Early Evening at The Late Shows with Good Music and Moomin Coffee

Newcastle's Grainger Market is probably not the first place on your mind to see a live band , but tonight as part of The Late Shows there were three areas set out as Stages featuring lots of artists between 5 and 9 pm.

I walked in and heard an excellent sound coming from the Grainger Street end being made by Brent and The Brads , a three piece , with the bassist playing what looked like a Hofner violin bass as favoured by Paul McCartney in his early Beatles days. Here's the instagram video of what I walked in on,and I was very impressed. The problem is in any festival situation you need to move around to see and hear more, although I heard them covering "Ain't No Sunshine" efficiently later demonstrating their range.

Next I dropped to KOTA talked with Krista, had some complimentary Moomin Coffee and Finnish Licorice before finding my friend John Lee.

John's Audience

John's Boots

John was on Stage 3 and performed his country rock based set for an appreciative audience despite having forgotten his capo, his audience loved the set.

John was also playing later as part of a combo with Jazz in their name but I've forgotten what it was, but I'm glad I captured a song that Hedley missed for you to enjoy.






I wandered round and returned to see Simon Wood playing three Hangs with a partial drum kit. This was absolutely amazing and you can find out more about him here, you can see a little of his Late Show set here

I met a couple of friends and enjoyed my short time among the cool shops that were open, including Long Play Cafe, and as I am writing this I know across Tyneside events are continuing into the night.

This is my small experience of it.

Jah Wobble with Smokin' Coconuts

My first paid gig of the year was to see Jah Wobble at The Cluny. There was a support which turned out to be The Smokin' Coconuts who opened with "Animals" , very reminiscent of The Baghdaddies and I was immediately hooked.


After forty minutes they left the stage to applause.

Jah Wobble and combo were on stage very quickly and we were treated to heavy subsonic bass, lots of dub sound and absolute diamond geezer banter. Jah Wobble's back catalogue is probably as huge as anyone you can think of covering almost every spectrum and influence you can think of barring outright commercialism.

Last night they revisited Metal Box and Harry J All Stars "Liquidator" amid new stuff and favourites.

I know this is short but what else can I say about a man who is a total down to earth legend , entertaining , accessible and challenging all in the same package. If you get the chance to see either Jah Wobble or The Smokin' Coconuts take up the opportunity, you will not regret it.

My Vertigo Swirl - Status Quo - Piledriver

Today I got hold of a Vertigo Swirl album (full swirl not metallic mini swirl) and they are difficult to track down. It's a 1972 version of Status Quo's Piledriver which is actually a very good album, containing the excellent Paper Plane and their take on The Door's Roadhouse Blues. I posted  a video on Instagram here.

This sort of the thing that makes me recollect vinyl. It looks amazing playing. In the video below is Black Sabbath's Paranoid and a copy of that will set you back around £150. Even the Swirl Inner sleeves sell for a tenner so they are actually a good investment.

My Status Quo album cost me £15 which is the going rate for a new vinyl album, but essentially I got it for the effect that you get when you play it, it's funny I never really thought of it when I played my Vertigo records in my teens, but maybe I see things a bit differently now.

Anyway enjoy , the videos. These vinyl pieces are things of true beauty.

There is a book on the label and various Youtube videos , just search for Vertigo Swirl.

Extreme Noise Terror? - Extreme Metal Party Methinks

Metal Noise

On Wednesday I went to The Riverside to see a gig on the recommendation of several friends. It was going to be loud metal , but as I get older I have tended to come out of gigs without any effect on myhearing , until The Smyths the other week at the O2 , but somebody assured me that was due to the rubbish sound system at the  O2.

Anyway it's so long since I heard Combichrist or Filter and Rabia Sorda were new to me but recommended and they were on stage when I walked into the place. Part of my ethos is that generally , if a band is any good you don't need to know any of there songs , Gallery Circus are a prime example of that for me.


Rabia Sorda look metal and sound metal with goth threatening make up and eyeliner , and I still cant tell you any of their songs although they did play an impromptu acoustic song outside after the gig, they were also very engaging with the crowd both during the gig and after , and , though they were aggressive shouty metal , they sounded good , and no my ears didn't hurt. Rabia Sorda were actually worth the price of admission alone , which is a good omen for the third band on the bill.


Next up were Filter (awkward name to search for but not as bad as !!! )  , and this band really hit me with low frequency bass and drums, but again they sounded amazing and again I can't remember any songs but they played a wonderful set , crowd pleasing and as threatening as any good horror film. So after the Smyths doing my ears filter hit my body , making me feel the slightest bit queasy. The other thing was that their drummer was well hidden so I thought they were using a drum machine, but by the end of the their set you knew you were at an amazing gig , the second of two brilliant acts.


