those longings

某年的冬季我起來時天已成了粉色, 掛著一臉的苦笑, 我們在森林的綠色中奔走。
那時我總想揮別那些多餘的憂愁。
時間是一直向前不向後, 我數算過去一年六個月來終於成人, 已不再是只會傷春悲秋的文藝青年。
你問你這些日子生活起了什麼變化。
只是驚訝原已是兩年了。
幸我沒有在原點踏步, 一直很努力鍾於個人決定, 奔向理想。奔向快樂。

馬田說

我有時偷偷收集他相簿的照片。
因為太喜歡他咀邊輕輕泄露的天真及柔和。
我總是幻想和他奔走在貓毛綠草地拍照片的一天。
記得我們第一次見面時, 就一直笑個不停。
我們吃過飯後, 坐在soho石階, 分享綠茶與朱古力。

這天我問他: 為什麼有太多人都堅持做不愛做的工作?
他就直說: 理由沒太多, 就是因為他們害怕極了。

慶祝活動

雖然算不上是什麼大件事, 還是決定特地下廚慶祝一下可終於可以換換環境。
朦朧鏡頭下的就是chicken fillet with cumin seeds and scalloped potato bake。　

遺憾美

最後還是沒有去看期待良久的hope, 做了難為的決定後就連她的新歌都不敢聽。
倫敦的冬天最討厭的就是它那股黑色總是落力疏導別人猶豫不決。
最後周日晚上放棄難能可貴的演出, 究竟選擇做什麼呢: 就是吃越南菜, caramel pork, satay chicken skewer, beef pho。
冷酷冬天唯有食物才可支援意志。

jun的故事

圖: maxwell
模特兒: jun

周末悶著。
唯有透過電腦和友人胡扯。不過發現了一個感動的故事。
輕輕的, 就是生活細節如飲食。

故事緣自友人max, 他把以前日本女友jun的回憶照片出版成書。

序言寫著:
他和jun第一次見面就在校外, jun那天一直低著頭抽著煙,彷彿有好多的心事。
他就因為她這副模樣, 被吸引著。
jun喜歡遊河流, 有時他們一直走往西, 有時又往南去。
經過數次河流夜遊的約會, 他們成為了情侶。
情人日常生活就是煮食, 比如一起讀書等平凡安逸的小事。
八月天可是jun的護照到期, 要離開男孩回日本去。
他們之後就沒有見過面。
送機路上, 天色多麼美好, 男孩送走美人, 一個人駕車回去。
他忽然發現他從今又要寂寞一個人了。

友人max從來就像村上春樹的怪旦男角。
記得那個晚上我的愛人不在, 我們在藍調吧依舊胡說八道。
這個我在三年前認識的小男孩, 雖然現在已漸漸長大, 不再歎畏青春。
「我還以為我們會結婚的。」
「我不想住chelsea, 但我將來要住那裡, 因為這代表我有很多多餘錢去花。」

讀著小男孩的故事, 我忽然很感動。
我懷念著從前與故人總是四處走動拍照跳舞的好日子。
有時回憶總是美好的, 只要我們不用再要活在回憶裡頭。

失約者自白

sunday mornings come and go seen a thousand still don't know
if i am good or if i am bad
do i deserve to feel so sad?
love is an ocean so hard to swim a race we all run but never win
i'm looking for reasons so hard to find don't think i'll find them
but i don't mind

monday morning i'm still in bed thoughts and emotions go round my head
i'm stuck to this earth with everyday glue
but i wanted to whisper 'i love you' not in a casual selfish way
but in a deeper truer way
i'm looking for reasons so hard to find don't think i'll find them but i don't mind.
lyrics from blueboy 'chelsea guitar'

這樣的唱片封套是一見鍾情。
paul說我本來就是要給你送上這張唱片, 可你總是失約於我。
可是失約者經常意亂情迷, 要努力改掉一種精神狀態又何其容易呢?
這次自找苦吃。
處女和金牛郎今回是有緣無份, 都是怪失約癮隱隱作痛。

