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OK, well I'll try. Having been hurled straight back from ATP into a relentless work cycle (seven days straight and counting...) I might be able to make some half-coherent comments in a similarly brief and vaguely chronological order...
Wolf Eyes
Only got there in time to see a bit of the end of their set. It was LOUD. Went upstairs...
Lightning Bolt
Whatever song they played when everyone sat down was really great, otherwise it was a noise in a crowded corner of a very empty room that I'm still yet to be totally won over by.
Peaches
Yeah! Great show. Lack of punters meant good place at the front. Excellent phone camera opportunities. Yes, ended on a sour note: "The reason that that was the last song is because some fucking asshole tried to rape my cunt with his, or her, hand". I don't know whether this was true/intentional/an artistic stunt, but it certainly brought things to an unpleasant end.
Throbbing Gristle
I've maybe heard three TG songs ever, but it wouldn't have mattered: "You thought you were going to hear things you were very familliar with. But you're not. Ha ha ha". I really liked them. Long hypnotic tracks with noises on top. That'll do me. I bought the limited recording of the gig the next day.
Liars
Liked them a lot, despite not playing the ones I hoped they would (This was not a weekend for the hits, generally). The most seen band in the pub.
Miss Kittin
A talented DJ, for sure, but at 7pm not what I wanted to listen/dance to for 2 hours. I wanted SONGS. From I Com.
A Silver Mount Zion
One of many bands I intended to see specifically, but ended up just staying for a bit before hitting the pub/arcade/chalet. I dunno, maybe I wasn't in the right mood.
Aphex Twin
Like Fraely said. Very dark room. RDJ sat at the side of a dark stage huddled behind a laptop. About 10 people dancing.
Mercury Rev
Was persuaded to stay to the end more because of my friends than the fact I thought they were particularly good. They played two off Deserters Songs I quite like, but the rest was all pretty terrible power-balladry. Very polished. Some nice 'magician's hands' type action from Jonathan Donahue, punctuating and conducting the music, but otherwise a bit tame and bland really.
Mego club night
Felt sorry for them as there was hardly anyone there, but arty visuals and digital feedback sometimes can't compete with with the pub. I'm sure I'd have stayed any other time.
Hood
I do like a bit of Hood. Very good sunday morning (well, OK, afternoon) music.
ATP Cinema Club
There were no bands downstairs on sunday, just music documentaries. I saw a bit of some, but preferred to go back to the chalet for The Simpsons... Should also mention that the ATP TV programming was of a high calibre. Lots of zombie films, Ghost World, Ren & Stimpy, American Movie etc etc.
Sunn O)))
Only caught the last half of their set (due to the Simpsons) and for all I know it was the same song they started with. But I enjoyed it a lot, watching the slow-motion strumming, feeling the deep sustained riffs and thinking that maybe they would suddenly whip off their hoods and play Stonehenge...
The Fall
Yes, oh yes. Incredibly young band made MES look even older. Mostly new songs, but they're good new songs, especially Blindness. Mr Pharmacist a weekend highlight for me.
Violent Femmes
OK, I said it wasn't really a weekend of the hits, but here's the exception. All I wanted was as much of the first album as possible and that's what I got. I don't mind that I had to wait through newer material, bass solos, drum solos, another bass solo and a horn section... Blister In The Sun, Add It Up, Kiss Off, Gone Baby Gone etc etc all sounded as fresh, angry and joyous as they do on a 20 year old album. Encored with a version of All Tomorrow's Parties and that was pretty darn great.
Any Other Business
It was really, really cold on the friday (even inside the venue - but especially in my chalet). And quite empty. Athough I think more people arrived as the weekend went on, it still meant that the atmosphere wasn't quite the same as it was in April.
Managed to find myself playing SingStar in someone's chalet at 6am on sunday/monday. I was crap.
Saw Will Oldham around on the saturday (apparently he'd been playing with Little Wings - I was probably still in bed then)
Um, and otherwise, seeing my girlfriend, getting a chalet really close to the main complex, having some time off work and the sausages with big yorkshire pudding I had in the Sands Restaurant meant I had a very good time... |
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