London Live: 11-17 May

May 102009

saintetienne

Gig of the Week: Saint Etienne @ Bloomsbury Ballroom

Saint Etienne spend two evenings in the Bloomsbury Ballroom this week revisiting their 1991 album Foxbase Alpha alongside the pick of the rest of their catalogue. Although I remain unconvinced by this practice, usually in the form of the Don’t Look Back series, the opportunity to catch this classic of English electropop would be too good to miss. Tickets sold out a long time ago so if you are overcome with need Ebay or the touts might be your only chance.

Elsewhere about town it is a good week with plenty of options on pretty much every night. Highlights include the Vivian Girls revisiting the Brixton Windmill on Sunday – the scene of their first UK gig last year. Marnie Stern is in town on Monday playing the smaller of the capital’s two Domes at Tufnell Park. Corsica Studios has a very different, but equally excellent, couple of nights with Grails and Nathan Fake on Tuesday and Friday respectively.

Saint Etienne – Only Love Can Break Your Heart

Click below for further shows this week…

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Fridays' FTW #2

Mar 302008

This week’s Friday hotties are brought to you on Sunday, in official British Summer Time! 

Lupe Fiasco – Superstar
Caught this on Radio 1′s 1Xtra live thing, and I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t someone completely shit. Catchy as syphilis.

Black Kids – I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You
Roll up, roll up, come see the hype in all it’s glory: Black Kids are here! Decent enough indiepop strumathon, but I just can’t see through the fog of acclaim. A sprinkling of the ‘Spree, a dash of Los Campesinos!, mix well with Florida sunshine and there’s a cocktail ideal for mid-afternoon festival sets, sunshine or not.

Hot Chip – Hold On
A right grower from the Chip’s latest LP Made In The Dark. Although I wasn’t massively enamoured with the record to begin with, I’ve found it difficult to shake this track from my mind following the belting performance on Jools Holland. For any song to still be considered good when it rhymes hell with caramel has got to be going some. Watch the video for some supreme keyboard humping from Joe Goddard…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ0zYMeox0s]

Saint Etienne – Shower Scene
Another playlist perennial, from the maligned Finisterre LP, bumped up in the order this week. Prime example of what Saint Etienne do best, gorgeous synth pop.

Girls Aloud – Can’t Speak French
Pop music. It’s great, isn’t it? I hate the whole debate whether its ironically good, or plain good. There is great talent behind crafting three minute pop masterpieces, and this group have a pretty enviable track record in pop tunes. This is the latest in their conveyor belt.