十一月的祕密

兩年前的十一月究竟我在做什麼呢?
今年的十一月故人在兩年的沉默後給我捎來信息, 我還想可能他患病快亡才想起我。
否則, 究竟十一月藏著是什麼秘密呀。
我現有家室, 事業還算有個模型, 理想及目標又在軌道, 這種打擾實是遲來了。
夢中情人都是發生在夢中好了。

self-love

The rest of the story is just you relax, enjoy and do whatever your intuition tells you to. Our part is relatively easy, feel the way to get what we want. Everything will orchestrate perfectly into our experience.
-blog 'happily ever after'

最近想其實獨自一個人也不錯, 沒有人阻礙, 又不用小心說話, 獨家村其實也不是壞處。
總好過和不對咀型的朋友膠著。

ash

青年時代的偶像, 真的是偶像派, 青春不死。究竟好不好花五十鎊去模拜呢。

Life in a Swedish Song

下載音樂
友人問起有關倫敦的事, 確實沒剩幾個志趣相投的朋友。
要數全球, 我想我最喜歡的朋友都生活在比利是, 跟著就是東京。
不記得erik maertens先生說的是法語, 還是flemish。
他的日常活動就是上網,聽音樂,拍拍照。
我想他的生活就如夢想一樣, 全面脫離現實。
當我連續三天努力研究web 2.0如何賺錢, erik先生就忙著拍把我的dream-pop紀錄在案。

Melanie Pain

melanie pain的最新個人作品就如秋天的涼風飄飄。還是法國女子美好。

Bayswater

本來已好喜歡bayswater, 後來發現damon albarn也住在bayswater, 我更無法不相信這是個好地方。

萬聖節漫遊

藍鬍子來了。
倫敦人們都穿上古典服, 赴宴往portland place lady envy的派對。
更多照片

秋季

細數手指, 驚訝已是第四個年頭了。
於是我將今年美好的秋天收進鏡頭。

Valerie and her week of wonders

現實中的東歐有點粗糙, 影畫裡的東歐彷如夢幻。
電影全集

藍鬍子來了!

Lisa Ekdahl

秋涼就與念舊懷緬纏在一起，秋葉飄落再翻聽 lisa ekdahl就特別想念那段北歐的日子。

集中集中

火力要集中, 上回不消三星期就得一份新工作, 四星期內共覓兩份工。
集中集中, 今回志在必得, 我要找回那種即使天還未光, 都想爬起身上班見同事的心情。
想, 事實是就是這麼容易。

解放

People who care about themselves most are those who are truly blessed.
Do anything to make yourself happy and ignore what other might say.

from happily ever after blog

We have been taught so well to remember the rules and regulations; and of cause, the punishment of not following them.

However, these rules have deformed our nature and molded us to ignore our feelings so that we would do the things that the society wants us to.

We can wake up the power within us and follow our own guidance. We can release all judgement toward others.

This is how you set yourself free.

from happily ever after blog

志趣相投的友人就知道為什番工就是奴隸業。
我時時罷工, 可不為懶惰, 因我總比很多人努力尋覓。
我知道叫我每日上班的除了是為了讓我富足可以支持生計外, 我很努力相信總有一份可以教我如往遊樂場一樣快意的工作, 而那不只是工作, 更是事業。
我投了幾千百萬封信, 雖然還未找著至愛, 明我的友人會說: 淡定, 總會來到的。
我知道的我的勤奮定不浪費。

冬至

六時粉色已至。
這就是倫敦的可怕冬天。

天氣冷, 心情沈重, 只得靠想像生活。

Your ability to imagine will help the next logical steps come to you faster. Work the bugs out in your imagination. You don't have to build little things and bigger things. You can do it all in your mind. We're not talking about the next logical action step. Use your imagination until your big dream feels so familiar that the manifestation is the next logical step.

