Gigs Of 2014

2014 was one of the best years for gigs that I can remember. 

Here is a list of the 35 shows I went to...

Raajmahal @ Cafe OTO, London - 5th January

Withered Hand @ The Lexington, London - 10th January

Mogwai @ Royal Festival Hall, London - 24th January

Rafael Anton Irisarri @ Cafe OTO - 27th January (review)

Bill Callahan @ Royal Festival Hall, London - 8th February

Penguin Cafe @ Union Chapel, London - 15th February (review)

Anaïs Mitchell @ Little Theatre, Gateshead - 21st February (review)

Loscil @ Mining Institute, Newcastle - 22nd February

Midlake @ Shepherd's Bush Empire, London - 26th February (review)

Jóhann Jóhannsson: The Miners Hymns @ Barbican, London - 9th March (review)

The Necks @ Bishopsgate Institute, London - 21st March

Laetitia Sadier @ Water Rats, London - 24th April

The High Llamas @ The Islington, London - 25th April

Devendra Banhart & Rokia Traoré @ Barbican, London - 2nd May (review)

Natalie Merchant @ Milton Court, London - 11th May (review)

Neutral Milk Hotel @ Roundhouse, London - 21st May

Anoushka Shankar @ Royal Festival Hall, London - 23rd May (review)

Emmylou Harris playing Wrecking Ball @ Barbican, London - 26th May (review)

Dawn Landes @ The Lexington, London - 30th May

Caitlin Rose @ Union Chapel, London - 11th July

Kelis @ Somerset House, London - 14th July (review)

Jon Auer @ The Islington, London - 14th August

Prom 50: Dvořák, Beethoven & Janáček - Czech Philharmonic/Jiří Bělohlávek  @ Royal Albert Hall, London - 24th August

Michael Price @ English Speaking Union, London - 11th September

Sahara Soul (Aziza Brahim, Noura Mint Seymali, Tartit, Nabil Baly Othmani) @ Barbican, London - 27th September (review)

King Creosote @ Milton Court, London - 27th September (review)

Vashti Bunyan @ St Pancras Old Church, London - 9th October

Haiku Salut @ St John on Bethnal Green - 11th October

Withered Hand, Darren Hayman & The Understudies @ Scala, London - 14th October

A Winged Victory For The Sullen @ Milton Court, London - 20th October

Karen Gwyer, Wanda Group, Basic House, HOLOVR @ Star And Shadow Cinema, Newcastle - 29th October

Royal Ballet (Ceremony Of Innocence/Age Of Anxiety/Aeternum) @ Royal Opera House, London - 8th November

Goldfrapp playing Tales Of Us @ Royal Albert Hall, London - 18th November (review)

The Jesus And Mary Chain playing Psychocandy @ Troxy, London - 24th November

The Manic Street Preachers playing The Holy Bible @ Roundhouse, London - 15th December

Top 100 Albums Of 2014

In previous years (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 specifically) I’ve compiled a list of my favourite 10 / 50 / 100 albums of the year accompanied by some words about what I liked about each. I didn’t have the time to do that this year sadly (hello 5 year old son, hello 4 month old daughter). In some ways it’s a shame as there have been many excellent, interesting records released that deserve lots of words of praise written about them. This year I’ve just included links to the album, live reviews or interviews that I wrote for musicOMH. I’m sure there are many others that would have made the list had I got round to listening to them properly.

The list is similar to previous years in being a mix of familiar names and new discoveries. The album at the top was undoubtedly the one that had the greatest emotional impact on me, which fundamentally is the thing I’m looking for most in music I guess. Until early November I wasn’t sure on what album would claim the top spot (in this respect it was probably the most finely balanced year since I’ve started writing these lists) but eventually it firmly established itself at the top. This piece explains and puts the album into context very well.

Technically I think the Malayeen and Dalglish albums may have came out in December 2013 but I’m including them here anyway.

In the end I could have comfortably listed over 150 albums...

