Long time lurker, former poster who lost his password(several times) but thought I would re-register finally.
Cracking night at a crap venue, the sound in there as always was poor, very muddy, struggled to hear the keyboards at all.
Place was rammed, unfortunately I had to shoot off early than I would have liked, to get the last train.
Hookworms were splendid as always, although the shrill vocals are starting to grate on me a bit, musically top notch though.
Had a pre gig snifter or 4 in the Temple Bar where I was introduced to the chap (and his good lady) behind the Great Pop Supplement label. Was a pleasure to chew the fat with some like minded souls.
Then finally introduced my good self to Runcible and the chap behind Optical Sounds. Also chatted to some guys from Liverpool who spotted my BJM t-shirt so another conversation ensued talking all things pysch, nice lads, no doubt will catch up with them at a gig soon
The songs i heard from memory before my departure at 11 were Black smoke rise, We ask you to ride, Home, Lazybones, Aquarian Time, For So Long, Motorobike, Flight. What did I miss ?
Wooden Shjips-Manchester-Sound Control
Moderators: BzaInSpace, runcible, spzretent, MODLAB
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Aquarian-Time
- Known user
- Posts: 688
- Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2012 8:22 am
Re: Wooden Shjips-Manchester-Sound Control
Hello again - was a pleasure to meet you....!
Last night's show was a potentially brilliant night ruined by the way the venue was run. Initially the place looked promising - quite well set out on 2 levels and 2 bars. But they filled the place to the point where it became both very uncomfortable and also somewhat dangerous. 3 songs into the Shjips set it was genuinely hazardous and myself my the missus had had enough and we got out. We had walked into the auditorium and down one side where there was space, but as the Shjips set went on people poured into the small gaps there were until everyone was tightly packed, shoulder to shoulder. Occasional bursts of people would squeeze through further until it all built up again. It was hot and you couldn't breath in there so it was absolutely horrible. That's the 2nd gig this year where I have felt my personal safety threatened and it was so unpleasant I can't imagine anyone regarding the place as somewhere to return to. I'll never go back to that place for sure. In addition the snail-like inept bar staff took eons to get anyone their drinks - only 2 bar staff running a packed bar doesn't help. And to have nothing on draft apart from Fosters (the other 7 taps were all out of action) is ridiculous.
It was less crowded when Hookworms played their set, thank God, and despite the sound being comprised of a small bit of treble accompanied by a lumpy muddy bottom end containing everything else they did well and delivered a brilliant set. If the sound had been better that would qualify as the best I have seen them - they nailed it with ease. I was with a few folks I hadn't seen for ages including said Dom from Great Pop Supplement - none of whom had seen Hookworms before - and everyone loved them. The opening track was so intricate I have no idea how they remembered where they were and what section was next! Teen Dream was the atmospheric gem it always is too. Had a brief chat with our own Matt Benn (enjoy the MC5 DVDs dude!) and singer Matthew - both looked almost embarrassed at my praise, but this band just get better and better. Set was too short of course and the large and aromatic BO-orientated man in front of me who chatted to his mate for a lot of it barged into my enjoyment some of the time.
The opening Shjips songs were tremendous - they just plugged straight into that vibe and the buzz erupted immediately. I know not everyone here is convinced but I have never seen them play badly and I find them fascinating to watch, particularly drummer Omar who looks so in the zone and always seems to be enjoying himself. Sadly the crush became so overwhelming that we couldn't stand it and after 15 minutes or so we went to the bar downstairs. Gradually more and more sweaty people appeared, all of us looking rather put out that we'd had to flee the horrors of the packed auditorium. To think I paid £12.50 to watch the Shjips on a TV hung over the bar does kind of piss me off. I cannot work out why whoever runs these places thinks it a good idea to cram so many people into a room that having a good time becomes impossible. I know I always go on about the Brudenell in Leeds but with experiences like this it makes me realise how lucky we are in Leeds to have such a place. I got talking to a guy - sharing a big grumble about the Sound Control in general - and when I mentioned the Brudenell he ranted for some time about how brilliant and how well run the place is. Too right.
So a big disappointment really. Definitely not worth the 120 mile round trip although Hookworms set was rather special. Spoke very briefly to Ripley after and said I hoped he might swing by the Brudenell on the next tour and he said 'oh, yes - we'll be back'. Something to look forward to.
