Jim Bob gigs coming up...

A big thank you to everyone who came to see my performance at Flux=Rad just over a week ago. In particular thanks to Sangiunearts affiliates Matthew Douglas (aka Matty Windup from early Samneric recordings) and Keith Sandys (aka Mr Teeth, with whom I collaborated on a tape/distance project, also of White Cliff Sands and Spiral Architects, who played a gig at the Havana in Portsmouth - Keith: how 'bout an update on how that went?).

I played a few songs from my previous recordings:
1. acapela and maracas version of Bowie's 'Oh You Pretty Things'
- Keith: I still forgot to give you the maracas back! mistaken taken last July when recording towards White Cliff Sands III, which will come out eventually...
2. tape/guitar/voice improvisation using samples from Windows and 'Panic in Needle Park (an early Pacino film).
3. spoken word version of Utopias from the aforementioned tape/distance project 'Fabricated Memories and Future Notes', accompanied with tape noise and samples (including Brian Eno).
4. a version of Hand to Mouth (Duncan's Organ) [from my album Bontempi 9 recorded for Duncan], without the organ, just guitar vocals and harmonica. I had to play the harmonica, drop it and then continue playing the guitar still in time - I managed to thump the mic and give a massive feedback howl! Unfortunately I also messed up the third verse which goes:
This is it, Duncan's Organ:
It's better than a TV,
but he's got one of those too,
but he doesn't use it
5. Finished with Find Your way Home - a straight guitar and vocals song which I've been playing around with for several years.

The feeback from various quarters was good, and I was invited to come back by my good friends in Flux=Rad; but I'd like to have been less nervous and made less mistakes. It was certainly very different for the beautiful but straight and traditional fare offered after me; which might be why some of the audience were not so into the tape stuff. But that's what I do, so perhaps there are other nights or other forums for my stuff. I definitely plan to do more gigs in time, and have practised more...

If you were there please send us your photos!

Duncan and I went to a night called Coronary Crumpage at the infamous Montague Arms in New Cross. Simon Bookish was playing along with bass, drums, farfisa and tenor, soprano and alto saxophonists (instead of just laptop): amazing! also amazing were the first band Micachu and the Shapes: drums, keyboard and a singer who was playing an amplified toy guitar. They had a flavour of post-punk, the singer reminded me of Justine Frischmann. I missed the main band, I think Duncan stayed on. I got a CD which is good, but as ever is not as good as they were live. I think we might go again next month (Thurs 1 May).

 
 

Lou Reed plays his full Berlin album with a full orchestra, choir and film backdrop at the Albert Hall 30 June

A Place to Bury Strangers tour the UK in May, including:
Barfly Weds 7th
Industry Thurs 8th
Koko (Club NME) Fri 9th
ATP Camber Sands Sun 11th
Legion Mon 12th
Madame Jo Jos Tues 13th
Brighton Great Escape Festival Friday 16th
...and others further afield.
www.aplacetoburystrangers.com

Whitechapel nights coming up:
Duke of Uke Fri 11 April - Acoustic sounds
The Delinquents Thurs 17 April -  spoken word
The Wire: Below the Radar Fri 18 April - featuring Jason Pierce from Spiritualized
www.whitechapel.org

Tindersticks play Royal Festival Hall on Sat 3 May www.southbankcentre.co.uk

Blood on Paper: The Art of the Book opens this weekend at the V&A. Artists featured include Louse Bourgeois, Damien Hirst and Robert Rauschenberg amongst many other notables. http://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/future_exhibs/blood_on_paper/index.html

Last chance to see Jarman at Serpentine and Rodchenko at Hayward this weekend.
www.serpentinegallery.org | http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/minisites/rodchenko/ 

Lucy Skaer 'The Siege' at Chisenhale Gallery until 4 May www.chisenhale.org.uk

Things that go Bump in the Night is a group show at the Cafe Gallery in Southwark Park, featuring The Centre of Attention.  until 4 May www.cafegalleryprojects.org

Michael Barney's Cremaster Cycle is on at the Barbican 18 May www.barbican.org.uk

Inka Essenhigh's mysterious paintings are Victoria Miro until 2 May www.victoria-miro.com