HWCH 2010: let’s hear it for the optimists
Jim Carroll
Once more with feeling. The annual Hard Working Class Heroes beano meant that the weekend was spent on panel patrol during the day and binge-gigging around half-a-dozen city venues by night. Opinions were aired (see below), bands were seen (also see below) and new and old friends were encountered.
What was the most striking aspect of the whole weekend for me was the sense of optimism in the air. Sure, there’s doom and gloom on all sides – both within and without the business, because external sources have as much bearing on the sector as self-inflicted wounds – but there was a strong feeling that people are shrugging their shoulders and getting on with things. Why bother going round and round in circles with the same old nonsense about piracy, file-sharing and RTE not playing enough new Irish music when you can expand all that fuming time and effort on stuff which actually helps you, your band and your business?
I had loads of conversations over the weekend with bands and activists who are pressing on with plans, schemes, madcap ideas, potential flights of fancy and far-fetched notions. Yes, sure, half of them will fall flat on their backs and another quarter will run out of steam and another fifth will never happen, but at least they’re having a go and there’s a potential five per cent which will actually come good. But all the dreamers and desperados realise that this time – a time when everything you know about the music business is about to be debunked – is probably the best time of all to be in this business. Everything is up for grabs. You just have to go for it.
When I was approached about moderating the HWCH panels this year, I wanted to see if we could host a couple of panels which could deal with future possibilities without dwelling on the mistakes and capitulations of the past. The various panelists who came onboard engaged enthusiastically with this notion and we had panels which concentrated on the potential future (or futures) under various headings. In fact, the panelists did their job so well that when 2fm’s Ian Wilson arrived on Saturday afternoon with a “bullshit bingo” list of jargon and cliches to avoid on the Futuregazing panel, I realised that I hadn’t heard one person over the weekend mention terms like “DRM”, “paradigm shift”, “value added offering” or “IRMA”. That’s the past and we’re not going back there. Not only can’t you go back, but who the hell wants to go back and re-run 10-15 years of failed battles and botched campaigns?
Interestingly, there was a huge turnout for the four panels, easily the most people I’ve seen at any HWCH panels over the last few years. There seems to be a renewed appetite for knowledge: people were prepared to come along, listen to the yakking, ask some questions and go away hopefully with some food for thought. I know from feedback already that the decision to leave “the same ol’ shite” as outlined above to one side was welcomed by the audience. They too realise that those debates and discussions are relics of the old order and don’t have any impact on what’s to come next. Time to move on. (By the way, as was the case in previous years, podcasts of the four panels will be available on the HWCH site later this week).
By night, the bands went into action. Yes, there will be complaints from many bands about the showcase aspect of HWCH. I read and hear an array of these grumbles every time and they’re always the same ones reheated from the previous year. Indeed, to keep with the mood of repetition, I’m just going to go back to last year’s review to cut-and-paste my views on this (they haven’t changed): “what the fuck do you expect, you numptie?”. An event like HWCH gets attention because 100 bands playing over the course of three nights in one place so, of course, there are going to be short changeovers between acts. If you’re going to take 20 minutes to get your act together, don’t be surprised if a stage-manager politely tells you that you’ve now only got 10 minutes to play. Get over it. And if it doesn’t suit you, don’t play. I’m sure there are plenty of acts on the waiting list.
“And advice for bands who didn’t get picked? Dudes, do your own festival! As simple as that. That’s what I’d do if I was so annoyed that I was exerting time and effort fuming about not getting picked. Sort out your own wee fringe event and jump on the HWCH bandwagon by having it the same weekend. Call it Harder Working Class Heroes or Hardy Working Class Heroes. Do your own thing. Yeah, yeah, I know it sounds like hard work but – message to those at the back who might not have heard it the first, second or 53rd time – it really is all about hard work.” (Memo to self: pull that one out again next year – saves times and typing seeing as the excuses and grumbles will probably be the same).
As always, there were a bundle of acts who made it onto the OTR radar over the course of the three nights. Band of the weekend for me by a country mile were Cloud Castle Lake, an outfit who’ve hopped, skipped and jumped their way to the top of my rankings since first caught in action at The Destructors’ Manifesto. Now, the songs are sturdy, the musical chops are immense and the sense of ambition is gigantic. It takes time for a band to find their feet and for all that early promise which makes you excited in the first place to actually amount to something. One of the new tunes, the one which started out with a soundbed of simple, sweet guitar strums before the most evil drums on Middle Abbey Street kicked in like a jumbo jet taking off, summed up the gumption and brass on show here.
