OOTB 309 – 10 July 2008
Stephen Harrison, Pip Robinson, Calum Carlyle, Eddie and Ivor, Nyk (Featured Act), Colin, John (debut), Barney, Dave (debut), Chris Bull.

Stephen Harrison Unusually electrified for OOTB, Stephen’s songs are sparsely populated around his bass voice. After the soundman remembers what an electric guitar looks like, Stephen’s second is more latin-jazzy, but with the odd twist of being nihilistic latin jazz, Meaningless…the emptiness  , he sings. His last is enveloped with warm chords, and the lyrics concur this time, I’m not alone.

Pip Robinson It’s great to see Pip around a bit at OOTB these days, not least because her songs are difficult to get tired of, not an easy trick to pull off. She opens with ‘Corners.’ Her resting timbre is very soft and intimate, but she likes to raise the volume for effect now and again. She finishes with ‘Time’ – a tale of hindsight and loss. If only we had known   Slow mournful arpeggios build, as she turns time into a character,She strikes again.   Striking stuff. Look out for Pip doing a Featured Act slot very soon.

Calum Carlyle For such a sweet-looking boy, his onstage lothario is an unexpected, but entertaining twist, perfectly summed up by his opening line, It’s not a question of getting laid; I just can’t be bothered.   Love it. It’s a lick-driven blues, and funky as… He ends with his newest anthem, ‘Living Proof’. As a comedy song, it only works because the musicianship is very fine indeed. I’m living proof that you can be a hippie, and still look good.   Apparently a quote, it must have been said by some pretentious bastard!

Eddie and Ivor Two parts of Broken Lights, who headline on 31.07.08. These guys evoke a barren and windswept Scotland with their brooding songs peppered with personal flecks. On the first, Eddie sings it will cost them dear  , and you can hear lives falling apart behind the words. Ivor breaks up the set with an instrumental masterclass, showing he can do almost everything a guitar is capable of. Eddie rejoins and a throbbing guitar underpins the vox – We will leave them in no doubt.   They don’t. Come see them later this month.

Nyk Resplendent in a red herringbone shirt and PVC (yes, really), Nyk opens with the classic ‘Scarecrow Man’. He plays loud and fast. A backing band would turn this into heavy rock, but you feel that the sheer impact this one man can make might be diluted. As example, ‘Gimp Boy’. I think Political Correctness just cried and ran away. The panting at the end is a beautiful touch. ‘Tombstoning’ is a coruscating attack on daredevil stupidity. ‘Bad Blues’ is bad, and bluesy – Got nothing to lose  , he says, and you believe him. ‘Green Monkeys’ sees Broken Tooth join him, and give the soundman nightmares by singing through a pine cone. Not sure it would have sounded better without the feedback. ‘Another Song’ continues Nyk’s unerring ability to get the audience in on the joke. ‘Booze and Drugs’ is another deeply ironic one,I need to get my kicks before it all comes down.   We close with the stadium epic a la Fratellis of ‘Mutant Zombies’, complete with na na na na na chorus. Except its better than The Fratellis… they don’t wear PVC.

Colin The older he gets (and he’s already pretty old), the more risqué the songs, it seems. As it is with ‘Alphabet Soup’, in which an island population shag each other silly in a month by the A to Z of first names. Debauchery. It’s hard to find an X  , he observes. ‘The Farmer’s Wife’ is a tale of spousal devotion in a rural setting. His final is about the (seemingly innumerable) chances at love he has let slip over the years, you get not the one chance as it floats by.   I had thought this was a poignant tale of loss, and maybe it is, but mostly just another dirty song sung beautifully.

John (debut) Antipodean elegance. John’s got a voice that’s as round and full as an Aussie-rules football…hang on a minute… No, he can sing, and has lyrics to match– If we reach our use by date, don’t pretend just to save face.   The guitar, particularly on his second, is kept unfussy, but for a few opportune and accomplished flourishes. Things will turn bad outside,   he warns. The vox could do with a few more outings, but more practice is all that’s needed. He can yell too. His last is like funky grunge with threatening lyrics, Come with me, come now  , and This won’t hurt, don’t make a sound.

Barney The hardest thing I heard was the sound of a breaking heart   Barney does a folk-tinged country. It would be perfect stuff for driving through the night, the kind that just simmers away. ‘Parallel Universe’ is probably more metaphor than Star Trek reference, but I don’t know, Didn’t know at first that you come from a parallel universe.   His last is more contemplative, and I was moved to write the words, French Jazz  . I hope that’s not a massive insult. I see what they mean about windows to the soul.   Seriously proficient stuff.

Dave (debut) Unusually rock for OOTB, he should really be called Splintered Spleen, or something, given the ferocity of his performance. There are no half measures, as he tears into ‘Invincible’. His voice quivers with the emotion of the music. ‘Hack it’ talks of life outside the goldfish bowl, there’s no goddamn safety net.   MTV would snap this guy up. He’s got a great range, in both full voice and falsetto. ‘Question’ confirms that there’s no lack of emotional investment in his performance. As the drop-D fuzz bass in my head subsides, I think OOTB needs an acoustic metal night.

Chris Bull Love is on the way, if you believe what they say   Chris is just up for the summer, and stretching his acoustic legs away from his regular band in Manchester. He specialises in a sort of Band-esque epic country. ‘As the summer fades and dies’ typifies this. Stretches the no-covers rule, as a friend penned this, but I think he co-wrote, so we’ll let him away with it. It’s a mellow and affecting piece. Now, then people, lighters aloft.

Compere: Calum Haddow, Sound and review: Rob Sproul-Cran

Out Of The Bedroom 308 (3rd July 2008)

After the round-the-campfire quietness in the Canons’ Gait basement last week (I was there!) it was back to the familiar combination of amplification, soundman, compere and audience.

Line up: The Weather Underground, Kate McDonald, Ross Neilson, Nyk Stoddart, Calum Haddow, Calum Carlyle, Broken Tooth, Paul Hughes, Ray Kenny, Rob Sproul-Cran, Lisa Paton.

The Weather Underground, actually just one man and not a band, popped up first.  Looking like a young Kris Kristofferson, his second song (sorry, TWU – missed the first song) was about kissing 16-year-old girls.  There were some nice guitar chops in there, with his quick fingers and frantic strumming being a feature.  ‘Just Like the Rain’ was a pleasing love song with a blissful chord sequence and he poured out his heart on this one.  A good set – TWU is one to watch out for.

Kate McDonald made her debut the last time I was reviewing and she has clearly improved in that short time.  ‘Hate’ was about being an immigrant, hating where she was.  Kate sung this with her lovely, warm, smoky voice, though she rushed the song a bit through nervousness.  ‘Handsome man’ was about someone she met at an open mic night and I wondered if any of the males in the audience thought it was about them.  Stu Clark accompanied on cajon; more of him later.  ‘The Republic Affliction’ was about the troubles in Northern Ireland, which is a brave topic for a song.  Kate added a marching beat in the middle eight (lyric: ‘we hear the drums of war’) to add a touch of drama.

OOTB regular Ross Neilson started with ‘Running Faster’.  Tidy guitar playing, with some nifty picking leading to strumming (getting faster, you see).  ‘Free’ featured Ross’s hoary vocals giving full vent to the theme of bitterness and pain.  The way he sang the line ‘gotta free your mind’ reminded me of Britpop, specifically Cast in their mid-90s heyday.  Ross’s rockin’ finale was more grungy and featured an interesting descending vocal sequence.

