Leeds 2005 (not even close), and the crowd was full to bursting with complete idiots going "OOH OOH" when it didn't even match the rhythm of the song.

Smashing Pumpkins - not really my thing to begin with, and it seemed like they weren't anyone's thing. there was a constant stream of people coming away from the stage, and at one point i could have managed to get along the barrier at the front. very disappointing as i expected to be blown away by such legends.

my friend's verdict on Smashing Pumpkins was: "i was born to see that performance, and it was shit! 18 years of anticipation and all for nothing". gutteddddd.

Late Of The Pier - Random Firl
Operator Please - Get What You Want
Gallows - Orchestra Of Wolves

pt. 2 coming!

i said oh oh leave us alone.

i can't believe in my M.I.A. post yesterday i forgot to mention my argument with a shitty DJ in Manchester's "legendary" 42 Second Street "indie" nightclub. first of all, i am rather argumentative with the average joe public when it comes to music. pour a few (okay, a lot of) vodka redbulls down me and i'm worse.

i asked the DJ, "do you have any M.I.A.?" and he replied by screwing up his annoying mainstream loving face and said "ugh, she's not indie". i think my jaw hit the floor at this point. i could have said 'you are a TWAT' or various other rude things but i didn't. instead i started rambling on about XL and how they are an independent label and therefore an 'indie' label and that M.I.A. is on XL and that therefore makes her an "indie" artist. does it not?
he just replied by saying "that's not what indie is. anyway i'll put some Pigeon Detectives on".

it made me so angry. plus, they didn't even know who Foals were. not going back there unless i'm completely skint. haha.

Blah Blah Blah - Death To The Indie Disco

it seems as if there's tons and tons of albums floating around right this minute that i haven't listened to. i have just had a copy of Harrisons' debut, 'No Fighting In The War Room' land on my computer desktop.

it starts off catchy, which is always a good thing. but there's a little something missing. although the two are different styles of bands, i am kind of hoping that Harrisons can fill the now empty Dead 60s shaped hole in my musical life. it's fast paced, it's northern, it's 'boys in bands', it's catchy, it's complete with 'gruff' vocals.

'Man Of The Hour' could be The Pigeon Detectives, but it isn't. so i won't make too many more lazy journalist statements.

i remember hearing 'Wishing Well' on the radio and literally falling over myself to go and buy it. even though it came out some two years ago (two years tomorrow to be exact), it's still as catchy and brilliant as ever. good move keeping that song on the album.

overall: hmm. worth a listen. it's a grower.

Harrisons - Man Of The Hour
Harrisons - Monday's Arms

also: OH MY GOSH. you know that Robyn song? yeah, the one that is eeeeeverywhere allllllll the time? well. i did amazingly to avoid listening to the thing the whole way through. that is until yesterday! i was minding my p's and q's (what does that even mean?) on myspace with the TV on in the background. and that song came on. now i am addicted to the last 1 minute and 33 seconds. ugh, i hope there's a cure.

Robyn - With Every Heartbeat

god this was long.

buy one song get one free.

M.I.A's second album 'Kala' hits the shops todaaaay. i've reviewed the album for High Voltage but it mysteriously has failed to materialise on the website. it's probably due to my complete foaming at the mouth enthusiasm about this album. here's the review and a couple of tracks.

Nobody can ever accuse M.I.A. of being unoriginal or uninspiring. With 'Kala', her second and forthcoming album, she takes music to new levels and combines sounds that wouldn't work so well if it was anyone else.
Opening song ‘Bamboo Banga’ is incredibly infectious and sets the tone for the remaining tracks with heavy dancehall beats and the quick and clever poetry turned lyrics from the offset.
‘Jimmy’ is a slice of Bollywood turned accessible to the rest of the world. ‘Hussel’ featuring Afrikan Boy is almost unbearably catchy with its simple rhymes, “ooh”s, “ahh”s and electro infused beats whilst telling the politicised story of people from Africa to India to London.
There’s a dark undertone to this album that, although simmering beneath the surface, is all too poignant to miss. M.I.A.’s first hand experiences of poverty, politics and the streets are never far from her lyrics, providing a realistic, modern and hard hitting insight into the things she sees happening in this world.
‘Paper Planes’ is the highlight of the album. Bringing together the sound of gunshots, children’s singing and the sound of money being registered into a till makes for haunting work. Rapping over a fluffy melody, this track is the fun side of serious yet nothing short of powerful.
Despite sounding nothing like 'Arular' this album is M.I.A. all over, even with other artists such as Timbaland featuring on tracks. An extremely impressive second album from the Sri Lankan who has deservedly come such a long way from recording tapes in her bedroom. M.I.A. certainly is coming back with power.