Last night's show was a potentially brilliant night ruined by the way the venue was run. Initially the place looked promising - quite well set out on 2 levels and 2 bars. But they filled the place to the point where it became both very uncomfortable and also somewhat dangerous. 3 songs into the Shjips set it was genuinely hazardous and myself my the missus had had enough and we got out. We had walked into the auditorium and down one side where there was space, but as the Shjips set went on people poured into the small gaps there were until everyone was tightly packed, shoulder to shoulder. Occasional bursts of people would squeeze through further until it all built up again. It was hot and you couldn't breath in there so it was absolutely horrible. That's the 2nd gig this year where I have felt my personal safety threatened and it was so unpleasant I can't imagine anyone regarding the place as somewhere to return to. I'll never go back to that place for sure. In addition the snail-like inept bar staff took eons to get anyone their drinks - only 2 bar staff running a packed bar doesn't help. And to have nothing on draft apart from Fosters (the other 7 taps were all out of action) is ridiculous.
It was less crowded when Hookworms played their set, thank God, and despite the sound being comprised of a small bit of treble accompanied by a lumpy muddy bottom end containing everything else they did well and delivered a brilliant set. If the sound had been better that would qualify as the best I have seen them - they nailed it with ease. I was with a few folks I hadn't seen for ages including said Dom from Great Pop Supplement - none of whom had seen Hookworms before - and everyone loved them. The opening track was so intricate I have no idea how they remembered where they were and what section was next! Teen Dream was the atmospheric gem it always is too. Had a brief chat with our own Matt Benn (enjoy the MC5 DVDs dude!) and singer Matthew - both looked almost embarrassed at my praise, but this band just get better and better. Set was too short of course and the large and aromatic BO-orientated man in front of me who chatted to his mate for a lot of it barged into my enjoyment some of the time.
The opening Shjips songs were tremendous - they just plugged straight into that vibe and the buzz erupted immediately. I know not everyone here is convinced but I have never seen them play badly and I find them fascinating to watch, particularly drummer Omar who looks so in the zone and always seems to be enjoying himself. Sadly the crush became so overwhelming that we couldn't stand it and after 15 minutes or so we went to the bar downstairs. Gradually more and more sweaty people appeared, all of us looking rather put out that we'd had to flee the horrors of the packed auditorium. To think I paid £12.50 to watch the Shjips on a TV hung over the bar does kind of piss me off. I cannot work out why whoever runs these places thinks it a good idea to cram so many people into a room that having a good time becomes impossible. I know I always go on about the Brudenell in Leeds but with experiences like this it makes me realise how lucky we are in Leeds to have such a place. I got talking to a guy - sharing a big grumble about the Sound Control in general - and when I mentioned the Brudenell he ranted for some time about how brilliant and how well run the place is. Too right.
So a big disappointment really. Definitely not worth the 120 mile round trip although Hookworms set was rather special. Spoke very briefly to Ripley after and said I hoped he might swing by the Brudenell on the next tour and he said 'oh, yes - we'll be back'. Something to look forward to.
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Brother James
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Re: Wooden Shjips-Manchester-Sound Control
Hello Jim here, forum lurker, decided to register! Everyone seems really nice on here.
Great day, record shopping, few drinks then the Mighty Shjips! That was my second time seeing Hookworms and they blew the roof off! Opening band Kult Country were pretty cool too, nice bit of noise to finish their set off. Shjips were ace as always. I was lucky enough to catch them in Wrexham the night before & spin a few tunes inbetween bands, I think the Wrexham gig just edged it for me, Ripley was proper going for it. Both top nights though, I was still a bit ripped from Wednesday night so Manc was perfect to zone out to.
It did get a bit packed in Soundcontrol, I think I spent a good portion of the night moving out the way to let people past!
Aquarian-Time, I think I may have been in Temple bar when you were there, I spotted a dude in a BJM shirt. I slipped Anemone & Evergreen on the jukebox as a treat for you just as I was leaving. Was that you chatting to Paul from Grey & Pink records in Soundcontrol?
Peace.
