OOTB 303 – 29 May 2008

Nick Splinter Smith, Cate McDonald, Passenger (Featured Act), Francis Hayes, Ghostboy, Paul Hughes, Rosie Bell, Nigel Ashworth

Nigel Ashworth
He offers immediate intrigue, with ‘Another Autometer’. He lets rip by the
end, but the drive is always lyrical. ‘Passers-by’ recants adolescent
years in a harsh light, with forceful minor chords, and lots of space
around them for effect. It’s all pretty epic. Like the trees on the hill,
you pass me by  . ‘Sweet vulnerability’ talks of the finest points of love
as compromise. For the sake of audience impact, he could knock a verse or
two off each of these songs, but the quality is good.

Rosie Bell
‘Why don’t you meet my friend?’ Rosie is entertaining and acerbic as ever
with this tale of (I think) taking boys home with disastrous consequences.
Follows with ‘Hallelujah’, which is about the world and its dog murdering
that song, The critic will write how this wrecked his night.   Thank god
I never sang it (in public)! Finishes with a softer one about leaving,
maybe, He’s out there by the side of the road, forever.

Paul Hughes
His voice is the awesome driving force in all of Paul’s stuff. As it
should be, because he can seriously sing. On ‘Time’, his style may best be
described as lilting power-rock, if only because his tunes are so littered
with melodic hooks. Also the case with ‘I don’t know what I’d do’. Other
players would make ten songs out of his three. His last contrasts a light
treatment with a heavy subject matter, that of infidelity and its
repercussions. Effective, though even a light treatment sees the vocal
chords hit the back wall.

Ghostboy
In his particular high-tenor, he sings I’ve lost all feeling.   He follows
with, unusually fast and off-beat for Ghostboy, ‘My point of view’. It’s
good to hear new stuff from him, as I believe this was. It seems to be
more self-aware than previous offerings, too, there’s an irony there that
is to be welcomed. Ends with a favourite, as he sings I’ve fallen down
again.   Either a song about wrenching depression, or Humpty Dumpty… you
decide.

Francis Hayes
Second up in our ‘Lungs the size of Finland’ category tonight, Francis,
like Paul, can also belt a tune or two. Likewise, he underpins this with a
sort of power ballad, but this is more of the fingerpickin variety. Fine
stuff. His second is of a love that’s not to be, I won’t speak because
you’re spoken for,   which is just as well, because he forgets the words
one verse in. Did he ever get the girl? Who knows? A third, ‘I will hear
you’ is given full energy to compensate, I will soothe your cries.
Squeezes in a cheeky fourth, ‘Runaround’, which features nice transition
between full voice and falsetto. I hope he doesn’t make the mistakes I’ve
made   What, like forgetting a crib sheet? Joking.

Passenger (Featured Act)
Few acts are brazen and audacious enough to wangle a featured slot on the
back of the promotional busking they’ve been doing only since they got
into Edinburgh that morning. Few are this good. We gave them the slot on a
whim and they delivered, not only in Bums-On-Seats, but with a top set.
There’s an obvious Turin Brakes comparison to get out the way, suffice to
say that I doubt even the Brakes would produce a sound this full with only
two guitars. This is thanks in part to the immaculate interplay honed from
hours of busking and performing. Lyrics like My girlfriend’s not
impressed. I should call her my ex-girlfriend, I guess,   hit the mark
between humour and sympathy, especially in their pleading delivery. All
the girls swoon in unison. ‘Things you’ve never done’ continues the
reflective mood, You’ve blown out all your candles one by one.   Next,
the lead singer takes one by himself, and if it’s as new as he claims,
does a very good job. ‘Table for one’ builds from soft to roaring, and
shows off impressive control from both. The set as a whole is carried off
with verve by a group clearly on the ascendancy. I’ve written down the
best line of the last song as example lyrics, but as they’re the
denouement, I can’t tell you – you’ll just have to go see these guys. I
would.

Cate McDonald
Has to follow that, and wisely goes for low key, with intricate
finger-picking and low vocals. She a little over-awed by the previous
performance, but needn’t be. On her second, ‘Serbian Rain’…Falls like
shrapnel   It’s political and genuine, but doesn’t preach, and thrives on
its hard and energetic nature. ‘Liffey River Homesickness’ is about
searching for someone, but not finding them, I always wake up in my own
bed, alone.   As this girl improves with every visit, I want to see more of
this.

Nick Splinter Smith
Opens with the punchy and frankly scary ‘Wanna Piece?’ He sings, Can you
feel my vision?   We have no choice. At this point Nick offers his arse for
sale, a highlight of anyone’s set, I’m sure you’ll agree. ‘Harmony’
follows. Lofty or lowly, the sun shines fairly on your faces.   It’s
prophetic and powerful, and he manages to reference just about ever 20th
century song in it, to boot. Ends with a rambling blues funk. It’s a fine
close to a night of superior quality.

OOTB 302 – 22 May 2008

Performers: Iain &Phil, Broken Tooth, Fiona Thom, Stephen Harrison, Nyk Stoddart, Lindsay Sudgen and The Storm, Ross Nielson, Johnny Pugh, Julian, Pip Robinson, Indigo Rose, Furious, Chris

Iain and Phil kick off OOTB 302 with their new song Local Derby Blues  . Their synchronised vibrant strumming gets the foot tapping, as we hear of hard and grey streets  , and patrons much the same  , a clever dig at fans of the beautiful game. The song is complemented by some intricate guitar work high up the fret board from Phil (I think), before the ‘quick chord change’ chorus. An effervescent playful opener. Their second, which I’m guessing was called When the Sun runs out of time  , again layered some carefully chosen finger picked notes, over an urgent chord progression. The chorus had some of the audience singing along, and in spite of hearing them for the first time tonight, I found myself joining in with the last chorus. Good catchy song, with a memorable hook line, and a strong vocal. The final song saw a quick detuning before Iain sang about writing a novel, over the pedal drone, and riff of Phil’s guitar. The detuned guitars gave the duo a really thick warm sound, which complemented the heartfelt lyrics about the test of time   and a heart that healed inside  . A great idea (novel you might say) for lyric content, and a fitting end to an enjoyable set from this rhythmic combo.

Broken Tooth Following some unashamed flaunting of his proficient finger tapping technique, Broken Tooth wastes no time in dropping both the E strings to D, and launching into Hoodoo Man  . The dropped D tuning allows minor 3rd pull offs over the chords, lending a blues edge to his hardened acoustic sound. This provides the perfect foundation for his gravelly, howling vocal, instantly recognisable from the first syllable. There is an underlying tension to the verse which explodes in the chorus, and it takes little imagination to envisage this in a full rock band arrangement. The second song ‘borderline’ continues in a similar vein, beginning with some rapid finger work and furious strumming. The lyrical content shifts away from the psychedelic imagery of his first, into a bitter nonchalance of a past relationship (well that’s what I got from it anyway)- ‘you go your way, I’ll go mine’. Whatever the reference, the song as a whole was a perfect vehicle for Jim to let rip on the vocal chords, and he gladly obliges. His final song exhibited a different style altogether from the blues driven rock that I have previously enjoyed. ‘Dust Around the Sun’ shows that Jim is no ‘quick playing, loud singing’ one trick pony. The delicate guitar shapes itself around the apocalyptic existentialism of the lyrics: ‘When all is said and done/all that’s to come, is dust around the sun’. A thought provoking end to a set that is of the high standard that you come to expect from the refined bluesman.

Fiona Thom- Next up in a squashee slot, we have Fiona Thom, and her song ‘The Next Room’, a chirpy, catchy tale of the enforced experience of listening to the fornication of others. The vocal line leaps around freely, which complements the upbeat chord progression, and Fiona’s ability to craft her lyrics so that they echo the sentiments of the melody, without losing their story telling capacity is admirable. Our compere warned the audience that having heard this song once, we should not soon forget it. In my case, this has proven to be prophetic, as I keep catching myself humming it. Good stuff, and it was a shame that we could only be treated to one song tonight.