4 out of 5

M.I.A. - Hussel (Featuring Afrikan Boy) [my favourite song this entire month!]
M.I.A. - World Town

BUY the album!

eeee eee eeeee!

i've just got my hands on Let's Stay Friends and would be jumping around with excitement if it wasn't for the slightly dodgy feeling i still have in my stomach from the other night. there's a review of the album on Turn The Page.
i bought my ticket to see Les Savy Fav at the Scala the other day and i'm actually scared that i will pee myself with anticipation when October 22nd comes around. i just hope i don't do it at the gig, that's never a good look and especially not when you're on your own in a crowd.

Les Savy Fav - Raging In The Plague Age (from 'Let's Stay Friends', due out 18th September in the US and October 1st in the UK).

in other news! my friend is at Greenman Festival and sent me a text message saying "it has rained all day, Joanna Newsom was great and showed more than a bit of leg" which is a bit cryptic and creepy at the same time. all this talk of festivals is getting me hyped up for the Carling Weekend. and has reminded me that my tent requires some duct tape action.

in other other news! Dan from Dirty Hands has started a music blog. it's called Shattered Satellite and is already shaping up to be ace so go and check it out. there's a Modernaire on Dirty Hands remix up for grabs too and it sounds amaaaaazing.

result!

well well well, i got into Roehampton University. and have come to accept the fact that i am absolutely appauling at losing. i got a B in psychology, C in english language and a big fat hairy D in politics. am i gutted? yes and no. yes because a D is a D is a D. no because i beat my dad (he got BDD for his A levels) and i got into my first choice university.
this whole exam-result-exam-result process has been awful. thank god it's over!

Elle Milano - Swearing's For Art Students

"what are economics, the constraints of social politics? it's not for me honey..."

also, you will see a big vote for me! button on the right hand side of this page for the BT awards. please do! also, don't forget to vote for other very deserving, well written and entertaining blogs.

oh dear oh dear..!

so The Dead 60s forthcoming album has leaked. ALREADY. it's due out for release in January. it's a bit sad for the band but i suspect it'll be brought forward and released on download much earlier.

it's titled 'Time To Take Sides' and i have definitely chosen a side.

the album is wank. end of story. incredibly disappointing seeing as they were a treat to see live, and their previous material has been good. a great shame! i feel quite sad about it really. they've had so long to work on it and make it brilliant but everything has gone down tempo and there's none of the haunting punk/ska vibe left. there's one passable track and one good one:

The Dead 60s - Liar (passable)
The Dead 60s - Seven Empty Days (good)

to cheer myself up i will be listening to phenomenal amounts of Dirty Projectors and their forthcoming album 'Rise Above' which is the best thing i have heard all year. fact.
this band are probably an acquired taste but a taste well worth getting at. they are currently touring with YACHT and Vampire Weekend to give you a brief indication of their amazingness! try them and see.

Dirty Projectors - Depression
Dirty Projectors - Jolly Jolly Jolly Ego

speaking of all things dirty, Dirty Hands have a new track up on their myspace called 'Desire Desire Desire' so go check it out. don't forget the single, 'Get On Your Bike Charlie', is out on 7" at the beginning of September.

oh, and keep nominating!

nominate!

hey kids, you can now NOMINATE THIS BLOG in the Manchester Blog Awards, 2007 (CLICK for details!).

to break it down: email the email address given with the URL (fuckingdance.blogspot.com) of this blog, along with the category/ies you think i should belong to. eeeeeasy peeeeeasy. you have until September 7th to read and re-read in case you don't understand the instructions.

it's cash prizes, which is quite exciting. i'm good at winning things (or rather, i don't like losing).

there are five categories, three of which i am eligible to be entered in. (ARTS & CULTURE, BEST NEW BLOG, BEST CREATIVE WRITING). so get nominating! to be in with a chance of winning, i have to make it onto the short list of blogs. to make it onto the short list i have to be nominated. and i figured that the more i am nominated, the better chance i have of being on the shortlist and therefore winning (which i am good at). comprende? excellent!

some chaps who have already voted for me after an urgent myspace bulletin are Citylights. i posted about them a while ago, mentioning their fresh-faced appearances. then they went an recruited someone with a beard! a beard! i can't say they all look 12 anymore.
they have newly recorded tracks up on their myspace so do go and have a listen.

get girl kill baddies save planet.

sooooo. yesterday i went to my very first ALL DAY gig. i have come to certain conclusions about them already. they should either, a) provide very cheap food, or b) provide very very cheap alcohol, food is probably the best bet.

first onstage was a band called Stars Of Track & Field. they were immensely boring and will never get anywhere with that lead singer. she needs to decide whether she wants to be herself, Blondie or Karen O.

next up was I Say Marvin. i was much looking forward to them and they definitely didn't disappoint. cowbells! very impressed, and can't wait to see them again.

then The Ghost Frequency were up. i can't really see what all the fuss over these guys is about. they were mildly entertaining with their jumping around but that's all.