Anyway, here’s the list:

100) Cooly G – Wait ‘Til Night (Hyperdub)
99) Aisha Orazbayeva – The Hand Gallery (Prah Recordings) - album review
98) Fatima Al Qadiri – Asiatisch (Hyperdub) - album review
97) Marissa Nadler - July (Bella Union)
96) Alsarah & The Nubatones - Silt (Wonderwheel)
95) Tara Jane O'Neil – Where Shine New Lights (Kranky)
94) Deerhoof - La Isla Bonita (Upset The Rhythm)
93) Christina Vantzou – No. 2 (Kranky)
92) Lawrence English – Wilderness Of Mirrors (Room40) -album review
91) Mogwai – Rave Tapes (Rock Action)
90) Chris Herbert - Constants (Room40)
89) DakhaBrakha – Na Mezhi (DakhaBrakha)
88) Toumani & Sidiki Diabate – Toumani & Sidike (World Circuit)
87) Fennesz - Becs (Editions Mego)
86) Tape - Casino (Hapna)
85) Deaf Center - Recount (Sonic Pieces)
84) Kasai Allstars – Beware The Fetish (Crammed Discs)
83) Djessou Mory Kante – River Strings Maninka Guitar (Sterns)
82) Hieroglyphic Being & The Configurative Or Modular Me Trio – Cosmic Seer Of Visions (Planet Mu)
81) Withered Hand – New Gods (Fortuna Pop)
80) Kasse Mady Diabate - Kirike (No Format)
79) Oren Ambarchi - Quixotism (Editions Mego)
78) Thug Entrancer – Death After Life (Software Recording Co.)
77) Lucinda Williams – Down Where The Spirit Meets The Bone (Highway 20 Records)
76) Olan Mill & Keung Mandelbrot - Seismology (Hibernate)
75) Hakon Stene - Lush Laments For Lazy Mammal (Hubro)
74) Snarky Puppy – We Like It Here (Ropeadope)
73) Hallock Hill – Kosloff Mansion (Hundred Acre Recordings)
72) Vashti Bunyan - Heartleap (Fatcat)
71) Bixiga 70 - Ocupai (Mais Um Discos)
70) Sophia Loizou - Chrysalis (Astro:Dynamics)
69) Dan Michaelson & The Coastguards - Distance (The State51 Conspiracy)
68) Dalglish - Niaiw Ot Vile (PAN)
67) Sam Amidon – Lily-O (Nonesuch)
66) Second Storey – Double Divide (Houndstooth)
65) HOLOVR – Holo Earth (Opal Tapes)
64) Douglas Dare – Whelm (Erased Tapes) - album review
63) Tindersticks - Ypres (Lucky Dog)
62) Remember Remember – Forgetting The Present (Rock Action) - album review
61) Half Man Half Biscuit – Urge For Offal (Probe Plus)
60) Land Observations – The Grand Tour (Mute) - album review
59) Klara Lewis - Ett (Editions Mego)
58) Guy Schalom – Baladi Blues Reloaded (Ethnomusic Records)
57) Neneh Cherry - Blank Project (Smalltown Supersound)
56) Glottalstop - Woodsmoke (Tartaruga)
55) Ikebe Shakedown – Stone By Stone (Ubiquity)
54) Ibibio Sound Machine – Ibibio Sound Machine (Soundway)
53) Porya Hatami - Land (Inner Ocean Records)
52) Polar Bear – In Each And Every One (The Leaf Label) - album review
51) Quantic - Magnetica (Tru Thoughts)
50) Hauschka – Abandoned City (City Slang) - album review
