Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard at the Old Last Post and Alex Spencer at the Courtyard

Not one, but two gigs covered by this post. Both in same week and both in small venues in vicinity of Shoreditch that were new to me, but then again Shoreditch is rather too trendy for me!

First off, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard gig which when I bought tickets wasn't supposed to be here at all. It was originally scheduled for the Garage in Islington, but I guess they didn't sell enough tickets to justify the venue. So, instead this was upstairs at the Old Last Post pub. And to my slight irritation it doors opened about half an hour after the scheduled time.

In any event, the opening act, Headboy, found themselves playing to an audience of maybe 30 people. And they were truly dismal, two girls on guitar and vocals and bloke hammering away on drums behind them.Vocals were a bit weak, songs desperately dull, no stage presence whatsoever. I did wonder whether I was being unfair until a woman appeared next to me during the next act and said "Well at least they are entertaining" which was a pretty indirect damnation of the openers.

I think the next act were called something like Playing with Fire. What they lacked in finesse they made up for in energy. Post punk would be the way I would describe their style.

Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard are a Welsh band that I had seen in London maybe five or six years ago. Not amazing, but good enough, and now with a second album behind them.Lead singer has character. He explained that his brother on guitar had just had a nose operation, so it would only be him on vocals tonight. "That's ok as its all about me anyway" he chuckled.

Regrettably this fleapit of a venue chose to put the whole of the set in red lighting, as if the gig was being played inside a 1970s brothel. Hence the rubbish photos.

The drummer soon took off his shirt and one could see pools of sweat forming on his torso. Which rather fascinated me as I was standing about three metres away, in jacket jumper and t-shirt and still feeling cold. I think that says a lot for the air-conditioning in the place!

And here is the guitarist with massive nose bandage, which made him look like an extra in some Halloween movie. Fair play to him pushing through as can't have been comfortable.

My next gig was Alex Spencer at the Courtyard, which is basically a basement under a theatre. Also a disappointingly tiny audience, but at least the opening act was very good. A young lady called Ruby J, accompanied just by one bloke on guitar - I think she called him Saxon. Anyway, both were very good. She had a wonderful voice, probably more suited to a jazz club. Nice cover of Crazy too.

Now main reason for seeing Alex Spencer is that I had already seen him twice by accident - he had opened for Miles Kane when I went to see him, and supported the Royston Club. So I thought I would try him at his own show. Not wholly convinced. Has a couple of songs that just about stick in the mind, including Nightmares which apparently is on FIFA. But is he more than a nice teenage lad with an engaging personalty and a decent voice?