Rjd2 is a white boy from Philly. He played to a sell-out crowd at London’s Scala. He wore shorts, a blue collared shirt, tall white socks and sneakers. He had a little bit of hip-hop, some soul and even rock and roll—and with him, a live band.

Rjd2, primarily known as a turntablist, is also a keyboardist, guitarist, bassist and vocalist. And though mostly known for his DJ work, he is indeed the multi-instrumentalist that his recent release, ‘The Third Hand,’ builds him up to be.

The show at Scala was proof of that. The venue was packed with a young and energetic crowd. And the band, also young and energetic, did not disappoint. Rjd2 and company stood on the stage with confidence, and as I would soon find out, rightfully so.

Still, I had few expectations. I had been listening to his new release ‘The Third Hand,’ at first a rather jarring affair, for a couple of months. And in time I grew to enjoy it for what the album is—a bunch of raw, stripped down pop songs with a distinct spirit and drive beneath the languid tones of Rjd2’s voice. One may think that his hip-hop tendencies are long gone, but they would be wrong.

Hip-hop is still very much a part of Rjd2’s repertoire. And after opening up with several of the full-band pop songs from his new album, Rjd2 returned to exactly these roots. He moved from the front to the back of the stage, pulled out some vinyl and got the turntables in full rotation. He played five tracks that have, for me, become classics—‘Smoke and Mirrors,’ ‘Iced Lightning,’ ‘Since ’76,’ ‘Good Times Roll Pt. 2’ and ‘The Horror.’

Then, after what seemed like a mid-set DJ break, he went back to the pop stuff, transferring from the turntables to the full-band with ‘Law of the Gods,’ ‘Have Mercy’ and ‘Work It Out,’ all on his new release. Unlike what I expected of the show, however, the hip-hop and pop tendencies became somewhat merged rather than put in stark contrast to one another.

The songs, old and new, were all exceptionally performed in their own right. The older songs embraced the fiery, rousing hip-hop of his early years and the more recent songs were pleasurably upbeat and raw, like they are on the album. Old and new combined, it was hip-hop rock-and-roll genius.

Rjd2 came out for a two-song encore, closing with ‘You Never Had It So Good.’ And upon leaving the venue, I felt I really never did have it as good as I did that night. It was one of the best performances, if not the best, I’d seen all year.

Were you at the show? Do you agree with what Spencer had to say about the show? Feel free to sedn in your comments/reviews on this or any other gigs/events.

Gig-goer extraordinaire Spencer was there, and here's what he had to say....

I had seen Medeski, Scofield and Wood all perform at different points last year. In June 2006, I saw pianist/organist John Medeski play with one of his avant-garde side projects, Club d’Elf, at Tonic, an intimate 100-person club in New York City. In August, I saw guitarist John Scofield play with his band at the Litchfield Jazz Festival in Connecticut. And in December, I saw bassist Chris Wood play with his folk rock duo, Wood Brothers, at The Fox Theater in Boulder, Colorado. But I had never seen Billy Martin or Medeski, Martin & Wood (MMW). And, until now, I had not seen the newly-dubbed Medeski, Scofield, Martin & Wood (MSMW).

Arriving late—and to my own disappointment—I missed the opening act The Bays, a group that has recently received a lot of media attention for an unprecedented approach to their dance-jazz-trance music. Nonetheless, the main reason I was there was to finally see drummer Billy Martin behind the kit, and more importantly, to see this powerhouse of a group, MSMW. And, as I would soon found out, they would not disappoint live.

As MSMW nonchalantly walked out to stage, a crowd that looked to be made up of mostly jazz scene regulars, hippies and middle-aged fans stayed seated and applauded the way one might expect at the Barbican Centre. There were, of course, random whistles and arguably inappropriate claps of approval that don’t happen at more formal types of performances. But that’s what the group’s music is all about anyways—it’s about going above and beyond the norms, and perhaps, getting more rowdy that one might expect at a classy London venue like the Barbican.

And getting rowdy MSMW did. Within minutes, Scofield and Medeski traded back-and-forth melodies that would carry on for the remainder of the night while Martin lightly slapped and flammed the heads of his drums and Wood thumped deep and heavy bass lines. The audience watched the band’s sheer, unrelenting talent in awe.

