The Musical

Building up to the Arts Festival, this week I've been rediscovering what it's like to go out and do things at night. You know, have a life.

So on Thursday I saw one of my favourite bands from last year. And it was a huge disappointment. Simon Sweetman describes their music as "sharp, sometimes cute, often friendly noisy pop". It's a good description. It is, in fact, the type of music I would make if I ever bothered taking that side of things more seriously - except I'd add more drone, shoegaze and a touch of country (maybe all at the same time).

But (almost) everything about the gig was disappointing. There was hardly any audience. The band seemed low on energy. And the sound was atrocious. On record there's subtlty, harmonies, nice little textures, audible vocals. Live there was very little of any of this. But plenty of mud. So so sad.

On the plus side, there were a number of friends there, who it was good to catch up with.

Then last night was The 3Ds. And they rock!! They have only recently reconvened as a band, and I had forgotten just how brilliant their best songs are. Everything they played was fantastic in every sense.

Having become very accustomed to their recordings, to hear the songs live took them someplace else. They were loud and loose, but oh so tight. They were exactly what I expected and more.

I saw them just the once back in the day, and I can't remember being so taken by the show. But then it was in a tent off Courtenay Place.

The place was packed last night - lots of 30-somethings and older. And more friends to catch up with, and famous bloggers to meet.

All today's pics are from a job I did a few years ago - me playing the cool-as band photographer, cos I play cool-as so well.

As an added bonus I've just uploaded my latest one-take wonder. I like it.