Fuu

I couldn't actually feel my fingers last night when I tried to fish my keys out of my pocket to chain my bike up. It was my first gig of the year! I hadn't had anything lined up until I saw some people on Faceache being very enthusiastic about a gig at the Big Top venue, which is above 10 Feet Tall. The gig was £3 so I thought 'Yeah I'll give it a punt!'. 

It was 'Independent Venue Week' so I would love to say that I came out to the gig to support small venues, but that would be a lie. I would have been at the gig anyway, but maybe it wouldn't have happened if not for this initiative? I would always rather see a band in a Louisiana or Moon Club rather than an O2 Academy.

The last two gigs I saw last year were Pixies and Super Furries. I'm not averse to a bit of nostalgia (but it ain't what it used to be, arf) but I was keenly aware that if I wasn't careful I'd be seeing more legacy bands than new bands. So I dragged myself along after an eleven hour work day. I got in to see the first 'band', two gezzas on lap tops and a nervous looking female lead singer. They were alight, they finished the song and said: "That was our last song with a vocalist now we're doing techno. Everyone loves techno! Come on! Everyone loves techno!" not even he sounded convinced. I sat down and being on the wagon wondered what I was going to do until the next band were on. I thought about getting the book I was reading out - about the Monkees and their awful film 'Head' - then I realised how tragic that would look. I realised I had enough time to cycle home, dump my ruck sack, have a coffee and get back in time to catch the next band and the headliner 'Dream Wife'. Oh but Lordy lord it was cold, have I mentioned that? The only draw back is that there was a chance that if I left I wouldn't come back. So I was in my first gig of 2017 initially for 20 minutes.

I did make it back. By the time I got back the venue was alot busier. So I sidled into the audience to see the last few songs of 'Gudie Dog' who weren't bad, quite bluesy and I also managed to find a sofa at the back to take the weight off until the headliner, yes, I know.

Although I didn't know Dream Wife I'd clocked the members earlier on, they looked like a band. They were stupidly, horrendously young and looked quite nervous as they took to the stage. As soon as they began to play they snapped together as a very tight unit. The peroxide blond bassist especially had a steel gimlet eyed stare and the lead singer had a slightly creepy David Lynch vibe about her, she reminded me of a young Claire Crogan, in a good way. The lyrics had a great feminist edge to them, but coud be a little on the nose at times, but yes I loved Dream Wife they had a great energy and have the potential to be massive.

As anyone who knows me knows I am an eternal fanboy, so I waited to get some merchandise. I didn't fancy the t-shirts, the single had sold out so I thought I'd buy a poster which was just £3. Two Valley Hopos had a chat to me while I waited, and mentioned that this was the sixth time they'd seen the band - so fans then - and asked me my opinion, they were happy that I liked the band. Rakel, the lead singer clambered behind the merch table and I thought I might as well get her to sign it. She asked me if i'd enjoyed the show, I didn't hear what she said so just grinned like a gibbon, so she asked me again to which I replied yes. Rakel signed the poster was very very chatty. It was certainly different from the last time I asked the lead singer of a band to sign a poster. A great start to the 2017 gig campaign.