I
never thought I’d see this lot in a place like this…! Arizona’s finest,
enduring Indie-Emo giants and “live” favourites of ours, Jimmy Eat World,
announced a 10th (!) album, “Surviving” along with a couple of very
unusual “live” dates, one of which was at this venue, Kingston’s PRYZM. Ever
heard of it? Yeah, me neither… Pre-ticket sale investigation indicated this
would likely be a low-key CD release show in a small venue, so I jumped on tix
for myself, Rach and Logan when they went on sale, finding them very
competitively priced at £18 – even for what seemed like an early hour’s set
from Jimmy – and also including a copy of the new CD! No surprise then that
they sold out in double-quick time, but not before we were sorted, with 3
tickets then, later, 3 CDs dropping through the Rose letterbox!
This
one also meant a chance to catch up with our friend and Kingston resident Lisa,
so plans were made and we set off at 3 after leaving Kasey for a sleepover at
Laura’s. Parked up after a couple of confusing laps around the inner ring road
and bumped into Lisa on our way to the wrong Pizza Express – good job, that! Had
a lovely catch-up over tea, then we wandered around to the venue, bidding our
farewells to Lisa before popping in. Had to join a large queue snaking around
the downstairs lounge before heading up to the venue, a 500-capacity 3-tiered
disco nightclub which resembled a smaller SWX, or a slightly bigger Level 3!
There was already a rammed crowd around the tiny stage, so “down the front” was
out of the question tonight; instead Logan’s idea was to take this one in from the
top balcony, and we got excellent viewing spots right next to the mixing desk.
Good shout!
The
time ticked on and the floor (from our view) got even more uncomfortably rammed,
and I was rather hoping the boys would throw us a bone by starting early. No
such luck, though, as Jim Adkins waited until just after 8 to lead his
uniform-black clad bandmates onstage where, particularly with the addition of a
5th “live” member on keyboard duties, they immediately looked very
cramped! No matter, straight into the tumbling drums and slashing riffery of “Surviving”,
the title track from said new album, which on first couple of listens seems
more dynamic and less slow-burn than recent releases; a very welcome thing!
More welcome was the opening riff to “Bleed American”, next up, the boys
belying the slightly murky sound and a similarly muted response from the
cramped faithful with an utterly incendiary rendition.
“We’ve
just put a new record out! Some of you may know this…” deadpanned Jim
ironically before the Hold Steady-esque herky-jerky opening riff to new single “All
The Way (Stay)” kicked in, the mood-heavy slower burn of “555” following in
short order. But then the highlight of the night for me, as Jim declared, “we’ve
been a band for 25 years! Crazy! Here’s an oldie – Tom’s going to tell you
about it…” then guitarist Tom Linton introduced a tremendously pulsating and
seething run-though of “Blister”, Linton himself taking vocal chores and
leading the finally-engaged crowd in a mass singalong. How long would it take
to walk across the United States, indeed…?
For
all that this was a swift hour set and also ostensibly a “Surviving” CD release
show, we still got 6 cuts from that classic 2001 “Bleed American” album, so “Hear
You Me” was a poignant and plaintive delight, Jim asking the crowd to, “be part
of the show, hold your phones up!” the venue then being bathed in light. The
brilliant “A Praise Chorus” followed, Jim demanding the crowd rock out to this
undulating thrill-ride of a song, before the final double whammy of “Sweetness”
and “The Middle” took us slightly past the 9pm curfew to close out a superb
vignette from a band who surely have transcended this size of stage and venue, Jim
high-fiving the crowd on his way offstage.
Oh
yeah, Logan loved it too, despite the omission of his favourite number “Pain”;
as he rocked out to “The Middle”, noisily screaming all the words, I couldn’t
help but turn to Rach and say, “this, right here, this is why we had kids!!” A
similarly confusing exit from Kingston still got us home before 11 after an
unusual but nonetheless excellent Jimmy Eat World gig. Here’s hoping for a
bigger tour in 2020, though!
It
does warm the cockles of this cynical old muso’s heart, I have to say, when a
band takes the step up from intriguing support to fully fledged headliners in
their own right. I’d caught Brighton’s young 4-piece Thyla a couple of times
before; firstly when their personality (particularly that of vivacious vocalist
Millie) shone through a murky mix as support to the late, lamented Inheaven
(gig 1,070), then a more coherent and very promising set with Rolling Blackouts
Coastal Fever last October (gig 1,107), so they were about primed to jump on my
Dance Card in their own right. Their sonic template falls into various rooms in
my wheelhouse; dreamy ethereal shoegaze, more early Ride-ish wall-of-sound,
some Pixies proto-grunge stomp, all overlaid with hooky memorable
harmony-driven choruses. Another band to join the likes of Desperate
Journalist, Basement Revolver et al in taking that post-punk guitar-led sound
and putting their own spin on it, could they cut it as headliners in their own
right?
