Cold War Kids
Koko

Monday 21st May 2007

America's 'best new band' (according to NME) were in London for one night at possibly London's best music venue on a massive, yet brief world tour that is seeing plaudits hailed on them from all directions.

Lead singer Nathan Willett has a voice that could charm the birds out of the trees, full of guts and soul and also pitch perfect. The fact this set included blues, soul, R'n'B as well as rock covers (not to mention all but a couple of songs from the band's debut album 'Robbers and Cowards')

The really funny thing was that after the gig a friend and I bumped into the band at Mornington Cresecent tube station and found them to be thoroughly nice chaps who love what they do (well who wouldn't love to get paid to travel). They were off to Japan the next day to commence the Asia-Australia leg of their world tour the lucky sods. Oh and they got off at Tottenham Court Road and were staying at The Pheonix if anyone's interesting...

'Transmission' Recording - Brighton

Brighton was the venue city for the latest leg of Channel 4's Transmission show, and I was in attendance to bring you the inside story. Starring on this weeks programme (broadcast 11:40 25th May on C4) were Scissor Sisters, Gossip, Cold War Kids and Bats for Lashes, along with an interview with the legendary Yoko Ono.

Presenters Steve Jones and Lauren Laverne interviewed a specially camped up sofa of guests for the seaside city's show, with gay members of Scissor Sisters Ana Matronic and Jake Shears sat alongside Beth from the Gossip. The aforementioned Mr Jones even snogged Jake, all for the cameras naturally...


Mingling inside the VIP tent, I was brushed past by Ana Matronic and sat watching Yoko Ono's interview alongside the guitarist from the Gossip (whose name has slipped my mind). Much free beer and food later I stood alongside Lauren Laverne and Steve Jones to watch the Gossip perform new tracks in the outdoor stage.

Cold War Kids performed new single Hospital Beds inside the 200 capacity studio tent, followed by Bat For Lashes folky style of laid back tunes. Scissor Sisters played a couple of new songs too apararently, but I was too busy sucking on the free Ashahi to notice.

Aftershow venue was the Glouster Barfly, where the impressive Ghosts performed to a rammed venue of Brighton music festival too-cool-for-school kids and luck ol' meeeee!

Maximo Park
Shepherd's Bush Empire
11th May 2007

By Andrew Fairclough



Maximo Park brought their electrifying live show to London for three nights on their current tour, choosing excellent medium sized venues (Astoria, SB Empire and Forum).

True to form the Geordie song-smiths produced a terrific showcase of their latest album 'Our Earthly Pleasures', intertwined with the best from the first album.

On a personal level, it was the forth occasion I had seen the band live and I must admit they are one of the best touring live acts around at the moment. So now explain why I almost hit lead singer Paul Smith with an almost-finished plastic pint glass, which he expertly dodged after I flung it forward during the crush when they entered stage?!

Recent single 'Our Velocity' and next single 'Books from Boxes' were well received by the hardcore adulent Maximo fans, but the most rappcious response was saved for first album tunes, like 'Graffiti', 'Apply Some Pressure' and 'Going Missing'. The excellent new LP opener 'Girls Who Play Guitars' rips through three or four different hooks with explosive lyrics that warmed the crowd sufficiently to jump around for the rest of the set.

Graffiti
Girls who play guitars
Russian literature
The Coast Is Always Changing
A Fortnights time
Our velocity
I want you to stay
books from boxes
once a glimpse
by the monument
Now i'm all over the shop
Parisian Skies
Apply Some Pressure
Your Urge
Going missing

Nosebleed
Limassol