Author: Rachel

I love The Gaslight Anthem. Love love love them. I saw them in June at Brixton and they were incredible then. This time round, they upped the ante and were somehow even more amazing.

Starting at the beginning, Sharks, the first support band, were ok. Nothing too memorable though and I think I would have enjoyed them more in a smaller venue with more people there to actually see *them*.

Chuck Ragan, the second support, was epic. Had no idea he was in Hot Water Music until I got home and googled him (I only know Hot Water Music from a split they did with Alkaline Trio, but what I’ve heard I do like). Great songs, especially whatever the new one was that he dedicated to his wife, and he has great stage presence – it was just him and the guy with the violin (John Gaunt?) and that stage was filled. No need for drummer or bassist or anything, which really contrasted with Sharks I guess, thinking about it now.

The main event, obvs, was The Gaslight Anthem. 🙂 Their set was epic. I mean it. It was WAY WAY WAY long, but it didn’t feel like it was long. Every single song was great and it was amazing to hear She Loves You live. There were songs from all three albums and they all fit well together. I don’t think I can really express how much of a lovely person Brian Fallon seems to be on stage – the whole band really give the performance their all and his rambling little stories really add to the whole experience. They didn’t do any full covers, but at one point I was singing along and realised they were playing the beginning (at least) of Ben E. King’s Stand By Me! Bit random that.

I really think that I’m gonna have to try and see Gaslight every time they come to London.  They are THAT good.

And just found the setlist on setlist.fm and Jesus, 27 songs? Wow.

Continue reading “The Gaslight Anthem @ Hammersmith Apollo 21/10/10”

The Vaccines

Originally uploaded by queen_evie

Chazzstock was kind of an album launch/wake/party kind of affair. You may or may not be aware of the band Ou Est Le Swimming Pool, whose singer Charlie sadly killed himself back in August. The rest of the band decided to press on with releasing their debut album and then came up with Chazzstock to raise money for the mental health charity MIND, to celebrate the life of Charles Haddon and to celebrate the release of their album.

Anyway, I was already sold on the idea of going when I heard that Tony Hadley (yes, from Spandau Ballet) would be performing. So I got my ticket and went and omg, it was awesome. Loads of bands and artists I wasn’t aware of, a couple I was and Ou Est Le Swimming Pool’s album covered by every performer there. Well. Apart from Mr Hadley.

Stand-out performers of the night for me were MPHO, The Vaccines (and that guy from The Horrors), Mr Hudson, Tony Hadley and Ollie Wride. None of whom I had heard of, apart from obvs that guy from Spandau Ballet. MPHO did a cracking cover of Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill (although I’m only really familiar with the Placebo cover version). Ollie Wride was an incredible presence on stage – with the potential to have Pele Almqvist of The Hives’ level of stage presence.

The whole shebang was compered by Eddy Temple-Morris who made an impassioned speech on the importance of TALKING (especially for you boys out there) about stuff that’s bothering you. He blogged most of what he said on his Eddy Says blog and I recommend you check it out and then email the link to everyone you know. It really is important to talk about even the little niggles as for some, it’s a matter of life and death.

DSC01648

Originally uploaded by Jasminge

Just a mini-gig for various competitions winners for the album launch so started pretty early and finished pretty early but the songs were rockin’ and definitely convinced me to get the album.

Fenech-Soler do remind me a bit of Head Automatica – not just for the vocals but sort of generally too. Not in a bad way though as I love Head Automatica.

While I was listening, thanks to having listened to a radio program about the whole fade-out thing on Classic FM last week, I noticed that all of their songs fade out. None of them just end. Which (and I noticed this there also) can make it difficult to tell when a song is over. Gaslight Anthem do the other trick of a fake almost ending before the actual ending.

I am such a nerd.