Introduced by Jim as the uncomparable (sic) Nyk Stoddart, this unique performer played three songs new to my ears.  ‘Lamplight’, available on Nyk’s MySpace page, was subtle, quiet and mellow – not normally three adjectives you’d include on a Nyk review.  This had an epic feel with a touch of early 70s folk/pop.  ‘Even Now’ confounded expectations even more as it was close to being a love song.  I loved the discordant first chord, Nyk.  The topical ‘Gimp Boy’ focussed on a recent news story about a woman who married the Berlin Wall.  This was a lighthearted tale with a bit of simulated heavy breathing thrown in to end an invigorating set from the Mutant Lodge man.

Calum Haddow 18 October 2005

_No break tonight, so straight into the maelstrom of tonight’s featured act, the mighty Calum Haddow.  Big Jim introduced Calum as ‘utterly mad but strangely beguiling’ which sums Mr. Haddow up pretty well actually. ‘Slow It Down’, featured mouth-ed brass section and rhythm section played on his guitar.  The striped Adam Ant face paint was… interesting… the phrase ‘ridicule is nothing to be scared of’ sprung to mind.  Calum’s only song this year ‘Bug’ was a 100% committed performance with the screamed line ‘I will not stand for this filth’ and a primal, animalistic middle eight thrown in.  Talking of animals, the mellow and thoughtful ‘Death To The Animals’ was dedicated to ‘anyone who enjoys melodrama’ but not necessarily vegetarians.  ‘Tetsuo’ featured classical guitar and veered towards the prog (dangerously?) and was invigorating, quirky and very dark.  ‘A Simple Plan’ featured some seriously good riffing and continued the dark, twisted lyricism.  Calum then threw me completely off guard by playing a quiet, heart-on-sleeve number featuring the line ‘all I want is for you to stop crying’.  The finale was Calum’s greatest hit – the Acoustic Idol runner up ‘First Aid’ and Calum got some of the crowd singing along to the refrain ‘no one gets left on my watch / not anymore’. Quite a rollercoaster of a set from the unique Mr. Haddow – it’s well worth looking up Calum’s MySpace page for the songs and to hear the unusual lyrics.

What?  Another Calum?  Yes, Calum Carlyle this time.  Calum started with his entertaining first song ‘I Am Living Proof’ which was written after a recent experience at The Listening Room.  ‘I am the living proof you can be a hippie and still look good’ was the laugh-inducing refrain sung by Calum in his soaring high baritone.  ‘Shirat HaYam’ (translation: ‘Song of the Sea’) was sung in Hebrew, which was impressive.  ‘The Sound Of Falling In Love At First Sight’ was a mellow, mainly instrumental, John Martyn-esque number which featured some POL-like guitar slapping. Thought-provoking entertainment from Calum.

The newly-bearded Broken Tooth warned the audience that he wouldn’t be ‘talking about or introducing his songs as Jim Igoe will put them in the review’.   Mr. Tooth couldn’t help himself, though – silly chap (heh, heh).  BT started with a hollerin’, rootsy 12-bar which brought us back to basics after the complexity of some of this evening’s songs.  ‘Hearts and Spades’ was an old song recently rediscovered by BT and it was played with more than a hint of soul.  A Led Zep-esque new song, ‘Title Song’, was given the heavy guitar treatment with Stu on shaker.  Watch out for Broken Tooth this Sunday at the Blue Blazer (Ed’s note: too late for this review).

Paul Hughes, of Hughes & McQuade, began with ‘I’m Standing Tall’ which showcased Paul’s strong high-end vocal.  I thought this was a professional performance but Paul apologised at the end for screwing up.  Was ‘Time Ain’t On Your Side’ an answer to The Rolling Stones ’60s classic ‘Time Is On My Side’?  I’m not sure but Paul did say this pleasant, mellow number was one of his favourites.  ‘Walk On’ was an emotional love song which ended a fine set from Paul.

Irishman Ray Kenny started with ‘I’m Not Alone’, which was true as his friends in the audience were very supportive.  The song was well-structured with a nice riff and I detected an American influence in his vocal style.  Away from the music, I thought Ray’s haircut reminded me of Paul Weller’s current barnet.  ‘Soul Searcher’ featured Cajon Stu and Lisa Paton on shaker and the overall effect was rather funky.  Ray’s finale ‘Wall Of Sound’ was about the experience of taking part in a music competition recently and this was my favourite of Ray’s this evening.

Although I’ve know Rob Sproul-Cran for a while, I think this was the first time I’d seen him play a three-song set.  With face liberally painted, ‘She Steals Away’ made me realise what I’ve been missing.  This was an amazing vocal performance, experimental and high-pitched, which fitted neatly with some top guitar-playing and Cajon Stu’s beats.  Rob’s next song was wild – apparently with 9/4 and 4/4 rhythms – soulful and very special indeed.  It reminded me of Plant/Page Unled-ed and also Jeff Buckley, both circa 1994.  Rob’s finale was ‘The Father’, a spoken word piece, quiet and mellow.  I’ll definitely be checking out Rob’s gig list in future.

In an evening dominated by the male of the species, the balance was redressed slightly with one of the very best females on the scene.  A Lisa Paton performance is always special and tonight was no different.  Lisa’s new braided locks and war paint gave her a visual intensity on stage and her first song ‘Tunnel Vision’ was also powerful with Cajon Stu underpinning the strummed mandolin.  The haunting ‘Two Stories’ was spellbinding and seemed totally natural and unforced.  The fantastic ‘Here Come The Vampires’ featured some excellent backing vocals from Stu and Lisa’s vocal performance on this song was immaculate.  A perfect way to end the evening.

Compere: Jim Whyte Sound: Daniel Davis Raffle: Bill Philip Review: James Igoe

P.S. Most of the MySpace links for these artists can be found at the Out
Of The Bedroom MySpace page – www.myspace.com/outofthebedroom.

Now, we have a small note from Jim Igoe: “In a moment of complete humour
bypass and some perversion of political correctness I made a comment in
the OOTB 308 review accusingCalum Carlyle of casual homophobia. Calum is
not homophobic and I made the comment to make some righteous point about
being careful what you say on stage, which seemed obvious and appropriate
when typing the review bleary-eyed at 1.15 in the morning. In the cold
light of day it’s obvious my spurious point should have been dumped
quietly in the recycle bin. Many apologies to Calum who was completely
innocent of all charges.”

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is fitting that Calum Haddow is our Featured Artist tomorrow night, as he’s just supplied us with quite possibly the greatest review ever penned under the OOTB banner. (see below) I was going to include the review I did for the week previous, but to be honest, it doesn’t compare, so I won’t. I’ll send it once you all have a chance to calm down again.

As for the man himself… horror stories told beautifully, kinda like
Poltergeist – The Musical. The last time I saw Calum, I had tears in my eyes by the end. It is gripping, awesome, and unmissable.

For now, though, behold….

OOTB 26/6/08

Konichiwa b*tches.

Now then. You and I are to have words. You weren’t there. You don’t know. You’ll never know. OOTB shifted on its very foundations and microphones and electrics slipped away through the cracks in the earth. We huddled together for warmth around a table and sang our little hearts out. And you will never know what it felt like. Because you were too busy watching the football. Well, I hope that worked out for you. I hope that worked out just dandy. Because while you were sitting on your sofa screaming like a startled chimp at a box that will never scream back, we were all in the Canon’s Gait with our music.

I wasn’t even going to tell you the details, because frankly you don’t deserve them, but then my dark shell cracked and a tiny glint of light came through. So I’ll give you just the tiniest insight into what you’ve missed.

