Ohai, Sentinels (RaG Weekly Update #3)

Dear reader,

I write this from under my covers, having now been awake for a full 43 hours. I took some sleeping pills; they made me feel more awake. The irony. Anyway, I'm ridiculously happy because, for the best part of 24 of those hours, I have been internetless and now, finally, I am not. Thank you Goldsmiths IT geeks for apparently working on a Sunday.

This aside, this week has been pretty ok. We've handed in dissertations, discovered how to walk from Brick Lane to Liverpool St (and not via Aldgate! Success), spent far too long listening to one song, actually literally dreamt of Glastonbury and done a bit of political debating too. Win.
Shows attended: 2. First, Official Secrets Act at Rough Trade East. The best thing I can tell you about this is Lawrence's make up is fucking amazing. That, and er, the album's, like, well good? Yes. Maybe a bit overlong, but good nonetheless. Secondly, Instigate Debate at the Boogaloo. Politics and music combined. Essentially, good for the fact that we actually got well into our given topic (inequality) and had a proper nice discussion, which, let's face it, is not likely to happen next time we go down the pub. Alas, we didn't win the gig at our house or a "flip camera" (whatever the fuck that is) but we did get to see Kieran Leonard (best bit = WILL YOU FUCKING LISTEN), Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly (not that great, soz) and Fionn Regan (beautiful beautiful beautiful) play short sets. After watching the Jungle episode of the Mighty Boosh last night, I would like to point out how much Fionn Regan looks like Tommy but, y'know, with less cheese and more hair. This is not meant to be an insult. But it is. I think.

Last time I went to sleep, I had a literal dream about being at Glastonbury. It was quite bizarre. I was wearing a tshirt not dissimilar to my newest Tellison one (green with pink image/text) apart from it said Alexander Lee Perry on it. I have absolutely no idea who this is. Peter Doherty was headlining the Other Stage. The wristbands were blue. You had to pay a pound to get a wristband. I somehow got through without getting one and set up my tent then had to go back and when I returned to my tent found some randomer sitting in it. Which didn't bother me in the slightest, I just pretended they weren't there. I met some girl and she gushed over my tshirt. I went and lay in front of the Pyramid Stage and woke up. On the basis of this, I'm predicting blue wristbands for this year. They looked pretty lush in my dream so I hope I'm right.

Talking of which (kind of), Reading & Leeds line-up announcements tomorrow! Rumours are Kings of Leon, Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead are headlining. Opinions: KOL - not bothered. Never seen them, can't be fucked now they've gone all MOR FM arena rock. Arctic Monkeys - never seen them due to utter ridiculous reasons like family holidays, age restrictions and shit internet connection at the worst possible time. Would very much like this rumour to be true. Radiohead - not a fan (cue everyone looking absolutely shocked because.. what? I have an opinion of my own and it is that Radiohead are mostly overrated and boring? Sue me). So. 1 out of 3 ain't bad, I suppose. I mean, last year I didn't watch any of the 3 main stage headliners so its an improvement. Anyway, the smaller tents are obviously where its at. Los Campesinos!/Johnny Foreigner in the Carling tent last year was fucking beyond belief incredible. Which moves us on to...

I think I mentioned last week about new JoFo songs. Ghost the Festivals is officially my new favourite song. It reminds me of the last night at Reading and going to see JoFo at Club NME at the Rivermead and then walking back to the campsite in the early hours feeling so very much in love with that band. I do kind of miss waking up with my face wet from the condensation on the side of the tent and how you hardly even think about eating all day for near enough a week because you're far too busy having a wicked time watching bands. Summer can't come soon enough.

Right. Listen to new Johnny Foreigner then, and Line & a Dot, My First Tooth, Jose Vanders and the Big Pink. I'm off on a culinary adventure. Just before, mind, a tip - porridge, strawberry jam and banana is a bad idea. I'm about to try out tuna and cheese omlette so I'll let you know about that one.

Kisses.

Feed Me a Box of Words

Hello.
Its 4am and I've exhausted my limited DVD collection. Tonight I've watched Brick (yeah... what? I don't get it. Just... why?), Girl, Interrupted (Winona Ryder singing Petula Clark = win) and my all-time favourite, Almost Famous. After all this, I cannot sleep. Bad. Insomnia drives me to iTunes and searching podcasts for something good to watch/listen to. And I find...

BeatcastTV.
Basically, mostly live videos of aces as bands, the majority of which seem to be filmed in Kingston. I've just finished with watching Tubelord at the Luminaire (not Kingston..) and Sam Isaac at the Fighting Cocks. They've also captured Johnny Foreigner, Dananananaykroyd, Pulled Apart by Horses, Pennines... essentially most of the bands I'm feeling right now. Thus, I'm now firmly of the opinion Beatcast is ace.

If not just for the wealth of video and audio footage, but also for the fact I'm now on a full-on Tubelord binge. I've still not seen these kids live and I really need to. I almost did once. I saw two songs of their set at the Macbeth in September, supporting Metronomy, but then PRs and journalists invited me up to the roof for smokes. Like a true pro, I abandoned Tubelord and stood in the cold night air trying to convince Artrocker's Reviews Editor to listen to the TANAOU album, simultaneously flirting with a PR guy whilst discussing Micachu and the Shapes. THE SHAME. I hate the feeling I'm turning into some stereotypical stand-at-the-back-talking-to-yr-industry-friends hack. Note to people who know me: never let me get like this. If I do, please either make me snap out of it or kill me, whichever is easier.

Anyway. Tubelord have two shows in Camden in the coming weeks for me to rectify my deserting, and y'know, you probably should go too. I hear they bring it live.

Listen to them here. Start with Propeller. It is truly amazing. Never fails to give me goosebumps. One of my favourite things is when bands can make you feel alive in just three minutes. Tubelord do this better than most.
x

P.S. On a completely unrelated note, if you HypeM search JoFo, there are some really old songs come up, as well as a couple new. In case you were wondering. 'Ohai, Sentinels' is pretty darn gut. Yes.