49) Dawn Landes - Bluebird (Western Vinyl)
48) Alvvays - Alvvays (Transgressive Records)
47) William Ryan Fritch – Leave Me Like You Found Me (Lost Tribe Sound)
46) I Break Horses - Chiaroscuro (Bella Union)
45) Thee Silver Mt Zion Memorial Orchestra – Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light On Everything (Constellation) - album review
44) Fatima – Yellow Memories (Eglo Records)
43) Ariel Pink – Pom Pom (4AD)
42) Xylouris White - Goats (Other Music)
41) Loscil – Sea Island (Kranky)
40) Lee Gamble - Koch (PAN)
39) Imed Alibi - Safar (IRL)
38) Jacaszek - Catalogue Des Arbres (Touch)
37) Poppy Ackroyd - Feathers (Denovali)
36) Alexis Taylor – Await Barbarians (Domino)
35) Fofoulah – Fofoulah (Glitterbeat)
34) Jozef Van Wissum – It’s Time For You To Return (Crammed Discs)
33) Metá Metá – Metal Metal (Mais Um Discos)
32) Ashlar – St James’ Gardens (Hibernate)
31) Richard Dawson – Nothing Important (Weird World)
30) Petrels - Mima (Denovali)
29) Lone - Reality Testing (R&S Records)
28) Hiss Tracts - Shortwave Nights (Constellation)
27) Origamibiro – Odham’s Standard (Denovali)
26) Clark - Clark (Warp)
25) Kiasmos – Kiasmos (Erased Tapes) album review
24) Mica Levi - Under The Skin OST (Warners)
23) Marconi Union - Weightless - Ambient Transmission Vol. 2 (Just Music)
22) Aziza Brahim – Soutak (Glitterbeat) album review & interview & Sahara Soul at the Barbican review
21) Wye Oak – Shriek (City Slang) album review
20) Flying Lotus - You're Dead (Warp)
19) Vessel – Punish, Honey (Tri-Angle)
18) Nadim Mishlawi – Dreams Of The Primitives (Annihaya)
17) Plaid - Reachy Prints (warp)
16) Malayeen - Malayeen (Annihaya)
15) Pyramids Of Space – Pyramids Of Space (Mordant Music)
14) Kim Hiorthøy - Dogs (Smalltown Supersound)
13) Penguin Cafe - The Red Book (Penguin Cafe) review of Penguin Cafe at Union Chapel & interview with Arthur Jeffes
12) Noura Mint Seymali – Tzenni (Glitterbeat) - review of the Sahara Soul show at the Barbican
11) Grouper – Ruins (Kranky)
10) Franz Kirmann - Meridians (Denovali)
9) Kronos Quartet – A Thousand Thoughts (Nonesuch)         
8) Keaton Henson – Romantic Works (Oak Ten Records)
7) A Winged Victory For The Sullen – Atomos (Erased Tapes) - album review
6) Orlando Julius with The Heliocentrics - Jaiyede Afro (Strut)
5) Circle Of Sound - Anti Hero (Baithak Records) - album review
4) King Creosote - From Scotland With Love (Domino) - review of King Creosote at Milton Court
3) Inventions – Inventions (Temporary Residence) - album review
2) Kelis – Food (Ninja Tune) - review of Kelis at Somerset House
1) Elbow - The Take Off And Landing Of Everything (Fiction)

