Set Your Glory/New Found Goals/other less funny plays on band names...

Yes, it has been a while since I last posted anything on here, but it's not as long as you last had to wait so count yourself lucky I'm posting at all. The truth is, I witnessed something so glorious last night that I had to share it through every medium possible.

Anyway here's a little back story to the events that occurred...

Wednesday afternoon I'm sitting at work, bored, and while checking Twitter on my phone I notice a post by Set Your Goals announcing that they will be playing a special last minute show at The Fighting Cocks in Kingston. After quickly verifying that this wasn't some heinous prank, I bought two tickets as soon as they went on sale. I'm pretty sure I was in the first five people to purchase them; I know, I know, cool dude alert. As some of you know, I really like Set Your Goals, as does Apryl so it made perfect sense to get tickets without even checking if she was working or not. Thankfully she finished at 4pm, giving us just enough time to get to Kingston in time.

The main reason why this show was going to be so special is that the venue is tiny. When I say tiny, I mean like 110 cap at most. I've been to some truly amazing shows in Kingston, all put on by the ever incredible people at Banquet Records but this was shaping up to a truly memorable event.

Anyway, after the initial excitement of seeing SYG for the 12th time (it'll be 15 by the end of Tuesday night. NBD.) the rumours of a "secret support band" began to circulate. I think pretty much all the bands playing Slam Dunk were mentioned at various points, but no one was confirming or denying anything.

On the day of the show, we left Norwich by 4.30pm and made the journey down. I hate the drive to Kingston because I ALWAYS get stuck in traffic and it stresses me out. Yesterday was no exception, but it was made 981624876 times worse by the fact that around half way through the journey it was pretty much confirmed that the support band were New Found Glory. I'll just let that sink in for a second...NEW FOUND GLORY. In the Fighting Cocks. Fucking hell. As my friend Alice put it, "OMG doesn't even come close to describing my excitement!" Quite.

Anyway that aforementioned traffic meant that come 7.30pm we were still stuck on the worst road in the world, the M25, and were pretty much resigned to missing one of our favourite bands ever play in a room roughly the same size as my kitchen. Not cool. Once we made our way through the traffic and on to the main road in to Kingston I was driving way too fast in order that we may be able to catch at least part of NFG's set. Then Apryl's friend Vix messaged her to say Spycatcher were the opening band and NFG would be on afterwards. I don't really like Spycatcher all that much, I think they're ok but pretty dull, but on this occasion I was overjoyed that they were playing. This meant that although it would be close, we would probably be able to see the rest of the show once they finished.

Parking at the station and running to the venue we met up with Alice and our friend Charlotte (who'd managed to get a ticket about four seconds before the Banquet website crashed) and were informed that NFG weren't even at the venue yet. Breathless but relieved, we headed inside where I noticed the dudes from Fireworks, just hanging around. "Oh..." I thought, they must just be here to hang out with SYG. Yeah think again. Just before 8.30 Fireworks took to the stage and proclaimed, "Hey, we're Set Your Goals!" before blasting through 'Detroit' and 'When We Stand On Each Other We Block Out The Sun'. A brilliant way to kick off the rest of evening for me.

After milling around for a bit after they played I looked over at the stage to notice some dude picking up a guitar. Thinking it was just a tech or one of Fireworks, I began to turn away, only to realise that it was Chad Gilbert. Seriously, I - and everyone else present- could barely contain themselves. The rest of NFG took the stage and immediately launched in to 'My Friend's Over You' which sent the entire crowd crazy. People crowd surfing, piling forward to sing every word with the band, I don't think I've ever seen so many smiling faces in one room before. To be this close to a band who you've been listening to and loved for nearly a decade is a truly surreal and incredible experience and I honestly can't thank everyone involved enough for sorting it out. The rest of the set consisted of 'Catalyst', their Gorilla Biscuits cover 'No Reason' and 'Hit Or Miss' (probably my favourite NFG song) and with that they departed so much high-fiving and general thanks. I don't think I've ever been so hot at a show before, but it was amazing nonetheless.

