There has been a lot of mixed reviews surrounding the release of Les Misérables. Some of the negative reviews hold merit, whether I agree with them or not, however some are simply scathing attacks which lack open-mindedness or any worthy critique, clearly developed from a personal distaste for Les Misérables itself. An opinion which was no doubt formed before the opening credits even rolled. As a huge fan of the musical, I had high expectations. Not all of my expectations were met, and there were plenty flaws throughout the bladder-bursting 2 hours and 40 minutes, but overall I left the cinema feeling euphoric as opposed to disappointed. Visually, the film was stunning. Danny Cohen should be lauded for his imaginative and breathtaking cinematography. Yet despite that, there’s one visual aspect which largely plagues the film and left me glad we found seats at the very back of the auditorium. Tom Hooper’s decision to shoot the film almost entirely in intense close-ups makes for rather uncomfortable viewing at times, almost suffocating the entire production. It’s a pity he didn’t let the film breathe a little more and allow the audience to take in the surroundings, but I’m interested to go back and see it a second time and find out whether it really does detract from the viewing experience as a whole or whether it just takes a little bit of getting used to. I can confidently say that Tom Hooper won’t be making his way in to my list of favourite directors any time soon, however. Also criticised was the performance of Russell Crowe, criticism which I believe to be rather harsh. In my opinion, as far as image and demeanour goes, Crowe was born to play Javert. In my eyes, the character of Javert is deeply tragic and misunderstood and it’s this which I feel Crowe captures perfectly. Granted, his singing is questionable and, at times, lacks real emotion but he redeemed himself towards the end of the film as his character grew. It was a risk to cast him, and despite the majority of critics having failed to be convinced, I enjoyed his performance for the most part. Whilst on the subject of singing and risks, choosing to record the actors singing live to the cameras rather than lip synching to a pre-recorded track was a gamble which ultimately paid off. Despite a horribly shaky opening scene and subsequent 15 minutes, the live singing helps create a raw emotion which made for some memorable scenes - most notably Anne Hathaway’s emotional, and most likely Oscar-winning, performance of “I Dreamed a Dream”. Some have already been quick to accuse her of overacting, but I couldn’t disagree more. The audible sobs and breaths between lines adds to the gritty realism and helps separate it from the stage version, something which more people should really take in to consideration on first viewing. Comparing the two is a huge mistake, and it’s best to stay clear of any comparisons to fully enjoy the film. I struggled with the singing at times, but only because I’m used to the cast recording from the stage musical. In my head I could hear Colm Wilkinson belting out “What Have I Done?” yet Hugh Jackman sings it entirely differently. This is probably the reason I didn’t enjoy the “Bring Him Home” scene from the film as much as I expected to, but making the comparison to Wilkinson’s performance would be unfair on anybody. As the intensity of the film picked up as it entered Act II, so did the pace. One of the triumph’s of the movie, Anne Hathaway aside, was the performance of Samantha Barks as Éponine. “On My Own” broke me emotionally and she was utterly convincing from her first appearance on screen to her last. Eddie Redmayne as Marius was easily the stand-out performance of the entire film though, and the scenes at the beginning of the June Rebellion were nothing short of spectacular. Yet despite all those positives, the barricade formed by the students looked a little silly to say the least. A few chairs and bits of furniture is something which undoubtedly works well on stage, but as far as the film goes it wasn’t particularly convincing. The biggest surprise of the film however, came in the form of Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter. Both delivered outstanding performances as the Thénardiers, providing some light comic relief from the hard-hitting story throughout, and “Master of the House” was an utter joy to watch. I cried, that was a given, but I didn’t cry anywhere near as much as I expected to. I was gripped, I believed in it, hell I even enjoyed it, but it wasn’t quite as perfect as I hoped it would be. You only need to do a quick Google search to bring up a whole host of bad reviews, but the first performance of Les Misérables at the Barbican Centre in London in 1985 and the reviews that followed just go to show that it’s the audience who determine the success of a production or a film, not the critics, and 27 years later it’s still going strong. If you’re a fan of the musical Les Misérables, then I suggest you go and see it and make up your own mind. If you’re not a fan, then it’s probably best you stay clear of it altogether. Despite it’s flaws, I loved it for what it was; a lavish, over-the-top, emotional and, at times, beautiful production that brought the power and intensity of the musical to the big screen - and really, that’s all that matters.
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There has been a lot of mixed reviews surrounding the release of Les Misérables. Some of the negative reviews hold merit, whether I agree with them or not, however some are simply scathing attacks which lack open-mindedness or any worthy critique, clearly developed from a personal distaste for Les Misérables itself. An opinion which was no doubt formed before the opening credits even rolled.

As a huge fan of the musical, I had high expectations. Not all of my expectations were met, and there were plenty flaws throughout the bladder-bursting 2 hours and 40 minutes, but overall I left the cinema feeling euphoric as opposed to disappointed.

