Orbit

I very much enjoyed ORBIT at the Mill yesterday, esp. Gnod out-TGing the Gristle at the back of the Mill with strobes, globes and dry ice, and Queer'd Science with their hardcore hate disco at the Pint Pot. It was a magnificent event. Cheers to Bill for the free late night drinks and Chris and Neil of Gnod DJing and getting me up and dancing to Motorhead, Joy Division and Can!

Tanzanian Jackass

The Tanzanian jackass who has previously offered to attack me, have other people attack me, and tried to extort £150 off me, amongst other tedious puerile idiocy, informed me on Tuesday that I am "already dead" as I parodied her public dressing down of her pet parasite who she said for all in the house to hear was a "pathetic little man, in denial." That was very foolish because if indeed I am already dead I have nothing to lose by killing both of them. Fortunately I am not unsane enough to believe all the bullshit that leaks from the loudmouth of this psychopathic liar, so have done little else but reply to her pathetic taunting which was something like: "Ah, are you all alone with no one to talk to?" by informing the ignorant bitch that I was talking to her, and if I had no one to talk to at that particular time logically she did not exist. She had walked into a heavy curse.




"Jolly good," I said, "CEASE TO EXIST!"

Trick or Treat?

Halloween went off like fireworks at Kraak with Rapid Pig, the wild detuned guitar quintet Klaus Kinski and the heavy bass/drum duo 100% Beefcock and the Titsburster.




There were a couple of other recent gigs I neglected to mention earlier, both at the Mill. Last Harbour played their best one yet against a film backdrop, as did Queer'd Science at a free event, ably followed by Salford Media City who got the people movin' and groovin'



I think the Manchester music scene is at its healthiest in years right now.

Unpeeled

Unpeeled was tiring but fun this Saturday, a tribute to the greatest DJ of the twentieth century, John Peel, with many bands who recorded sessions for the best show on British radio playing forty minute sets at boththe Night and Day and Gullivers. For me the highlights were the heavy psychedelic posse Anthroprophh, Telescopes and Mugstar, who unfortunately had to drop at least two numbers from their set due to keyboard collapse. Blue Orchids, John Hyatt and Groundhogs were also damn good, although I missed the start of Blue Orchids' set due to Yeah Yeah Yeah Noh, a quintessential Peel band whose every song was familiar from late nights listening with headphones under the covers. I spotted four ex members of The Fall, one of whom wasn't even playing!

Inca Babies and Pink Peg Slax played that good ol' rock'n'roll very well. A nice lady platted my hair after Mugstar played which was a new experience for me, hello Nina. I have written a much longer review for "All the Time" but you will have to pay to read that unless you are Rico who deserves a free copy for putting me on the guestlist.

TV Smith and Jim Jones Revue

I wrote a short review of the gig I saw recently by Britain's greatest protest singer TV Smith but rather than blog it I'll give it to Mick Middles to run in his new magazine All the Time, so you will have to buy it if you want to read that. I also reviewed Nightingales (www.thenightingales.org.uk) and Britain's greatest rock'n'roll band the Jim Jones Revue

www.jimjonesrevue.com

www.johnjpresley.com

www.thedarkshadows.com.au

Acid Mothers Temple and the Carefully Planned Festival

Carlton Melton's new album is a great psychedelic vortex of ecstasy so I tripped all the way to Liverpool to hear them support Acid Mothers Temple which turned out to be a good idea, as Carlton Melton live are way better than even that album suggests, and Acid Mothers were also at their very mind melting best. A big hello to Mimi and Marina two nice ladies from Hamburg, and a thank you to Stevie Eye for his free hotel service. The first band Barberos were also pretty crazy, two drummists and a keyboarder all dressed in grey body suits.

The next day I returned to witness the second Carefully Planned festivalwhich kicked off for me with the ever excellent Plank! who were sounding better than at the Liverpool Psych Fest. Day for Airstrikes proceeded to play a gig approximately ten times better than any I'd heard them play before, and Easter completely obliterated any doubts that they'd be at a loss with the departure of Danny Saul. Gavin has switched to guitar and his brother Richard is playing bass. Also on the first day I think Sex Hands were the best I'd heard them, and I enjoyed Claw the Thin Ice, Well Wisher and the final song of Jesus Knievel's set. Bilge Pump of course totally ruled. I liked their style, thank you very much.

The next day's most manic performance came from Queer'd Science, sounding like a jolly good blast of what Skin Graft records called "now wave" as a pun on "no wave" way before a Manchester gig promoter who puts on mostly pretty lame bands came up with the same idea, albeit for less appropriate music. Pine Barrens were vicious and heavy, Juffage was fun, Hunting Bears played beautiful folk, Burnst were as instumentally crucial as ever and Anaesthetics confessed to liking Blondie.

After a lovely intimate set from the trio Sleeping Dog in The Castle (best venue due to Old Rosie on tap) I tripped out to the Night and Day for a second even more fantastic dose of the Acid Mothers magic. Makoto Kawabata keeps getting better. How is this possible?

Dan Friel

This new track by Dan Friel sounds jolly and loud enough to obliterate the moronic chatter of the meathead security at the Shitworth Fart Gallery. Perhaps they should book him for the next gig?

http://soundcloud.com/thrilljockey/dan-friel-valedictorian