When all the wires have been pulled out and the hum of the amps have died down, a guitar sounds very different. The echoes ring around the corners of the room and feel like they’re tumbling around in the dust. It is, however, voices that benefit the most. Silence between words carries weight and intent and paralysis sets in as your body is pinned to your seat by the words. Nothing gets lost between monitors and back-line, no signals get altered by slides and twists, every note is a note and a nothing more. Songs can breathe easier in the open air. No cables twist around their throats. I’m sure Davie-o is about ready to send out his attack dogs any moment now. He’s held a piece of our clothing in front of their noses and they have picked up our scent.

People talked to one another. This! This! This is what I got into music for. After the end of the song, people would ask about the lyrics, they would gently probe and find out the inspirations and ideas that went into the work. Last Thursday did not feel like an open mic night. Last Thursday felt like a roomful of friends with guitars. Last Thursday was a genuine light in a dark world. And you weren’t there. Egos seem to have been left at the door, there was no strict three song limit, people just played as many as they fancied. Know what? Nobody overdid it. Nobody outstayed their welcome. Whoever was up would play a few then graciously pass on the next person.

And the songs, ah the songs Jim, they’d melt your face. I was actually making a point of not mentioning anyone that played*, but I feel that honourable mention should at least be made to our featured act for the evening, Pip Robinson. This was the first time I’d seen her play, but then I haven’t actually been at OOTB for a while because I am a fool and a hypocrite. I have to say though, I think her music particularly suited the odd setting for the night, it seemed to swell and condense, the (notable) dynamics of the songs being boosted by the acoustic set-up and the enraptured audience. Her lyrics carefully avoided the open mic trap of drifting past opaque and into seemingly indecipherable. However, she managed to retain a very elegant grasp on her subject matter and her songs were as emotionally accessible as they were beautifully considered.

And you will get nothing more from me.

*Actually, on this note I would like to apologise to anyone who was desperately wanting to be reviewed, because its not going to happen. I want to make sure that the others learn their lesson for the next time. The only people that are going to know how good you were will be the people in that room on that night, and that is the way that I want it to stay. We will all carry these secret memories around our necks and keep them with us until the very day we die. They will be ours and ours alone. And plus this way it leaves less room for my petty sniping.

Review: Calum Haddow

OOTB 306 – 19.06.08
Nigel Ashworth, Pol Arida, Miss Fi, Broken Tooth, Colin, Mick and Jeff, Nyk Stoddart, Ross Neilson, Calum Carlyle, Al and Al, Francis Hayes, Susanna MacDonald, Rob Sproul-Cran

Nigel Ashworth I’ve been here four times, so it feels like home,   he says. Poor man, he’s only been home four times! Must keep getting locked out or something. His first, ‘For real’ is earnest and honest, hard and minor. Are you ready for my real?   he sings. He could mean ‘reel’, but I don’t see much dancing going on. I guess we weren’t ready for it. ‘Standing on the rocks’ has the guitar rhythmically mimicking the vox nicely. Evocative fantasy, when I was Captain of the starship, I saved the world.   ‘Stereo’ is fast and empowering, why live in Mono, when the world is in Stereo?   When he starts singing about stereo love,   though, the mind boggles.

Interesting fact #1: Mono   is Spanish for Monkey.

Pol Arida ‘Where the birds fall’ (not ‘burds’, mind, this isn’t Subway Cowgate now, people) Actually, I didn’t catch any of the words, so maybe that’s exactly what it’s about. Starts funky; goes punky. ‘The death bed song’ follows. In high vox, he sings I’ll see your face, when I sleep alone.   It is distinctive and pulsing, though with the muted hard rock, I can’t imagine it being sung at a death bed. ‘Catch the wind’ is about guilt for poverty. It’s pretty harsh stuff, no-one is there for you now.   Pol has a trademark tapping method for playing guitar. This is no doubt effective, but with all his songs played like that, you wonder whether they would stand up to being played straight. It would be like turning Edge’s effects box off.

Miss Fi We were taken in by your impish grin.   Of whom this speaks, I do not know, but it feels familiar. It’s light and bouncy with staccatos on the verses. ‘False again’ is beautiful and soft, in 6/8 time. If I’ve been with other men, I’ve always thought of you.   Quietly affecting, it gets pin-drop silence. In contrast, ‘Dancing Bears’ is a rousing little number about office monotony. Karen helps on harmonies from the back. Catchy and memorable.

Interesting fact #2: Frank Oz, who voiced Fozzie Bear in the Muppets, appears in The Blues Brothers as a prison guard.

Broken Tooth in 2005

Broken Tooth ‘Title Song’ belies his usual blues lean, with time signatures liberally draped all over the place, but the intellectual musings mean it’s lyrically familiar, power is an illusion  . Good hooks, though. ‘Riding on the rails’ is back to blues. Gonna find me a sweet, little Creole woman, when I get back to New Orleans   Yes, we could all do with one of them, but I haven’t been New Orleans, and I’m not sure he has either. I don’t know why I believe Robert Plant more when he sings that sort of thing, I doubt he’s ever seen a levee, but for BT there’s a lyrical honesty that, for the minute, doesn’t match up to the impassioned delivery. ‘Hold Fast’ is a rampant sea-faring epic, like if Admiral Nelson did death metal.

Interesting fact #3: John Lee Hooker was not actually a hooker.

Colin He prefers to perform sans microphone, so he can freely address the crowd (and read his lyrics). We begin with an encounter with a vagabond and his muckle Alsatian.   More than that I didn’t catch, but the hearty laughs suggest top-notch lyrics. He follows with a tear-jerker, and our second (see Pol) song of the night about the loss of a lifetime companion. When you’re gone, can I call you?   Pretty moving. Colin’s trick is to sing the unexpected, as he does with his last one. He’s four score and some, so singing ’tis our delight on a Saturday night, to neck a load of beer   and as I took up with a wenching   is warmly comic. Cracking.

Mick and Jeff Blues for two. Catchy melodies and intermittent harmonies produce a set it’s near impossible not to smile to. What price do I pay when love drifts away forever?   The camaraderie is the real draw here. Further proof, if any were needed after Colin, of the youth-giving properties of song. Their second continues the lost-love theme, Who’s left to pick up the pieces?   (Average White Band, anyone?) From the jaunty but melancholy, we head for good ole blues, carried with authenticity, and an altogether more uplifting air, Do you remember me? It’s your baby boy back on the scene.   Hope they stay on this scene.

Nyk Stoddart ‘Another Song’ features some of the most feverish and pounding acoustic guitar you’re likely to hear. Basking in his ironies, Nyk is overflowing with confidence, and some sight to see. ‘Fake Jazz’ is a deft critique, too many diminished chords  , which only works because he’s actually quite good. The only way to take the piss is to do it better than the original. I think he gets there. ‘Gimp boy’ (no explanation needed) has people weeping. I think it was from laughter. Nyk is getting to the point that total strangers will get the joke.

Ross (Leslie) Neilson The Zen schoolteacher is making steady improvement in both his vocal quality and his onstage confidence. I’d like to see Ross do a comedy number, because his stuff at the minute verges on the serious. He reels out countless licks, but I couldn’t hum one now, and I do wonder backing from a full band would help with that and the overall impact. The other thing is, I’m sure there’s plenty of creative originality in his head, but when we have to fill in the blanks, I just end up humming Oasis or The Verve again. I’m pleased to see fingerpickin on his last, though, ‘Lock and Key’.

