Having A Party Without Me...

Sounds From the Other City, May 6th 2012....

Wed, 09 May 2012 02:18:00 -0700

(click to enlarge. There are also some zoomed in pictures for those reading on smaller screens/smartphones)

I had an amazing day! You can read a review I co-wrote with the 'Theater Seat Store Best International Blog Award 2010' winning Both Bars On here.

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Patterns, John Rylands Library, Manchester 5th April 2012...

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 10:41:00 -0700

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Yes, I know I've written about booze free gigs before.

Patterns in the beautiful surroundings of Manchester's John Rylands library required a different approach to drink free gigs though. There wasn't even a soft drink to be had, which had the effect of leaving me as desiccated as some of the dry old books on the shelves around us by the end.

More importantly, there's the issue of what to do with my hands. I usually strike the classic gig pose – beer in one hand, other hand in the pocket, head bobbing along. No, I'm not going to dance. And if you've seen me dance you'll know why (I may go jumping about down the front if it's a band I really, really like though...).

Hands on the hips just seems a bit Village People, hands on head makes it look like you're recovering at the end of a marathon. A pointing finger catalogue pose is too antisocial, especially if a finger inadvertently goes up someone's nose. Hands down the pants is just too...well, creepy. Especially if you look like you're enjoying it a bit too much.

No booze does have it's advantages though. No gig juice to stand and and get your feet stuck on, no one pushing past precariously trying to carry 4 pints of crappy lager and spilling it over your shoulder. And certainly no one chucking empty glasses over the crowd at the band. Tsk.

Wasn't I supposed to be reviewing a gig? Oh yes. I've seen Patterns a whole bunch of times over the past 18 months and they are getting better and better. The visuals were spot on tonight, new song “Blood” was a stormer, pointing the way to exciting things in the future and set-closer “Induction” is still spine tingling.

But still, hip flask for me next time there's a boozeless gig...

Patterns Facebook page...

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The Narrows, Fuel, Manchester 02/03/12...

Sun, 04 Mar 2012 04:20:00 -0800

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The Narrows Bandcamp page. Go here. Listen. Buy.

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Miles Hunt & Erica Nockalls, Band on the Wall, Manchester 21/02/12...

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 03:51:00 -0800

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And yes, I KNOW it's spelt "Dizzy".

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Still Corners, Kraak Gallery, Manchester 03/02/12

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:15:00 -0800

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I like Kraak Gallery. I have also been known to like cinematic dream pop on occasion too. So seeing Still Corners at Kraak had all the hallmarks of being a good gig. Even if there was no Oranjeboom on sale that night.

The Steals (or two of The Steals anyway - Jayn Hanna and Daniel Land) warmed the crowd up nicely on this freezing February evening with some hauntingly beautiful songs. Daniel Land is a disgustingly talented musician, and those who only know him for his bass playing for The Engineers should definitely check out his work with the Modern Painters, Riverrun and The Steals. It was a shame that there was only a smattering of people there to see them.

For Still Corners I was right near the front, something that doesn’t happen for me too often at gigs anymore. You’d think that the people who make the effort to force there way down there might either be the smallest or the ones who really want to hear the band, right?

Not tonight.

I was stood in front of the tallest man in the known universe. He was about 15ft 2 inches tall. I thought he’d found himself an equally freakish tall girlfriend as well until I realised she’d had to stack 4 chairs one on top of each other and clamber up them to even get close to him.

And then they talked. They talked and talked and talked and talked and talked and talked and talked over every song. And it wasn’t like they were talking about anything important. At one point girlfriend asked 17 foot boyfriend what his favourite Beatles song is. Well, not so much asked as bellowed it out so that anyone within a 2 mile radius of Stevenson Square would have heard her.

What. Is. Your. Favourite. Beatles. Song.

FUCK OFF.

Still Corners endeared themselves to the crowd by revealing that Manchester is Texan Greg Hughes favourite city. It is not Still Corners singer Tessa Murray’s favourite city, but then again it’s not my favourite city either and I live here, so I’ll let her off.
They played most of their album ‘Creatures of an Hour’ in front of an light show of films that perfectly suited their sound. It was hard not to like it.

Unless you’re a 19ft tall man and his girlfriend. Oh well.

The Steals website

Still Corners website

Hobby’s photographs of Still Corners

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Everything Everything at Islington Mill 2nd Feb 2012, by guest reviewer Randy Hawking.

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 10:41:00 -0800

While I was fully prepared to draw a review of the EE gig, my mate Randy Hawking (brother of theoretical physicist Steven) begged me to have a go. So here he is:

Er...thanks Randy.

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Ninetails - 'Rawdon Fever'

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:37:00 -0800

I’d love to have nine tails. It would be great. I could have tails that fulfilled my every need.

