Episode F***ing Four

Hello Poddingtons,

Here's what's happening - January's podcast is ready and hand-hot, so handle with care. That's all.

Sorry it's late - the February episode will be both on time and full of ROCK!

So.

TSL x

Past Podcasters - where and when to see them live

Oliver Talkes: 24th @ The Birdcage (E2 7QB); 31st @ Twickfolk, The Cabbage Patch Pub (TW1 3SZ) and 1st Feb @ The Wilmington Arms (EC1R 4RL)
www.myspace.com/olivertalkes

Clare Blackman: 1st Feb @ Chequers, Billericay (CM12 9BQ)
www.myspace.com/clareblackman

Mary Bowers & the Wrong Collective: 28th @ Proud Galleries (NW1 8AH)
www.myspace.com/wrongcollective

TSL's top 10 things to do in January

This is basically going to be i) later and ii) better than ever other To Do To Be Cool list that you'll see. Because I don't care if they make you cool or not - I just know I'll be there so if you fancy coming down too, that would be lovely. It's basically me just asking for company...

14th - Kenny Wheeler 80th Birthday Celebration Concert
http://www.ram.ac.uk/events/Pages/default.aspx?View=concert
Actually, a bit of a sore point this one. I'm not going. Neither is Jonny. It's sold out. Tim and Amy are going though. And they are well lucky, because it's going to be incredible. Kenny Wheeler, Dave Holland, John Parricelli, Norma Winstone, Stan Sulzmann, Julien Arguelles, Evan Parker. And more. And no less than is deserved - happy birthday, KW.

18th - John Escreet & Bojan-Z Tetraband Double Bill at Ronnie Scott's
http://www.ronniescotts.co.uk/performances/view/186-double-bill-john-escreet-and-bojan-z-tetraband
This will be giant. Trust me. Or don't, and turn up yourself to have me proved right. I'd like that better, actually. PS There's a xenophone involved.

19th - Local Natives at Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen
http://www.myspace.com/localnatives
These guys recently supported Of Montreal and were lovely - sweetly mournful and violin-y.

21st & 22nd - Another Timbre Festival at Cafe Oto
http://www.cafeoto.co.uk/AnotherTimbreFestivalDay1.shtm
A two day festival run by the improvisation and contemporary music label - featuring Stephen Cornford, and we're friends with his bro. Hear his sound installation stuff here: www.scrawn.co.uk

22nd - Way to Blue: The Songs of Nick Drake
http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=9914
Pretty self-explanatory but no less lovely for that - with Vashti Bunyan, Lisa Hannigan, Scott Matthews, Teddy Thompson and others - and bassist Danny Thompson (yes, he of Pentangle) who played with Nick on the original recordings.

23rd - Nick Mohammed in Bits
http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/shows/nick_mohammed
You really shouldn't need to be told how funny Nick is by now. Just find a way to see him live - like this! When he records his new R4 show. Do take oxygen with you though, as it is likely you'll struggle to breathe. He is that funny.

25th - Beggar's Opera: Reborn at the Roundhouse
http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/whats-on/productions/charles-hazlewood-s-4107
As part of the Reverb series - this is Charles Hazlewood's rethunk version of the Beggar's Opera - an all-star gig including those delicious Unthank girls and Adrian Utley. It will "reclaim our musical heritage for now"- so we should probably be there to witness it. Reverb runs from the 23rd and this ain't the only good fing in it.

27th - Laura Veirs at the Union Chapel
http://www.unionchapel.org.uk/events.php/259/laura_veirs_plus_guests_cataldo_and_old_believers
Well, because she's brilliant. That shouldn't need explaining. And in a place like the Union Chapel, where I would like to live, please, this will be luscious.

28th - All The Fires at The Bedford
http://www.allthefires.co.uk/
Oh they're lovely. And they're from Cornwall. Which makes them even better. Winter blues? What blues? The Bedford is in Balham, by the way.

30th - And Also The Trees at The Luminaire
http://www.theluminaire.co.uk/live-music/January/2010/1127/AND%20ALSO%20THE%20TREES%20+%20%20Katharine%20Blake%20&%20Nick%20Marsh
An acoustic set off the back of a tour around Europe playing toy museums and chapels. We've been trying to do that for a while, so I'm basically going just out of jealousy. Also because I like Nick Cave and PJ Harvey, and they're in a similar boat. Or at least, in the same marina.


And then it'll be February, and Shrove Tuesday, and Valentine's Day, and Episode 5.

To all you Podsters with love from some of us (Jonny's at a party)

competition winner

Episode 3

I mean you've probably already listened, but just in case - it's now up. So go, listen and love.

And for your information, we played:

Sara Schiralli, "Paranoid"
www.myspace.com/saraschiralli
Get *BANG BANG* on iTunes

Draw Me Stories, "The Oak Tree"
www.myspace.com/drawmestories
Get *THE SKY AND THE MIRROR* EP at Myspace or RawRip

Molly Beanland, "The Quay"
www.myspace.com/mollybeanland
Get *MOVES FOR PIECES* on iTunes

Tim Dickinson, "Where We Lie"
www.myspace.com/timdickinson
Get *A LITTLE BIT OF DARKNESS* on iTunes

Clare Blackman, "Every Time I Close My Eyes I See Mountains"
www.myspace.com/clareblackman
Get *EVERY TIME I CLOSE MY EYES I SEE MOUNTAINS* from her Myspace

"At twenty four she imagined with dread that she was growing old"

Hmm. I just read that quote. Thanks, Jean Rhys. WON'T be reading you to make me feel better in the middle of the night again.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rogersg/3887336871/
What a great photo that is.
Weird. i just looked up December 7th, and apparently it is 3 years to this very morning since the tornado tore up Kensal Green:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6217514.stm

I'm making a killer insomnia playlist.