Calum Carlyle Wins the silly-tie competition hands down. Skillful pick-work brings out ‘One Hit Wonder’, which extols the virtues of ripping off other songs, but succeeds through the irony of being strongly original itself, the words were blowing and I picked them up.   His second, ‘Dreaming of you’, is about a girl he was yet to meet, which he dedicates to his (now) girlfriend. But then he’d have to, really. ‘The sound of falling in love at first sight’ is a good choice, if only because writing the title takes up half the word count for each review. You see, I’ve no space left to write about it. It’s very good.

Al and Al Can you be too good? There’s a great interplay between this guitar and bass duo, melodies on both instruments intertwining, but it feels like they would be as proficient even if no-one was listening. Because of this, and the late hour, the audience starts to drift off. If they were to cock an ear, though, they’d be treated to a honey bass voice that’s used as a tenor, and beautiful flourishes and harmonics on guitar. They finish with ‘Trees’, which is a love song to the aforementioned. Not in that way, though. Well, I hope not. Anyway, its seriously impressive stuff, hope they come back.

Francis Hayes A wee squashee tonight, with ‘Go go go.’ This one highlights his vocal impact and range well, and the boy can sing. It’s about looking for rejection from some object of love already deemed out of his reach. Now then, people, lighters aloft.

Susanna MacDonald This girl doesn’t give half-arsed performances. Tonight she plays ‘Graffiti’, and whilst this doesn’t quite reach the astonishing, psychological meltdown of ‘Buddha the Cyborg’, this is still arresting and compelling. The guitar is positively predatory – it sounds like it’s stalking the vocals down a dark alleyway. Creepy.

Rob Sproul-Cran [Calum Haddow reviewed my stint. Most of you will know from his featured slot last week just how damaged he is. If not, here’s proof]: Rob wore a stunning cravat. Many men wept in a sad mixture of jealousy and impotent rage. He delivered a blistering thrash master-class, often using his feet as a substitute for the deafening double kick pedals that no doubt accompanied the original studio recording. His screams often worried me; the blood vessels in his neck arcing and standing to attention like a jungle of worms above his shoulders. Devastating. it is a fucking tie.   Next up was a small insight into Edinburgh’s hip-hop community. His skillz were setting the place on fire, each output crafter from the illest rhymes this side of Sighthill. He challenged Bill to a rap battle, and really laid down on his behind. Bill’s rep was left in tatters, and Rob came out with little more than a vague sense of disappointment. Oh, and did I mention, tonight’s theme was ‘Ties and Lies.’

This is why you never, never let Calum Haddow do a review for you.

You lucky, lucky people. Not only do you get the pleasure of two quality
reviews in one day, but the splendiferous Thorn’s Musical Journey will be
Featured tomorrow night. An angelic voice wrapped in a bearded package,
tied with a bow, YOU MUST see Thorn before he disappears back Stateside to
do awesome battle with the men in black.

Be there.

In the mean time, enjoy this offering by the man himself.

—————————-
OOTB 304 Review 5 June 2008
By Darren Thornberry

Dr. Ben Young
“Battle of the Bands” – I love this classic indictment of those
regurgitating rock n rollers. When Ben sings, “There are so many like you,
singing with nothing to say,” a dozen people come to mind (no oot-bites,
of course). Ben’s next tune is a peek into the stark, stubborn loneliness
of a relationship on the rocks that lacks an obvious exit strategy.
Completing the trio, “In the Garden” is Ben’s mother’s take on a Rumi poem
that leaves this writer wanting more. Nature metaphors are abundant.

Calum Carlyle August 2008

Calum Carlyle lets his blues guns rip with a superb harmonica-soaked
outing. John Lee Hooker and now Bo Diddley turned in their graves while he
groaned, “I don’t need your body; I just need your soul!!!” Next is an
early autumn love-type song that turns doo-bee-doo free jam. He’s clearly
on a roll and thus ends with an interpretation of the Israelites’ song of
deliverance as read in Exodus. He sings it … in Hebrew. As you do.

I daresay tonight’s only keyboardist and old friend of OOTB, Roddy
Renfrew, steals the show before it’s really begun. His first song is about
missing the signs of a relationship in trouble. The chords recall “Mack
the Knife.” With the sentimental stuff out of the way, Roddy cracks the
house up with his ode to singer-songwriters, who write songs of blame
after break-ups. “There Must Be Something Wrong With My Baby (Or Something
Must be Wrong With Me)” is hilarious, really. Musical farting and the
sexual prowess of pandas are all fair game. “I Don’t Want To Be Blue
Again” is a rhyme-laden ditty about the horrors of Tory leadership.
Sample: “I believe in a place called Balamory, but I just can’t believe
there is a place for the Tories.” Funny stuff met with loud applause.

Colin Milne always has interesting lyrics. Tonight he sings of Julie, the
girl behind the bar in Haddington, where the folk group meets on
Wednesdays. Unfortunately, I’m not hearing his vocals very well, but I
know his next tune is about the garden and the things you will find there
… blackbirds, gooseberries, heather … Colin winds up his nylon-stringed
set with one he penned in 1982, a happy moment when summer wildflowers
were in bloom and no shadow was cast on love’s pleasure.

SQUASHEE and OOTB neophyte James Ellis (do I detect an Aussie accent?)
strums a song about breaking the wings of a stone. Jesus and his bride
also get a mention, and I am wishing I could read between the lines of
this lovely song. Hope to hear you again soon, sir.

MAIN ACT LORRAINE McCAULEY
“Daydreaming” makes me want to lie down in a canoe, sun on my face, and
float downstream. This quiet tune gets in ya. “I’m Yours” describes the
pain of loving the one who hurts you while needing time and space to heal.
Over a simple, effective strum pattern, Lorraine’s “dreams are in tatters
on the floor.” She’s trying to finish a pint of Guinness between songs and
next up is the first one she wrote in the Burgh. It contains the standout
line of the evening: “the clouds overdosed in moisture and I overdosed on
you.” A new song, “Light in the Darkest Corners,” follows. Anyone who’s
ever heard a voice instructing not to get their hopes up will identify
with it immediately. Lorraine has a presence not unlike Dolores O’Riordan
circa 1991, her voice dripping tenderness. Now she brings along Eddie
Robinson and Chris Purcell of Broken Lights to share in the moment. The
trio perform Eddie’s “Outskirts,” which people love, but I am wondering if
our main act might have been slightly lost while finding that harmony.
Either that or I just couldn’t hear her vocal. Next is a cool song (The
Right Time?) by Chris that draws on some CSN harmonies. Lorraine gets back
in the song writing saddle for the finale. “What If” sees Chris and Eddie
accompanying on harmonica and guitar, respectively. It’s a quality set and
to be fair I would like to have heard more of her original tunes because
Broken Lights are a tour de force in their own right. But it was a
generous move on her part anyway. www.myspace.com/lorrainemccauley

Ross Neilson, the zen schoolteacher, blasts into his set with an up tempo
flamethrower of a song in which someone’s bad hair is called into
question. It’s a good night for Ross. He turns a couple of really nice
phrases. Song 2 sample: “burdened in my mind like a plane flies through
dark skies.” Song 3 sample: “Like a subscription she’s been cancelled.”
His set has a brooding edge to it tonight, and I would hate to be the
jilted lover at the wrong end of his pen.

SQUASHEE: Ray Kenny performs a sincere song regarding his father’s bout
with Parkinson’s. Slipping away is the theme. I can’t help but try to
juxtapose this with the message on his T-shirt, “too busy to fcuk” and I
come up short.

You know that girl on the train you talk to and then never see again? Tom
Bunn has written a song about her! “Girl on the Train” is a nice starter
from this uni student who has wisely branched out into Edinburgh’s greater
open mic scene. In “Come Back,” autumn leaves are liberated from their
trees. This song has a traditional folk sound and would definitely fly at
the Royal Oak, too. Tom has a nice finish, remembering cold winter
mornings and walking home on rainy days. He’s a capable guitarist and a
good singer, too. See you again, Tom.

