Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Rubber Soul at O'Neills on Thursday nights

I was totally aware of Rubber Soul moving to O'Neills and having it as it's new domain. I was equally aware that this was the opening night. I even knew that True Swamp Neglect were playing on this night. What I didn't know was if anybody I knew would be there. As I was about to start the enquiries via a massive group text session (ooer, missus!!) I received a text from Scott. I believe he had the same idea and started making his own enquiries!! "Fancy going to O'Neils mate to see TRUE SWAMP and MY HI-fi SISTER tonight?" it said (including spelling errors and erratic capital letters!) "Fuckin' right!" I replied and set about arranging a time and a place to meet up. Everybody in my house had their own plans and disappeared to do their own thing. Glen and Kate went to babysit for a friend and Sarah went to her mum's. So I said come on round and we'll have a few beers and kill some time with some MTV2/VH2 before we head down to O'Neills.

I love MTV2 and VH2. If there's nothing else on the tele (and let's face it, is there ever?) then this is my usual channel hopping territory. The Killers were a very propular choice with the VT Operators of BOTH channels on this particular night. In fact MTV2 were doing a The Killers Vs The Strokes special. Anyhoo after a couple of beers each (and doing a couple of Dexy's impressions!) we made for O'Neills (via the NatWest cashpoint where we bumped into Dave and Carolyn from Betika)

£2 was the entrance fee and every penny worthwhile IMHO. My worries about not thinking anyone I knew would be there were soon quashed. As you know I'd already met Dave and Carolyn, I also saw Mooro, Rizlo, Sarah Speakers and BF (can't... remember... his....name!! .....er....Singer from Dutch Husband anyone? edit: it's Lee by the way), Immogen (also of Dutch Husband), and a girl that used to be the girlfriend on one of my best mates (Steve) - her name's Lucy Brasher (was a keen ametuer photographer when I knew her and did a few pics for HFM's website) but I didn't get to speak to her ..... or should I say, I avoided speaking to her cos of the amount of alcohol I'd consumed by the time she'd arrived. I would've ended up trying to say "Hey, Lucyyy, how ya doin'? Long time no see" etc. and it woulda come out as "Eeey, Looosshyy, aahyadin? Lohtimmmosee!" while spraying saliva all over her face. Not good, especially when it's an old mate.

When we first arrived I thought I could hear the psychedelic instrumental section from one of the tunes on Pink Floyd's first two albums being played in the background.... but it never went back into the main tune section!! That could only mean one thing.... Glockenspiel!! Sure enough, Glockenspiel were on stage, with a drummer this time. Now, there's always been a mixed oppinion on Glockenspiel. Kinda like the Marmite factor - you either love 'em or hate 'em. A recent conversastion on the Rubber Soul messageboard reflects that perfectly. I thought they were interesting and different. I mean, who else do you hear these days that plays instruments in a random chaotic way and yet still project a dark sound of fear and paranoia. ..... You couldn't dance to it though!

Next up were Gish's new band, My Hifi Sister. Yeah these guys were cool, had some pretty good tunes. I don't know how long they've been on the scene but they still had The Bournemouth Gap in front of them - this usually indicates a new audience. Anyhoo I thought they rocked. Cue pictures...








(apologies for the total redness of the pics - The Rubber Soul lads accidentally brought only red cells for the lights that night)

After these boys had finished and a couple more pints have been consumed, True Swamp Neglect were on stage. The Bournemouth Gap closes, and a blistering set ensues. I'd never seen them before (when I say this to people most of them gasp in horror!) and this was the primary reason for turning up tonight. I gotta say that I was totally blown away. Their performances were tight yet purposefully sloppy in an old-school Seattle Grunge sense. It's all too easy to compare these guys to Pavement (they're even self confessed Pavement-a-likes) but that's what I like about them. If you were a teenager in the early nineties and owned underground grunge albums (I'm not talking Nirvana, Alice In Chains or Soundgarden here, I'm talking Pavement, Sonic Youth, Sebadoh... maybe Pixies) then you've got to hear True Swamp Neglect. Nuff said!











currently listening to: Bloc Party

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