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LIVE REVIEW
WASHED OUT AT CARGO
Washed Out
Cargo, Shoreditch
London
01/06/10

Just as I was formulating an argument for why – considering all the difficulties of transferring the recent wave of US solo bedroom-electronicists’ blog-bound sounds into the live arena – Ernest “Washed Out” Greene looked and sounded amazing even though it was just him, rocking back and forth over an analogue synth and desk in the corner, he gets joined on stage, three songs in, by support band Small Black. It’s a recurring pattern in the (excuse the throw-up term) Chillwave genre that what sounded great as a free, downloadable WAV file sounds and looks awful (or at least disappointing) once burgeoning public interest demands that they go on tour. It sounds and looks, in fact, like a guy hitting space on an Apple Mac and whining along. The surprise addition of musicians to break-down the fantastic ‘Belong’ and the rest of the set into individual parts works a treat, lending the show a depth of harmonic feel and a welcome sense of showmanship. Greene’s tracks assemble Philly disco, Balearic, progressive house and hip hop, and he sings into a drum mic, the rest of the band bobbing innocently about like they’re in their living room, playing Kool and the Gang before a night out. By Edgar Smith —– Originally published in issue 18 (vol 3) of Loud And Quiet. June 2010


HUDSON MOHAWKE AT XOYO
XOYO
Old Street, London
19/10/11

The best shows are most often those where artist and audience fall into a frenzied feedback loop of mutual appreciation.

AZARI & ILL AT WHITE HEAT, SOHO
White Heat
Soho, London
01/11/11

Some tech-savvy good Samaritan recently ripped and uploaded a BBC radio documentary about house music grandaddy Larry Levan.

GOTYE AT KCLSU
KCLSU
London
01/11/11

King’s College seems an odd venue for Australian singer-songwriter Gotye.

FLAMINGODS AT THE SHACKLEWELL ARMS
The Shacklewell Arms
Dalston, London
19/10/11

Save for an old electronic keyboard and a delay pedal that makes singer Kamal’s vocals ping-pong out of the room, Flamingods don’t do instruments with wires.

PURE X AT THE SHACKLEWELL ARMS
The Shacklewell Arms
Dalston, London
1/11/11

Drugs. They’re rife within popular music. Especially within the type that Texan trio Pure X make, courtesy of a Spiritualized habit they just can’t (or won’t) kick.

2:54 AT CORSICA STUDIOS, ELEPHANT AND CASTLE
Corsica Studios
Elephant & Castle, London
09/11/11

Sisters Hannah and Colette Thurlow famously named their bristly, glowering rock band after a favourite moment on a Melvins song, 2 minutes and 54 seconds in, to be precise.

DOOM & GHOSTFACE AT THE ROUNDHOUSE
The Roundhouse, Camden
London
05/11/11

The man formerly known as MF Doom returns to the Roundhouse for a sold-out show, barely a year after his debut European performance in the same venue.

CAGED ANIMALS AT THE SHACKLEWELL ARMS
The Shacklewell Arms
Dalston, London
28/09/11

In the studio, Caged Animals (Soft Black’s Vincent Cacchione’s new baby) deal in a faintly cloying, suburban youth-channelling indie with a twist.

MILK MAID AT THE GREEN DOOR, BRIGHTON
The Green Door
Brighton
20/09/11

Despite the days of Union Jack plastered guitars and weather-worn parkas being a prerequisite of any northern based guitar band being long gone.

METRONOMY AT THE ROYAL ALBERT HALL
Royal Albert Hall, Kensington
London
03/10/11

“It’s hard to believe that in this very room they used to have gladiators fighting to the death,” exclaims Metronomy main-man Joe Mount.