Hughes and McQuade – a likeable duo with quality songs! “Na Na Na” is a
cool sing-along blighted by our sound problems (sorry guys). “Come On
Home” shows off a tasty lead lick. “Keep Going” recalls the singer’s
boyhood dream in which he clearly refused to quit! I don’t yet know which
one is Hughes or McQuade, but they possess a great combination of a strong
vocalist and tight guitar interplay.

Eddie and Ivor
Eddie Robinson has probably had enough smoke blown up his arse lately in
the open mic scene, but I have to say it’s well deserved. He has some
songs. Go check out Machar Granite on myspace to hear his solo stuff. For
his last song, Eddie brings along Ivor, who is tattooed and buff,
something like a sailor on steroids, but shit the guy plays beautiful
harmonic notes to offset Ed’s strumming on “Lie of the Land.” I take this
as a song of lament. That is to say I’m tearing up when I hear “If you had
any idea about the lie of the land upon the soil, you would not place such
great demand.” Class song.

Squashee Kevin O’Rourke comes around every now and then to show off his
song writing chops and play guitar. His usual gig as keyboardist for
Smoked Glass can’t contain this guy. “It’s time to face the music that
we’ll never dance again” … ah, a waltzy number, a veritable feast of achy
minors, that causes any warm-blooded lover to bob their head mournfully.
Not me, though. Ahem.

OOTB 303 – 29 May 2008

Nick Splinter Smith, Cate McDonald, Passenger (Featured Act), Francis Hayes, Ghostboy, Paul Hughes, Rosie Bell, Nigel Ashworth

Nigel Ashworth
He offers immediate intrigue, with ‘Another Autometer’. He lets rip by the
end, but the drive is always lyrical. ‘Passers-by’ recants adolescent
years in a harsh light, with forceful minor chords, and lots of space
around them for effect. It’s all pretty epic. Like the trees on the hill,
you pass me by  . ‘Sweet vulnerability’ talks of the finest points of love
as compromise. For the sake of audience impact, he could knock a verse or
two off each of these songs, but the quality is good.

Rosie Bell
‘Why don’t you meet my friend?’ Rosie is entertaining and acerbic as ever
with this tale of (I think) taking boys home with disastrous consequences.
Follows with ‘Hallelujah’, which is about the world and its dog murdering
that song, The critic will write how this wrecked his night.   Thank god
I never sang it (in public)! Finishes with a softer one about leaving,
maybe, He’s out there by the side of the road, forever.

Paul Hughes
His voice is the awesome driving force in all of Paul’s stuff. As it
should be, because he can seriously sing. On ‘Time’, his style may best be
described as lilting power-rock, if only because his tunes are so littered
with melodic hooks. Also the case with ‘I don’t know what I’d do’. Other
players would make ten songs out of his three. His last contrasts a light
treatment with a heavy subject matter, that of infidelity and its
repercussions. Effective, though even a light treatment sees the vocal
chords hit the back wall.

Ghostboy
In his particular high-tenor, he sings I’ve lost all feeling.   He follows
with, unusually fast and off-beat for Ghostboy, ‘My point of view’. It’s
good to hear new stuff from him, as I believe this was. It seems to be
more self-aware than previous offerings, too, there’s an irony there that
is to be welcomed. Ends with a favourite, as he sings I’ve fallen down
again.   Either a song about wrenching depression, or Humpty Dumpty… you
decide.

Francis Hayes
Second up in our ‘Lungs the size of Finland’ category tonight, Francis,
like Paul, can also belt a tune or two. Likewise, he underpins this with a
sort of power ballad, but this is more of the fingerpickin variety. Fine
stuff. His second is of a love that’s not to be, I won’t speak because
you’re spoken for,   which is just as well, because he forgets the words
one verse in. Did he ever get the girl? Who knows? A third, ‘I will hear
you’ is given full energy to compensate, I will soothe your cries.
Squeezes in a cheeky fourth, ‘Runaround’, which features nice transition
between full voice and falsetto. I hope he doesn’t make the mistakes I’ve
made   What, like forgetting a crib sheet? Joking.

Passenger (Featured Act)
Few acts are brazen and audacious enough to wangle a featured slot on the
back of the promotional busking they’ve been doing only since they got
into Edinburgh that morning. Few are this good. We gave them the slot on a
whim and they delivered, not only in Bums-On-Seats, but with a top set.
There’s an obvious Turin Brakes comparison to get out the way, suffice to
say that I doubt even the Brakes would produce a sound this full with only
two guitars. This is thanks in part to the immaculate interplay honed from
hours of busking and performing. Lyrics like My girlfriend’s not
impressed. I should call her my ex-girlfriend, I guess,   hit the mark
between humour and sympathy, especially in their pleading delivery. All
the girls swoon in unison. ‘Things you’ve never done’ continues the
reflective mood, You’ve blown out all your candles one by one.   Next,
the lead singer takes one by himself, and if it’s as new as he claims,
does a very good job. ‘Table for one’ builds from soft to roaring, and
shows off impressive control from both. The set as a whole is carried off
with verve by a group clearly on the ascendancy. I’ve written down the
best line of the last song as example lyrics, but as they’re the
denouement, I can’t tell you – you’ll just have to go see these guys. I
would.

Cate McDonald
Has to follow that, and wisely goes for low key, with intricate
finger-picking and low vocals. She a little over-awed by the previous
performance, but needn’t be. On her second, ‘Serbian Rain’…Falls like
shrapnel   It’s political and genuine, but doesn’t preach, and thrives on
its hard and energetic nature. ‘Liffey River Homesickness’ is about
searching for someone, but not finding them, I always wake up in my own
bed, alone.   As this girl improves with every visit, I want to see more of
this.

Nick Splinter Smith
Opens with the punchy and frankly scary ‘Wanna Piece?’ He sings, Can you
feel my vision?   We have no choice. At this point Nick offers his arse for
sale, a highlight of anyone’s set, I’m sure you’ll agree. ‘Harmony’
follows. Lofty or lowly, the sun shines fairly on your faces.   It’s
prophetic and powerful, and he manages to reference just about ever 20th
century song in it, to boot. Ends with a rambling blues funk. It’s a fine
close to a night of superior quality.

OOTB 302 – 22 May 2008

Performers: Iain &Phil, Broken Tooth, Fiona Thom, Stephen Harrison, Nyk Stoddart, Lindsay Sudgen and The Storm, Ross Nielson, Johnny Pugh, Julian, Pip Robinson, Indigo Rose, Furious, Chris

Iain and Phil kick off OOTB 302 with their new song Local Derby Blues  . Their synchronised vibrant strumming gets the foot tapping, as we hear of hard and grey streets  , and patrons much the same  , a clever dig at fans of the beautiful game. The song is complemented by some intricate guitar work high up the fret board from Phil (I think), before the ‘quick chord change’ chorus. An effervescent playful opener. Their second, which I’m guessing was called When the Sun runs out of time  , again layered some carefully chosen finger picked notes, over an urgent chord progression. The chorus had some of the audience singing along, and in spite of hearing them for the first time tonight, I found myself joining in with the last chorus. Good catchy song, with a memorable hook line, and a strong vocal. The final song saw a quick detuning before Iain sang about writing a novel, over the pedal drone, and riff of Phil’s guitar. The detuned guitars gave the duo a really thick warm sound, which complemented the heartfelt lyrics about the test of time   and a heart that healed inside  . A great idea (novel you might say) for lyric content, and a fitting end to an enjoyable set from this rhythmic combo.

