That Exploded

Men Daimler, La Bête Blooms, and Sam Jones @ The Adelphi

Hurrah, at last. Great golden relief as I finally come across a young Hull band that I actually like. Anyway, more of that in a moment, first it is time for ire.

I won`t lie, my heart sank when I saw Sam Jones clamber on stage to open the night. I just don`t feel the need to laugh at someone’s surprisingly public, awkwardness. By all means go on stage and self-taunt liberally, but too many jokes tonight scream “HELLO I`M AWKWARD, THAT’S FUNNY*” – followed by some penis joke. Nope, after x years of living, I still don`t find the mention of male genitalia that funny. No, not even when said with wide maniacal eyes and a scary grin. Maybe it is just me. Then there is the rather ill-judged song about wanting male equality. Seriously, if you are going down that route then make the content funny and not some half-arsed summary of all the unfunny anti-feminist jokes of the last twenty years. However, there were moments that brought a smile (and that should be applauded as I am an inordinately stroppy git these days): some of the rhymes and word play in parts were great, and the use of Christian Bale rant inventive, but ultimately ruined by Sam playing the his final card, oft the comedian’s last desperate attempt to get a laugh: dressing up as a woman.

Being mean and nasty (see above) is so much easier than being nice. After only seeing one gig by La Bête Blooms, rather than make some vast and likely misguided attempt to describe the band by throwing together comparisons to The XX and Pulp – oh crap, I just did, although I`m still not sure I meant it – let’s summarise my thoughts in an example act. The day after the gig, I spent a fair few hours trawling myspace to find the name of said band and I was none too disappointed with what I found. Finally, a young Hull band that I`m willing to leave the house to watch.

Men Daimler, as constantly returning performer and a much-loved one, is woven into the history of the Adelphi. He is a talent that bemuses the crowds by not being more famous than he actually is.  Tonight our man screams, cries, dances and rambles his way through a night of song and frolics; captivating by halves.

 *Normally I would refuse to type in capitals, but it mirrors the unsubtly of Sam Jones.  

 

New Bands Are Shit

It’s the age old question with the very short answer: no. Of course it is always a lot more complicated, but anyone proclaiming that “all new bands are shit” has probably not thought through the issue or just not seen enough live music. As far as I can work out there are normally two reasons that cause one generation to accuse the other: music industry ‘hype’ and ‘human nature’.

Before I go on, I should get down from my lofty, high and mighty tone. I`ve not been immune to thoughts and occasional rants about new bands being shit – although, I`m careful to shout too loud as it makes me look even more of an old git. The gigs I simply didn`t get, whilst others jumped around like looks, that spring to mind: Elle Milano and Jo Lean and the Jing Jang Jong (remember them); more recently the Japanese Voyeurs; and back in the distance past Bloc Party both at the Adelphi and The Welly*.

One of the things that quite regularly biases me against bands is industry hype. Now, I have fallen for it a fair few times, but the more you see lines like “the new Nirvana”, the “next Strokes”, “re-inventing The Libertines” the more cynical you become. The relation is then hammered home with the writer then trying to reinvent a genre that already exists, for example Mumford and Sons have been described as “eclectic folk.” It is easy to respond to these type of comments with a quick “oh fuck off, they’re shite” – and you would be right when concerned with Mumford and Sons, but normally it is just unfairly reactionary. Hull’s own The Neat got rather strung up with the tag “new intelligentsia” (seriously, what the fuck does that even mean) last year, but it is not the band’s fault that someone decides to describe a band with such cock and bull.

Ok, coming clean. I am pretty sure, I`ve done similar things in my past reviews (particularly in Sandman): throwing labels and words at bands with the only thought towards a deadline that is creeping ever closer. But next time you read a review that makes you want to swear, work out if it is the band that is the problem or the words written on the page. In the internet age you can google them pretty quickly and make up your own mind (just try not to react to those words).

