sounds from the other city 2011

Holy shit - I've finally cleared my backlog with this. Next time I probably won't even try to catch up though.

So, Sounds From the Other City was a long day. I was still on a comedown from the Friday night - this was on Sunday. I had a really lovely time with my friends, and only went home around 6am the next day because I planned to catch up with my sister later.

This year I managed to see more bands than I ever have in previous years. This is mainly thanks to other people being more organised.

The first thing I saw while I was waiting for everyone to turn up was Zsa Zsa Noir at the New Oxford. It was fine - amusing enough - but not something I'd normally spend much time with.

In fact when Helmut Lemke turned up with a mobile sound system, mic and saxophone to perform a single song in Bexley Square outside I was right over there. Now that was a great performance.

Oh - I also had a chat with one of Cryptic Salve Band - who I'd been less than enthusiastic about when I reviewed the gig the played in support of Gnod at Fuel. As it happens he was cool with it - probably because I hadn't gratuitously slagged them off. In fact I may have been harsher with Womb who were also supporting and didn't have a great night.

The next stop - or the first stop for everyone else was the Kings Arms for Golden Grrrls. To be honest I didn't ever get into what they were doing. I think it's just that it was too early.

The evening really kicked off when we got to The Angel and saw Spaceghost do his poetry. In some ways it's similar to the kind of stuff I was doing a few years ago - just a lot better.

I can see why some people might find it problematic - in terms of contemporary poetry it doesn't fit in with mainstream text or performance poetry, nor does it fit with current linguistically innovative poetry.

It seems to owe more to the instant visceral emotions of rock music and film than poetry - and to carry a narrative charge I'm not comfortable with in my own work - but which holds together disconnected elements.

Next up were Temperatures at the United Reformed Church. I'll confess I hadn't seen or even heard of them before. It may have been the same for a lot of other people since the place was sadly deserted.

Anyway all those people who weren't there missed something pretty fucking special. Not much more than a year ago it was still difficult for me to even dance at a gig. I was just about able to stand at the back and maybe rock gently back and forth. Now I'm kind of more frequently the irritating twat at the front.

And so I was at this gig. And this is while still sober and straight. But enough about me. Temperatures were great. For only two musicians they make a fantastic - and very danceable noise. Although nonetheless one that's rather angular, abstract, almost improvisational.

Despite it still being relatively early in a relatively underpopulated venue with only about three people dancing it's easily a contender for my gig of the day.

I can't really comment on Richard Youngs at Sacred Trinity. We only caught the end of his set.

We were convenient for Drunk in Hell across the road at the Rovers Return. It was another highlight - and another band I hand't previously heard of. The band and the audience visibly had a great time.

In fact the band didn't even break stride when one of them had to leave the stage to replace an amp. The gig felt a lot shorter than it was - mainly because I spent the whole time bouncing up and down.

Oh, and it was loud. And crowded. And hot. But you knew that already.

So after that we came out with the intention of heading up to Peel Hall to see David Thomas Broughton. Now actually that would have been ambitious since we had to get back in time for Factory Star at The Crescent.

It became even more so when we walked out right into the middle of a Cancer Research UK night-time Shine walk. Which we joined for about half a kilometre or so before they turned off in another direction and we went on.

Because there was no prospect of getting to Peel Hall we went to The Crescent where we caught the end of The Blimp - who were very enjoyable - and the whole of Factory Star.

I have to say I find Factory Star a whole lot more convincing live than on record. They have a great energy - and any of the awkward doubts you might have about the music or the words are easier to ignore. I had a fucking great time - and while I wouldn't say they were as good as Temperatures or Drunk in Hell they were still one of the better bits of the day.

Finally we got to the Mill - sorry, that's Islington Mill - around midnight. I got more or less straight down the front for Anchorsongs who I enjoyed a lot.

D/R/U/G/S were the last act on and despite being in a exceptional mood by this time I thought they were a bit shit. But that's a personal opinion - something just didn't connect for me. You'll probably disagree with me. You may even be right.

The rest of the night was dancing to increasingly poor records as everybody gradually flaked out. Like I say I fucked off somewhere around six on Monday since I planned to get up around eleven. Which I did.

So as it goes my busiest and my favourite SFTOC to date. The highlights for me would be Temperatures, Drunk in Hell, Helmut Lemke's intervention at the start of the day, Anchorsongs, and Factory Star. Plus spending most of the thirteen hours dancing and chatting with friends. And the odd stranger.

Who needs more?