Broken Tooth Following some unashamed flaunting of his proficient finger tapping technique, Broken Tooth wastes no time in dropping both the E strings to D, and launching into Hoodoo Man  . The dropped D tuning allows minor 3rd pull offs over the chords, lending a blues edge to his hardened acoustic sound. This provides the perfect foundation for his gravelly, howling vocal, instantly recognisable from the first syllable. There is an underlying tension to the verse which explodes in the chorus, and it takes little imagination to envisage this in a full rock band arrangement. The second song ‘borderline’ continues in a similar vein, beginning with some rapid finger work and furious strumming. The lyrical content shifts away from the psychedelic imagery of his first, into a bitter nonchalance of a past relationship (well that’s what I got from it anyway)- ‘you go your way, I’ll go mine’. Whatever the reference, the song as a whole was a perfect vehicle for Jim to let rip on the vocal chords, and he gladly obliges. His final song exhibited a different style altogether from the blues driven rock that I have previously enjoyed. ‘Dust Around the Sun’ shows that Jim is no ‘quick playing, loud singing’ one trick pony. The delicate guitar shapes itself around the apocalyptic existentialism of the lyrics: ‘When all is said and done/all that’s to come, is dust around the sun’. A thought provoking end to a set that is of the high standard that you come to expect from the refined bluesman.

Fiona Thom- Next up in a squashee slot, we have Fiona Thom, and her song ‘The Next Room’, a chirpy, catchy tale of the enforced experience of listening to the fornication of others. The vocal line leaps around freely, which complements the upbeat chord progression, and Fiona’s ability to craft her lyrics so that they echo the sentiments of the melody, without losing their story telling capacity is admirable. Our compere warned the audience that having heard this song once, we should not soon forget it. In my case, this has proven to be prophetic, as I keep catching myself humming it. Good stuff, and it was a shame that we could only be treated to one song tonight.

Stephen Harrison- Stephen takes to the stage sporting a maroon Epiphone electric guitar, the latter being something of a rarity for OOTB, I am led to believe. She Certainly Was   began with some quirky, fragmented chords, which sounded really crisp on the electric. The lyrics are brooding, and dark, telling the tale of a girl who said there would be no other  , and clearly fell back on the promise. The repetition of the chords encourages one to concentrate on the vocal, but also lend an almost hypnotic effect, to the bassy timbre of Stephen’s voice. It reminds me a little of Edwyn Collins. In Shadows on the Wall   the use of extended chords imparts a wistful quality to the song, which is also reflected in the prolonged notes in the vocal, and introspective lyrics. I felt that this song had a distinct Brit Pop feel to it, and wouldn’t have looked out of place on a Pulp album from that era. The final line Not shadows at all   emphasises the sentiments of the whole song, and the change in the chord progression in conjunction with this line framed the song nicely. His last, Garbo Smiles  , I found the most intriguing song of the set. Its chromatic movements, minor key, and dischords, seemed to do battle with the fragile poignancy of the lyrics such as I believe I found you innocent  . The move to major chords in what I took to be the chorus had a similar effect to the soaring middle eight of Coldplay’s God Put a Smile on Your Face  . A great end to an enjoyable set.

Nyk Stoddart- Having witnessed the realisation of the musical potential of a pine cone the last time I saw Nyk, I was prepared for anything but the expected from Mr Stoddart tonight. Again, he failed to disappoint. Tonight, the subject of Nyk’s inimitable style, is Tombstoning  ; I hear this is a favourite amongst those in the know, however it is the first time I have heard it. Nyk embarks upon tonight’s musical journey with the usual ferocity, soon uttering the line I hope someone notices the sound is gone  – such is the panache of the man, I’m not sure if this is some sort of philosophical observation, or a purely ad hoc plea to the sound desk. Anyway, in spite of some of the more whimsical lyrics (I am an idiot  ), the chorus line what do you want, written on your grave   is a chilling and effective message to practitioners of the eponymous activity. Nyk seems to treat all common notions of tonality with reckless abandon, yet it all still makes sense. In conjunction with his unique lyrical observations, this performance confirms Nyk as an irreplaceable facet to the Edinburgh open mic circuit.

Lindsay Sudgen and The Storm
Our main act tonight sees a wealth of musical talent take to the Out Of The Bedroom stage: Lindsay is accompanied by a cellist, glockenspiel player (not sure about the correct terminology for that) and backing vocalist, as well as (what I hear was) a djembe player/ harmonicist. However, the first song makes it clear that this is a very tight knit unit, with each part blending together into a beautiful whole. I Know Its Odd   begins with fingerpicked, medieval sounding chords, reminiscent of some of The Strawbs   acoustic stuff. Thankfully, Lindsay’s voice is a million miles away from Dave Cousin’s much ostracised vocal style, the words at times only breathed into the microphone, yet still audible over the accompaniment. The lyrics are ethereal, and ambiguous, and I would probably be doing them an injustice if I tried to interpret them. I get the impression that this may even be the point.  Anyway a really beautiful song, expertly performed. Beyond These Walls  , includes an aching cello line, and some fantastic backing vocal lines from ‘Indigo Rose’ (who we shall hear more of later). It would be easy given the many layers of sound, to forget to acknowledge the complexity of Lindsay’s guitar work, yet in this song particularly, there are some elegant chords, and musical ideas on show. The chorus evoked feelings of painful hopelessness that Nothing will ever change  , and the delivery of each line was perfectly weighted by Lindsay’s voice. Their third Song was On the Wire  . As a newcomer to the Edinburgh music scene, I only saw Lindsay perform for the first time at OOTB 300 with this song. It really stood out for me then, and tonight, with the support of a band, it really was exceptional. It had some thought provoking lyrics (I particularly liked Its just desire/ or its all illusion), which were delivered with some exquisite harmonies. The song was well structured, and the djembe gave it real direction, particularly when the tempo increased towards the end. I thought that this song best combined the otherworldly aspect of Lindsay’s sound, and a commercial catchy hook. I didn’t catch the name of the next one, but I’ve just written down on the back of my raffle ticket/notepad, Harmonica Song  . Here Lindsay exhibited her versatility in reverting to the accompaniment of her guitar alone, and the wailing vibratos of her harmonica player. The latter made lines such as she gives up on everything she loves  , and nothing can take the pain away  , all the more anguished. A haunting finesse of a song. Towards the end of the set, I was rapidly running out of raffle ticket space on which to write notes, so the remainder of the review is done from some indecipherable scribbles, and memory. Time Stands Still   struck me as a highly polished song, with some innovative guitar work, and delicate vocals, supplemented by the pizzicato of the cello. Their last which I think may have been called All the Simple Things  , had a slightly rockier edge, some of it comparable to Incubus’ less heavy stuff. Although somewhat of a departure from the other songs of the set, Lindsay’s voice rose to the change in direction well. If truth be told, my notes for this act were pretty rubbish because I remember being totally immersed throughout the set. The quality of the performance from all four musicians was equalled by the musicianship in the songwriting, and although this review may not ably reflect this, the audience was mesmerised by a stunning set.