The group played a wide range of material—‘Green Tea’ and ‘Go Go,’ which are songs from Scofield’s collaborative 1998 album with MMW, ‘A Go Go.’; ‘Little Walter Rides Again,’ ‘In Case the World Changes’ and ‘Miles Behind,’ along with the Beatle’s cover ‘Julia,’ among others, which are all songs that appear on MSMW’s 2007 debut UK release, ‘Out Louder’; and also some original MMW material.

MSMW, all masters in their respective instruments, when combined, created a live sound that showed the competent maturity of jazz masters but also the crude ambiguity of improvisational rock. A truly exceptional performance, the only disappointment of the night was the short hour and fifteen-minute set followed by a brief one-song encore. My only request: next time, please play a little longer.

Were you at the show? What did you think? Feel free to send in your comments/reviews on this or any other gig/event.

On May 27, I saw Slightly Stoopid, a punk-reggae group from San Diego, California. The band put on a lively, high energy show. It was at Islington Academy, a small venue within an outdoor shopping mall in London. Two months later, I saw Cake, an alt-rock and country group from Sacramento, California. It was at the Indigo2, a small new venue within a complex of shops and restaurants at London’s O2 Arena, rather dissimilar from Islington.

And though both California-based groups put on a lively, high energy shows, Slightly Stoopid did what a quality band should—they played their songs, live and raw, and got off the stage. There was little between-song banter.

But John McCrea, Cake’s front-man, talked and talked and talked after which the group would—finally—play one of the classic two to three-minute songs they are known for. In between songs, he spoke of health care, record labels, ‘the man,’ the smog of Los Angeles, the rich people with balcony seats and the smell of fresh cut grass.

Sure, there were a few laughs in response to his chitchat, but I heard more complaints than applauds. And it seemed that McCrea’s on-stage discourse did nothing but take up time in which the band could have played another one of their finely honed songs.

McCrea also overused his vibra-slap, a percussion instrument consisting of a stiff handle-shaped wire that connects a wood ball to a block of wood. When hit, the instrument created a rattling sound that was distinctive and unique, like Cake’s full-band sound. But the problem was that he used it too much and it became, like the front-man’s minute-long monologues, distracting and unnecessary.

Still, the songs were good. Each song sounded as if it was straight off the group’s albums. And though not a necessarily a bad thing, Cake certainly played in their comfort zone all night. Starting off with songs like ‘Frank Sinatra’ and ‘Love You Madly,’ it was like standing around a campfire sing-along, everyone in the crowd nonchalantly part of the singsong. Appropriately, Cake played a few country-style pieces, too. The group finished up the set with a bunch of the hits, among them ‘Wheels,’ ‘Sheep Go to Heaven,’ ‘Never There,’ ‘Shadow Stabbing’ and ‘Comfort Eagle.’

After the set was over, there remained two obvious hits—‘Short Skirt/Long Jacket’ and ‘The Distance’—that had not been played. I knew the band would flop or simply play what was expected. And after coming out for the encore, it became clear. They were going to go with the latter option.

Cake played ‘Short Skirt/Long Jacket.’ Then, the audience, like part of a cult, chanted, ‘Distance, distance, distance,’ referring the group’s most famous track. And, in the end, one thing became clear—it wasn’t about Cake; it was about ‘The Distance.’ Not surprisingly, they played it. And I must admit it was a really addictive song, a perfect closer. It’s strange, too, because I think I would have left the show displeased had I not heard it.

The only thing that I would have liked to see further was Ruarri Joseph, the newly-signed UK singer-songwriter who opened the show, come out with them for a song. He had played an acoustic set that was stripped down, powerful and in-the-raw. And when Joseph sang his album titled track, ‘Tales of Grime and Grit,’ with just the audience’s somewhat steady clap-rhythm for support, it was certainly, along with Cake’s encore closer, the highlight of the whole night.

And though the Cake show was like a compilation of band’s greatest hits, I couldn’t help thinking that I would have left equally pleased had I only heard them play that one hit song, ‘The Distance.’

Were you at the show? Have you been to any other shows at the venue? What do you think of the venue? Feel free to send in your comments/review on this or any other gig/event.

Aloud’s gig going buddy Spencer travelled to Dublin to see The Who at Marlay Park. Here is what he had to say about his night...