--- Abraham

Excerpted from the workshop in Chicago, IL on Sunday, November 1st, 1998 #233
Jerry and Esther

art is a scam

Peter說音樂是scam, 不過我覺得建築及當代設計與藝術更scam。
周日我瞪眼看一看Kazuyo Sejima & Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA於serpentine gallery的作品, 失望得比看極悶場的Camera Oscura或是老來的Jarvis還奪命。
下次遇著這些很hype的當代藝術, 我真要小心翼翼的。

Annie

聽了五年有多的Annie, 來到經典的social, 她終於擁抱著波點上場。

kings of convenience

時隔五年, 我們再重遇在倫敦, 究竟人們的時間是如何流失的, 而人們的日子又是如何度過的。
你們的風彩依然, 只是音樂欠了一點轟烈, 少了那種屬於青年的羞澀。
barbican會堂多麼堂皇, 可是怎也比不上ica當年的親切和諧。
這夜看著erlend oye那麼樣美妙的吉他與風姿, 讓我想起生活怎麼樣就是欠了這點又那點的圓存。

guardian review

愛情

聽了數首blue dawn的愛歌, 我無法停止想起有關愛情的故事。
以至那個有關九月的午後, 我們在草地上的, 離開草地, 以後重聚, 再分離。
究竟人們如何巧合遇上, 發生戀愛, 離開戀愛, 那些筋疲力竭, 是如何癒合, 彷彿是沒完的問句。
有時間我還很想再次和你到海邊, 即使我們不能再訴海誓山盟。

一些雜碎

i am young and i am not cynical
i am happy being me i've got principles
and attitude and things to say in my own way
driving in your car, speeding through
sky blue, i'm in love with something new
something positive political and too good to be true
a dream come true
positive political and too good to be true
yes too good to be true
to be true
- Blueboy

「我來這裡本來是學英語的。後來這麼一待, 就已經有七年了。」
「那麼你是英國人了。」
「不, 我是日本人呀。」
然後他的捲髮飛揚, 細微的眼睛像隻可愛的貓咪。
再然後, 我把換著髮尾走了三小時的路, 彷彿被注了枝強烈的咖啡因。

美麗的飄浮

辦公桌對著倫敦southbank, 在我心中是差不多全球當中最迷人的景觀。
陽光一曬下來, 我還以為我到了希臘。
印度老闆著我不要把窗簾捲下來。
「我想就這樣坐在陽光下閱讀, 猶如度假。」
平常的工作都是閒著, 看看路邊走過一個個人, 這樣美麗的飄流將可有另一次麼?

一個人做什麼好?

沒有情人的周末, 有人著我去藍調吧, 有人說不如到東區看藝術表演, 又有人叫我到機場接機。
這樣要約時間要求氣氛講究投契的, 著實不太自由, 還是一個人好。
一個人, 做了什麼呢?
除了電車, 煲湯, 我挑著沈甸甸的相機, 還細細從聖馬加烈一直走往richmond。
野外陽光很猛烈, 於是還跑往paul買下那件遲來了的法式奇異果士多啤梨生日蛋糕, 暗暗獨自慶祝生日, 忽然覺得有時獨自一人卻很浪漫。

里斯本密語

alfama的夜色裡, 飄渺的還有fado的懷舊音韻

Club de Fado裡cristina說她唱的都是用心來唱的, 她一開口的第一首歌我就感動了。

里斯本的市中心, 石磚路電車堆砌的都是浪漫。

沿岸小鎮balem。



我在微涼的秋天來到和暖的里斯本。
將近三十的生日沒有太多人記得, 遠走到那個wim wenders鏡頭下已拍了的, 我心目中最神秘最懷舊的小城里斯本。
一邊慶祝, 一邊朝聖, 一舉兩得。

還看到了生活的美好。
雲朵。鮮魚。微笑。晴天。露台。老歌。
你說: 怎可以因為一個城市的天氣決定它的可愛。
其實,我忘了細訴上面各項的美好細節, 免於太過懷緬。

周末賞Richmond

圖:hollyhock cafe一角
圖: richmond upon thames
圖: 小孩、小狗、花花=fairyworld

walking in my mind

圖:yoyoi kusama

就是看十次yoyoi kusama的波點都不會疲累。

圖:Yoshitomo Nara

yoshitomo nara的夢幻小屋是是此展覽裡我的最愛。
繪本、懷舊鐵皮盒、吉他音樂,我來回踏步小鐵皮屋四周,門外看,就是無法走進藝術家的斑瓓中。
策展人卻半嘲諷寫著: 其實藝術家的天地又是我們可能真正走入去的麼?
nara的小品,好讓我懷念昔日青年時代的日子,房間裡都是個人的夢想塗鴉,我看看如今房裡灰灰的四壁,噢噢,真要模仿日本人的腔調說: 懐かしい！

