Skip to main content

Pier-less?

My usual moan about Barfly is that often, the really good bands have near non-existent audiences, but this last time, I was pretty much proved wrong! Again, first trip for a while and a respectable crowd to see electro-sensation Late of the Pier, plus supports, which for once weren't absolutely dire!

Up first were North Wales band Mudflaps, not bad for a start, but still possibly a little too new? Some interesting tunes, available of course on myspace. Next up, a one-lady (plus assistant with laptop) rapper/mc KC, who was very different from the other 2 bands! Reminiscent of Northern State. Once again, not really my thing, but very good nontheless, but she could have done with some company? Maybe a few dancers and some more lights, and a club setting? Either way, not forgettable and you can't doubt the enthusiasm; more info on myspace site.



Late of the Pier were as good as we remembered, and by then Barfly was full if not packed. Their radio play etc etc must be working as their fans are very obvious! Good natured and boogying crowd, so much that photo ops weren't great, but never mind, excellent show. Of the songs I already know, the band played new single Space and the Woods, Broken, A Heartbeat, Dose A (and possibly VW, Random Firl) plus newer songs White Jazz, The Bears are Coming; anything else I don't know or can't remember! As well as a proper website (yay) there is also a myspace. Album soon, please, guys.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Angela Hewitt Week, 14th-20th May 2012

I just received information from a friend about Angela Hewitt Week in Ottawa, 14th-20th May as declared by Mayor Jim Watson. Ms Hewitt is performing with Chamber Players of Canada on Friday 18th May; there will also be An Afternoon With Angela Hewitt on 20th May at the National Arts Centre hosted by the Canadian Friends of the Trasimeno Music Festival .

Pigeon Funk

Notes on a very random purchase. Earlier today I acquired Venetian Snares 'Rossz Csillag Alatt Sz ü letett ' purely on the basis of the language and artwork. Its certainly something different - and most definitely not pop. After a bit of searching: Venetial Snares is, according to Wikipedia, the performing name of Aaron Funk, who seems to specialise in experimental tracks in odd time signatures. Article here . The sleeve notes for this album (whose title is Hungarian for 'Born under a bad star') poses the question: what if, for just a day, we could both be pigeons? Interessant. Apparently this concept (a day in the life of a Hungarian pigeon) is non-typical of Venetian Snares sound, but one could ask, does Mr Funk do 'typical'? On first listening, the sound of this CD mixes classical/traditional Hungarian sounds and breakbeats. but aside from that? Definitely a 'listen for yourself' artist; try the website , fan site or myspace .

The Venezuelan maestro comes to Cardiff

A highly anticipated evening of entertainment for M and I, we headed to St Davids Hall to see the conductor of the moment, Gustavo Dudamel , conduct the Philharmonia Orchestra . Highly entertaining, too, and the place was pretty full, though possibly not sold out. We had anticipated the first piece to be Antonio Estevez' 'Mediodia en el llano', but a last minute change meant the first work was (I believe - the posters up in the venue were rather short on info!) Berlioz' Roman Carnival. Initially we may have been a tad disappointed but the replacement work was excellently peformed, cue many smiles. Unfortunately, the smiles soon evaporated, as the second, and for us, least interesting piece, was Mozart's Piano Concert No.17 K453 with Emanuel Ax on piano. M described Ax as mellow, I described him as dull. That may be because neither of us are really into Mozart, but compared to previous visits to St Davids Hall to see pianists Noriko Ogawa and Freddy Kempf, we really...