So Day 1 was eventful on the panel side, but just as much so on the music side. I bumped into my good friend (and manager of Overview) Neal O’Connor and we hung out for most of the afternoon.
We spent the first part of that afternoon at the British Music Embassy, Latitude 30, at the Belfast/Nashville songwriters party - it was PACKED and Foy Vance got an amazing reception from the crowd - and deservedly so. I’d never seen him live and it was a high-energy show of soulful acoustic music with shades of Van, which also included a cover of “Back in Black” 
Justin Earle did a sterling job of filling his father’s BIG boots (he’s son of country legend Steve Earle) and my old friends The Answer did a short acoustic set. It was my first live experience of the Downpatrick boys and it was great - but I’ll get to see the rock-out-with-your-cock-out version today when I go along to a live TV taping of a performance of theirs.
Here’s a quick rundown of the other fantastic shows I saw last night, starting with the best:
I already mentioned Jesca Hoop - wonderful quirky freak folk. KCRW approved :-\ (pics)
Bear In Heaven - ‘lectronic wild soundscapes
Chris Bathgate - Shades of Beirut here, but there’s nowt wrong wi that! (pics)
DeLorean - Belfast Represent! OK, well, they’re from Barcelona. Hecka dancable rockmuzik, yo. (pics)
The Dodos - Hyped within an inch of Vampire Weekend, but DeathMetalDrums+IndieAcoustoFolk = highly entertaining.
The Black Keys - A love ‘em or hate ‘em band. I fookin LOVE EM. The new stuff is amazing and the addition of organ to their signature sound (these guys don’t sound like ANYONE else) made for an amazing show
On my way out, crossing the street, I heard “Don’t wanna get stoned, I don’t wanna get stoned, but I don’t wanna not get stoned, and I don’t wanna not get high”….That’s right - The Lemonheads playing It’s a Shame About Ray in it’s entirety. A nice wee nostalgia trip there - but the night was about the new - and it was good.
October 5, 2008 at 6:37 am
[...] I’m on my way to In The City, one of the UK’s largest music conferences today. I’ll be blogging all of the panels I attend and give some thoughts on the live music that’s happening in Manchester over the next 3 nights - the format will be much the same as my South By Southwest Recaps. [...]