I should really get a better camera. Or learn how to use a phone.
I had been waiting a bloody long time to see Owen, otherwise known as Mike Kinsella of American Football, Cap'n Jazz, and a few more of your emo faves. Tonight, his gig (put on by STHC) at my much frequented Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff would be my first chance to see the man in action. If you've not heard of Mike Kinsella/Owen before, you might like him if you like twinkly acoustic guitars, self-deprecating lyrics and buggering up half way through songs and still managing to look cool as hell.
Support for the night were locals Pipedream, a Cardiff three-piece comprising of Tom on guitar, Josh on bass and the return of Harry on drums. Tonight's gig proved quite special in that this was Harry and indeed Pipedream's first gig since an incident which left Harry very seriously injured. Following some sort of superhuman recovery, Harry was back in the swing of things and Pipedream sounded no different to how they'd done the other few times I'd seen them - which is top notch. Pipedream's sound (you can have a little gander/listen here), to me, sounds surprisingly textured for a three-piece. (Just on an aside, sorry if the phrase "three-piece" makes you think of a two-piece swimsuit with an extra bit on the side. Like a swimming cap or something. That's what I'm thinking of, anyway.) But yeah, Pipedream's sound is textured and yet raw at the same time? Maybe it's all the work of all these FX pedals that I've been trying to decipher since I got my Fender Telecaster when I was about thirteen. I can't explain it. Basically, if you like Basement's earliest stuff but a little less clean sounding or perhaps Jawbreaker, they're your go-to. My personal fave is "Burn the Midnight Oil" from their 2011 Demo which they happened to play last night. Happy days.
Despite the fact that I won't be able to pay my rent next month as it is, I bought two Owen LPs which Mike signed before his performance. To me, he seems like the nicest guy ever with just an air of "fuck the world" behind gritted teeth. If you're wondering why there's a silver scribble on my "No Good For No One Now" LP then that's because he spelled my name as "MIA!" and I had to correct him. Bit awks. Nice guy though.
For his set, he got us all to sit down as he didn't want us hovering over him or us having to struggle to see. Fair point, actually. I ended up with a numb arse and pins and needles for a bit but that's alright because he was bloody great. I spoke with a guy afterwards and we were in total agreement that his voice sounds exactly the same live which is something that you don't come across often.
I just went on my phone to get up the setlist... and I didn't save it. Balls. You now have permission never to read my blog again... But all is not lost! It's okay, I remember that he started with "The Armoire", one of my favourites from Ghost Town, the first Owen album I actually heard. I was struck by a nasty jealousy in that I would never be able to play the acoustic guitar like that with such ease. Finger-picking just pisses me off because the height of my abilities in that area is "The House of the Rising Sun" at half its normal speed. He also did "The Sad Waltzes of Pietro Crespi", a favourite of mine that I'd forgotten about until about a week ago and wondered what I'd been doing. Crying over some of his other songs, probably. Hearing the cute little intro in the flesh actually wet my eyes (rather sadly) and it was hard not to start shouting along. Might have been a bit awkward to do so in a room full of people sitting on the floor. When he played "Nobody's Nothing", my all-time favourite Mike Kinsella song, (and a song I didn't think I'd get to hear,) I kind of winced, but in some sort of ecstatic way (you'll probably have gathered by now that I don't explain feelings or sounds very well. I'll hopefully be able to do that soon). Like I said before, Mike had to stop once or twice during songs to sort out his guitar playing, but I can't play the guitar in public without sweating profusely and staring intently at the fretboard hoping I get my A minor chord correct so we'll cut him some slack. He took some requests off this bloke who sat right in front of him and sang along to every single word (there's always one) which was nice. I was glad to hear "One of These Days" but it struck a nerve as it mentions a few little familial issues with which I can relate - when it's normally the relationship and "WHERE AM I GOING IN LIFE?" stuff. So apart from feeling a little subdued by that, I was feeling like I always do in nice gigs, which is the "Live music is the essence of life!" feeling.
...Until I got home and my friend who I went to the gig with texted me to tell me that he was in Urban Tap House and that Mike Kinsella had just bought him a pint. Prick.
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Soon I'll do my top ten albums of 2013, complete with my top ten gigs. That's when I'm done sleeping when I go home for Christmas. Until next time!
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