Tag: Independent Venue Week

Last night I was at the Windmill in Brixton to see Sorry, Ghost Kings of the Five Regions and Drug Store Romeos as part of Independent Venue Week. Independent Music Week is in it's fifth year with I think over a hundred venues taking part. I'd never been to the Windmill in Brixton (take a bus from the station, it's a long walk up that hill, and cold this time of year!) nor to a IVW event. You might have noticed me posting more about smaller gigs recently - this is because I decided the end of last year to go to more smaller gigs on my own. Partly cos I'm missing the habit I got into at Glastonbury, but also I'm pushing myself into being more outward and independent, not relying on friends to be available (I know most of them wouldn't like my taste in music anyway!) - this was also the reason I went to Glasto alone the first time. I almost bailed for this gig, a big reason I didn't was Big Jeff, one of the legends of the Bristol music scene as a gig-goer (he goes to 5-7+ gigs a week) but also ambassador to IVW. I heard him on 6Music Roundtable talking about mental health, and then read about his mental health struggles and about how going to gigs give him confidence. Appropriately it's #TimetoTalk day I'll discuss why. It's a similar thing for me, I go to clubs and now more smaller gigs to get myself out of the flat and get out of myself with music, and pushing myself to be in more social spaces as I get very awkward and have some issues about being there, I get really nervous and understand his 'panics' and needing places that you know well. I'm very shy, and in the past few years stopped doing a lot of the things I loved (DJing, VJing, walking, the podcast...) because of depression and unhappiness about whether anyone was listening...the world slowly drained of it's colour. I'm trying to come out of that, via restarting the podcast and going to more gigs...which I'm continuing for the rest of the year, hopefully. I think it's important to talk about mental health and music - as much as it creates a lifeline for those who listen as much as for those who play it. And that's why small venues are really important...they are the soul of the community, they are a pressure release and also a meter of how well that society is doing. Anyway enough of my rambling, and onto the music! Drug Store Romeos The crowd was an interestingly mixed one, not the hipsters or grungey crowd I was expecting...at least one Fat White Family jacket, and quite a few people dressed like they were from an 80's movie (Back to the Future, Weird Science, that Babycham advert) but too young to born then. Before the bands started there was a Crumpl choice in music so suited for me and a recent discussion over at Crumplebangers FB group I looked around to see if the DJ was anyone I knew! I mean Mah Nà Mah Nà, followed by Moroder's Doo-Bee-Doo-Bee-Doo and then Yummy Yummy Yummy? First on was Drug Store Romeos, a Hampshire band who have a floaty, Julee Cruise meets Cowboy Junkies via Mazzy Star thing going on, with a three piece band with a girl with a large Casio keyboard Very soporific, a nice sound but didn't really grab me yet although I suspect it's early days for them. When I heard a real flute I was shocked though, it's unusual to hear one in that setting. MOAR FLUTE! Will check them out further. Second was Ghost Kings of the Five Regions which, although I hate to keep making comparisons are basically what happens if you combine post-rock (Mogwai, Slint, Godspeed...) with Death Grips. A great idea, the guy came out and psyched out the audience in a punk style, scowling...and then after a few minutes started rapping to the post-rock backing. Interesting, but it all seems to be rather emo in lyrics, e.g. "She never texted me back but that's OK" or "I hate you" style angst, which gets rather one-note after a few songs. I hate to critique new-ish bands, but I think they are onto a winner but might want to vary the song lyrics a bit more, maybe political or other themes? The backing band are amazing though. My pictures of them aren't that good (well given it's just my CrappyCameraPhone™ it struggles) but there are better ones over at the IVW site. Again, I suspect it's early days and will keep an eye on their Bandcamp because I'd definitely play them in the future. Sorry Third was the band I came to see, Sorry, who I've played on the podcast and blogged about. A rather more subdued affair than I expected (moshing only on the last song, Lies), their female/male vocal play-off works really well, and they seemed to just 'click' as a band just over halfway in. They played Drag King and a few others I recognised from Home Demo/ns, and the new one (Kerosene? Lemon Seeds? Hard to tell) sounded really good, a step forward I think. I expected more of a genre-mash though, although they did do the drum-and-bass double-time bit at the end of one of their songs (Wishing?) but a good gig. A few more of my (not that great) piccies:

Tag: Independent Venue Week

Independent Venue Week at the Windmill

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