Visually, the film was stunning. Danny Cohen should be lauded for his imaginative and breathtaking cinematography. Yet despite that, there’s one visual aspect which largely plagues the film and left me glad we found seats at the very back of the auditorium. Tom Hooper’s decision to shoot the film almost entirely in intense close-ups makes for rather uncomfortable viewing at times, almost suffocating the entire production. It’s a pity he didn’t let the film breathe a little more and allow the audience to take in the surroundings, but I’m interested to go back and see it a second time and find out whether it really does detract from the viewing experience as a whole or whether it just takes a little bit of getting used to. I can confidently say that Tom Hooper won’t be making his way in to my list of favourite directors any time soon, however.

Also criticised was the performance of Russell Crowe, criticism which I believe to be rather harsh. In my opinion, as far as image and demeanour goes, Crowe was born to play Javert. In my eyes, the character of Javert is deeply tragic and misunderstood and it’s this which I feel Crowe captures perfectly. Granted, his singing is questionable and, at times, lacks real emotion but he redeemed himself towards the end of the film as his character grew. It was a risk to cast him, and despite the majority of critics having failed to be convinced, I enjoyed his performance for the most part.

Whilst on the subject of singing and risks, choosing to record the actors singing live to the cameras rather than lip synching to a pre-recorded track was a gamble which ultimately paid off. Despite a horribly shaky opening scene and subsequent 15 minutes, the live singing helps create a raw emotion which made for some memorable scenes - most notably Anne Hathaway’s emotional, and most likely Oscar-winning, performance of “I Dreamed a Dream”. Some have already been quick to accuse her of overacting, but I couldn’t disagree more. The audible sobs and breaths between lines adds to the gritty realism and helps separate it from the stage version, something which more people should really take in to consideration on first viewing. Comparing the two is a huge mistake, and it’s best to stay clear of any comparisons to fully enjoy the film. I struggled with the singing at times, but only because I’m used to the cast recording from the stage musical. In my head I could hear Colm Wilkinson belting out “What Have I Done?” yet Hugh Jackman sings it entirely differently. This is probably the reason I didn’t enjoy the “Bring Him Home” scene from the film as much as I expected to, but making the comparison to Wilkinson’s performance would be unfair on anybody.

As the intensity of the film picked up as it entered Act II, so did the pace. One of the triumph’s of the movie, Anne Hathaway aside, was the performance of Samantha Barks as Éponine. “On My Own” broke me emotionally and she was utterly convincing from her first appearance on screen to her last. Eddie Redmayne as Marius was easily the stand-out performance of the entire film though, and the scenes at the beginning of the June Rebellion were nothing short of spectacular. Yet despite all those positives, the barricade formed by the students looked a little silly to say the least. A few chairs and bits of furniture is something which undoubtedly works well on stage, but as far as the film goes it wasn’t particularly convincing. The biggest surprise of the film however, came in the form of Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter. Both delivered outstanding performances as the Thénardiers, providing some light comic relief from the hard-hitting story throughout, and “Master of the House” was an utter joy to watch.

I cried, that was a given, but I didn’t cry anywhere near as much as I expected to. I was gripped, I believed in it, hell I even enjoyed it, but it wasn’t quite as perfect as I hoped it would be. You only need to do a quick Google search to bring up a whole host of bad reviews, but the first performance of Les Misérables at the Barbican Centre in London in 1985 and the reviews that followed just go to show that it’s the audience who determine the success of a production or a film, not the critics, and 27 years later it’s still going strong.

If you’re a fan of the musical Les Misérables, then I suggest you go and see it and make up your own mind. If you’re not a fan, then it’s probably best you stay clear of it altogether. Despite it’s flaws, I loved it for what it was; a lavish, over-the-top, emotional and, at times, beautiful production that brought the power and intensity of the musical to the big screen - and really, that’s all that matters.

Martha Reeves and the Vandellas @ The Arches During a period where it is near impossible to read the latest music news without the words “reformed” and “reunion tour” making an appearance, one of the biggest fears about classic artists taking to the stage for one final fling is that over time the voice will have naturally deteriorated. It is with credit then to Martha Reeves that she has kept on performing for over fifty years without falter and at the remarkable age of seventy, could out perform any number of today’s younger generation. Taking to the stage in a dazzling red dress, Miss Reeves was as glamorous and as sassy as ever as she effortlessly enchanted the audience with hit after glorious hit. As for the minority who were initially weary of letting loose, that was all pushed aside as soon as the unmistakable drums of Nowhere to Run kicked in. Jimmy Mack was a particular highlight as Martha and her wonderful band took the audience on a thrilling journey through some of the most iconic Motown and pop songs to have ever been produced. Songs such as Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things) and Come and Get These Memories continued to cement her reputation as one of the best in the “business”, continuously reminding the adoring audience just how influential and important the music of Martha Reeves and the Vandellas was and still is today. As if that wasn’t enough, Martha and her band performed (Love is Like a) Heatwave and Dancing in the Street back to back, almost tearing the roof off a packed out Arches in the process. It’s not every day you get to see such an iconic and influential figure of Motown perform in your hometown, let alone witnessing them perform a blistering and remarkable set of classic songs forty to fifty years after their release. But when that day does come, it is one of the most memorable and overwhelming days imaginable.
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Martha Reeves and the Vandellas @ The Arches

During a period where it is near impossible to read the latest music news without the words “reformed” and “reunion tour” making an appearance, one of the biggest fears about classic artists taking to the stage for one final fling is that over time the voice will have naturally deteriorated. It is with credit then to Martha Reeves that she has kept on performing for over fifty years without falter and at the remarkable age of seventy, could out perform any number of today’s younger generation.

