Still Not Enough Rice Pudding

Well last night was possibly, maybe the last A Different Kettle of Fish evening ever, but before we get to the ceremonial smashing of mince pies, you guys really ought to see this: -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/content/articles/2005/12/06/strangetime_preview_feature.shtml

If you followed the link you will see StrangeTime featured in their very first news article! All power to Kate, John and Tara! I’m sure it will be the first of many, and we’ll all go see them on the 15th, won’t we boys and girls?

And check it out – they’re on the front page! http://www.bbc.co.uk/birmingham/

I nearly didn’t think I was going to make it to the Flapper and Firkin in time last night. Racing around the canal side, I found myself mysteriously next to All Bar One, with no idea of how to get to the side I normally make my way from… but I made it just in time!

I got my hand stamped with a fish this time (apt), which is still sitting on my hand and looks great with my suit jacket, I can tell you. Still full from my tea, I gave the tasty-looking mince pies a miss (though if I’d known they were just going to get wasted…).

At this point I should mention that my brother, James, just happens to be bassist in the band that were first act of the evening (no one mention nepotism!) and he was getting pretty panicky that I wasn’t there yet. I just had enough time though to visit the ‘Ducks’ and grab a cider before Motorcyclestunts came on.

The ‘stunts had opted for a less than full electric set style (it was electric – just less distortion than normal), which entitled front man Neil, and guitarist Brendan to some stools to sit on. James drew the short straw and had to stand, which was probably the most comfortable option from the looks of things. Neil reassured the crowd that he had worn black pants to compensate for the hole in his jeans – ahem!

This was their first gig since earlier this year, and there were a few technical glitches, audible only to the trained ear though, it must be said. Neil’s voice was on top form, and the crowd were very impressed with the quality of the songs – I heard quite a few murmurs of approval. My Assailant, Lessening and Force Majeure were the stand out tracks, but the new stuff also sounded good. Certainly the pace of the chosen songs was mostly quite slow, but no one was depressed, it was all quite chilled! Missed out on the free CDs, so maybe if I mention it here, I can, er, get one? Ahem!

Second up were The Pubic Fringe. Anyone who doubts the claims of ADKOF for being very eclectic should note the contrast between this band and Motorcyclestunts for a start. Dressed in classic plimsolls and bootlace ties, this was a band with some kind of statement to make. Add on a tassled shirt, and I was jolly glad I wasn’t watching Eurovision and playing my drinking game, because I would have fallen over!

I can only pity Phill Huxley when he had to ring members of this band up at their daytime places of work and ask for Dusty Enclaves, as he didn’t know the blokes’ real names. At least he didn’t have to ring Anal Lavine!

But beyond the fashion, this band is highly regarded by miserable manc Mark E Smith, and are very competent musicians. The first couple of tracks had me tapping my toes, trying to work out whether I’d just heard some Echo and the Bunnymen (that’s their gimmick, if you like – they do obscure covers), and smiling at the singer’s irreverent style (keeping the song lyrics on the floor and making it obvious; lighting cigarettes, dropping them, picking them up again etc). The musical style was punk meets-psychobilly, a bit Captain Beefheart, a bit Cramps. After a few songs though, the singer’s gravely style started to grate on me, and I wanted to get him some Strepsils – it can’t be doing him good!

The Pubic Fringe were good, but looking around the room, they’d managed to mostly clear it!

Towards the end of the set, I noticed a few dubiously dressed individuals enter the room – think MTV’s So 90’s VJ’s and you get the picture. I was not surprised to learn later that these guys were the headline act, Trash Fashion. What did surprise me was that these were not their performing outfits – they actually had weirder stuff to change into, or rather the one guy did, wearing a padded orange boiler suit. The other guy was just wearing his pants. I’m beginning to think Phill Huxley’s taste in music simply extends to blokes that like to strut around in their pants (thinking back to Graham Parsnip) or obsess about their pants (Motorcyclestunts!).

The ADKOF flyers described Trash Fashion as “guntronic disco rave rock” – what did this mean? Well judging from their rendition of the highly amusing “Meat and 2 Veg”, think Adrenalin Kick meets with early Pop Will Eat Itself combined with an exuberant jumping about style. I had to leave early (as always), and so missed the supposed highlight of their set “It’s a Rave, Dave”.

I also missed some of the ‘Custarati’ members of the crowd (you can spot them by the way they dress – like Trash Fashion only more so), and the symbolic smashing of a mince pie, to signify, so I am told, that ADKOF truly is no more.

Of course now, if we’re resorting to symbolism it can only mean that counter-symbolism is going to be employed at some point, and we will see that phoenix rise from the squished pie!

The next gig is at The Actress and Bishop, Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham on Friday 18th November - doors 9pm

Price is £5 on the door... but if you fancy getting in for a little less, then sign below! We have discount passes that give you a quid off entry.

There are four bands on - I am Zeitgeist, International Karate Plus and Aquilla as well as Fincho et al. It goes on late, but so does the bar.

StrangeTime are on first for those worried about tram times.

and I have Kate's cold.