Arch Hill is 15 and they threw a party. The Kings Arms was packed. Tiny Ruins were playing as I entered. I heard one thrashy number that I liked the sound of, then a longer ballad that I captured below. They are playing at the Crystal Palace later this month. I have always been intrigued by this old cinema so I may head along.
Outside in the garden I met up with my nephew, a muso himself, in town to play and at the gig to support his friends in Ghost Wave.I caught up with a few more friends then came in to hear the Arch Hill mystro, Ben thank the crowd. Kudos to him for making a go of a record label, I imagine its a difficult calling.
Don McGlashan was on next. He played solo with guitar and French horn using a sampler to lay down tracks as he went. He’s got a great voice but I was distracted by the mechanics of him getting all the loops laid down. I kept thinking about From Scratch, the experimental band that he was in where he used lengths of black plastic tubing to good percussive effect. I would like to hear them perform again.
I missed the next act, Emily Edrosa, as I hadn’t worked out that at the back of the pub, behind the mixing desk, they had set up a small stage. She played there but I was out in the garden. Here’s what she would have sounded like.
I came back inside as Doprah started up. They are a large band with a dance groove and a young woman singer who is very expressive. She managed to play keyboards while dancing off to one side and making Kate Bush like moves. Fun, but not for me.
Ghost Wave were on next. I didn’t get a good look at them. The crowd had closed around them as they played at the back of the pub. I love their VU chug, chug sound. They sounded great, see the clip below.
Here’s Ghost Wave playing last year in the US.
Street Chant were next on the main stage. I like their thrashy shtick. McGlashan joined them at the end of the set to sing on “There is No Depression…”.
By this part of the night I had worked out that I would need to get to the back of the pub to catch Surf City. I headed back. I saw surf City last at the Lucha Lounge, a Mexican wrestling bar cum music venue. They were much tighter this time and sounded excellent.
Last up were The Transistors. They were hyper and thrashy.
It was about 1:30 when the lights went up. Good gig.
Sean, I am still waiting for an invite to your next gig….
And here’s From Scratch at their peak.
PACIFIC 3,2,1,ZERO (From Scratch) from Phil Dadson on Vimeo.
PS – turn up the quality setting in YouTube (the gear symbol – bottom right). No point wasting those bits…