A Guide To Recognising Your Gigs

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So here it goes...the review of all gigs ventured to since 2010. Gulp.

It's quite an ask to remember the finer points of gigs that happened years ago, so to be clear - it is retrospective. I'm looking back but with the benefit of hindsight (like the Dodgy comeback at Galtres in 2010 turned out to be anything but a comeback. A comedown, now that's a different story).

Why am I doing it? Well, a couple of years ago I made a Christmas gift for my gigging partner of choice, a huge scrapbook filled with photos, setlists, random trivia and inane commentary. The plan was always to recreate a version for myself, but with the arrival of this blog I figured I could write an e-version here. Like a gig time capsule for the future, written in the present, about the past. Sexy stuff.


Ubiquitous gig shot.


In context, the gigs featured between 2010-2011 would have been a joint version between myself and my close mate (I won't mention names as she's easily embarrassed) . We worked together, started talking about music and realised we both liked British Sea Power, Eels and Flaming Lips to an equal fanatical degree. Soon we started swapping compilation mix tapes which opened my eyes to the brilliance of Belle & Seb, Idlewild's early stuff, Pavement, Hefner and more. In return she got saddled with Etta James, Manics, Archie Bronson Outfit, Maximo Park and much more. The art of a compilation tape is a bit like Marmite amongst music lovers, you either get it or you don't. We did and even soundtracked the life of Frank Green to music. Indeed. A spate of gigs followed, mainly to have lots of fun and lots of booze.

For all gigs in 2012 onwards, these are the music cultural swaps between myself and the Wall of Noise fella. We've traded musical heroes and influences, exciting new bands and familiar favourites and indulged in as much gigs and occurances as possible. Some are in the same vein as before, others have been random gigs and acts which I would never have thought myself at (here's looking at you Birthday Suit) but have been brilliantly entertaining none the less.

So here it goes, indulgence nostalgia with a bit of music thrown in. Sounds like bliss...

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