I saw two of the best bands in the business this month.

First off, The View playing at the QMU in Glasgow on their UK tour.  I’d mentioned in a previous post that I’d come back at least once to talking about The View since they’ve been such an influence on me as an example of how to get yourself to where you want to be in music, and I’ve seen them do it at close enough quarters to pick up some tips and get an idea of what it takes.

It’s not too much to say that the success of The View has had a bigger cultural impact on the City of Dundee than anything else that’s happened during my lifetime.  I know… that does sound like a lot.  But it’s true.

Since their star started rising, the average hair-length of Dundonian males has increased 4inches.  There’s been an explosion in the number of bands: some inspired directly by their musical output, some inspired to rebel against it and take Dundee music in a different direction.  My take is that most have been jolted to action by seeing ‘one if their own’ become successful. 

In Bangalore, India, every schoolkid wants to get into IT.  Arbroath High School has a successful basketball programme, so year on year the whole school aspires to play and excel at basketball in a country otherwise dominated by football.  Dundee now has a visible example of success in music, and it’s making kids pick up instruments.  

Jute, Jam and Journalism had all but left town, and the young generation weren’t going to be buoyed by the sight of a dock-bound wooden ship or medical advances happening behind closed doors at Ninewells Hospital.  For a city that was losing, or had lost, it’s self-image, having a local cultural output get national acclaim let young people reassess what they thought Dundee was and what their own horizons were. 

And for the band leading the renaissance to have swagger, and personality, and a strong Dundee accent, and a chip on their shoulder about whatever you want to talk about, the effect was magnified ten-fold.

I used to play in a band with Keiran (Bass/Vocals) and Pete (Guitar) and I’ve known Kyle (Vocals/Guitar) and Steve (Drums/Barfights) since I was 6.  I got to catch up with them before the show and they’re still doing their thing, still hungry, still got something to say and prove.

As for the show, I don’t think there’s a better live band in the world right now.  Their second album ‘Which Bitch?’ shows they’re recording material better than 99.9% too.  In gig, the crowd still has a riotous/religious response to them.  And I don’t see it slowing down any.  Up The View.

Beach House I know very little of personally.  And I didn’t go to school with them.  But their music is beautiful.  If Teen Dream (Not to be confused with the Katy Perry album Teenage Dream) is not in your music collection go out and get it.  In fact if it is but it’s not in your CD player right now, playing, go and buy a second copy and play that one.  Buy it on tape too.

I wouldn’t be surprised if I never see such a fantastic band, so at the height of their powers, in such an intimate gig ever again.

Me in brief: After putting the hours in, my KORG is now gig-ready. 

I debuted it last night at MacSorley’s…easily my best show, easily the least a pub has been bothered.  Can’t win ‘em all!

Very excited about Pivo Pivo on Saturday with Vic Galloway and The Boy Who Trapped The Sun. 

Audio Lounge is definitely my favourite rehearsal space. Great rooms, great kit and great owners. £3/hour during the day and 90p for a roll and sausage. 

Finally, I’ve managed to get the opening slot at at The Doghouse in Dundee’s Boxing Day gig, which is probably the closest thing I’ll ever get to a homecoming gig.  Although I never played at the Doghouse when I lived in Dundee.  And The Doghouse has since moved to a new set of walls from when I saw my first ever gig there (Elbow, fyi) and it became The View’s crucible.  So not exactly a homecoming.  More like visiting a childhood friend’s parent’s new house.  Whatever, I’m really glad to be playing at what is one of the biggest gigs of the year in the Dundee music calendar.

PS – Dunno about where you are, but the weather here’s been sh*t.

So I had a great time playing at Martin’s Mashup in Gallus last month, thanks to Martin for the slot and Darren for coming to take some photos… I’ve spared you the sweatiest photos but it’s easily the most sweaty I’ve ever gotten while singing what are ostensibly love songs.