Stephen Harrison- Stephen takes to the stage sporting a maroon Epiphone electric guitar, the latter being something of a rarity for OOTB, I am led to believe. She Certainly Was   began with some quirky, fragmented chords, which sounded really crisp on the electric. The lyrics are brooding, and dark, telling the tale of a girl who said there would be no other  , and clearly fell back on the promise. The repetition of the chords encourages one to concentrate on the vocal, but also lend an almost hypnotic effect, to the bassy timbre of Stephen’s voice. It reminds me a little of Edwyn Collins. In Shadows on the Wall   the use of extended chords imparts a wistful quality to the song, which is also reflected in the prolonged notes in the vocal, and introspective lyrics. I felt that this song had a distinct Brit Pop feel to it, and wouldn’t have looked out of place on a Pulp album from that era. The final line Not shadows at all   emphasises the sentiments of the whole song, and the change in the chord progression in conjunction with this line framed the song nicely. His last, Garbo Smiles  , I found the most intriguing song of the set. Its chromatic movements, minor key, and dischords, seemed to do battle with the fragile poignancy of the lyrics such as I believe I found you innocent  . The move to major chords in what I took to be the chorus had a similar effect to the soaring middle eight of Coldplay’s God Put a Smile on Your Face  . A great end to an enjoyable set.

Nyk Stoddart- Having witnessed the realisation of the musical potential of a pine cone the last time I saw Nyk, I was prepared for anything but the expected from Mr Stoddart tonight. Again, he failed to disappoint. Tonight, the subject of Nyk’s inimitable style, is Tombstoning  ; I hear this is a favourite amongst those in the know, however it is the first time I have heard it. Nyk embarks upon tonight’s musical journey with the usual ferocity, soon uttering the line I hope someone notices the sound is gone  – such is the panache of the man, I’m not sure if this is some sort of philosophical observation, or a purely ad hoc plea to the sound desk. Anyway, in spite of some of the more whimsical lyrics (I am an idiot  ), the chorus line what do you want, written on your grave   is a chilling and effective message to practitioners of the eponymous activity. Nyk seems to treat all common notions of tonality with reckless abandon, yet it all still makes sense. In conjunction with his unique lyrical observations, this performance confirms Nyk as an irreplaceable facet to the Edinburgh open mic circuit.

Lindsay Sudgen and The Storm
Our main act tonight sees a wealth of musical talent take to the Out Of The Bedroom stage: Lindsay is accompanied by a cellist, glockenspiel player (not sure about the correct terminology for that) and backing vocalist, as well as (what I hear was) a djembe player/ harmonicist. However, the first song makes it clear that this is a very tight knit unit, with each part blending together into a beautiful whole. I Know Its Odd   begins with fingerpicked, medieval sounding chords, reminiscent of some of The Strawbs   acoustic stuff. Thankfully, Lindsay’s voice is a million miles away from Dave Cousin’s much ostracised vocal style, the words at times only breathed into the microphone, yet still audible over the accompaniment. The lyrics are ethereal, and ambiguous, and I would probably be doing them an injustice if I tried to interpret them. I get the impression that this may even be the point.  Anyway a really beautiful song, expertly performed. Beyond These Walls  , includes an aching cello line, and some fantastic backing vocal lines from ‘Indigo Rose’ (who we shall hear more of later). It would be easy given the many layers of sound, to forget to acknowledge the complexity of Lindsay’s guitar work, yet in this song particularly, there are some elegant chords, and musical ideas on show. The chorus evoked feelings of painful hopelessness that Nothing will ever change  , and the delivery of each line was perfectly weighted by Lindsay’s voice. Their third Song was On the Wire  . As a newcomer to the Edinburgh music scene, I only saw Lindsay perform for the first time at OOTB 300 with this song. It really stood out for me then, and tonight, with the support of a band, it really was exceptional. It had some thought provoking lyrics (I particularly liked Its just desire/ or its all illusion), which were delivered with some exquisite harmonies. The song was well structured, and the djembe gave it real direction, particularly when the tempo increased towards the end. I thought that this song best combined the otherworldly aspect of Lindsay’s sound, and a commercial catchy hook. I didn’t catch the name of the next one, but I’ve just written down on the back of my raffle ticket/notepad, Harmonica Song  . Here Lindsay exhibited her versatility in reverting to the accompaniment of her guitar alone, and the wailing vibratos of her harmonica player. The latter made lines such as she gives up on everything she loves  , and nothing can take the pain away  , all the more anguished. A haunting finesse of a song. Towards the end of the set, I was rapidly running out of raffle ticket space on which to write notes, so the remainder of the review is done from some indecipherable scribbles, and memory. Time Stands Still   struck me as a highly polished song, with some innovative guitar work, and delicate vocals, supplemented by the pizzicato of the cello. Their last which I think may have been called All the Simple Things  , had a slightly rockier edge, some of it comparable to Incubus’ less heavy stuff. Although somewhat of a departure from the other songs of the set, Lindsay’s voice rose to the change in direction well. If truth be told, my notes for this act were pretty rubbish because I remember being totally immersed throughout the set. The quality of the performance from all four musicians was equalled by the musicianship in the songwriting, and although this review may not ably reflect this, the audience was mesmerised by a stunning set.

Ross Nielson
Ross begins aggressively with staccato punchy chords, grabbing the audience’s attention. His voice is a piercing sneer, somewhere between Kurt Cobain, and Richard Ashcroft, and is well formed to his edgy, acoustic rock. Its hard to remember/when so many things are in disguise   he sings. His second, which I believe was called If I can Find My Change of Heart  , has a pressing, urgent feel to it, the lyrics forcing the song forward. The song seems to be a desperate recognition of a doomed situation, lamenting the enemy inside me   who wants to take control  . There is an anger to the song, which could be aimed either at himself or the situation he is in. An engaging performance, where the audience truly believes the torment exhibited by the lyrics. His final song is kinda angsty  , beginning with power chords, and leading to a Pixies influenced chorus, where Ross yells I wish you were eighteen  . Ross claims that this song supports the feminist movement  ; to say that this was met with scepticism would be something of an understatement. In spite of this, Ross’ acoustic rock is always a breath of fresh air, and his enthusiasm in performance is infectious to his audience.

I now hand over the pen to Rob Sproul-Cran, as I play a few songs…

Johnny Pugh I don’t know if his writing the review helped stretch his creative muscles beforehand, but Johnny pulled out a cracker tonight. His starts with fine fingerpicking, singing, …sends me to hell tonight…   The contrast of harsh lyrics and soft guitar is effective. I’ll teach you to dance like the wind,   he sings on his second, a love song told in retrospect. Emotional honesty typifies the set. On his third, ‘Inertia’, the guitar is again sparse, leaving room for the delivery to shine. I’ve seen him more excitable before, but this set from Johnny shows control, and is more affecting as a result. He’s really come on hugely, someone give the man a featured slot.

Julian

Next up is Julian. His first song is written in French, so I cannot really comment on the lyrics. However, whatever he was singing, the jazzy rhythms and the two chord progression, made him sound effortlessly cool. I can imagine the words having a real attitude. His second has a discordant beginning, before transforming into a Radiohead-esque, trance like song. Julian’s voice has moved away from the affected tone of the first song, to a haunting falsetto, singing of trying to survive  . His last, we are told, is his effort to put his fears into a song, and it is an unsettling (in a good way) listen. The sturm und drang   of the repeated chords, and piercing notes matched the pain in the lyrics: He never missed me in the end  . The song briefly moves to a major sound, which conveys a sense of hope to the sorrow that is alluded to in the lyrics, giving the song a good balance. It really sounds like a catharsis, and is a both inspiring, and troubling listen. Good stuff.

