Look! I got to go to a gig! OK, it might have only been an instore performance, but as I’m not quite ready to leave the house in the evening yet – my baby’s need for being looked after being greater than my need for live music – it’ll do for now.
I’m particularly pleased that I managed to make it out to see The Young Republic too. I knew they were coming over for a short tour of England (well, Glastonbury, London and Brighton anyway) and there were three London shows that I couldn’t make. But the Rough Trade appearance was ideal – just sneak out of work a little early and hey! Live indie-pop on the way home.
The gig was also significant for another reason – it was the last ever instore in Rough Trade’s legendary Covent Garden shop which has seen many performances by now-famous bands in its time. Unfortunately it has to close due to increasing rents, which threatens to turn even this most hippy corner of Covent Garden into something resembling Reading. But more on that particular issue later…
The Young Republic are only five of their normal number on this visit. Three of them still have commitments at their college (Berklee Music College) in Boston, where they’re all finishing up this summer. They were supplemented by a friend taking up sticks for their usual drummer Matt Smith. They breezed their way, unamplified, through a selection of their finely-crafted songs, punctuated by frontman Julian Saporiti stopping to chat with the assembled fans about the downs and ups of Glastonbury and why American mini golf is much better than British crazy golf. The songs included the three they had played the night before when the band were on John Kennedy’s Xfm Xposure show. Check these out below.
So all in, a pretty good way to spend half an hour on the way home from work. To add to the pleasure, I bought a copy of their excellent new single Girl from the Northern States, got to chat some of the band (nice folks) and meet Ro from End of the Road Records and Simon, one of the organisers of what’s turning out to be easily the best festival of the year. So all good stuff, which should keep me going till next time I can make it out to a gig. At least I’ll be at the End of the Road Festival, and see The Young Republic again there. Full band next time, and by then their compilation album 12 Tales from a Winter City should be out. Can’t wait!
Download: The Young Republic – Girl from the Northern Sates (live on Xfm)
Download: The Young Republic – Girl in a Tree (live on Xfm)
Download: The Young Republic – Paper Ships (live on Xfm)
I’m particularly pleased that I managed to make it out to see The Young Republic too. I knew they were coming over for a short tour of England (well, Glastonbury, London and Brighton anyway) and there were three London shows that I couldn’t make. But the Rough Trade appearance was ideal – just sneak out of work a little early and hey! Live indie-pop on the way home.
The gig was also significant for another reason – it was the last ever instore in Rough Trade’s legendary Covent Garden shop which has seen many performances by now-famous bands in its time. Unfortunately it has to close due to increasing rents, which threatens to turn even this most hippy corner of Covent Garden into something resembling Reading. But more on that particular issue later…
The Young Republic are only five of their normal number on this visit. Three of them still have commitments at their college (Berklee Music College) in Boston, where they’re all finishing up this summer. They were supplemented by a friend taking up sticks for their usual drummer Matt Smith. They breezed their way, unamplified, through a selection of their finely-crafted songs, punctuated by frontman Julian Saporiti stopping to chat with the assembled fans about the downs and ups of Glastonbury and why American mini golf is much better than British crazy golf. The songs included the three they had played the night before when the band were on John Kennedy’s Xfm Xposure show. Check these out below.
So all in, a pretty good way to spend half an hour on the way home from work. To add to the pleasure, I bought a copy of their excellent new single Girl from the Northern States, got to chat some of the band (nice folks) and meet Ro from End of the Road Records and Simon, one of the organisers of what’s turning out to be easily the best festival of the year. So all good stuff, which should keep me going till next time I can make it out to a gig. At least I’ll be at the End of the Road Festival, and see The Young Republic again there. Full band next time, and by then their compilation album 12 Tales from a Winter City should be out. Can’t wait!
Download: The Young Republic – Girl from the Northern Sates (live on Xfm)
Download: The Young Republic – Girl in a Tree (live on Xfm)
Download: The Young Republic – Paper Ships (live on Xfm)
Buy Girl from the Northern States from Rough Trade.
Since I’ve recently changed my file host, I’ve re-uploaded the WOXY radio session songs from my previous YR post.
A few more photos from the show on my Flickr.
A few more photos from the show on my Flickr.
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