The Great Gig in the Sky

It dawned on me a few months ago that the first week of November would see a week of back to back gigs. The pandemic meant that postponed gigs got pushed together. So I decided to lean into it. I took a week off, called the week ‘Gigmagedon’ and bought tickets for ‘The Festival of Voice’ on the Thursday which is the one gap in the schedule.

Monday was Katherine Priddy and Richard Thompson at St Davids Hall. I was especially keen to see Priddy as I’ve heard her songs on the Gideon Coe 6 Music show and loved them especially ‘Indigo’ which she opened her set with. Priddy was charming and just her and guitar. Richard Thompson was great as ever, I asked my bestest friend Matthew if we’d seen Richard Thompson or Pixies the most, he thinks Richard Thompson. The set was a little different from others, initially he was on guitar and occasionally read from his excellent autobiography ‘Bees Wing’ to illustrate the songs and he was the joined by a female singer (Zoe…?) for some Fairport and LInda & RIchard songs. Great night, and there’ll never be a time where my life isn’t enhanced by hearing ‘1957 Vincent Black Lightening’.

Tuesday was This is the Kit, so I cycled down to Clwb Ifor Bach for the gig, which is fine, but the gig was actually in The Globe round the corner from me. Doh! The week before I’d been to see Billy Nomates - ironically with loads of mates - but couldn’t interest anyone in TisK so went on my tod. The Globe is an odd venue, I don’t know if it’s the acoustics but every gig I’ve see there as soon as the band stops playing the sound of the crowd yapping is very loud. Kate ThisistheKit was a bit overawed by the amount of people in the venue - it being sold out - and was a bit flustered. Along with the crowd yapping the guitar seemed disproportionately louder than the rest of the band. Still, TisK are a very tight band with an easy groove provided by the rhythm section, always great to see the band, terrible merchandise mind.

While checking out the tickets for the gig (but clearly not making a note of the venue) I saw that the Wednesday night gig - Self Esteem - had been postponed till later in the month. I was actually a bit relieved, gave me an evening to dry out and watch ‘Bake Off’.

Thursday saw our first visit to The Festival of Voice at the Millennium Centre at the Bay to see Brian Eno give his keynote speech and later Max Richter. It was a little chaotic, the time of the speech being moved and then it was late. Eno was great though, wish his speech would have come with a reading list, it was meandering, funny and thought provoking. The general theme was ‘What’s art good for?’. I felt like one of those monkeys out of ‘2001’ when the talk finished who’d touched the monolith and felt more intelligent as a result. We saw a drumming band next which I enjoyed but which was sending Sian to sleep so we bailed.

Friday, the Oooh Seeees down the Tramshed. The sky was lit up by a barrage of fireworks from Diwali and Bonfire night. I saw my gig companions as soon as I got there Steve D and Mike D. We got drinks then had to go out to get some cash cause the merch stall didn’t take cards and the t-shirts were an embarrassment of riches. Then they didn’t have change. I would absolutely have bought another t-shirt and vinyl had they taken cards, so probably for the best.

We watched the short four song set that Bridget Dawson did as support then Steve D and I got close to the front for the Ooo Sees, when the band came on a mosh pit broke out and i was surprised at my flustered ‘monocle falling into my drink’ reaction. After just a few seconds of youth ruckus I’d returned to the back, both Steve D and I would recall later that it was the other one who legged it first.

Good gig, two drummers! John Dwyer - who was sporting a comedy ‘Peaky Blinders’ ‘tache - seemed to be a tad pissed off about having an hour and a half allocated to them and/or there being trouble getting to the UK. Their set was loud and full of fun, even if it did go a bit ‘Stonehenge’ in the middle.

Blimey, I was feeling rough on Saturday. Riddled with hangover I was back to the Millennium centre with Sian, Mike Davies and Steve Dixon for the Festival of Voice. I was especially keen to see Anna Meredith. When we got into the main hall they’d put boards over the front seats and opened up the stage so that the evenings gigs were standing. It felt quite transgressive to be on the stage. Thought Anna Meredith was brilliant, I was surprised at how funny she was, cause her music is quite avant-guarde I thought she might be a bit po-faced, but if you took an encore of ‘Enter Sandman’ you’re not taking yourself too seriously. We settled back into our seats for ‘Biig Piig’ who I enjoyed. Then back up on stage for Gruff Rhys, who pretty much did the same set I’d seen him do in Clwb Ifor back in August.

I hadn’t been expecting to be still around for Charlotte Church’s Pop Dungeon, but boy I’m glad i was! It could well have been the set of the week! So much fun and joy! Pop banger after pop banger! I was especially happy to hear ‘1 Thing’. I’m a but hazy about how we got home.

Sunday, I was hung over to fuck but could see the finish line! Nadine Shah and Suede in Bristol!

We met up with Miles and Lisa Hamer in the beer garden of the wonderful and wonky Hatchett before going over to the O2. I thought Nadine Shah was on at 7 but she was already on when we got in. Great she was too but i sorta missed most of her set cause I was yabbering, to Matt and Charlotte - two of our mates from Cardiff - I did get to the front for set closer ‘Way Out’.

Suede were on great form performing ‘Coming Up’, it’an an album that I always tend to pass by in favour of their first two, but it really flew live. This is probably the first time I’ve ever seen a band do an album on the original release and then again on an anniversary tour, quite depressing. Great gig though, and great to ‘Killing of a Flash Boy’ in the encore.

Gigmageddon was great, lots of friends, lots of booze - oof - but surprisingly few new band t-shirts. I’m paying the price for that week but as Scott Walker once sang, I have no regrets.