Pip Robinson

This is the first that I have heard of Pip, and I am instantly taken aback by her beautifully clear, and textured voice. At times strong, and determined, at others cracked and nuanced, it has a uniquely pure sound. Her first called Days  , uses a reiterated gently finger picked descending chord progression, and tells the tale of the memories of days gone by  , with regret. The song doesn’t really have what you would call a chorus, but the change of rhythm and melody in the vocal line, and occasional alterations to the soothing chord progression ensure interest. Her second, entitled Footprints  , (and not fit prince   which is what I originally wrote down), is an enchanting song, with some great use of imagery: I liked the line about the shadows taking their form. The rhythmic slapping of the guitar body (which I was recently informed is termed gull slapping apparently), works particularly well here, keeping the song moving. This song had a mystical quality, and this is reflected in the final line and the dreams begin  . She finishes with a new song, a tale of loss entitled Forgotten Smiles  , which has a catchy chorus hook of Forgotten Smile, forgotten tear/ Memories from a distant year  . Pip’s voice is well suited to this subject matter, as her excellent vocal control is able to import empathy into the meaning of her lyrics. I hope to hear her again soon.

Indigo Rose

Our last 3 song set of the night is from Indigo Rose. She begins with a song about remembering old romances, and more specifically, looking up ex boyfriends on google. The latter is highly commended by our compere in a brief diatribe against successful old flames after the set. However, the song is not about stalking at all, but rather about remembering having all the confidence of youth  . The use of natural imagery and French in the lyrics, added a touch of romance to the song as a whole, and worked well… Given this set and Julian’s, I must remember to bring a dictionary next time. Her second has a really innovative chord progression, and jazzy rhythms. I wasn’t sure where the music was going to go next, and this unpredictability, juxtaposed with sweet lyrics such as I walk on air/ just ’cause you’re there  , evoked the first feelings of falling in love particularly well. If this wasn’t enough, there was also a whistle interlude. Ace. The set finishes with Melancholy Baby  , an uplifting and carefree, song. Blue is the colour of your world   she sings, before asserting Melancholy Baby, its not worth that  . This was probably my favourite of the set, the lyrical content being well matched by the singer’s dulcet tones, which took on a different timbre when it was unleashed as a solo vocal. This set showed a completely different aspect to her artistry from her performance with Lindsay and the Storm, and a very enjoyable one at that.

Furious Furious opens with the immortal line Hello, I’m Furious  , before delivering a funny, and, well, furious tribute to Scotland. In the style of Billy Joel’s We Didn’t Start the Fire  , Furious lists all the things that are wrong with being a Scot, such as pale skin etc, before asserting Ah forget about it/ I love Scottish Weather  , to chords which make him sound as if he is proclaiming some great new truth. A brilliantly funny, ‘no place like home’ example of Scottish character.

Chris

Chris’ second appearance at OOTB was unfortunately cut short by the demands of time. However, the one song he did manage to play, Stay  , was an enjoyable one. I particularly liked the line When you asked me what I’d be like alone/ I didn’t cry for nothing  . The lyrics are emotional, but they were suitably understated by the singer, which was most effective. A shame that this was cut short, I would have liked to have heard more.

Review: Johnny Pugh (and Rob Sproul-Cran), Compere: Rosie Bell, Sound: Daniel Davis

For now, enjoy the venerable Calum Haddow’s review. We would list the
performers, but it was…well, everyone.
Enjoy.

OOTB 08/05/2008

OOTB 300. My word. I feel old. I was actually looking at the pictures from
the 200th night on the interporn just the other night – I played there
myself, it seems like a month ago, 2 months tops. And yet there it is,
another 100 Thursdays under our belts. I feel like a proud father.

Spartans! March! Onwards! A colossal weight of sound; The crushing power
of 300 open mic-ers descending on the invading Persian Empire. Scott
Renton lays down ancient Spartan law. I actually got the feeling that
night that if I was struck down that very second, I would die a happy man.
I walked in and my first impression was “OMG chuffing cake for everyone”.
I stood in the middle of the Canon’s Gait, pint in one hand and cake in
the other with my friends playing me wonderful music. A man really doesn’t
need much more in this life.

Chris Brown was up first. A full 5 years (and 1 child) since the first
time he’d played at OOTB, he gave us “Chameleon” tonight. The guitar
scuttles along beside a river. The chorus throws itself up and down the
fretboard as the vocals rise higher and higher. “Don’t lose the sense of
all you are”.

Darren Thornberry, tonight dressed as some kind of Spartan playgroup
leader, soothed us with the instrumental “Chips and Curry”. Bright,
glittering fingerpicking has a quiet conversation with itself. Light
touches of vibrato make the notes sing. He has “sticky fingers”. I blame
the cake. Awesome though it is. To quote Mr Renton, “a combination of
children’s toys and women’s clothes”.

Sharon King was out first débutante. Her guitar had a wonderful wooden,
surfy sound. And she had a fancy doodad in her hat. Syncopated and
mournful, but the occasional E maj chucked in catches you unaware and
unsettles the minor key. Soft vocals swell up with poise and urgency. It
would be lovely to see a little more of her, hopefully she can come back
another night and we could get a full 3 songs from her.

Eddie followed. For tonight I shall call him Supermassive Eddie, due to
his impressive stature. I actually bumped into Supermassive Eddie at a gig
organised by the Mighty Ben Young (more on him later), and I promised I
would give him a glittering write up. And with good reason. He rules.
Arpeggios are built upon until they grow into a fine weave. Fear and
uncertainty circle each other. The strumming grows and swells, feeling
like water pressing up against a dam with the constant threat of bursting
out.

Nyk has branched (no pun intended) out, recruiting the help of Broken
Tooth on Pinecone Kazoo. I’ll say that one more time, Pinecone Kazoo.
Another odd sentence now; Mutant Zombies win by a remarkable landslide
victory. There are times I am genuinely scared of this man. This…
enigma… this… maelstrom of a man. I’m not sure, but I think this is
what drugs sound like. Utterly remarkable.

Ross Neilson is going to prematurely ejaculate. Everywhere. His words, not
mine. “There’s something in the darkness and I don’t know what it means”.
A constant search for the intangible. He blasts out his chorus in a
wonderful gravelly growl that feels like it could scrape the inside of
your head clean.

Broken Tooth took to the stage, minus bits of forest, to play “Hold Fast”.
I was enraptured by his left thumb nail. So long. So immaculately kept.
Speaking as a man who has little more than shreds of nail attached to the
end of his fingers, I was surprised and jealous by its length. Bold and
assured singing. The guitar had a pulse behind it, probably my favourite
Broken Tooth/EWB song! “Raise your voice defiant / I swear we’ll drown
this storm”. A sudden tempo jump also raises energy levels.

Susanna McDonald did “Graffiti”. And later someone sang to us in French.
Get in. Begins as a swaying meander, then starts to gather occasional
skipping steps that then grow to a shoulders-back swagger down the road.
Which then goes around kicking down doors.

Stuart Clark and Lisa Paton teamed up, sounding positively upbeat (given
the subject matter). “Cuts to the Bone”. You start to wonder if you’re
better off alone rather than spending all your time chasing the girl
you’re besotted with, following her home and collecting hairs from her
brush until you can make a full wig, wear it and touch yourself, quietly
weeping all the while. Actually a stunning pop song complimented well by
spot on harmonies.

Hannah O’Reilly was joined by Susanna (her official “doodooer”) and Stuart
(boxer). Editor’s note – I was going to call this song a “HoR classic”,
but on reflection that isn’t the most complimentary abbreviation in the
world. That said though, it is a classic; melodic, with depth and
considered structure and execution. Great to have an OOTB legend at the
300th night.

Sam challenged my tiny mind. His song “Sophia” was not about a lady. Oh
no. Sophia was the goddess of wisdom, my towering intellect tells me. Or
possibly Inspector Google. A real energy runs behind it, great little
chord runs down to the root. Warm and inviting, it draws you in and
doesn’t let go.

