The Flaming Lips

Headliner: The Flaming Lips

Venue: rock city Nottingham

Date: 29 May 2014

Support: young knives

Going to see the flaming lips live has given me many highs and lows the first time I saw them at Alexandra palace they performed the soft bulletin and it was absolutely amazing the stage, the visuals, Wayne rolling over the crowd in a giant ball, ticker tape, balloons, giant bouncy things hanging from the ceiling, dancing Dorothy's from the wizard of oz absolutely stunning.

Followed by last years failed attempt aster travelling down to London only to find the gig cancelled just as we arrived in London.

I was delighted to hear they were coming to Nottingham even though it would be the capital FM arena... So imagine my delight when it got switched to rock city!

Arrived midway through the young knives set and from what I saw it would be unfair of me to pass to much of a judgement but I enjoyed what I did see.

Time for the flaming lips...

The stage at rock city is probably smaller to what they usually fit on these days but they seemed to have squeezed everything on or around the stage, which was covered in giant tubes and huge screens at the back.

You kind of know what is going to happen at the start of a flaming lips but when the ticket tape starts to fly from the cannons you can't help but smile!

The flaming lips may be a little crazy but wow they are so good live.

Playing some classics like she don't use jelly,yoshimi, race for the prize, The W.A.N.D, and ending the set with waitin for a superman and a spoonful weighs a ton.

Seeing the flaming lips takes you on an amazing journey, but is such a amazing thing that you can't help leaving with the biggest smile ever!

The encore of do you realise and a crazy version of Lucy in the sky with diamonds with silver ticker tape flying everytime the chorus came round was such an amazing experience.

Felt so happy to see the lips in one of favourite venues and when you go home and find ticker tape in your clothes and even in your car the next morning just shows how great it was!

My feet surrounded by a mountain of ticker tape!

If everyone went to see The Flaming Lips the world would be a much happier place!

Chuck ragan

Headliner: chuck ragan and the camaraderie 

Venue: rock city basement

Date:  27 may 2014

Support: billy the kid, Northcote 

I was looking forward to tonight's show as I was a big fan of all the artists.  I've been a big fan of chuck ragan since I first head a flight and a crash some 13 years ago, but obviously now it's acoustic. The revival tour which was founded by chuck ragan is an amazing experience that I have been lucky to witness on two occasions, but tonight was more of a standard gig scenario.

First up tonight was Canada's billy the kid, like a female Ryan Adams excellent soulful music having just signed up with xtra mile I reckon big things lie ahead.  One thing remains elusive thought with billy the kid, I can't find the ep she did with joe from smoke or fire anyway which contains the amazing whiskey!

Next up northcote, saw them for the first time last year with dave hause and he released an amazing self titled album last year in xtra mile. Amazing hooks, great singalong choruses and some great lyrics. A heart performance from northcote.

Next up chuck ragan, what can you say awesome backed with a full band this time including joe Ginsberg and Jon gaunt who also back him on the revival tour.

The songs sounded great with a full band particular those that I haven't heard that way before including tracks like the boat and the trench.

I love this kind of music, I seem to have a connection with the music, the artists and the scene.

Nine inch nails

Headliner: nine inch nails

Venue: capital fm arena

Date:24 may 2014

Support: cold cave

First of all I hate the capital fm arena, infact I hate most arenas far to big, not particularly friendly but when you want to see big bands it's not really an option to see them in smaller venues.

First up tonight was a band called cold cave who to be honest where not really my thing 80s electro a little depeche mode, a little bit well all the same. All the drum loops seemed a little the same, the vocals seemed a little the same not that impressed to be honest they need to mix it up a little and go a bit crystal castles once in a while.

Well time for nine inch nails hard to imagine that pretty hate machine 25 years ago, the sort of stat that makes you feel old.

They came on and started with somewhat damaged and blasted through a few tracks including a trio of songs from the downward spiral march of the pigs, piggy and reptile. Doesn't it make you feel better...

A nice more electronic bit in the middle broke up the set nicely before taking it up a notch with closer,wish before finishing the set with the hand that feeds and ending with head like a hole.

The epic encore started with the day the world went away and finally hurt bringing things to a close.

When you see a band that has been around for so long you always ending up moaning about them not playing you're favourite song, and I'm no different with them not playing something I can never have 

Jon spencer blues explosion

Headliner: Jon spencer blues explosion

Venue: rescue rooms Nottingham

Date: 16/05/14

In the spirit of the blues explosion every so often I will say blues explosion, like it's some nervous blues explosion tick as Jon spencer seemed to mention blues explosion about every three minutes.

