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SoundsXP Presents

Friday 6th April 2012
All Day BBQ Festival

Sparrow and the Workshop
6 Day Riot
The Nuns
Singing Adams
Y Niwl
Colours
Dignan Porch
+more tbc

The Windmill
Brixton
Price tbc

On Our iPod

Golden Grrrls - New Pop 7”

Chris Devotion & The Expectations - Amalgamation & Capital (album)

Trailer Trash Tracys - Ester (album)

Throwing Up - Mother Knows Best 7”

Howling Wolf - Complete Chess Masters 1951-60

The Ketamines - A Rotten Bond/1 Yr (from Oddbox Singles Club Pt 2)

Cardinal - Hymns (album)

Proper Ornaments - Taking the Gamble Out of Buying 12”

Darren Hayman - January Songs (album)

Various: Marshall Teller EP 12”

Latest Forum Posts

Gig Review

Port O'Brien
London, Borderline

Article written by Paul M - Apr 11, 2010

Port O'Brien

The Borderline closed its doors for a couple of months recently for refurbishment. The main alterations seem to involve a new small second bar near the stairs and more modern seating at the back but still sadly no removal of the huge column that blocks the view of the stage for anyone stood at the main bar. The venue isn’t the only thing that’s had a change recently thrust upon it. On the eve of this, the first date of a European tour, California’s Port O’Brien have lost a guitarist and drummer, much to the clear annoyance of frontman Van Pierszalowski. Coming on top of the additional absence for personal reasons of founder member, Cambria Goodwin, it means only two out of the five who performed at the Scala last year are present. The laddish bonhomie of the previous gig seems far away tonight with two of the band virtual strangers (indeed the guitarist was recruited from Norway at the last minute following a friend’s recommendation and confirmed following a quick interview over Skype).

For these reasons, it’s a good but not stunning show tonight, taking a little while to really get going. The lack of Goodwin’s ethereal vocals and more delicate instrumentation means the band become less subtle, more direct in their delivery. However, their ramshackle Americana still has a few highlights with a nice mix of oldies (Close The Lid and Fisherman’s Son being favourites) and material from their most recent album (Sour Milk/Salt Water sounding like vintage Young). The finale of Woke Up Today is relatively constrained compared to the Scala gig where half the audience joined them on stage but it still receives hearty clapping from the mosh. Admitting they had no more songs prepared, Pierszalowski asks for requests, leading to a very quick explanation to the fresh faced guitarist of the chord sequences required in order to enable them to dust off a number not performed live for three years, The Rooftop Song.

Links:
http://www.portobrien.com/