Friday Afternoon (or Where Is Roger Gunnarsson Now?)

Friday Afternoon night saw the London Popfest taking over the Buffalo Bar. The first band we caught was Swedens the Garlands. For those of you who've missed it, shame on you in that case, the Garlands is Roger Gunnarsons current indiepop project together with singer Christin Wolderth. Roger was in the Free Loan Investments, Happy Birthdays and Nixon and is in our eyes the god of swedish indie/twee pop. While the band was almost a swedish all-star band with Sarah from Action Biker and members of Strawberry Fair, Kissing Mirrors and The Happy Birthdays, Roger himself didn't show up to play which was quite frankly a bit disappointing. There is an interview with Roger on Words And Smiles where he talks a little about his reasons behind not playing live. A great read and there's a mention of him of putting out more Nixon material. The Garland where good but yeah, Roger was missed.

Next up were the Just Joans, second time we see them and they were as amazing as when we saw them at Spiral Scratch. Ever since those small 3" WeePOP! records showed up in our mailbox we've been in love with this scottish band. They just put a smile on your face with stories of high school and young drunken adventures and broken hearts. And their stage presence should be envied. How this band isn't as big as Arab Strap (boring comparison we know) we simply just don't understand. We managed to capture our favourite song on video so have a wee look



After the bands there was a disco and we want to say thank you to everyone of you for making it a fantastic dance party. You're the best crowd ever. Here's what we played:

Set 1

Roland Alphonso - 1,000 Tons Of Magation
King Tubby & The Aggrovators - A Glorious Dub
Jeffrey Lewis - The History Of Punk On Lower Eastside 1950-1979

Set 2
Let’s Be Honeys - Pop Love
Girl Alliance - Straight To My Heart (Så Tuff Så Söt)
Belle & Sebastian - Wrapped Up In Books
Field Mice - September’s Not So Far Away
The Lucksmiths - Good Light

Nixon - There’s Too Much Soul On Your Mix-Tape!
The Monochrome Set - The Jet Set Junta
Felt - Sunlight Bathed The Golden Glow
McCarthy - Should The Bible Be Banned (Acoustic)
Free Loan Investments - Kick His Balls Out

Razorcuts - A Is For Alphabet
Trembling Blue Stars - Letter Never Sent
Another Sunny Day - You Should All Be Murdered
Orange Juice - Felicity
Brighter - Poppy Day

The Haywains - Kill Karaoke
Strawberry Story - Close My Eyes
Leaving Mornington Crescent - What If You
Siddeleys - Sunshine Thuggery
Stone Roses - She Bangs The Drums

Beat Happening - Bewitched
The Hit Parade - You Didn’t Love Me Then
Comet Gain - You Can Hide Your Lover Forever
Broder Daniel - Underground

Set 3
Smiths - Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before
Belle & Sebastian - The Boy With The Arab Strap
Television Personalities - Where’s Bill Grundy Now
Little Eva - The Loco-Motion
Hefner - The Hymn For The Cigarettes

Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love?
Go-Betweens - Lee Remick
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Bad Moon Rising
Boo Radleys - Wake Up Boo!
Sonic Youth - Teen Age Riot

John Peel And The Fall - Intro/Outro Edits
Fall - Totally Wired
Gang Of Four - I Found That Essence Rare
Håkan Hellström - En Midsommarnattsdröm
Girls At Our Best! - Getting Nowhere Fast

Byrds - I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better
Comet Gain - Record Collection

PENS and Wetdog at Ladyfest

On thursday night we snuck off to the Goldsmiths Students' Union Ladyfest to see Bracelettes, PENS, Wetdog and Veronica Falls. Though having been forced to move the event to the common room with no stage it was a great and friendly night with most guest being seated or quietly standing at the back. It was a bit disorienting at first not being able to pogo to the mighty PENS but people probably would have looked weird at us. We sadly missed the Bracelettes and had to leave before Veronica Falls but we're pretty much sure that Wetdog stole the show with their almost marching sounding minimalistic post-punk. Truly a great band and they'll leave Vivian Girls behind in their dust when they embark on their US-tour with them in March.

And speaking of March. We found out that the next PENS 7" on De Stijl will be the fantastic You Only Like Me backed with Love Rules. Oh PENS, how we love you.