Weekends In London With Children

I know London has a lot of bad points but the amount of art and music related activities for children to enjoy (mostly for free) at weekends always amazes me. Over the last 3-4 years I've had some of the best weekends of my life adventuring around London with my little boy. I thought I'd summarise the sort of choices on offer each weekend.

This weekend sees the Open House event return with art-related events at City Hall, Leadenhall Market and the Brunel Museum. There's also events on both days at the Royal Academy Of Arts including a Lego themed event on Saturday (their monthly family studios are arguably the best in London). At the moment I'm hoping to make it to both Leadenhall Market and the Royal Academy on Saturday.

The National Gallery meanwhile has their regular storytelling sessions and art workshops and there are more art and storytelling activities around the corner at the National Portrait Gallery. Keats House in Hampstead Heath has a family event where children can make their own kites. Tate Modern open studio is also taking place (as it does every weekend). The studio coinciding with the Matisse exhibition I took my son to recently was wonderful. He didn't want to leave. There's also art workshops themed around mudlarking at the Museum Of Docklands as part of the Totally Thames festival. There's also the regular Sunday Spot art workshop at the South London Gallery.

Next weekend will see Dulwich Picture Gallery, Whitechapel Gallery and William Morris Gallery offer more in the way of art workshops.

For older children there are digital workshops taking place at the British Museum (as part of their Ming exhibition) and at the Design Museum (for the London Design Festival).

In terms of music, the Southbank Centre is offering children the chance to learn about South Asian instruments and singing as part of the Darbar Festival. Both are sold out unfortunately (must remember to book in time next year). Over at Rich Mix in Bethnal Green the Mwalimu Express returns, offering more in the way of global, family-friendly sounds. The Royal Opera House also host their monthly family event with singing and dancing related activities. Finally, the autumn season of Daylight Music kicks off at Union Chapel. 

If cinema is more your (or your children's) thing the weekly Framed Film Club takes place at the Barbican on Saturday morning. This weekend also sees L'Institut Francais continue their programme of both English and French animated children's films.

There's loads of other regular activities I haven't even mentioned yet that take place at the Science Museum, the V & A, the British Library, Somerset House, the Grant Museum Of Zoology & the Museum of London).

What to choose?

How to choose?

How many places is it possible/sensible to visit in a day?

'Interesting' versus 'practical' when deciding on public transport options?

These are all questions I ponder as the weekend draws nearer.

Mogwai Gigs

Last night I saw Mogwai at the Royal Festival Hall.

In the lead up to the show I was scanning through my gig ticket scrapbooks which showed it was the eighth time I've seen them play (pleasingly all at different venues). I thought I'd summarise them in a blog post, although admittedly not quite as epic a post as my piece from last year on seeing Low twenty times (incidentally, also a favourite band of certain members of Mogwai I believe).

When writing this post I stumbled across the Bright Light unofficial Mogwai fan site. If you're a Mogwai fan I'd strongly encourage a visit. It is an amazing source of information - including a comprehensive gigography and setlist information.

Last night's gig took place in slightly different and grander surroundings to the first two times I saw them  play in back 1998 (16 years ago!)

Mogwai Gig 1: Sheffield Boardwalk, 30th January 1998

My first Mogwai gig was at the Sheffield Boardwalk in January 1998, in the final months of my time at university. Support came from Aerial M. There's no setlist available but it would have been dominated by the first two albums.

This was followed by my second gig later in October upstairs at the Newcastle Riverside (when I had returned home).

Two very small venues, both of which are now sadly closed.

Mogwai Gig 2: Newcastle Riverside, 29th October 1998

I can remember the Riverside gig quite well. It was part of the BBC Radio 1 Sound City event which was taking place in Newcastle that year and they played as part of Mary Ann Hobbs' Breezeblock show. I think the band came on well after 01:00. I have no idea how I got home.

I remember half-seriously noting mid-gig where the emergency exit was just in case the overwhelming volume/power of the show made the vibrating walls and ceiling collapse (at the time it felt like a genuine possibility as Like Herod mercilessly tore out of the speakers). According to Bright Light this was only Barry Burns' second show with the band and they give the set list as follows:

Mogwai Fear Satan
Ithica 27-9
Rollerball
Christmas Steps
Like Herod
May Nothing But Happiness Come Through Your Door
New Paths To Helicon Pt 1
Summer      

Mogwai Gig 3: Kentish Town Forum, 18th September 1999.

When I moved to London in 1999 Mogwai were the first band I saw in the capital, at the Kentish Town Forum. I arrived late after coming straight from work so was further back in the crowd than I would have liked. Bright Light give the setlist as follows:

Superheroes Of BMX
Christmas Steps
May Nothing But Happiness Come Through Your Door
Summer
New Paths To Helicon Pt 2
Small Children In The Background
Stanley Kubrick
Ex-Cowboy
Christmas Song
New Paths To Helicon Pt 1
Like Herod

Bright Light's review is here.

