GIGS IN MAY 2007

THE CUCKOO BAR, TRURO (16TH APRIL)

THE GAY HORSES, THE RED ARMY, ROSIE & THE GOLDBUG AND BHODAZAFFA

A review by Adam Puckey (of The Gay Horses)

We had a gig in the Cuckoo bar in Truro last night. To set the tone, allow me quote one Mr Grigg:

'Utter Shite... Only go and see The Gay Horses if you are drunk and stupid' (He might have said 'or' stupid. I'm not sure. I didn't dwell on it.)

We were put on the bill the night before, and treated the whole thing with a mixture of apathy and incomprehension. I personally wanted to be there for the launch of 'FRESH MUSIC' magazine, put on a bit of a performance, make the crowd laugh and loosen up (and cringe slightly), then watch the other bands.

As always, we got mixed reactions. Walking through the crowd afterwards I was bombarded with a few people saying 'WOW you are fucking AMAZING!' and suchlike to others casually rolling their eyes at me and smirking. Apologies were made to various bar staff and the sound people (One of the Evosound boys came onstage afterwards and had a MASSIVE go at me for running over our set by fifteen minutes, explaining that it was a 'small' scene and if I wanted to get ahead i'd have to show a bit more respect for the other bands...)

Get ahead? Get ahead where?

Basically, we smashed out some ace Punk Rock, smashed up a painting, I wrestled a ginger metalhead to the floor (and our guitarist Alex), screamed and jumped and sweated my demonic beasting heart out and fulfilled our 'Three goals':

1. Get turned off. Check.

2. Get TOLD off. Check.

3. Have fun. Check chickety check one two.

Other bands were ace. The Red Army were a three piece with a female pianist/vocalist/trumpetist, a guitar boy who sang with a touch of a spirit of the horse about him and - and I love this - a boy on an acoustic bass who just sat down on the floor at the back and didn't give a fuck. That is musicianship in my eyes. What they lacked in showmanship and rock heaven they made up for with talent, decent songs and a ot of promise. I will keep an eye on them to see how they progress... (Although as a designated egotistical megalomaniac I am not sure if I approve of the Stalinist overtones..)

BHODAZAFFA!!!

Ah God I fucking love them. They are ten, fifteen, a hundred times better than Rosie and The Goldbug. Our current bass player also plays bass for them so I do feel a certain paternal connection to them, but they are a standalone, superstar, rocking super dooper funk rock groove machine and they absolutely soared last night. Their drummer Krystian (who I spent more time whirling around the dancefloor with than I did my girlfriend) has the full hair in front of the face thing going on. Dunc, who can be an arrogant an offensive human being at the best of times, is the consumate frontman, big, loud, adorned with religious symbols, and looks like he may be related to a bear and/or gryphon. Paul plays effortless lead solos (the word solos is a palendrome) that fly into your ears like concorde and Lee's basslines crack and boom with the drums in perfect, heart crunching synchronicity. It is bands like Bhodazaffa that make me happy about my (slightly twisted) part of the world of Cornish Music.

Me friend Liz and I danced like funkmonsters throughout the entire set (I may have rushed the stage at one point, but Ol' Dunc didn't seem to mind).

Last to play were dear old Rosie and The Goldbug. Now I have a peculiar thing about this band. Aside from being a horse, I am also a poet and a songwriter. I have written a few more serious songs for my own self and my girlfriend's pleasure, a couple of songs for the Sue Parker Quartet, (though I have yet to hear them sung girls), lyrics for St. Austell based band 'Pro-Seed' and lots of poems, stories and bits and pieces of marketing material and journalism. I like to write. I LOVE to write, and I very much enjoy the inteaction with and connection to people that writing something can bring. A few months ago, in an optimistic and happy way, after watching Rosie and The GoldBug play in Bar 200 in Truro I offered to write them a song. Whoever runs their myspace (I assume it is Rosie), misunderstood, got offended and BLOCKED The Gay Horses myspace profile...