有關展覽詳情

SE1

圖: sunflowers bursting into the skyline

圖: the long footprints

se1路上滿載回憶、未來與想像, 周五我總走在the cut小路上迎照愛人與微笑。

eddie marcon

圖:eddie marcon myspace

我不知道eddie marcon是什麼來頭的,可能和像樹影一樣的tenniscoats是緣出一處的樂人。
網頁的照片彷彿是向maya daren的實驗幻影致敬,又讓我想起村上春樹的迷糊男女主角,穿梭在東京下北澤那個有火車笛聲的小鎮。
一個午後男孩提著吉他往超級市場買蔬菜一樣輕盈簡單,卻滿載某種生活的神秘美。
此際,我待在倫敦難能可貴的日落裡,聽著eddie marcon的亂笛子,好想念遠處那個如萬花筒的首都。

become the subject

The Marshmallow Kisses ask the very Indietracks question, 'Do you guys like poems?'
After a little encouragement, the reply is a big Indietracks, 'Yeah!' The band then proceed to play amazing outer-space wibbling baroque fairground poetry jazzpop.

-- source from kitten painting

我的朋友

圖: 2008年5月

倫敦大都市的生活有多美好,除了結集各式各樣的人類,品嚐各式各樣的古怪食物,唐人街可以吃到比香港還要出色的點心,隨意搬家都可以遇上一見鍾情的男朋友,老遠跑到溫莎堡都可以吃到酸菜牛柏葉,彷彿就是要多離奇的生活,來到倫敦都可以體驗得到。

可是,我要的朋友總是找不到。
不是遇著飛機王,牙簽先生,就是把我當成萬能黃頁的。

我實在很懷念和友人葉愛蓮交流的好日子。
我們喜歡大聲笑,同樣喜好男人與狗。
有時喜歡自我,因為我們深信生活是個人小說,無須介懷箇中灰暗細節。
妳說:遇上不同道的,則mute了他們。

生命苦短。好,我們集中要我們要的。

i choose

happiness, abundance, love, big house, dog, smiles and leisure!
i ask and will believe to be given!

je suis d'ccord

我很好。
我可以。
朋友說你很像適應倫敦適應得不錯。
我想我是快樂的，買得到美好的食物，遇上充滿愛心的愛人，住在多姿的城市，做不算忙碌的工作。
只是閒著坐著的時候，就很想靠近那些充滿文化音樂色彩的生活。
要找那平衡點又有多容易？

2007年的3月

都還未來得及細想，舊照片上的微笑寫著確實是已是兩年前的事，我和某某曾在regent's park遊蕩。夢寐以求的primrose hill大樓不再夢寐以求，只是，陽光依舊，生活依然，我如今每天穿著黑色衣服，你還是老樣子的綠色與啡色，嚮往自由的生活麼？

playing the building

David Byrne的新作品充滿organic有機生命力，把一百六十歲的Camden Roundhouse老樓變成了一座樂器，任何人都可以是音樂家，連所有死物都可以是天然樂器。
更多playing the building

人像

總有動容處

圖: seeking out (a day out along embankment with peter, barbara and tim)

Plain parade
Well, where is all the profit laid?
Plain parade
Well, maybe we have lost our way

Some are lone
Sickly running from
Something so wrong
And nowhere to belong

Plain parade
Well, when will I be repaid
Plain parade
I might join you on another day

Some are lone
Sickly running from
Something so wrong
And nowhere to belong

All you've given me is sadness
Proof enough to feel I'm loveless
I wish that I could manage better now
And find a place where we can settle
Down

-- 'plain parade' - the cardigans

三十度

熱氣溫, 一直上升。
我在regent's park卻被灰草吸引。
斑瓓還會回來嗎?

my favourite quote of the day

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. - Buddha

paris when it sizzles

he asks her, why do you come to paris?
she then replies, to LIVE!

why am i in london?
yes, to live!

