WOZNIAK, WEE RED BAR, EDINBURGH, DECEMBER 2 2023

An end, and a beginning. 

Shoegaze veterans bow out after ten years with one last gig and one last album, and a new band is born.

Line-up:

signalweak_: Drew(guitar) and Kev(bass/synth) from Wozniak, doing their new synthy post-rock thing. They only play a short, three song set tonight, but it all looks good for the future.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/zNL57LiLXc4   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093705673560

CANAAN BALSAM: Eerie, understated synth drone, with poetry readings, a theremin, and a chap playing a saw. There isn't a video for this one, sadly, as they're so quiet that the recording is barely there. Which is annoying, 'cos they're really good.

https://www.facebook.com/canaanbalsam

WOZNIAK: OK, so this is it for Wozniak. One final gig, in their favourite venue.Classic swirly Wozniak shoegaze, wispy vocals, subdued lighting, that sort of thing. Songs from the beginning - El Maresme - and from the end - Star of the Sea - and all points between. Attendees are privileged to have witnessed the first, last and only live performance of the three songs from the new album, the aforementioned Star..., Black Polaroid and American Slang. Sarah thanks us all for our support over the last ten years. Guitars are dropped to the floor, and they're done. 

Farewell Wozniak.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/6Vcy-8QnmgU   https://www.facebook.com/wozniakofficial

                                                                          The end.

RUMBLE 3.0, CABARET VOLTAIRE, EDINBURGH, NOVEMBER 25 2023

One of a series of DIY showcase events in Edinburgh, in a venue I haven't been in since 2014. I haven't been avoiding it, you should understand, it's just that they haven't been doing gigs much since then. It's nice to be back.

Line-up:

AULD SPELLS: Multi-national - US/Scotland/Cyprus - retro shoegaze/slacker/indie sort of thing. Melancholic. Occasionally noisy. Down to 80% tonight, with one of the Scottish lads missing.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/CyZWQrIPHrc  https://www.facebook.com/auldspells 

THE KRYSS TALMETH EXPERIENCE: Fudblog regulars. Groovy stoner/desert rock 'power trio'. Featuring fewer than the regulation number of shirts. And, indeed, shoes.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/2CFGsLj7aS0   https://www.facebook.com/KryssTalmeth

CONUNDRUMMERS: Tonight's hosts. Drummers, as the name would suggest. Lots of drummers. I think there were nineteen of them, but it was hard to tell.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/YBOIM879ZNI   https://www.facebook.com/ConundrummersEdinburgh

EXIST IMMORTAL, LEGENDS, EDINBURGH, OCTOBER 27 2023

 Red Crust brings some fancy technical metal to Legends. Fancy technical metal brings its own lights. 

When I get there, it turns out that the local wi-fi service is down and none of the card readers are working, so it's cash only. I'm old, and can remember when it was cash only ALL the time, but 'the Kids' don't understand.

Line-up:

SCRAMBLE: Local progressive metal instrumental duo. Come on not long after the doors opened, before the audience arrived. Hence the somewhat cavernous sound.

Video:  https://youtu.be/satsEoJprm4       https://www.facebook.com/ScrambleBandOfficial

ARTIFICIAL PATHOGEN: Glasgow deathcore/slam veterans, back in action after some time away it seems. Sounding like a couple of bears fighting in a bin full of spoons, rolling down a hill, whilst somebody slaughters a herd of pigs. So, they're doing it right.

Actually, I thought their name might be a conspiracy theorist's reference to a certain virus, but they're older than Covid. So it isn't.

Video:  https://youtu.be/T0efMm1ukv0   https://www.facebook.com/Artificialpathogenuk

GLASS GRAVE: 'Modern metal from Brighton, out on tour with Exist Immortal. Includes high kicking man in boiler suit and bucket hat. And hostile lighting.

Video:  https://youtu.be/1K9mhww1bQE   https://www.facebook.com/glassgraveuk

EXIST IMMORTAL:Tour headliners, from London, tech-metallers Exist Immortal bring their own lights, just to make taking pictures even more difficult.

Video:  https://youtu.be/xb6RTzPAAqc    https://www.facebook.com/existimmortal