Mick and Jeff were next up. Mick turned 70 last week – my Dad’s 70 and
he’s awesome so I expect great things. The blues, my boy, the blues. The
harmonies slide in and you feel like you should be smoking a big-assed
cigar. Makes you feel like a man. A man with callouses on his hands and a
hat you wear at a jaunty angle.

Now, I should apologies in advance because I misheard the name of the next
act – it sounded like they were introduced as “Gears and McQuade”, who
sound like cop drama series featuring a mechanic and a maverick private
eye. [Hughes and McQuade – ed] Delicate and fragile, even with the two
guitars. Strumming and fingerpicking act as counterpoint. The quiet
landscape isn’t disrupted by the surging vocals towards the end, imagine
someone shouting in a glen.

The Weather Underground was our next act, with “I Think I”. Has bounce!
Summer is finally starting to burst outside and at last it feels it in
here too. Sweet young girls dance around us and beckon you towards things
you barely understand.

Tommy McKay, the towering pillar of a man that he is, was up next. Picking
a fight with John Prescott – is there any member of parliament that he
hasn’t offended? Nicola Sturgeon is practically his nemesis. “Fish means
nothing to meeeee… oh Vienetta!”.

Johnny Pugh had to suffer the slings and arrows of our compère, (loo,
phew, vindaloo etc etc) poor little lamb. Took it all with remarkable
good humour though, considering that it was a rhyming battle of epic
proportions. I’m sure that OOTB will be practically 8 Mile by the time we
reach the 400th night. Unusual chords at the vertigo end of the fretboard
add a sneaky extra dimension to the music. “We’re strangers, you and me”.
As the water crashes back and forwards, two people dance around each
other and end up falling against and away from each other.

The Mighty Ben Young then treated us to “My Baby Don’t Like My Music”.
Well, I was sitting beside her and she didn’t seem to mind… The song
slinks along like a caterpillar pimp. More blues than a tube of Smarties
(they’re back! Check the advert!) Guitaring that would put most octopi to
shame, let alone men.

Colin was a performer I’d not seen before, but after tonight’s performance
I want to see a lot more of. He was playing a ______. God knows what he
was playing. Mandolin? Lute? Penny sodding whistle? He claims it is a
“home-made glute”. His music sounds like a folk song chucked through a
spicy mangle. Actually quite filthy in its own beautiful way. Possibly the
most swearing in anyone’s set all night (including mine). F##king
marvellous.

Daniel Vzue is not a paedophile. His songs feel like you’re being stroked
with a velvet glove, but then you get an occasional flirty slap on the
cheek with it. The kind of progressions that you would never think of, but
sound immediately familiar and memorable. Accomplished.

Freeloadin’ Frank gives us a song-writing masterclass. If Bob Dylan had a
sleepover with all his mates and they all had jelly and ice-cream and
played Twister then they’d probably stick this on their stereo. 3 chords
and the truth. The punks would be proud.

Frances Hayes played us a song which was written when he was 18. Optimism
flies out of the guitar’s sound-hole. Throwing caution to the wind and
taking flight. “Without you there’d be no meaning”. The kind of song that
you hear a full band (jeez, nearly a full orchestra) behind it in your
head. “Take my hand and let’s go higher”.

Nick Smith tells us all about the “Magic Ladies”. Snappy and cracky, the
words half snarled, half coaxed along their way, the song fleshes out into
the chorus before launching a tangent, then retreating back to the verse.
The song ends up as a full frontal assault – a musical battering ram.

Gordon sang “My Medicine”. The quick strumming falls to a false lull as
the song blooms back into the sunny energy. We need girls to survive.
Girls rule.

Angel Conversations played a new song. A very new song. A song so new the
paint was barely dry. Good work. The song swoops up and down and
eventually erupts up through the warm earth. “I can’t make you love me or
persuade you to stay if your heart’s not in it”.

Lindsay Sugden was up next with “On the Wire”. To quote the flyer on the
table, “beautiful rare things and randomness”. Chords that would seem
unsettling on their own feel oddly at home when women together with their
neighbours. Almost forceful in places. As glorious as ever.

Stuart McLellan has a soothing baritone that you could imagine slipping
off into the blackness with. “Love in a mist that surrounded us”. The
magic of the first kiss, the intoxicating smell of it all, the energy and
thickness that hangs in the air.

Big Jim took over for a bit:
Next up, Calum “Pleasant Metal” Haddow gingerly (groan – Ed) made his way
to the stage, announcing he’d been coming to OOTB since “before he was
legal” (we’re pretty sure he means “for drinking”). Sad that he only had
one song to play, but he treated us “First Aid”. His first aid skills may
be shaky at the best of times, but this tribute to b@stard chords went
down a storm. Zord!

Back to me:
Lisa Paton came back up to the stage with Stuart for more box action (!).
“Here come the water”, she sings as change charges across the landscape.
She manages to sing with a power and intensity rarely matched by OOTB
performers.

Last up, Julian. “Everyone Kisses a Stranger”. Joined by a menagerie of
djembes, boxes and shaky eggs. He sings in Frenglish. Hot. French accents
will always = sex. Sounds smokey and subdued. He sported the 3rd trilby
of the night. Good work.

OOTB 299 – 1 May 2008

Freeloadin’ Frank, Stewart Maclennon, Ross Neilson, Many Days Waiting, Gar Cox, Sam Barber, Broken Tooth, Gordon Imrie, Ian Moore

Freeloadin’ Frank celebrates May Day with a lively opening set. Big Blue Bottle   was surely written while Frank was in a different headspace. Buzz buzz buzz! Sometimes   lays bare the paradoxes in Frank’s life. Sometimes he does. Sometimes he doesn’t. Sometimes he will. Sometimes he won’t. Etc. Frank ends with a somber tune about the loss of Papua New Guinea’s jungles to American and British companies taking the land to produce biofuels. This is a class song that would have its moody place in the Apocalypse Now soundtrack. Myspace.com/freeloadinfrank

Stewart Maclennon is one of those finds that give you faith in the open mic scene. Debuting tonight, his style is bluesy, his voice a bass or low baritone, and his chords often minor. I like his lyrics, too. Stew’s last song Lonely Man   has a great line:   tea for two minus one … he does the tango alone all night long.

Ross Neilson is cutting loose, so to speak, after a long day teaching primary kids. Clearly he needs to exorcise some dark, depressing, even smelly demons, and he gets to it with a sad but good set. A friend comments to me that Ross could do with a backing band to really draw out the fullness of his songs. I really like the last number, which is not altogether written as Ross starts in. That kind of experimentation can go really well or really badly. But OOTB is the place to fleshout new songs, and Ross does it well. Myspace.com/zentransmission

Many Days Waiting, featured act Chad and Kim Sasser arrived in the Burgh last September, and their first song is a melancholy telling of their first few months here. Sky stays grey as a newly widowed heart.   On Solitary   Kim plays harmonica and even picks up the rarely employed OOTB bongos. I love this song, from their How Growing Happens   ep. Consumer Mania   is a scathing ode to the shopping drug. It’s a spoken word piece, primarily, but Chad adds some sparse guitar, which works well. My eyes are wet as we hear about the Brazilian mother and her shoe full of children. Alaska   is a cool song about experiencing the 49th state, but I am convinced it’s bathed in metaphor. This is really about that, if you know what I mean. Three songs follow, the middle of which, Lazarus,   is about not letting important stuff collect dust (I poached this explanation off their myspace). Finally, Chad and Kim bow to the will of the people as shouts of encore!   erupt. A last lullabye leaves this reviewer feeling like an electrical charge has shot through me. Myspace.com/manydayswaiting

Gar Cox is new to me. He describes his music as slightly quizzical disco country folk.   The disco is not immediately obvious to me, but I really dig his voice and his lyrics. His second song in particular is up my street. It’s not blood that makes us strong, it’s love.   Words to live by, Gar. Another standout line from the last song: Your smiling face ate my tombstone heart.   Myspace.com/garcoxmusic

