baby penguins that live in a volcano and have a fight with a crab.

[alexsarll]

Not a dream, not an imaginary story, but the episode of South Pacific from two weeks ago (I forget where, reprised in the last couple of minutes but the whole show is pretty awesome). Nature is mental.

Didn't see as many bands/people as planned this weekend, as a combination of late-running gigs and inexplicable (though possibly weather-based) tiredness left two-stage plans looking untenable. So sorry to catbo and Artery, though if the latter are reading this I'll be surprised and slightly creeped-out. Saturday was the ever-eccentric Barnacles (who, by leaving their sailor hats at the gig, contributed to a later outbreak of camp posing and eventually Benny Hill impressions) followed by an 18 Carat Love Affair whom the sound-mix left rather less shiny than usual - though it seemed to suit the megaphone monster apparently called 'Truman Capote' which has now been added to their set. In between, we hid in the Famous Cock, whose emptiness on a Saturday night can't all be down to the Victoria line having another weekend off, and might instead owe something to it being a contender for London's most character-less boozer (the L*rr*k doesn't count - that has a soul, and its soul is despair). Afterwards, realising the Newington Green plan is no longer going to happen, we danced to Britpop classics, AC/DC and the Inspiral Carpets. Yes, in 2009, though in our defence it was 'Saturn V'.
Sunday sees Jonny Cola torpedoed by equipment issues. Then there are two other bands, one of which has pretty enough personnel that I give them three songs rather than the usual one-and-a-bit to impress me, before deciding instead to hang outside and take a brief trip to Gosh (Beta Ray Bill!). Then the new New Royal Family, playing 50/50 their own hits (I have already forgotten the 'Rules OK' dance routine) and rock'n'roll classics, thedavidx in an excellent Teddy Boy jacket. Unwisely, I have by this point decided that yes, maybe I do want a drink. I really didn't. Between this and the venue's eau de vomit (thanks, smoking ban!) I only manage two songs of the promising Last Army before departing.

Simon Indelicate on the music industry's woes; probably the best short piece on the subject I have ever seen, and we haven't exactly been short of them these past few years, have we? Contains bonus comment on why 'piracy' is a bloody stupid term to use for the illegal copying of data.

Comments

[suicideally.livejournal.com]

That's an excellent article.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

His blog (http://lyingtothekids.blogspot.com/) is also well worth a read, though updates are pretty infrequent.

[msdaccxx.livejournal.com]

It did smell like vomit over by the bar, didn't it? I thought it was just me. Still, bonus points for the free soda & limes - never seen David Shah look so happy

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Between that and the Madchester hat, he could be in serious danger of losing his tortured mojo.

The smell was worst over by the back of the bar, on the way to the loos, but none of the venue was exactly fragrant - there was also a farty area just at the back of the carpeted bit.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Ooooh, bad choice! I like the Edginton/Disraeli team but whenever they get on to politics, it all goes a bit Pat Mills. "Yes, I, Sir Dastardly Posh-Git, have made the Empire great - by developing a machine that feeds on the tears of working class orphans!"
I really enjoyed 'Godhunter'; Gillen's prior Bill one-shot felt more like set-up, but now he's getting into the proper cosmic lunacy we expect from the character.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

While the Iraq parallels in the third one are massively overdone, I think overall it might have a bit more substance to it, and some genuine strangeness - though obviously it still can't compete with LoEG 2.1 on that front.

[pippaalice.livejournal.com]

Volcano penguins. YAY!

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

I still wonder why, if they need the cold, they don't just go and live somewhere colder...

[pippaalice.livejournal.com]

Penguins are magical and amazing so can live in jungles and volcanos JUST TO SPITE THEMSELVES. Or something.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

But why would anybody want to spite a penguin? Penguins are ace!

[pippaalice.livejournal.com]

But penguins might wish to spite themselves. It is a well known phenomenon that ace people often do this. Why not ace penguins?

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Poor Manics fanguins.

[burkesworks.livejournal.com]

Artery

Shurely not the '80s Sheffield goth band of that name, and if so why?

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

The same, though I would call them more post-punk than goth (admittedly going just by the sound, I wouldn't recognise them if I tripped over them). I was turned on to them by Jarvis Cocker's recent period of advocacy and the clear precursors of Pulp's sound, and since learned that they are alive and well, and were playing a London gig on Sunday. Regrettably, though, it was in Hoxton.