TGE Day 3

16/05

So, last day, 8 gigs to go, have to get train back at 23:19 as have no monies left for bed for the night. I reckon I can probably plan for 6. That's 2 short and not a bad effort! Just in case this happens, I'll give you a little write up on Holy Fuck (Canadian three-piece Holy Fuck make boisterous indie-electro music with funk inspired bass lines, chaotic keys played through a sea of effects and just about every other noise you can conceive of making with or without the use of an instrument) and their gig. Basically reasoning 3 fold, a) because of their name they can't get air time, b) I really wanted to see em and didn't and c) spoke to several people about town and apparently they smashed it. Full stop. 

So promo done, to Brighton Pier. Mental. A cross between a shit Thorpe Park and Camden Lock built on some wood over the sea. The 'Crazy Mouse' looks fun though. And they got dodgems. And the deck-chairs are comfy. And it's sunny. So it's awesome. As is Horatios, the bar hosting the New Zealand Music showcase. A bit of waiting around and sit watching sound checking as the order goes wrong. But in a weird way, they get it right... 

Gig 11, Bang Bang Eche (Think of Bang Bang Eche as a New Zealand Hadouken; guitar rock with electro beeps and an MC front. This will have you bouncing off the walls). Front man is genius, they are a bit like a comedy RATM. 20 somethings from NZ, have a little chat outside, jolly nice they are too. Playing Mdm Jo Jo's on 26th May to check it. 

Gig 12, the crazy, weird synthy feedback guitar, ace sounding, dolphin-lover, Connan Mockasin 

(The quirky physche pop of New Zealander Connan Mockasin sounds like the Divine Comedy on hallucinogens. His helium voiced sonic oddities possess the sort of bonkers charm that had everyone wondering what mental  home was missing a Wayne Coyne - a truly leftfield pop individual). 

Gig 13, Die! Die! Die! (This trio make the sort of impatient jitter-punk that their moniker suggests, an ADHD racket that stomps its feet, goes red in the face and bursts its larynx until it gets what it wants, namely your attention). 

Heavy mosh punk from NZ and Brighton pier looks like it's gonna topple over from the weight of black clad indie kids. And it's all gone off! Half a shandy top with Lime for Hans please, DDD quote, "The NZ music industry is a lot better looking and well dressed than Flight of the Concords Murray... well actually not really!" 

And soon they follow this up with a bouncing bassist in the crowd, then the front man goes pogoing! It's only 3 o'clock and soon the bassist fancies a little more and a couple of ceiling panels are taken out! 

Gig 14, the last of the NZ showcase, The Veils (Taking their cue from the likes of Nick Cave and Patti Smith, this N Z/English quartet make erudite and intense songs that shudder with intelligent disaffection. They appear hot off the back of their third album). 

Another girly bass, fruity, they love it! Husky front man, stomps us into the sea... 4 gigs to go!  

Gig 15, secret street gig from the evergreen Ben Kweller (Ben Kweller has a habit of reinventing himself. These days he's gone a lil' bit country, providing bible-belt, broken heart 

ballads thick with guitar slides and the occasional foot-stomping sing along. Yee haaw). Great track, 'I'm on my way' and also 'Penny on the Train track.' CD purchased and signed by the man himself, BK quote "Hey Al, great jacket man!"

So 3 gigs left, and my early morning sunning on the pier and the NZ's have led me to an

 achievable goal!! Gig 16, Official Secrets Act (OSA come to Brighton on the back of a massive tour in support of their new album, 'Understanding Electricity'. Their wiry XTC/Talking Heads influenced tunes are exciting as they are inventive). Po Na Na is rammed and hot. Nice little synth driven lot again, decent enough although Hans has his suspicions that DDD and Liam Finn have something to do with the queues! 

I'm almost out on my feet, might have to get blatto again! 17, Peggy Sue (formerly Peggy Sue & The Pirates) and Hans was impressed enough to have a little chat and buy an album of the lovely Rosa after the gig. Sound a bit Adele but more folky!!

Gig 18, and I don't know of this counts, but DDD show up and I stayed. Partly because they are playing before Liam Finn, mostly because they like to rock the party. Not as mad as before, shorter gig too, but still awesome... the bassist is all over everything again the stage, the bar, the crowd and it doesn't take long for front man to take out a load of lighting!! Missed the freebee cd's lobbed in the crowd, but they were ace, again. So I'm gonna count it! 

Gig 19 and what a way to finish, the superb Liam Finn (If you fancy beautiful harmonies with charmingly rudimentary composition and plenty of beard then Liam Finn is most certainly on the cards for you. Finn's indie quaintness mixed with dark underlying lyricism is a formula for buoyant brilliance). He plays drums and guitar and bass on the same Fender and uses mad pedals and stomp boxes to loop everything together. Absolutely brilliant, unbelievable musicianship. Accompanied on stage by the lovely Eliza and Connan Mockasin also joins in, childishly charming in his participation (I might also have spotted him on the pier post gig earlier half way through a bottle of plonk the same colour as his trousers...). 

Brilliant way to finish a festival. Great Escape has confirmed itself as the most quaint, rocking, new music showcase. It's youthfully vibrant, trendy without the fake boho chic of a Glastonbury and you get fish n chips, a tan and a stick of rock to boot. One word for it... superb! 2010 will kick off and ADN will see you at the front. Get in.

Alex - ADN Project Online Radio from Brighton, May 2009