Sam Barber Nice to hear Sam and his 12-string Tanglewood again. Sam’s songs tend to be heavy strummers, and he handles the twelver with aplomb, getting a very warm sound from it. He takes a shot at the divorce lawyers licking their chops every January in Over by Christmas.   Sam plays his new single, Sophia   to close, and it’s a right poppy, fun tune. You can hear a proper recording on his website. Myspace.com/sambarber07

Broken Tooth Toothy can’t be bovvered with love songs and sunshine. He thinks and writes about weightier subjects, such as John Wilmut, 2nd Earl of Rochester, the philosophies of existentialism (When all’s said and done, all that’s to come is the dust around the sun  ) and a ship sinking in the Napoleonic wars. Tonight it’s all blues riffs and his trademark yowl. Hold Fast   is an inspired performance. That song is becoming rather popular, as evidenced by the amount of punters singing along, The ship ain’t sinking yet!   Myspace.com/electricwhiteboy

Gordon Imrie Gordon begins with a song of affection for his local bowling club. (Here we fucking go!  ) Tiddlywinks   is given its title on the spot. It’s a quaint, Jack Johnson-ish love song. The best of the three songs is a thoughtful tune, packed with sentiment, about dealing with a grandmother’s illness or perhaps her last days. We see Gordon at her bedside, pleading, Tell me a story, give me pocket money, tell me that I’ve grown.   Good set, hope to see him again. Myspace.com/potsomusic

Ian Moore Ian performs while pissed as farts and the result is indeed not very impressive. Still, there clearly is a good voice and a guitarist in there, so I hope he comes back and gives it another go minus the drink.

Review: Darren Thornberry

This week, Cat Douglas gives the measured critique. Read on…
Michael Dunnigan, Colin Milne, Broken Tooth, Kat Healy (Main Act), Nyk,
Ross Neilson, Julien, Stephen Harrison, Angus Wallace.

Michael Dunnigan-

This was Michael’s 3rd and final time at OOTB as he has to return to
London. Well, at least until his brother has another baby!

What a great final slot! We were treated to a monarchy in music – starting
with ‘The Queen of Sheeba’ then ‘The King is Dead’. This was a song about
the late John Peel and I’m certain the legend would have approved. He
ended on an apt Scottish ballad about the beauty of West Lothian. What a
challenge to set oneself! However, Michael rose and produced a great wee
song about Binnie Craig.

You will be missed. See you next time you’re up.

Colin Milne-

Even before Colin starts I’m instantly intrigued by his instrument he has
with him. I’m not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to music
(I’m happy to admit that) and I just thought it was a mandolin. I was soon
put right when I was told that it is if fact a glute and it’s the only one
in existence as Colin made the thing himself! I’m very impressed.

His set was equally impressive. Great melodies paired with cracking
lyrics. I particularly enjoyed the one about the lassies. I didn’t
actually catch any of the names but I smiled throughout. I also liked the
way he didn’t use the mic. I felt it added intimacy to the room.

Broken Tooth-

Tonight, apparently, he had been asked to ‘just go for it’. Not quite sure
what that means but I presume we’re in for an intense 15 mins.

He started with ‘Sing my Funeral’. His gravely voice has a rocky feel to
it and his guitar playing also has quite a hard rock influence. Both first
and second songs had quite a frantic feel to them with some very fast
finger work. It showed off his talent well, but I can’t help thinking it
was a bit fiddly (possibly just personal taste). He ended on a slow song
called ‘Dust Around the Sun’ which I felt was a bit clichéd in the lyrics.

Overall I enjoyed the set but I would have liked to get a little more
emotion from the lyrics.

Kat Healy (Main Act)-

Kat has a very warm and unpretentious air on stage which endears and
engages the audience right from the start. Oh and she has a great name
too. So I like her already…..
>
Once she starts playing the room is instantly mesmerised by her beautiful
and powerful voice. A once bustling and talkative room is turned to
silence, captivated. She sings with a great mixture of high notes and full
voice. I could maybe have done with a little bit more definition on the
words as I couldn’t always make out what she was saying. However, I did
really enjoy the song about being and tart and pulling a famous person
(I’m so intrigued about who it is). As Kat sang the lyrics to this sultry
song “Hold me” I could sense every man in the room wanting to run up on
stage!

Next was a song called ‘Breakdown’. Is this perhaps because the famous guy
didn’t call? Whatever it was, just by the tone of her voice I could sense
some real emotion. I do love that in a song.

Seamlessly, she moved to a man hating song called ‘Frozen Smile’. Am I
sensing a theme here? This was quite a dark song but again I found it
difficult to make out the words.

Kat ended on an old song which she was asked to sing randomly when she was
in Australia called Sweet November. With the lyrics ‘Marry me’ sung so
softly I can guarantee most of us probably would. What a perfect end.

Thanks a lot for coming and please come back.

Nyk-

With a ‘Y’. Sorry I got that wrong last time.

Slightly disappointing start when Nyk announced he would not be taking his
shirt off for the set. Gutted, but I’m sure we’ll survive!

As usual we were in for a real treat with Nyk. I enjoy when he just lets
rip on the guitar which he did in his second song ‘Out of the Fire, into
the Rain’. This also had quite a bluesy feel to it which I liked a lot.

For his final song he asked Broken Tooth to join him on stage. I’m not
quite sure what happened next but it involved a pine cone and green
monkeys. Interesting to say the least!

Thanks Nyk. Never a dull set.

Ross Neilson-

Ross informs us that his set is going to be a bit bruised and battered
tonight. That’s ok, we like that, and after all that’s what ootb is all
about.

His first song is called ‘Halo’ where he shows that he has quite a good
vocal range. I like this song and think the chorus is quite catchy. I did
feel that his voice went a little scratchy on some of the high notes
though.

When you write lyrics like ‘Bitterness and pain is all I see’ I can see
what he meant about it being bruised and battered. I hope that’s not
coming from personal experience!

I don’t think he told us the names of the songs but I enjoyed the set.

Julien-

Julien’s French accent instantly makes me want to like him. I know its
shallow but oh well at least I’m honest!

He is our one and only squashee this evening.

His song is dark, interesting and quite refreshing. I can’t make out many
of the lyrics (possibly the accent again) but he hits the high notes with
a touch of Thom York. Great.

Don’t leave it so long next time.

Stephen Harrison-

Stephen brings to the stage the first electric guitar of the evening and
starts with his song ‘Sad and Blue’. His low sultry voice brought this
song to life.

Next a small plug for one of his albums ‘Chips for Supper’. I do love that
title.

His second song was quite lovely with lyrics ‘I believe I found you
innocent’. I thought this was beautiful, poignant and quite heartfelt.

After another plug for his old album ‘Faded Colours’ Stephen finished with
his song called ‘Tomorrow’. This lacked a little in focus but I still
enjoyed it.

Good set, I liked the tone of Stephen’s voice.

Angus Wallace-

Ironically the act with the most Scottish sounding name is actually
Australian.

Angus has a funky, plucky way of playing that I liked and a voice to match.

We were treated to a full range of songs from politics to his home
country. I’m not sure anyone really ‘got’ the one about unions, or maybe
it was just over my head!

He ended with a kind of retort to Michael’s Scottish song earlier. With
his song about Oz, Angus was pretty convincing about its beauty. Maybe we
should all go and do a special OOTB from there!

Great ending.

OOTB 297 – 17 April 2008

Michael Dunnigan, Colin Milne, Broken Tooth, Kat Healy (Main Act), Nyk, Ross Neilson, Julien, Stephen Harrison, Angus Wallace.

