DEATH ENGINE, BANNERMAN'S, EDINBURGH, APRIL 21 2018

There's not a lot happening right now, so I thought I'd dig back into the archives for a bit. First up, some noisy Frenchmen.

Line-up:

SAPIEN: Local stoner/doom veterans. Riffy, spacey, beardy. I think they're STILL wearing those same shorts to this very day.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/Ng3MDUivRXs   https://www.facebook.com/hailsapien

HAAR: Atmospheric black metal/drone. Featuring guest guitarist Gerald from GENDO IKARI. Uncharacteristic lack of smoke. Now no longer a thing, sadly.

VIDEO:     https://youtu.be/xKCDZEPLSkM        https://www.facebook.com/haarsounds

WREN: Enigmatic sludgy post-metal from somewhere in that England. They wanted all of the lights switched off, the cheeky monkeys.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/7iHTrKt9yEo  https://www.facebook.com/disciplesofwren

DEATH ENGINE: French post-metal/post-hardcore/sludge. Very very good indeed. Research reveals that they are still going, which is nice to know.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/yiV1M083G6A   https://www.facebook.com/deathengine.net

MIDAS FALL, FLYING DUCK, GLASGOW, MAY 30 2025

A band I've not seen for years (2018 was the last time, I think) and a band I first saw just a few weeks ago and another band in a venue I've never been to before.

Line-up:

GRAVELLE: Local industro-goth art-rock trio.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/BEfBM2txoXM   https://www.facebook.com/gravelleofficial

OVERHEAD, THE ALBATROSS: Irish post-rock. Last time I saw them - at StrangeForms - there was five of them. They seem to have misplaced one of their guitarists.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/WKVSZf7YTno  https://www.facebook.com/overheadthealbatross

MIDAS FALL: Sort of post-rock/shoegaze/dream-pop crossover(and under), first saw this band in 2010 supporting MONO. Great things were promised, but sadly didn't happen. But they never went away and here they are again. I've seen them a number of times over the last 15 years. They have been glorious and, sadly, they have been terrible. Tonight, they are much closer to the former than the latter.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/OJJJqR_ZUTQ   https://www.facebook.com/midasfall

KALANDRA, CAVES, EDINBURGH, MAY 26 2025

My 3 gig weekend just turned into a 4 gig weekend. Last minute call-up for ethereal Norwegians in one of the nicest venues anywhere.

Line-up:

MAUD THE MOTH: Solo singer/pianist doing a dark kind of experimental, looped and layered neo-classical thing, and doing it very well indeed. Sadly, no pics of MAUD THE MOTH, because it was quite dark and I was very far away from the stage. Got a video, though, of a song from her recent new album, 'The Distaff'

Many thanks to Amaya for allowing me to be here tonight.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/2GqxRGeUv7M   https://www.facebook.com/maudthemoth

KALANDRA: Norwegians, sitting somewhere between 'rock' and 'pop' but always heavily folk-influenced, and really quite lovely. Kudos to the substitute drummer who stepped in at short notice, and did a fine job. 

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/hPOwxNXCYM0    https://www.facebook.com/Kalandramusic

ROSALIE CUNNINGHAM, HIVE, EDINBURGH, MAY 25 2025

 Former PURSON person, making the 70s cool again.

Line-up:

JIJ WAS NOT HERE: Solo acoustic lad, Sadly, he's suffering from a colossal hangover, and he's struggling. Forgotten lyrics, missed chords, awkward banter, he's not handling this well. Which is a shame, because on a good day he'd be witty, sharp and entertaining. Just not tonight. Couple of interesting covers, though, with BUZZCOCKS 'Ever Fallen In Love' and something from 'Sweden's most extreme death metal band' which turns out to be ABBA's 'Dancing Queen'

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573131179086

ROSALIE CUNNINGHAM; Bringing the 70s back to life. A charismatic front-person/singer/guitarist with a fantastically talented band. Elements of MOTT THE HOOPLE, RUSH, JETHRO TULL and JAMES BOND, freshened up and brought into the 21st Century. Looking back to go forward? Immense fun, even for someone who remembers the 70s but didn't like them much at the time.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/Vf7nnQuKQjI   https://www.facebook.com/RosalieCunninghamOfficial

WHORES, HIVE, EDINBURGH, MAY 24 2025

 Americans out on tour. I've never been in this venue before. Sound's decent, smells funny.

Line-up:

CODESPEAKER: Local post-metal favourites. You should know them by now.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/-rV5eigRohA   https://www.facebook.com/codespeakertheband

HELP: Post-punk/noise(in that order) trio from Portland, Oregon. Spiky, fast and angry. I reckon they brought that tyre with them all the way from America, just so they could jump on it. He threw that mic at me, y'know. Hit me on the hand. Don't THINK it was deliberate...

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/1LpWu4d5RIE    https://www.instagram.com/helpifuckingneedit/?hl=en

WHORES: Noise/post-punk(in THAT order) trio from Atlanta, Georgia. They've been around for a while, but they can still destroy an eardrum or two. PART CHIMP levels of volume. Surprised he only broke ONE string, to be honest.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/WkBHc0qv2L8   https://www.facebook.com/whrsband