Gig report: The Black Eyed Snakes, Belfast 30th March 2004

Rise Up! - The Black Eyed Snakes last night in Belfast
Put simply, they exceeded all expectations of just being the "bloke out of Low's side project" by rocking the house. Basically they inhabit a place where Low, the Fall, Howlin' Wolf and ZZ Top all get along like a house on fire. It started with a lengthy gospel tune that hinted that we were in store for Low part two, but they immediately 'rocked-out' with the best set of riffing I've seen since the Fall. Bizarre cover versions aside (Moby, a blistering 'Smoke Stack Lighting' and a dreadful 'Tainted Love'! to name but three), this was an example in how to salvage the blues from the tedium it has suffered for so long.
I realise I'm a day early with my mp3 dissemination project, but a tasty Black Eyed Snakes link is posted below ... enjoy!
Web page with embedded video for 'Rise Up!' [also includes a streaming mp3 of 'My New House']

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London revisited

It's funny to go back after 18 months and do things you used to do everyday. The Piccadilly line, the Central line, reading a well-thumbed copy of Metro on the tube, going to the bar in my old workplace, even calling at my old office. Record shopping in Berwick Street, Rough Trade Saturday in Notting Hill (we had to queue this time though!), a compulsory visit to the Tate Modern, taking pictures of the (happily expanding) family of geese that live behind my old flat in Wood Green and used to wake us with their honking most mornings. I felt the same kind of nostalgia for London as I did for Belfast when I was away. After a non-stop few days of pubs and gigs (and the odd museum thrown in for luck) I was glad to be back home again, for a rest if nothing else.
Musically, I spent far too much on new records and went to three gigs, one forgettable, the others were the rising stars Art Brut and a long-time fave of mine Arthur Lee and Love. Getting to the Love show meant that it only really leaves Kraftwerk, the Boredoms and Piano Magic as the acts I've always wanted to see live but couldn't (and they're all playing live soon!).
Anyway here's a pic from Olafur Eliasson's 'Weather Project' which finishes soon at the Tate Modern, I have a larger version if anyone is interested. [very happy with my camera, even though the Love pics I'll add soon are far away and a bit blurred]

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