Taking to the stage in a dazzling red dress, Miss Reeves was as glamorous and as sassy as ever as she effortlessly enchanted the audience with hit after glorious hit. As for the minority who were initially weary of letting loose, that was all pushed aside as soon as the unmistakable drums of Nowhere to Run kicked in. Jimmy Mack was a particular highlight as Martha and her wonderful band took the audience on a thrilling journey through some of the most iconic Motown and pop songs to have ever been produced. Songs such as Love (Makes Me Do Foolish Things) and Come and Get These Memories continued to cement her reputation as one of the best in the “business”, continuously reminding the adoring audience just how influential and important the music of Martha Reeves and the Vandellas was and still is today. As if that wasn’t enough, Martha and her band performed (Love is Like a) Heatwave and Dancing in the Street back to back, almost tearing the roof off a packed out Arches in the process.

It’s not every day you get to see such an iconic and influential figure of Motown perform in your hometown, let alone witnessing them perform a blistering and remarkable set of classic songs forty to fifty years after their release. But when that day does come, it is one of the most memorable and overwhelming days imaginable.

RM Hubbert (and friends) @ Stereo “First & Last” was RM Hubbert’s debut album, and I’m glad the title only rang half true. I hailed that album as my favourite of 2010 and barely a month in to 2012, Hubby’s latest is already a strong contender for my album of this year with his brand new release, “Thirteen Lost & Found”. Tonight was always set to be a special show. Not only because it was the album launch but because it may very well have been well and truly the first and last live performance of the album in (almost) its entirety. As the gig title suggests, Hubby wasn’t to be alone in this celebration of fine talent, of which was in abundance. Instead, he showcased a whole new side to his music accompanied by various musicians ranging from the wonderful Emma Pollock and Alasdair Roberts to the ever-impressive and utterly captivating Aidan Moffat and producer of the album, Alex Kapranos. From the outset, RM Hubbert captivated the audience with his trademark fingerpicking as he was joined by Marion Kenny on the Chinese harp and Hanna Tuulikki who gave a beautifully ethereal vocal performance reminiscent of Joanna Newsom. Another highlight was the performance of Gus Am Bris An Latha (which I’ve just discovered translates from Gaelic as Until the day breaks and is a common inscription on gravestones) with John Ferguson on banjo wonderfully complimenting Hubby’s intricate guitar picking. Despite all the collaborations on the album, there was still room for a few solo efforts from the man himself with For Joe being a particular highlight as I, and much of the rest of the sold-out audience, looked on in awe, eyes transfixed on the hands of a master at work. The finale before the rousing encore was definitely a special moment that I’ll treasure for a long time to come. This time joining RM Hubbert was Aidan Moffat who grasped the microphone and told us all a story with a haunting melody in the only way he knows how, performed to the backing of Alex Kapranos on melodica and RM Hubbert’s melodic guitar picking. If the reception after that was enough to take the roof off and shock the punters in the upstairs cafe, the following before, during and after the encore was enough to shake the whole foundations of the building to the ground. To some, dealing with such depressing topics and depicting it in what may be deemed as melancholic music may be utterly depressing. Like he said, “It usually takes until you’ve died before I dedicate a song to you”. But to me, creating such extraordinary and awe-inspiring music during a time of deep, dark depression not only signifies hope in a world full of misery but shows the remarkable strength that some people possess in the face of adversity. And to me, along with RM Hubbert’s music, that is truly phenomenal.
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RM Hubbert (and friends) @ Stereo

“First & Last” was RM Hubbert’s debut album, and I’m glad the title only rang half true. I hailed that album as my favourite of 2010 and barely a month in to 2012, Hubby’s latest is already a strong contender for my album of this year with his brand new release, “Thirteen Lost & Found”.

Tonight was always set to be a special show. Not only because it was the album launch but because it may very well have been well and truly the first and last live performance of the album in (almost) its entirety. As the gig title suggests, Hubby wasn’t to be alone in this celebration of fine talent, of which was in abundance. Instead, he showcased a whole new side to his music accompanied by various musicians ranging from the wonderful Emma Pollock and Alasdair Roberts to the ever-impressive and utterly captivating Aidan Moffat and producer of the album, Alex Kapranos.

From the outset, RM Hubbert captivated the audience with his trademark fingerpicking as he was joined by Marion Kenny on the Chinese harp and Hanna Tuulikki who gave a beautifully ethereal vocal performance reminiscent of Joanna Newsom. Another highlight was the performance of Gus Am Bris An Latha (which I’ve just discovered translates from Gaelic as Until the day breaks and is a common inscription on gravestones) with John Ferguson on banjo wonderfully complimenting Hubby’s intricate guitar picking. Despite all the collaborations on the album, there was still room for a few solo efforts from the man himself with For Joe being a particular highlight as I, and much of the rest of the sold-out audience, looked on in awe, eyes transfixed on the hands of a master at work. The finale before the rousing encore was definitely a special moment that I’ll treasure for a long time to come. This time joining RM Hubbert was Aidan Moffat who grasped the microphone and told us all a story with a haunting melody in the only way he knows how, performed to the backing of Alex Kapranos on melodica and RM Hubbert’s melodic guitar picking. If the reception after that was enough to take the roof off and shock the punters in the upstairs cafe, the following before, during and after the encore was enough to shake the whole foundations of the building to the ground.