Great day, record shopping, few drinks then the Mighty Shjips! That was my second time seeing Hookworms and they blew the roof off! Opening band Kult Country were pretty cool too, nice bit of noise to finish their set off. Shjips were ace as always. I was lucky enough to catch them in Wrexham the night before & spin a few tunes inbetween bands, I think the Wrexham gig just edged it for me, Ripley was proper going for it. Both top nights though, I was still a bit ripped from Wednesday night so Manc was perfect to zone out to.
It did get a bit packed in Soundcontrol, I think I spent a good portion of the night moving out the way to let people past!
Aquarian-Time, I think I may have been in Temple bar when you were there, I spotted a dude in a BJM shirt. I slipped Anemone & Evergreen on the jukebox as a treat for you just as I was leaving. Was that you chatting to Paul from Grey & Pink records in Soundcontrol?
Peace.
Re: Wooden Shjips-Manchester-Sound Control
Damn runcible, what a bummer! But, having seen gigs in England I too have been in venues that were far too packed for their own good.
It also sounds to me like Wooden Shjips are more popular in the UK than they are here. When I saw them in Portland with The Night Beats there was maybe 300 or so people. But, the Nights Beats set seemed more crowded to me. Once the Shjips came on their Quaalude style/downer drone/sludge psych kinda cleared the hall a bit and only about 200 or so of us remained in a venue that holds maybe 400-500.
It also sounds to me like Wooden Shjips are more popular in the UK than they are here. When I saw them in Portland with The Night Beats there was maybe 300 or so people. But, the Nights Beats set seemed more crowded to me. Once the Shjips came on their Quaalude style/downer drone/sludge psych kinda cleared the hall a bit and only about 200 or so of us remained in a venue that holds maybe 400-500.
Re: Wooden Shjips-Manchester-Sound Control
That was me that - good to meet. Found a decent spot in an otherwise rammed venue. Good to meet Dom Great Pop Supplement - great venture and a good Kopite to top it off. Dom - get working on that next split-7' Wooden Shjips / Roxy Music - Fallin' / Virginia Plain - should be straight forward to arrangeAquarian-Time wrote:Long time lurker, former poster who lost his password(several times) but thought I would re-register finally.
Cracking night at a crap venue, the sound in there as always was poor, very muddy, struggled to hear the keyboards at all.
Place was rammed, unfortunately I had to shoot off early than I would have liked, to get the last train.
Hookworms were splendid as always, although the shrill vocals are starting to grate on me a bit, musically top notch though.
Had a pre gig snifter or 4 in the Temple Bar where I was introduced to the chap (and his good lady) behind the Great Pop Supplement label. Was a pleasure to chew the fat with some like minded souls.
Then finally introduced my good self to Runcible and the chap behind Optical Sounds. Also chatted to some guys from Liverpool who spotted my BJM t-shirt so another conversation ensued talking all things pysch, nice lads, no doubt will catch up with them at a gig soon
The songs i heard from memory before my departure at 11 were Black smoke rise, We ask you to ride, Home, Lazybones, Aquarian Time, For So Long, Motorobike, Flight. What did I miss ?
Had a great night
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Aquarian-Time
- Known user
- Posts: 688
- Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2012 8:22 am
Re: Wooden Shjips-Manchester-Sound Control
Hey brother James, yes that was me, cheers for the indirect dedication on the jukebox ! Yes I was chatting to Paul from Grey n Pink briefly, top chap, super record store as well, he is a big fan of all things pysch.
Anyone know what the shjips finished off their set with, like I say I left at 11, think they were playing flight at the time. Often they close the sets with deaths not your friend, buddy and maybe an other. Cheers in advance
Anyone know what the shjips finished off their set with, like I say I left at 11, think they were playing flight at the time. Often they close the sets with deaths not your friend, buddy and maybe an other. Cheers in advance
Re: Wooden Shjips-Manchester-Sound Control
shame there was no london show on this tour, anyone know if they'll be back before the end of the year?
Re: Wooden Shjips-Manchester-Sound Control
don`t know for certain ,but I think the Shjips excluding Ripley work around other non musical commitments ,so would be surprised if they were back this year,unless it was some special one of type show,Moon Duo have a new album in sept/oct time and should be touring after that ,doesn`t leave much room for a return to these shores ,huxley wrote:shame there was no london show on this tour, anyone know if they'll be back before the end of the year?