And it was only going to get better as Set Your Goals hit the stage and played an absolutely brilliant set. To be honest, I would have liked couple of 'special treats' as it were, especially having seen a couple of their recent set-lists from their Kimbo U.S. tour, but at the end of the day, this is one of my favourite bands playing in an incredibly small venue, so to want more is being greedy. I obviously sung every word and generally had a great time, along with the rest of the room. I first saw SYG at the Underworld back in '06 and this was seriously up there with the best times I've seen them. They're up there, if not number one, on the list of great modern pop-punk bands and having seen them on bigger stages in bigger venues the last few times I've seen them it was so so good to see them in a venue such as this one. As I said previously, the most sincere thanks must go to everyone involved in making it happen, mainly everyone at Banquet Records who are an incredibly inspiring label/shop/group of people. Support them and everything they do/are doing.

Sitting typing this I still can't quite believe that last night happened, but it did and I'm so glad that I decided to spontaneously buy tickets seeing as it sold out in some ridiculously short time like 20 minutes or something.

So erm, yeah; in conclusion, listen to Set Your Goals, New Found Glory and Fireworks, support Banquet Records and go and follow me here if you want to have more regular postings.

Waiting On Forever...

Oh boy, did I forget this was still here. Apologies to the handful of people who liked to read my ramblings and diatribes, but I was cruelly seduced by Tumblr a few months ago and I haven't really looked back until now; much like when I tossed aside my trusty discman in favour of a shiny new ipod. This was mainly because, much like my discman, Blogspot is a clunky, awkward, pain in the arse to use; but still, here I am. For all it's foibles, Blogspot is a good place for just writing things though, mainly because no-one on Tumblr ever wants to read reams of text - no matter how interesting; they just want to look at pictures of girls in fashion shoots and "deep and meaningful" lyrics superimposed over the top of a pretty nature picture. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing overtly wrong with this particular penchant, it's just nice to have a bit of substance sometimes. Oh just me? Sorry, I'll post some Owl City lines over a photo of a sunset at the end I promise; if you could stay with me until then it'd be cool. Deal? Awesome.

So I guess the best thing to do is probably recap what I've been up to since I last checked in...

Well, I can't remember the end of January that well so let's just skip that bit. Sorry, I'm not doing very well so far am I? Anyway, at the beginning of February, I headed off on tour with Polar Bear Club, Shook Ones and Title Fight for three weeks in the UK and mainland Europe.

I love touring. It's pretty much want I want to do with my life for the foreseeable future, so to get opportunities like this one is awesome. As you probably know, I started selling merch for PBC last February on their tour with The Gaslight Anthem. It was only for a week, but the experience was one that I cherished and held dear. Making friends with the guys in Polar Bear Club has enabled me to tour with them another two times since then and every one has been brilliant. Getting to see new places, meet new people and hang out with a group of awesome people every day is such a good way to spend ones time that I never really want to contemplate the day when I have to get a full time job and cut back on my travels. Because of this nagging fear of growing up, I fully intend to make the most of any travel opportunity that presents itself over the course of the next few years and hopefully forge some sort of meagre living from it in the process.

Anyway, as expected this particular tour was ridiculously fun. Shooks Ones and Title Fight are both made up of such welcoming, friendly and funny guys and it was a pleasure to be on tour with both bands. I got to visit new countries that I've wanted to get to for a while and experience a host of cultures in the process. NB: One culture that I'll leave is the one that thinks it's ok to smoke inside venues in Germany. You can keep that one guys, or actually don't keep it; pull yourselves in to the 21st century so I don't have a laundry bag full of fowl smelling clothes and all the merch doesn't doesn't smell like your rancid smoke. Oh and a a few euros in my tip jar wouldn't go amiss sometimes either, just sayin'.

As always it was great seeing Polar Bear Club again too and I'm glad that I can honestly call those six guys my friends. Fingers crossed the next few months brings with it more tours with them.

