Flight Of The Conchords at Hammersmith Apollo

Flight Of The Conchords
Arj Barker
Hammersmith Apollo, 17 May 2010

I must admit I've never gone to see a stand-up comedian before, let alone a comedy band. The nearest I have ever come to that is seeing Steve Martin and his bluegrass band last year, but that was "serious" music although there were jokes between the songs. At this show, however, I was getting my first taste of both a stand-up and a comedy band live and it proved to be a pretty great experience.

Joanna Newsom at the Royal Festival Hall

Joanna Newsom
Roy Harper
Royal Festival Hall, 12 May 2010

There’s obviously a mutual appreciation society going on between Joanna Newsom and Roy Harper because the last time I saw her live Roy was also there playing support. He obviously hasn’t played live since then because he tells us it was Joanna who coaxed him out of retirement to play these two shows at the Royal Festival Hall, his first in three years.

Pavement at Brixton Academy

Pavement
Brixton Academy, 11 May 2010

Every year there seems to be another big reunion making the indie world abandon their cool to squeal in excitement and this year there's been two, Soundgarden and Pavement. While the Seattle grunge rockers comeback is still in its early stages (they've only played one show so far), the far hipper Pavement have already played shows down under, in Japan and in the States. These are their first London shows though in a decade and they haven't been stingy with them either, playing a week-long residency at Brixton Academy.

She & Him at Koko

She & Him
The Chapin Sisters
Koko, 7 May 2010

Before they come on I overhear someone mention The Watson Twins in reference to support act The Chapin Sisters and when they finally emerge, it's apparent there's plenty of truth to the comparison beyond simply being another pair of singing siblings.

Mark Lanegan at Scala

Mark Lanegan
Duke Garwood
Tiffany Anders
Scala, 4 May 2010

Tiffany Anders is best known to me for singing backing vocals on one of my favourite ever Dinosaur Jr songs, the heart-wrenching Get Me. She was only a teen at the time and knew Dinosaur’s J Mascis through her mother, filmmaker Allison Anders, who J had worked with when he wrote the music for her film Gas, Food & Lodging.

Iggy & The Stooges at Hammersmith Apollo

Iggy & The Stooges
Suicide
Hammersmith Apollo, 3 May 2010

Iggy Pop these days seems better known for hawking car insurance on TV than his music. Sending up his image as a wild rock and roller, he appears to have become this cartoonish figure that even non-music fans would instantly recognise. It sort of makes you wonder then, if your gran knows who the weird, rubbery old man who likes to take off his shirt is, maybe his shows have become as tame as his image seems to have. Thankfully that's not the case at all, something he blasts away with certainty the moment he jumps (literally) on stage with his old comrades The Stooges at this ATP show featuring the band playing their classic album Raw Power in its entirety.