DUM DUM DUM!!!

It was most saddening. It was all more or less sorted out, but I now always feel terribly embarrassed whenever I talk to Sarah (drums). Let that little story be a testament to their ABSOLUTE skill. After one song I had totally forgotten everything and got lost in what was a powerful, romantic, peaceful, beautiful set of songs. For those of you who don't know RGB, they are a three piece with Drums, Bass and a Pianist/Vocalist (Rosie) who trained as an opera singer before turning her hand to rock and roll. The sound system wasn't really in their favour I don't thing, more geared to the heavy bass and drum set ups of the previous bands, but despite this, that lady's voice sang through to all of our hearts. I was on the dancefloor with my girlfriend and her best friend, a young lady called Ron, who actually actually fell in Love.

They played, we rocked, there wasn't a single bad section of the whole show, loads of interaction and talking to the audience, tons of men thinking up clever schemes regarding the 'woo-ing' dear Rosie, and very tired, very sweaty, very happy crowd.

Highlights of my night:

- Luke Kellett photgraphing the whole thing, and the prospect of some REALLY memorable photos.

- Being told by Jimmy from Glass Shark he thought I was a cross between Dave Grohl as the devil in the Tenacious D 'Tribute' Video and Iggy Pop.

-Wrestling Ginger Rocker to the floor.

- Being told off for.

- Getting turned off.

- Gemma's reaction after our set.

- 'Oriental City' and 'Culture Shock' by Bhodazaffa.

- Running along the back of the bar.

- Goffy screaming 'MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!!!' at me whilst still POUNDING his guitar.

- The Demon taking hold and smashing up some stuff.

- Being offered another gig.....

hahahahahahahahhahahahah

FRESH MUSIC magazine will be available Friday May 18th from all good newsagents. The unsigned scene has a lot to offer; from 'Utter Shite' like my band, to the grace and beauty of Rosie and The Goldbug, to the green potential of the Red Army, to the sheer unadulterated power of bands like Bhodazaffa.

It is a shame that Glass Shark were off the bill, but Tam, their lead singer was very ill, and very sorry. Regardless of their non appearance, you should also go and see them at your next opportunity.

A little thought about the cornish music scene. Cornwall, for the last 80 or so years, and even long before that, has served as an inspiration for artists of different media, such as poets, authors, painters, playrights, sculptors, designers, architects, travellers, the whole caboodle. It is my firm belief that, with the advent of ease of accessibility to it through the internet, music has gained the potential to be no different. We have a very diverse musical culture already (as the fresh launch gig testifies to) and it is just in it's infancy. With support, understanding and appreciation of the differing motives of performers and entertainers, we are all making Cornwall a very important place in the world...

And if you don't believe that, read the history of Rome...

:)

THE CUCKOO BAR, TRURO (16TH MAY)

THE GAY HORSES, ROSIE & THE GOLDBUG, BHODAZAFFA and THE RED ARMY

(Reviewed by William Gregg)


Tonight at Cuckoo saw four acts go to stage..

Gay Horses - Music was shocking and the dancing was funny for the first 5 minutes, became insane and stupid by the end....utter shite!

The Red Army - Cool ideas, nice cover of Edit by Regina Specktor and a good overall sound, multitalented front woman with keyboard, kazoo and trumpet as well as vocals pretty sweet

Bhodazaffa - Strong rock band with punch but nothing new, very remenice of classic rock of the late 70's stealing lots of stylistic features, as well as a stupidly low hanging bass!

Rosie and the Goldbug - Bloody awesome as always even when I was standing outside in the pouring rain for most of their set....get better and better.....


Shame about no Glass Shark,

Something was wrong about tonight.....

Ah well sums up my opinion of the evening, I recommend you at least check out The Red Army, and only go see The Gay Horses if you're very drunk and stupid!

