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Saint Etienne, Go Kart Mozart and Bass Guitars
We went into London yesterday, mainly just to get away from our thesis and writing responsibilities for a day. Which led to an afternoon of me wandering around book shops while Caroline tried six different bass guitars in as many different shops in Denmark Street. I remember when this was a scrappy little street with a tiny comic shop (the only one that stocked fanzines) down an alley, but now it's found its heritage as tin pan alley and is lined with music shops, some like carefully stylised front rooms, with tired sofas that surely must have been on other duties when none of this was here a decade ago. However, what they deliver is authentic, and Caroline was soon in conversations with knowledgeable assistants that, being bass blind as I am (my condition being so advanced it includes the fish of that name) I really couldn't even hope to paraphrase. She's looking for a... no, sorry. I know it's quite old. And sounds better than these others she tried out. Apparently.
I was a little out of it anyway, in that condition where most of my head wants me to go away so it can think about plot, and it'll call me when it's come up with something. You'd think I could have fun while that happens, but it seems whatever fuel fun requires is one of those things it needs. (Yes, I am still of the opinion I need a holiday, why do you ask?) By the time yaki soba was eaten and we were on the way to the evening's venue, a lot of that work seemed to be done, and it was making regular reports, which, a day later, having been written down, still seem to make sense. Said venue was the Bloomsbury Ballroom, which is terrific, and eccentric, the only sign that a gig was on that night, or indeed that this was a place where any sort of gig might be held, and not, say, a museum of some kind taking up one edge of Bloomsbury Square, being a sheet of paper attached to a door, which said who the bands were, when the doors to bar and venue would open, when said bands would start and finish their sets and by what time everything would be done. Which seemed a very civilised way of doing things, and not the sort of thing you'd expect by say Guns 'n' Roses live at the Budokan.
The Bloomsbury proved to be just as interesting inside, with a 'long bar' that was a corridor with tables down the side leading to a more normal sort of bar, and the hall itself being a ballroom with a proper sprung floor and curtains at the windows, of the sort where one might expect dance cards and romantic misunderstandings. We ran into the lovely Ed Russell, of TV's Doctor Who, and indeed the crowd reminded me of the demographic of Who fans, albeit those brave members of that tribe who could face not watching Eurovision. Richard X was selecting the pre-set music, which (the theme from Monkey excepted) could best be described as the dancier parts of Terry Wogan's playlist, circa 1978, or the sort of thing Gareth Roberts would line up. I'm saying there was Chicory Tip and Quantum Jump doing 'The Lone Ranger'. Which suited me fine.
The support act for the evening was Go Kart Mozart, who've been going about a decade now, but struck me as fresh and vital. They're the current band of the man who, when I was reading NME, was always described as 'Lawrence from Felt', and had a welcome bouncy pop sensibility, all big chorus/blamming drums/Seventies keyboard solos. They also looked so disparate, in a Roxy Music 'what did you think the theme of the fancy dress party was?' way that it was hard to imagine how they might have met. Their keyboardist, for example, was like a wildly grinning combination of Andy Partridge and one of the Partridge Family, there was definitely Partridge DNA of some kind in there anyway, while Lawrence had a leather jacket with 'kill' in sequins on the back, and the rather mature guitarist looked like he'd come straight from the wedding at the start of Licence to Kill. They rocked. They filled the ballroom, and they got huge cheers like they were the headliners. One of the best support acts I've ever seen. And I've seen the La's supporting All About Eve.
But what we were here for, and what the ballroom filled floor to ceiling for (I speak of the very tall man who ran in front of me and stayed there), was Saint Etienne. Doing their first album, Foxbase Alpha, from start to finish. I love Saint Etienne. Thanks to their support musician and general fixer Gerard (who tonight goes onstage in a lab coat to prepare his tape loops, while his wife Maria dances with us in the audience) I've got to meet them a few times over the years, notably when, wonderfully, Gerard brought Sarah Cracknell along to sing at our wedding while he accompanied. 'Hobart Paving' is thus still a special song for us. (I remember Matt Jones gasping 'there are pop stars at your wedding!' I also recall, relevant to nothing, the aforementioned Gareth displaying his copy of Doctor Who and the Daemons in the pews, like the panto Aleister Crowley and national treasure he is.) This audience were clearly all fans, and went wild as soon as the French introduction to the album began. The band made some wise decisions with the material, distracting from 'Wilson' by having Sarah throw sweets to the audience, and offering more dance-friendly versions of several tracks. During the instrumentals, Sarah and loyal backing singer Debs sat down at a little table at the front of the stage and played snap. Sarah picked up a clipboard to read the rap in the middle of 'Girl VII'. And after 'Etienne Gonna Die', she told the crowd 'we're better than that now'. Which is rather disarming honesty coming from a pop group. 'Nothing Can Stop Us' brought the house down, and 'Like the Swallow' formed an epic conclusion. Throughout, some fabulous graphic projections illustrated the songs, including pagan sacrifice imagery making 'Swallow' rather more sinister a prog dance number than it's felt like in the past.
