Every now and then a band comes along that just blows my mind. It's an exciting experience when I hear them for the first time, even more so when I happen to be in the same room as them when it's happening. So it is an absolute treat to actually be supporting such a band for two gigs this very weekend: The David Goo Variety Band.
Now, before you read any further, go look them up. They're on Facebook, they're on Youtube, they're on Google... very easy to find. Check 'em out and listen to some songs. It's okay, I don't mind waiting. I'll continue when you're finished. I assure you, if you like a good dose of humour, quirk and clever musicianship in your music you won't be disappointed.
Back? You know what I'm talking about then, yeah? Well, this weekend Moonlet and the Love Monks has the job of warming up the audience in preperation for them. This task is especially difficult on Friday since there's an undeniable air of ill feeling in the air. It's a vibe I can't explain, but it's palpable. This isn't helped by the fact that at least two of our number are 'ill feeling' in the very literal sense of the word. Dan and I are both coming down with stinking colds, but it's not just that. I think maybe it's just because I'm in a funny, overly-sensitive kind of mood... the kind of mood an artsy fartsy singer hiding sentimental messages behind pond life metaphors and penis euphamisms gets in sometimes.
Plus I'm hungry. No one likes me when I'm hungry.
We arrive at The Eden Project Cafe and meet David Goo and his merry band. Sound check gets under way without too much trouble and we go and sit down. Awash in my own, grey, monotone world I observe my surroundings. To my right, Roger is wrestling with a dilemma. He's caught between his two selves, locked in an internal conflict... you see, on one hand he would very much like one of the delicious looking flapjacks on sale at the desk as well as a delicious drink to wash it down... he's already verbally admitted that it would make him happier. However, on the other hand he's embarked on a healthy living kick and he's wondering if this particular indulgance would set him down a slippery slope.
To my left, Harry is slowly slipping down his portion of the sofa towards the floor. I'm not entirely sure why. In an attempt to amuse ourselves, Dan and I pull a table over the newly unseated Harry and adorn him with pepper pots, salt shakers and all manner of other table dressing. It seems to do the trick for a few minutes. Pictures are taken and laughter is shared. The two situations then quickly resolve themselves: Roger compromises with a glass of fresh lemonade and Harry gets back up onto the sofa. Ahead, Goo and co. are enjoying large bowls of hot stew.
I can't get that stew off of my mind. I really want a bowl. To my delight, it comes free to members of the band. In my sheer happiness, I lose myself in the bowl of deliciousness and forget to tell anyone else that it's free. Later on Dan finds out and he's none too happy about it. I guess it would have helped with his cold a bit but I just plumb forgot.
Our set goes by pretty uneventfully. There's some sort of problem with the lights and we spend the majority of our set playing in the dark. OK for us, but it isn't exactly setting a very entertaining or friendly tone and I think we probably fall a little flat in our aim to get the crowd sufficiently roused (actually, we do a better job than I initially thought but I'll get to that a little later on.) Personally, for me, the set tonight is a bit of a blur. I'm way too self conscious about the conspicious stew stains down the front of my shirt and a noticeable lack of lead guitar distortion makes everything feel a little bare. The band, under these circumstances do an admirable job, however. Each and every member around me play their parts efficiently and there's some good improv set in place to fill the gaps. Tonight I'm the weak link.
So when David Goo and his Variety Band hit the stage I have a complete breakdown in confidence. He is one of the best frontmen I've ever witnessed in the flesh. He has a way with the crowd that I've seen no local act match and one can immediately see what the big deal about this group is. Channelling the spirit of 70's Frank Zappa he commands the stage like it's his very own front living room. And for the first time since playing with my band I feel like I have no business being a frontman at all. For about 10 minutes I have serious reservations about being a live singer in any capacity.
Then the set gets really good and I forget where I am. Totally entranced I look on with a shit eating grin across my hairy mug. Somewhere in the haze I'm engaged by a girl I've idly been making eye contact with throughout the night. She makes a motion to invite me to dance but my confidence has been completely shaken tonight and I can't even begin to build myself back up... so I pretend I haven't seen her.
On the way back to the cars, however... a slight lift in spirits. A couple of slightly intoxicated ladies approach us. The slightly worse for wear of the two approaches me exclaiming:
"Oh my God, you're that band, aren't you?"
"Yeah, that's us."
"You're the singer aren't you? You're the short one, right?"
"The short one?"
"Yeah, you're like- Tom Cruise, aren't you?"
Hm. Not the best series of things I've been called, but then again, not the worst.
"You were better than that crazy man..." she slurs. In my mind I take that with a colossal pinch of salt, but it's very nice of her to say so. We converse a little more... mostly about peoples' heights for some reason... and then she and her friend stagger off home.