Planet Parade too have progressed in all the best ways since last seen. Their set smacks of 10,000 hours spent in a shed in Co Kildare, a time when hooks have been polished, riffs have been finessed and previously unsubtle kinks in songs have been worked out. Indeed, they’ve also progressed – onstage at any rate – far beyond the sonic kicks of their new EP. Another band ready to move from walking to running.
There was a lot of wowing going on after the Jennifer Evans’ show from some of the more musically sussed international industry delegates. After some early problems with the sound, Evans and her band slowly and surely began to kill ‘em subtly with those intricate, dangerous, intense songs of hers. Akin to Tim Buckley when he mainlining the freakiest sounds of the universe or Joni Mitchell when she was heading for the remotest hills, Evans’ songs pull you in, turn your around and push you out the other side gagging for more.
Other acts seen over the weekend who get a thunbs-up from me: Squarehead (slack-as-fuck ramshackle indie doo-wop gems from the Everly Brothers’ fans), The Danger Is (Niamh Farrell was caught off-the-HWCH grid launching a new EP and showing that her classic indie sound comes with some potentially dramatic flair), Escape Act (muscular, harmonic, swinging indie-pop from a Belfast band who recently swapped drummer for a drum-machine and are not showing any signs of missing him), Kill Krinkle Club (oodes and oodles of ideas from a duo whose stroppy electropop is already throwing the right shapes), Hired Hands (bespectacled pop operating happily on the right side of twee), Mrs Healy’s First Class Choir (a band who were far better, punchier and more enjoyable than what I was expecting – must get the album), Lost Chord (bohemian rhapsodies from the west coast glammers with oodles of classic riffs and stompers) and The Cast Of Cheers (there were queues round the block for the OTR vs Nialler9 night at the Workman’s Club and most people were trying to get in to see this act throw down big, brash, crunchy, sharp-as-a-pin shards of post-everything indie rock). Yes, I encountered some absolutely terrible and atrocious acts too but let’s expand the type on the good stuff. A damn fine weekend.
No Bulmers Berry bashing?
gugai – as a non-alcohol drinker, I couldn’t make a comment good, bad or indifferent on the stuff.
“Sure, half of them will fall flat on their backs and another quarter will run out of steam and another fifth will never happen”
Let’s hear it for Jim (The Optimist)
Yeah, I’m pretty miffed that I missed Cloud Castle Lake. I saw them play in Trinity last year, and they were brilliant. Great things ahead for them.
colly – you’re clutching the wrong end of the stick, but I suppose that’s to be expected from some. What I mean is that while only a small percentage of any endeavours – be it blogs, bands, labels, cartoon shows – will ever succeed, the optimism which gets them off the ground in the first place is to be applauded. Pragmatism will dictate the outcome in due course but the optimism around right now has to be acknowledged and encouraged.
shane – they were fantastic – every time I see them play, they’re just getting better and bolder. Looking forward to hearing their debut single when that comes along.
Saw Grand Pocket Orchestra in the Mercantile on Saturday night. They have really stepped up. Best gig I’ve ever seen them play. New drummer is awesome.
Enjoyed We Are Losers at the Workman’s on Saturday too. Loud and great.
Was being rather facetious Jim, I hear you and you’re point is rammed home with aplomb as per, but i’m not gonna log on on a Monday morning just to tell you that…
Looking forward to catching up on the podcasts this afternoon.
Spot on in general Jim. Really great weekend, such a wonderful feeling about the whole time. Particularly enjoyed the panels on funding and futuregazing. Ian Wilson is a bit of a legend! Bandswise I really loved Enemies/Jogging/Nouveaunoise in the Grand Social on Thursday night and Cloud Castle Lake and RSAG on Friday. Couldn’t make it Saturday night unfortunately.
Missed a lot that i meant to check out but very much enjoyed Windings, Jogging, Grand Pocket Orchestra and Squarehead.
Like you say, each one of them had ‘stepped it up’ since I last saw them perform live.
Took a chance on a lot of other stuff I wasn’t so keen on, them’s the breaks.
At least there’s DOOM tomorrow!
Looking forward to reading what Kdamo has to say about the weekend – http://kdamo.wordpress.com – I think the dude saw about one-third of the whole line-up over the weekend. He seemed to be in every venue at once – maybe he’s cloned himself. Hugely commendable behaviour.