Finally we had Filter's co headliners Combichrist and after the low frequency attack from Filter , Combichrist had something else in store for me. Two drummers and an impressive sonic assault to start with , songs peppered with the word FVCK  and lots of raised metal fists among the crowds. Although bands like these seem to carry a threat for a lot of the public , they are all about having a brilliant time with great shout along songs like "What The Fvck Is Wrong With You"  and playing the encore finale with members of both the other bands.

However part way through the set I had to walk out , my eyes severely affected by the strobe lighting, outside every street light was a massive white brain searing blob. It eventually wore off and I went back it to watch the rest of the gig , and came away knowing I had been to an amazing one.

IF you get a chance to see any of these bands you should do, it was a brilliant re education for me.

The Dad Horse Experiance In Which A German Dominates The Globe

Last night night my friend Lynn asked me to go to a gig to see The Dad Horse Experience. I thought she'd mis spelt it but she hadn't . The gig was at The Globe which is five minutes walk from Gallowgate, and it's a excellent concert area if a little small , but very intimate. There was a good crowd and everyone was talking to each other.

Essential the band is Dirk Ottn , who turned up in a three piece suit and was talking to everyone in the Globe before taking the stage, His instrumentation for the set I stayed for was a couple of banjos , mandolin , kazoo and bass pedals which were used to excellent effect.

A Dad Horse Beer Mat

He is similar to if a little darker than CW Stoneking but they share a lot of common ground , being excellent raconteurs , drawing you into their world of blues and gospel in their own amazing way, his own Keller-Gospel style , and you have to hear. I could see him playing in a bar in a David Lynch film.

The songs were a mix of original and standards such as "St James Infirmary" , "Will The Circle Be Unbroken" and Hank Williams' "Lost Highway".





The crowd loved every song , and this guy  is an absolute must see,. I spoke to him after the first set and he was great and funny to talk to . He also had the bar selling his own cocktail as well.

I came away with a copy of his Live In Melbourne album , and another must see artist on my list.

The Dad Horse Experience proves that despite music consisting 7 notes plus sharps there is always a new twist round the corner to delight you. Go and see him if you can.

Punkest of The Punk?

A good friend of mine, Bethany, pointed me to an article about a Cramps concert in 1978 where they played Napa State Mental Hospital . The article is here . While I laud the band for doing that , and many have done similar things before and since . Take Johnny Cash at San Quentin for instance , bands playing for people who normally would not be treated to live music . One of the best examples of that I have seen was at The Chase Park Festival at Whickham where the whole set up was geared towards total social integration (see review here)

Punky Reggae

My issue with the "I'm Punkier Than You" thing is that as soon as you adjectivise the word it becomes it's own establishment , and Punk is meant to be anti establishment. I remember hearing that Bob Marley had a song called Punky Reggae Party ... just the title made me cringe , as though Bob was trying to jump on a bandwagon . If a band described themselves as punky I would expect something like The Knack singing My Sharona.







A punk is an undesirable , a delinquent , something that doesn't care so for a real punk gig or record , it should challenge , it should be unexpected , and really The Cramps gig was something you would expect The Cramps to do. It wasn't what Fleetwood Mac would do , but then again , when they followed up Rumours with Tusk wasn't that a total punk thing to do , they risked destroying everything with Tusk , although it's probably my favourite album of theirs.

And what about The KLF / Extreme Noise Terror at The Brits , that was a shock to the mainstream, showing punk attitude 15 years after the British Explosion.

Then you had teh Sex Pistols a manufactured bad boy band who's album was heavy metal with a sneer. I bought "New Rose" by The Damned when it came out , "I'm Stranded" by The Saints and then when I heard Anarchy In The UK I was really disappointed because it was metal not punk.

So really if you want the most in your face example of punk attitude it has to be The KLF at the Brits , because the Cramps were just doing what The Cramps did, The KLF actually shocked.

Quality Cheese During Prohibition

More Cheeses Vicar?

This is another post I wasn't going to write about , but I have to tell you about a truly excellent night promoted by Divine Trash at The Prohibition Cabaret Bar in Gateshead on the Sounth East Side of the Tyne Bridge in one of the Railway Arches.

The evendt was The Wrong Side of Cheese and was thoroughly enjoyable , with some class sounds spun by the two DJs Sheena and Juli . It's great to see somone choosing the discs rather than just kicking of a computer playlist.

The surrounding of the bar are conducive to an excellent party atmosphere and the proprietor Mitch is a friendly great guy.

The night was LGBT friendly but that didn't exclude terribly boring , straignt and narrow people like myself. I also was "hellowed" by a few people I didn't recognise , but I think everyone made a great effore on their looks apart from me.

The sound level was perfect,  enabling  conversation, even with people you had never met . The bar was quick to serve, and the look and feel of the pace was brilliant.

I've only DJd a few times and that was with vinyl , but last night we were treated to Kylie , Abba , Donna Summer and lots more, four hours of great friendly fun.

So I'll leave you with one of the songs from the night , by the rather excellent Gina G.

I am looking forward to the next one , if they will let me come.