Indietracks 2009: The DiS Review by Dom Gourlay

終於有人懂得mmk。

Although only in its third year, Indietracks has already built up a reputation as the UK’s best festival of its size. Set in the Derbyshire countryside on the site of the historic Midland Railway, it really is as far away from the commercial hustle and bustle of Glastonbury et al as you could possibly imagine.

Where else can you sit on a steam train while a Manhattan Love Suicide plays half an hour’s worth of break up songs? Or listen to Ballboy songs in a church? Or engage in a spot of sewing with former members of Talulah Gosh? We haven’t even mentioned the fine selection of real ales at affordable prices or ridiculously cheap merchandise, where the average CD costs around £2 and t-shirts sell at a fiver apiece.

Last weekend, DiS sent two scribes to sample the fun and even the continuous showers from noon til night on Sunday couldn’t dampen the spirits…

Dom Gourlay

Downdime

Having been tasked with the unenviable role of opening the indoor stage amidst the glorious sunshine over yonder, Leeds quartet Downdime could be forgiven for being despondent. Two songs in however, they’ve swelled the engine shed to almost bursting point, their luscious boy-girl harmonies between Jeff Tweedy lookalike singer Ged McGurn and keyboard player cum chanteuse Liz Hensor gives us goosebumps. Imagine a mid-air collision between Dinosaur Jr and The Lightning Seeds and you’re in the right vicinity. We’re hooked, and their debut long player Knowing Too Much becomes our first bargain purchase of the day from the merch stand.

Fitness Forever

Italian lounge pop really shouldn’t work no matter what the context, yet this multi-dimensional ensemble somehow conspire to push all the right buttons simultaneously. Maybe it’s a combination of the mid-afternoon sun, luridly camp uniforms and ridiculously beautiful females fronting the group. Whatever the concoction, their sixties flavoured kitsch serves as more than the mere background music it would probably pass for on record, so much so in fact that we trawl down to the front, pint of the aptly named Recession Ale in hand, smiling deliriously.

Mighty Mighty

As one of the formative outfits of the C86 movement, Birmingham’s Mighty Mighty proved to be one of the day’s most anticipated arrivals. Perhaps just as renowned for the line in The Pooh Sticks seminal ‘On Tape’ 45 that simply states “I’ve been living with Mighty Mighty/I think they all really like me”, their Smiths inspired pop is a revelation, even though the band themselves resemble five dads at a wedding, such is that nauseating predicament known as middle age. Old favourites ‘Law Against It’ and ‘Built Like A Car’ sound as vibrant and incendiary as they did twenty-five years ago, while early single ‘Is There Anyone Out There?’ is introduced as being “A song we wrote when Michael Jackson was still black”. The cards…

The Specific Heats

Indietracks is possibly the only festival bar ATP where every other act is something of a new discovery, and this year was no exception. Brooklyn four-piece The Specific Heats stood out like a sore thumb on the Saturday, their energetic surf-tinged, feedback laced pop going down a storm on the church stage. Emerging from the same backyard as kindred spirits Crystal Stilts, Cause Co-Motion and Vivian Girls, The Specific Heats might just be the most exciting combo of the lot, the delirious Eric Rohmer inspired scrawl of ‘Beach 86’ causing something of a mini-riot in the aisles and between the pews.

Adam John Miller

Saddened by the news that DiS faves The Manhattan Love Suicides were no more as of three days ago, we hop aboard the steam train anyway to catch a glimpse of former bass player Adam John Miller’s first ever solo set, and we’re not disappointed. While still understandably disconsolate at the untimely demise of his previous band – almost every song here is introduced as being “about break-ups” – Miller displays a fragility that suggests his other projects The Wednesday Club and Medusa Snare will undoubtedly continue in a similar vein to his old sparring partners. He leaves us with a heartwarming rendition of the Manhattan Love Suicides ‘Skulls’, and with it decrees the end of an era, although we’re equally as excited about the dawning of his new one.