Night

www.myspace.com/thegayhorses

www.myspace.com/theredarmyfolk

www.myspace.com/bhodazaffa

www.myspace.com/rosieandthegoldbug

THE DEN, FALMOUTH (6TH MAY)

MY ELVIS BLACKOUT, THE ASTRO FIRS & ABSENT

(Another personal review by Adam Puckey)

'THWACK!'

That was the sound my head made as it connected with the floor. At the front row of the Absent/Astro-Firs/My Elvis Blackout, I was dancing harder than I had danced for some good solid days. I was sober. I was having a comedy American Pie style dance-off with a blonde boy in a pink shellsuit named Joe. I was wearing Gembly's ex-boyfriend's sailor suit jacket and I was, you might say, 'loving it'.

Adam here.

We arrived at the stannary via the medium of public transport. The experience has steern me toward a renaming of public transport to 'Pubic Transport'. My advice is this. If you are intending to travel from Chacewater to Tremough Campus in Penryn, you have never been there before, you can't drive/don't have a car, it is raining, you have no way of getting home and it is the Sunday night before a Monday morning of a bank holiday weekend, and your alternatuve option is a warm night in with a beautiful member of the opposite sex, food, wine, films, hugging and general beguiling wonder at the beauty of it all, stay at home.

Unless....

You are going to watch The Astro-Firs.

They were good. But I'll get to that in a minute : )

It was an interesting trip, but Gembly and I were determined that our first date was to be something worthy of many, many longwinded and humourous anecdotes for both ourselves to regale to eachother, and for us to each use to entertain vast crowds of strangers and friends alike in pubs, clubs, bars, cafes, supermarkets, hospitals and workplaces abound.

I feel we generated something of this kind.

I decided to go and watch The Astro-Firs after they put out a motivational and humourous bulletin listing the reasons I should not sit at home on Sunday night, but should in fact go and watch them play a set.

I replied in erstwhile fashion, proclaiming that I was going to be there, and would they be so kind as to pretend to whichwhatever lady I happened to have on my arm that we had been lifelong friends in order to help me with any nefarious romantic plot I may have (ahahhahahaa).

The response they gave me was a yes. Ace.

In the concurrent few days, I became enamoured of a lady whom we shall refer to as Gembly, and 'stuck-in-on-msn-on-a-saturday-night' conversation resulted in her being my date for the night.

So we arrived. We had intended to dress up as Luke Toms (even taking the time to fashion moustaches from bits of brachen, leaf and twig we had found around and about chacewater) but somehow ended up with me wearing the aforementioned sailor suit and Gembly in jeans, a top and a jacket. We were wearing sunglasses in a darkened room though. And we were the oldest people in there by about five-hundred years. We chatted to some passionate student types who studied broadcasting and media, one of whom had a radio show, all through the set of the first band, who were called 'Absent'. They were a five piece, with three guitars, bass and drums. They were pretty good, and I went up and danced comedically at the end, noting at the back of my mind that one of their guitarists was a girl.

Girl guitarists are cool.

When they finished I went up to their bass player and arranged a sweaty hug between him and Gembly (she has a thing for bass players), and we went to the bar to wait for The Astro Firs to start. Feeling a bit bad that I had promised to dress as Luke Toms, I decided tonight's dancing was to be top notch. The lads (a four piece with two guitars, bass and drums) rocked into it fantastically quickly, with (and this is something I wholeheartedly approve of) all of their songs played about 2/3s again as fast as the recordings. The vocals were crisp and varied, and the whole thing was very...

very..

LOUD.

Don't ask me what they played. Or in what order. Or even for how long. I enjoyed it. So did the swaying teen crowd. So did Joe the be-shellsuited dancer.

I shall instead inform you of the variety of dance moves that were performed. I started with a toe gripped back spinning mini stage dive followed with a roly poly up into a running man. Beer was spilt. There were laughs. Dancing Joe countered me with a forwards crawling s bend disco caterpillar move.