Cloud Castle Lake, We Are Losers, Squarehead – can’t wait to get them down to Galway
Ah Jim, you’re too kind. You seemed to quietly slink in and out of a fair few shows yourself. I only wish one of my clones had been wise enough to go to bed at a respectable hour any of the nights. Photographic evidence of my binge-gigging is just about done. State will have a batch up soon enough and Thu & Fri shots are on http://www.flickr.com/photos/kdamo I’ll verbally gush and gut sometime later.
I can understand how the short changeover can be a worry for some bands (including us!) but you just have to make the most of it and get on with it. We had a quick drill in our rehearsal space to make sure there was no fannying about between songs and dropped any songs that may have caused problems.
The techies at the gig were fantastic. I can imagine the pressure they’re under to get every band sounding good but they did it and we were hugely impressed with the setup and the venue (Grand Social).
I was only out on the Friday night, but managed to squeeze in some excellent music. The night started off with Conor Walsh and Our Little Secrets in The Mercantile, then Liz Is Evil in Workman’s, Biggles Flys Again (who sound a lot like the Breeders, oddly enough) in Twisted Pepper. Then followed an aborted attempt to see Friend? in the Grand Social, but that was running wildly late, so The Lost Brothers in Twisted Pepper was a very good ‘plan b’. RSAG rounded off the night. Does anyone else think that the ‘headline’ acts, or at least the last act in whichever venue, should have been given more than 30 minutes to play?
I also heard The Danger Is EP Jim…. Very, very good.
@13 The turnround was great, so big props to the techies in Grand Social and Workmans especially. At the Foggy Jam in Whelans last night the soundchecking took a long, long time in between bands.
Kdamo – There were a few times when I wished I’d slinked in and out a whole lot quicker!
Gorgeous Colours – hear, hear. It’s always impressive at an event like HWCH when acts start at the time when they’re supposed to start and venues run according to schedule. That’s down to the stage-crews and venue managers kicking ass. They’re the real unsung hard working class heroes. Only came across one or two fuck-ups all weekend long.
john – very impressed with that EP too. And no, I think every act doing 30 mins is just dandy. 30 mins is often more than enough for bands at this stage who may not have released an album or even an EP. Saw the Lost brothers too as a “plan B” and agree with you – beautiful sounds.
I’d second what the Gorgeous Colours said (who by the way were excellent in the Grand Social- what a venue that is- on Saturday, lovely tunes). I thought the organisation this year was superb- the stage crew in Twisted Pepper couldn’t have been more helpful, to the point of helping us load up our car afterwards. The sound engineer was sound as a pound too, calm as you like despite all the chaos. Having played it a few times now I think this was the first time it felt like a really cohesive festival and everyone- bands, fans and organisers alike- seemed really up for it.
A few of us Ragged Worders were only saying last night just how upbeat and positive the vibe was in general @ this year’s HWCH. Think that was my third or fourth year checking it out, but defo a much better atmosphere this year. As for quality bands: Halves, Enemies (awesome), R.S.A.G., Dark Room Notes (infinitely better than when I’d seen ‘em before), The Gorgeous Colours, Jen Evans, Trophy Boyfriend & The Cast Of Cheers all did the business. My only regret all weekend was opting to miss two hours of bands on Friday night to go and watch those wasters losing to Russia!
Shameless plug alert: Although we didn’t manage to hit quite as many bands as kDamo and his army of clones, we did manage to grab plenty of photos. We’ll have galleries going up on the site throughout today and tomorrow.
Back in work now… My liver’s wincing from all that Bulmers Berry and my ears are still ringing from No Age. Amazing weekend!
The day shows (HWCH In The City) in odd venues went under the radar. Junah played Cows Lane Market on Saturday morning and were unreal. They managed to gather a crowd of passer-bys and all. Miracle Bell played a set in some tiny milkshake bar on Camden street at 3pm on Thursday too. The looks on the faces of people walking past was worth the effort of getting into town early alone.