The first album by The Who that I ever heard was ‘Quadrophenia’ when I was thirteen. The original drummer, Keith Moon, died well before I was born. And the bassist John Entwistle passed away before I saw my first show of theirs in September 2006, which was last year at Virgin Festival in Baltimore, Maryland. Long story short, my experiences with the group, at least in the context of their careers as rockers, have been limited.

But after the group’s concert at Marlay Park, I knew one thing for sure—Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey still rock. The park, an expansive tree-lined area just outside of the heart of Dublin, offered a great open space for the aging rockers to do their thing. And it’s obvious, through all the years—and losses of original members—the group has persevered. Even despite a somewhat lacking performance at Virgin Festival the year prior, this show was different; it was rock music at its best. Maybe it was the good weather. Maybe it was the fact that The Who were headlining. But the performance was near flawless, especially with exceptional versions of ‘Bargain,’ ‘Pinball Wizard’ and ‘Baba O’Reilly.’

It was also clear that everyone there was in pure bliss. A young girl perched on her father’s shoulders threw her hands up in approval and nearby groups of balding men with their wives danced arm-in-arm, all while Pete Towshend played the opening licks to ‘Pinball Wizard.’ But there were not just lots of happy fans. There were lots of food stands, lots of beer lines, lots of portable toilets, lots of open spaces and lots of great songs.

Were you at the show? What did you think? Did you catch The Who at Glastonbury? Feel free to send in your comments/reviews on this or any other gig/event.

Aloud’s newest gig reviewer, Spencer went to see Gomez’s Ben Ottewell and Tom Gray at Dingwall’s in London. Here is what he had to say about the night...

In 1998, when I was thirteen-years old, I walked into a record store in Denver, Colorado. While at the listening booth for new releases, I found one group that—musicianship aside—I just enjoyed listening to. The group turned out to be Gomez and it was their debut album, Bring It On, which I had discovered. I then bought it, not realising that I would purchase all of the group’s albums from there on out. And why a young American twerp like me would listen to a bunch of lads from Britain, I don’t know.

But it is now July 2007. I am 21-years old and I am in London. And, fortunate for me, I recently had tickets to a sold-out Ben Ottewell and Tom Gray show at Dingwall’s, a cosy 400-person bar and club down the street from the Camden Town tube stop.

This show was very unlike the one I’d caught at New York City’s Webster Hall the year before—and that’s because it wasn’t the full band or a 2,000-person theatre. It was Ben and Tom at some bar on some stage. And it was great.

For starters, the two guitarists had only played two duo shows—ever—before the London gig. And those shows had taken place in Manchester and Birmingham just days prior. So, this experience for both the band and the audience was something new and arguably in-the-raw.

The first thing that struck me upon entering the venue was a strange feeling of being old. 10 years and no acoustic duo concerts together seemed like a long time for Ben and Tom. And for me, it certainly felt like it had been ages or what was, in reality, nine years since I purchased their debut album. But time didn’t deter me from my anticipation of what was to be a great performance.

Looking around, the crowd was a bit of strange mix, one of college-aged guys, business-types just off work and even a handful of old couples in their fifties, and there was one rather blatant distinction—no Americans. That is, except for me and my friend. But that’s what was so great about it. It was Ben, Tom, a rowdy bunch of Brits and the two of us.

The guys opened up to a loud applause just like they had in New York in 2006. But, at this show, song after song had every fan singing along—and the crowd actually knew the lyrics. That’s not to say that Americans don’t appreciate the band. But rather, this was a distinctively British show from a distinctively British band. And it made all the difference.

As the show started up, Ben and Tom played a few songs together. They then traded off playing solo. Ben looked comfortable, content and somewhat rowdy, like the audience. Tom, on the other hand, was decidedly a little nervous about his stage presence but admitted to the audience that he’d never really performed solo before. Still, the two, whether together or solo, put on what may well have been better—or at least more intimate—than Gomez’s full-band performances.

It certainly did not sound as if Ben and Tom had just put together this run of four UK shows in a week’s time. I could tell these guys were well-seasoned. Acoustic renditions of ‘How We Operate’ and ‘Ruff Stuff’ were among my personal favourites. With an eclectic mix of laid back guitar crooning, Tom’s definitively raspy vocals and the high energy performances that the band is typically known for, I found myself pleasantly enveloped within the walls of Dingwall’s. I liked what I heard and liked the venue itself.

