Its indicative of how few venues there are really in this country that a band like Ham Sandwich have to play two gigs in a day in one place in order to just get out there and play. Its indicative of how indifferent the country is to its own music scene that fuck all people turn up to the afternoon show. This could be down to a couple of reasons not least of which is the fact that most people are probably hungover to fuck still or more likely they might as well wait until the evening show because then they can stay out drinking afterwards. Come to think of it I probably should have done the same thing.

Emergency in Transit look like the type of band who either saved up all their pocket money very hard to pay for their equipment or have rich daddy's. Their sound is very tight but perhaps a little suspiciously tight for their age, which is about 16 (pun intended). Most of their songs have an opening riff that completely rips of "Helicopters" by Bloc Party which baffles me completely how nobodies pointed that out to them yet. Still they're not the worst thing I've ever seen and once they gain a few years and realise that their haircuts look fucking retarded then they might have something.

Ham Sandwich have quietly made a totally decent name for themselves over the last three years since the first time I saw them at HWCH in 2005. In fact they've gone and released one of my albums of the year in "Carry the Meek". They're stage banter is loose and their sound is full even when playing to only about 30-40 people like at this gig (most of them well underage including a couple or 2-5 year olds who run around wearing day-glo earmuffs). I start to wish, about 4 songs in that I had gone to the evening show instead as a crowd is clearly what they need although all the underages knacker drinking in the small crowd do get into it.

Their stage dynamic is impressive and now that Niamh has popped out the sprog she's got her frame into a more waif-like physique (with nice boobs). And of course one of the recurring questions that one must ask when attending a Ham Sandwich gig is "What outfit will Podge wear?" Clearly something stolen from his older sisters wardrobe in this case but of course he pulls it off.

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Keepsake

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FOREVER proudly presents

Jackie-O-Motherfucker
plus guests: Valet & Inca Ore
Nov.
3rd, 2008
Whelans, Dublin
tickets: €15.00 on the door.

8pm

formed in 1994, jomf have influenced countless contemporarysound-makers and musicians with both their freeform, moderninterpretations of traditional folk, and their cut and paste,collective style of band membership. spiritually aligned with thefree-music
experiments of the late 60's and early 70's, as well as the lonesomefolk and blues produced in the roadhouses and juke-joints of early
1900's america. jomf have fused together the traditional song form andthe improvising ensemble, into a powerful and engaging live band,
and 2008 finds the group finally honing in on the sound they have been searching for.
the current line-up features honey owens, who has been cultivating herown music as VALET, recording for kranky records in chicago, andplaying live all over america with her own music, and with atlas sound.honey has been an important part of jomf in the past, palying guitarand singing in early formations of jomf (flat fixed, fig. 5) and alsocontributing both as a vocalist and a producer on FLAGS OF THE SACREDHARP. as a part of the current touring line up, this is a rareopportunity to experience, as honey will no doubt be concentrating onher own projects in the coming years.
nick bindeman, jomf guitarist, has also been continually refining hisown sound and style, with his band ETERNAL TAPESTRY, they have a brandnew crd out now on the jomf imprint U-SOUND, titled SUN ARISE and havereceived the thumbs-up from kraut rock archivist JULIAN COPE earlierthis year. also just released on U-SOUND, is a live recording of theduo of TETUZI AKIYAMA and TOM GREENWOOD, titled STONED RUNES, thisrecording was made in tokyo earlier this year, when jomf performeddates in japan, performing with OM, MERZBOW, AND JIM O'ROURKE, and is aquiet and beautifully wandering document of zonked folk/blues acousticguitar playing.
earlier this year, jomf signed to the influential uk label FIRERECORDS, and are hard at work recording a brand new studio release forthe label, titled BALLADS OF THE REVOLUTION. many of the songs to bereleased on this record will be performed live on the upcoming tour. inthe meantime, FIRE will be issuing an incredible recording this fall,made in the studios of VPRO radio in amsterdam last year. titled THEBLOOD OF LIFE, this record contains two jomf classic songs from thepast, HEY! MR. SKY, and THE GRAVE, both completely new versions ofthese songs, produced in a very minimal but powerful style, as well astwo new songs, a traditional ballad THE LOST JIMMY WALEN, and a brandnew track, THE BLOOD OF LIFE, which is a ground breaking piece of newmusic for the band. also coming out this fall on visual artist chrisjohansons AWESOME VISTAS imprint, is THE CRYIN' SEA, another recordingproduced in europe, this LP only release features an incredible screenprinted cover, with artwork done in a collaboration between TOMGREENWOOD and CHRIS JOHANSON, who have also been working together on amajor exhibition of johansons work at DEITCH PROJECTS gallery in nyc,which opened sept. 4th.
one more jomf release to look out for is FREEDOMLAND just issued byVERY FRIENDLY/CARGO UK, this lp/cd release was recorded in the USAduring two long tours in 2005/06, and features the vocals of EVASALENS. eva has been busy in the meantime working on her own music, andwill be on tour this fall supporting jomf in europe as INCA ORE.
extraordinary drummer danny sasaki, (enemy mine) who has been on boardwith jomf since 2005, will also be a part of the jomf line-up thisouting, rounding out this incredible live band.

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Baltimore has certainly been serving up more than crab cakes these past few years. But never has Charm City USA spit a band quite like this our way. Weird, wild, and insanely unpredictable, Ponytail don't so much offer songs. Their's is an obsession with noise; one that pairs moments of serene, ambient bliss next to obliterating chops of sonic mayhem. Screeching hell and high water into the microphone, banshee Molly Siegel is the can't miss presence at the helm of this free wheeling outfit. Ponytail play Whelans on Wed 10 Sep at 9:00pm and its an all age gig as well
(live video from Ponytail in the read more)

Ponytail - Beg Waves

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On Thursday Heathers and Crayonsmith play an all age gig in the Project Arts Centre with tickets a mere 6 euro. This show is the first of a bunch of gigs around Ireland for Heathers , check their myspace for all the dates

Heathers myspace
Crayonsmith myspace
hideaway records myspace

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Our good friends Patrick Kelleher and The Wet Dreams are playing an all age gig( so bring your kids/little brothers/sisters/pandas etc. 7.o clock.) this Sunday 8th June in Greystones Theatre, Greystones, Co. Wicklow. Supporting Chequerboard and God is a astronaut.


Patrick Kelleher
Chequerboard
God Is An Astronaut


"Coat To Wear" Music Video in the read more

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