recent happenings

i think i'm the worst blogger ever. i don't blog.


however, i'm very excited to report that i shall soon be the proud owner of this special little tshirt (as worn by hot girl in photo hopeitlooksasgoodonme - left)....schwing.

i've also been busy buying gig tickets for The Joy Formidable, Errors w/The Twilight Sad, The National and The Black Keys w/The Walkmen....a very exciting schedule for the rest of 2010 (also one more gig but they are surprise tickets for someone so shhhh...)

other ponderings have been whether to make 2011 the year that i eventually make it to Coachella.....all donations welcome. thanks.

now i make no plans...

...really love the unique sound of Victoria & Jacob - after hearing the rumblings of a new single in progress which will, without a doubt, hit radios near our ears upon release - i was drawn to cyber-stalk for other songs and found With No Certainty (with no difficulty as Google's top result).

They remind me of bits of Passion Pit and Imogen Heap in parts...but i really think they've hit on a sound which will impress all of us foot-tappers, lyric-lovers and beat-matchers alike. Cannot wait to see them live for the first time at The Macbeth in Hoxton this Friday....

we used to dream...

Young Hearts Spark Fire - Japandroids

....if you get a chance you MUST see this band. Just a two-piece from East Vancouver with more energy (complete with wind machine) than any band i've seen since coming to London. Both Brian and David (who i think strangely resembles Peter from The Antlers) are amazing frontmen - second to last song, my favourite, Young Hearts Spark Fire, had the crowd moshing....hands in the air...pointing at both guys as they shout the lyrics back out to us...

Yuck supported and were slightly disappointing due to a tame set which i think could be blamed on nerves. Let's see how they do on a bigger stage at Field Day this summer....

new beginnings...

so i've been away from paper street for a little while....but what have i been doing? well...mainly moving house, and i adore my new home...especially my huge shower which (yet to be confirmed) i believe could hold up to 8 people at any one time...musical statues anyone?

also...Modern Romance has been taking up plenty of my time. Andy and I have been working furiously to fill our stage at The CAMP with sweet sweet music...so far we have booked Strangeways (29 April) and Stairs to Korea (27 May)....more to be confirmed very soon! This is very quickly turning into a full time job and it makes me really happy but boy am I exhausted...

i called to say i'm on the way...

...i love this city! Last night...The Roundhouse in Camden hosted not only Phoenix but already-rated, Two Door Cinema Club. The boys from TDCC put on an amazing show, the sound was flawless and despite having a smaller following than i expected the crowd seemed to love what they heard. I was heckling for Cigarettes In The Theatre which they didn't play, and oddly missing was Undercover Martyn, but I Can Talk more than made up for it...and hey, i get to see them again soon anyway when they'll hopefully be given a bigger set time...

...but Phoenix. Ah, beginning the set with Lisztomania...the first half of the song was played from behind a white curtain which dropped to reveal my future husband (ahem) and the crowd went mad. The Roundhouse is one of the best venues to see a band in London in my opinion, even a short-arse like me can always see the stage and get quite close in...even from the sidelines the sound is amazing. Phoenix basically provided a party for the fans, great stage presence....and non-stage presence..when lead singer, Thomas Mars, jumped into the crowd for the encore and crowd-surfed his way back on stage. Highlight for me was Rome but the band made a good move in finishing the set with 1901 which just had the crowd going mad right until the end...

Rome - Phoenix

who's the boy you like the most?

tomorrow night....meeeep

they're gonna eat me alive...

i've recently rediscovered Metric and i'd forgotten how much I love Emily Haines' voice. I absolutely love this song and it got a play at Modern Romance on Sunday....can't wait to see these guys in May...

Help! I'm Alive - Metric

cool kids...they belong together..

...since i left Sheffield and my beloved Fuzz Club, which nurtured my love of indie music, i've longed for a replacement...somewhere that i can pretend i'm some cool front woman whilst shouting the lyrics of every song in the faces of my friends. After many a disappointed night i've decided to start my own night....and here it is...

