Making an Arse of It, Part 2

I’ve written before about how great the recently re-released debut album from Kid Canaveral Shouting at Wildlife is, and I’ve also mentioned how much I enjoy listening to singer/songwriter King Creosote. As luck would have it, both of them kicked off a nationwide tour last night in Edinburgh’s Liquid Room. I was lucky enough to be there, although when it comes to writing up the review for The Man in the East, it’ll only be half as big as normal.

I say half, because I made a complete arse of the gig. I went for a pint in Finnegan’s Wake next door and to watch the live football on their big screen. I figured that would take me nicely up to the start of the gig at 9pm.

I went to the bog for a pee just after 8, and as I was busy, I heard Kid Canaveral kicking off the gig underneath me. So I left and went into the gig. It was stowed out; a full house were packed into The Liquid Room, the first time I’d been back since the fire that gutted it a few years ago.

Kid Canaveral played a few tracks from their album, which was really great to hear live again. The sound quality in The Liquid Room is pure quality now, much better than it ever used to be; the lighting just your average.

Then on came King Creosote and sang a few numbers with them. It was top stuff but with 55 minutes gone, I thought there was at least another half hour to go when the band waved and left the stage.

At first I thought it was an encore, but when they returned to start dismantling the drums and the amps, wrapping up chords and packing away their equipment, I realised the gig was in fact over. Both acts had been on and done what they said they would, and I was left feeling a little bemused that for £15 I only got an hour’s worth.

Back up the stairs then and into Finnegan’s for another pint. My mate’s band was due to play—The Dalry Lamas—and so I decided to hang around and watch them play. I bumped into Rab Howat and realised that he was playing with them, and when I saw the rest of the band I realised that after a few swaps of band members, the eventual line up was actually The Rab Howat Band (that I often go to see in Bannerman’s on a Saturday) minus their bassist.

I chatted with Rab for a while and then Ali Wilson, the drummer, showed up and we all had a chinwag in the bar. I’ll be seeing them play again on Friday at another venue, but it was really strange watching these guys play on a Wednesday night.

Half was through their set they stopped for a break, and as I was chatting to Rab and Ali again, a friend of theirs came over to say hi. She’d just arrived in the pub having been to see King Creosote.

But I thought I heard you say the gig had finished, I hear you say. Indeed. It turned out that after Kid Canaveral had removed all of their equipment, King Creosote’s own band had then set up behind them and play a whole hour of Creosote music.

I was gutted! It was King Creosote that I’d wanted to see since I’ve never managed to catch him live. I just couldn’t believe it, although Rab and Ali found the whole thing hilarious. Still, 3 acts, all superb, in the one night plus a few beers into the bargain. Can’t be bad!

Today
Tonight sees the official opening of the Trees for Life charity exhibition in which I have some haiku appearing. It starts at 6:30pm and runs through to 9:30 pm at the Out of the Blue hall in Leith. Free entry and all are welcome.

Here’s the blurb:

The United Nations declared 2011 International Year of Forests and early next year Trees for Life aims to plant its one millionth tree! This would be an amazing achievement and we want to help make this a reality by raising £10 000 through this exhibition.

Through the magic of Twitter and other social media tools, artists from around the world are coming together to create beautiful artworks inspired by their own natural environment. Each signed, original artwork is selling for only £45.

The exhibition will run 1 – 13 November. Don’t miss it!

Check it out here: http://treesforlifeexhibition.blogspot.com

You can read the poetry I have exhibiting here: http://treesforlifeexhibition.blogspot.com/2011/06/colin-galbraith.html

The New Websites
Just a wee reminder to pop over to my new website at www.colingalbraith.co.uk and either sign up to the mailing list or ‘Like’ my Facebook page [www.tinyurl.com/colinonfacebook], as it will mean you’ll be entitled to a free copy of each of my next three novels.

Over at my poetry site under my Chas Stramash alias (www.chasstramash.com), you’ll find all my ebooks available for free download, 86p on Kindle, and £3 (25% off!) for print copies.

That’s all for today.

Peace and out!