Dylan Moran gig

Dylan Moran
Originally uploaded by powerfulpierre.

Saw Dylan Moran at the Dome in Brighton last night. While there were undoubtedly flashes of brilliance, on the whole it felt like he was coasting.

I've often found with comedy gigs by well known people that they simply don't have to try that hard as the audience is won over before they say a word. I think the best comedy gigs are always the ones where you see an unknown comic and they surprise you. So why do I keep going to these things...?!

Album I can't stop listening to

Is Joan As Police Woman. Her debut album 'Real Life' is fantastic, especially 'The Ride', which is the best song I've heard for a long time. Just got her first mini album too, which is a bit more guitar based. There's a lot of Jeff Buckley in there, and PJ Harvey, but mainly just really interesting arrangements and top songs. Would really like to see her live - Brighton date please!

Looking forward to seeing the Flaming Lips and Cat Power on Jools Holland tonight.

Gig report

Went to see the Mojo Fins last night at Sumo in Brighton. An enjoyable night, although I felt (a) old and (b) like I was in a living version of MySpace.

First though, the support bands. Only caught the end of Mike Lord who was doing a cheap keyboard on demo setting cover version of Money for Nothing which was pretty funny but gave no hint of his own stuff being so good in a kind of Ben Folds / Ed Harcourt kind of way.

Then 4 0r 5 Magicians who were cool in that they were actually enjoying themselves. Very Pavementy.

Actress Hands were less successful, and looked like they just didn't want to be there. Teenage Fanclub is what they sounded like to me, without the fun.

The Mojo Fins then. (1) they are a good band with some excellent ideas. It was a shame they only had time for a fairly rushed set. Seeing as they haven't played in Brighton for 6 months and were headlining it's bad that they didn't have longer.

To be construcitve, they actually sounded best musically on the instrumental they played at the end in terms of the balance between instruments. I think they should try their current bassist on keyboards, tall guitarist on bass, leaving curly haired guitarist as main singer. And get the drummer a non-picolo snare as it sounds rubbish.

Powerful Pierre potters

Well, I am pottering in this time off before I start my new job. Today I have had a mighty clearout of cupboards. Why did I have 5 year old BT bills in there?!

Planning to go and see the Mojo Fins play tonight at Sumo in Brighton. Have heard them on record but not seen them live - report to follow!

PP

But is it music..?

My evening class in 'analogue electronic music' is certainly fun, although a bit Blue Peter at times. Splicing up old bits of tape into tape loops and playing them through the old reel to reel player was pretty cool, although only one out of my three loops was really anything like 'musical'. Rather less successful was the use of doctored film played through a projector to create sounds, at least to my ears.

Steve Reich used tape loops a lot of course. I'll have to check it out. I'm looking forward to building the Theremin later in the course I have to say, but if all this just leads me back to the guitar, then that's fine too. Has anyone every played Theremin while playing guitar I wonder?

Hello again

Well, here I am again. It seems to have been nearly 6 months since I last posted. I guess time flies when you're having fun!

You find me working out my notice period in my job in the far, far too hot conditions to be in an office. I wonder if my new office will have air con? Somehow I doubt it...

Anyway, it's good to be back!
PP