A Hoedown with Noah and the Whale

I saw Noah and the Whale at the ICA near Trafalgar Square and I have to say, the ICA is a hidden gem of a venue. I was right up there at the stage (I took the picture to the left) and although it was sold out, it had the intimacy and electric vibe of the 9:30 Club without the crushing crowd that sometimes encroaches my personal space.

We arrived promptly at 7:30, but decided to hit the pub and wait it out for a little while. After a pint of Kronenbourg and healthy conversation at a really spacious pub near Westminster, we headed back to ICA. A trio of guitarists/singers were on stage and they put on a pretty good show, although a little lacking in full sound.

Noah and the Whale came out dressed in blues and yellows. They fit the stylistic bill for many indie acts these days, but their sound set them apart. In one song I hadn't heard before, the fiddle came in with a riff similar to the one in "Sweet Child O Mine" and got everyone bumping and clapping. The bassist had a full-time job playing the xylophone (or something similar) and harmonium in addition to his bass. Laura Marling shook the shit out of the egg shaker but was still a little timid. With her new haircut, fresh from last Monday's in-store, she still won me over, but I wish she'd realize how good she is and come out of her shell. They played... around seven songs including "Five Years Time," "Jocasta," "Rocks and Daggers," "Mary," "Give a Little Love," two or three others I didn't know, and an encore cover of The Smith's "Girlfriend In A Coma." All of their live versions had more energy and momentum than their recorded versions, but that's saying a lot since their recorded stuff is great. Look for their songs on Hype Machine.

These guys deserve to get famous immediately. And also... I want a cd. So far, they've only released two singles on vinyl. Bah. All I know is I've found myself a new favorite band. Catch these guys at SXSW for anyone going.

That's all for now. I'm finally seeing Juno tomorrow! It hit the UK on Friday. Bye, friends.

Happy Days

Ok, time for a happy entry. This past week, I just got a little tired of being away from the States and family and friends. I watched You've Got Mail three times to give you an idea of my dire straits. But then a series of good things happened.

1. I received a mixed cd from a friend at UCLA, combining the excitement of mail and new music all in one glorious yellow parcel.

2. I actually went climbing when other LSE climbers were there. Yes, I should've been making a greater effort to go when other people were going, but it takes some will power to drag myself climbing when class finished at 6PM Friday and work starts 9:30AM Saturday. Luckily, I had the will power this week and did my first lead climb (where you clip into the wall) to prepare for Sardinia. Afterwards we hit the pub and I rewarded my efforts with a pint of Kronenburg, my favorite beer here.

3. Jared's parents visited. More than just a complimentary dinner, I received a bit of the parental love that Jared couldn't absorb.

4. Work. I was exhausted today, but yesterday was fun somehow. For every asshole that claims prices are "puh-THET-ic" in that posh English accent, there's four or five customers that make you feel good about your day. And of course, my co-workers.

5. I read The Kite Runner and am possibly the last person on earth to finally read it. Anyways, I liked it a lot. I'm onto a new one called Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin which is good so far.

Alright. I'm going to a sold out concert tomorrow at the Institute of Contemporary Arts to see Noah & the Whale. Check them out.