Windmill Wednesday

Partly so we catch up Simon find ourselves at the Windmill for what we are hoping will be a quiet night out. I've got to leave the house before 6.30 tomorrow. Everyone else seems to be out for a big night as the place is packed and everyone getting merry. On stage is a very shiny singer belting out out and out disco tunes on a tape unit (or perhaps something more digital) and she has a great voice for it. This is apparently Vanity Fairy and if you like your disco, which I do, then it's great. Couldn't get near the dance floor even if we wanted to strut our stuff as heaving in there. Disco is obviously the new indie in south London. Provinces take note. Simon hands over the chisels, having not been stopped en route, and we buy gins to remember Pauline. After a bit of fresh air we come back in to see Voka Gentle who are a 3 piece but I'm not sure as we're not that close, the stage is not that big and there is a big speaker that could be hiding someone. Also I think someone comes on to guest for a couple of songs. I'm unsure about them at first as they seem to be channelling American beat folky stuff although they do have great vocals. Something a bit weird (in a good way) about them so it's a psychedelic folk vibe. They then progress a bit into west coast surfer band harmonies with a soft rock feel (OK, say it Jim, The Beach Boys) before meandering off into a wild strange land of folky hard rock at times going all Gong like and I've not said that for a while. They are definitely growing on me. The lyrics are odd and humorous the ones I can catch. Their album cover is reminiscent of King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King although the back cover ain't. There may be a musical influence there too. We're won over and I'd love to see them again. The Windmill is a great venue but when it's crowded you have to be in the mood to squeeze between kids a third of your age to get a good view. After they're off we leave sharpish as we both got things to do. Tomorrow. Much better than sitting in a 'Spoons. Good night Simon. Excuse the photo quality as my phone camera is wobbly still and I am using an ancient (i.e. 5 year old) phone which seems to think it's taking photos for psychedelic 70's album covers. I don't think I've accidentally switched on the "psychedelic 70's album cover" mode.

Vanity Fairy

Voka Gentle, some of, possibly most