Another major development since my last foray in to the world on blogging is the purchase of a van for Lonewolves/Jackals/myself. Essentially it's Lonewolves' van, but as of right now I'm the only one insured on it and it's my name on the logbook. Hopefully this purchase brings my desire of forging a living out of touring closer to being a reality while also meaning that Lonewolves can actually, y'know, do a proper tour. That'd be nice wouldn't it? We have enough fucking equipment, so it made sense to get a van so we don't have to carry around 'Tonehenge' in two cars and hopefully we can put it to good use. Purchasing a van is kind of scary though. The moment that I handed over the money and then sorted out the insurance, I felt like I grew up by about five years and a small part of my youth slipped away forever in to the ether. Then I remembered that the whole reason we were buying this vehicle is so we/I can drive all over the country and the continent, playing shows and generally avoiding real life/work and I felt a bit better. So yeah, if you're reading this and you either want to put Lonewolves or Jackals on a show, or you're in a band and need someone to drive you around in exchange for money, get in touch! Please.

Apart from these two fairly large events, the past few months haven't been overly exciting. I started back at work after getting home from tour, but to my surprise I am now working in a department that I actually enjoy, doing work that actually feels worthwhile and rewarding. It's a weird feeling, but it's cool. I'm sure it'll pass once the sun's out and I want to go away again though.

Speaking of going away, Apryl and I are planning another foray across the pond to America which should be awesome. I fell in love with that country when I visited for the first time, especially Portland, OR and New York City, so it's no real surprise that both these cities will be our destinations for this trip. Hello Voodoo Doughnuts, Soy & Sake, good public transport and nice weather; I've missed you all and many others like you and can't wait to sample your delights again. I have a vision of sitting in Central Park eating vegan ice-cream from Lula's, enjoying the sunshine with my soul mate and it's pretty much what's gotten me through the shitty winter that we're only now starting to come out of. I can't wait for it to become a reality.

Oh and one final bit of news, the Jackals 7" is available for pre-order now. Details are all on our Myspace page, as well as the upcoming shows we're playing. Cue jokes about hype trains and the like.

Yeah so that was my brief update. See you in another four months; same time, same place? In the mean time, if you want to read a blog that's actually funny, go here.

Now where's that Owl City lyric book...

Favourite Television Programme...

The Wire.

This is another slightly tricky one, although not as tough as the previous two. I missed out of The Wire when it was originally shown on FX here in the UK a few years ago and only picked it up once BBC2 began braodcasting the seasons back-to-back (with a couple of weeks break in between each one) last year. I’d read and heard a hell of a lot of hype surrounding the show, so when Apryl and I finallt sat down to watch it I was a little skeptical and more than a little nervous that it wouldn’t live up to its tremendous billing. Withing about five minutes however, I was hooked.

It took a little while to get to grips with the dialogue and the myriad of characters, but once that was accomplished I can honestly say that I have never enjoyed a television programme as much. David Simon has created a masterpiece of a drama and the realism on show is astounding (Simon spent a year following the Baltimore Homicide Department in 1988 as reseacrh for his book ‘Homidicde: A Year on The Killing Streets’, a book whose influence can be seen throughout the show.)

While I prefer some seasons to others, in my opinion there isn’t one bad season and every episode is gripping throughout. One aspect I like about the show is that it’s a slow burner; the audience doesn’t get any sort of payoff at the end of each episode as is the case in other crime dramas. The action builds gradually over the course of a season and even at its finale, the ending isn’t always conclusive or definite. It grabs you and pulls you in, leaving you wanting more at the end of each hour. It is truly compelling viewing.

Other honourable mentions for this category need to go to House M.D., Peepshow and Monty Python’s Flying Circus. All classic television prgrammes in their own right.

xo

Favourite film...