To some, dealing with such depressing topics and depicting it in what may be deemed as melancholic music may be utterly depressing. Like he said, “It usually takes until you’ve died before I dedicate a song to you”. But to me, creating such extraordinary and awe-inspiring music during a time of deep, dark depression not only signifies hope in a world full of misery but shows the remarkable strength that some people possess in the face of adversity. And to me, along with RM Hubbert’s music, that is truly phenomenal.

Frightened Rabbit @ Stereo “I reckon I’d have gotten less abuse in the past few days working in a call centre than I’ve had being in the band”. It’s true, the torrent of abuse the band have had to endure over the past week despite the generosity they’ve shown with dirt cheap tickets for gigs in smaller venues has been disgraceful. However I’d like to commend the band for arranging the small string of intimate shows to showcase their new music when there was absolutely no need for them to do so. Enough of that nonsense though, let’s move on to what really mattered. The purpose of the gig was to try out new material on the audience and from the outset they churned out new song after new song. By the end, I was left more than a little underwhelmed. Stereo is one of my favourite Glasgow venues and I’ve been to some of my favourite gigs there, however when it’s as busy as it was last night and you’re standing nearer the back the vocals tend to get lost in amongst all the tightly packed bodies. It could have been the muffled sound but not one of the new songs managed to excite me. There was a very repetitive and uninspired feel to the music and the songs sort of trudged along without any real heart or warmth. With that said, I was struggling to make out any of the vocals so I’ll hopefully be able to judge better at the Picture House in a few weeks time. With the exception of a few drunken segments of the room, the crowd were for the most part rather boring. Not surprising really considering the majority of the set was new material but they perked up, albeit slightly, towards the end of the set as Frightened Rabbit played hit after hit for a solid half hour. Scottish Winds gets better and better live each time I hear it though and that’s the first time I’ve heard it with the full band. Surprisingly that’s only the second time I’ve saw Frightened Rabbit live. Julie-Anne and I first saw them about three years ago in Queen’s Hall just before their popularity in Scotland skyrocketed and we’ve never managed to catch them since. We were at Leeds Festival instead the year they played T in the Park and we missed the two Barras gigs, however we’ve seen Scott perform solo at least five or six times. I look forward to hearing the new songs again under better circumstances and I hope they’re a grower, but as far as last night was concerned they really didn’t do anything for me. Excellent gig though and much love to Jodie for dragging herself out of bed and exercising her abnormally long legs all the way down to Mono to snap up the last four tickets to what was a much sought after gig.
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Frightened Rabbit @ Stereo

“I reckon I’d have gotten less abuse in the past few days working in a call centre than I’ve had being in the band”. It’s true, the torrent of abuse the band have had to endure over the past week despite the generosity they’ve shown with dirt cheap tickets for gigs in smaller venues has been disgraceful. However I’d like to commend the band for arranging the small string of intimate shows to showcase their new music when there was absolutely no need for them to do so.

Enough of that nonsense though, let’s move on to what really mattered. The purpose of the gig was to try out new material on the audience and from the outset they churned out new song after new song. By the end, I was left more than a little underwhelmed. Stereo is one of my favourite Glasgow venues and I’ve been to some of my favourite gigs there, however when it’s as busy as it was last night and you’re standing nearer the back the vocals tend to get lost in amongst all the tightly packed bodies. It could have been the muffled sound but not one of the new songs managed to excite me. There was a very repetitive and uninspired feel to the music and the songs sort of trudged along without any real heart or warmth. With that said, I was struggling to make out any of the vocals so I’ll hopefully be able to judge better at the Picture House in a few weeks time.

With the exception of a few drunken segments of the room, the crowd were for the most part rather boring. Not surprising really considering the majority of the set was new material but they perked up, albeit slightly, towards the end of the set as Frightened Rabbit played hit after hit for a solid half hour. Scottish Winds gets better and better live each time I hear it though and that’s the first time I’ve heard it with the full band. Surprisingly that’s only the second time I’ve saw Frightened Rabbit live. Julie-Anne and I first saw them about three years ago in Queen’s Hall just before their popularity in Scotland skyrocketed and we’ve never managed to catch them since. We were at Leeds Festival instead the year they played T in the Park and we missed the two Barras gigs, however we’ve seen Scott perform solo at least five or six times.

I look forward to hearing the new songs again under better circumstances and I hope they’re a grower, but as far as last night was concerned they really didn’t do anything for me. Excellent gig though and much love to Jodie for dragging herself out of bed and exercising her abnormally long legs all the way down to Mono to snap up the last four tickets to what was a much sought after gig.