Ross Nielson
Ross begins aggressively with staccato punchy chords, grabbing the audience’s attention. His voice is a piercing sneer, somewhere between Kurt Cobain, and Richard Ashcroft, and is well formed to his edgy, acoustic rock. Its hard to remember/when so many things are in disguise   he sings. His second, which I believe was called If I can Find My Change of Heart  , has a pressing, urgent feel to it, the lyrics forcing the song forward. The song seems to be a desperate recognition of a doomed situation, lamenting the enemy inside me   who wants to take control  . There is an anger to the song, which could be aimed either at himself or the situation he is in. An engaging performance, where the audience truly believes the torment exhibited by the lyrics. His final song is kinda angsty  , beginning with power chords, and leading to a Pixies influenced chorus, where Ross yells I wish you were eighteen  . Ross claims that this song supports the feminist movement  ; to say that this was met with scepticism would be something of an understatement. In spite of this, Ross’ acoustic rock is always a breath of fresh air, and his enthusiasm in performance is infectious to his audience.

I now hand over the pen to Rob Sproul-Cran, as I play a few songs…

Johnny Pugh I don’t know if his writing the review helped stretch his creative muscles beforehand, but Johnny pulled out a cracker tonight. His starts with fine fingerpicking, singing, …sends me to hell tonight…   The contrast of harsh lyrics and soft guitar is effective. I’ll teach you to dance like the wind,   he sings on his second, a love song told in retrospect. Emotional honesty typifies the set. On his third, ‘Inertia’, the guitar is again sparse, leaving room for the delivery to shine. I’ve seen him more excitable before, but this set from Johnny shows control, and is more affecting as a result. He’s really come on hugely, someone give the man a featured slot.

Julian

Next up is Julian. His first song is written in French, so I cannot really comment on the lyrics. However, whatever he was singing, the jazzy rhythms and the two chord progression, made him sound effortlessly cool. I can imagine the words having a real attitude. His second has a discordant beginning, before transforming into a Radiohead-esque, trance like song. Julian’s voice has moved away from the affected tone of the first song, to a haunting falsetto, singing of trying to survive  . His last, we are told, is his effort to put his fears into a song, and it is an unsettling (in a good way) listen. The sturm und drang   of the repeated chords, and piercing notes matched the pain in the lyrics: He never missed me in the end  . The song briefly moves to a major sound, which conveys a sense of hope to the sorrow that is alluded to in the lyrics, giving the song a good balance. It really sounds like a catharsis, and is a both inspiring, and troubling listen. Good stuff.

Pip Robinson

This is the first that I have heard of Pip, and I am instantly taken aback by her beautifully clear, and textured voice. At times strong, and determined, at others cracked and nuanced, it has a uniquely pure sound. Her first called Days  , uses a reiterated gently finger picked descending chord progression, and tells the tale of the memories of days gone by  , with regret. The song doesn’t really have what you would call a chorus, but the change of rhythm and melody in the vocal line, and occasional alterations to the soothing chord progression ensure interest. Her second, entitled Footprints  , (and not fit prince   which is what I originally wrote down), is an enchanting song, with some great use of imagery: I liked the line about the shadows taking their form. The rhythmic slapping of the guitar body (which I was recently informed is termed gull slapping apparently), works particularly well here, keeping the song moving. This song had a mystical quality, and this is reflected in the final line and the dreams begin  . She finishes with a new song, a tale of loss entitled Forgotten Smiles  , which has a catchy chorus hook of Forgotten Smile, forgotten tear/ Memories from a distant year  . Pip’s voice is well suited to this subject matter, as her excellent vocal control is able to import empathy into the meaning of her lyrics. I hope to hear her again soon.

Indigo Rose

Our last 3 song set of the night is from Indigo Rose. She begins with a song about remembering old romances, and more specifically, looking up ex boyfriends on google. The latter is highly commended by our compere in a brief diatribe against successful old flames after the set. However, the song is not about stalking at all, but rather about remembering having all the confidence of youth  . The use of natural imagery and French in the lyrics, added a touch of romance to the song as a whole, and worked well… Given this set and Julian’s, I must remember to bring a dictionary next time. Her second has a really innovative chord progression, and jazzy rhythms. I wasn’t sure where the music was going to go next, and this unpredictability, juxtaposed with sweet lyrics such as I walk on air/ just ’cause you’re there  , evoked the first feelings of falling in love particularly well. If this wasn’t enough, there was also a whistle interlude. Ace. The set finishes with Melancholy Baby  , an uplifting and carefree, song. Blue is the colour of your world   she sings, before asserting Melancholy Baby, its not worth that  . This was probably my favourite of the set, the lyrical content being well matched by the singer’s dulcet tones, which took on a different timbre when it was unleashed as a solo vocal. This set showed a completely different aspect to her artistry from her performance with Lindsay and the Storm, and a very enjoyable one at that.

Furious Furious opens with the immortal line Hello, I’m Furious  , before delivering a funny, and, well, furious tribute to Scotland. In the style of Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire  , Furious lists all the things that are wrong with being a Scot, such as pale skin etc, before asserting Ah forget about it/ I love Scottish Weather  , to chords which make him sound as if he is proclaiming some great new truth. A brilliantly funny, ‘no place like home’ example of Scottish character.

Chris

Chris’ second appearance at OOTB was unfortunately cut short by the demands of time. However, the one song he did manage to play, Stay  , was an enjoyable one. I particularly liked the line When you asked me what I’d be like alone/ I didn’t cry for nothing  . The lyrics are emotional, but they were suitably understated by the singer, which was most effective. A shame that this was cut short, I would have liked to have heard more.

Review: Johnny Pugh (and Rob Sproul-Cran), Compere: Rosie Bell, Sound: Daniel Davis

For now, enjoy the venerable Calum Haddow’s review. We would list the
performers, but it was…well, everyone.
Enjoy.

OOTB 08/05/2008

OOTB 300. My word. I feel old. I was actually looking at the pictures from
the 200th night on the interporn just the other night – I played there
myself, it seems like a month ago, 2 months tops. And yet there it is,
another 100 Thursdays under our belts. I feel like a proud father.

Spartans! March! Onwards! A colossal weight of sound; The crushing power
of 300 open mic-ers descending on the invading Persian Empire. Scott
Renton lays down ancient Spartan law. I actually got the feeling that
night that if I was struck down that very second, I would die a happy man.
I walked in and my first impression was “OMG chuffing cake for everyone”.
I stood in the middle of the Canon’s Gait, pint in one hand and cake in
the other with my friends playing me wonderful music. A man really doesn’t
need much more in this life.

Chris Brown was up first. A full 5 years (and 1 child) since the first
time he’d played at OOTB, he gave us “Chameleon” tonight. The guitar
scuttles along beside a river. The chorus throws itself up and down the
fretboard as the vocals rise higher and higher. “Don’t lose the sense of
all you are”.

Darren Thornberry, tonight dressed as some kind of Spartan playgroup
leader, soothed us with the instrumental “Chips and Curry”. Bright,
glittering fingerpicking has a quiet conversation with itself. Light
touches of vibrato make the notes sing. He has “sticky fingers”. I blame
the cake. Awesome though it is. To quote Mr Renton, “a combination of
children’s toys and women’s clothes”.

Sharon King was out first débutante. Her guitar had a wonderful wooden,
surfy sound. And she had a fancy doodad in her hat. Syncopated and
mournful, but the occasional E maj chucked in catches you unaware and
unsettles the minor key. Soft vocals swell up with poise and urgency. It
would be lovely to see a little more of her, hopefully she can come back
another night and we could get a full 3 songs from her.

Eddie followed. For tonight I shall call him Supermassive Eddie, due to
his impressive stature. I actually bumped into Supermassive Eddie at a gig
organised by the Mighty Ben Young (more on him later), and I promised I
would give him a glittering write up. And with good reason. He rules.
Arpeggios are built upon until they grow into a fine weave. Fear and
uncertainty circle each other. The strumming grows and swells, feeling
like water pressing up against a dam with the constant threat of bursting
out.