Michael Dunnigan This was Michael’s 3rd and final time at OOTB as he has to return to London. Well, at least until his brother has another baby! What a great final slot! We were treated to a monarchy in music – starting with ‘The Queen of Sheeba’ then ‘The King is Dead’. This was a song about the late John Peel and I’m certain the legend would have approved. He ended on an apt Scottish ballad about the beauty of West Lothian. What a challenge to set oneself! However, Michael rose and produced a great wee song about Binnie Craig. You will be missed. See you next time you’re up.

Colin Milne Even before Colin starts I’m instantly intrigued by his instrument he has with him. I’m not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to music (I’m happy to admit that) and I just thought it was a mandolin. I was soon put right when I was told that it is if fact a glute and it’s the only one in existence as Colin made the thing himself! I’m very impressed. His set was equally impressive. Great melodies paired with cracking lyrics. I particularly enjoyed the one about the lassies. I didn’t actually catch any of the names but I smiled throughout. I also liked the way he didn’t use the mic. I felt it added intimacy to the room.

Broken Tooth Tonight, apparently, he had been asked to ‘just go for it’. Not quite sure what that means but I presume we’re in for an intense 15 mins. He started with ‘Sing my Funeral’. His gravely voice has a rocky feel to it and his guitar playing also has quite a hard rock influence. Both first and second songs had quite a frantic feel to them with some very fast finger work. It showed off his talent well, but I can’t help thinking it was a bit fiddly (possibly just personal taste). He ended on a slow song called ‘Dust Around the Sun’ which I felt was a bit clichéd in the lyrics. Overall I enjoyed the set but I would have liked to get a little more emotion from the lyrics.

Kat Healy (Main Act)- Kat has a very warm and unpretentious air on stage which endears and engages the audience right from the start. Oh and she has a great name too. So I like her already….. Once she starts playing the room is instantly mesmerised by her beautiful and powerful voice. A once bustling and talkative room is turned to silence, captivated. She sings with a great mixture of high notes and full voice. I could maybe have done with a little bit more definition on the words as I couldn’t always make out what she was saying. However, I did really enjoy the song about being and tart and pulling a famous person (I’m so intrigued about who it is). As Kat sang the lyrics to this sultry song Hold me   I could sense every man in the room wanting to run up on stage! Next was a song called ‘Breakdown’. Is this perhaps because the famous guy didn’t call? Whatever it was, just by the tone of her voice I could sense some real emotion. I do love that in a song. Seamlessly, she moved to a man hating song called ‘Frozen Smile’. Am I sensing a theme here? This was quite a dark song but again I found it difficult to make out the words. Kat ended on an old song which she was asked to sing randomly when she was in Australia called Sweet November. With the lyrics ‘Marry me’ sung so softly I can guarantee most of us probably would. What a perfect end. Thanks a lot for coming and please come back.

Nyk With a ‘Y’. Sorry I got that wrong last time. Slightly disappointing start when Nyk announced he would not be taking his shirt off for the set. Gutted, but I’m sure we’ll survive! As usual we were in for a real treat with Nyk. I enjoy when he just lets rip on the guitar which he did in his second song ‘Out of the Fire, into the Rain’. This also had quite a bluesy feel to it which I liked a lot. For his final song he asked Broken Tooth to join him on stage. I’m not quite sure what happened next but it involved a pine cone and green monkeys. Interesting to say the least! Thanks Nyk. Never a dull set.

Ross Neilson Ross informs us that his set is going to be a bit bruised and battered tonight. That’s ok, we like that, and after all that’s what ootb is all about. His first song is called ‘Halo’ where he shows that he has quite a good vocal range. I like this song and think the chorus is quite catchy. I did feel that his voice went a little scratchy on some of the high notes though. When you write lyrics like ‘Bitterness and pain is all I see’ I can see what he meant about it being bruised and battered. I hope that’s not coming from personal experience! I don’t think he told us the names of the songs but I enjoyed the set.

Julien in 2004

Julien Julien’s French accent instantly makes me want to like him. I know its shallow but oh well at least I’m honest! He is our one and only squashee this evening. His song is dark, interesting and quite refreshing. I can’t make out many of the lyrics (possibly the accent again) but he hits the high notes with a touch of Thom York. Great. Don’t leave it so long next time.

Stephen Harrison Stephen brings to the stage the first electric guitar of the evening and starts with his song ‘Sad and Blue’. His low sultry voice brought this song to life. Next a small plug for one of his albums ‘Chips for Supper’. I do love that title. His second song was quite lovely with lyrics ‘I believe I found you innocent’. I thought this was beautiful, poignant and quite heartfelt. After another plug for his old album ‘Faded Colours’ Stephen finished with his song called ‘Tomorrow’. This lacked a little in focus but I still enjoyed it. Good set, I liked the tone of Stephen’s voice.

Angus Wallace Ironically the act with the most Scottish sounding name is actually Australian. Angus has a funky, plucky way of playing that I liked and a voice to match. We were treated to a full range of songs from politics to his home country. I’m not sure anyone really ‘got’ the one about unions, or maybe it was just over my head! He ended with a kind of retort to Michael’s Scottish song earlier. With his song about Oz, Angus was pretty convincing about its beauty. Maybe we should all go and do a special OOTB from there! Great ending.

Sound: David O’Hara, Compere: Darren Thornberry, Review: Cat Douglas

OOTB 296 – 10 April 2008

Enroll (debut), Fiona Thom, Open C, Ghostboy, Arran Arctic, squashee, The Beggar Girls, Featured Act, Mick and Jeff, Stoddart, Hughes and McQuade, Jules, Monkey Helmholtz, Gustav Gustav, Michael Dummigan, Andrew Iain, squashee, Jake & Ross, squashee.

Enroll (debut) This duo step up for the first time. He stares at the ceiling and begs, ‘did I upset you last night?’ as she harmonises, and beefs up the sound considerably. With the subject matter of post drunken atonement, and the delivery which could be earnest or funny, it’s difficult to tell where the line of irony lies. I quite like the ambiguity. ‘This city’ is pure escapism, just want to go away with you.   His voice would benefit a few more outings, and I hope we a re treated to them.

Fiona Thom Fi is as lively as her lime green jumper tonight, as ‘The very next room’ bounces around. If only seen Fi in the Listening Room, and the extent to which she fills the comparatively larger stage of OOTB is a nice surprise. ‘Let me down easy’ mixes vulnerability in the lyrics with a powerful drive in the tune. I can almost hear the happy hand claps. http://www.myspace.com/fionajthom

Open Sea This three-piece bring a smile to the face. Intensely pleasing as their many instruments (two guitars and fiddle) chime as one. ‘Waiting for You’ ends with a nice touch of mouth organ, blending folk and blues instruments to good effect. Their second is a lively one whose name I didn’t catch. The verses rotate between singers. Brave but fairly effective.

Ghostboy ‘The One’ showcases his particular acoustic Britrock. ‘Breathe’ likewise, opens slow and builds. This is a serious business, as he lives inside the lyrics don’t know where I’m going, don’t know where I’ve been  . Give the man a compass.

Arran Arctic – squashee This is brand new and straight off the dis-chords intrigue. On top, he lays his voice like a blanket, guitar bubbling beneath. If only we could just share it all   (looks like I’ve written ‘shave’ in my notes, though I suspect that’s not what he sang) Lovely inflections as his voice flits between soft and a full falsetto. Loved it.

The Beggar Girls, Featured Act We booked these ladies the first time we saw them, and they didn’t disappoint. ‘The Charmer’ has home truths laid bare whilst in the age old pursuit, my raven hair is a wig.   After the comedy into, we relax into the musicality and pleasant company this quartet brings. ‘He was my love’ is beguiling melancholy. Their harmonies come from an earlier time and lend the songs an effortless authenticity. ‘Feather Dance’ is Eastern European with melodies colliding and intertwining. A bit of a misnomer, this is heavy stomp. A new one now, and an ode to sloth, ‘I’m happy in bed.’ They do their set unamplified, which works well when all are singing, but if only one does so, the sound doesn’t carry to the back of the room. ‘Eugenie’s Waltz’, in 5/4 time, naturally, is an instrumental bursting with character (sounds like a wine). The waltz is stately rather than romantic, best for a ball in the royal court. We finish with a song that begins with a chant and fairly bustles along, with tempo changes and other challenges. It is brave and evocative, and a fine closer to the set.