Beerjacket, Michael Cassidy, Julia and the Doogans Goosebumps, goosebumps thrice. Correct me if I’m wrong but that’s the sign of an incredible gig. Tonight was the gig I’d been most looking forward to out of the whole New Year’s Revolution line-up and it definitely didn’t disappoint. In fact, it surpassed my expectations. We arrived early just to be on the safe side before we headed up to catch Julia and the Doogans. Julia is the loveliest, nicest, most down to earth and incredibly amazing person I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. On top of all that, she’s also one of the most talented. Without a doubt, Julia has one of the greatest voices I’ve heard in a long, long time. Her songs and her exquisite vocals bring me to the edge of tears each and every time. Granted, that probably says more about me as a person, being a big soppy emotional sap, but I challenge you not to fall in love with her. Perfect set in every way. Michael Cassidy was next to grace the stage and grace the stage he did. Despite a minor hiccup with his tuner pedal he stormed through his set in an awe-inspiring fashion. As one of Paisely’s finest, you wouldn’t expect anything less but despite seeing him on numerous occasions and having the pleasure of working with him he still managed to impress me like it was the first time all over again. He is outstanding as a solo artist but I’ve always said, if he had a full band behind him he would be destined for greatness. Tonight was the first time I’ve saw him play with another musician. He invited Ali Hendry of Randolph’s Leap up on stage to play trumpet for ‘Everybody’s Scared’ and it was phenomenal. Michael’s a hard working musician and he’s already made a name for himself as a wonderful solo artist but give it a year or so and he’ll take the Scottish music ‘scene’ by storm. We missed Coat Hooks but I was too excited for Beerjacket to care. Peter Kelly is hands down my favourite Scottish musician currently performing with an acoustic guitar. His albums, whether it be free downloads or physical releases, have saw a rapid progression in terms of songwriting. Considering his first release was wonderful, that’s a huge compliment. The fact that he was my old English teacher is neither here nor there, Beerjacket is the best solo artist in Scotland. His lyrics are wonderfully cryptic yet astonishingly clever, the passion in both his vocals and performance is captivating and his dedication to his music is nothing short of admirable. Tonight, although not the best I’ve seen him, was a further example of just how incredible a talent this man is. If he hasn’t made an appearance on Jools Holland within the next couple of years then the general public are missing out on one of the finest musicians that has came out of Scotland in recent years. It’s late, I’m tired and that post was pure nonsensical drivel. But I had an even better night than first anticipated, met so many great faces I haven’t seen in a while, and it might just have been the perfect way to end what as been a fantastic two weeks at King Tut’s, that’s unless I go to Pareto, Dilectrics and Bear Arms tomorrow for the finale.
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Beerjacket, Michael Cassidy, Julia and the Doogans

Goosebumps, goosebumps thrice. Correct me if I’m wrong but that’s the sign of an incredible gig.

Tonight was the gig I’d been most looking forward to out of the whole New Year’s Revolution line-up and it definitely didn’t disappoint. In fact, it surpassed my expectations.

We arrived early just to be on the safe side before we headed up to catch Julia and the Doogans. Julia is the loveliest, nicest, most down to earth and incredibly amazing person I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing. On top of all that, she’s also one of the most talented. Without a doubt, Julia has one of the greatest voices I’ve heard in a long, long time. Her songs and her exquisite vocals bring me to the edge of tears each and every time. Granted, that probably says more about me as a person, being a big soppy emotional sap, but I challenge you not to fall in love with her. Perfect set in every way.

Michael Cassidy was next to grace the stage and grace the stage he did. Despite a minor hiccup with his tuner pedal he stormed through his set in an awe-inspiring fashion. As one of Paisely’s finest, you wouldn’t expect anything less but despite seeing him on numerous occasions and having the pleasure of working with him he still managed to impress me like it was the first time all over again. He is outstanding as a solo artist but I’ve always said, if he had a full band behind him he would be destined for greatness. Tonight was the first time I’ve saw him play with another musician. He invited Ali Hendry of Randolph’s Leap up on stage to play trumpet for ‘Everybody’s Scared’ and it was phenomenal. Michael’s a hard working musician and he’s already made a name for himself as a wonderful solo artist but give it a year or so and he’ll take the Scottish music ‘scene’ by storm.

We missed Coat Hooks but I was too excited for Beerjacket to care. Peter Kelly is hands down my favourite Scottish musician currently performing with an acoustic guitar. His albums, whether it be free downloads or physical releases, have saw a rapid progression in terms of songwriting. Considering his first release was wonderful, that’s a huge compliment. The fact that he was my old English teacher is neither here nor there, Beerjacket is the best solo artist in Scotland. His lyrics are wonderfully cryptic yet astonishingly clever, the passion in both his vocals and performance is captivating and his dedication to his music is nothing short of admirable. Tonight, although not the best I’ve seen him, was a further example of just how incredible a talent this man is. If he hasn’t made an appearance on Jools Holland within the next couple of years then the general public are missing out on one of the finest musicians that has came out of Scotland in recent years.

It’s late, I’m tired and that post was pure nonsensical drivel. But I had an even better night than first anticipated, met so many great faces I haven’t seen in a while, and it might just have been the perfect way to end what as been a fantastic two weeks at King Tut’s, that’s unless I go to Pareto, Dilectrics and Bear Arms tomorrow for the finale.