I
grabbed a ticket for this Autumn tour quite early, revelling in the opportunity
for a rare return to one of my 80’s/ 90’s fave haunts, the Jericho Tavern.
After a false start to drop Logan’s Diabetes scanner off at his evening club, I
however remembered that Oxford Jericho Tavern has one big drawback, being that it’s
in Oxford! Stuck behind a lorry for most of my journey there, I then found
“Road Closed” signs into Walton Street, picking through tiny side-streets to
the venue. Then, the usual parking-mare ensued, and I exasperatedly dumped the
motor down a not-so-nearby side-street, thereby missing all but the last half
number of hushed folky opener Aphra Taylor, who finished earlier than her
scheduled 8.30. Bah! However, next up were locals Ocean Ruins, in front of a
score of early punters. Openers at that Inheaven Reading gig, they’ve come a
long way since that passable but hesitant performance; a lazy droney opener
with hints of Galaxie 500 gave way to some more upbeat and spooky, moody
material, with some angular backbeat drums from an impressive sticksman (a new
guy, apparently) and some driving choruses. The female vocalist this time
sounded more confident, her slightly nasally warbling voice more to the fore,
and I enjoyed the likes of “Broken Toys” with its’ quiet/loud grungy vibe and big
chorus, and the driving rockers of set closers “Tokyo To Mexico” and “Love
Drunk”. Overall, a quantum improvement since my previous viewing, and now a
band I’d certainly check out again, a point I made to them afterwards.
Chatted
with Thyla’s bassist, who remembered our Pixies-centred chat after the RBCF
gig, before he set up with his bandmates. Shortly after 9.30, Thyla took the
stage to little fanfare, in front of a bigger and more engaged crowd, opener
“Only Ever” bathing us in washes of shimmering guitar sound before dropping
into a dreamy mid-paced number with “Dreams Burn Down”-esque haunting guitar
licks. “Blame”, next up, was a more driving and dynamic rocker, with a lengthy
note impressively held by pocket dynamo vocalist Millie, smiling and buoyant
throughout the set. “Candy” featured a strident and bratty choral hook,
building to a grungy and noisy crescendo with swathes of Bob Mould/ MBV noise,
but new single “Lenox Hill” was for me the set highlight, a well-constructed
and streetwise slice of Belly-esque dreampop, and a likely shoe-in for my “Best
Of 2019” CD… if I get it downloaded in time! A later “Biting” was a moody
Pixies-ish death march, and as the quickfire 45 minute set drew to a close,
“Blue” featured a fine growling intro and excellent backbeat drumming. Throughout
the set, though, Millie was the main focus; bouncy and enthusiastic, despite
her huge boots (!); this girl can not only sing, but has onstage charisma to
throw away, and I repeatedly found my thoughts drifting back to another similarly
charismatic blonde who I saw perform 4 times on that very stage, namely Fiona
of The Parachute Men… My only quibble was that her voice wasn’t as far up in
the mix as I’d have liked, leaving us a little bereft during her frequent
off-mic excursions. But hey, this was a cracking little gem of a set from a
band who’ve come on in leaps and bounds, and firmly grasped the nettle of
headliner status. OK, the influences may be easy to spot, but they’re mixing
them up and making something of their own. Nice work!
A
quick chat and pics with the band afterwards before a much easier egress out of
the city. Splendid set from Thyla, though, a young band well and truly – and
deservedly so – on the up!
Gaz
Top! (the older amongst you might get that reference…!) This was an auspicious
occasion, as tonight marked my 23rd time of seeing Gaz Brookfield
“live”, either in his solo acoustic guise, or with his excellent Company Of
Thieves band in tow, thereby supplanting my 90’s-00’s “live” faves, the Mighty
Seafood, atop my “Most Seen” live act list. Move over Messr’s Line, Hendrick
and co., there’s a new leader in town! And in town indeed, for Gaz’ Autumn tour
promoting new album “Lostfolk” inevitably included a date in Swindon
(unfortunately on a school night at the 18+ Vic venue, so Logan couldn’t’ join
me; he’ll have to wait for Salisbury next month for his Gaz fix!). Said record
is an absolute corker as well; continuing the forward momentum from last album
“I Know My Place”, “Lostfolk” is an utterly accomplished (dare I even say, mature…)
body of work, featuring musings on the relentless march of time, mental health et
al, as well as the usual buddy boy drinking songs, set to some relentless
and incendiary powerpoppy punk rock (with a tad, nay, a soupcon of folk
thrown in, of course). Easily his best work, I had to hear this “live” with a
full band, so I snapped up a ticket for his December SWX full band show, as
well as tonight (and Salisbury with Logan)!
