Concert Climax

From a gig perspective, 2025 was fantastic. Here are my lucky 13 of the year:

1st Feb: John Grant / Big Special

6th Mar: Alan Sparhawk / Circuit Des Yeux

22nd Apr: Mark Eitzel

13th May: Andy Bell (Erasure) / Hifi Sean & David McAlmont

9th Jun: Little Simz

11th Jun: Butler, Blake & Grant / Charlie Noordewier

9th Jul: Josh Rouse / Later Youth

24th Sep: Billy Nomates / Cirquemily (Emily Sadler)

30th Sep: Edwyn Collins / The Hanging Stars

10th Oct: Robert Forster & His Swedish Band

18th Nov: Water From Your Eyes / Morgan Garrett

24th Nov: The Sabres Of Paradise

8th Dec: The Charlatans

Click on the links to read all about my experiences. I've not reactivated any of the related Dubhed selections on this occasion, instead opting for a brand new 20-song session.

Sequenced in chronological order of when I saw them, the whole thing kicks off with Shithouse by Big Special, who set the bar impossibly high for all the support acts to follow, though pretty much all of them rose to the challenge. Charlie Noordewier and Later Youth were especially good. 

As for the headliners, John Grant, Hifi Sean & David McAlmont, Billy Nomates and Robert Forster were on my wish list for a long time, whilst Mark Eitzel, Andy Bell and Little Simz were completely unexpected and completely brilliant.

Bernard Butler, Norman Blake, James Grant and Josh Rouse sold me their vinyl at the merch stand, signed it for me and proved to be lovely blokes to chat with.

Water From Your Eyes were a revelation. Speaking of which, Edwyn Collins brought tears to my eyes, as did Alan Sparhawk. And the previously unimaginable thought of seeing The Sabres Of Paradise reform and play live was hugely emotional. 

Another first to end the year, with an exceptional show from The Charlatans. 

I already have a clutch of tickets for 2026 and, if this year is anything to go by, it's going to be bloody brilliant.

1) Shithouse: Big Special (2024)

2) Black Belt (Dungeonesse Remix By Jenn Wasner): John Grant (2013)

3) Megaloner: Circuit Des Yeux (2025)

4) Can U Hear: Alan Sparhawk (2024)

5) Nothing And Everything: Mark Eitzel (2017)

6) Celebrate: Hifi Sean & David McAlmont (2024)

7) Put Your Empathy On Ice: Andy Bell (Erasure)

8) Lion: Little Simz ft. Obongjayar (2025)

9) Dear Diazepam (Live At Deep Litter Studios, Devon): Charlie Noordewier (2025)

10) The 90s: Butler, Blake & Grant (2025)

11) Arcane Love: Later Youth (2025)

12) My Love Has Gone: Josh Rouse (2005)

13) Moon Explodes: Billy Nomates (2025)

14) Ava: The Hanging Stars (2025)

15) Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation: Edwyn Collins (2025)

16) Good To Cry: Robert Forster (2025)

17) The Mirror: Morgan Garrett (2025)

18) Playing Classics: Water From Your Eyes (2025)

19) Wilmot (Edit): The Sabres Of Paradise ft. Wonder (1994)

20) For The Girls: The Charlatans (2025)

Concert Climax (1:19:12) (GD) (M)

Tears, Fears, Cheers And, er, What's Going On Here...?!

Nearly a month ago, I went to see Water For Your Eyes perform live at Strange Brew in the heart of Bristol.

As it's taken me several weeks to catch up on this and a clutch of other gig reviews, this week will be mostly dedicated to a round up of my experiences on the live circuit (plus one guest review).

2025 was a reasonably good year, with a total of thirteen live gigs - and one lecture - although I also had to sell up tickets at the last minute for five shows that I couldn't get to, and one was postponed for the second time in twelve months.

However, what I saw this year was varied but connected insofar as I had a great time at each and every one. I've realised that being at a gig is one of my happy places, and the Water From Your Eyes show on 18th November met that expectation, and then some. 

It was also a momentous occasion because I met with SWC from the superlative No Badger Required for the first time, together with his friend Mr. L, who had both driven to Bristol from Devon. 

That said, my other aim to always catch the support act(s) was somewhat tested on this occasion by Water From Your Eyes' touring  buddy, Morgan Garrett from Philadelphia.

I knew absolutely nothing about Morgan's music prior to his appearing on stage and it's fair to say that I wasn't particularly enlightened when he departed with his two fellows half an hour later.

In between, the audience was subjected to thirty minutes of experimental music as therapy, catharsis, possibly exorcism too. Morgan was accompanied by Zach Darrup to his left on electric guitar, shaven headed, punky, laser focused on chords and stance, and Jackie McDermott to his right on drums and frankly looking at times like he was wondering what the hell he was doing there.

