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Gavin Williams
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Posts by Gavin Williams
It’s not for the cock, it’s for doing favours
Feb 19th
Favours for Sailors interview
With the credit crunch, the recession, the worst winter for two decades and, probably, the imminent end the world being shoved in our faces and down our throats pretty much relentlessly by the media, anyone creating music in these dark times could be forgiven for coming across a bit bleak and depressing. Not Favours For Sailors though.
It’s not for the cock, it’s for being pulled skywards
Feb 5th
Sky Larkin/Pulled Apart by Horses @ ICA, London- 29/01/2008
Unlike most of his media peers, Huw Stephens is a lovely ginger welsh bloke who you’d love to spend hours with creating a fictional music festival or, failing that, just share a pint with. On top of that he’s a DJ with no other agenda than championing his favourite bands with genuine talent, regardless of media hype or “market potential”. This tour (it has his name on it, this isn’t just a strange ode Huw) brings two such bands to London town.
It’s not for the cock, it’s for the night
Jan 22nd
Franz Ferdinand- “Tonight: Franz Ferdinand”
It’s been a long time coming, this here third Franz Ferdinand album. They may have stormed British popular culture with two highly successful albums in two years but after four years in relative oblivion, does anyone still care about four guys who were already the “wrong†side of 30?
Yes, of course they do. Silly question.
It’s not for the cock, it’s for not forgetting
Jan 18th
Radiohead- “Amnesiac”
Recorded mostly during the same sessions for “Kid A”, Radiohead described these two albums, released in 2000 and 2001, as “twins separated at birth”. Considering that “Kid A” is on fairly good terms with bleakness, it shouldn’t be taken lightly that “Amnesiac” is the creepy, fucked up sibling of the two.
It’s not for the cock, it’s for a near perfect ten
Dec 16th
Ten Kens/ Educated Animals @ London Metro
After releasing what is one of the finest, yet largely overlooked and underrated, albums of the year with their self titled debut effort, Ten Kens have managed to squeeze in a couple of UK dates away from their homeland of Canada. Perhaps it’s a sign that the band are playing this scutty venue in the underbelly of the London music scene that saw very early shows from the likes of Bloc Party, The Libertines and Kings of Leon, or maybe it’s this kind of half empty, piss stained, so-quiet-between-songs-you-feel-scared-to-breath hell hole that Ten Kens are destined for. Hopefully not. Time shall tell. Read on.
It’s not for the cock, it’s for a slice of Swedish pop
Dec 7th
Lykke Li @ Koko, London, Friday 28th November
Swedish pop minx, Lykke Li, is in Camden town and is poised to play what must be one of her biggest gigs yet and, judging by the hoards of young females in imitating attire, it is the perfect setting for a triumphant gig.
As the designated stage time fades into the distance without us even catching a glimpse of Li, the crowd grows expectant and a little impatient. The mutterings around Koko are now dotted dangerously with words such as “divaâ€, “late†and “againâ€.
It’s not for the cock, it’s for being taken out of this world
Nov 29th
Sigur Ros @ Alexandra Palace
As the masses of people swarm through the entrance of the huge Ally Pally, the thing that stands out the most is the full on atmosphere of child-like excitement. As faces of all ages chat happily to their mates and the time draws closer to the main event of the night, it all feels like the sort of buzz of a fairground from another age.
It’s not for the cock, it’s for the science
Nov 23rd
TV on The Radio @ Shepherds Bush Empire 19/11/2008
TV on The Radio’s most recent long player, “Dear Scienceâ€, seems to have disappointed a number of fans equally as much as it has been, or will be, featured in end of year best of lists, yet, judging by the hysteria of an excited buzz mixed with furiously busy touts, tonight the stage is really set for them to prove their worth.
It’s not for the cock, it’s for getting fucked up
Nov 12th
Fucked Up/Rolo Tomassi @ Camden Barfly 6/11/2008
Anyone smart enough to brave it to Camden tonight not to see a Pete Doherty solo set is in for a treat with this XFM showcase at the perfectly scummy Barfly. Although advertised as a “secret headliner”, it seems everyone is pretty confident that it’s Canadian hardcore punk outfit Fucked Up that will be taking to the stage by the end of the night.
It’s not for the cock, it’s something for the weekend
Oct 29th
Vampire Weekend/Wild Beasts/El Guincho @ The Kentish Town Forum, London 25 October
The rise and rise of Vampire Weekend has been a thing of wonder: last year they were swimming about in the peripheries of the music press and then, suddenly, BAM!- it’s customary for radio DJs to play at least one of their songs each hour and they’re on every British festival this summer inciting chirpy sing alongs all the way from a rainy Pyramid Stage performance to a triumphant, sweaty Leeds festival set. Whereas some bands (a certain multi-racial five piece from Florida spring to mind) received a hell of a roar in the hype department of the NME office but eventually only delivered a whimper, Vampire Weekend have consistently come up with the goods. After the festival season undoubtedly won them numerous fans, tonight the question is whether Vampire Weekend can cope in the spotlight in their own right headlining three sold out nights in a row at the Forum.