Narrowing down a favourite film is a near impossible task for me. I tend to have to be in the right mood to watch a particular film and therefore find it difficult to just put on a film no matter what the occasion/my frame of mind/what I’m in the mood for seeing. With this in mind, I decided to try and narrow it down to maybe a favourite director or a favourtie genre and then attempt to pick a favourite from that list. Even that’s been damn hard though.

My favourite genre - well it’s not technically a genre it’s a more like a series of films that come under the anime banner, but let’s not get caught up in details - is probably the films made by Studio Ghibli and in particular the works of Hayao Miyazaki. His story-teling ability and eye for detail make him a seminal, world renowned director within this genre and as a result his films are adored by people of all ages in many countries around the globe.

Picking a favourite from his output is difficult because many deal with differing topics (for example Princess Mononoke differs greatly in its narrative style from say, Kiki’s Delivery Service) and all his films are just stunning to look at. I’d go as far as to say that they’re beautiful.

Anyway, after much thought I’ve chosen Howl’s Moving Castle as my favourite. In all honesty I could easily have picked Princess Mononoke or Kiki’s Delivery Service instead, but I’ve seen this film most out of the three so I felt I’d be able to write about it in a greater depth. Seriously check out all of Miyazaki’s work though, as well as everything else released by Studio Ghibli if you haven’t done so already.

‘Howl…’, essentialy a love story between a young witch named Sophie and a wizard by the name of Howl, is classic Miyazaki, featuring many of his usual thematic ideas. Heavily present are the themes of redemption and hope, as well as righting the negative aspects that affect one’s life. The setting for the story is also unsurprising to those familiar with Miyazaki’s work; stunningly beautiful natural landscapes surround a town strongly reminiscent of the Victorian era. Added to this, their is the seemingly standard addition of an animal sidekick, although they assume a lesser role here than Gigi does in Kiki… for example.

Overall one of the things I admire about Miyazaki’s work in general is his ability in binding stunning visual wonderment and a childish nature with more grown up ideas and themes and this is illustrated perfectly in this film. It rivals most Disney films in terms of its creativity and message and strikes me as an incredibly life-affirming piece of cinema whenever I watch it.

xo

Favourite song...

This is something that people, including myself, are doing over on Tumblr but I thought I'd post some of it here too because I think it's a cool idea...


‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’ by The Smiths.

Now for those of you who are close friends of mine, this will come as no real surprise. My love for The Smiths and all things Morrissey is unabashed and they are quite possibly my favourite band of all time (AFI run them close for this title.) They will always have a special place in my life and in my heart. Despite many people’s view that they are a maudlin, miserablist band I find quite the opposite in their songs. I find hope, happiness and joy. I love Morrisey’s voice as Johnny Marr’s intricate guitar work toys away almost playfully in the background. I love Morrissey’s lyrics, more so than almost any other poetry I’ve ever read. I love the fact that one band can evoke so many emotions in me simply from the music they play. I can be in any mood and I can find a Smiths song that suits it.

Everything I love about The Smiths is present in this song. The subtle guitar melody. The ambigious, yet personal and heartfelt lyrics. Morrissey’s trademark vocal delivery. And that keyboard melody makes the hairs on the back of neck stand on end every time I hear it. Every time.

This song makes me smile while at the same time leaving me fighting back tears. It reminds me of amazing times and terrible times. Current friends and ones past. It reminds me of feelings of overwhelming joy and overwhelming despair. But without fail it makes me happy. It makes me think that everything is going to be ok, no matter what happens, and for a song to do that is pretty special in my opinion.

xo

Death Knows Your Name

On Wednesday (the 13th), I headed down to London on the train to see the return of The Hope Conspiracy to these shores. It's been a couple of years since they were last over, when they toured with Rise and Fall and this time was only a fleeting visit making up part of the incredibly brief European tour.

Hope Con are a band I admire because they do what they want to do on their own terms. It's been a while since you could refer to them as a fully 'active' band, what with only releasing one LP and one 7" since their sophomore record 'End Note' was released in 2002 and possesing what can best be described as a sporadic touring schedule in that period, but despite this you can tell that almost everyone inside The Underworld was eagerly awaiting their set.

