On Friday night just gone, I did a little set at a shindig for Format Festival.
Here’s what I played:
Knocked Loose – Oblivions Peak
Stromae – Tous Les Memes
Brakes – Heard About Your Band
A Tribe Called Quest – The Space Program
Yussef Kamaal – Black Focus
Kvelertak – 1985
TRIM – RPG
The Association – Windy
Beartooth – The Lines
Mr. Lif – Everyday We Pray
Minor Threat – Minor Threat
Basement – Promise Everything
Band Of Gold – For You
Frankie Cosmos – What If
Beneficence – Manuscripts (Feat. Mindsone)
Wienzeile – Geisterbahn
Real Friends – Cover You Up
Set Your Goals – Mutiny!
Skepta Featuring Jme – That’s Not Me
HOO BOY! Another lovely night DJing for Ian Watson at his lovely HDIF night. We had a good crowd in, a load of mods, some rudeboys and, obviously, plenty of indiepop and soul kids.
Here’s what I played:
Band Of Gold – For You
The Free Design – 2002 – A Hit Song
Public Service Broadcasting – Gagarin
Bobby Lewis – Tossin’ And Turnin’
The Research – C’mon Chameleon
Frankie Cosmos – What If
The Monochrome Set – The Monochrome Set
Boo Radleys – Lazarus
Eternal Summers – Play Dead
The Jam – David Watts
The Swinging Blue Jeans – You’re No Good
The Roosters – One Of These Days
House Of Love – Destroy The Heart
TEEN – All About Us
The Association – Windy
Manchester Orchestra – Top Notch
Bristols – Who Does She Think She Is?
Beliefs – Tidal Wave
Teleman – Düsseldorf
Field Music – Disappointed
Stevie Wonder – I Wish
The Darling Buds – Shame On You
Desmond Dekker & The Aces – 007
Specials – Monkey Man
Saint Etienne – Only Love Can Break Your Heart
McCarthy – The Well Of Loneliness
Flatmates – Shimmer
The Beat – Mirror In The Bathroom
Black Flag – Louie Louie
Minor Threat – Minor Threat
Circle Jerks – Deny Everything
Sonic Youth – 100%
Postal Service – We Will Become Silhouettes
Stromae – Tous Les Memes
New Order – Confusion
On Friday, the lovely chap above, Ian, had me guest DJ at HDIF again and, as ever, I had a whaaale of a time.
It’s the first time I’ve DJed in The Buffalo Bar and I love the venue, it’s got a wonderful vibe and it was soon packed with shimmying indie peeps. There’s a gallery of pics here but they’re mixed up between Ian taking them and my snaps as his camera unfortunately crapped out.
I played indie(pop) oldies that made said peeps whoop and holler and some brand-new tunes that went down brilliantly too!
On Saturday, I DJed How Does It Feel? again and had a silly fun time. It was a bit empty at the start but I got the floor full by the time I handed over to HDIF supremo Ian which is always VICTORY for a DJ.
I managed to fit in a good few tunes fresh from 2013 as well as indiepop classics. After my set, Nat and I bopped around to Ian’s tunes next to some wildly inebriated patrons. Ahhh, lovely night!
Last Saturday, I had the privilege of DJing at the almighty HDIF!
And, my god, it was rammed! Probably the fullest I’ve done yet, which is encouraging. So many people were asking what tune I was playing, I love that because the whole reason I DJ is to introduce new music! Made me feel all warm and kitteny inside. I did play shitloads of old stuff but managed squeeze in quite a few 2012 newbies, Holograms and Kindness went down very well!
On Friday, I travelled down to London to see my friend Amy. We had a great time wandering around (to me) exotic and sumptuous Leyton. The cake shops! Mmmm… Those little Portuguese thingies, with the pastry and the custardniess are deadly.
Then last night I DJed again at HDIF (How Does It Feel To Be Loved?), a wonderful indiepop clubnight run by Mr. Ian Watson. I’d originally been cheeky and asked if I could get Amy and I in on the guestlist. Even better than that, Ian said, how about DJing since the scheduled bloke couldn’t make it? Of course I said yes.
So, I DJed and then I danced around with a load of mates who seemed to have gathered from everywhere. It was a lovely night, full of new and old faces. Click the pic above to see a gallery of them!
