Gig Review: 26th November at The Star, Guildford

Again, it's so nice to pop home between soundcheck and the gig for a cup of tea and some home-made soup. (Or a couple of hours sleep for Neil and Stu who drove back from Wales earlier in the day)

Unfortunately I missed a few of the earlier bands (Tired Irie, Epideme and Hikikomori Broadcast) but was back in time to see the onslaught of sound that was Meet Me In St. Louis. Tight players and nice guys.. hopefully they'll do well.

We changed our set around a little bit at the previous rehearsal and opened with one of the new tracks, "Fight 'Em Off". Still not quite as fluid as the rest of the set but I guess you need to gig a track a few times before it breathes a bit more. Crowd were great, Kimba was especially hot tonight.

Gotta mention Ali who did a great job with the sound too. Friendly, efficient and making the most out of the system and venue. As you probably know by now, I do think quality sound people should get more attention due to the underestimated effect they can have on a performance and I'd have chucked a photo of him here except I forgot. Sooner or later I'll try and set up a personal top-10 list of soundmen/women.. 

Deadlines

Nothing like a deadline to get you doing things. With Christmas drawing nearer (tis the season for the music industry to shut down) we're getting our asses in gear, preparing the new CD for the new year to give us the hope of getting plenty of shows and attention from the people that matter.

After listening to the same tracks for hours trying to make them sound just that little bit better each time, we had the final masters in our hands last week, the real final masters passed through a few days ago and the real final masters version 2 are just about ready to go to press. Poor Stuey at the helm of the mixing process is pretty close to making an appointment to have his ears filled with cemtex at the next thought of listening to the tracks 'just one more time'.

The Subsource machine rolls on and feeling like we're working like an efficient team more than ever before.

Check it.

Banner in action, with Stuey admiring the handiwork. Still had two people ask who we were after the show and whether we had a website. GAH. 

Watershed, 17th November crowd

Always up for a little booty-shaking at The Watershed. Thanks again Spill Magazine. 

Gig Review: Spill Magazine @ The Watershed, 17th November

Playing alongside The Modern, Goodbooks and Aerial something-or-other... now there's an odd phenomenon that happens a few hours before a show that has the potential to twist the whole vibe of the night: Soundcheck. So, we turn up 5 hours before we have to play, with 20 musicians hanging around with lots of gear and beer complying with the sound technicians. There can be tension like there was tonight... I wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but there was definitely tension. Personally, I think that headlining bands ought to be more responsible for creating a good, friendly vibe - we're all here so the punters have the best time possible after all aren't we? Nevertheless, some people are insistent it's a competition.

"If you ever get a record deal, remember not to turn into cunts." Sound advice, I think we'll try that.

Unfortunately, Aerial something-or-other didn't play due to a slot-swap and an aborted foetus, but Goodbooks have a great summery feel-good vibe. I've still got one of their chorus hooks in my head.. something about English bayonets. Weird. Weird like Luke the soundguy vomiting because he lifted something too heavy.

Ahh, the Spill Magazine Nights are really becoming our home away from home - we always get a good reaction here and tonight was no different. The room was pumping from the first track.. It has to be said that Stuey was a little bit more sloppy and drunk than the rest of us would have liked (that's what can happen in the 5 hours between arrival and getting on-stage if you're not driving) but the energy was just oozing out of him bless him. Grand finale with MC Kimba who has returned from Africa... great to have you back!

Show me the banner

If we don't make it as a successful band, we'll definitely make it as models. We could demonstrate hoovers or something. 

Banner

It's pretty common for us to be asked, "What are you guys called?" and "Do you have a website?" after shows so we treated ourselves to an 8 foot long banner which we'll be using for the first time tonight as we return to the Watershed. We feel very professional..

Stuey: Ladies Man

Stuey

Well, I'm finally getting round to completing the introduction of my Subsource brethren by having a few words about Stuey. Since the departure of our MCs to foreign lands, he's had the frontman role thrust upon him and he's just about found his feet. (Though he's still sometimes a little aggressive in asking the crowd to come a little closer to the stage or shake booty)

Of course, those who've come to see a show know all about his stage bass-playing antics and his groinal motions all too well. These frequently result in post-gig propositions but those who've attempted this are pretty disappointed to find out he's a man with a)morals and b)girlfriend. But out of us all, he's the ladies' man by a margin. Certainly he leads us onto the stage like a commander leading troops onto a battlefield, with a soldier-like determination to keep us and the audience moving. I have feared for my life on occasions where I get a frenzied Stuey turning towards me and ordering me to "FUCKING HAVE IT". I certainly did.

Behind the scenes, Stuey is generally the diplomat and the level-headed one, wearing tank-tops and vests bravely where no man dares to go. His song name titles are by far the worst of any. "Hang Out With Your Wang Out" and "Ferret's Peak" aren't quite going to make it onto the album.