The Nightmare Before Christmas: Too Many Good Gigs in Edinburgh in December
By Milo | November 25, 2009
I don’t go to gigs as often as I’d like. This is not only because I’m an antisocial bastard. Hey, I have a job you know. I have responsibilities! I have episodes of True Blood and Curb Your Enthusiasm to watch!
Anyway now and again there is a gig that comes up that I absolutely have to go to. It’s usually something small, and intimate, with great local musicians or obscure antifolk heroes from far afield. And then I feel something stirring inside me. It’s an odd feeling. The desire to actually get off the sofa and leave the house fills my body and mind. I leap to my feet and grab my coat. “I’m going out, and I don’t know when I’ll be home!” I cry to my long-suffering fiancée. “But it’ll probably be by 11pm” I add just in case she changes the locks while I’m out.
I stride purposefully to the bus stop, with my headphones on, playing some stirring anthemic music like Boston’s ‘More Than a Feeling’ or Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believin’. I get to the bus stop and realise I missed the bus.. anyway I’ll spare you the details.
The point I was trying to make is that this December, there are what feels like HUNDREDS of such gigs. And that’s on the top of the seasonal events – the house parties, work Christmas parties, and birthdays.. you name it, it’s happening in December (and probably on the same day).
Here’s the lowdown on the gigs I would like to go to. I can’t promise I will be able to attend them all, but I will try. And in January, when I’m destitute and downhearted I might even report back on a few. Edinburgh folk, maybe I’ll see you at one or two of them.
3 December: Leith Tape Club featuring The Pictish Trail, Rachael & Laura Lancaster & Tisso Lake
Only 30 tickets can be pre-booked as it’s a tiny venue – get yours before they sell out!
4 December: Ten Tracks Presents: FOUND, Meursault & Panda Su
Ten Tracks have a great deal for this gig – go over to their site via the link above and subscribe to a year’s worth of tracks for £10 and get a ticket absolutely bloody free! Alternatively you can prebook tickets for £7.
This is especially exciting as the I Hear a New World bundle I compiled is due to appear on the site very soon so you will be able to download it as part of the subscription. More info on this soon.
5 December: Schwervon!, Withered Hand, Enfant Bastard, The Pineapple Chunks
I wrote about this the other day Get tickets here
11 December: eagleowl single launch, the Bowery
Read my recent review of the single
12 December: Trampoline all dayer
Details below courtesy of Euan, musician, promoter and blogger over at the Steinberg Principle
2pm – 10pm. It’s a fiver for the whole day or 3 quid with a student card. The artists playing are: Mitchell Museum, Lyons, Debutant, Jonnie Common, The Scottish Enlightenment, Esperi, Jill Leighton, Lady North, Conquering Animal Sound.
There will be art work on display from the wonderful photographers We Sink Ships and Glasgow Podcart will be recording their show live during the day.
12 December: Song, By Toad Christmas Party
I think this is the last night that the Bowery are operating as a venue as well so might be worth popping along to give them a good send off. Here’s what Matthew said about that:
Toad Christmas Party at the Bowery on the 12th December, with Meursault, Jesus H. Foxx and the usual open-mic nonsense beforehand. Rory from Broken Records has promised some violin-and-loop-pedal madness during that bit, which I am well looking forward to.
Did I miss any? Please tell me I didn’t, I need my bed just thinking about this!
9 Comments
JIm on 25/11/2009 at 10:02 pm.
I can sympathise, there’s about a million gigs on that I want to go to in Glasgow in December too. I still really want to fit in a day trip for the Trampoline one too.
Milo on 26/11/2009 at 9:05 am.
Yeah I’m sure Glasgow has even more! I would like to get through more often but it’s a bit of a trek, especially on a ‘school night’.
Drunk Country on 26/11/2009 at 1:46 pm.
A few more that I’m aware of:
Deer Tick 04/12/2009 Sneaky Pete’s
Deerhoof 08/12/2009 Queen’s Hall or Bongo Club (not sure which)
Broken Records 09/12/2009 Cabaret Voltaire (this still going ahead?)
New York Dolls 10/12/2009 Picture House
The Magic Numbers 10/12/2009 Bongo Club
Them Crooked Vultures 15/12/2009 Corn Exchange
Twilight Sad 15/12/2009 Voodoo Rooms
Pulled Apart By Horses 16/12/2009 Sneaky Pete’s
Ballboy 20/12/2009 Cabaret Voltaire
I think there’re a few others in the pipeline too.
Milo on 26/11/2009 at 2:46 pm.
Cheers DC, glad I only missed one or two! Are the NYDs actually any good? I know Mozza is their most vocal fan but I’ve never got into them.
Drunk Country on 26/11/2009 at 3:05 pm.
They;re a band to go & see if you want to get rat-arsed. They’re very good live, it you like that sort of thing.
The one I would definitely go & see is Deer Tick.
Milo on 26/11/2009 at 3:38 pm.
Argh. Another clash for my diary! Will check out their stuff, ta.
last year's girl on 26/11/2009 at 6:11 pm.
If I had to pick one, it would probably be the eagleowl single launch.
We’ll see if I have any money left when the time comes
Milo on 26/11/2009 at 8:47 pm.
Yeah that will be sweet. They are doing one in Glasgow too (see single review). The only way I can afford to go to all these is if I don’t drink…
emily on 26/11/2009 at 10:07 pm.
benni hemm hemm & ali roberts, plus wounded knee, at st mark’s unitarian church, december 9th!