Week Commencing: 21/2/05
By: Toby L
So,
Ever climbed a mountain in the name of rock?
We did. Bewilderingly. Last weekend (10th-12th Feb) saw the eighth annual By:Larm music-conference occur in Stavanger, Norway. Alongside a pack of some of the UK's most esteemed and eccentric music-media, rockfeedback braved intrepid, nauseous ferry rides, bustling crowds and late-night drinking-curfews to observe blistering live-sets from rampant, new talent of potential esteem - namely, the colourful spasm-pop of Beautiful People (a jam-packed set that was replete with stage-dives) and two-piece garage powerhouse The Mormones, whose Lightning Bolt-esque preference to play on the venue floor incited a near-riot. Both are well-reckoned live preferences, we'd advise.
But perhaps the centrepiece of the visit, save for access to hundreds of performances of bizarre black metal intrusion (we braved Mortiis; Gothminister was a bit too much, meanwhile...), was a five-hour round-trip hike/climb up a mountain. We've never been so close to falling 2,000 feet into a frozen fjord ever before. Upon reaching the semi-summit - through way of immaturely throwing ourselves in the snow, naturally - we were greeted with edible snacks (ham and cheese rolls, and a Norway delicacy - slithers of reindeer heart), and some coffee.
Then an 'oik' (that's the country's genuine terminology) began chanting a ceremonial Norwegian wail before local heroes Kaisers Orchestra took the, er, cliff to provide an obscure-pop treat; twenty-five minutes of Nordic Nick Cave-isms sung in the native tongue. It's the most compelling backdrop we've ever seen (view the shots) for a performance, and possibly the most rewarding experience we've been part of to date. More rock in weird places, please? And what with By:Larm occurring in the Arctic Circle next year - with talks of a jet-ski safari afoot - we'll be there again. Join us yourself. Thanks to Peer (namely for the 96% proof moonshine - ouch!), Jon, Jayne & Grace, and all friends made on the trip for their assistance and aiding in the extreme climactic conditions. We made it back, alive, and we feel better for it.
A couple of quick, additional points before all the usual Weekly Editorial snippets - the hit parade is updated with all your latest additions; and our countdown 'til the festivals 2005 begins now, with all the key info / line-up gossip now published and set for regular updates in our xclusiv section... get searching.
Gigs this week, London: Our top choice - a special songwriters evening on Wednesday eve (23rd) at the wonderful Hackney Empire Bar featuring the likes of Ed Harcourt and Michael J Sheehy, and four other acts; Brendan Benson takes on a sold-out 100 Club on Wednesday (23rd); Babyshambles, with Pete granted bail, perform two early gigs - tonight (Monday 1st, Garage; sold out) and tomorrow (Tues 2nd; Brixton Academy; sold out); Biffy Clyro tackle their largest headline gig to date at the Astoria (Fri 25th; sold out); hotly tipped types Boy Kill Boy embrace the intimacy of the Water Rats for an early show (Tues 22nd; £6:00); hip-hop genii Handsome Boy Modelling School begin a two-night residency at the Jazz Café (Wed-Thurs 23rd and 24th; sold out); Hood bring their expansive scope to the Spitz (Tues 22nd; sold out); Feist brings her dulcet tones to the ULU (Fri 25th; £10:00); Goldie Lookin' Chain exert some phat joints at Brixton's Academy (Thurs 24th; £14:00); cult rock force Killing Joke take on two eves at Shepherd's Bush Empire on Thurs and Fri (24th-25th; £20:00); Martha Wainwright engulfs the Barfly (Mon 21st; sold out); Royal Trux spin-off RTX give it some at the Elektrowerkz in Islington on Thursday, with support from Bandwatch stars, Test-Icicles (24th; £9:00); The Melvins do Camden at its Electric Ballroom (Thurs 24th; £13:50); The Good Life opt for Highbury's Garage (Tues 22nd; £7:50); The Rifles continue their Metro residency (Thurs 24th; £5:00); and controversial, press-hungry Guns 'N' Roses alikes Towers Of London continue their reign of terror at the Underworld in Camden on Tuesday (22nd; £8:00); Willy Mason continues his dates in the capital with a show on Thursday with The Magic Numbers (whoa...) at the Barfly (Thurs 24th; sold out), and then solo the next night at the Borderline in Soho (Fri 25th; sold out); then, don't forget... it's The Basement Club #25 on Thurs 24th, with very special guests still to be announced; almost sold out, order tix now, or miss out. More info: click the banner above.
UK Charts, this week: Singles - Embrace continue their supernova return at eleven with 'Looking As You Are'; 'Oxygen' by wunderkind Willy Mason is 23; 'Only One Word Comes To Mind' from Biffy Clyro takes the twenty-seven spot; 'Blood On Our Hands' via Death From Above 1979 is 33; Bristolian poppers New Rhodes make 38 with 'You've Given Me Something That I Can't'; Aberfeldy conjure 60 with 'Love Is An Arrow'; and a returning House Of Love muster 73 with their comeback 'Love You...'. Albums - Bloc Party make three with 'Silent Alarm'. Well deserved. Good on you lads.
Cya at The Basement on Thursday.