7 photos by: Darren Eggenschwiler

Managed to fit in another slice of musical hero spotting slash meeting. Jose Gonzalez last month and James Walsh of Starsailor this month.  He played a stormer, took spontaneous requests mid-set, went the extra-mile sourcing a string quartet just for the Glasgow show and played a mix of Starsailor anthems and some great new material.

They say you shouldn’t meet your heroes, but so far mine have been, without exception, very cool.  I think the context of a Glasgow gig has a way of localising visiting musicians too.  Jose Gonzalez, Swedish and with an Argentinian background, got cheered on during his encore with “Go on yersel’ Joe”.  James Walsh was re-dubbed “Jim” for most of the show at Oran Mor.  Great city, Glasgow.  Not many like it.

I got the chance to hear my friends Craig and Richard’s band, Poor Things, live for the first and second times.

Stage Left?  Stage Right?  It doesn’t matter…they’re Poor Things, they’re ambi-turners and they’re here to knock your chuffing door down.  A home crowd at the GUU Open Mic and an enthusiastic mixed one at The Captain’s Rest got to catch a band with some sparkling songs and enough hooks and swagger to make a proper show of it.  Eyes peeled, people.

I made my last planned investment for a while too… World, this is Bess. Bess, the World. Got her ever so slightly 2nd hand (we’ve all got baggage) and I now need to adjust to the fact she’s a thoroughbred electric (Fender Blackout Telecaster) and needs regular exercise beyond frets 1 through 4.  Bar chords count, right?

I’ve upgraded my recording software from Audacity to Cubase LE4 (bundled with my interface) and I’ve been putting in the hours along with Doug on drums to start rough-drawing of the EP.  As soon as it’s fit for you, it’ll be up here.

Last but definitely least… Mis-placed graffiti or warning sign that the nation’s baker is being controlled by insurgents? Opium/Steak bakes…they’re both more-ish. But I’m guessing someone was just being a tw*t.

Walking home from my work on Tuesday night (work no longer means ‘the dole queue’ but unfortunately still doesn’t mean just ‘gigging and recording and playing computer games’) I went past the O₂ ABC and saw this…

If you haven’t heard of them, SXSW and MIDEM are events where the music industry (or a good portion of it anyway) descends on Austin, Texas or Cannes, France respectively for a week of meetings, discussions, gigs and parties.

For bands with a bit of a following in their own market they’re a unique chance to catch some international attention and maybe even sign on some dotted lines.  My friends ‘The Law’ from Dundee, who I managed to book for a show at the Glasgow University Union last year, have played there the last two years and it lead to them getting a song placed in a George Clooney film trailer from it (click their logo to see it)…

I managed to blag my way in to the ABC and while the talk definitely wasn’t geared for me at present (I’m about £8k and several good festival appearances shy as it stands) it was a good chance to meet other people working, or hoping to work, in the music industry in the Glasgow area.

Specifically, I got to bump into, and apologise to, Ben from ‘Over the Wall‘ who months ago I’d given some drunken banter about the genuinely impressive quality of his moustache.  Turns out he’s in an amazing band too, check out the great video (click on the picture) for their song ‘Thurso’ which will get stuck in your head for ages.

Anyway, on my way out of the door, I bumped into the promoter from Pivo Pivo, Gary, who told me someone had just been talking to him about booking me.  Let’s bear in mind that at the moment I’ve played less than a dozen shows in the last year and have zero recordings of my stuff on the internet.

It turns out that the friend of a promoter had been at the BOX show last saturday and recommended me for a gig in December supporting ‘The Boy Who Trapped The Sun‘ (a band I was watching play at the Snow Patrol gig at Bellahouston Park only weeks ago) and hosted by BBC Radio 1′s Vic Galloway.

Roll on December.

PS – I fixed the bad karma of Bar Ten last night: Played a good set, finally met Dochan who’s thrown me several shows on nothing more than a prayer and got a headline show at Gallus booked up for the end of October from local musician, blogger and promoter Martin McGlauchlin who was at the show.