Two kids born on the sticky floors of Sheffield indie clubs are reviving their lost anthems in East London. Amongst the abundance of disco and dubstep we shall revel in the bellowed choruses of such bands as Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Futureheads and The Smiths – taking us back to the early 2000s when our only worries were broken Converse and affording the cab fare home.

Modern Romance: your Auntie's 7" collection,your favourite old college mixtape, and the noise from your kid brother's bedroom. Frock up and dance to forgotten favourites,hidden treasures and future playlists. An indie-disco for you to fall in love with.

...making our first appearance at The Old Blue Last this Sunday and again at The Ink Rooms on Easter Friday....i better go, i have some work to do!

Modern Romance - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

coming up only to hold you under..

graaaaaaaatis tickets for Band Of Horses at Koko on April 12th make me very happy indeed...

The Funeral - Band Of Horses

the girl loves tickets...

..the happiest girl alive. Proud owner of tickets to see Broken Social Scene at HMV Forum in Kentish Town in July. I think my heart might explode.

...music gold...

7/4 (Shoreline) - Broken Social Scene

and everyday...on the top of your car...

bought tickets today to see The Drums at Heaven in June...very exciting since their new single, Best Friend, is awesome!

a band for dreamers:

"We only write about two feelings: one is the first day of summer when you and all of your friends are standing on the edge of a cliff watching the sun set and being overcome with all of your hopes and dreams at once. The other is when you're walking alone in the rain and realize you will be alone forever."

Gig: Frightened Rabbit

...well this was always going to have automatic brownie points for taking me back to The Leadmill for the first time since my uni days...oh how i have missed those sticky floors. I was quite surprised to see that the main room was sectioned off and the band were playing in the small second room (the home of my love affair with weekly requests for Laid by James and 60p vodkas)...no wonder it was a sell out with a capacity of about 150...

..but, it meant a better gig...the band were bantering with the audience and for once i could actually see the band rather than some sweaty guy's neck..

the sound wasn't great on opening but was soon recovered, and i can honestly say i've never seen a band work as hard as they did...all really talented musicians that made for a really impressive show...but star of the night was newest member to the band Gordon Skene who played so many instruments i lost count...

hightlights were the latest single, Nothing Like You and an acoustic solo piece by Scott in the encore..

oh, do woe me with your winter of mixed drinks and your sexy scottish accent...

Skip The Youth - Frightened Rabbit

tell me your favourite things...

..still shocked but majorly excited that we get to see these guys support Phoenix in a few weeks, Two Door Cinema Club already seem too much of a big band in their own right to be supporting..but i am not complaining..
the trio met whilst studying in Bangor and i just love the album (already released last week) because it's 'proper indie'...but lucky for us, the band are signed to Kitsuné which means playlists full of remixes...
...their single, Undercover Martyn, was one of my 7" purchases today but i kind of like album opener...

Cigarettes In The Theatre - Two Door Cinema Club

Gig Review: The XX

..strangely i'm a little stuck for words after this gig, the venue - Shepherd's Bush Empire - possibly ruined what The XX could have done tonight. Maybe i'm a snob...and bigger, packed-out venues just don't please me...but a band like this deserve a less commercial space. The lo-fi emptiness was lost (and covered with chatter unfortunately) which for me is the beauty of The XX. But...i was still massively impressed with Romy's vocals in such a large venue with sparse backing and...wait for it, i finally appreciate the bass guitar...what Oliver does is mighty impressive. And definitely worth applause was the opening...the stage and lighting crew did something special with a huge white sheet covering the entire stage which then projected the band's silhouettes during Intro...visual genius, unfortunately...one of the most impressive parts of the night. i really still rate this band but i think i missed their smaller and better suited smaller venue gigs...

...eagerly awaiting Islands i was only disappointed to see it somewhat skirted over early on with speed and no grandeur...the set did build from that point however, with highlights being their cover of Womack & Womack's Teardrops and a very emoted version of Night Time...a song i have hardly registered on the album but now a new favourite..

