9 Weeks, 9 Shows - Part Two

Continuing on from my previous post, next up on my gig list was....

Jake Bugg//Alexandra Palace//21.10.2014

This was another one of those last minute decisions for me,I actually bought a ticket from a very kind stranger who had travelled over seas for this show, I hope she had a good time! This was my third time seeing Jake Bugg this year however, the previous two shows were at British Summer Time (BST) in Hyde Park & Reading fest, so it was great to catch Mr Bugg at an indoor show. I have to admit, when I originally heard his music I was not overly impressed however, after seeing him at BST I was converted. Seeing him at Ally Pally was a completely different experience to the previous performances; the set list included all of my favourites and a couple of them I had never heard him perform live before. In comparison to Reading, the atmosphere at Ally Pally was fantastic, everyone was there for the same reason and there was not a single person who looked as if they were unwillingly dragged along. For someone so young, Jake Bugg is extremely talented and his sound is so versatile. This show was certainly worth the last minute rushing!

Basement//Electric Ballroom, Camden//29.10.2014

You know when you are young and you count down the days until Christmas? Yeah, that's how I felt after I managed to get tickets to see Basement. Seeing Basement live is such an incredible experience, the majority of the crowd are enthusiastic which can often make a show 10x better and after the band's hiatus, the small handful of shows announced all sold out pretty speedily. The set list consisted of a mixture of old and new, including a couple of tracks off their latest release Further Sky. I was lucky enough to spend this show with two of my favourite people, one being my best mate who had been waiting to see Basement for a really long time; it was worth going just to witness his excitement! The only disappointment at this show was when it ended and I was left with Summer's Colour playing over in my head for the rest of the night. 

The Specials//Roundhouse, Camden//13.11.2014

A selfie with dad is always important.

Seeing a band that I have listened to since before I can remember was a strange but very cool experience. Naturally I took my Dad to see The Specials with me, after all he was the very person who introduced me to Two-Tone. (You can read a tiny bit about that here) Of course the band is no longer made up of original members - for example Steve Cradock from Ocean Colour Scene is now filling in on lead guitar - but this does not take anything away from the performance. The amount of energy that is projected from the band is impressive considering the age of the members. The musicians are so talented and their sound is so tight; a couple of times I closed my eyes and there were moments where I felt like I could have been at home listening to the record, but then I open my eyes and it's 100x better than that. The crowd was made up of so many different generations where the music has been passed down & it is sad to think that one day there may be a generation that are unaware of such a spectacular band.

Bloody Knees//The Owl Sanctuary, Norwich//15.11.2014

This was possibly the smallest venue I have ever been to but I quite liked that. This was a cool, chilled out, pay on the door show and I hadn't listened to the bands much previously however, I left with some new bands to listen to when I got home. The line up was Teen Brains followed by Radical Boy and the night ended with Bloody Knees; all bands showed a ton of enthusiasm & I think we will be hearing more from them all in the near future. 

The Jesus and Mary Chain//Troxy, London//19.11.2014
Once again, another last minute show not that I'm complaining! This gig was part of the Psychocandy tour and naturally they played through the album from start to finish. It was a sold out night as expected, therefore I was over the moon when I was invited along. If you have never listened to this band before then I highly suggest you do, then I suggest that you buy a ticket to one of their shows as soon as you can. As a live act they hit all expectations and more, my only complaint is once again being a shorty I couldn't see anything, sad times. I believe that they are playing a few more shows here, there and everywhere so hopefully I can catch them again.

To summarise, I've had a smashing few weeks & wish I could re-live it all over again....I urge you all to support the live music scene whether it's your mate's indie band down the local or Black Sabbath in Hyde Park (Oh yes, I was there!) go along, drag your mates, enjoy the bands, buy the merch!

Peace out.