Morgan, tall, dressed in black, with a mass of long, tightly curled hair and using a seemingly detuned acoustic guitar more as a prop as an instrument (a chair got the same treatment later on), clearly wanted to provoke and challenge the audience, but it didn't quite land for me.

SWC and Mr. L were delayed on their way and pretty much missed the support slot. Paraphrasing the fading memory of my comment at the time, I think I described it as Morgan rescuing his collection of Swans, Extreme Noise Terror and Hula records from a house fire, finding that the slagged, merged lump of vinyl was somehow still playable and then trying to recreate the results on stage.

To these jaded ears, it sounded all a bit heard-it-all-before and it didn't help that Morgan's frequent gurning was less reminiscent of Jack Nicholson in The Shining and more Wilfred Brambell in Steptoe And Son.

Thank goodness then that Rachel Brown and Nate Amos aka Water From Your Eyes were every bit as cool on stage as off. 

Wearing shades is de rigeur I guess, and although Rachel occasionally lifted them to view the crowd, there was nothing pretentious about the band on stage. In fact, the benefit of the 330-capacity venue was that, although it was packed, it managed to simultaneously feel like an intimate show and the best indie club night ever.

Nate, no shades, baseball cap peak face forward, delivered wave after wave of guitar which, together with Rachel's ethereal voice, called to mind everything from Curve to Cocteau Twins to My Bloody Valentine, but with a added grooves. I don't think I stopped dancing all night.

I came to Strange Brew largely ignorant of the Water From Your Eyes catalogue, having heard only a handful of songs and then intentionally avoiding listening to anything else pre-gig so that I would experience most of tonight's songs for the first time, in a live setting.

Clearly I was in a minority, judging by the rapturous reception of certain songs throughout the night. I enjoyed every single one, though, and it was hard to believe that barely an hour later, it was all over. They ended with the fantastic Playing Classics, an apt title given what they'd just been doing.

SWC described Water From Your Eyes as his gig of the year. It's not quite mine though it was pretty close, and I would strongly recommend seeing them if you get the chance. But don't kick yourself if you miss the support act.

1) Born 2

2) Structure

3) Barley

4) Out There

5) Life Signs

6) Nights In Armor

7) Buy My Product

8) You Don’t Believe In God? (taped interlude)

9) True Life

10) "Quotations"

11) It’s a Beautiful Place

12) Blood On The Dollar

13) Playing Classics 

 

 

 

Note: I was so caught up in the moment that I didn't take a single photo on the night, so I've 'lifted' a couple of shots taken by Josh Taylor  and used to accompany George Ward's review of the gig, published by Clunk Magazine.

Born To Become Something Else

Water From Your Eyes round off 2025 with a new EP, It's Beautiful.

As the title suggests, it contains reworked versions of three songs from their current album, It's A Beautiful Place.

Thus, the squally, heavy, fuzzy live show opener Born 2 becomes the downtempo, (synth) string-laden Born 4.

Similarly, Nights In Armor is presented as a folky, acoustic strum, compared to it's weighty album counterpart.

 

The revelation though is Playing Classics, which I raved about in July. commending the fact that it "crams about twenty different songs into just under six minutes".

...which now seems like a dress rehearsal for it's EP counterpart, (re)titled Driving Classics, Playing Cars and now (joy)riding for over ten and a half minutes. Zooming through 1990 and 1999, whilst sounding fresh and now, it's the sound of the retro future.

Both It's Beautiful and It's A Beautiful Place are available from Bandcamp and various other places.

I mentioned that Born 2 is their live show opener. Back in July, I noted that Water From Their Eyes were touring the UK, including a stop in Bristol. SWC from No Badger Required asked if I was going... 

...watch out for a follow up next week.

Somebody's Begging For Moves

Water From Your Eyes were put on my radar by SWC over at No Badger Required. And SWC's recommendations are always spot on.

Water From Your Eyes' latest single and video, Playing Classics, crams about twenty different songs into just under six minutes, and they're all brilliant. 

Rachel Brown urges the listener to shake in complete deadpan throughout the song, but it's hardly needed, as the Italo piano, squalling indie guitar (replete with bum notes) and persistent beats will get you there of your own accord.

What else? Skateboarding, a cuddly toy, lots of running around, Nate Amos skipping with a sparkler, retro Tiny Planet video effects.  What else do you need?   

There's an album, It's A Beautiful Place, available for pre-order now and an extensive tour in the autumn. Of only 5 dates in the UK, one is in Bristol but very close to a significant Clan K birthday. Someone's going to be disappointed.