So what the hell did I mean about human nature – suitably vague to the end. Some of you might be young enough to remember being young, god some people reading this might actually be young themselves. You know what it is like. You get carried away with what is in front of you. The relevance and sound just clicks in your head. And it is very easy to aim superlatives at the bands that appear around the time you are growing. They are brilliant and awesome, as fresh as the day is long. You get it! You grow with the band and they talk to you as they are at a similar age. Those culture references make sense. What comes later, as you age, is inevitably below you and can never quite reach the heights of what was like when you were young when everything was blazing new. It doesn`t make new bands shit, it just means you have moved on.

Fear not, this doesn`t mean you should just turn over and give up on new music. There are plenty of bands out there that aren`t just rehashes of what you are used to. You may not need a new Nirvana when you can listen to the old one, but there are plenty of bands out there – many old and many new – who still make brilliant, engaging music they just don`t come with the recycled tag lines. Sometimes just a random drop-in to your closest music venue is enough to discover something life affirming – in Hull we are lucky to have Fruit and the Adelphi that can make for musical magic; if you are elsewhere, it is time to discover a favourite new venue.

*The Mystery Jets were fecking ace though. 

 

Japanese Voyeurs And The Holy Orders @ The Adelphi

Excitement, disappointment and an early night.

Giddy as a schoolboy would be an exaggeration, but let’s just say I was pretty happy when I found out that the Japanese Voyeurs were playing the Adelphi. Not because I had been an avid follower of the band. More because I can remember hearing an early release and enjoying the fuzzed up sound that protruded from my speakers – I think I even waxed lyrical on the old website about them. So, yes, happiness that I could finally check this band out live as I`d rather neglected to continue my interest.

I was even happier when I found out the Holy Orders had been asked to support. So there I was primed for a good night. Matt Edible and company pull out all the stops – as you expect – to put on a great Holy Orders performance with ‘To The Gallows’ still at its heart stopping best and ‘Breathe’ getting a much anticipated outing.

Ok, time to come clean. The night before the gig, I had finally decided I should listen to the Japanese Voyeurs to see how that had developed over the last 12 months. And there it was, I was confronted with this unrecognisable band hailed as the saviours of grunge (note to self: ALWAYS avoid over the top press). AGH. “No” I tell myself, the gig is still worth it and, of course, I can always leave if it’s rubbish.

Initial signs were promising. The band sit and watch The Holy Orders performance and clap, seemingly enthusiastically – not enough bands stay to watch the support acts, so credit to the JVs here. Nice touch. Unfortunately, when the music begins all the misgivings come flooding back and, four songs in, I grab my coat, before heading to the exit door.

Time and time again I have re-analysed the four Japanese Voyeurs’ songs I stuck around for. What is it that just made me need to flee? The ‘samey’ trend metal air to each track, where obvious rifts echoed around obvious flailing hair, didn`t help – but that wasn`t solely it. What made me run was the complete lack of believability in the band. Here is a band that wants you to believe they crawl about the night screaming about the depths of humanity has sunk to, occasionally sinking themselves too, yet everything seems posed, clean cut and cool, too cool. The music, lyrics and image made me squirm ok, but not in the way the Japanese Voyeurs intended. 

Tracks of the 2010: The Dance by The Holy Orders

Larkin 25 (December) – The Dance by The Holy Orders

2010 was the year that Hull's adopted son - not that he would want to be called that - Phillip Larkin celebrated 25 years since dying. Ok, well he didn't celebrate it as, well, he is dead, and, of course, “celebrate” is really the wrong word. Perhaps “paid respects to an awesome poet and librarian” is the phrase I`m really searching for.

Events got underway in the spring as Hull bands got together and recorded an album inspired by Larkin's poetry, with notable contributions from Awash With Antler and The Notebook (RIP). However, it was the Holy Orders who had the stand out track. Matt Edible and company produced something truly remarkable, even by their high standards. The disingenuous and the uninformed will always call poetry and anything resembling it pretentious, but they couldn't be any wronger (sic) about “The Dance.” Check out the video below.

 

Oh, and those toads scattered around the city were a bit good too.