Now, now, don’t be dirty minded. I can already hear from the giggling at the back of the room what kind of tails you’d have to fulfil your every need. Perverts.

I’d have the tail of a Capuchin monkey. Because, let’s face it, who DOESN’T want a prehensile tail and all the fun that offers? It’d have to be longer then a normal Capuchin monkey tail though. I don’t want to look ridiculous.

I’d have a tail that looked like a penis, but in reality was just a vegetable that looked like a penis, like what you used to see on That’s Life. It would shock you and then make you laugh and would be an excellent ice-breaker at parties, because I am notoriously shit at small talk.

I’d have a tail with the head of Oates from Hall and Oates, but I wouldn’t let him sing. If I’m tired I might let him gently brush his big 80’s ‘tache against my face for a few seconds to help me sleep, but that’s all. Other than that I’d gently chide him for not being as good as his brother Randy Oates.

I’d have 3 tails that had the big 8-bit computers of the 1980s, the Commodore 64, Amstrad CPC464 and Spectrum 48k attached. The C64 would be the best of those tails, naturally, and anyone who disagrees can piss off.

I’d have a tail that has a book attached with loads of salacious stories about celebrities that you’re not really supposed to repeat, like that one about Joanna Lumley and how her bum is now made of plastic.

I’d have a tail with a speaker on that plays the incidental music to Carry On Camping on demand, because it’s playing in my head 90% of the time anyway.

And finally I’d have a tail with nine more tails sprouting out of it. Because I’m greedy.

Hold on. I’m sure I was supposed to be telling you about something...

Oh yes - ‘Rawdon Fever’, the new single by Liverpool band Ninetails is imminently to be released by the wonderful Super Star Destroyer Records. If you don’t know who they are you need to find out now because otherwise we can’t be friends anymore. You can see the video for Rawdon Fever up above all this writing. You probably already watched it before you read this. If you didn’t go and do that. It’s very good. Look carefully and you’ll see Cliff Richard makes an appearance.
There’s also a Remix competition so that you - yes YOU - might get your remix on the B-side. But you better hurry up as the closing date is 19th February.
Here's where you can buy Ninetails first EP 'Ghost Ride the Whip' so you can stuff more tunes into your hungry ears.

And here is the home of Super Star Destroyer records on the web.

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Peaking Lights & Hookworms, Deaf Institue Manchester, 10/12/11

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:04:00 -0800

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I have wasted your time.

I have wasted your time because the joke in the picture ONLY WORKS IF THE BAND WAS CALLED PEEKING LIGHTS. But they are not. They are called PEAKING Lights.

So, as I said, I have wasted your time.

I'm sorry.

Anyways, Peaking Lights. You can read Peter Rea's review on Silent Radio here for an excellent description of the gig...in a minute...wait...come back...I haven't finished here...

What you should also know is this:

- Peaking Lights were brilliant, despite some VERY abrupt endings.
- A man who had really bad wind stood in front of me briefly but then disappeared. Hopefully to change his trousers.
- One really annoying bloke pulled out his best Bez on Diazapam dance moves and sucked his cheeks in so far his face was almost inside out.

I'd well recommend checking out Hookworms too, they were great. Like a psych bastard offspring of the Stooges and The Fall crossed with the sound of two tramps fighting over the last bottle of White Ace.

Peaking Lights

Hookworms

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Silver Apples, Manchester Night & Day Cafe 26/10/11...

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 05:42:00 -0800

I'm putting this up a month late because I've been really busy trying to write the 1st draft of a novel.
Excuses, excuses, I know. Anyways, the gig was brilliant and you can read a lot of good reviews about it elsewhere. Like here for instance.

Now, I have never managed to do a wee that smells like Ready Brek. But when I sneaked off for a mid-set slash another bloke followed me into the toilets and proceeded to do just that. Suppose it's better than the smell asparagus wee makes. But still as off-putting.

(For younger readers, that is the Ready Brek glow around a penis in the picture above. YouTube it).

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Well, we nearly won...

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 07:15:00 -0700

"Immensely Entertaining" - Kate Feld, Manchester Blog Awards founding director*

Hey all.

The Manchester Blog Awards 2011 awards event was held on 19th October, and I'm very happy to tell you that 'Having A Party Without Me' came a not-at-all-shabby Runner Up in the Best New Blog Catagory.

The title of Best New Blog was stolen from me by went to Screen150, so go and check it out.

While you're at it, if you haven't had a chance to look at all the shortlisted blogs for 2011 they can still be found on the Manchester Blog Awards website. You should also have a look at The Real Story, a celebration of creative nonfiction which was also launched on the same evening as the Blog Awards.