It was amazing. I had to change tack. His skillz far outweighed my own. As with so much in my life, where I lacked the skill, I had to go for the laugh.

I leapt at the space Joe had just left into my own version of the caterpillar. I opted to allow my body to smack into the floor with a slap and stay there unmoving until people came to pick me up, then jump up into a foray of napoleon dynamite/carlton from the fresh prince of bel air skimming superbeats.

That was the plan anyway.

What actually happened was me totally misjudging where my hands were, sandwiching my ear between the floor and my head, cutting me ear, seeing a blinding flash and getting a concussion.

I howled. I held my head. I ran about.

Gembly gave me a cuddle.

Then.

I.

Bloody.

Went for it.

Dancing Joe and I did not stop til the end of the set. There points at which hair and spit were flying, we were performing a selection of gymnastic rolls (well he was, I was just kind of shuffling around in my sailor coat trying not to collapse) and hopping over each other. It all got a bit 'Ozfest meets Soultrain'.

There aren't many Indie bands that can make that happen. I judge a band solely on how much I am entertained, be it through the dance factor, groove factor, comedy, clever little hooks that make me chuckle, or downright intertextual lyrical genius.

The Astro-Firs found the little pin in the hand grenade of my behaviour and pulled it out with the teeth of rock 'n' roll. For a group of lads who are still very young, it was mightily impressive.

They finished. I sat down with Gem, who was naturally mightily impressed with the whole shebang (sitting off to the side with composition and some of her dignity intact), who told me how wonderful I was, and that she was having a good time (That is also a good thing about a good band - they do help the old love buzz). I offered to bring her up to hug Jos the bass player (the person I had been communicating with on myspace) but I think Gem's fratern with Absent's sweaty lad had put her off the idea, and we hung around for My Elvis Blackout to start.

Now I don't know what it is about them, but I don't get it. The riffs are cold, the energy is missing, the lead singer reminds me of Suggs from Madness (although perhaps that is a good thing). I saw them once before at the John Peel night in Bunters last year. I got bored and wandered off. It was the same here. Maybe I just catch them at bad times. The crowd seemed to love it, and were dancing away just as much as with The Astro Firs. I am also a big subscriber to the idea that familiarity brings comfort and enjoyment. They are a uni band, on uni turf, amongst a crowd of fans and friends, and they were doing what they do very well indeed (don't get me wrong, it wasn't rubbish), and I think that gives you a power over the crowd that can carry you where your music can't.

I recommend going to see them just to find out for yourself though, cos what the hell do I know? I am just a Big Gay Horse.

I recommend going to see The Astro-Firs more though.

And watch out for 'Absent'. They have something about them.

As for me, I am a big fan of Gembly...

Ad.

www.myspace.com/myelvisblackout

www.myspace.com/theastrofirs

www.myspace.com/absenttheband

GIGS IN APRIL 2007

THE ST.AGNES HOTEL, ST.AGNES (14TH APRIL)

THE GAY HORSES AND GLASS SHARK

(A personal review by Adam Puckey)

The Gay Horses 'DO' Glass Shark at the St. Agnes Hotel

'Can you not do that mate?'

I felt a tapping on the bottom of my shoe. For the second time that night, I was on the slate floor of the anteroom section in L2 in Truro, attempting to stand on my head. I only got as far as a semi upside-down crocuhed position both times. I was there with Dillon and my friend Tamzin, with the addition of Dillon's mate Gav who had silently disappeared...

Adam here.

Dillon and Tamzin were on the couches chatting to some strangers, tearing apart a yellow rose and tossing the petals all about them like a pair of may maidens.

How did I get to this point you ask?

Well. Rewind to 18.00pm. Sat at the train station waiting for Tamzin to arrive from Penzance. I had spent the day compiling items of card and cardboard from which I intend to construct a ROBOT SHARK costume. I had promised Tamzin a damn good night of fun, frolics and debauchery, and in light of the recent 'PonyGirl TAM Down' mix given to us by Mr Boss Man of glass shark, I thought what better way to spend the evening than drunkenly frolicising on the dancefloor to their beautiful high beat superpop mega mixery?

