Tuesday, July 19, 2011

olafur arnalds

on sunday, i was lucky enough to be one of the 50 people that got into the intimate and magical show in a 500+ year old house on a sunday afternoon in nijmegen with the magnificent olafur arnalds, during his time as artist-in-residence at festival de affaire. it was his second ever solo show (the first being at midnight the evening before) and there was improvisation and audience participation and some bits that maybe didn't work (i didn't hear them) and lots of bits that definitely did. and it was pretty fantastic it has to be said. it was the first time i'd seen olafur in the flesh and - in a way - i'm kinda pleased it was this completely stripped down affair for my first live interactions. yes, i look forward to seeing a big (not too big ideally) show with the strings by his side soon enough but hopefully more solo stuff too. i wasn't sure if i'd have preferred to be at the spooky midnight show instead but i'm happy now that i was there on the sunny sunday, with the light streaming in the window behind giving the few shots i took a ethereal quality. perfectly wonderful it was.

olafur arnalds @ de affaire

olafur arnalds @ de affaire

olafur arnalds @ de affaire

more shots from festival de affair in nijmegen in my full flickr set - was very pleased to get to see the black atlantic, james vincent mcmorrow and pien feith as well - all were ace too!
UPDATE: can't wait to see olafur again - next time in reyjkavik at the iceland airwaves festival. it's now booked!
x

Tuesday, July 05, 2011

tv on the radio

@ paradiso, 4 july 2011

i first saw tv on the radio at the end of their set from the back of a tent on an early sunday evening (as i recall) at leeds festival a few years back. and that got me hooked. next, i was borrowing my housemate's (or soon to be housemate anyway - thanks whiskas!) album and spinning the vinyl. i got to see them again last night for my first full gig experience... and to think i almost wimped out and didn't even go to the gig due to monday night tiredness. but with some self-determination and friendly encouragement (thanks again whiskas!) i didn't miss out.

tv on the radio

and what i experienced was my favourite gig at paradiso yet (topping the band of horses gig from a few months back). i only mainly know desperate youth, blood thirsty babes (2004), return to cookie mountain (2006), but did manage to listen to a few songs off the new album recently. i wasn't going to take any photos but of course i could resist. just a few here for now until i sort through the rest of them. but i think my photos got particularly shaky once staring at the sun came on due to my dancing actions.

tv on the radio

the above shot possibly being one of them... cos it is shaky/dodgy/not quite right. but i still kinda like it. and it also reminds me of staring at the sun, although i don't think it was actually taken during that song...

but after that, i thought it couldn't get any better but it did! from the opening song (young liars) to wolf like me, it was all immense. the first song of the first encore was one of my quiet faves - a method - with antwerp-based band (white circle crime club) joining tvotr on stage, adding extra beats and hand claps and cymbal hits and tambourine jangles.

tv on the radio

tvotr. immense. i danced, i sang and at times i screamed (for more). but after the second encore they went home. and i cycled home whistling a happy tune.

x