Last.fm Presents: Live Friday featuring Art Brut

It’s a telling sign that I’ve been neglecting the blog when I realise how few posts I’ve done since I told you about the first Last.fm Presents Live Friday gig at the Garage or as it’s Coca-cola ™ sponsorship contract has renamed it, The Relentless™ Garage.

In just 2 weeks it will be time to flock to Highbury to experience The Violet May, The Lysergic Suite with the headline act being Art Brut. November’s Live Friday event will take place on Friday 4 November 2011; doors open at 7pm and can be purchased from HMV Tickets and Ticketweb but read on (or scroll down if you really must) and enter my competition to win a pair of tickets.

So why no blogging? Well, the honest answer is I’ve just been remarkably lax at making time to blog. I’ve been enjoying a period of film watching now I have a bigger display. This has caused me to go through most of the DVDs the kind folk at Stella Artois sent me as well as blu-ray versions of some of my favourite Spaghetti Westerns. I even picked up a copy of Westworld on DVD; I had to watch it again after reminding myself about it after I mentioned it in a blog a few weeks ago.

For it’s time Westworld wasn’t a bad movie; it had some hilarious dialogue. Just as the robots start playing up technicians are monitoring a situation where a guest is coming on to a pretty female robot but she rejects his advances. Now, bear in mind Westworld is the place where you go to live out your fantasies for $1,000 a day, which I’m sure was worth more in the 70’s than now. Anyway, one technician comments, “Something’s not right, she’s rejecting the guest’s seduction!?” to which the other technician replies, “Yes, that’s not supposed to happen…and she’s a sex worker robot!” If that version of the future had been realised then that French sex pest Dominique Strauss-Kahn wouldn’t have got into so much trouble.

Films, books and music and a little elbow grease has been the order of the day for the last few months which, as I say, has been to the detriment of the blog. I picked up the new Haruki Murakami book 1Q84 but I’ve never managed to find myself in the right mood to start it, after a few pages I find my mind wandering, tho to be fair this is true of quite a lot of books I pick up.

Thankfully reading the London Review of Books can prove just as enlightening, the in-depth reviews sometimes leave you feeling that you have just read the book, perfect for an easily distracted mind.

So, returning to music. I used to listen to Art Brut, who are headlining November’s Live Friday gig, quite a lot. I prefer the raw energy of Bang Bang Rock & Roll to It’s a bit complicated but never really bothered with Art Brut vs. Satan as the first few times I heard it I wasn’t sold and then they dropped off my radar.

It’s fair to say that until last month I had assumed they’d split up which was the first thing a friend said when I told her of the gig. However little did we know Art Brut were not only busy writing an album but Eddie Argos was learning to sing!

I think that’s why I wasn’t so keen on the 3rd album, his shouty singing style was wearing a bit thin. In May this year Art Brut released a new album Brilliant! Tragic! and I’ve had a listen or two on Spotify. Those singing lessons of Eddie’s have paid off if you ask me, finally we get a slightly grown up sounding Art Brut that still has the energy of old but not so harsh on your ears (I guess I’m getting old huh?)

LAST.FM COMPETITION

As with last month, Last.fm have given me a pair of VIP tickets to Last.fm Presents Live Friday featuring Art Bru to give away. If you fancy getting your hands on a pair just answer the following question:

What is Art Brut’s newest album called?

If you think you know the answer email it together with your name and a contact number to lastfm@mr-omneo.co.uk

Your entry has to arrive before Noon on Monday 31 October 2011, the winner will be the first correct entry selected at random. Over-18’s only. Prizes are non-transferable. No cash alternative. Travel to and from the event is not included.