Re-writing reviews

[lnr]

As part of 6 Music's Reading festival, we want you to send your reviews to Vic McGlynn.

You can write a review (up to 400 words) on one (or more) of the following subjects:

1. Gigs. Send us a review of the most recent gig you've been to...

So says 6music's webpage, so I thought I'd have a go at editing the review of the Junction Fiver which I posted last week. Hard work to pare it down so far and still talk about all 5 bands. Anyway, since I expect they won't publish it, here it is:

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Junction Fiver, The Junction, Cambridge, 22/09/2005

First up was Niccokick from Sweden, followed by Alazarin from Holland. Neither of them really clicked with the audience. Perhaps because it was so small in a large room. Both 5 pieces featuring keyboards as well as guitars Niccokick had a more indie rock sound, with Alazarin having a sound reminiscent of Mogwai or Boards of Canada.

Next were Skip the Rush, also from Holland. They immediately impressed since what they had which the others lacked was presence. The lead singer had a style reminiscent a little of Jarvis Cocker, and unencumbered by a guitar he wandered round the stage, leapt off to sing over the barrier at us, jumped back up and tripped over the monitors and sat there feet in the air carrying on singing as if it were intentional. The music was in an indie-pop-rock style with vocals reminscent of Brian Molko: a comparison which has apparently been made before. They were remarkably able to cope with mishaps: as the mic got tangled up, the bass came unplugged, then the guitar, and the high-hat fell over all in the space of one track - at all points at least three of them were in control and the music was remarkably little interrupted. I'll be watching out for them in future.

Next were the Broken Family Band, known as one of the UK's best alt-country outfits, and based in Cambridge. They played a mix of old and newer songs in a crowd pleasing set. Though with crowd of locals it would have been hard not to. These guys were well worth the fiver on their own.

Unfortunately at this point much of the audience headed home, leaving very few for Moussevingt - an unusual 3 piece from Luxembourg. They combined angelically confident voices with rock guitar and bleepy electro-stuff. Their first track was the most ambitious: a cover of "My Funny Valentine". The vocals were haunting, but it felt as if all the components were at odds with each other, rather than working together. By the last track things were sounding much more polished though and I suspect with a lot more practice they could be excellent.

Overall it was a good night, though sadly let down by having such a small audience in a large room, which rather spoiled the atmosphere.

Comments

[reddragdiva]

I am perpetually after contributors to Rocknerd as well.

[lnr]

Well, you're welcome to use this, if you think it's in the right genre :-)

[reddragdiva]

Thank you! More specifically, if you ever have the urge to scribble something, go right ahead and submit it to me!

[lnr]

I'll see what I can do. I didn't think it was that good really. But it'll make a change from my usual LJ ramblings about gigs to try and write about them with a bit more discipline. Next up is Editors on the 5th.

[reddragdiva]

Rocknerd runs on Slash, so the article format involves one to three paras of lead summary and the rest behind a cut. Live reviews tend to have a summary and then the rest band by band, with personal ramblings about the show, the evening, one's clothes, one's dinner, etc., etc. encouraged.

[covertmusic.livejournal.com]

Alazarin sounded *nothing* like Boards of Canada at all to me.

I thought they were basically a rock band trying to deny prog-metal overtones; there was a little bit of Mogwai in there, butBoC are pastoral, trippy electronica, nothing like as dour as Alazarin were. Other obvious influences, I thought, was the kind of Tool/NIN proto-industrial rock end of things, with a large admixture of grunge fellow-traveller bands (Smashing Pumpkins et al)...

Anyway :)

[lnr]

Which is amusing, because this review is a short version of the longer one the other day, and the BoC reference in there was entirely because you mentioned them as one of the bands it sounded like they were trying to be. So even if they didn't sound like them they were obviously reminiscent of them :-)

What you mean "my" review isn't meant to be entirely made up from what everyone else was saying about them?

[covertmusic.livejournal.com]

Did I? Oh.

Someone must have spiked my drink. That must be it.

[lnr]

Well none of the rest of us really know what they sound like!

Either that or someone spiked my drinks too and I imagined it.