Today, Amy, Sean and I had a slap-up Sunday dinner at The Lexington on Pentonville Road before getting yet more cakes at St. Pancras. I would say I’ve eaten my own weight in cakes this weekend but seeing as they’ll be increasing my weight, I think that’s some kind of maths thing I don’t understand? A convergent series?
London was beautiful and ugly, rich and poor, tasty and nauseating. It always inspires me and takes me out of my everyday sense of self. I hope I can hold on to some of that feeling back in Derby.
Last weekend, from Friday to Monday, I was in Paris! I went over to play a gig for the thoroughly lovely Another Sunny Night peeps. While I was there, I also DJed at Planète Mars, an awesome bar that you should check out if you’re ever in Paris.
I went over with Robbie, who was doing the sound and iPod wrangling. We managed to fit the music around eating an enormous amount of the tastiest food ever and a spot of sightseeing. But let’s do this properly, I’m getting a bit previous!
Well, Friday night was the DJing. The bar was absolutely rammed and I played a suitably poptastic set. I did play loads of new tunes but there were more classics than before, albeit my slightly idiosyncratic definition of classic (The Sylvers, The Theme From Robinson Crusoe). The vibe in the bar was awesome and Hakim, the super-genial owner, plied me with some crazy cordials. Never had cucumber cordial before, puzzlingly good.
Then on Saturday, it was the gig. I was first on and a little nervous as the last gig I played, The Hangover Lounge one, had been emotionally difficult. But I think I held things together better on Saturday and the crowd seemed to love it. I got loads of positive comments afterwards and people even bought records!
Then I watched the other two bands, The Starlets and Panama, both rocking in different ways. The Starlets were, ironically, quite Brel: each song a vignette and musically quite theatrical and flourishy. All in a good way – I loved them!
Then the last band, Panama, who were more indierocking rockness. They’ve got really catchy songs and very much reminded me of early Ric Menck bands, whether that’s Choo Choo Train or Bag-O-Shells. A bit of Lemonheads in there too, I reckon. Made me want to form a rocking band again and stamp on some pedals. Dude.
Then on Sunday, I made a pilgrimage to François Truffaut’s grave. He’s been my favourite director for decades and I couldn’t miss the chance to pay my respects to his memory. I left the message you see in the pic above. White Town really couldn’t exist without Truffaut, I’ve stolen so much from him in terms of emotional explicitness and lack of wankiness.
Monday, we came home. Yeah.
Reflecting on the weekend, it reminded me that after I first played Mattias Jansson’s Cosy Den, in 2005, I posted about wanting to meet people I had something in common with, people I actually wanted to work with who were decent and genuine and into music. You know ~ not Tories.
Well, little by little, that’s happening. The first person who emailed me way back then was Ian Watson from HDIF and the man is a stick of rock with ‘GOOD EGG’ written all the way through. London Popfest, Indietracks, Hangover Lounge… I’ve been very picky about who I’ve worked with and I think it’s paid-off in that I haven’t had a horrendous gig experience due to trusting NME-ish indie chancers.
Add to that list: Another Sunny Night. Emilie, Clémence & Joanny took care of us, organised the gig and DJing faultlessly (despite most of them being severely inebriated) and we got paid. Of course, I still lost money overall but that’s international gigging. (Well, unless you’re Gaga, I guess?) The ASN massive fed, watered and generally held our hands through the weekend, checking we were okay and running about making everything perfect. So, we had a great time, the other bands had a great time and the audience… well, they definitely had a great time.
So, thank you ASN, thank you Paris and, of course, thank you François Truffaut.
Tonight’s best new track was ‘Super Duper Rescue Heads,’ Deerhoof’s poppiest track to date. This song is pure sunshine dappling your face through leaves, butterflies flapping around like nutters and tiny dogs yapping shopping lists.
The best old track was The Boo Radley’s ‘Lazy Day.’ Another slice of summer in a pop song, I used to love dancing to this in the Blue Note, back when they played non-chart music. Shoegaze love.
Tonight’s best new track was ‘Crazy For You’ by Best Coast. One minute and fifty seconds of swoonsome delight, this track comes from a similarly languid and sun-drenched album. Check it out!
The best old track was Marching Band‘s ‘For Your Love.’ God, what a perfect, catchy pop song! Breezy splendour.