Typical Girls

This is simply amazing. Over at Kängnäve they've posted downloads of a 12 (TWELVE) cdr compilation entitled A Reference Of Female-Fronted Punk Rock: 1977-89. Apparently a Vince B. from San Francisco put together this compilation and sent of 36 hand made copies with info and notes on the bands to his friends. (Vince, if you're reading this we would like to be your friend). It's an astonishing compilation with everything from classic female bands like Rezillos, Au Pairs and Delta 5 to obscure bands like the Yugoslav band Drustvo Prisjecavalaca Boljih Dana. Everybody should hear these songs and all kid sisters should get a copy of it on their next birthday. Download and read more about this project at the original post

Our friend Mongonaut also mentions the Women In Punk 1975-1980 list put together by Sharon Cheslow which has even more female fronted bands. Somebody needs to put together a box with these bands asap.

So Tough! at London Popfest

We're very happy to say that So Tough! So Cute! will be playing records at this years London Popfest. On friday night at the Buffalo Bar after the bands we'll be serving up a fine selection of indiepop, twee and C86 tunes together with Sean of Fortuna POP! and Karin of Cosy Den so come on down and dance your stripey socks off. The same night will see Sunny Street, Horowitz, Garlands (of Nixon and (best-band-in-the-world-except-for-the-Fall) Free Loan Investments) and the always lovely Just Joans share the stage so it'll be an amazing night. The full program  for the London Popfest can be found here.

Oh and don't miss that during they day there will be a free showing of what is sure to be two great films at the Roxy Bar & Screen (map).  First up is Take Three Girls: The Dolly Mixture Story (dir. Paul Kelly, 2008) about one of the best girl-fronted bands ever Dolly Mixture. The second film is The Shield Around the K (dir. Heather Dominic, 2000) which features interviews with K bands as well as performances by Beat Happening.

And finally, the will be a mixtape/cd swap on saturday! So sweet! We look forward to seeing handwritten tracklists and discovering new songs.

You got a haircut! I got a haircut!

 

We thought that including Woollen Kits on the last mixtape would be good enough but when the 7" dropped down in the mailbox (actually the mailman knocked and we had to run down to open the door) we were reminded of what a great record this is. From Melbourne come these four songs that capture pretty much everything you remember about being a kid in the summer; staying out all day, drawing comics and falling instantaneously in love by the swings and make out behind the bike shed. And then break up the day after.

The Beat Happening comparisons are unavoidable but there is something with the innocense of Woollen Kits that makes the songs stand on their own. Haircut is pure joy and is probably our favourite track on the lovely screenprinted and hand stamped record. You should buy it at the Periodic Collective shop and play it at a drunken picnic between the McTells - Push and Monks - Boys Are Boys And Girls Are Choice.

Definitely Nothing

So it's Sunday morning and we were listening to Henry's Dress, like you should do every Valentines Day, (actually every Sunday now that we think of it) and what do we run into while quitly minding our business looking for books on Henry Darger paintings? A live recording of Amy Linton and Crystal Stilts members from the Slumberland Records 20th Anniversary Concert at Bell House. How the hell did we miss this?! *sigh* We're so out of touch with what's happening. It's just three songs, two Henry's Dress songs and one Aislers Set song, but it sound so good and punk and oh boy, oh boy, this really made our day. Now if only we could manage to find that Over 21 split and it'd be the best Valentines Day ever.

You can download the set and find more info on the recordings at nyctaper

Update
Oh god. We really are off our game today. As Marianthi points out in the comments there is a video of this on youtube

(Photo credit unknown)

Mixtape: Let Me Tell You About Punk Rock

While we're getting ready for tonights PENS and La La Vasquez gig we thought we might put together a mixtape of some tracks that make our hearts go snap, crackle, pop! Songs that gets us to stay up all night listening to records and finding out what it's like to really kiss somebody. As always, if you like a track go and buy the records or try and catch the bands live.

Let Me Tell You About Punk Rock
1. Garbo's Daughter - I Only Have Eyes For You
2. The White Wires - Pogo 'Til I Puke
3. Wetdog - Nancy Riley
4. Deep Sht - Hector
5. Shark Toys - Stayed Up
6. Veronica Falls - Starry Eyes
7. Frankie's Crew - Somebody
8. Graffiti Island - Head Hunters
9. Chain and the Gang - Unpronouceable Name
10. Vibes - Psychic
11. Spider And The Webs - Do You Really Wanna
12. Jacuzzi Boys - Island Ave.
13. Tronics - Crush On You
14. Christmas Island - Nineteen
15. Grass Widow - To Where
16. The Legend! - The King Of Hobart
17. Times New Viking - Teenage Lust!
18. Sneaky Pinks - I Can't Wait
19. Psychedelic Horseshit - Dreadlock Paranoia
20. The Fresh & Onlys - D.Y.
21. Woollen Kits - By A Lake

Download