#also i witnessed drummer boy (bass boys best friend who i am high key attracted to also)

[butterflypxke]

I HANDED IN MY LAST SIXTH FORM ASSIGNMENT EVER TODAY SKSBDHKDK

What in the fuck am I meant to do for the next two months???

[the-hindu-times]

April 2017 reviews Roundup

On the first Sunday of the month, I was in my home town of Folkestone for Feeder at the Leas Cliff Hall. Supported by Blackpool based, Darlia, the room still wasn't full by the time the headliners took to the stage, and was never going to be. The PA system was stacked up from the floor, either side of the stage, blaring out directly onto the back wall (just a few feet away) before rebounding back again; achieving the most awful, echoing, empty sound whilst the band favoured 'Insomnia' over the title track of the 'Yesterday Went Too Soon' LP, with other hits performed including 'High', 'Just The Way I'm Feeling', 'Buck Rogers' and 'Just A Day'. Despite being a ‘Blue Nose’ from Solihull, since joining Feeder in 2009, One Direction's studio drummer, Karl Brazil, was the best part of the onstage outfit tonight; with his left handed/footed, energetic and expressive approach making it almost worth while spending the evening there. An embarrassing moment from bassist, Taka Hirose, (pointing up to his left side balcony at the exact moment a change in lighting revealed that there was infact nobody seated there) summed the show up; Relying heavily on their back catalogue, it seems their fans have done the opposite and moved on - not wanting to relieve Feeder’s glory days with them.  

The night after, we were in Woking for a production of 'Wonderland', with lead roles from Wendi Peters (Cilla Battersby Brown in Coronation St) as 'Queen Of Hearts'; Brian May collaborator, Kerry Ellis, as 'Alice'; a return to the New Victoria Theatre from Stephen Webb, now playing 'Jack' after his part as Tommy D'Vito on the Jersey Boys' UK tour; Farewell City (me neither) lead singer, Natalie McQueen, as 'Mad Hatter'; and star of the show, Naomi Morris, as Ellie.

The following evening, one half of Jack Black's Tenacious D, Kyle Gass, was with his band at the Boston Music Room. The show wasn't really promoted but it was still surprising to see that the small bar was only half full as the LA group took to the stage. This only made for a better night; producing an intimate evening with the 'Pick Of Destiny' star. Formed in 2011, the KGB is actually fronted by Mike Bray, who only stepped away from the limelight to switch places with drummer, Tim Speir, for a melody which included ‘The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air' theme. Fellow [full band] Tenacious D live member, John Konesky, was also on guitar duties to complete the line up before the show came to a close with Kyle signing records and posing for pictures at the merch stand.

On the Thursday we were upstairs at the Garage in Islington for Chris Bourne - younger brother of James from [Mc]Busted, who was stood watching from the back bar. Complete with live band and a host of opening acts, LA’s pint-sized main support, Ella Knox, managed a costume change before coming back on to duet with the headliner. The fairly excitable few, who had come along after meeting Chris behind the merch stand on Busted’s most recent tour, had the option of paying extra to stay behind at the end and "hang out" with all the performers, in a way (I imagine) men pay to be around girls in lap dancing clubs. 

The following evening was our first visit to Teddington for a show, with 'The Dead Parrot Society' comedy club offering the best non-famous comedians upstairs at the Anglers pub. With just a mic and a small amp, the simple set up was host to the complications of Joshua Ross; If it were part of the act, like Brian Gittins or Joe Wilkinson, where we're all in on the joke (and the awkwardness is where the humour lies), then this would have been genius. However, seemingly this was all too real and suggested that it was just down to the material not being up  to scratch.

Compare, Ben Clover was able to play off this as, like with most MCs, his improv went down just as well (if not better) than his prepared routines before Trev Tokabi raised the bar -  possessing the most natural comedic flow of the evening until Jay Cowle stole the show; getting the small crowd on side from the off, with what seemed like a tried and tested set, yet somehow surprising himself with the amount of laughter he attracted, having just seen a fellow comic bomb. Headliner, Joz Norris, was the reason we'd come down to the club, and once again he showcased another uniquely different set, never once covering the same ground. 