There's something tremendously English about these three people. Pete and Bob seem to enjoy their relative anonymity, Sarah to almost wish she could share it. She's obviously delighted with the audience response, although there's more nostalgic swaying than actual dancing, but when over-enthusiastic males in the audience yell out anything ill-advised, she tends to blanch slightly, rather than like, say, Madonna, encourage it. I think it's part of her charm. And who else would tell the audience at the end of the Foxbase set, 'we'll be back in just five minutes, honest'? I mean, rather like that sign on the door, your rock band is supposed to relish the drama, not give the audience clear information so they can make their life choices as sensible adults. The second set, and this was quite a relief, because I was a little worried than this 'perform the old album' bit signalled their arrival as a nostalgia act, was almost all the most up to date material, and pleasingly the audience roared just as hugely at 'Burnt Out Car' as they had at 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart'. They closed on 'He's On the Phone', as has been usual over the years (I recall a particularly wonderful time when they left two cheerleaders with pom poms dancing to it for several minutes after the band had left the stage). And I, and I think everyone else there, was thoroughly entertained. And taken back to a time when I rather, erm, blissed up, quite often. I wish I'd got hold of one of those sweets. But, as I was once told that this band, rather than indulging, took beta blockers so as not to get too excited, I suspect they'd turn out to be toffee eclairs.
We missed the last train home! So, again, like students (although, technically, my wife is still a student, and has been since I met her) we caught the Oxford Tube home. And found it to be relaxing, highly organised and entirely charming. Like the evening itself. Cheerio!
PS: With added video (warning, contains feather boa action) from the event, courtesy of Alistair Burns!
Labels:
bass guitars,
Doctor Who,
Go Kart Mozart,
Richard X,
Saint Etienne
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Hi Paul - I'm a big fan of your work, and just wanted to say Hi after lurking for a while.
I was lucky enough to get invited to the club at the top of Centrepoint on Friday night, and felt nostalgic about that 'tiny comic shop' when I was peering nervously down on Denmark Street. I remember making an expensive pilgrimage there the first time I came to London on my own (for a university interview in, gulp, 1986).
Another band who display a lot of Very English Charm are The Boy Least Likely To. When we saw them recently, the lady keyboard player got out her foil packet of sandwiches half way through the gig, while roadies kept appearing to hand out balloons to the crowd.
Oh, come on...you have to give us guitar freaks something to work with on the bass identification. Sounds like? Alembic? Ricky? Pre-CBS Fender Mustang? Gibson Thunderbird? 1976 Stingray? Fireball XL-5?
(Now you've got me thinking of the Cheese Shop Skit: "This is the finest gear shop off Charing Cross Road!" "And what leads you to that conclusion, my good man?" "Because it's so clean!" "Well, it's certainly uncontaminated by vintage bass guitars...")
Great blog, Paul. Been a fan of yours from way back when you used to write for the New Adventures and DWB. Insanely jealous that you had Sarah sing at the wedding (though I did get to "dance" on stage with the band during the infamous stage invasion in Manchester 2005, the same night as Eccleston's regeneration, sob).
The better half and I saw the band on Thursday in Sheffield at the Leadmill. Go Kart Mozart were pretty good, if with some bizarre lyrics at time.
The Ett were magnificent, with a show almost identical to the London one. Made Debsy laugh by shouting out "I need more cowbell" after "Like a Motorway" which is always a result.
Hi RAB - Paul's asked me to pop in to answer the bass question.
Hate to be prosaic, but I was actually after a Fender P-bass - 1962 vintage by preference. There was a beautiful '66 on the wall of Vintage and Rare Guitars that I'd have loved to play (3 colour sunburst, near mint condition - just a thing of beauty), but haven't quite reached that level of self-indulgence! Did play a lovely '73 Fender Jazz bass though, which got me questioning whether I wanted to go for Precision or Jazz, which I'm still debating. Power or finesse? Hard choice...
Although of course, if there's an affordable (actually existent would be a start!) Ricky that you know about, do drop me a line...
I saw the Foxbase Alpha gig on Friday, it was quite wonderful (especially as Nothing Can Stop Us is officially My Favourite Record Of All Time - and the 70s wedding disco footage suited it very well, I thought, as did all the visuals). The venue was extraordinary, particularly as I work almost next door and never knew it existed. Which is one of the constant wonders of London.
Because of the lack of a bigger band which usually accompanies them live they stuck to their more synth-friendly numbers for the second half, which suited me fine as Heart Failed and Like A Motorway were superb. Glad to hear someone else had as great a time as I did at the gig. And to have Sarah sing at your wedding, well, that's just beyond classy. Perhaps I could get her to sing Nothing Can Stop Us at my funeral? Which would be ironic.
Many thanks for the reply, Caroline!
Funnily enough, I had a feeling that might be the type you were looking for. I don't know why, just a hunch. But having thought of the above joke, I had to name more esoteric models for the proper setup.
It's a shame that the most historic guitar shop in NYC (Manny's Music) has just closed, or I'd suggest a trip there next time you're in town...at least to look if not to buy. Though there are still plenty of other places here worth a visit...
Thanks, all. Tom: I too recall nervously coming in to London to find the sacred comic shops. And that's what you want from pop groups, packed lunches! Darren: everything is better with more cowbell. Apart from perhaps cows. Grind: it is wonderful to find that venue, I now want to see more stuff there. That would be an accurate funeral tune, at least. And that's the sort of thing, Rab, which I get one word in three of. If anyone out there would like to help my wife get her hands on their Ricky, do let me know.
I'm kicking myself for missing these Foxbase Alpha gigs - I left it just too late to get tickets for the London dates.
I did wonder how they would 'perform' the instrumental/sample tracks. Sounds like they put on a good show, anyway.
Really, I cannot tell you how annoyed I am with missing this. Damn my hide!
Sarah Cracknell singing at your wedding - that's just showing off that is!
;)
They did the instrumentals, but, barring the intro, not the samples.