The Marshmallow Kisses

Hong Kong’s The Marshmallow Kisses could be described as something of an indie supergroup, as their onstage line-up boasts members of Whiteoak, Hong Kong In The 60s and One Happy Island among its ranks. What follows is half an hour of flawless J-pop with a twee edge interspersed with poetry recitals and semi-classical, bossa nova style interludes. To say they’re possibly the most original bunch of performers we witness all weekend is nothing short of being an understatement. One glance over our collective shoulders at the packed church (not to mention those queuing outside in the rain) suggests we’re not alone in our thoughts either. A minor revelation of sorts.

Countryside

Bristol four-piece Countryside really look and sound as if they’ve taken a wrong turn somewhere off the A38 and ended up here for some unknown reason. Their demeanour of trucker caps, big shorts and even bigger riffs leaves several punters bewildered, yet those of us who stay throughout their Mew-inspired set are also transfixed by the huge sound emanating from the altar. Occasionally they fall into prog-territory in a similar vein to bands like Kyte, but the deceptive charms of ‘Summer Is Here’ and vast soundscape that is ‘Estuary’ should ensure Countryside a wider audience in the not-too-distant future. Just not necessarily here or now.

Camera Obscura

While there’s no denying their undoubted quality on record, Camera Obscura can be a largely inconsistent beast in the flesh. Take last year’s Summer Sundae slot for example, where their seemingly disinterested performance bore all the hallmarks of a band in wind down before they split mode. Fast forward twelve months however and there’s an air of re-vitalisation all around, maybe sparked by this year’s My Maudlin Career opus, arguably their greatest collection of songs thus far. Tracyanne Campbell is on fine form, showing a more charismatic side to her make-up alongside the undoubted vocal stature she possesses that turn the likes of ‘French Navy’, ‘If Looks Could Kill’ and ‘James’ into distinctive highlights and dare I say it, bonafide weekend anthems.

BMX Bandits

As one of the dominant forces in the Bellshill post-Postcard scene of the mid-eighties, Duglas T Stewart is both a hero and villain in many eyes. Responsible for launching the careers of people like Norman Blake, not to mention early touring buddies of a then unknown bunch of Mancunians called Oasis, Stewart and the Bandits place in rock’n’roll history is assured, even if his bank balance might tell a different story. Nevertheless, their set today is pure cabaret, Stewart even taking a backseat to eat an apple while co-singer Rachel Allison delivers the likes of ‘The Day Before Tomorrow’ and a rousing rendition of ‘E102’ to a rain-sodden, but exceedingly happy throng.

Teenage Fanclub

As the festival’s final headliners, Teenage Fanclub have a lot to live up to, particularly following such a dazzling array of inspired performances across all three stages this weekend. Add to that the persistent downpour and you can almost feel the Gods conspiring against them. It takes precisely ten minutes and just three songs to turn the Midland Railway outdoor stage into an indie disco circa 1991, a storming ‘Star Sign’ bringing several hundred people to life in all-singing, all-dancing show of appreciation. Inbetween “the hits”, we get the occasional new song, one in particular inspired by Rush mainman Geddy Lee, while their run through of The Bevis Frond’s ‘He’d Be A Diamond’ is simply stunning, not least for the unimpeachable three-way harmonies of messrs Blake, Love and McGinley. When they launch into big hit ‘Sparky’s Dream’ followed instantly by debut single ‘Everything Flows’, a sheen of perfection engulfs the whole field. Indietracks (or indeed anywhere else you care to pitch up this summer) really doesn’t get any better than this. As finales go, their set is nothing short of astounding.

Luke Slater

Au Revoir Simone

On record, Au Revoir Simone are dreamy, enchanting and mesmerisin with all those layered synth and three-part harmonies. In person, they're just a little bit sinister – looking almost like some type of girly cult or anthropomorphic invaders, they stand shoulder to shoulder to shoulder, gangly limbs dangling onto keyboards. As the sun sets into the Derbyshire fields with knackered train carriages in the background, everything just seems right. OK, these girls may not have the most varied of sets, you know by now how it goes (swirly, dancey, a little too pleasant perhaps), and there is certainly nothing revelatory here but a kind of slow burning euphoria begins to take over (although that may have just been the 5.2% ale). A “well done” must also go to the soundmen (and possibly women) for the best outdoor sound I've ever encountered.

