One man and his helmet

BOB LOG III at Ruby Lounge, Manchester 17th September 2009

Louis Barrabas and the Bedlam Six, (another the) Euchrid Eucrow and Bob Log III played some of that undead rock'n'roll at Ruby Lounge. Louis Barrabas' band brews r'n'r up with a cabaret element and frontman is a consumate showman, kicking high whilst strumming acoustic guitar and singing songs he says are all about love. One is about being cheated on by a girl called Mary. "Any girls called Mary here?" he asked, "No? Good!" His band was actually seven strong with a second singer, trombonist and a keyboard player who also straps on an accordian occasionally. It's probably a safe bet that they like Tom Waits and Nick Cave. I doubt they'll be bottom of the bill for much longer. As the evening went on rock'n'roll got more stripped down and rougher. Euchrid Eucrow are the second band I've seen who've lifted their name from Nick Cave's first book. This Eucrow are more Janglin' Jack, the ones who've released an album on Lancashire and Somerset Records are more Good Son. The drum guitar duo switched instruments after two songs and improved with the one in the AC/DC shirt on drums. Half as many people play in Bob Log III but he still managed to have band meetings where he quaffed beverages bought for him by men he mistook for pretty ladies. This was probably due to the fact that his vision was impaired by the motorcycle daredevil helmet he wears. "I can't see shit, but I can hear you and smell you," he let on between a couple of one man slide guitar garage blues rock rumbles. He made a memorable entrance and exit, walking on and off stage through the crowd playing guitar. His silliest song is about someone shitting on his leg, for which, against doctors orders, he invited two ladies up on stage to bounce on his knee whilst he kicked hell out of his foot drum. He gave a quick lesson in songwriting, playing a riff that he likes and telling us all you have to do is repeat it 42 times. After he made his getaway, still strumming backstage, "Repetition" by The Fall came ranting over the PA.

After that I went to Furthur at the Star and Garter.
http://www.myspace.com/furthurandfurthur

I walked in to a soundtrack of "Cinnamon Girl" by Neil Young who was hogging the decks as we also got "Fuckin' Up" and "Lets Go Downtown." Amongst the records Nick of Golden Lab played were
My Bloody Valentine - You Made Me Realise
Velvet Underground - Lady Godiva's Operation
Come - Dead Molly (my request as they had Come on the flyer)
Sonic Youth - Inhuman
Mercury Rev - Song For Joey
Dinosaur Jr - Out There