It was a bit strange of me, having never met the guy, but having talked to him on the internet to arrive at his birthday party as if I were a friend. However, this is no normal community. About three months ago I discovered and joined a forum on which local Bristolian musicians, promoters, engineers and other like-minded individuals gather to arrange meetings, gigs, discuss music and other random things in an uncensored, free-thinking, open kind of a way. The Choke Forum can be found at http://ttyc.co.uk and it seems to be demonstrating a powerful way for all these various groups in the industry to get together, advertise and find out what is going on. It isn't the only forum like this, there are others, but I already knew some of the people here. Anyway, I digress. I will write more about this phenomenon later.
It is however, the reason that I felt comfortable coming to someone's birthday bash, because really, it was just a free gig. At the Croft again, on the 11th October... on to the music, with apologies to Cajita who I missed...
Rose Kemp
Now I always thought the thing about singer songwriters is that you can hear the words, because their songs aren't about getting up and dancing, or being amazed at the incredible new sounds they are making, but about the purity of harmony, melody and the stories they tell. The emotions they make you feel. You know, people are supposed to sit down and be quiet, furrow their brows and contemplate the wondrousness of the human voice and the futility of existence without song. Or something. So having got over the embarrassment of everyone watching me enter the bar as Ms Kemp was performing right beside the door and armed with a drink I sat down to have my musical taste buds stimulated. Unfortunately, while still audible over the chatter of a busy bar, I couldn't make out a single word. The use of electric guitar rather than acoustic (although played as if 'twere an acoustic) was a good change, since it facilitated slightly distorted loudness, but something about the set up really muffled her voice. As such, I couldn't really form a decision on the music, while pleasing, it did still sound just like a girl playing guitar and singing like a million others. If I had been able to concentrate more, maybe in a different venue - but don't let me put you off, I just think the atmosphere was wrong, the songs were really good.
SJ Esau
A single deck for scratching, the usual array of boxes and instruments made for another interesting gig from the organic ever-changing SJ Esau. Here we have more layered samples of live instruments, distorted singing interspersed with violin, clarinet, melodica. I should be bored of these songs by now, I've heard them enough times, but the thing about the genius of Sam and his many, many guises is he always seems to be able to bring something fresh to the music. As I eagerly anticipated my favourite track (following the amazing solo performance at Brick's birthday bash) epiphany coming through my head, I had to be disappointed that they chose to do a stadium rock version - as stadium rock as it is possible to get with this kind of lo-fi sound - complete with chanted chorus towards the end and the feeling that we should all be swaying with lighters in the air. But what band doesn't want that?
Bucky
I'd heard good things about Bucky, but no-one told me exactly what to expect, so I'm not going to give away any secrets. Suffice to say, this was the most entertaining gig I've been to for a long time, a fast, furious punk duo whose inter-song banter is longer than the songs themselves. Songs about Bruce Springsteen and the American flag, a happy birthday Theo moment and a lot of jokes made for some very happy faces in the audience. And if you think being a drummer with only one hand is a handicap, then you really need to see this band because he plays like no other drummer I've seen! Bucky are excellent...
New Grand Smoking Palace
At first I thought NGSP were alright, tight band, catchy tunes but then it slowly dawned on me: The gurning, the poses, the foot-stamping... it's the Strokes/Jets/Hives/Ferdinand*/all that goddamn nu-punk nonsense all over again. (Correction from my friend Adz: "Franz Ferdinand aren't punk, they're new wave. Actually, they're pretty much definitively new wave, in that they listened to punky people whilst at art school and then tried to make a band that captured the energy whilst being middle-class, nicely dressed and nice enough to take home to meet your mum.")However different they are trying to be, my friend insists that it is the singer who ruins it, personally I think she saves the music from having to put up with a bloke with a silly voice (see all the above). Their sound is accomplished, raw, some decent hooks in there, but the whole ethos of this kind of music makes me furious. Like UK Garage. Sorry guys.
Blackbud
Unfortunately, being a school night, I had to go home so I couldn't form an opinion of the increasingly contentious Blackbud. The funny thing is that a lot of people's problem with them is that they're NOT contentious at all and that's where all the arguments start. So I'll link you to some varied responses to the gig instead: The Choke 'Discussion' and Blackbud's Forum.