But
this one first; I headed up the hill for 8ish, running into Dave Franklin and
meeting Rich and Ady, whence we 4 put the world of rock’n’roll to rights (of
course). Wandered into the backroom venue (following Linda’s lusty bellow
heralding the first act!) for opener Will Davies of The Flour Babies. Been
meaning to check out his band properly for some time but we just keep missing
each other, it seems… anyway, solo Will was a hushed, introspective prospect, with
some glacial acoustic Americana which early doors recalled “Fables”-era REM and
Sparklehorse’s quieter moments, then later on, the likes of Death Cab For
Cutie! Small wonder then that the sole cover was an obscure Modest Mouse
number, followed by an original which, according to Will, ripped said number
off! Thematically, lots of lovelorn material delivered in an understated,
conversational voice which gave the impression he’d been through the wringer a
bit and maybe just needed a hug. Anyway, good start and I promise (once again!)
to check out Flour Babies properly!
Gaz’
tour support Ben “B-Sydes” was next; Mr. Franklin had introduced us earlier and
I’d commented on his “All Roads Lead To Frome” set a couple of years back (gig
1,036), which I found enjoyable if a little low-key. Well, straight from the
outset Ben seemed determined to prove me wrong tonight, with a considerably
more overt, upbeat and dynamic set. His second number (“about stupid decisions,
as my life is held together by [them]”) kicked in with a Bragg-esque “New England”
riff, segueing into a plaintive yet strident Dashboard Confessional delivery.
“This Used To Be My City”’s understated woah-oh’s were the exception rather
than the rule tonight, as this set bristled with upbeat, almost emo-esque
numbers, delivered in Ben’s heavily nuanced vocals, which reminded me a bit of
Placebo’s Brian Molko (!). At one stage he hopped off the stage and handed me
his pick to play the last chord of a song (!!); on another occasion he paused a
number midway through to pithily comment to a couple of unwelcome chatty Cathys,
“I know the chords, I’m just waiting for people to shut the fuck up!”; and another
rousing choral singalong was the feature of set highlight “The Desperate
Dance”. Another emo-lite gallop concluded a startling and splendid support set.
Well done Ben!
A
quick chat with Ben as well as Gaz (manning the merch) as I bought Ben’s CD,
then I took my spot down the front, house left for a change, for Gaz. Opening
with “Pen To Paper”, his wry musings on writers block (!), he then commented on
the “semi-circle of doubt”, the empty space near the front of the stage. Oddly
for a Vic Gaz gig, this remained relatively unoccupied throughout, only myself and
(later) Ed and Linda daring to get that close. No matter, title track “Lostfolk”
was next up, Gaz giving it his usual full-on passionate delivery, all energy
and attitude. Happily (for me at least), Gaz found space for ALL the numbers
off the new album tonight (despite an earlier comment of “don’t you hate it
when you see a band with a new album out and they just play the new stuff?”) as
well as a smattering of old faves such as the enthusiastically-received “Tale
Of Gunner Haines” and the intense roar of “Black Dog Day”, which had segued
directly in from similarly-themed newie “Afterthought”. Before this early
double, Gaz had promised to, “get the miserable shit out of the way early so we
can concentrate on enjoying ourselves,” and was true to his word; slow-burn
newie “Oalaero” had an entertaining intro chat about Gaz’ search for a pedal
steel player for the CD version, which then inexplicably diverted into a discourse
on the Vic’s blokes’ loo décor (“the then landlord asked us regulars if we had
any spare porn! This was pre-internet days – spare porn, what’s that?”),
a punky “Uneducated Guess” was breathtaking and brilliant, Gaz’ take on Frank
Turner’s similarly themed “1933”, and after the almost melancholy “Just Another
Day” finished the set, Gaz commented, “I’m not going offstage [to come back on again
for the encore] as it’s just a cupboard – there’s no strippers or cocaine!”. A
venomous “I’ve Paid My Money” was an encore highlight, before Gaz took to the
dancefloor for final number “Great Minds Drink Alike”, conducting the singalong
with Ben Sydes filling in for Jake Martin’s lines. A great way to end another
great Gaz set!
It
occurred to me that this 23rd time needed noting, so Gaz happily
posed for a pic with me, before I bade farewell and headed off. A new leader,
and with 2 more “live” Gaz outings before Christmas, he’ll be out of sight by
New Year. And a well-deserved accolade for the Top Man Gaz!