Myself and Randy Oates, wastrel brother of 80's pop sensation John Oates, would like to thank everyone who's read this over the past 12 months, and to those of you who voted for my silly little pictures. There's more to come.

Pete

*PS Sorry Kate if you're reading, that was too good a quote not to use!

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The Horrors & The Kills, Warehouse Project, Manchester 15/10/11...

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 06:21:00 -0700

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A good gig review should, I think, make you feel like you were actually there even if you weren’t lucky enough to be.

So stick on a The Kills or Horrors album (2nd or 3rd LPs only, they didn’t bother playing any songs from the 1st) and feast your eyes on the picture above for a few minutes, before imagining turning 180 degrees to look at stage a mile in the distance.

Then imagine getting pushed out of the way. Over and over and over again.

Never before have so many men pushed, pulled and dry humped their way past others. If I get bruises at a gig normally it’s because I’ve been jumping about down the front (not too common these days, unfortunately), but at the Warehouse Project that night it was because I’d been barged in the back too many times purely for the crime of wanting to stand and watch some bands.

I did learn something useful that night though: should a woman wander into the men’s toilets she can simply hold a can of £3.80 Budweiser in the air and shout “Sorry! Thought this was the ladies!” and completely ignore the ridiculous sight of men stood facing each other around plastic buckets masquerading as urinals while their silly, flaccid cocks spray merrily away.

It was the only place I didn’t get pushed in the back though.

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You have 4 minutes & 20 seconds to knock one out...

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 08:27:00 -0700

If you're the kind of weirdo whose particular predilection is to listen to songs about heroin addicted prostitutes while staring into the eyes of young actresses then I have some GREAT NEWS for you: Your niche interest has been catered for on YouTube.

Now you can listen to 'A-Team' by Ed Sheeran - the failed "Britannia High" auditioning, pubeless ginger-faced pusher of ever-so-earnest, coma inducing, bed wetting singer-songwriter tripe - while at the same time looking creepily at a never changing picture of Emma Watson (who is neither a prostitute or heroin addict to my knowledge).

If that doesn’t make your pants tingle then you are dead from the waist down*.

* Or completely normal. Well done.

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Terrible Band Photos, part three...

Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:48:00 -0700

Emerson, Lake & Palmer from The Emerson, Lake & Palmer Band know what you want.

You want to see some Hot Prog Cock.

But they're not just going to give it up for you. Oh no. The ELP lads are going to tease you by showing a bit of pube and putting their hands in the way.

Rumour has it that if you play the entirety of the “Love Beach” album backwards 3 times whilst staring at this picture then they give you a knowing wink and a flash, but who in all honesty has actually managed to listen to that album properly all the way through once?

And what's this? Emerson (left) has his wood touching wood. Who let this man sit there without a towel? The imprint left by his sweaty balls was carefully vacuum packed into a handy container and sits like a holy relic on the mantelpiece of ELPs biggest fan, who stares at them each night and imagines what it would be like to have Keith Emerson's pendulous knackers instead of his own. Why don't you close your eyes and imagine the same thing? Think about Emerson's relaxed scrotum nestling like a small woodland animal between your legs, pressed against warm, inviting wood. Mmmmmm.

Sleep well readers. Sleep well*.

*I am not responsible for any dreams of ELP widge you may have.

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Somehow this has happened...

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 11:37:00 -0700

I've been nominated for Best New Blog in the Manchester Blog Awards 2011. Evidentally out there are people who like childish pictures and naughty words. I love you.

If you could spare a few seconds to head over to http://www.manchesterblogawards.com/the-shortlist and vote for "Having A Party Without Me" I will touch you rude*

* I may not actually touch you rude

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Sic Alps & Milk Maid, The Castle, Manchester 23rd August 2011...

Thu, 25 Aug 2011 06:37:00 -0700

I felt a bit out of place at The Castle on Tuesday because I forgot to wear a beard like the rest of the men in there. The view that Sic Alps must have had form the stage would have been very much like my picture above.

Before any of you blokes of a hirsute persuasion track me down to rub your facial hair on my naked skin and cause a minor irritating rash, be aware that this is not a beard-bashing review, just an observation.

Anyway.

Sic Alps are unashamedly lo-fi garage rock but in an almost delicate way, sometimes songs seem on the verge of falling apart before being brought back together by a beautiful hook. The trouble for me was it was all a bit samey. One nice enough song finished, people clapped politely, and then another one that sounded nearly identical started. I enjoyed myself, don’t doubt that, but I left wishing there had been a bit more variation. I’m a hard man to please sometimes.

Band of the night for me was Milk Maid, who seem to get better each time I see them. And they’ve got a bearded member, so ner.