Sucrette

Ridiculously twee J-Pop on a Saturday morning (OK, early afternoon) is not something a man like me should be enjoying, or rather seen to be enjoying. If an English or American band had been this cute they'd be crucified, but there's something in the Japanese culture which leaves them oblivious to this sort of thing and, I'd say, they're all the better for it. The lead singer gets roundly applauded for her attempts at gratitude in English (and rightly so...) and as the tinkling keyboards, flashing red, blue and green lights combine with the typical Japanese female vocals and shuffling beats, everyone seems happy enough that Sucrette were here. Maybe some even bought their record.

Cats On Fire

The most disappointing thing I can say, unfortunately, is that I left after three songs to go and watch Camera Obscura. This was, in the words of Natalie Imbruglia, a big mistake. Though the indiepop scene is littered – or maybe liberally sprinkled – with Swedish bands, Cats On Fire are from Finland, and though they are probably only about seven Finnish bands who do not play some form of metal, Cats On Fire must surely be the best. Matthias Bjorkas – who resembles a young Bowie – stands dead straight like he has a chronic back problem, the only way to alleviate the pain being to pogo profusely and deliver his low and lamenting lines like his life depended on it. As you can see from the below video, it was more than enjoyed.

The School

The School, aptly named because there's enough members for a class, are pretty hungover (Perhaps so was I on second reading as it turns out there is only seven of them, yet it seemed like 25 at the time). They tell us as much from the off. Nothing wrong with having a good time the night before at all, though thankfully it only really affected their stage banter rather than their stage presence as they do enough to at least light up (if not part) the greying clouds into blue sky as a musical and meteorological Moses with their floaty, shimmering and often clip-clapping tunes.

Nick Garrie

Northern Portrait have a song called 'I Give You Two Seconds To Entertain Me'. I lasted little longer before traipsing to lie on a bank and listen to the wonderful Nick Garrie, a little odd but definitely delightful entry to the bill of an indiepop festival. He plays the sort of traditional well-set English folk with acoustic guitar and a little help from his friends. He also sounds like Ian Ball from Gomez but actually being 60, rather than trying to sound like someone who is, he gets away with it. As enjoyable as he is today, I'd have loved to have seen him 40 years ago with that 52 piece orchestra with which he recorded The Nightmare of J.B Stanislas. This'll do nicely, mind.

Disasteradio

Gutted to have missed the first few songs of Luke Rowell, aka Disasteradio's set. Everything he does brings a smile, from his geeky affectations and pressing of the keyboard, to the gazing at the roof of the shed on and off in an overly dramatic fashion as he quickly jerks his head back. The music he's responsible for would be best described as mid 80s arcade game spaceship battle music at hyper speed. An old couple (mid 70s at least) bop along whilst everyone else seems to be having an all round good time sampling the electronic offerings. And why not – aside from Art Brut, this is probably the most flat-out fun set all weekend.

Art Brut

Having been one of those people who didn't 'get' Art Brut, this band were a revelation. Even at an indiepop festival, there's only so much jingle jangle and two-part harmonies anyone can take. Art Brut, I thought, would be a nice change from this. A good fun Sunday night band. Though a few people had undoubtedly gathered to avoid being soaked from head to toe, the shed (well, a brick building, a railway shed rather than a garden one...) was packed, not filled. Too many highlights to detail them all but Argos's protestations about twee (“don't share your sweets”), a reworked version of 'Modern Art' cataloguing his visit to the DC Comics HQ which included strolling into the audience for a 3 minute monologue (OK, it's all a monologue really...but) and the encore of 'We Formed A Band' (on bass, Art Brut, on guitar, Art Brut, on drums, Art Brut!) all rank pretty highly. It is now that this band make complete sense, once the sand that was kicked up from the ground had cleared and been rubbed out of my eyes, I wanted to be Eddie Argos's best mate. We all did, I think. I still do. If you're reading this Eddie, fancy a pint? ART BRUT! TOP OF THE POPS!

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