Looocal Happenings.

Thursday 7th May 11:30am

Day 2 of The Barlights blog, and we're still not bored of it.

In this city, the city we live in (to paraphrase the Chilli Peppers), there is quite a lot going on nowadays. I actually had this conversation with Chase last night:

Me: There's quite a lot going on in Norwich nowadays.

Chase: Yes.

That's kinda how the conversation went.

EVIDENCE: Most times when we have a gig, there is usually another one going on the same day and often it will also be within the city walls. A gig on a Friday or Saturday night in the city centre was unheard of when we were 17 or 18, with the odd exception. The fact that this is changing can only be a good thing, and underneath the usual layer of covers bands and heavy metal there is a severely good group of musicians going about doing their thing for no other reason than the fact that they're fucking good at it.

MORE EVIDENCE: This Saturday, our labelmates and friends The Brownies are headlining the Norwich Arts Centre. For those who aren't from the city, or are but somehow live deep underground, The Brownies are a locally formed band who are pretty bloody good (and this was reflected in some kind reviews in some of the nationals for their debut album).

As per the poster on the left here there on the left of the page there, they will be joined by death of death of Discotheque, Claw of Panther and Hunt in Packs. I've never really seen ....Discotheque play, as I've usually been on straight after them. I will be rectifying that Saturday. Claw of Panther front man Adam King used to play on his own as "Cross Country Driver" and he was like a slurring Julian Casablancas playing folk music through electric equipment. I think we can all agree that sounds wonderful, and it was. So I'm looking forward to seeing them. And then we have Hunt in Packs who are kind of Norwich scene royalty, with members of them having been in the splendid Uh-Oh's, and the Pistolas. Lee and Paul are both pretty bloody good at what they do and, this being their first gig, I would recommend you check them out.

These bands are all, as far as I can tell from my limited contact with them, playing this gig (like the many other gigs they all will play) because they want to. They...want to play music to people and although I expect, like with many of us, there are alternative motives as well, I believe for the most part that a lot of bands involved in what we could laughingly refer to as "The Norwich Scene" do what they do because they actually believe that they are making good music.

So what I'm trying to say, and the point I'm trying to make is.....: As consumers of music, whether you're in a band or not in a band, we should all support these things because Norwich (or Nottingham, or Leicester, or Plymouth, or Newcastle...wherever you're from) would be a lot less diverse and interesting without it's bands and arts projects.

SO. I would implore you: Go to watch local gigs. If you don't like the first band, wait for the second. If you don't like a band initially, keep watching for at least 3 songs. Not everything is to everyone's tastes, but that's what the point is. If you're a music lover with a massive CD collection, but your only live music fix is forking out £50 quid a year to see one stadium gig, ask yourself whether you ever wished that you had got in on the ground floor and you might realise that this would lend the experience an intimacy which you scarcely feel....

Go down the Arts Centre on Saturday and you might do.

Pic b: The view at a stadium gig, yesterday.

Speak soon,

Love tBl's. X