It wasn’t until the duo played ‘Ruff Stuff,’ however, that I was finally satisfied. Even despite Tom’s somewhat off-putting ‘come back’ screams during the chorus, it didn’t take away from what was—stripped down—a really impressive acoustic rendition of the song, especially in contrast to the electronic-influenced track from In Our Gun.

The show was, simply put, damn good. Ben and Tom weren’t trying to do too much or too little. They had gotten it right. And though the audience made it seem like there were more than two guys on a stage, in reality, the concert was this tiny bar of a few hundred fans singing along, drinking some pints and having a fine time with two guys on the stage that seemed to be just like them.

Were you at the show? What did you think? Feel free to send in your reviews or comments on this or any other gigs/events.

Aloud’s gig going buddy Spencer went to see Chicago-native Andrew Bird at London’s Scala. Here is what he had to say about his night...

After getting a reccomendation from a music-trustworthy friend, I purchased Andrew Bird’s album The Mysterious Production of Eggs last summer while living in New York City. It turned out to be one of my more played albums throughout the year and I knew it was only a matter of time before I saw him in concert.

That time finally came when I got tickets to his end-of-tour show at Scala. I went with my American friend Scott who, like me the summer before, had never heard his music. So, I was curious to see Scott’s reaction to Bird’s whistling, violin-and-glockenspiel playing and lyrics that are chock full of puns.

But before Bird came on, there was a performance by the Austin, Texas act St. Vincent. And to be honest, I didn’t know what to think of it. I found her music to be somewhat jarring and I suppose it was her comments in between songs that just forced me to want to plug my ears. I was particularly bugged when she said that the British audience wouldn’t understand a song about ‘John,’ so they should substitute the name for ‘Nigel’ or ‘Rupert.’ However, judging from the size of the crowd leaving the bar and going to the floor, I think many were more receptive than me. Scott, even less receptive, gawked at her comments.

Then, after about 45-minutes, Bird made it out on the stage and I couldn’t help but smile. He was dressed up in a full suit but walking around barefoot. And, sort of like David Byrne in Stop Making Sense, he at least appeared to be there to do business and put on one of those hallmark shows. Scott looked interested but not impressed.

What the audience got wasn’t exactly hallmark. Still, it was good. Bird played most of the songs that he is usually known for—‘Why?,’ ‘A Nervous Tic Motion of the Head to the Left,’ ‘Measuring Cups’ and ‘Fake Palindromes.’ But he also played songs like ‘Fiery Crash’ and ‘Heretics’ from his new album Armchair Apocrypha. And those more recent songs, which seem slightly over-produced on the record, didn’t disappoint live. The imperfections of a live show made them all the better.

Then came decidedly my favourite Bird song, ‘Skin Is, My.’ At least, it had been on record. I was livid—well, for about five seconds. Bird then cut the song short to start over and I guess I don’t blame him. The second take was, indeed, better but still fell short. Something was off. Scott didn’t seem to care about mistake, though.

It seemed to me that Bird’s fingers, let alone his mind, were clearly well-worn and unable to perform. Often times Bird’s lyrics were off time and sometimes his whistling, though occasionally pleasing, was over-the-top. Most of all, though, there seemed to be a strain on his violin playing. I admit, on a good day, it could have been just him and a violin on stage and I would have been completely content. But at Scala that night it’s likely that too much touring in Europe had taken its toll.

It wasn’t the band that was the problem. They were good and right on. For the folk fan, they might have been displeased at the groups indie rock tendencies. But I thought they rocked, at least at much as Bird possibly could at this tour-ending gig. I even caught my friend Scott bobbing his head to the beat of ‘A Nervous Ticking Motion of the Head to the Left.’ Bird seemed to be nonchalant and lazy, though, which was the problem.

The highlight of the show came when Bird—and just Bird—returned for an encore. He played an acoustic version of ‘Weather/Systems.’ It was a natural sounding piece in which Bird’s vocals unfurled his near-perfect pitch and mind-blowing whistles. It didn’t make up for the previous songs, many that were dull and unexciting, but it was certainly good.

Were you at the show? What did you think? Feel free to send in your comments/reviews on this or any other gig/event.

The lovely Lucy went to see cult-indie heroes Modest Mouse at London's Royal Albert Hall. Here is what she had to say about her night...

