I enter Highbury’s tiny Buffalo Bar on a freezing night expecting the venue to be crammed to the rafters with internet kids in the know, after all just a few weeks after this tiny debut London show was announced an additional night at the Borderline in central London was hastily added. I was sure that our Capital’s scene stalwarts and savvy donwloaders would be swarming by the hundreds and that this additional date was to cope with extra demand.
As I descend the few steps into the cold little venue I find myself bemused by the lack of bodies present… a couple of support bands, an idiotic gaggle of braindead teenage girls, some industry bods propping up the bar and that’s pretty much it. Sparse.
So Many Dynamos take to the stage rather late for a Tuesday night and I’m starting to suspect that whoever is “promoting” this show is a bit of a clown, all the better for me as I stand, view unimpaired by punter’s heads and take in the fine fine show. The band are relaxed and appear happy enough as they get down to business banging out tune after tune from their impressive ‘Loud Wars‘ début album.
As the final bars ring out I leg it for the last tube, disheartened with the state of the live music scene in this fine city, it’s a shame visiting bands are faced with such a venue/promoter lottery when making their first steps this side of the Atlantic and I really worry about the damage it could cause.
I’ve heard recently of some bands starting to skip the UK all together when heading into Europe for just this reason, an ailing industry having it’s faltering breaths clubbed out of it by clueless douchebags good for nothing but ripping off naive local bands night after night to make their cash.
With that in mind I sincerely hope for my sake if nobody else’s that So Many Dynamos are good enough to make the trip at least one more time.
Out of intense envy for everyone who is going to SxSW I considered a silent protest for the duration of the event. However, having featured Nevada’s Burning Man Festival a few days ago I figured the awesome Austin event deserves some Cougar loving too.
Besides, as you can see from the flyer above the guys at Vagrant are putting on showcase next week is below featuring some of the bands we have been covering on these pages. If you are out there drop by and make sure you tell them Cougar Microbes sent you.
Talking of Vagrant bands, It has been a while since I have written about Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and that just can’t be right so here is a new remix of ’Home‘. Considering this is my personal favourite track anybody fiddling with is heading into risky territory. I’m glad to say André Anjos of RAC manages to pull it off creating a track that is unique in its own right yet doesn’t hide the source material entirely from the listener.
Here’s a quirky idea for a short film about you! Please not that all characters appearing in this work are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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Today’s Sunday treat has been on rotation for some time Cougar HQ and I’m glad to finally expose the multi-talented Jaeger. The American (no location specified) sings, produces, remixes and DJs very much on her own terms and the results are evident from her internet presence.
Her own tracks sound like a bizarre cross between KateBush and The Knife with its moody keyboards, exuberant vocals and somewhat mystical vibes. Meanwhile her remix of ‘Reckoner‘ gives the track a tribal feel that is not unappreciated.
Though the name Burning Man Festival has always beensomewhat familiar my knowledge basically extended to the fact that it is hosting in the middle of the desert and a huge effigy of a man is traditionally burnt on the last night. Last year couple of my colleagues raised my interest when they came back from the event raving about their experiences. Their stories and photos showed a unique environment and a festival unlike any other.
The footage of Sharam’s first experience only served to heighten my curiosity as the DJ, who has probably seen a lot of the world, looks genuinely stunned by the sheer scale and craziness of it all.
I want to get my camera out there and shoot those crazy structures. Maybe I should start looking at flights towards Nevada now.
The White Stripes just don’t seem to do things by half measures. In 2007 the duo set out to play every single province and territory across Canada to celebrate their 10 year anniversary. On the 16th of March they will be releasing the much anticipated boxset ‘Under Great Northern Lights‘ capturing both the on stage euphoria and their intimate off-stage connection from that tour.
In addition, for all you photographers out there, the band have teamed up with Lomography for a competition featuring your interpretation of the ‘Under Great Northern Lights‘ album title. Get snapping!
to feature an array of amazing releases and artists (past, present, old and new) with the goal of promoting them to anyone interested and anyone who stumbles across this site.
If you like any of the tracks, please go buy the albums and help finance the artists producing this great music.
If there are any issues with the tracks featured do not hesitate to contact: "team (AT) Cougar Microbes (DOT) com and we will happily oblige.
I enter Highbury’s tiny Buffalo Bar on a freezing night expecting the venue to be crammed to the rafters with internet kids in the know, after all just a few weeks after this tiny debut London show was announced an additional night at the Borderline in central London was hastily added. I was sure that our Capital’s scene stalwarts and savvy donwloaders would be swarming by the hundreds and that this additional date was to cope with extra demand.