Night Time - The XX

i told you your dreams would come true...

...word on the street is Yacht are supporting LCD Soundsystem at their London shows...can this gig get any better?! if you haven't heard See Mystery Lights yet definitely give it a listen. Is it just me or does a lot of cool stuff come out of Portland?

Psychic City - Yacht

you and me...we're just crazy...

...i've only just found what last.fm describes as..."beach blanket lo-fi pop from Bethany Cosentino" (very cute indeed). Searching through records by Best Coast reminds me of other beauties from my university days like The Breeders and The Concretes...i sure am a sucker for dreamy girly vocals...

.. you may well find me swaying to Best Coast at The Old Blue Last in May...

When I'm With You - Best Coast

London Fashion Week: Gemma Slack & Chew Lips

...last night was the unveiling of my friend's new collection at the Freemasons Hall as part of London Fashion Week. The new collection was flavoured with Gemma's signature dark and striking materials, sharp jackets with high collars, sexy yet powerful dresses...this is my own personal favourite collection so far...please make me a dress Gemma?

A/W 09 collection

Gemma has already styled Roisin Murphy of Moloko fame with a previous collection and now Tigs of Chew Lips. The band played a short set at the end of Gemma's presentation and as always Tigs did not disappoint...sporting gold leaf shorts with matching jacket and square punched leather vest...created especially for her by Gemma.

Check out Gemma's previous work here and hopefully soon we'll see the pictures from the brand new collection...so sleep well Gemma, until it all starts again...

friends in musical high places...help!

so i decided to go home and see my folks in March for my Dad's birthday...which incidently means i miss the Frightened Rabbit gig i had guest list for in London....and the Sheffield gig has sold out....
..i also booked a holiday to Morocco, my first proper holiday in years...and i'm super excited but also shedding a tear that i miss the She & Him gig!! As well as The National...how can this be?? ...and to top it all off Broken Social Scene sneakily scheduled a gig without me knowing and that too has sold out..

so i beg of you....people...have a heart...and find a girl some tickets for the following gigs:

Frightened Rabbit - Leadmill, Sheffield 13 March 2010
Broken Social Scene - Heaven, London 17 May 2010

[and any extra special miracles of gigs far and wide for She & Him and The National are greatly welcomed.. x]

Gig Review: Beach House

despite fighting yet another bout of tonsillitus i made it out to the Beach House gig with my face wrapped in a big woolly scarf, and boy did it pay off...
my second time to Bush Hall and jeez i love that place, the perfect size and good acoustics...i've no idea why but it always makes me feel like i'm seeing a band in some small old music hall in San Francisco...i always go with the dream..

there's really not too much else to say other than...incredible. Victoria's voice is just...incredible. She sings even the most impressive of notes with such ease, ranging effortlessly from soft melodic intros to deep sultry lyrics, her hair draping over the microphone as she impresses with her long-stemmed organ playing...
...aside from Take Care (my favourite song from Teen Dream) which played last before the encore, best song of night for me had to be Silver Soul...followed closely, of course, by a somewhat fierce version of Norway...


..i'm definitely going to try and make the Grizzly Bear show in March where they'll support...i can never see a band just once..

..so now today i'm drinking hot lemon with Beach House...don't you just love listening to an album again after seeing the show?...all those memories now attached...

Silver Soul - Beach House

in the morning i'll be gone...

..my friend Lex took me to see Stornoway last night who were brilliant (definitely check them out) but the star of the show for me was support act Beth Jeans Houghton. Wearing a huge groomed white wig and a Beetlejuice-esqe dress, her stage presence was equally matched by her soft low voice...I can't wait for more performances at Field Day and Bestival this year...

... definitely pick up a copy of the EP, Hot Toast Vol 1, produced by none other than my neighbour, Mike Lindsay of Tunng...

I Will Return - Beth Jeans Houghton

...also, the video which you can check out here is made by an old Sheffield friend, Dave Chavannes, am i somehow related to this girl??