Nyk has branched (no pun intended) out, recruiting the help of Broken
Tooth on Pinecone Kazoo. I’ll say that one more time, Pinecone Kazoo.
Another odd sentence now; Mutant Zombies win by a remarkable landslide
victory. There are times I am genuinely scared of this man. This…
enigma… this… maelstrom of a man. I’m not sure, but I think this is
what drugs sound like. Utterly remarkable.

Ross Neilson is going to prematurely ejaculate. Everywhere. His words, not
mine. “There’s something in the darkness and I don’t know what it means”.
A constant search for the intangible. He blasts out his chorus in a
wonderful gravelly growl that feels like it could scrape the inside of
your head clean.

Broken Tooth took to the stage, minus bits of forest, to play “Hold Fast”.
I was enraptured by his left thumb nail. So long. So immaculately kept.
Speaking as a man who has little more than shreds of nail attached to the
end of his fingers, I was surprised and jealous by its length. Bold and
assured singing. The guitar had a pulse behind it, probably my favourite
Broken Tooth/EWB song! “Raise your voice defiant / I swear we’ll drown
this storm”. A sudden tempo jump also raises energy levels.

Susanna McDonald did “Graffiti”. And later someone sang to us in French.
Get in. Begins as a swaying meander, then starts to gather occasional
skipping steps that then grow to a shoulders-back swagger down the road.
Which then goes around kicking down doors.

Stuart Clark and Lisa Paton teamed up, sounding positively upbeat (given
the subject matter). “Cuts to the Bone”. You start to wonder if you’re
better off alone rather than spending all your time chasing the girl
you’re besotted with, following her home and collecting hairs from her
brush until you can make a full wig, wear it and touch yourself, quietly
weeping all the while. Actually a stunning pop song complimented well by
spot on harmonies.

Hannah O’Reilly was joined by Susanna (her official “doodooer”) and Stuart
(boxer). Editor’s note – I was going to call this song a “HoR classic”,
but on reflection that isn’t the most complimentary abbreviation in the
world. That said though, it is a classic; melodic, with depth and
considered structure and execution. Great to have an OOTB legend at the
300th night.

Sam challenged my tiny mind. His song “Sophia” was not about a lady. Oh
no. Sophia was the goddess of wisdom, my towering intellect tells me. Or
possibly Inspector Google. A real energy runs behind it, great little
chord runs down to the root. Warm and inviting, it draws you in and
doesn’t let go.

Mick and Jeff were next up. Mick turned 70 last week – my Dad’s 70 and
he’s awesome so I expect great things. The blues, my boy, the blues. The
harmonies slide in and you feel like you should be smoking a big-assed
cigar. Makes you feel like a man. A man with callouses on his hands and a
hat you wear at a jaunty angle.

Now, I should apologies in advance because I misheard the name of the next
act – it sounded like they were introduced as “Gears and McQuade”, who
sound like cop drama series featuring a mechanic and a maverick private
eye. [Hughes and McQuade – ed] Delicate and fragile, even with the two
guitars. Strumming and fingerpicking act as counterpoint. The quiet
landscape isn’t disrupted by the surging vocals towards the end, imagine
someone shouting in a glen.

The Weather Underground was our next act, with “I Think I”. Has bounce!
Summer is finally starting to burst outside and at last it feels it in
here too. Sweet young girls dance around us and beckon you towards things
you barely understand.

Tommy McKay, the towering pillar of a man that he is, was up next. Picking
a fight with John Prescott – is there any member of parliament that he
hasn’t offended? Nicola Sturgeon is practically his nemesis. “Fish means
nothing to meeeee… oh Vienetta!”.

Johnny Pugh had to suffer the slings and arrows of our compère, (loo,
phew, vindaloo etc etc) poor little lamb. Took it all with remarkable
good humour though, considering that it was a rhyming battle of epic
proportions. I’m sure that OOTB will be practically 8 Mile by the time we
reach the 400th night. Unusual chords at the vertigo end of the fretboard
add a sneaky extra dimension to the music. “We’re strangers, you and me”.
As the water crashes back and forwards, two people dance around each
other and end up falling against and away from each other.

The Mighty Ben Young then treated us to “My Baby Don’t Like My Music”.
Well, I was sitting beside her and she didn’t seem to mind… The song
slinks along like a caterpillar pimp. More blues than a tube of Smarties
(they’re back! Check the advert!) Guitaring that would put most octopi to
shame, let alone men.

Colin was a performer I’d not seen before, but after tonight’s performance
I want to see a lot more of. He was playing a ______. God knows what he
was playing. Mandolin? Lute? Penny sodding whistle? He claims it is a
“home-made glute”. His music sounds like a folk song chucked through a
spicy mangle. Actually quite filthy in its own beautiful way. Possibly the
most swearing in anyone’s set all night (including mine). F##king
marvellous.

Daniel Vzue is not a paedophile. His songs feel like you’re being stroked
with a velvet glove, but then you get an occasional flirty slap on the
cheek with it. The kind of progressions that you would never think of, but
sound immediately familiar and memorable. Accomplished.

Freeloadin’ Frank gives us a song-writing masterclass. If Bob Dylan had a
sleepover with all his mates and they all had jelly and ice-cream and
played Twister then they’d probably stick this on their stereo. 3 chords
and the truth. The punks would be proud.

Frances Hayes played us a song which was written when he was 18. Optimism
flies out of the guitar’s sound-hole. Throwing caution to the wind and
taking flight. “Without you there’d be no meaning”. The kind of song that
you hear a full band (jeez, nearly a full orchestra) behind it in your
head. “Take my hand and let’s go higher”.

Nick Smith tells us all about the “Magic Ladies”. Snappy and cracky, the
words half snarled, half coaxed along their way, the song fleshes out into
the chorus before launching a tangent, then retreating back to the verse.
The song ends up as a full frontal assault – a musical battering ram.

Gordon sang “My Medicine”. The quick strumming falls to a false lull as
the song blooms back into the sunny energy. We need girls to survive.
Girls rule.

Angel Conversations played a new song. A very new song. A song so new the
paint was barely dry. Good work. The song swoops up and down and
eventually erupts up through the warm earth. “I can’t make you love me or
persuade you to stay if your heart’s not in it”.

Lindsay Sugden was up next with “On the Wire”. To quote the flyer on the
table, “beautiful rare things and randomness”. Chords that would seem
unsettling on their own feel oddly at home when women together with their
neighbours. Almost forceful in places. As glorious as ever.

Stuart McLellan has a soothing baritone that you could imagine slipping
off into the blackness with. “Love in a mist that surrounded us”. The
magic of the first kiss, the intoxicating smell of it all, the energy and
thickness that hangs in the air.

Big Jim took over for a bit:
Next up, Calum “Pleasant Metal” Haddow gingerly (groan – Ed) made his way
to the stage, announcing he’d been coming to OOTB since “before he was
legal” (we’re pretty sure he means “for drinking”). Sad that he only had
one song to play, but he treated us “First Aid”. His first aid skills may
be shaky at the best of times, but this tribute to b@stard chords went
down a storm. Zord!

Back to me:
Lisa Paton came back up to the stage with Stuart for more box action (!).
“Here come the water”, she sings as change charges across the landscape.
She manages to sing with a power and intensity rarely matched by OOTB
performers.

Last up, Julian. “Everyone Kisses a Stranger”. Joined by a menagerie of
djembes, boxes and shaky eggs. He sings in Frenglish. Hot. French accents
will always = sex. Sounds smokey and subdued. He sported the 3rd trilby
of the night. Good work.