Live Music Highlights - June, 2009
You'd have to take a lethal dose of sleeping pills to block out the noise that The Drones are making at the moment
Formed from the remnants of the briefly awesome Cap 'n Jazz, Joan of Arc welcome in the month of June with a curveball comprised of experimental indie chops, expansive post-rockisms and stream-of-consciousness lyrics. Love them or hate them, it ain't gonna be boring. All your irony are belong to us (them). Aberdeen Tunnels 3 June.
Seems like lots of Aussie bands get slept on for some reason, but you'd have to take a lethal dose of sleeping pills to block out the noise that The Drones are making at the moment. Bombastic, caustic, yet somehow elegant at the same time, they make one hell of a compelling noise - probably one of the best live acts on tour right now. Catch them at Captain's Rest 14 June.
If chugging pop-punk is your bag then no-one right now is doing it as well as The Thermals. Catchy, no-frills guitar music - it's harder than it looks, as anyone who caught the risible recent effort from 'supergroup' Tinted Windows will testify. Go forth and bounce at Sneaky Pete's Edinburgh 16 June, and Stereo Glasgow 17 June.
The one reassuring thing about being in an electro-pop band must be knowing that whatever happens, you can never be worse than Fischerspooner. It seems unfortunate that Findo Gask even have to be filed under the same genre, for not only can these Glasgow boys actually play their instruments, but they also write propulsive, dreamy songs that fizz with energy and real imagination. They play with similarly talented Weegies Le Reno Amps at new Edinburgh venue Electric Circus on 16 June.
Regular readers already know we love their new record, so you won't be suprised to hear how pleased we were to hear that dazzling purveyors of Balkan folk A Hawk and a Hacksaw are on tour this month. For anyone tired of the standard guitar/bass/drums combo, here is your salvation: a band that makes great dance music using some very unusual instruments. Recommended. Stirling Tolbooth 20 June, Glasgow Arches 21 June.
Denizens of Dundee, I do decree, My Latest Novel will pleaseth thee. Play folk do they, and rock as well; sometimes they're quiet, sometimes they yell. If a soulful band you yearn to see, My Latest Novel will pleaseth thee! Doghouse, 23 June.
The Skinny is digging on Glasgow's St Deluxe right now. Fuzzed-out indie-rock peppered with dreamy pop hooks is how I'd describe their sound, if I was writing some some sort of brief, to-the-point music roundup. Which I am, obviously. Enough words, just enjoy the noise. Edinburgh Electric Circus 30 June.
Silversun Pickups scrape into this month's roundup by dint of their playing Glasgow Stereo on 1 July. Having copped some moves from another classic band with the initials SP, they've come up with a sleek, dynamic sound of their own that combines androgenous, emotive vocals with a big big guitar sound. Their new record is pretty decent too, so this is worth a shake.