Saturday night's gig in Miss Peapods is a much brighter affair. Everyone seems to be in a much better mood and although my illness has gotten worse overnight, Dan seems to be on the upswing. Plus an old friend is in town who is seeing The Love Monks play for the first time, so I'm fairly excited to be playing tonight. Some of you who know us know that we've played Peapod's before and know that we always have a good time there, so tonight should be a complete turnaround.
Much less people in attendance at first and people only really begin showing up toward the back end of our set so I can't really say too much about that. We all play really well, I think, as I put on one of my better vocal performances. I wouldn't usually make such a deal of it, but considering the stinking cold slowly developing, this is somewhat of an anomoly.
Once again, David Goo reminds me how a good frontman is supposed to act, but tonight it doesn't bother me nearly as much as it did the night prior. A few of the Monks even get up for a quick dance during the latter portion of the gig. Harry's contribution to the nightly dance contest is certainly hilarious, although for some reason the quick one minute burst leaves him so knackered he immediately resolves to get back to the gym.
All in all, playing with DGVB has inspired the band, I think. We all want to get into writing more complex arrangements for future songs and some of Goo's vocal delivery has certainly gotten some ideas cooking in my head, so we'll see where it goes.
Setlist for 2/3/12:
Dayglow
Inspector Katz
Herb the Taxi Driver
Too Late to Mate
A Miskito Called James
Quickstep
David Bryant Tried to Section and Kill Me
D.U.I.
Chad
Lillipad Lover
Bonkers (cov)
The Rules
Setlist for 3/3/12:
Dayglow
Inspector Katz
Herb the Taxi Driver
Too Late to Mate
A Miskito Called James
Quickstep
D.U.I.
Chad
Lillipad Lover
Bonkers (cov)
The Rules
Monday, 5 March 2012
Friday, 2 March 2012
Just Like Top of the Pops
It’s been almost a week since our gig at Studio Bar and I’ve been both incredibly lazy and surprisingly busy, so you’ll have to forgive me if this entry is a little hazy on the ol’ details. I am a bad person and shall endeavour to do better in the future, I kind of half promise. Depends on how I feel next time I have to do this.
We arrive at the venue nice and early to figure out what’s going on. You see, for better or for worse, no one in the band seems to know what’s going on tonight. I myself am even unsure we’re heading towards the right building, but that probably tells you more about how clued in *I* am than the band as a whole. But it is true that no one’s really sure if we’re even going to be playing before the night is through. With this in mind, early seems best and we arrive at the designated venue to find the doors locked, the lights out and a rather ominous looking For Sale sign hanging from one of the walls.
Knock, knock, knock. Nobody home. It’s currently about… I don’t know… 7 o’clock? Show starts at around half 9 to 10 o’clock, so we’re a little perturbed by this. Oh well, let’s just stuff ourselves with fried chicken until the problem goes away. About 8 o’clock we roll back down and still there’s not a soul in sight. Starting to think there’s been a mix up and we’re actually walking around Penzance without a place to be. We shuffle off somewhere to hide until somebody comes to save us.
And believe it or not, somebody does. At the very last minute we get the call to come on down and do a gig. They sure know how to make a band sweat and I wonder silently if that’s part of their plan to get the blood pumping just a bit faster. It’s probably not and if I had said that out loud I’d look like an idiot, so silently I wonder.
We arrive at the venue and start to set up. It’s all very psychedelically lit with all the primary colours swirling into secondary colours and the ceiling shimmering as if we’re under water. The stage is thrust out to face in two directions with enough space for people to gather round, sing and dance a bit.
Just like Top of the Pops.
The show starts around 10 and it’s all very cosy. The band are packed together, the crowd are all up very close and I can hear clearly all the mutterings for us to ‘get on with it’ every time I take a moment to start spewing my complete and utter nonsense to anyone unfortunate enough to listen. Despite a rocky start and some good natured heckling, we finally find our groove and put on one hell of a performance, if I do say so myself. The more people have to drink, the better we start to look and sound (ah, such is life) and I think everyone has had a good time. There is a rather funny moment of synchronicity between band and audience during the final song of the encore, Quickstep. As the dynamics of the song shift (and they tend to do, a lot) so do the movements of everybody on the floor.
Just like Top of the Pops…?
By the time we reach the climax, the whole floor bursts into life in a moment that quite honestly sends chills up and down my arms. Top THAT, next gig!
Unfortunately my lack of preparation for a long, unbroken set causes a few setbacks. The lack of fluid that usually adorns the space around my feet means that by the time I’m due to go and say hello, all that emits from my throat is a series of hoarse grunts, squeaks and the
odd remnant of something that was probably at one point or another a word. It’s all very embarrassing when you’re trying to network. How can somebody who seems to have it more or less together on stage be such an incomprehensible, sweaty wreck in conversation?
Yeah, yeah “you’re an incomprehensible, sweaty wreck ON stage too!” Har de har de har.
