TACOMA NARROWS BRIDGE DISASTER, OPIUM, EDINBURGH, MAY 20 2018

Some bands with long names, and one solo artist with a long name, in a venue with a short name. In Edinburgh, which is sort of average length for a city name.

Line-up:

ALL I SEE IS AN EMPTY CIRCLE: Local post-rock unit, whereabouts currently unknown.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/L1QQ4b1cyfY  https://www.facebook.com/alliseeisanemptycircle

KAPIL SESHASAYEE: The video blurb call Kapil a 'singer/sludgewriter', which is as good a description as any, I suppose. This is way back in the old days when he used to be a regular support for all sorts of bands. Now he is a rising star, with his own band, and well known for his efforts to expose and oppose caste-ism against the Dalit communities.

I still have no idea what that thing with the bent nails is, though.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/Qi2mb-zuIZw   https://www.facebook.com/KapilSeshasayee

WE CAME FROM THE NORTH: You should know who these fellows are by now. Surely?

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/g-tnlT4TKlc  https://www.facebook.com/WeCameFromTheNorth

TACOMA NARROWS BRIDGE DISASTER: Hefty London post-metal/post-rock veterans, in one of their various incarnations. Not entirely sure what they're up to, these days. Guitarist Drew Vernon is currently out and about with his solo ambient project, Sloganyear, but I believe new material is being worked on. Hopefully.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/AG0hBK6f1ng   https://www.facebook.com/tnbduk

HUNDRED YEAR OLD MAN, OPIUM, EDINBURGH, JUNE 3 2018

This was an odd one... Five very mixed bands, two of which I had no memory of until I looked back at my files, and another I am very familiar with, but that I had forgotten were even on this bill. Also, it was my birthday.

Line-up:

BRETHREN: One of the bands I had no memory of, prior to writing this. Turns out they were a Glasgow sort-of-doom trio, playing an unusual variation of a pretty conservative genre. Released an EP back in 2020, but haven't been seen since. Are they still a thing? I'd like it if they were.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/kDk1AeCJcWs   https://www.facebook.com/BrethrenGlasgow

NORTH STAR DESERTER: The other memory dodgers. Locals, describing themselves as 'ambient/post-rock', but I don't reckon that tells the whole story. What they were, exactly, I really couldn't say, but I liked them. They veered into GY!BE/Swans territory, with long-form improv songs. No sign of them since this gig. Internet searches turn up nothing beyond their old FB page and a VIC CHESNUTT album, which isn't really relevant.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/51z2MG1GDh4   https://www.facebook.com/NorthStarDeserterEdinburgh

BOSPHORUS: Glaswegian post-sludge trio. In a sad coincidence, Bosphorus called a halt on the very day I wrote this piece (20/10/2023). I shall miss them, especially Michael Wiseman's extravagant drum-faces.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/JuHZpWSRqQ8   https://www.facebook.com/Bosphorustheband

WE CAME FROM THE NORTH: Classic quiet/loud/quiet/VERY LOUD post rock from local stalwarts. Whom I'd forgotten were even at this gig. Still active, after all these years, and working on new stuff. Hopefully.

There's no video from this gig, for some reason, but there are plenty others out there, should you require one.

https://www.facebook.com/WeCameFromTheNorth

HUNDRED YEAR OLD MAN: This is a hard one, because we lost guitarist Owen David Pegg in 2021. The band carries on, but not unchanged, and remains one of the finest post-metal bands in the country. Seeing them live was always a devastating experience, physically and emotionally, but even more so now. 

They asked me to take down the video from this gig, and I was happy to do so.

https://www.facebook.com/hundredyearoldman