SpideWriter

Wild Paths: Day One Evening Voodoo Daddy's Showroom, London Street Headliners, The Empty Threats Definitely an evening for the ear plugs. Three post punk noise bands in a row, poses the old question of how to organise a night's entertainment when the performers are doing much the same thing. Of the three sets tonight, openers Feasts , were able to offer something substantially different with drums (Ben), guitar and a small keyboard, (Connor).  If you think, White Stripes in reverse, i.e. drums taking the lead, driving the truck with the guitar providing some tonal depth, you will have some idea of the instrumental power and output of these two.  Ben's drumming is quite something to behold. Essentially, this set was a series of amped up drum and percussion solos, never dull, that take the part of the planet's original. primordial musical device to the extremes of its capacity, whilst still remaining inside the boundary of what might be recognisable as music. With rhythms...

Day One, Morning  Fear and loathing on Elm Hill this is not.  Transport, no fabulous red Chevvy, just the number 14 bus into the city from the N&N Hospital.  Drop off is under the looming, refurbed Norman castle, then a stroll round the corner to the Maid's Head Hotel.  There no sign yet of a festival, although the receptionist assured me the Edith Cavell Room would be functioning as a ticket office from Thursday.  I went back up through Tombland, once the site of a Viking market place, past Voodoo Daddy's Showroom, where a small street sign was tucked into the doorway announcing this week's events, to the bus information office to buy myself a week's bus pass, as it looks like I'll be tripping back and forth over the next few days for various reasons. Good value I thought, that bus pass.  Talking of taking trips, the bus will be the only type of trip I'll be enjoying this week. Gonzo's Tea Room as close to Gonzo journalism as this gets. Tonight and tom...