Mick and Jeff These gents haven’t graced these parts for a wee while, and I believe this could be their first gig anywhere in over a year. Welcome back. We start with ‘a Scottish song’, though they never break far from their blues roots, think Skye Boat Song as Prairie Yarn. Before long, we’re back in proper blues territory, with ‘Been Here Too Long Blues.’ Their fine partnering recalls Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. Vintage. I hadn’t seen them before, but hopefully will do again.

Nyk Stoddart ‘Another Song’ showcases Nyk’s ability to play with perceptions and demolish them, with as riotous a performance as any. This is elemental acoustic rock.

Hughes and McQuade They begin with a ballad over a drone, and establish themselves as a confident pairing. Country-influenced, their stuff reminds me of those Lonestar chaps. Their second, ‘Glorious’, is no exception, speaking of redemption, I would pray for better days.   I don’t know which is Hughes and which is McQuade, but the singer has a voice of effortless pitch and power. Strong stuff. Pass me a bourbon.

Jules Everything solid melts into air,   he sings in a lively one that reminds of Pulp-style mock-disco. His second is decidedly repentant, all you ever get from me is trouble.   …and a song to remember him by, of course.

Monkey Helmholtz Perceptive, I know, this may not be his real name. I rather wish it was. A guitar that’s barely there builds through single notes, to hurried arpeggios, to pounding chords, while empowered vox soar overhead. The tide don’t come back in for me.   No, it probably doesn’t think it’s up to the challenge. His second has guitar mimicking vocals note for note, while the lyrics are feverishly spat and mumbled out. Being four days old, these dissolve by the end of the song, but it was striking, and well worth it, nonetheless.

Gustav Gustav A ginger rose by any other name (Calum Haddow), this man is one of my favourite acts to frequent (though it would be nice if he was a bit more frequent) OOTB, purely because the energy and fearlessness he brings ensures I’ve never seen a dud set. So it is tonight. Through me a line, I’m drowning up here   he implores, though he’s far from it. It is impassioned and compelling. Calum is acutely aware of the effectiveness of dynamics, as with ‘First Aid’, my favourite. His delivery raises giggles, which disarm the audience to the harrowing subject matter of a battlefield medic. By the climax, all my hairs are on end.

Michael Donnigan He’s still up from London, just, and I’m glad to have another chance to see some of the finest fretwork to grace OOTB. ‘Believe in me’ is about being dumped, with tight jazz nicely complemented light vox, and, as ever, immaculate guitar. A Dylanesque tale of when punk meant something (tight trousers and silly hair, not baggy trousers and silly hair like today); ‘Slanj’ is a toast to an old friend. His mate Brendan moans harmonies from the back, and the room crackles. Pretty touching stuff.

Andrew Iain – squashee Raises the mood again with the biting and funny ‘I don’t fancy you anymore.’ A jaunty song of the reversion to melancholy after the girlfriend is dispatched; he has the room singing the choruses by the end. Good fun.

Jake & Ross, squashee These guys have been solid attendees recently. ‘Spinning Rooms’ is pretty lively and happy given the debauched subject matter – getting wasted and comatose. This pair is pretty slick, and they’re on form tonight. I can’t help but think Jake’s onstage persona is bigger than the small arrangement here, bring more people onstage. All the same, one suspects a Featured Act slot beckons.

Compere: Daniel Davis, Review: Rob Sproul-Cran, Sound: David O’Hara

OOTB 295 – 3 April 2008

Performers: Lindsay Sugden, Colin Milne, Eddie Robinson, Gandalf, Lorraine McCauley (debut), Michael Dunnegan, Sparrahawk, Ross Neilson, Broken Tooth, Ian, Nyk Stoddart, Gerry McCann / Brendan Ryan (debut)

Lindsay Sugden Notes ping off the ceiling as our compere opens with current favourite, ‘If time stands still’. A master of original chord progressions, Lindsay conjures up melancholic fairies in my mind. I always enjoy this one.

Colin Milne ‘8 o’clock from Peebles’ is a train journey song in a pleasingly old-school vein, it makes the Borders feel like the Wild West, which in many ways it was. The whistle in the distance comes from way beyond the bend.   [Jim takes over] ‘Yesterday’ (not that one) was about how life has changed over the years, with Colin making observations about the less well-documented changes in society, e.g. yesterday we had the onion man/ wrapped with shiny spheres  .  Colin’s a-rhythmic picking style was reminiscent of Bob Dylan’s first album.  ‘Eye Candy’, about a walk down Princes Street, was spirited and uplifting.  Colin’s light, observational songwriting style made me think of Richard Stilgoe in his ‘Nationwide’ TV pomp (search on Wikipedia, kids).

Eddie Robinson This was my first experience of Eddie, who normally plays with Chris, and it was a most pleasant experience.  Eddie’s two songs were simple and beautifully played and sung.  ‘Beaufort’s Dyke’, a protest song about an ammunitions dump, featuring the line something under the water won’t go away  , was suitably evocative.  ‘Parasite’, about an ex-friend, really got the audience onside.  I fully expect, and hope, to hear more of Eddie in the future.

Gandalf Unlike the Lord of the Rings fellow, this Gandalf was a young, hungry OOTB debutante with a line in witty lyrics that the audience adored.  ‘Smoking Causes Cancer’ mixed serious subject matter with wacky lyrics about farting cows and smirting.  This was probably one of the most memorable squashee performances of recent times.

Lorraine McCauley (www.myspace.com/lorrainemccauley) Lorraine was making her OOTB debut tonight, and an excellent debut it was too.  Lorraine’s smoky, soulful voice was absolutely spellbinding, and her opening salvo ‘Who?’ showcased her nascent songwriting talent wonderfully. The jazzy ‘Dancing Round The Floods’ was about her first weeks in Edinburgh and there was a raw honesty about this that I could only admire. ‘Daydreaming’ was her first ever song – for most musicians (including myself) this would equal acutely embarrassing lyrics.  Not so with Lorraine who took us on a journey to a warm summer, basking in the peace of solitude.  Quite simply, one of the best OOTB debuts I have seen in the last year.

Michael Dunnegan I hadn’t seen Michael for about 10 years, mainly due to his being based in London, and it’s good to know that he is still as masterful a guitarist as ever.  ‘Flamingos’, about fancying Angelica Houston and falling in sleep in front of the TV, featured as flawless an exhibition of guitar playing as you’re likely to see.  The lyrics had bags of humour and Michael’s voice worked well with the subject matter.  Michael’s virtuoso chords and harmonics were great in his next number but he spoilt his set slightly by breaking the originals-only rule and slipping in a Nina Simone cover for his finale [Though in fairness, we probably should have told him this rule beforehand, Rob].  Nonetheless, a top quality debut from Mr. Dunnegan to close the first half.

Sparrahawk (www.myspace.com/aclspamborskee) The featured act tonight was Sparrahawk, TAFKA Spamborskee.  It really struck me how much OOTB misses artists of the calibre of Sparrahawk, who can make the audience laugh and think at the same time and has the respect of the local musicians’ fraternity.  The classic ‘Seagulls’ sounded fresh as a daisy and got the Canons’ Gait throng onside immediately.  ‘A Bad Case of Empty Wallet’ was a potent mix of blues ethos and Weegie patter. The line a bad case of chocolate biscuits/ leads me to decay   resonated with me.