Bit of a jolly in Penzance afterwards. Zeno, his girlfriend and I go clubbing if you can believe it? Those who know me know I don’t fare well in the clubbing scene. I think I do rather well all told. It helps that the place we head off to is 50 percent crazy and 50 percent people trying to cater their wares to crazy people. On the dance floor I observe, amongst other things, a cavalcade of the most amazing hairstyles I’ve ever bore witness to and the heart breaking sight of someone dancing alone whilst wishing they could be absolutely anywhere else in the world.
Just like Top of the Pops.
Setlist for 24/2/12:
Lillipad Lover
Inspector Katz
F**k You (cov)
Mr. Dinosaur
Herb the Taxi Driver
Goose in 4D
Love is in the Sole
Made With Love
Dayglow
A Miskito Called James
Hey Ya (cov)
Chad
Mary the Snowdeer
Rubber Ball
Pirate (in my Heart)
Quickstep
My Voice
D.U.I.
David Bryant Tried to Section and Kill Me
Too Late to Mate
---
Bonkers (cov)
The Rules
Herb the Taxi Driver (reprise)
Quickstep (Reprise)
We arrive at the venue nice and early to figure out what’s going on. You see, for better or for worse, no one in the band seems to know what’s going on tonight. I myself am even unsure we’re heading towards the right building, but that probably tells you more about how clued in *I* am than the band as a whole. But it is true that no one’s really sure if we’re even going to be playing before the night is through. With this in mind, early seems best and we arrive at the designated venue to find the doors locked, the lights out and a rather ominous looking For Sale sign hanging from one of the walls.
Knock, knock, knock. Nobody home. It’s currently about… I don’t know… 7 o’clock? Show starts at around half 9 to 10 o’clock, so we’re a little perturbed by this. Oh well, let’s just stuff ourselves with fried chicken until the problem goes away. About 8 o’clock we roll back down and still there’s not a soul in sight. Starting to think there’s been a mix up and we’re actually walking around Penzance without a place to be. We shuffle off somewhere to hide until somebody comes to save us.
And believe it or not, somebody does. At the very last minute we get the call to come on down and do a gig. They sure know how to make a band sweat and I wonder silently if that’s part of their plan to get the blood pumping just a bit faster. It’s probably not and if I had said that out loud I’d look like an idiot, so silently I wonder.
We arrive at the venue and start to set up. It’s all very psychedelically lit with all the primary colours swirling into secondary colours and the ceiling shimmering as if we’re under water. The stage is thrust out to face in two directions with enough space for people to gather round, sing and dance a bit.
Just like Top of the Pops.
The show starts around 10 and it’s all very cosy. The band are packed together, the crowd are all up very close and I can hear clearly all the mutterings for us to ‘get on with it’ every time I take a moment to start spewing my complete and utter nonsense to anyone unfortunate enough to listen. Despite a rocky start and some good natured heckling, we finally find our groove and put on one hell of a performance, if I do say so myself. The more people have to drink, the better we start to look and sound (ah, such is life) and I think everyone has had a good time. There is a rather funny moment of synchronicity between band and audience during the final song of the encore, Quickstep. As the dynamics of the song shift (and they tend to do, a lot) so do the movements of everybody on the floor.
Just like Top of the Pops…?
By the time we reach the climax, the whole floor bursts into life in a moment that quite honestly sends chills up and down my arms. Top THAT, next gig!
Unfortunately my lack of preparation for a long, unbroken set causes a few setbacks. The lack of fluid that usually adorns the space around my feet means that by the time I’m due to go and say hello, all that emits from my throat is a series of hoarse grunts, squeaks and the
odd remnant of something that was probably at one point or another a word. It’s all very embarrassing when you’re trying to network. How can somebody who seems to have it more or less together on stage be such an incomprehensible, sweaty wreck in conversation?
Yeah, yeah “you’re an incomprehensible, sweaty wreck ON stage too!” Har de har de har.
Bit of a jolly in Penzance afterwards. Zeno, his girlfriend and I go clubbing if you can believe it? Those who know me know I don’t fare well in the clubbing scene. I think I do rather well all told. It helps that the place we head off to is 50 percent crazy and 50 percent people trying to cater their wares to crazy people. On the dance floor I observe, amongst other things, a cavalcade of the most amazing hairstyles I’ve ever bore witness to and the heart breaking sight of someone dancing alone whilst wishing they could be absolutely anywhere else in the world.
Just like Top of the Pops.
Setlist for 24/2/12:
Lillipad Lover
Inspector Katz
F**k You (cov)
Mr. Dinosaur
Herb the Taxi Driver
Goose in 4D
Love is in the Sole
Made With Love
Dayglow
A Miskito Called James
Hey Ya (cov)
Chad
Mary the Snowdeer
Rubber Ball
Pirate (in my Heart)
Quickstep
My Voice
D.U.I.
David Bryant Tried to Section and Kill Me
Too Late to Mate
---
Bonkers (cov)
The Rules
Herb the Taxi Driver (reprise)
Quickstep (Reprise)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)