There were two other bands on, Peacesigns who I missed because I was drinking beer somewhere else, and Former Bullies, who I missed because I was drinking beer in the front room of the Castle. See a pattern forming here? At least I’m admitting it instead of making up a review of bands I didn’t see.

And I’ll do a better picture next time. I promise.

Sic Alps website

Milk Maid myspace

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The Whip & Dutch Uncles, Band on the Wall, Manchester 19th August 2011...

Mon, 22 Aug 2011 07:02:00 -0700

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This is how I remember Friday night's It's Miller Time Live gig at the Band on Wall happening. Maybe you were there and you think you remember differently? Well, you're wrong. This is EXACTLY how things went down.

Anyway, despite what disagreements you and I might have about what did and didn't happen you must concur that, acoustic or not, 'Trash' by The Whip is an amazing song.

Look out for upcoming events on the Band on the Wall website

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WU LYF, Great Bridgewater St Tunnel, Manchester 16th July 2011...

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 04:00:00 -0700

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I don't often go to gigs where the majority of people have already made up their mind about how it was going to be before a note had even been played. Due to their secretive nature and much hyped rise, Wu Lyf are a band who split people in two ways, attracting complete adoration or an almost unhealthily vehement hatred of them. Tonight there were people who were going to love it no matter what, and those willing it to fail badly.

Except for me. I didn’t really care either way, but I went open-minded.

There were plenty of unhappy people at the gig, even more so afterwards. Some of it was justified – the sound was pretty awful, the bar service too slow, but that shouldn't take anything away from the spectacle of the event. The Great Bridgewater Street tunnel closed off from traffic for a night is still an impressive and atmospheric venue for a gig. I was more irritated by the crepe-paper shoe wearing hipsters who'd come to the gig just to have a conversation or the sad old Madchester refugees come to gawp at what they had been told was a band who could be their “new Stone Roses”. C'mon people, you really don't have to worry about that who any more than you do about who the new X Factor winner or Britain's Next Top Model is.

What I did come out of the gig feeling was a little sorry for Wu Lyf. I'm not entirely convinced by them, and I don’t think I can really learn to love Ellery Roberts growling-cum-yelping vocals. Yes, I know that is a bit of a ridiculous thing for someone who is such a big fan of The Fall to be saying, but there it is. And the people who were enjoying themselves were really going for it, almost worshipping what they were seeing & hearing. But having gone from playing a handful of intimate gigs to playing in front of 2,000 people it was probably inevitable that there would be a backlash, in that sad, childish, British way of ours**.

Balls. I’ve written a serious post for a change*. Sorry.

* Yeah, I know, apart from the picture.

** Don’t worry, I’ve not gone soft. I still really, really detest plenty of bands. Guess one and win a prize.***

*** Disclaimer: There are no prizes.

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Tame Impala, Sound Control Manchester, 6th July 2011

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 10:38:00 -0700

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Wolf People. I bloody love Wolf People. And I could see the stage when Wolf People were on.

Unfortunately the picture pretty accurately portrays all I could see as soon as Tame Impala came on. It was rammed, and I watched the back of Adam from Mythbusters* head and his banal text messages for the entire gig. At least that was when I wasn't being hugged by a man who told me he’d come all the way from Australia for the gig, and listening to a group of teenage Bieber fans shouting how much they loved each band member.

(*It wasn't him really. Or was it..?)

Still, I enjoyed it very much, although because I am now a grumpy old man I preferred the longer psychedelic instrumental bits rather than the songs with vocals.

Go and watch a video of one of the set highlights. Not made by me, obviously, otherwise it'd just be a video of what some ginger beardy bloke was texting to his mates.

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Cloud Control, St Clement, Chorlton 28th May 2011

Tue, 31 May 2011 06:27:22 -0700

Now, I'm not saying this did happen, but if you had drank too much Communion wine then the Cloud Control gig could have looked very much like this.

I did see a man who looked like a Unicorn though, and I was stone cold sober.

(click picture to enlarge)

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Brown Brogues & Ghost Outfit, MCR Scenewipe, Fuel Cafe Bar, 6th May 2011...

Mon, 09 May 2011 04:29:00 -0700

(click to enlarge. please).

It may have been a hallucination because of the searing heat, but during Brown Brogues set, in the flat opposite Fuel, I swear I saw two girls having a towel fight.

…

What’s that? You want to hear about the gig? Come on, we’ve been over this. I draw the stupid pictures, you get your real gig reviews elsewhere.That's the deal. But rest assured that it was hot, it was sweaty, it was loud and both Ghost Outfit and Brown Brogues were outstanding. I also blame the effects of the heat on making me trip up the stairs of Indigo later, and most definitely not the Jack Daniels I'd been drinking.

The Manchester Scenewipe website is here. I well recommend you look at it.

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