I don't write music reviews that are very coherent. I envy the likes of Swiss Toni, LB and Planet Me, who are all gentlemen that write really interesting and incisive music reviews. Not that I always agree with everything in said reviews, mind, but hey! wouldn't it be boring if we all liked the same things?

So, some brief comments on the last couple of gigs that I went to see. (Brief is my favourite word at the moment. It covers a multitude of sins.)

On Monday night I went to see the Fratellis at the Carling Academy in Birmingham.



What kind of music do the Fratellis play? Is it pub rock? Or Dad rock? Maybe Brit pop? Or is it some kind of mutated 70's style power pop and glam rock stomp?

Dunno, mate. I am not very good at putting on labels on music.

I thought that the Fratellis were enormous fun. I believe this gig was organised quickly to road test tracks from the new album, due out in June. Well, the new tunes sounded good,as did the old tunes, with the inevitable "Chelsea Dagger" (of course) as the final encore. Seems to me that there has been a definite progression in the sound from the first album, as the band had a keyboard player onstage with them, this time, and keyboards were featured on a fair few of the new tracks. Definitely a hint of latter stage Supergrass about the Fratellis. I think that is a good thing.

Massive energy, very loud, very hot, crazy audience of 12-24 year olds. A fair few crowd surfers. I haven't seen that for a while. The security detail seemed to be having kittens every time somebody launched themselves onto the heads of the audience.

My Brother and I were probably the oldest people in the Carling Academy by about 20 years. So what? I am with Mick Jagger in that I do not believe that having fun is the prerogative of the young.

I love this song. I think I have put it on every blog I have ever had.



I have ran out of time to write about Portishead. Next time.