Great to see you saying good things about CCL. Absolutely love that band, shame they clashed with the soccer – same with Planet Parade and Pearse McGloughlin. So many great acts playing over the three days. Gorgeous Colours, Enemies, Jogging, Jennifer Evans, Holy Roman Army, Blasterbra, I could go on…
I missed a lot of the festival due to illness but highlights included Jennifer Evans (particularly that breathtaking duet), Squarehead (10th time seeing them in about 3 months – still not sick of them), a great promising first ever show from We Are Losers, Le Galaxie’s fist-pumping dance spectacle in The Button Factory (is it just me or do Irish bands need to learn to make beats that people can dance to rather than over-relying on synth lines – not in Le Galaxie’s case though)and The Cast of Cheers set to close the festival (great new songs, a queue around the block to get in).
Heard really good things about Cloud Castle Lake, Grand Pocket Orchestra’s Mercantile gig, Bitches With Wolves, Axis Of and Jogging.
The futuregazing panel was great in particular Jim. Really enjoyed Ian Wilson’s views.
Also, story of the weekend concerns the Electric Penguins and a former member who attacked the band during their Tower Records performance. Guards were called and all apparently, while the footage was taken away as evidence.
only made it to the festival on the friday night, but enjoyed sacred animals and windings from what i saw..
thanks to all above for the recommendation of cloud castle lake, sounds lovely, listening to it now streaming here on my computer.. seems strange that jim carroll would like them so much though, given their singer’s obvious affectations for the dramatic vocal stylings of a certain thom yorke, and also those guitar tones and progressions are pushing close to radiohead, circa hail to the thief sail to the moon/i will etc.. forgive me, this ain’t some sh*tstirring post, just an observation, an opinion in a world of opinions!
That duet Jennifer Evans did (who was the other singer?) was beautiful.
There was such a good buzz in town as well. Bravo to all the bands and organisers.
halandor – I would have CCL singer sounds more like Jonsi than Yorke. And at least he and the band are doing far more interesting stuff with said influences than the originators ever have! Like you said, that’s “just an observation, an opinion in a world of opinions”.
aye it’s a toss-up between yorke and jonsi, that particular realm of soulful, angst-driven falsetto is shared between them. “far more interesting stuff with said influences” is an interesting take on a band firmly wearing influences on sleeves (i.e. why not just call a spade a spade? “radiohead copyists making music i prefer” would be more to the point..).
IMHO the particular sonic landscape CCL are currently inhabiting (and i’m basing that on the recordings, some of them live, that i’ve streamed from CCL through myspace) was undoubtedly founded and formed for them by the radiohead boys on hail to the thief (dynamically, texturally, structurally etc). even the damn CCL synths sound like that ondes martenot greenwood went off to learn.. all that said, i quite like the dramatic dynamics of what i’ve streamed and will check ‘em out when i can.
sorry again to bring negative vibes to an otherwise positive vibe blog roll.. saw the cast of cheers a few weeks back, they were amazing, kinda like post-everything rock, much better than that recording of their album suggests. the energy they exuded was just unbelievable, singer was great and that drummer is the best irish rock drummer ive seen in years. all they need is a clever producer, hopefully not some douche who’ll make it all shiny and sh*t. also should have said i caught the end of our little secrets in the mercantile, he was pretty good, his rasping voice stuck in my head (in a good way) after the gig, liked his ability to deliver a song.
missed the whole weekend – great to hear it went well though. I expect to see a raft or Irish acts at Primavera next year.
overbearing smell of that Bulmer’s Berry stuff about the place alright! i enjoyed lafaro, axis of, jogging and cast of cheers. was scheduling a problem on most nights? hal seemed to take forever setting up in the grand social on thursday, really threw my night off, missed heathers as a result
great weekend, caught a good few acts and venues on friday night . really liked the workmans club and the grand social, two great additions to the city . although every venue i got too i missed the act i wanted to catch , or missed them completely coz i was out after the match
Amazing weekend, had such a great time. The stage crew in Sweeney’s were brilliant, really good guys too.
@ Una Mullally – The singer with Jennifer Evans is Caoimhe Hogarty http://www.myspace.com/caoimhehogarty
Brilliant singer and amazing set by Jennifer
CCL are awesome,i can see the CAN influence kinda coming true,keep a close eye on these guys.
”Kill Krinkle Club (oodes and oodles of ideas from a duo whose stroppy electropop is already throwing the right shapes”. Jim, I don’t think you were in twisted pepper for that gig cause if you were, you would have felt the increasing awkwardness as the crowds dispersed. Truly awful and amateur beyond belief. The fact that you have celebrated this, worries me. Nepotism Jim?
Bluntylad67 – Nepotism Jim?
