Got an email through last night from the people over at Fabchannel letting me know that tomorrow (Wednesday 11 Feb) they will be streaming a live performance by Buzzcocks for free. I thought this warranted further investigation, so went and had a look  at their site. It houses an archive of performances from various bands, ranging from big international names (The B-52s, Calexico) to smaller Dutch acts – all in really good quality, and best of all completely free!

The shows are all in Amsterdam and I spent a few idle hours yesterday trawling the archive. A couple really caught my attention and I thought I’d share – Sons & Daughters from early 2008, and Calexico from later last year. In particular try to watch Bend To The Road by Calexico – one of the best live performances I saw last year.

Who says you can’t get something for nothing!

That link again in case you missed it.

Buzzcocks – What Do I Get?

They’ve split up… Oh no they haven’t!

LCD Soundsystem’s constituent parts caused a fluster in my world earlier today when the comic quoted live guitarist Al Doyle as saying the project was on permanent hold. He followed this by claiming Murphy and bandmates would record and tour with a series of disco singers, leaving behind the LCD name.

Mere hours later and an about turn came from Murphy himself, who revealed he had an album’s worth of new material sitting in his cranium. Sounding a little Bon Iverish he went on to say the album would be recorded solo, away from New York sometime next year. So, does this mean a new LCD album in ’09? I really, really hope so. Sound of Silver was just incredible, and as a live act they are improbably good. Here’s to good news (in the end) and the first album announcement for 09 that has me excited…

LCD Soundsystem – Us vs Them

Photo: eMA!

Arise Therefore

Berlin Heart

House Jam

Palmyra

Giddy Stratospheres

Nord Lead Three

Pop Lie

You can click on any of the album covers to be whizzed to Amazon to buy these…

As I was putting this post together I saw the news on NME about The Long Blondes splitting up. It’s pretty sad but obviously guitarist Dorian Cox’s health comes first. Their compilation, out this week on New Cross label Angular, includes all their marvellous early singles and b-sides. It’s probably the best way to remember them, although 2008′s Couples is an underrated gem too.

Tickets from them Oxfam-donating good sorts at Gigantic here

This is much more the sort of performance I’d like to see from the band:

Bon Iver – Skinny Love (mp3)