Neasan O’Neill

Support:
Missed them so don’t know

Note: Written in August just 4 months late

I love Supergrass live, I honestly have never owned there latest album when I see them (this time neither of the last two) but they excel themselves every time. They are a strange band they’re never massive but they still sell out big venues around the country (this time selling out every venue in the tour and playing the Astoria twice).

Tonight was a great mix of old and new playing songs from their entire back catalogue and still finding room for plenty of new songs which never slowed down the set but when they played the big songs like Pumping On Your Stereo and going out the place erupted. The one black spot was Caught By The Fuzz the sound was horrendous and even after a break to try and sort it out it was still poor. A little disappointing as it is easily my favourite track by them by everything else made up for it.

Supergrass live? Yes please, can’t wait for the next proper tour (will skip their festival dates this summer).

Photos here.

Later days,
Halo.

Support:
Kid Carpet
Electric Eel Shock

Note: written in August almost 4 months later :-/.

Woo hoo back in Birmingham for a gig. I’ve been previously for PUSA and NIN. Same venue this time there was no way I was going to get home on the train or coach so booked into a hostel which worked out quite well as I was in a room with only one other guy and he came in really quietly and the bunk beds weren’t bunk beds they were almost separate pods so even if there had been a few people it’d been fine.

Anyway onto the gig. The venue was the biggest outside London and was a bit empty actually which was strange for a Saturday night and I believe with a club afterwards. I actually caught Kid Carpet this time and I was impressed, he makes music with toy instruments, sound effects and other things, he does a great version of Jump by Van Halen.

Of course a PUSA live gig never disappoints with a changed up setlist again and with crowd interaction. Just before Chris started Mixed SOB he noticed a young kid on his dad’s shoulders and asked him to cover his ears or ask his dad why sometimes it’s OK to say bad words.

Setlist:

1. Tiki god
2. Kitty
3. Rot in the sun
4. Some Postman
5. Boll Weevil
6. Ladybug
7. Zero friction
8. Dune Buggy
9. Flame Is Love
10. Mixed up SOB
11. Back porch
12. Lump
13. Ghosts are everywhere
14. Lunatic to love
15. Sharpen up those fangs
16. Mach 5
17. Peaches
18. Kick Out The Jams
    ENCORE
19. Video killed the Radiostar
20. Candy
21. We’re not going to make it

Photos here.

Later days,
Halo.

Support:
Kid Carpet
Electric Eel Shock

Note: written in August almost 4 months later :-/.

This was planned sort of at the last minute. Definitely after the others as I thought it would be too difficult to get back from Bristol to London. Then I saw curfew was at 9.45pm, quick check of the train times and a map and I could easily get the last train home. The fare wasn’t too much either so off I went.

The venue, like Brighton, took me a while to find (too many hills and streets running under streets) but got there eventually. I missed the support again (50% planning and 50% getting a train late enough that it was cheap). So rolled up grabbed a space in front of the sound desk and waited for the guys to get started. It being a Friday night gig so the band and crowd were well up for it, the setlist was different again from the previous 2 shows (but I expected that). It was a pretty good natured crowd a packed venue, bigger than the show in Brighton but a LOT smaller than the London.

Setlist:

1. Tiki god
2. Kitty
3. Rot in the sun
4. Some Postman
5. Boll Weevil
6. Ladybug
7. Zero friction
8. Dune Buggy
9. Flame Is Love
10. Mixed up SOB
11. Back porch
12. Lump
13. Ghosts are everywhere
14. Candy (finished with shots of Jaeger)
15. Deleter
16. Mach 5
17. Peaches
18. Kick out the jams (ace of spades)
    ENCORE
19. Cover of a Bucky song (a local band I think)
20. Video killed the Radiostar
21. Froggy (The lily pad song, froggy’s big hit)
22. We’re not going to make it

Photos here.

Later days,
Halo.

Support:
Kid Carpet
Electric Eel Shock

Arghhh. I have been to Brighton before for Tenacious D, which was just before Xmas and that was a very quick walk from the station. The Concorde 2? A completely other matter entirely, it is on the sea front LITERALLY, how was I meant to know there was a whole other road even closer to the beach than the one I was on? Found it eventually after a bit of a freak out on my part "Had I gone too far? Had I gone far enough? How would I find out?" Anyway after that it was good that the venue was pretty class, small club venue on the sea front maybe held 500 max. The crowd were pretty cool, knew most of the old stuff again there was a dip in volume for the new stuff but the fanatics (me?) made up for it.

There was a third support act and doors were, relatively, late and my train was 23:37 so I thought I miss some of the show especially when EES were still on when I got there (actually quite fun stupid rock) but I left at 23:00 to the final strains of "we’re not going to make it".

Setlist:

1. Tiki god
2. Kitty
3. Rot in the sun
4. Some Postman
5. Boll Weevil
6. Ladybug
7. Zero friction
8. Flame Is Love
9. Dune buggy
10. Mixed up SOB
11. Back porch
12. Lump
13. Ghosts are everywhere
14. Lunatic to love
15. Deleter
16. Mach 5
17. Peaches
18. Kick out the jams
    ENCORE
19. Video killed the radiostar
20. Candy
21. We’re not going to make it (ace of spades)

Photos here.

Later days,
Halo.

Support:
Kid Carpet
Electric Eel Shock

PUSA, Woo and Hoo. This is the first date of their 9 date UK tour and the first of the 6 dates I am attending on said tour, so following this review will be Brighton, Bristol, Birmingham, Belfast and Dublin. They’ll probably be less verbose with a quick review of the crowd and venue, then the setlist and a link to my pictures from the gig.

So this time I missed both supports, completely on purpose, I’d see enough of them on this tour I reckoned so decided to stick at home till quite late. PUSA are a three piece with 3 string guitars, 2 string bass and drums and their stage set reflects this i.e. there is nowt but lights, stacks and the drum kit onstage. Having seen PUSA a few times already (5) and having the new album for over a month, I did have an idea what to expect, namely a rocking high energy show with great songs and funny banter.

London didn’t disappoint, this was easily the largest venue I ;d see them in and as far as I know the largest on the entire tour but they always make it feel like they are playing for you in your sitting room. Opening playing songs from every period (not Freaked Out and Small) the audience loved it. There was definitely a dip when new songs were played but you could see down on the floor up front knew all the new tunes and it was great hearing "Deleter", "Ghosts are everywhere" and "Lady Bug" livc. It helps that this abum easily is as good as anything else they have released with "Flame Is Love" being a personal favourite.

A slight surprise was the inclusion of "Peaches" and "Lump" before the encore but the place erupted for both of them and "Mach 5" was definitely a crowd pleaser especially with that killer riff/solo that opens it. As usual PUSA rock and I left with a smile a mile wide, now just for the other 5.

Setlist:

1. Bug city (bit of Kansas City by The Beatles)
2. Kitty (Superstition by Stevie Wonder bit)
3. Rot in the sun
4. Some postman
5. Boll weevil
6. Ladybug
7. Zero friction
8. Flame Is Love
9. Dune buggy
10. Mixed up SOB
11. Back porch
12. Lump
13. Ghosts are everywhere
14. Lunatic to love
15. Sharpen up those fangs
16. Mach 5
17. Peaches
18. Kick out the jams
    ENCORE
19. Video killed the radiostar
20. Deleter
21. Candy
22. We’re not going to make it

Pictures here.

Later days,
Halo.