crazybobbles

Oh catch up November, le sigh. This event happened a few weeks ago (24th November) where I went to see Jeffrey Lewis play at Brixton Windmill. It was a small and intimate venue meaning I could finally bring my camera bag out instead of my smuggle bag for a change. The gig was awesome and cosy despite feeling stuffy and packed in this small ickle venue.

So yeah, once at the venue I met up with Adam who was able to catch Jeffrey Lewis play the early show (only realised that there was an early show a few days before the actual gig), people were coming out like they’ve been to a brothel (which was what I explained to Adam). They looked all stuffy and like they had been doing some extra curricular work inside the venue. We talked about the almighty “I’m from Barcelona” gig which we will be going to the next day (that being the 25th November). I don’t know whether Adam was lucky or unlucky for seeing the evening show, we got a longer set but it also meant for folks like me that I had to take travel pretty late back home.

Once the early folk had left I went into the venue and inside I met up with Anika, she too had brought her DSLR camera (small venue innit) and was ready to go snappy happy on all the bands. Before the support bands came on Anika managed to speak to Jeffrey Lewis who happened to be roaming around the place, there she managed to get a doodle drawn in her notebook as well as have a pleasant chat about music and comics.

Once that was done we saw two support bands, one was called Superman Revenge Squad and the other one was called Extradition Order. I quite liked Superman Revenge Squad whilst Extradition Order was a bit too ordinary. The only slightly redeeming part of the band was that the guitarist’s guitar was made from a tin can which although looks cool, most likely sucked in terms of sound (otherwise we’d all be making guitars from tin cans)

When Jeffrey Lewis came on stage we clapped and jeered, there were loads of folk sitting near the front reading comics whilst enjoying the show, it appears that we have quite a loyal fanbase watching the show. The whole set was nice and impromptu (eg no setlists, just sing and play whatever). The song I enjoyed listening to most was “I love anti folk” (cover of I love Rock and Roll but slightly modified lyrics). Here’s a video of him talking about communism:

These were the best bits about his shows, when he gets on top of a stool, and does his “documentary’s”. For this, he has a tape recorder playing a prerecorded track of him playing guitar whilst he’s on the stool, flipping pages of these illustrations he’s made whilst singing on the mic. They were fun to look at and enjoy and I’m sure the video explains it all.

Midway the show he invited singer songwritter Ish Marquez (from New York) to join in and play.

I think that’s about it, he was requested to do “Sal’s Pizza” for the last song which I filmed (but still uploading, check my youtube profile later on). After the show I walked down to Brixton station (I took a bus earlier on hehe) and went home to prepare myself for a a crazy night of “I’m from barcelona”. Hope you enjoy the videos and photos! Do check him out if he’s playing near you!