Teenage Fanclub, 22 November 2016, Electric Ballroom Camden

Awesome evening of classic harmony-packed power pop. The material off the new album went down well with the warm and friendly crowd, especially The Darkest Part of the Night.

But the audience saved their fondest enthusiasm for songs from the band's early 90s heyday, with Sparky's Dream, Don't Look Back, and Verisimilitude proving particular favourites.

Wilco, Brixton Academy, 19 November 2016

Wilco's first London show in aeons (and, according to Jeff Tweedy, their best, "although that isn't saying much" - his words , very much not ours).
Framed by a phenomenal leafy, woodland scene, Wilco introduced us to some new songs and reprised the hits for a packed set and two encores.

Strong, and very well received opening with a stripped back Normal American Kids. The set was packed with fan favourites, or at least these fans' favourites, including a lovely version of Reservations, and standout versions of other Yankee Hotel Fixtrot tracks, especially Heavy Metal Drummer and I'm the Man Who Loves you. 

Some great new arrangements. In Kidsmoke, Jeff had the crowd 'ba, ba, ba'-ing the guitar riff as if it was a Southern soul floor-filler. 
The crowd was buzzing at the end of the rapturously-received set.

Julia Holter, Shepherd's Bush Empire, London, UK, 15 November 2016

A wonderful, and really intimate set from Julia and her three-piece support band, with an added bagpipes on one tune, and not a guitar in sight

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The set combined off-kilter pop tunes from Julia's latest album with less mainstream material from her earlier albums. At times the songs stretched out in enthralling columns of sound. At others the sounds bouncing between the musicians brought out beaming smiles in the audience.

Teleman, Kentish Town Forum, 1 November 2016

We've been excited about Teleman for a while now. Tonight's show didn't disappoint. Despite a slightly reticent stage manner, the band got the crowd jumping and very excited for Fall in Time, Tangerine, and the band's "Ode to Germany", Dusseldorf.


A sparse stage set, and fun interactions between the band members made for a very watchable set. After the briefest of suggestions that they wouldn't do an encore, they launched into Cristina and then Glory Hallelujah.

Ezra Furman and The Boyfriends, Roundhouse, 31 October 2016

Ezra and his band embraced the fact that their biggest show to date co-incided with Halloween. A lone keyboardist strode onto the stage in a dracula cape and struck up some Hammer horror chords. A pink coffin was ceremoniously carried to the front of the stage.


Then out came Ezra in a tight black dress and with grey streaks in his hair, giving a Bride of Frankenstein effect.


Later in the night he said he had a difficult relationship with Halloween as it was the one night when he couldn't be freaky and different, and himself, as that was what everyone was doing. The band were really tight and created enormous space in the arrangements, which managed to completely fill the room. When they tore apart and rebuilt songs, as they did with Maybe God is a Train, the result was really intriguing. When they stuck closer to the arrangements on the recorded versions, they really took off and brought the audience along with them.


The size of the venue and the crowd was obviously quite affecting for Ezra, and was certainly a contrast to the sweaty bar show we saw 30 months ago. It was a really great show that revitalised our love of rock and roll and made us want to form a band and play until the small hours.

Courtney Barnett, The Haunt, Brighton, 6 December 2014

A mix of Jenny Lewis, The Breeders, The Stone Poneys on a rocking bluesy bed.

Courtney and the rest of her powerful band looked like they were having a blast on stage. The rang into and over each other in top-notch style. A really enjoyable set.

Plank, Audio, Brighton, 6 December 2014

Truly a "greatest riffs" set from a band we'd heard exciting things about. 

Combining some driving guitar rhythms with powerful drumming, an opening bass solo on "Luna" and unexpected use of keyboards, this may sound like a classic rock set. In fact this is like nothing we've seen before. Why? No singer. And absolutely no need.

Monsters Build Mean Robots, Sticky Mike's Frog Bar, Brighton, 6th Dec 2014

A band worth catching live to really "get" what they sound like.

An engaging set with interesting melodies and rhythms and friendly crowd interaction.

Fujiya & Miyagi, Haunt, Brighton, 6 December 2014

Dancing on a Saturday afternoon is an oddly pleasurable experience. Fujiya & Miyagi treated a mellow and enthusiastic audience to some up-tempo funk infused beats. With hints of early Depeche Mode, disco beats and synthy art pop their set was accomplished and, most importantly, good fun. The full crowd jigged along to their Collarbone track ("the knee bone's connected to...") and went out into the late afternoon Brighton sunshine in buoyant spirits.

Broadbay, Sticky Mike's Frog Bar, Brighton, Sat 6th Dec 2014

Only caught the last two songs but liked what we saw. A rocking trio with a heaviness quotient similar to Biffy Clyro or the Foo Fighters. Songs brought to mind Dinosaur Jr. or Idlewild. 

Played tight, accomplished grungy rock that deserved a bigger crowd than the dozen or so in the bar. But that elite crowd loved it. 

Can't think of many better ways to spend 2pm on a chilly Saturday.