I am loving the first season of Hung, I knew I would enjoy it after seeing the excellent opening credit suggestion (phallic imagery anyone?) and the use the Black Keys song I'll Be Your Man.

On the 5th June we went to see Jonah Matranga at The Hare and the Hounds in Kings Heath.  The venue was perfect, it was a small intimate performance and the set list was ideal.  But the big surprise of the evening was the support act Howard James Kenny.  Most support acts I have seen over the past 15 years have been very bland.  Perhaps the most memorable band was the Texan alternative rock band And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead who supported the Foo Fighters at the Birmingham Academy in 2000.  Armed with two acoustic guitars, a microphone and an array of effects pedals, Howard James Kenny played one of the captivating sets of music I have ever seen.  Using loops and other effects he created the sound of a band.  The small crowd were quiet and appeared to be equally as fascinated with him.  We were so impressed that we purchased his album at the end of night.  The stand out tracks were My Wrongs and Good Fortune.  Videos of both are below.  I really believed that I had seen something special and I am eager to see him continue his career.  I look forward to his next album.

Sorry that things have been a bit slow here but I have had a very busy few weeks.  Work has been "interesting" to say the least, marking season has arrived and I have just moved house.  On Tuesday, we found time to go and see Crowded House perform at the Birmingham Symphony Hall.  I am certainly not a die hard fan but I do like a number of their songs and really respect Neil Finn's song writing abilities.  The first hour was a little slow but the last hour was full of well-known songs and rarities.  Below is a video taken at the gig (not by me) during the performance of Don't Dream It's Over.  If ever there was a song to represent feelings in the Birmingham School of Media at this current moment of time.

The first Kiss song I ever heard was God Gave Rock and Roll to You in the early 1990s.  It wasn't until I saw their Unplugged session on MTV in the mid 1990s that I became more aware of their music.  Through videos I became aware of their make-up years and their highly theatrical performances.  In 1995 I went to my first gig: the original Kiss line-up had announced that they were reforming for a world tour, and a big pay cheque of course.  As a fifteen year-old I saw them at Birmingham NEC and was completely in awe of their live show.  I have seen many live performances over the years but none compare to the sheer outrageousness of a Kiss show. 

Last Wednesday, I took my friend Sam along to see Kiss perform at the Birmingham LG Arena aka the NEC.  It has been fifteen years since they last came to Birmingham, but at least Paul Stanley kept his promise of returning from 1995.  Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons may be almost 60 but their performances are as energetic as ever. During an exhaustive set-list, Gene spat blood, fire and flew to the top of the stage to sing I Love it Loud.  Paul danced, screamed and flew to the middle of the arena to sing I Was Made for Loving You.  Yes, it might be cheesy, but it was so much fun.  Their latest recruits for the Catman and Spaceman makeup, drummer Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer, are both accomplished musicians that are in some respects better than original band members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley.  Paul's voice may not be as strong as it once was but I doubt there is any other band who puts as much into a live performance as Kiss.  Everyone, regardless of whether they like the band or not should see a Kiss show at least once.  It was Sam's first Kiss show he left the show amazed.  I hope that it doesn't take another fifteen years to see them again.

These aren't my videos but give a good idea of the theatrics.

Come on Nick, it's about time you toured the UK again.

Jonah Matranga is performing at The Hare and the Hounds in Kings Heath, Birmingham on Sunday June 6 2010.  Definitely a reason to smile.

One of the very best songwriters. 

I recently saw Adventureland (Greg Mottola, 2009) and was surprised to see this Velvet Underground song used.  It's a good film but this is an even better song.  The lyrics and simply perfect and the lead guitar riff is hauntingly memorable.  Here's a video of Lou performing the song a few years back.  It is almost as good as the studio version of the song.

This was a very difficult choice.  In no particular order:

• Beck - Sea Change (2002)
• Dashboard Confessional - Swiss Army Romance (2000)
• Death Cab for Cutie - Plans (2005)
• Doves -  The Last Broadcast (2002)
• Grandaddy - The Sophtware Slump (2008)
• Glasvegas (2008)
• Preston School of Industry - Monsoon (2004)
• Rival Schools - United By Fate (2001)
• Stephen Malkmus (2001)
• The Strokes - Is This It? (2001)