Isaac Brock has the eyes of a madman, and one of the most magnetic stage presences I've ever had the fortune to witness. Even before the band's entrance, the two drum kits, nautical stage display and Isaac's trademark double (antler mounted!) mic promised an entertaining evening. The band began with time-honoured opener 'Paper Thin Walls' and followed with a set largely plucked from the newly released 'We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank' and 2004's 'Good News For People Who Love Bad News'.

However, and to great relief, the evening was peppered with classics including a ferocious 'Doin' The Cockroach', 'Tiny Cities Made of Ashes' and an extended version of the sombre 'Trailer Trash'. The greatest surprise of the evening for me came in the form of dreamy vocalled 'Custom Concern', a definite treat for fans of the band's earlier work. New songs included forthcoming single 'Fire it up', 'Dashboard', 'Missed The Boat' and a twenty-minute merge of 'Spitting Venom' and 'I Came as a Rat'.

Despite Brock's erratic and often unpredictable stage tendencies, Modest Mouse's performances are invariably tightly orchestrated affairs, with not a beat or banjo note missed, and the band's older material was delivered with the same urgency and animation as their new offerings from 'We Were Dead...'. It seems that after 13 years of writing and performing, Modest Mouse do in fact have it down to a science!

LJ

Were you at the gig? Have you seen the band before? Feel free to send in your comments/reviews on this or any other gig/event.

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Modest Mouse have joined the bill with the White Stripes at this year's O2 Wireless Festival at London's Hyde Park (14 June) and Leeds' Harewood House (15), tickets for the event can be bought here!

OK, OK..I have been busy, he's what happened, heres who I saw....

FRIDAY

My friend Tom had previously seen The Noisettes on a previous Muse tour and recommended we check them out. The Londoner’s raucous set was certainly a good way to kick things off, with singer/bassist Shingai Shoniwa moving like a corss between Karen O and Sid Vicious and wailing like a banshee. Their short, sharp set successfully roused a crowd who seemed largely unfamiliar with their material (myself included.)

Ok, I am a huge fan of Perry Farrell – he remains one of my elite musical heroes. From the magnificent Jane’s Addiction through to Porno For Pyros and his solo efforts, I have been absorbed. Which makes it all the more difficult for me to admit that Satellite Party are incredibly poor. I would not go as far as to echo Tom’s statement that ‘it was the worst thing I have ever seen, and not just in music,’ but I was pretty embarrassed by the display.

It's not that the performance is that bad – Perry is an undeniably magnetic front man and it all sounds ok – the problem is more fundamental, the material is just lacklustre. ‘Wish Upon A Dogstar’ is a slick sounding track but everything else sounds like an attempt at a fun yet meaningful record, fun and meaning wasted on the crowd. Even the inclusion of Jane’s Addiction’s fantastic ‘Stop!’ seems to more an attempt to hold the crowd’s interest and reward them for sticking around than an embracing of Farrell’s musical past. Saying that, I almost burst with excitement when the intro kicked in.

In my time writing gig reviews for the blog I have seen Rufus Wainwright (pictured) gigs but have avoided writing them up for fear of gushing praise. Such praise would be justified for the genius singer-songwriter and his set at the festival’s Mojave tent was suitably brilliant. Opening with new album title track ‘Release The Stars’ and dressed in a multi-coloured hooded caftan (suffering for his art in the sweltering temperatures), Rufus’s set is shorter than his disciples crammed in would like. Accompanied by a newly established all-male backing band, new song’s ‘Slideshow’ and ‘Going To A Town’ nestle into a set with the like’s of the achingly beautiful staple ‘Art Teacher’ and the opulent ‘14th Street.’ Stay tuned for more Rufus coming up soon!

I had only seen Interpol (pictured) once previously, on a cold grey early evening at Glastonbury. Although their set there was great, the setting didn’t seem right – not a problem at the New Yorker’s set on the main stage. With the sun down and the temperature dropping, the band took to the stage to little fan fair and…completely blew me away. New track ‘Pioneer to the Falls’ opened proceedings in exquisite style with dapper guitarist Daniel Kessler sending shimmering guitar lines into the cool night air and Paul Banks’ glacial voice haunting and enthralling in equal measure/

One thing that is great about Coachella is the fact that the sound seems to be taken very seriously – even slightly far back on the main stage everything sounds crystal clear and this never more obvious than during Interpol’s set. New tracks ‘The Heimlich Manoeuvre’ and ‘Mammoth’ retain the most interesting elements of the band’s sound, with synths and keyboards adding new dimensions. On this evidence, new album ‘Our Love To Admire’ looks set to be one of the best albums of the year.

