Monday, August 11, 2008
Summer sonic
After the pyrotechnic delights of Saturday night (Yodogawa fireworks with accompanying thunderstorm) and a great deal less sleep than I generally favour, it was off to Summer Sonic for some music and mayhem with Tricky and Gamble.
We saw:
"Blood red shoes"
Brit-poppish two piece from Brighton. Started very brightly, but ran out of decent material before you could say "Menswear." Powerful sound, but not much good vocally.
"Band of horses"
Looked like they met in a rehabilitation centre for sex offenders, but played a good set. Best point was that their guy could actually sing, unlike the previous act.
GAMBLE: I think you have to earn your facial hair in this band. I mean, look at the guy over there with nothing (points): he must be the newbie. Singer and keyboards are rocking beards, the guitarist has got... whatever he's got going on and even the bass player's got his little dirty 'stache. The drummer, too. So that guy must be the newbie.
"Santogold"
High energy and good fun. Also blessed us with the quote of the weekend: "Thank you To-- er, Osaka!" (Summer Sonic runs simultaneously in both cities, like the Reading / Leeds festival.) Her backing band, incidentally, had adorable grey shirt / mint green bow tie combos which were great, except that the sweltering heat soon had everyone looking like they'd been doused in water. Best sweat patches were on the guitarist / nu-age keypad thingy player.
GAMBLE: Take it off!
"The Kills"
Similar to "Blood red shoes", except about a millionth as tolerable. We left quite quickly.
"Panic at the disco"
Were clean-cut and amiable. Although this is pretty much all I can say about them, it's still a lot more than could be said about the next act...
"The Verve"
Richard Ashcroft smashed up a guitar and stormed off the stage in a big huff about something at the end, but it was great entertainment. We also had the treat of a beautiful sunset, albeit somewhat marred by an uncharacteristically out-of-key rendition of "The drugs don't work."
"The Prodigy"
Was an awesome set, but didn't condescend to playing anything off The Prodigy Experience which disappointed me. Did play "Poison", but didn't play "No good" which disappointed Tricky.
They still kicked it though- and it was good to be able to dance at long last, instead of doing indie-ish head bobbing.
***
DAN: Gamble, what's with you today? Normally, every time you open your mouth it's a complete travesty, but today's been nothing but gold!
I don't normally say Encouraging Things to Gamble, but he was on good form.
Dan, Tricky and Gamble
We saw:
"Blood red shoes"
Brit-poppish two piece from Brighton. Started very brightly, but ran out of decent material before you could say "Menswear." Powerful sound, but not much good vocally.
"Band of horses"
Looked like they met in a rehabilitation centre for sex offenders, but played a good set. Best point was that their guy could actually sing, unlike the previous act.
Bad image, good tune
GAMBLE: I think you have to earn your facial hair in this band. I mean, look at the guy over there with nothing (points): he must be the newbie. Singer and keyboards are rocking beards, the guitarist has got... whatever he's got going on and even the bass player's got his little dirty 'stache. The drummer, too. So that guy must be the newbie.
"Santogold"
High energy and good fun. Also blessed us with the quote of the weekend: "Thank you To-- er, Osaka!" (Summer Sonic runs simultaneously in both cities, like the Reading / Leeds festival.) Her backing band, incidentally, had adorable grey shirt / mint green bow tie combos which were great, except that the sweltering heat soon had everyone looking like they'd been doused in water. Best sweat patches were on the guitarist / nu-age keypad thingy player.
GAMBLE: Take it off!
"The Kills"
Similar to "Blood red shoes", except about a millionth as tolerable. We left quite quickly.
"Panic at the disco"
Were clean-cut and amiable. Although this is pretty much all I can say about them, it's still a lot more than could be said about the next act...
"The Verve"
Richard Ashcroft smashed up a guitar and stormed off the stage in a big huff about something at the end, but it was great entertainment. We also had the treat of a beautiful sunset, albeit somewhat marred by an uncharacteristically out-of-key rendition of "The drugs don't work."
Not a thundercloud in sight
Richard Ashcroft: hasn't aged a day.
Or matured a minute, for that matter.
"The Prodigy"
Was an awesome set, but didn't condescend to playing anything off The Prodigy Experience which disappointed me. Did play "Poison", but didn't play "No good" which disappointed Tricky.
This one's for Tricky!
They still kicked it though- and it was good to be able to dance at long last, instead of doing indie-ish head bobbing.
***
DAN: Gamble, what's with you today? Normally, every time you open your mouth it's a complete travesty, but today's been nothing but gold!
I don't normally say Encouraging Things to Gamble, but he was on good form.