Open Swimmer, Reverieme and Randolph’s Leap. Bar woman: “Hey! You’re never out of this place!” - at least that shows I’ve already got my money’s worth from my Golden Ticket. Tonight reaffirmed that. I got to Tut’s just as Randolph’s Leap were starting, perfect timing and perfect start to what was to be a short night. Randolph’s Leap never fail to put a smile on my face whether it be Adam’s awkward jokes, the dancing trumpet player or the tall man who leaves the cello momentarily to press a few buttons on keys and dance around like Bez on, well, pills. Each time I see them they get better and better and tonight was no different. The reaction from the crowd was very positive and I, as did much of the audience, left with a permanent grin etched on my face. The beautiful Louise Connell was next together with her band, Reverieme. It helps hold the attention of the audience when the singer is as stunning as Louise is but when her voice is equally as stunning you know you’re definitely on to a winner. That was only the third time I’ve managed to catch Reverieme, what with the pre-T in the Park show I had planned with her falling through (cheers Mono), but she was as wonderful as ever as was the band with the new addition of a girl on keys who harmonised beautifully. Another positive reaction from what was a fairly busy King Tut’s. Sadly, Reverieme only played just under twenty minutes but with negatives usually comes positives and that meant I could catch a couple of Open Swimmer songs before I had to leave for the train. I never had the pleasure of seeing Ben TD live but I can already tell that forming Open Swimmer was a huge leap in the right direction. His banter live is second to none, quietly confident but always amusing. I wish I could comment on the songs more but having only managed to catch two and a half songs I’m already looking forward to a full set. What I will say though is that the song I had to leave half way through, ‘The Cabin’, was incredible. Performed semi-acoustic only by Ben, you could hear a pin drop as each word left his lips in perfect tune. Open Swimmer are destined for bigger things and I’ll be damned if I’m wrong. Tomorrow is the gig I’ve been looking forward to the most since the New Year’s Revolution line-up was announced. Beerjacket, Michael Cassidy and Julia and the Doogans. Pure bliss. EDIT: Jodie summed it up here far better than I did. I’m too tired.
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Open Swimmer, Reverieme and Randolph’s Leap.

Bar woman: “Hey! You’re never out of this place!” - at least that shows I’ve already got my money’s worth from my Golden Ticket. Tonight reaffirmed that.

I got to Tut’s just as Randolph’s Leap were starting, perfect timing and perfect start to what was to be a short night. Randolph’s Leap never fail to put a smile on my face whether it be Adam’s awkward jokes, the dancing trumpet player or the tall man who leaves the cello momentarily to press a few buttons on keys and dance around like Bez on, well, pills. Each time I see them they get better and better and tonight was no different. The reaction from the crowd was very positive and I, as did much of the audience, left with a permanent grin etched on my face.

The beautiful Louise Connell was next together with her band, Reverieme. It helps hold the attention of the audience when the singer is as stunning as Louise is but when her voice is equally as stunning you know you’re definitely on to a winner. That was only the third time I’ve managed to catch Reverieme, what with the pre-T in the Park show I had planned with her falling through (cheers Mono), but she was as wonderful as ever as was the band with the new addition of a girl on keys who harmonised beautifully. Another positive reaction from what was a fairly busy King Tut’s. Sadly, Reverieme only played just under twenty minutes but with negatives usually comes positives and that meant I could catch a couple of Open Swimmer songs before I had to leave for the train.

I never had the pleasure of seeing Ben TD live but I can already tell that forming Open Swimmer was a huge leap in the right direction. His banter live is second to none, quietly confident but always amusing. I wish I could comment on the songs more but having only managed to catch two and a half songs I’m already looking forward to a full set. What I will say though is that the song I had to leave half way through, ‘The Cabin’, was incredible. Performed semi-acoustic only by Ben, you could hear a pin drop as each word left his lips in perfect tune. Open Swimmer are destined for bigger things and I’ll be damned if I’m wrong.

Tomorrow is the gig I’ve been looking forward to the most since the New Year’s Revolution line-up was announced. Beerjacket, Michael Cassidy and Julia and the Doogans. Pure bliss.

EDIT: Jodie summed it up here far better than I did. I’m too tired.

United Fruit and Lady North Low ticket sales doesn’t necessarily mean that band is worse than the band who sold slightly more, especially if that band have travelled all the way from Edinburgh to play the gig. But alas, Lady North were shifted down to first on stage. Luckily there were enough people there to appreciate their brilliance. They played a blinder as usual and I still stand by my statement that Paul is one of the best live drummers in Scotland, only rivalled by Iain of Bronto. If you haven’t checked out Lady North already then shame on you, and if you haven’t checked out Paul’s other band Dead Boy Robotics then doubly shame on you. Lady North are one of my favourite wee bands and my calves were aching by the end of the set from the amount of restraint I exercised on them to stop me breaking in to a spasmodic dance. Nobody wants to see that. Natalie Pryce were next. I’d never heard of Natalie Pryce and assumed it was a female acoustic singer and decided to give it a miss, instead opting for a Mahiki and Coke at the downstairs bar. However Ally came down during their set and put it bluntly, “That band’s pure shite, just a bunch a’ guys in suits wavin’ their arms aboot”. It’s safe to say we stayed downstairs for the rest of their set. I caught a bit of Hunt/Gather and was relatively impressed. The band were tight as fuck, in fact they were pretty incredible. I wasn’t so impressed with the vocalist (or “screamer”) though. He was lively enough, reminded me a bit of Greg Puciato at times although nowhere near as talented, but his screams were average to say the least. I’m looking forward to giving them a proper listen though and I’ll hopefully catch them live again in the near future. Definitely ones to watch. Then it was time for United Fruit. I wouldn’t necessarily say they were one of my favourites (although I do love them unconditionally) but they are definitely one of the best bands in Scotland at the moment. Always tight, always raucous, always outstanding. I spoke to Halina after the set and she was less than impressed with the crowd. She asked why I thought the crowd didn’t seem to move about much which, given the type of music United Fruit play and the energy they emit, wouldn’t exactly be unexpected. I said I think it’s ultimately an age thing and that I would love the crowd to have tore up Tut’s and went mental but I’d have been standing at the back at a safe distance supping on my pint. I love seeing a crowd go wild as much as the next person, but I’m very rarely involved in it. Hypocritical? Aye, probably. But I’ve been there and done all that and these days I like to admire from afar. It was an interesting point to say the least. Tomorrow it’s Randolph’s Leap and Reverieme. Unfortunately I’ll miss Open Swimmer since I need to catch the last train but shit happens. Oh, and I got a Frightened Rabbit ticket for Stereo. Today has been a good day.
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United Fruit and Lady North