One problem. They were playing in St. Agnes.

Being unable to drive, I decided to suggest (browbeat) Dillon until he agreed to supply the transport. He refused. Gutted.

So Tamzin and I went to Bunters. We drank and talked. We drank. Timmie turned up and we realised quite cleverly that his face is so interesting (not in a bad way Tim) that you never know what he is wearing. At this particular time he was sporting what I like to call a 'Randall' Moustache. To give this some context consult the Jack Nicholas film 'About Schmidt'. There is a character called Randall in it...

Anyway.

Dillon changes his mind. Tells me to be ready for 20.30 and he'll come and pick us up. 20.30 rolls around. Tamzin and I both still have full pints. We down them and wobble to the car.

We arrive at a lovely locals pub. I go and shout at Tam (from glass shark) to say thankyou for the remix. It takes a while for Dillon and I to get his attention. If you haven't seen glass shark yet, you must. They shan't be stuck in cornwall much longer, what with being my favourite local band, they naturally are extremely talented, put on a full and zippy show, and have songs that you can sing along to and dance to without ever having heard them before. They are a 3 piece, with drums, guitar and bass. All three lads sing. They wear matching black pin-stripe shirts and pink ties and support their playing with an intricate sampler set up that provides a thumping backbeat, some pre-recorded backing vocals (and if you find that a turn off then just wait until you hear the high intoned 'Gucci, Prada, Versace, Gabbana' and cannot get it out of your head all the next day) and various other zips, boffs and thistles. The whole feel of their show for me is very similar to a showy dj set (Yoji Bio anyone?) with the mood and feel of a super eighties power disco.

They even have lights on their mic stands...

We said our thankyou's, drank our drinks. I offered to buy Jimmy a drink but it turns out they got them for free anyway. The first half of the set was joyful and fun, with mainly songs I didn't know (Though I still danced and sang along). We talked to the lads in the interval and I was told that my vocals (the words 'no offence' were slotted into the sentence) sounded like either a drunk/tired/lazy Alex Kapranos from Franz Ferdinand. Anyone who has ever heard us live will testify to the fact that my voice is patently horrific to listen to. Despite the cunningly dressed up insult I took it as a vast compliment.

More drinks were drunk. I was drinking 'Burglars' or 'Rattlers' or fucking 'Twatters' cyder, what was cloudy and rich with the lager i'd been adding to it. I got a bit fucked.

They started their second half. I started to heckle. Fuck knows what I was shouting but as they thundered through 'I love My Disco Robot' (Yes there was mucho robot dancing) I heard a voice behind me (Was it my little demon hindbrain? Was it Dillon?). The voice said 'Adam Play the Drum!'

Great idea.

I proceeded to grab Jimmy's drumstick and play the drum at the front of the stage. I can't drum. I was throwing drinks all over the place (There were a pile of empty glasses at my feet, I think sambuca entered my system at some point). Jimmy grabbed another drumstick in order to actually USE his drum and I thought it would be clever to 'tap tap' his stick with mine...

'Adam Jimmy needs that!' or something similar was shouted across the microphone. I panicked and laughed and sort of chucked the stick back into the band (Alot of the sequence of events here may not quite be accurate but I kind of can't remember EXACTLY what happened.)

I am still waiting for them to tell me off...

The night closed. The Gay Horses were thanked (I was quite disco sweaty), drinks were downed and we fucked off. I think there were a few cartwheels done. Dillon, Gav and I discussed Parkour and we SOMEHOW ended up in L2. Can't remember much about the rest. But it was good fun, if you know what I mean ; )

Ad.x

(Photo by Nik Budden)

www.myspace.com/thegayhorses

www.myspace.com/glassshark