Arrows and Bones
I've come to the Odd Box party a little late. Odd Box are a record label who have relocated from Brighton to London, and is run by the cheery Trev Oddbox (fancy naming a label after yourself...). Odd Box specialise in indie pop and I've sorta been aware of them for years but really added two and two together at last year's Swn festival. Trev has opened a shop called Pop n Hops which sells craft beer and vinyl, genius! I went to Pop n Hops with Sian and my mate Steve Dixon for the first time last Friday and spent too much money in far too short a time. One of the unfortunate knock on effects of the shop opening is that Trev isn't promoting any more gigs. So last night was the last Odd Box promoted gig at the Gwidi Hw. I've probably been to a few of his gigs before, but thought I'd make an effort to get out on a school night as it was the last one.
It was a four band line-up with the headliners being Chorusgirl with Emma Kupa as the main support. I got to the gig in time to see teh first support band, and even though it was little over 13 hours ago I can remember very little about them, apart from the drummer was a bit out. The second support were better, they were charmingly 6th form, had a saxophone which fell off stage at one point and their parents came to pick up their equipment at the end of the gig.
Emma Kupa was great, a singer songwriter who I was aware of because of her work with Darren Hayman. She's a bit fo a Marc Riley favourite. Loved her sharp articulate lyrics with a ear for a tune, I'll have to check more of her stuff out.
As it was a small gig there was a swift turnaround between bands which was great, cause my back was hurting I was tired after my adventures in the Smoke on the Monday, there wasn't anyone there I knew well (it was a Billy No Mates gig for me) and I'm taking a break from booze. Love, love, loved Chorusgirl. I'm pretty sure that they were on at Wales Goes Pop! but I missed them. They're a energetic mix of C86 indie pop, with a bit of my beloved Pixies Surf guitar and afro beat. Just brilliant. I was knackered and the gig finished at 11 which is an ask for me on a school night, but fuck it, it was worth it. Even when I got outside and found that some scrout had knicked my bike pump. No regrets.