I reckon it must be 20 years since I first heard the blues explosion possibly on the word with the excellent Afro but I have never managed to see the blues explosion in all that time, whenever they play the uk it never seems to be anywhere near me at the time.

First thing I noticed was Jon Spencer's skin tight flared leather trousers, they must be part of him because how on earth he managed to get them on "blues explosion" just doesn't seem well possible.

Anyway it was a cracking set including an amazing finale that lasted about 20 "blues explosion" minutes squeezing in Afro towards the end.

Bo ningen

Headliner: bo ningen

Date: 15 may 2014

Venue: bodega social club

I first heard of bo ningen a few years ago when I made a spur of the moment decision to go and see them in derby without actually having heard them or indeed knowing much about them. And well to say I was blow away would have been an understatement absolute carnage a swirling mix of psychedelic noise, absolutely incredible. 

I have of course seen them since then and they have always blown me away and tonight would be no different complete insanity a total wall of noise, fuzz and psychedelic noise.

Absolutely amazing!

Albert Hammond jr

Headliner: Albert Hammond jr

Date: 12 may 14

Venue: bodega social club

The strokes possibly one of the most import pant bands of the last 10 years or so with that garage rock sound driven by Albert Hammond jrs guitar playing.

Tonight was an opportunity to see him in a small venue.

What can you say he's a bit of a legend and while an enjoyable set, well it just waste the strokes. I loved the cover of the buzzcocks ever fallen in love though

Dan le sac vs scroobius pip

Headliner: le sac vs pip

Venue: rescue rooms Nottingham

Date: 3 may 2014

Support: Sarah Williams White

So what a day, before tonight's gig I was celebrating promotion with 30000 other people at at the king power stadium in Leicester.

And to carry on the celebrations I was off to see le sac and pip at the rescue rooms.

First up tonight was Sarah Williams White, pleasant enough but kind of missed something with a band behind her I reckon she could be on to something, but keeping it simple on her own kind of missed a little something.

Time for le sac and pip, what can you say pip seems to be a genuine down to earth musician with a hell of a lot of talent, lyrically he's amazing.

Before and during the show pip kept mentioning that this would possibly be the last tour they made together and it was an honour to be at one of the last shows they will ever do.

Anyway they played a cracking set of old and new stuff and everything the crowd wanted to hear.

Feels sad that this would probably be the last time, but at the same time it's exciting to see what they both do next.

Pulled apart by horses

Headliner: pulled apart by horses

Venue: the musician Leicester

Date: 28 April 2014

Support: the Wytches

Pulled apart by horses eh.... First heard of these about 4possibly 5 years ago when they played a supporting slot for the Bronx at rock city sandwiched in the middle of their two sets one as mariachi El Bronx. Any way that night I had never heard of them but after about 30seconds it was like fuck yeah!!!!!

James brown on guitar pulling some serious shapes and tom the singer soloing on the bar before projectile vomiting into the audience, doesn't sound that well appealing but it was an ace gig!

Anyway they had been away a while and to celebrate their return they were playing a crazy amount of shows with the awesome Wytches in support.

I seem to be becoming a slight stalker of the Wytches having seen them I think 4 possibly 5 times in less than 12 months, but they are ace and make a right racket.

Time for the horses to leave the stable and boy what a return, they were ace ripping through some old favourites like I punched a lion, venom and the awesome hot squash.

Can't wait for the new album, it's already preordered!

NME awards tour

NME awards tour featuring

Interpol

Royal blood

Temples

Circa waves

Venue: rock city Nottingham

Date: 23 March 2014

Short and sweet review

Circa waves: boring, unoriginal and well noting special

Royal blood: second time I have seen them this year and they are ace, big powerful riffs, no messing around just straight to the point I just hope they are not rushed into making a quick release album and that they have time to grow and develop I to something special.

Temples: psychedelic pop music that somewhat fails to live up to expectations.

Interpol: excellent band but a short set I guess because of the line up tonight.

God is an astronaut

Headliner: gos is an astronaut

Venue: rock city Nottingham 

Date: 13 march 2014

First of all I have been totally rubbish at updating this blog so in order to keep it going the next few reviews will be short and sweet and then we will be back up to normal.

Upstairs at rock city tonight were we are scientists and a few years ago I would have been seeing them this evening, unfortunately their last couple of albums have been well rubbish as a result I was going to see god is an astronaut in the basement.

So what did I know about them not a lot to be honest, they are from Ireland and play post rock music.

They were ace, nice soundscapes epic post rock