Mogwai Gig 4: Shepherds Bush Empire, 19th April 2001

In 2001 I saw them play Shepherds Bush Empire. I remember Christmas Steps in particular being punishingly, brilliantly loud and that Gruff Rhys joined them on stage for Dial:Revenge. Bright Light have the setlist as below:

Sine Wave

Stanley Kubrick

You Don't Know Jesus

Christmas Steps

Dial:Revenge

Small Children In The Background

New Paths To Helicon Pt. 1

Secret Pint

(Punk Rock sample)

2 Rights Make 1 Wrong

Take Me Somewhere Nice

Jewish Hymn

Mogwai Gig 5: Brixton Academy, 10th November 2001

Five months later I saw them again at Brixton Academy. It was great to see Yes! I Am A Long Way From Home, Like Herod and Ithica 27/9 return to the set. This is the only time I saw them close with My Father My King also. Full setlist from Bright Light below:

Yes! I Am A Long Way From Home

You Don't Know Jesus

Like Herod

Christmas Steps

Secret Pint

New Paths To Helicon Pt. 1

Ex-Cowboy

Ithica 27/9

2 Rights Make 1 Wrong

New Paths To Helicon Pt. 2

My Father My King

Mogwai Gig 6: The Scala, 22nd May 2003.

Two years later I saw them play a smaller show at the Scala ahead of the release of Happy Songs For Happy People. Quite a contrasting opening - the understated delicateness of Kids Will Be Skeletons being followed by the unforgiving guitar onslaught of Mogwai Fear Satan. Setlist below:

Kids Will Be Skeletons
Mogwai Fear Satan
Golden Porsche
Christmas Steps
Hunted By A Freak
You Don't Know Jesus
Stop Coming To My House
Ex-Cowboy
Ithica 27/9
Two Rights Make 1 Wrong

I Know You Are But What Am I?
Ratts Of The Capital

New Paths To Helicon Pt. 1

Mogwai Gig 7: Alexandra Palace, 26th May 2012

I have to confess that, quite puzzlingly, I lost track a little bit with their live shows over the next few years (I blame getting married, the birth of my son, regular trips to India and discovering other music) and didn't see them play again until I saw them headline I'll Be Your Mirror at Alexandra Palace in 2012.

It was magnificent and reminded me how great a band they are. Here's my review for musicOMH. The setlist was as follows:

Sine Wave
Rano Pano
Ithica 27/9
Stop Coming To My House
I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead
Travel Is Dangerous
How To Be A Werewolf
2 Rights Make 1 Wrong
White Noise
Mexican Grand Prix
Auto Rock
Hunted By A Freak
Mogwai Fear Satan
Batcat

Mogwai Gig 8: Royal Festival Hall, 24th January 2014.

Disappointingly, their Zidane soundtrack show at the Barbican last year fell on the same weekend I was going to WOMAD otherwise I would definitely have been there. 

So gig number 8 was last night's show at the Royal Festival Hall. The setlist featured tracks from their latest (very good) album Rave Tapes. Other highlights from their back catalogue included Rano Pano (which still seems to capture the sound of cities being brutally razed), the beautifully shaded subtleties of I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead, an exquisite version of New Paths To Helicon Pt. 2, a blisteringly powerful and perfectly executed Christmas Steps and a phenomenally loud and rampaging version of Batcat to close. 

During the gig Stuart said how earlier in the day they had drove past the first venue they played in London (supporting Urusei Yatsura). It would have been the Camden Monarch or Water Rats I think. He mentioned how incredible it was how they ended up at the 2500 capacity RFH. It did feel like a long time since I saw them in a room that could barely hold 100 people. The full setlist is below (as well as a photo):

Deesh
Friend Of The Night
Master Card
Rano Pano
Take Me Somewhere Nice
I'm Jim Morrison, I'm Dead
Heard About You Last Night
How To Be A Werewolf
The Lord Is Out of Control
New Paths To Helicon, Pt. 2
White Noise
Remurdered
Mexican Grand Prix

Small Children In The Background
Christmas Steps
Batcat

Mogwai on stage at the Royal Festival Hall, Friday 24th January 2014.

Hopefully I'll get to update this post next time they play in London...