Low ticket sales doesn’t necessarily mean that band is worse than the band who sold slightly more, especially if that band have travelled all the way from Edinburgh to play the gig. But alas, Lady North were shifted down to first on stage. Luckily there were enough people there to appreciate their brilliance.

They played a blinder as usual and I still stand by my statement that Paul is one of the best live drummers in Scotland, only rivalled by Iain of Bronto. If you haven’t checked out Lady North already then shame on you, and if you haven’t checked out Paul’s other band Dead Boy Robotics then doubly shame on you. Lady North are one of my favourite wee bands and my calves were aching by the end of the set from the amount of restraint I exercised on them to stop me breaking in to a spasmodic dance. Nobody wants to see that.

Natalie Pryce were next. I’d never heard of Natalie Pryce and assumed it was a female acoustic singer and decided to give it a miss, instead opting for a Mahiki and Coke at the downstairs bar. However Ally came down during their set and put it bluntly, “That band’s pure shite, just a bunch a’ guys in suits wavin’ their arms aboot”. It’s safe to say we stayed downstairs for the rest of their set.

I caught a bit of Hunt/Gather and was relatively impressed. The band were tight as fuck, in fact they were pretty incredible. I wasn’t so impressed with the vocalist (or “screamer”) though. He was lively enough, reminded me a bit of Greg Puciato at times although nowhere near as talented, but his screams were average to say the least. I’m looking forward to giving them a proper listen though and I’ll hopefully catch them live again in the near future. Definitely ones to watch.

Then it was time for United Fruit. I wouldn’t necessarily say they were one of my favourites (although I do love them unconditionally) but they are definitely one of the best bands in Scotland at the moment. Always tight, always raucous, always outstanding. I spoke to Halina after the set and she was less than impressed with the crowd. She asked why I thought the crowd didn’t seem to move about much which, given the type of music United Fruit play and the energy they emit, wouldn’t exactly be unexpected. I said I think it’s ultimately an age thing and that I would love the crowd to have tore up Tut’s and went mental but I’d have been standing at the back at a safe distance supping on my pint. I love seeing a crowd go wild as much as the next person, but I’m very rarely involved in it. Hypocritical? Aye, probably. But I’ve been there and done all that and these days I like to admire from afar. It was an interesting point to say the least.

Tomorrow it’s Randolph’s Leap and Reverieme. Unfortunately I’ll miss Open Swimmer since I need to catch the last train but shit happens.

Oh, and I got a Frightened Rabbit ticket for Stereo. Today has been a good day.

Esperi Jodie and I decided to head along to Tut’s a lot later than usual since we’re both skint and we only really wanted to see Esperi but we did however manage to catch Callum Baird’s set who I’ve never listened to before. He was decent, sang well, played harmonica and an acoustic guitar and he covered Cod Liver Oil and the Orange Juice. Anyone who covers Hamish Imlach is good in my book. The place quickly emptied, partly because it seemed as though most folk were there for one or two of the support bands and partly because the gigs at Tut’s always run on so late. It’s a real shame because Chris James Marr (aka Esperi) is one of the nicest, hardest working and most talented musicians in Scotland. As usual he delivered a stunning multi-instrumental performance which eventually captured the full attention of the small audience. There’s one thing I cannot abide by at gigs, especially gigs so intimate and quiet, and that’s people who talk so loudly that they drown out the music. I couldn’t bite my tongue any longer and told one guy in front of me “D’you mind keeping it down a bit pal? We’re trying to enjoy the music” to which he apologised and never uttered a word for the rest of the set. I think I’ve only ever had to do that once before and that was during Thurston Moore at the Arches. It really is the height of ignorance. Regardless, Chris finished off the set in magnificent fashion as always and the people still left in the venue seemed to appreciate it. Esperi is a wonderful artist and his music is well worth listening to, but you’ll never really fully appreciate how talented this man is until you see him live. He’s jaw-droppingly good. United Fruit and Lady North tomorrow, there is no doubt in my mind it’s going to be an absolute belter.
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Esperi

Jodie and I decided to head along to Tut’s a lot later than usual since we’re both skint and we only really wanted to see Esperi but we did however manage to catch Callum Baird’s set who I’ve never listened to before. He was decent, sang well, played harmonica and an acoustic guitar and he covered Cod Liver Oil and the Orange Juice. Anyone who covers Hamish Imlach is good in my book.