This was my first time seeing Bjork live and it was literally an experience. Supported by an all female choir/brass section, the diminutive Icelandic musical pioneer explodes onto the stage with another characteristically outlandish outfit, imagine a human size lamp shade.

At this point, new album ‘Volta’ was not yet released, yet during opener ‘Earth Intruders’, there are audible gasps of delight among the crowd – such is the track’s instantaneous power. It was largely a greatest hits set with the likes of ‘Hunter’ and ‘Army Of Me’ supplemented by fantastic new tracks ‘Innocence’ and ‘Declare Independence’ – the latter a scuzzed-up punk stomp which brings Bjork’s set and the days proceedings to a close in thrilling style.

SATURDAY

Bringing a little hip-hop to Coachella, Pharoahe Monch opened proceedings on the main stage on Saturday. His enthusiasm proved infectious even in the stifling heat and closing with the potent 'Simon Says' was always going to be a winner!

The beautiful Regina Spektor was next and mesmerised the crowd with her stunning voice and eccentric, often off-kilter songs including 'Sailor Song' and 'That Time. Technical problems don't hamper Regina's spirits or her ability to mesmerise the main stage audience. I choose to watch The New Pornographers and The Decemberists while my mate Tom checked at The Nightwatchman (otherwise known as Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello.) It pains me to admit he made the right choice - not that the band's I watch are bad, but I miss Perry Farrell joining Morello on stage...thats ok, I would be seeing Morello on Sunday with that other band he is in!

I have seen The Arcade Fire countless times now and could never grow tired of seeing them. Even reasonably far back in the late afternoon crowd, the sheer magnetism of the collective carries over with 'Black Mirror' and 'Neighborhood 3 (Power Out)' straight into 'Rebellion (Lies)' thrilling die hard fans and first timers alike.

Red Hot Chili Peppers seems more of a brand now than a band, with their set a polished product. Well polished it might be but interesting it was not and I found myself catching some revitalising shut eye during the 400th screeching guitar solo of the evening. This was the musical version of the emperors new clothes and even old favourites 'Give It Away' and 'Under The Bridge' only provided momentary distractions before nodding off again.

The Good, The Bad and The Queen closed proceedings on the Outdoor stage, taking to the stage well after midnight. Damon Albarn's latest musical project play their self-titled debut in full and inject a twist of englishness into proceedings. With Albarn largely at the piano and formner Clash bassist Paul Simonon skulking the stage menacingly and cool as anything. Single 'Herculean' and the the dizzying 'The Good, The Bad and The Queen' are firm favourites and the set feels more like a mad pub lock in than a festival performance and is all the better for it!

SUNDAY

WARNING: THIS DAY DOES FEATURE RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE!

Unfortunately it also featured Anathallo. I counted at least nine band members on stage and it is just a shame that such a large number of people are creating something some pointless. Their lushly performed music sounded a little like Sufjan Stevens (whom I love) with none of his ability to write a song.

I have seen Tapes n' Tapes before and although they are not going to win any awards for showmanship, their songs are extremely well-written and performed and their album 'The Loon' is well worth checking out.

My Canadian friends who I met at the festival last year and hooked up with again recommended a check out Grizzly Bear. I did and I am thrilled I did. Opening with the heartbreakingly beautiful 'Little Brother' I was hooked from the off, if you like The Shins or bands with an ear for intrictae melody, this band could be the find of a lifetime!

Rodrigo y Gabriela, its a man and a woman playing acoustic guitars - sounds like it wouldn't be that interesting? WRONG! SPECTACULARLY WRONG! The duo used to be in a metal band in their native mMexico and you can tell becuase they rock like beasts even with acoustic guitars. The crowd is the palm of their hands throughout..they even throw in Rage Against The Machine teasers and a beautiful version of 'Wish You Were Here' sung by every single person there...exquisite!

