Play with the city - glasgow

Modeselektor are a hard core, nose bleeding, ears ringing Berlin techno duo with a bouncy ragga edge to their tunes. They are playing at the Arches in Glasgow on the 20th of February at 11pm… ohh it’s going to be a late one mum.  Club visuals are also there from VJs Pfadfinderei. The night is part of the Glasgow Music & Film Festival. Now where is my glow sticks?

Now here is a question for you. What ever happened to moshing? Has skinny tight jeans stopped young knees from bending? I think so!

Anyways, I’ll get to that later on.

Bloc Party played at the 02 Academy last Monday (26th of January) and they were for lack of better words, very disappointing Francis.

So in I went, purchased my £3.50 pint of Carling, “probably the most tasteless tinny crap in the world” and settled in to Tommy Sparks, AkA Brian Ferry, The Jam, Billy Idol and Billy Elliot) all rolled up into one big ball of “granny dressed him before he left the house” cuteness. If he wasn’t 6ft odds you would just pick him up and put him in your pocket along side your Tamagotchi. For all intensive purposes Tommy Sparks was great support. OK so no topping the bill here, but the performance was accomplished and perfect for the upcoming headliner.

Now onto Bloc Party. After the lights dimmed some intense uplifting music pumped through the PA. Building in intensity in perfect sync with the crowds anticipation. Then it stopped the lights went up, the band fiddled with their guitars a bit then went into the opener. Bit of a damp squid.

So yeah, moshing. What ever happened to it? As Bloc Party Blasted out some head banging, ear bleeding tunes the crowed seamed to have a …………. romantic sway to them? No mosh pit, more a sway with your arms in the air congregation, are we all growing older than our years!!!

This was Bloc party’s second night in Glasgow and I think they must have been on the Tennents as they kept talking about how much they loved our fair city. I’m not the biggest Bloc Party fan, but at the same time I don’t dislike them. Their albums are polished pieces of uplifting, melodic musical art and I had similar expectations of their live set. Sorry kids what a let down. Instead of the clean crisp productions and clever hooks behind intense static. What I got instead was a noisy, rough cluttered garage band stuff you expect from your wee brother and his mates.

What’s to do a Monday night instead of picking that fluffy stuff from between your toes? How about going to the 02 Academy in Glasgow to see Bloc Party and Wet Paint putting on a ‘must not miss’ night!

Wet paint are heading Bloc Party on Monday the 26th of January at the 02 Academy, if you haven’t been there- think of a living room with a bar in the middle, a bit of a dance floor and plenty of mates and cheap beer singing together the words of songs we don’t even know!

Looking forward to it… The Cat in the Hat says I am!

I can’t count how many bands have been chewed up and spat out into something beautiful by King Tuts Wah Wah Hut, but hopefully I am going to witness the birth of one of them!

Chiodos, are playing Monday 2nd February. Are they any good? I’ve no idea- watch this space. Do they look a bit fruity? Hell Yeah!

It can be found on bus stops, train stations, on bathroom walls and on the outside of your front door. No I’m not talking about smeared human excrement; I’m talking about Street Art… also known in my vocabulary as; drum roll please- Graffiti.

Scotland saw its first ever “high profile” Street Art exhibition last Saturday and Sunday (6th and & 7th December) being organised by Fusion. The ticketed exhibition incorporated live art creations as well as having art pieces that were for sale. It was organised as part of a major fundraising campaign to raise funds for the well known charity, The Prince’s Trust. “Yeah” always good to do your bit!

Taking place at SWG3 Studio Warehouse in Glasgow, the exhibition showcased the work of some of the UK’s top street artists including Elph, Smug and Gazmac as well as some young emerging talent who work within the media of spray art, illustration, stencil, photo realism, and character depictions. I was there with my Gok Wan looky-likey mate Jonny and a host load of other trendy art critics.

The Street art was amazing and I found some things that really went together. I’m not talking Bread and Butter, toast and Jam. Tequila and weeklong hangovers etc. It would appear that cute boys in skinny white jeans, checked lumberjack shirts and spray cans are also a good partnership. Both turning out some spray can style on the streets and working hard to create some of the hottest Art works in Glasgow’s factory galleries.

The DJ played works till 1pm along with a bar full of red bull and vodka. It was a top night and a big event for Glasgow.

Along with fluttering my eyelashes and pushing the best lines, I never even got a snog from Sam Bates AKA Smug… gutted.

Hopefully Fusion will host another event so I can wear my wonder bra, let’s hope!