‘Opiates and Oil’ gave his view on the underlying reason for the Iraq conflict (not a war, as a war has two sides).  This was throbbing, passionate performance and the line boom-boom-boom/ bang-bang-bang/ what about that for a masterplan?   summed up the poignant black humour that underpinned the song.  The poem ‘Feral Children’, about young people trapped in a cycle of poverty, provided an intermission to the heady mix. ‘Drunken Piper’, dedicated to Starship (Nyk Stoddart), was a modern Scots tale that would be a welcome addition to any Burns Supper.

‘Uncle John and the Masons’ was a real-life story about the role of secret societies in Glasgow.  ‘Secret Squirrel’ was a commentary on lifestyle choices in the USA, e.g. obesity, and featured quality Native American whooping.  The a capella ‘Lifespan’ was dedicated to soundman Mally McLean and was a surreal tale of his life journey, and included the crude-yet-poignant refrain get it up ye while you’re young  .

This was a 30-minute set of pure entertainment from Sparrahawk and I’m sure it won’t be long until he’s invited back to an Edinburgh music night. For Edinburgh musicians, Sparrahawk said he could point you in the right direction for getting a gig in Glasgow.

Ross Neilson Ross has been a familiar and popular face at OOTB in recent months and his pleasant opener ‘Halo’ showed why.  Ross’s impressive guitar playing, pleasing voice and well-constructed songs were the backbone of ‘Only One Way’.  Ross’s professionalism and commitment were displayed on ‘Fragile Tears’.  This sensitive, passionate ballad showed that Ross needs, rather than wants, to play his music and that might just take him far.

Broken Tooth (www.myspace.com/electricwhiteboy) TAFKA Electric White Boy, Broken Tooth started with the subtle ‘Miller’s Daughter’.  Check out the discussion about this Led-Zep-III-esque song on the OOTB discussion forum, [website address].  Mr. Tooth played the bluesy ‘Hoodoo Man’ next, introduced as [going] from the innocent to the sinister  .  BT showed ambition in trying to hit the high notes of a young, hollering Robert Plant.  The lovelorn ‘Hold Fast’ was dedicated to his ex-girlfriend and this was a heartfelt, earnest performance from Broken Tooth.

Ian Ian’s tousled-haired appearance made me think of a young Tim Buckley, my favourite singer ever, so that immediately put me in a positive frame of mind.  Ian’s music was very much his own and his youthful exuberance brought a renewed energy to the evening.  I didn’t catch any song titles, but his performance was engaging and the songs were well rehearsed.  One of Ian’s lines – I’m certain I could kill a man who tried to cheat me  , put me off ever inviting him round for a game of poker!  Excellent stuff from Ian.

Nyk Stoddart (www.mutantlodge.com) Nyk took on a squashee slot, and invited Broken Tooth up for backing vocals.  ‘Retro Space Age’ was the song played and his energising alternative view on life reminds me that I must take life a little less seriously.  Tune in, turn on, drop out?  Possibly, Nyk might just be the man to take you into the space!

Gerry McCann / Brendan Ryan Although debutantes at OOTB, Gerry and Brendan were familiar to me as they were flatmates of mine some years ago.  In fact, Gerry introduced me to my first ever open mic night, Writers in Song, at The Gallery Bar (now The Wash) in 1993, which totally changed my idea about what a music night could and should be.  Gerry’s guitar playing was excellent tonight and I’m pleased that he’s still got that edge.  Brendan’s passionate, soulful, mid-Atlantic vocals made me think he could be an interesting mentor for Broken Tooth.  ‘Just For Today’ was rocking and the voice and guitar melded into a powerful combo, making me think of Nazareth in their prime. The musical chemistry between Gerry and Brendan is still there after many years and on this evidence long may it continue.

Compere: Lindsay Sugden Sound: Malcolm Mally   McLean Raffle tickets: David O’Hara Review: James Igoe

OOTB 294 – 27th March 2008

NYK STODDART, EWEN FORBES, MAIN ACT: STEVEN CAREY, JAKE & ROSS, JIM IGOE, Squashee, THE BEGGAR GIRLS

OOTB is a lean, mean fighting machine on 27th March. A handful of folks haunt the place, and they are treated to intimate sets and surprising newcomers.

NYK STODDART What do you want written on your grave? So asks OOTB resident in Tombstoning  , a song which itself is the epitaph of self-indulgent pseudo sports celebrity. Nyk’s guitar is playing itself tonight; it kicks like an unbroken bronco. Bad Blues   is also unharnessed, and Nyk laughs it off like the pro he is. TV Leg, requested by this writer, is indeed my favourite of Nyk’s trio. A soul baring nearly takes place in these punchy lyrics. Picking scabs off my arms, cracked glass under my skin.   Cool tempo on this track as well.

EWEN FORBES Ewen is new to me; I like his humble demeanour immediately. Strangely, I find most of his lyrics unintelligible. His songs are well received, so I don’t fault him.  Ewen has pretty well mastered a three-chord repetitive pattern. This makes his tunes quite catchy. Homeward   is really cool; it could pass for a traditional folk song.

MAIN ACT: STEVEN CAREY I’ve seen Steven a few times and his songs randomly rumble around my head, while I’m wolfing down a macaroni pie at Piemaker or queuing for the 23 in Trinity. Great White Shark   has a certain … something … like it belongs in a VW commercial. Cheeky bastard says it has no socio-political overtones, but at face value it’s about being numbed by TV, media, the illusion of need fed to us by ad agencies. Traffic   shows off his pipes. A new tune finds him reminiscing about seeing her on George St in a pink coat. The dregs of your affection are not enough  , great hook. I am humming it before he stops playing it. Lorna   has that gorgeous harmonic intro and outro, and I can never tell if this is a song of consolation to a sister or potential lover. Party   might be Steven’s signature song. Who wouldn’t want to see this meek and mild chap bring out the ugly? One criticism is that his falsetto is kinda pitchy, but hey it’s still a class song. He ends with his personal favourite to perform at OOTB, a breakup song about a lying lover.

JAKE & ROSS Let’s get this point made. I don’t think Jake & Ross hung the moon, but they are very entertaining and one of the best duos seen in OOTB for ages. Ross is a capable guitarist, and when Jake lets go on vocals, it’s a treat. Spinning Rooms   is about being pished. This of course resonates with all OOTB committee members in attendance. Foolish Eyes   is rich in tasty minors and is perhaps Jake’s best vocal of the night. That said, they don’t seem to have an ending nailed down. Honest   is about something Jake would rather not describe. Ross gets a bit flushed with a guitar miscue, but who cares. It’s an intense, sad song.

JAY BROWN It’s unclear in bachelor Jay Brown’s song about marriage if he’s for it or against it. But we do know the river runs cold   in his goddamn soul. Standout line from song two: My sleeping lady’s fingers are as innocent as water.   This is a quiet, thoughtful song … about marriage. Above the Restaurant   might be the first song he ever wrote, he confesses. Don’t let him fool you that it merely concerns living above a restaurant. I say this clever song is about a relationship surviving change. Overall, Jay’s guitar playing is standard stuff. Good vocal and sincerity comes through.

JIM IGOE, Squashee Is it right for the co-founder of OOTB to play a squashee slot? Or should he have a standing invitation to play when and what he likes? Nae matter: it’s like pulling teeth to get a song out of him tonight! But he finally coughs up a tune about the first humanist wedding in the UK that occurred three years ago at Edinburgh Zoo (with the red panda officiating?). Hooray for the atheist victory … I don’t believe in God, but I believe in you.   Jim belts it out with a religious-less fervour. Nice one.

THE BEGGAR GIRLS Is anyone expecting a wine-drinking threesome from Peebles to steal the show? That’s exactly what goes down. Sporting a hand-drum, accordion, a couple of fiddles, spot-on harmonies and classically mournful lyrics, I swear I’m listening to the muses of Fanattica. Not much point breaking it down song by song. The whole thing is delicious. Do yourself a good turn and check out www.myspace.com/beggargirls. Rumour has it they will be our featured act in a couple weeks time.
[Ed: The album is pretty cool too!]

Review: Darren Thornberry