rate the last gig you went to

SuperJ how many times have you seen BRMC? Do you chat with them every gig you're at? Surely your known to them by now lol.

was going to ask exactly the same question

Seen them over 20 times, i stalked them a bit when i was younger. First time i seen them was 2002 so i was 18. These days we just send Rob a message and get sorted for the gigs.

In saying that i bought a ticket for the 1000th show as i didn't want to risk not getting on the list in case he had a lot of friends and family on it.

If we're down to venues before hand we usually get brought in for sound-check. More often than not we have a bit of a chinwag.

Today for example they did an instore gig at the shop my mate Darren works in which i went down to, i was stood waiting for them to come out when Rob spotted me came over gave me a hug and asked how i was doing and was life treating me well. In Brussels earlier in the year something similar happened with Peter only it was while we were sitting outside the tent listening to the support band.

To be honest i think it's more a mutual ... i don't know if admiration is the word ... but we've been going to see them from pretty much the first time they toured over here so they look out for us, they realise we spend a fair bit of money going to see them as having seen them over 20 times they've only actually played Belfast 3 times so we put the miles in going to their gigs and they usually sort us out with not having to buy tickets on top of that.

It's worth the time and effort though, i love them both as a band as well as being top people.

that's fucking lovely

SJ must surely one of the best man to hug

It feels wonderful.

btw, me and the bird both have stinking colds now. I think you've infected us with the irish aids.

"I think you've infected us with the irish aids" would do for a rap refrain, wouldn' it?

Belle & Sebastian - Glasgow Barrowland, tonight.

Top gig, best performance I've seen from them. It was a 'hit' heavy set by their standards, which meant a lot of sing-a-longs and hand-clapping in true B&S style. They somehow found room for both I'm a Cuckoo and Arab Strap, which is a bit like Oasis playing Wonderwall twice in the same set. Too much.

Absolutely belting renditions of Stars of Track and Field and Lazy Line (complete with Monica!).. made up for that however. Only played three newies. Stevie J's Living in the Real World sounded fantastic live, where as on record it's a tad OTT. 2 hours didn't seem like enough. definitely want to catch them again whilst they're still touring. 8.

MGMT supported by Smith Westerns - Friday

Smith Westerns have a bunch of good catchy lofi T.Rex songs, but gotta work hard if they want to avoid mediocrity. They're more polished now and new single Weekend is great so let's see. The singer looks a little cuntish and sounds a little weak live, lead guitarist looks like Tom Hanks' son and the drummer like The Vines' singer. Decent openers, looking forward to their sophomore album. 7/10

About MGMT I'll talk more in my 2010 list but have changed my mind a few times. Judging them only by their live show, they're now more tight than brilliant, trying to satisfy both the people who go for hearing two songs and the ones who enjoy following the evolving structure of their less commercial tunes. Solid performance imo. Oh, it was the freaky-one's birthday too, with the typical cake and singing thing. 8/10

Best Coast - Saturday

If you go to see Best Coast you know exactly what to expect, she does just one thing and does it well. The same could be said about many other acts, but this time Pitchfork and co doesn't mind about silly rhymes and simple song structures. Live they sound a little flat at times, with obvious highlights, but she has a better voice than what I imagined. The other guy can't get uglier though. She looked quite happy but tired, it was their last gig, and when they came back for the encore she was vissiby moved and confesed to have cried of happiness. It was nice, but she's becoming too soft. 7.5/10

The other guy looks like her Samoan bodyguard or something - I saw them in a really small place and am going again when they do the co-headline thing with Wavves, but that is in a much bigger venue. I was underwhelmed by them in a small place and I can only imagine it being even more underwhelming in a bigger one. Oh well, its free, not gonna complain too much.

Truly gutted I couldn't make it to any of the Barra's gigs. Pity none of my friends are indie enough. Seeing Lazy Line Painter Jane live may have shook me to my very foundations.

try leaving the house, aye right you weren't going to try and get tickets and so on.

They played Step Into My Office and Santa Claus the night after I saw them

Still, on balance I'm glad I saw them on the Monday. They were being filmed for a webcast on Tuesday, which meant that Murdoch camped things up more than usual

Guided By Voices

Cant say Im a big fan of theirs but I am so glad I went to this show. Tickets were extremely overpriced $75 and I was glad not to pay, but what a fucking show. Easily woulda made my best gigs list at probably #2 or #3.

9/10

just got back from MY FIRST GIG OF 2011

mistys big adventure at norwich arts centre. had forgotten how good they are live tbh, must have been 5 years since i saw them last. no erotic volvo though so wasnt quite the same

7.5/10

BSP at the barfly

Sound was really good considering they are a huge sounding band playing such a small venue. New stuff sounded great, did all the classics. Think I started last year off by seeing bsp as well. 8

Also, Kev has a new best friend called Bill.

jeffrey lewis with peter stampfel

was a great gig this. jeff lewis brought on tour with him peter stampfel this old guy in his seventies who has been in loads of cool new york freak folk bands since the 60s. they played a mixture of stuff from all bands and jeff lewis' solo stuff. real enjoyable gig and something a bit different.

8.5/10

i am kloot tonight

missed dan michaelson from absentee supporting as decided to stay in the pub and watch first half of the football.

i am kloot i saw 4 or 5 times back in 2003/4/5 but havent seen them live since then so its been a good 6 year gap. anyway they started off with 3 extra blokes playing with them as a 6 piece and played a series of songs from the newest lp. then the 3 fucked off and left the proper i am kloot trio onstage and things began to pick up then as they rattled through some oldies. the rest of the band then rejoined and did a few numbers then john bramwell did a solo acoustic bit on his own before the rest of the band came back for the finale. theyre always a joy to see live and ive always been a fan of bramwell as a frontman and his banter is always pretty good.

proof really is one of the best songs ever written and so simple too.

8/10 overall i reckon