The internet is sooooo vast that it’s nye on impossible to be aware of all the truly great music websites out there. Lucky for us then, that the founder of the fairly new Bandstand Busking got in touch a few days ago to tell us all about the video delights they have for the discerning music lover. i.e: You.
So what is Bandstand Busking? Well, it’s kinda like Blackcab Sessions and Takeaway Shows. A ridiculously hip indie band gets asked to perform a few tracks in weird and wonderful locations (in this instance, yup, you guessed it - on bandstands).. There are some fantastic videos up on the site at the moment.. We’ve compiled a few of the best below but we truly recomend you got forth and check the whole lot out. They’re great.
Our mates over at Black Cab Sessions have had some pretty impressive guests of late. Beach House, Bon Iver, My Morning Jacket, Fleet Foxes, Death Cab For Cutie, Seasick Steve and Lykke Li to name just a few (there are currently 59 sessions and counting) - but probably their biggest draw to date comes from the latest session. Yes, it’s none other than Mr Brian Wilson. Holy shit! And the kicker is…his ‘people’ asked if he could do it rather than Black Cab approaching him. The word is spreading it seems.
The great man himself performs ‘That Luck Old Sun’ and ‘California Girls’.
Read what the guys at Black Cab had to say about the session below.
“Dear Black Cabs,” the email began, “would you please consider filming a session with Brian Wilson (of the Beach Boys).” They really didn’t need to add that last bit about the Beach Boys. A few weeks later we were outside Abbey Studios, with the taxi humming patiently behind us, nervously awaiting one of the most influential songwriters of all time. And then he emerged with his band: five of them in total. Bit tricky that because, of course, you can only sit five in the back of cab, and seeing as there were two of us to film and record sound, that made an unlucky seven in total. So we jettisoned sound recording duties, made the five of them comfortable, and wedged our cameraman in an awkward stress position between the jump seats. And we were away, the cameraman filming an unforgettable Black Cab Session with Brian Wilson (of the Beach Boys), trying to keep the camera steady as cramp slowly tightens around his hamstring.
The lucky folks of America are currently being treated to the superb double whammy of Wilco and Fleet Foxes as they tour the States together. Being a huge fan of both, I could only dream of that kind of thing happening over here. Doubtful really, considering Jeff Tweedy’s dislike for the UK seemed to step up a notch after last years cancellation of a number of dates. This kind of makes up for it though. Yes, two of my favourite bands cover the Bob Dylan classic ‘I Shall Be Released’ during a recent show. I was speechless this morning when I stumbled across it. Tweedy’s falsetto is especially impressive during the second verse. Check it out below:
As we reported last week, The Drones have a new EP/Retrospective coming out on 22nd September followed by a new studio album Havilah which due to arrive around January 2009. Both discs will feature ‘The Minotaur’; a sludgy brute of a song. Check out the video below.
We’ve mentioned these fine ladies a couple of times here at TLOBF. Most recently in our ‘Introducing’ interview. Still in their musical adolesence, Smoke Fairies possess a charm and vulnerability that makes their delta blues/folk hybrid an intoxicating listen.
TLOBF were invited to the single launch of ‘Living With Ghosts’ earlier in the week - we sent Dan Marner down to the 1930’s esque venue Bourne & Hollingsworth, deep in the heart of Soho to capture the show on film.
If Kristin Hersh had grown up in early 20th-century Mississippi Delta she’d sound like this…
Whilst our chums Beach House were touring the UK a couple of months ago the folk at Black Cab Sessions managed to lob them into an unsuspecting taxi to film a version of ‘Heart Of Chambers’ from the much-loved Devotion LP. With the accompaniment of acoustic guitar and floor toms rather than the usual farfisa organ and reverb sodden slide guitar; the performance spawned a whole new dimension to the trademark Beach House sound - turning the track into a jaunty folk number. Suits them too so it does. Check out the performance below.
