Psicle: Back to Black

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Back to Black

Arrive Leeds on a stormy night but at least the train got here with no trampolines on the tracks. After dropping off my bag at left luggage I meet Ramsay for a quick pint and then head to the Belgrave to meet everyone else for food and beers including Ramsay's work mate and friend. Jon and Jo arrive but Olly and Cameron are stuck on the Pennines so once at the Irish Centre, last visited 2 decades ago?, we all meet up plus Poppy and Tom and troop inside. Not exactly the Brudenell but it's a pretty good layout if you're downstairs and bar easy to get to. First up is one of the guys from Bo Ningen who sings and shouts over backing tracks in a set veering from Eminemesque to Drakesque or similar. It's not my genre so don't quote me on that. Although interesting in parts a bit disappointing from someone from such a great and innovative band. Apparently his act is named Ill Japonia. We nip outside for some fresh air then back in and glad we left for a why as classical music being pumped out for some reason. Arty I guess. Then on come Black Midi complete with sax. They play an absolutely storming set ranging from post post-punk hard core to acid psyche jazz funk. I love it as do my mates Jon saying best live band for years. Not sure I'd go that far but pretty damn close. The set is not as hard core as the album and has a great dance groove running throughout whether a heavy beat for their hard core numbers or a funky dance vibe for the, well, funkier numbers. Are we not dancers. We are dancers. Some lovely melodic tunes counterpointed with discordant jazz like improv from both guitar and sax with crashing general noise and vocals remind me of Alternative TV or Blurt which is fantastic to hear again. At times the sax breaks remind of the sort of bands you'd stumble upon at festivals back in the day and at other times they are the best jazz funketeers since Kool and the Gang. And that is a great compliment in my book of music. Any lazy comparisons to The Fall are just that. Think Kool mixed with Talking Heads New York funkier tunes with a dash of Gong. Jon also reckons Jeff Buckley so let's throw him in too. Mix well and enjoy. All too soon they are off and with much waving to the crowed we're obviously not getting an encore. Fantastic. Olly and Cameron leave for their Pennine return, see you Tuesday guys, and Ramsay, Jo, Jon and me taxi to Otley where we chat music and crap til 2.30. Don't see Jon next morning he has followed Olly over the Pennines at an unearthly hour and Ramsay drives me to Menston for long haul to my parents in Keynsham, having passed where we were all at college and the Bourneville chocolate factory. After a couple of nights brother Duncan picks me up and we land at Jon's where we go see Bath City edge the game against Dulwich Hamlet, despite our magnificent passing game, courtesy of an admittedly great 3rd goal. Then back to Shrewton and now on train to London in time for The Arsenal vs Everton... Which was another thrilling 3-2 game this time my team coming out top despite the best efforts of the referee. The main difference between Dulwich Hamlet fans and Gooners (apart from the numbers) is that the latter sing The Referee's a Wanker and the former sing The Referee's a Tory. I know which I'd rather be.