How could I not watch Kaiser Chiefs?! The answer? I couldn't and I didn't. The Leeds lads swept on to the stage and ...welll, were a little surprised that they weren't getting reactions of the magnitude that they do over here. Being the true professionals that they are the boys then paraded addictive anthems one-after-another and charmed any dis-believers into submission.

OK, I went to watch Crowded House and they didn't play 'Weather With You'. I mean, I am not a hits man but I would have expected to have heard that song with some witty quip about the ridiulous heat but horrifyingly...it just wasn't so! They did play 'World Where You Live' and 'Don't Dream Its Over' but my disappointed was insurmountable! Between songs the formidable 'Rage' battle cry could be heard...not long to wait.

French ambient maestros Air were my next port of call but the gents were inexcusably late on stage and therefore I could only see the first couple of songs, one of which, thankfully, was the glorious 'Cherry Blossom Girl'.

Then....RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE (pictured). All the ingredients were there for a possibly nightmarish crowd experience. Lack of water? Check! Shirtless macho morons saying it won't be as good as '92? Check! Shirtless moron trying to stop people knocking into his girlfriend even though he is about 10ft froim the barrier in a crowd of about 40, 000 people? You betcha! Tom and I had speculated about what Rage would open with and we were both wrong as the opening drum role and guitar effects of 'Testify' built to an explosive crescendo...cue pandemonium!

The moment everyone had been waiting for was there and there was a lot of pent up energy to be released. Americans, English, Australian - the globe had been spanned for this moment and no one was going to go down without a fight. In a sea of burning American flags (no, really!) we revelled. This was a reunion that was minus any secret motives, any senimentality and any nostalgia..the world is a mess and we needed Rage back...and their back catalogue. We got 'Bulls On Parade', 'Bullet In The Head', 'Killing In The Name', whatever you wanted..chances are you got. I somehow found myself mere centimetres from the barrier and I can tell you it was a momentous moment. Zak De La Rocha saved his venom and polical comment for during set 'Wake Up' and when it came, it was explosive...'WAKE UP!' De La Roacha implored as much as sang, diving into the vast stack of amps at the side of the stage amid the squeal of Tom Morello's truly unique guitar work.

Was it as good as I thought it would be? You know what I am going to say!

Were you at the festival? Have you been before? Are you going to any festivals abroad this summer? Feel free to send in your comments/reviews on this or any other gig/events.

I realise my dear Alouders that whilst endeavouring to work on this fair site, you must have thought I had forgotten about you. The truth is...far from it! First off, I have a round up of my return to Coachella - for another unbelievable instalment of the world famous festival (hence the sun-baked pic above!) - coming up.

As well as that I have reviews forthcoming, including the exquisite Rufus Wainwright's shows at London' s Old Vic - if you are going, I want to hear from you. Keep posted and keep gigging, back soon!

James

On Saturday afternoon - the world famous Kaiser Chiefs took to the stage at Gibson guitar studios for a rare acoustic performance in front of a crowd of about a hundred (of which I was lucky enough to have been a member!) Debuting tracks from forthcoming second album 'Yours Truly, Angry Mob' (out this Monday (26 February) and classic anthems alike, the band's 40 minute set recorded for Virgin Radio was the first time much of the band's new material has been aired.

Stripped to simpler arrangements with drummer Nick Hodgson alternately taking up percussive and guitar duties, new single 'Ruby' kicked things off and arguably sounded better than the original version. On the evidence of what was heard, the Leeds lads have taken a more mature musical direction but lost none of their ability to pen a tune that beds itself into your subconscious with 'Love Is Not A Competition (But I'm Winning)' and 'I Can Do It Without You' sounding particularly fine.

Crowd and band alike were in great spirits although a couple of ladies down the front seemed to have had more spirits than most and were a little more verbal in their appreciation. 'Tell them to dance' the young lady demanded of front man Ricky Wilson. 'Tell them to dance?!' came his dry reply, 'they're not all as p*ssed as you love, its 5.30!' A great show indeed!

The band's set-list looked a lot like this:

'Ruby'
'Heat Dies Down'
'Love Is Not A Competition (But I'm Winning)'
'I Predict A Riot'
'I Can Do It Without You'
'Modern Way'
'Everything Is Average Nowadays'
'Oh My God'

The band's new album 'Yours Truly, Angry Mob'
is out on Monday (26 February) and can be PURCHASED HERE!

Picture courtesy of Martin O' Gorman