A few days later, Tuesday, and we had our first ever visit to Watford. Nothing more than a dual carriageway running through a run down town, it's not somewhere you'd ever want to come to... but tonight, Paul Weller was on at The Colosseum. As his children walked the dog around the car park where the tour bus was stationed, a bunch of middle aged men (all possessing the same haircuts) were hanging around by the stage door, holding their wives in one hand and a Jam record in the other.  By stage time, coming into the venue, a woman tried to give away a spare ticket but with no takers, inside, the band line up is slightly different for this tour, with Andy Crofts shifting from keys to bass. We're in for a few change ups in the set list too: There were lots from most recent release 'Saturns Pattern' (a title I still can't make sense of without the use of an apostrophe), and the same amount from the forthcoming 'A Kind Revelation', including the stand out 'Long Long Road'. Another new album of his, that is also about to drop, is boxing film soundtrack 'Jawbone'. 'The Ballad Of Jimmy McCabe' was performed from this during the acoustic interlude, which also featured live debut 'Hooper' (replacing a cover of John Lennon's 'Love'), as well as classic solo tracks 'Wild Wood', 'Out Of The Sinking' and The Jam rarity 'Monday'. Other songs from Weller's first band included 'Ghosts', 'Man In The Cornershop' and, just after we left, I am told he ended with 'Start!' before returning for solo single 'Changing Man'.  Standing next to members of The Spitfires, who got their break supporting Weller the last time he was here, the big room is otherwise filled to the brim by the above middle aged - causing an overflow into the side corridors, where the venue had not accounted for the sheer volume of oversized beer bellies putting the hall’s capacity limit into question.   Unlike Weller himself, there's a fair few still living in the past; delighted by Style Council numbers 'My Ever Changing Moods' and 'Ever Had It Blue'. ‘You Do Something To Me' was only getting played at a few of the shows on this tour, and tonight was one of them - along with 'From The Floorboards Up' aired for the first time in Watford on this particular run. Its twin 'Come On Let's Go', from the same ‘As Is Now’ album, joined other current set regulars 'Up In Suzie's Room', 'Peacock Suit', 'Friday Street', 'Hung Up', 'Above The Clouds', 'Into Tomorrow' and the Dr John cover 'Walk On Guided Splinters' completing the 32 songs for an artist who doesn't need to rely on back catalogue, yet still attracts an audience old enough to have been there from the beginning. 

Exactly one week later, we were at the Union Chapel in Islington for a Haven House Children's Hospice fundraiser, where Russell Kane, Seann Walsh and Adam Hills gave us a great night of comedy. Haven House Children's Hospice was first conceived in the early 1990s, as the brainchild of Sue Irwin, a registered nurse and health visitor, who with friends and colleagues founded the charity to provide care to life-limited children and their families at no cost to them. Haven House has supported over 650 families, looking after children and young people aged from birth to 19 years old who have life-limiting or life-threatening conditions.

The following Wednesday, we were back in the area as we headed to The Islington in Angel for a sold out show from WOWH - another new band with another new batch of perfectly produced songs from Nick Harrison. With support from the beautiful sounds of I See Rivers on the night, who we'd last seen on tour with Newton Faulkner (of whom Toby Couling was drumming for), Nick and Toby have now rejoined forces since their partnership during Harrison's previous solo career. Bassist from that time, Naz, is in the current live band too, amongst a host of equally talented guest musicians, whilst Nick and Toby switched roles on drums, vocals, guitar and keys. Members of Nick's former band, Talking Pictures, were there to watch, as well as Tom Odell, of whom Toby played a major part in the recording process of his latest LP - but even he couldn't push his way into the packed room to witness the best project this duo have been involved with so far. 

After watching Maximo Park at New Slang on the Thursday, Cast at Banquet Records on the Saturday (Record Store Day), Tasha ran the London Marathon on the Sunday for Make A Wish Foundation before TV comic, Adam Hills, made the most generous donation of £200 to her cause. 

After checking out some new material from Tim Vine at Outside The Box comedy club on the Tuesday, we went to the Teddington Landmark Arts Centre on the Thursday for Dean Friedman. 

Set in an old, large church, tonight is comparable to the best episode of Only Fools & Horses; as moments of sadness and beauty were evened out with laughter. His more serious numbers came from the early parts of his career; crossing over from performers like Graham Nash, all the way to fellow New Jersey boys, The Four Seasons - in fact it's his 1977 Frankie Valli soundalike 'Ariel' (which he plays on piano tonight) from which he is known for as a one hit wonder in his native US. Having put his video game designing to one side for a new album and tour, his more recent efforts have enough plot to be able to open their own theatre production (or at least feature on The Muppet Show). It's not just his current song topic choices but a change in voice, like Elton John's over the years, seems to lend itself better to this comic effect. With the simple on-stage set up of a piano, a guitar and a ukulele, playing solo, Dean began the set on keys, which is usually used as a welcome break  from too many guitar numbers, in this instrument ratio. Ironically, when he did pick up his 6 string it actually started to distort and cut out, but only during his song 'This Guitar' - with lyrics explaining why he can no longer use his old, broken Martin acoustic; claiming it “don’t work at all” - before ending the night with the call and response of the wonderful 'Lucky Stars', with tonight's audience filling in for unknown club singer, Denise Marsa. 

We were the only audience members to then attend the DJ Format gig at New Slang after in Kingston

Nic Bennett