The place quickly emptied, partly because it seemed as though most folk were there for one or two of the support bands and partly because the gigs at Tut’s always run on so late. It’s a real shame because Chris James Marr (aka Esperi) is one of the nicest, hardest working and most talented musicians in Scotland. As usual he delivered a stunning multi-instrumental performance which eventually captured the full attention of the small audience. There’s one thing I cannot abide by at gigs, especially gigs so intimate and quiet, and that’s people who talk so loudly that they drown out the music. I couldn’t bite my tongue any longer and told one guy in front of me “D’you mind keeping it down a bit pal? We’re trying to enjoy the music” to which he apologised and never uttered a word for the rest of the set. I think I’ve only ever had to do that once before and that was during Thurston Moore at the Arches. It really is the height of ignorance.

Regardless, Chris finished off the set in magnificent fashion as always and the people still left in the venue seemed to appreciate it. Esperi is a wonderful artist and his music is well worth listening to, but you’ll never really fully appreciate how talented this man is until you see him live. He’s jaw-droppingly good.

United Fruit and Lady North tomorrow, there is no doubt in my mind it’s going to be an absolute belter.

Kobi Onyame

Green, Green Grasses was one of my favourite albums of 2011, but I was worried it wouldn’t carry off as well live. I was partly right.

The main draw for me isn’t solely the rapping, it’s the songs as a whole. The choruses, the collaborators, the hooks, the guest singers. They are perfectly crafted pop songs as well as decent hip-hop songs. For the most part, the sound in King Tut’s the past week or so has been nothing short of abysmal. The vocals are too low, the bass is too high and it’s been nowhere near as crisp and clear as Tut’s is famed for. This was a bit of a problem last night.

It wasn’t just Kobi’s vocals though, it was what I anticipated would potentially ruin the set - the backing track. All of the guest singers’ parts (with the exception of one girl who sang a track with Kobi live) were played through a speaker system which at times, you’d be forgiven for thinking wasn’t even switched on. This meant that all his catchy hooks and sing-along choruses were lost in the background.

With that said however, he was relentless in getting the half full King Tut’s crowd involved despite being given the cold shoulder a few times. By the end of the gig, the first couple of rows seemed to be enjoying themselves, even throwing the odd hand up in the air. The gig was full of absolute cunts though so we stood up the back well out of the way.

Overall, full credit to Kobi Onyame and his band for putting on a great set which unfortunately, through no fault of his own, wasn’t as good as it could have been. Ideally I’d like to see him perform somewhere with better sound and accompanied by various guest vocalists.

Next up, Esperi.

Discopolis and Kill the Waves.

Another night, another Tut’s gig.

The Mighty Cream were everything their sound promised they would be and more. But as is the curse of playing first at a non sold out gig, the place was empty. Would have been feeling the beats a lot more if the place was rammed but after a few tracks (albeit impressive) we headed downstairs.

Then it was time for the first band I’d been looking forward to, Kill the Waves. I didn’t actually realise until after their set that KTW were formerly Camembert who I loved indefinitely but Jesus, they’ve transformed in to a whole new level of superiority. Immediately you could tell that this was the drummer’s first gig with the band. He was a young fella, nervous but equally as excited and not overly familiar with the set. First track was a little out of time and there was a few shaky moments but my God, when his confidence kicked in he played out of his skin. ‘The Oak Tree’ was wonderful but the track which finished the set nearly sent me over the edge. Shivers, goosebumps, hairs on end and on the verge of tears. An emotional rollercoaster of musical brilliance. The most incredible sex imaginable paled in comparison.

After that whirlwind of pleasure, Capstin Pole brought me back down to earth with an underwhelming thump. Imagine four guys who grew up as the Britpop scene exploded. Then imagine those four guys, as expected, diving head first in to said scene. Y’know, the clothes, the getup, the attitude. Then imagine those same four guys suddenly realising there was an acid scene before the Britpop scene that they missed out on, so they put the Britpop scene on hold, took loads of pills, wrote some mental dance tunes but forgot to change their clothes. Aye, I present to you Capstin Pole. Good vocalist, decent first dancy tune, then it all went downhill from there. I’ll leave you to judge for yourself.

After recovering with a few pints and a cigarette, it was Discopolis time. I’ve missed Discopolis on many an occasion and was ridiculously excited to finally catch them live. They didn’t disappoint. Relaxed, calm and quietly confident they produced one of the tightest sets I’ve ever witnessed. The singer’s ethereal vocals transport you to another world before the trio hit out with some of the greatest electronic dance beats I’ve heard in a long time. At one point I swear I had to forcefully pin my legs to the ground to stop me shuffling off in to a dance trance.

The Tuesday night crown has to go to Kill the Waves however, I’m still welling up just thinking about it.

Overall, a smashin’ night. Next stop, Tango in the Attic on Thursday. I fucking hate Tango in the Attic.