Er, Bluntylad67, unless you’ve discovered some long-lost nephews/cousins/family connections of mine which I know nothing about, I dont know what you’re on about here. I thought they showed loads and loads of promise and ideas. They’re doing something which I saw no other act over the weekend do which is always to be applauded. Perhaps, to turn the question back on you. you’re a member of some band or associated with some band who I haven’t mentioned above and you’re a teeny-weeny bit jealous?
As for “I don’t think you were in twisted pepper for that gig cause if you were, you would have felt the increasing awkwardness as the crowds dispersed” – like the vast majority of people at HWCH, I didn’t stay around to see ANY band for more than 2-3 songs. That’s the nature of a festival like HWCH, Blunty, 100 bands to see and not a lot of time to see them all in. You taste, you check ‘em out, you move on. Get over yourself – and stop smoking and drinking those tins.
Nice retort Jim! Unlike most of the people attending HWCH I was a paying customer and to be honest I was very disappointed with the standard this year. The only band I saw that I thought were miles ahead of anybody were ‘Kid Karate’, I think we have a very own Jack White in the making. And for the record I’m not related to either band member. By the way, just so you know, just cause a band are electro/Irish and wears nice jumpers doesn’t mean their music is good. There I said it!
Blunty – I actually thought that that jumper was appalling – a Pat Kenny Toy Show special. You’re also the first person I’ve come across who was disappointed with this year’s standard as well but then, everyone is entitled to their opinion. That you only liked 1 band out of 100 is quite a statement, I must say.
Funny you should mention Pat Kenny as the lead singer had about as much charisma as the former Late Late presenter. Okay, okay, I’m in a bad mood this morning so maybe I enjoyed a few more than I let on like Fox Jaw Bounty Hunters and to a lesser extent New Amusement were enjoyable, I did have a good time, I swear.
Cast of Cheers sound so much like Foals that I could sing Foals lyrics over their songs, uncanny or just keeping up with current zeitgeist, I’m not sure.
By the way, here are the details of the music funding I mentioned at the panel discussion:
http://www.musicnetwork.ie/musicians/funding/
Regarding the Electric Penguins incident last week at HWCH. I’ve been corrected. It was allegedly the singer who attacked the former member.
nialler – that’s still one hell of a story
Just shows you shouldn’t pick pick pick on a penguin.
I heard he told him to flipper off…
Yeah, from what I was told by the guy filming the Electric Penguins instore, the former member stormed in trying to disrupt the set and block people’s view. There was some sort of confrontation between him and the singer’s girlfriend and that’s when he jumped offstage to grab the guy. Apparently he hopped back onstage after a minor scuffle and asked “Now, who wants to hear another tune?”. Bizarre stuff.
Also, because of my desire to live long enough to see Ireland squander a few chances against Slovakia tonight, I’m covering HWCH in sections. Thursday’s review/photos are here: http://wp.me/ptqCO-gd The rest will be along soon.
I bet this turns out to be some sort of viral scam/hoax thing because I’ve certainly heard more about them in the last few days than ever before.
I was hoping Solar Bears would be there. Love their EP and album.
Solar Bears can’t play live…yet. They will soon.
Re:Electric Penguins – It’s with solicitors now so I don’t think it’s a hoax.
The acts i loved over the weekend were…
Funzo
Awake Young Soilders
Junah
Deaf Joe
Our Little Secrets
and
Miracle Bell
As For Cloud Castle Lake.. I saw them on Wednesday In The Grand Social and I did not get it… The drummer was out of time for at least 3 songs.. either that on the singer wasnt able to function his Korg properly.
I loved the Industry Panels! The one about fans wasnt all that Informative… The Best one was the one on Funding… I learned a lot about everything not just funding.
Oh and Lost Chord! They were Exuberant on stage… didnt like getting Blumers Berry spat on me though.. i may stay a little less close the stage next time i go see them
Sorry I didnt make it. Love this festival. How were the numbers this year?
Am convinced that, if less festivals overcharged (or continued to charge celtic tiger prices) then perhaps live music can survive the recession. (ie is HWCHs the Lidl/Aldi of the Irish music scene?)
Heard some great bands over the weekend, ………. JUNAH…..GORGOUS COLOURS…….JENIFER EVANS …..are three acts I’ll be checking out, they were awesome.
I agree with Hazel above Awake Young Soldiers were brilliant depite the acoustics in the venue not being Gr8. Also Holy Roman Army were very interesting