I can't remember the name of the first band on (apparently they're from Kingston??) but they reminded at times of both Hot Snakes - mainly the guitar tone - and also La Quiete. A strange combinaion yes, but I enjoyed their set and was left rueing the fact that I couldn't afford one of their 7"s.

Next Up were Attack! Vipers! who I like, but often grow a bit bored of around the mid-way point of their set. It's not that they're a bad band by any means, but something about their songs just fails to hold my attention for longer than about fifteen minutes. They do the discordant, rock-and-roll-hardcore style thing pretty well though, evoking bands such as Suicide File as well as the headliners themselves, but personally it begins to feel a bit samey after a while.

Hope Con are the band everyone is clearly here to see and they launch immediately into the crushing 'In the Shadow of God' from their latest 7" 'True Nihilist'. From their the band run through a set that takes in every release, including several tracks from debut 'Cold Blue', as the mass of bodies at the front screams back every word. Closing proceedings with 'The Know Not' is a personal highlight and as the band bid farewell, I'm left with mixed emotions. On the one hand, I wish they'd tour more reguarly and release a proper LP soon but then their "do what we like" attitude towards every aspect the band means that when they do make these now rare forays across the pond, it's even more special.

xo

The Road

Having read Cormac McCarthy's book of the same name in a matter of days and been transfixed by its portrayal of a father and son, braving everything a post-apocalyptic world throws at them, I was both excited and anxious to see how the story would translate to the big screen. After seeing the film yesterday, I can safely say that director John Hillcoat has done an excellent job.

It is a dark, haunting and incredibly bleak tale; man and boy braving harsh weather conditions, starvation and marauding cannibals. Their aim is simply to survive, to carry on, to keep "carrying he fire." Set in an America that has been ravaged by an unexplained disaster, the pair head south towards the coast surviving on what little food they can find along the way. They must save themselves, but there is also a feeling that they must save humanity; or what little is left in this ash covered wasteland.

The scenario may sound like classic horror movie fodder, but the main quality of McCarthy's book was the poignant relationship between the Man (an outstanding performance by Viggo Mortenson) and the Boy, focussing on the overwhelming power of a parents love. That this relationship has been recreated so perfectly here speaks volumes for Hillcoat and his actors.

The backdrop to the film is also magnificent. Filmed on location, every major scene from the novel is created with fine detail. Another key element of the book is McCarthy's talent when it comes to describing every detail of a scene and painting a vivid picture for the reader. Again, Hillcoat has faithfully recreated these images and it does so much in terms of bringing the story to life. The barren forests, the thin layer of ash that engulfs everything - living or dead - it's all here and it all lends to the impact of the story and the picture as a whole.

Overall, I'd go as far as to say The Road is a masterpiece of film making. Director, cast and crew have excelled in their respective roles. It has honoured the original story, but also enhanced it in parts and should certainly be considered for numerous awards this year. Outstanding work.

xo

Everyone's a writer, I'm just having general block...

I set up a Tumblr account because posting cool pictures that I like doesn't really work here. I still fully intend to utilise both blogs though, but this one will probably be focussed more towards things I want to write about from now on and my Tumblr will - generally - be for photos, other pictures, etc.

If you want the former, stick with this. If you prefer the latter, go and follow me over there. If you want both...well you can work it out.

xo

Sin Represas

I picked up this awesome Obey t-shirt today from Dogfish in Norwich. Really nice print.

Check out the story behind the design here. It's an interesting read about a worthwhile cause.

xo

Told him I belong on the road...

When I think about 2009 in musical terms, the first thing that comes to mind is Polar Bear Club. I am genuinely lucky to count these six dudes (I include Tracker in that) as good friends and I can't wait to hang out with them all again next month. Tours with them were one of the highlights of the last year.

Polar Bear Club (Phase 1) from hate5six productions on Vimeo.

xo