Dead Kennedys

After Slowdive the night before, it would be pretty hard to find a greater contrast than the Dead Kennedys. From nineties shoegazing to geriatric punks.

First to say, Islington Academy is a weird venue. Its purpose built and small, but the weird bit is its in the middle of a shopping centre. And then of course the audience is weird. A few young punks, a lot of respectable middle-aged folk like ourselves, and then the really weird middle-aged punks. Fat old blokes in a vest and with a mohican.

"We are too old to be punks" shouts the lead singer, "and so are you!" he declares to the audience. He is of course right. But it is quite fun. I particularly love the way these elderly gentlemen have retained their punk names like "Klaus Flouride."

Now, the Dead Kennedys were never at the real forefront of punk. Their twist was humour and satire more than disillusioned angry nihilism. Hence songs like Holidays in Cambodia (their best known) California Uber Alles and Kill the Poor. And how do times change? Holidays in Cambodia now could be a slogan for an upmarket travel company rather than a reference to one of the worst regimes in human history. Pol Pot seems a distant memory, whereas punk is an ongoing nostalgia trip.

Of course, musically this genre has its limitations. You can't do  lot with three minutes thrashes. You can't add a horn section. It is what it is and always will be. I am just glad that I persuaded Kieron to leave the pub after an hour and go in. We missed all but he last song of support act Loom, but if we had gone in about 9 pm as I think Kieron would normally prefer, we would have missed pretty much the whole set. It was over fairly quickly and started early, and we were in a shopping centre. But that was fine. It was all we wanted of them, and there is a pub across the road, and it was a mild night. All good.

This is Klaus Fluoride. Not your idea of a snarling punk? More nice old gentleman who has just popped into the Post Office to collect his pension?Age affects us all. But often in a kindly way.

Slowdive at the Roundhouse

This was a long Friday, but a very enjoyable one. It started with having to get up to Leeds for a 10am meeting, so that was an early start. I woke up about 5am. I don't really like early mornings.

Was back about 5pm, and then had to wait to round up my two friends to see Slowdive at the Roundhouse.  Now it is highly unlikely yo will have even heard of Slowdive. They are a nineties shoe-gazer band (so called as they tend to look down at their feet while playing guitar). We got there too late for the support act, and indeed the place was pretty packed. Couldn't quite get as close to the stage as I would have liked. They had just produced their first new album in a couple of decades, but their following was still there, emerging from the shadows. And their music is quite sublime, but far from the 3 minute pop-song. Their tracks waft gently. Amongst my other favourite bands Portishead perhaps come closest, in the suppressed power of their music. Their tracks feel like they will burst forth at some point, but they never do. They tease. Like Portishead they have high pitched female vocals (from Rachel Goswell) to call upon over the top of the guitars.

This was not an exciting live performance. Neil Halstead, main vocalist, makes absolutely minimal contact with the audience beyond a polite thank you for us turning up. But the music is beautiful. 

Rachel Goswell

Neil Halstead

The band finished about 11pm, but the guys were up for a couple of pints so we reconvened in Joe's across the road. Unfortunately the laid back American rock that was on there when we met yup before the gig was replaced with a DJ and American funk at ear splitting levels, so we wandered further into Camden to find a quieter pub in which to resume our conversation about music. A very good evening with some very knowledgeable (as well as nice guys). And finally night bus home. In bed about 2am. A 21 hour day

The National at Hammersmith Apollo

Hammersmith Apollo is a bit of a trek on a school night, but the National were only playing midweek, albeit 4 consecutive nights, starting on a Monday. Ad my mates had a ticket for the Monday so that was that.

Support came from This is the Kit, not a band I had ever heard of. Subsequent research showed that this is a project of a woman called Kate Stables. The fact that I felt inclined to do the research proves I liked them more than I expected. Good voice and an interesting unusual sound.

The National are a US band with a solid following over here, as shown by the fact they had sold out four nights at the pretty large Apollo. I have seen them described as America's answer to Radiohead, but I think only in the sense that they similarly eschew cheery upbeat numbers. That is pretty much where the similarity ends.

In this performance they very reasonably showcased their new album Sleep Well Beast which I like almost as much as Boxer. This is their 7th album, so they are hardly fresh-faced anymore. They also have the distinction, not matched by any other band I know of, to consist of not one but two pairs of brothers, plus front man Matt Berninger. Matt has a growly sort of voice, and maybe an odd temperament. He seemed in an edgy mood tonight. In appearance I can't help thinking there is a touch of the Jurgen Klopp about him.

But the performance was good, and went down well with an adoring and knowledgeable crowd, able to sing along to most of the obscure lyrics they could pump out. A very stylish lighting set behind them helped make it a memorable show.