Dead Disco from Leeds were onstage next and although i had a feeling they were going to be rubbish they weren't half bad. their new stuff sounds impressive.

youngsters Clarky Cat jumped onstage next and were brilliantttttt. i must must see them again live. well worth it. witty stage banter as well as excellent music combined with an excitable performance.

the next band on were called The Real Dolls and they were so dreadful i went and sat outside until they'd finished. i don't even know why they were on that bill. they were GOD AWFUL.

fiiiiiiinally Late Of The Pier came onstage. last time i saw LOTP the only song i can vaguely remember is their forthcoming single 'Bathroom Gurgle'. this time i remember everything! they were on fan-tastic form, jumping all over the place, rolling around, etc etc. they played a new song which sounded like 80s electro heaven. i cannot wait to get my hands and ears on it. 'Bathroom Gurgle' is still my favourite song of theirs and shouting "find yourself a new boy" seems like it will never grow old. bring on Leeds fest so i can do it again!

ones to watch!: Clarky Cat - Decide

friday feeling

so, whilst i sit here plotting a million ways to kidnap Russell Howard and force him to marry me, Channel 4's The Album Chart Show show is on in the background.

some of the artists featured on it tonight are Calvin Harris, some god awful ginger (i get to say ginger with contempt because i suffer from the same affliction, haha) white guy with dreadlocks and (ugh) The View.

'headlining' the terribly annoying show is Kate Nash. Nash's album was released on Monday and is obviously going to slam dunk it's way into one of the top 2 slots in the charts come Sunday.

i've listened to the album a couple of times and although i enjoy some of Kate's music, the album is such a massive disappointment. it's clearly rushed. not only in terms of song writing and production but also with regard to exposure and press.

everywhere i go all i hear is people going "your mates are much FITTAH" and i'm praying that they stop before i actually hurt them. everyone's pegged and posted Nash upon the merit of her shoddy album which is a shame. if only she hadn't gone so far down the comercialised, mark-one shopper friendly, tracksuit wearing people appealing route! not that i have anything against anyone who wears a tracksuit.. my brother wears one when he plays squash and everything.

overall, a huge letdown that has been forced on us too quickly. i hope Kate fades out and then takes a few years to mature and refine her sound into something with all the substance that 'Made Of Bricks' lacks.

Kate Nash - Dickhead
Kate Nash - Nicest Thing

also!! TONY WILSON! :( not good news. a legend has passed away. if it hadn't been for him, well. music would not be where it is today. R.I.P Tony.

Joy Division - Isolation

it's my party and i'll cry if i want to.

after a wonderful birthday, i thought i'd keep the spirit going by giving you all a treat!

Mat Payne (aka, 'The Pound Shop Erol Alkan') very kindly made me a birthday mix!

Happy Birthday Jamila Mix by Mat Payne

Pharoahe Monch - Simon Says (Hostage Remix)
Duke Dumont - When I Hear Mu'Sic
Kanye West - Stonger (DIPLO WORK IS NEVER OVER)
The Futureheads - Worry About It Later (Switch Remix)
Black Ghosts - Face (Switch mix)
Klaxons - Golden Skans (Switch Remix)
To My Boy - Model (Audioporno Remix)
The Knife - Pass This On
SOULWAX - E Talking (Tiga's Disco Drama Remix)
The Maccabees - X-Ray (South Central Remix)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Cold Light (Les Petits Pilous rmx)
Uffie - Hot Chick (Detboi's Hot Glitch Re-Edit)
MIA - Boyz (Kimono Kops Mix)
Infants - Firetruk (Drop The Lime Remix)
Architecture In Helsinki - Do The Whirlwind (Yacht Remix)
Stardust - Music Sound Better (In Miami Horror Remix)
Daft Punk - Da Funk
Justice - Waters of Nazareth (erol remix)
Dusty Kid - The Cat (Crookers Remix)
Calvin Harris - Acceptable in the 80s (Glimmer Remix)
The Whip - Trash
Klaxons - it's Not Over Yet (Brodinski Remix)
Patrick Wolf - Pigeon Song

(1hr 34mins long)