Come Strutt your stuff @ Egg Cafe July 09

Hi this is a new add and yes, it's over a month due, but I've been so busy, it's hard to write everything even this blog. But please read below what I started in July and have now just completed.

Ooopsie..hehehe.

N.B Key : (M) Music, (P) Poetry, (ST) Story Telling, (R) Rap (?) Didn't hear name or title.

Ok, so it's been 4 months since I last went Egg and I'm thinking how hard is it to to go once a month? Well... that's irrelevant. Since then the night has become even more popular with the set list being filled by 7.30, half an hour before it's due to start. Such a far cry from September 08 when I first attended the night.

1st Set – Hosted by Graham

Jake De Cassi. (M). True to form, Jake likes to open the night with his 'Phoebe-esque' compositions.

1.'Falling asleep' an 'off the cuff' performance (would you expect anything less from Jake?). I quote “I want peace, I want love, I want anarachy... I want..." A supersize big mac meal? Oh wait, you're in egg right?

Jake didn't extend his set with a second song, maybe he wasn't feeling it. Or just was desperate to get back on his electric cigarette. Now that's a song title Jake could play with.

Wes. (P) Wes advertised his participation in Antony Gormley's ONE AND OTHER, Fourth Plinth Commission, Trafalgar Square, London.If any one had any suggestions for lines that Wes could use on the plinth, then he would consider putting them into his piece, but that they would be anonymous. Hmm for someone who has a lot to say, it sounded a little suss. I’m such a pessimist. Anyway…back to the poetry

1. Kitchen Sink. It’s evident Wes is proud to be from Liverpool as he blends slang and reference points with his own idioms and scouse syncopation. The line “an onion that drips from the ceiling” is a perfect example of this poems' Liverpool Centric Surrealism.

2 Macaroni. “What do I write about when I’m bored?...” Wes linked this to the 1^st poem, which was neat.

3. ?. Quite a miserable poem about wife beating. Nuff said really.

4. The time is now. “Can everyone please stop…” Wes used a rap style.

5. Internet dating. A bit like Ronsil but Wes delivered fast wit, used plenty of assonance and consonance and pleased the crowd. Kudos.

Chris & John. (M). Two new comers to Egg.

1. ?. Song was only written today, which is impressive in the sense that they are confident, However…” this is my song for you, I don’t know what to do…” was lyrically weak, despite the easy pleasing folksy style.

2. Cover. “Tonight your mine…you give your love so sweetly.”

These kinds of performance open up debate on rehearsal over extemporaneous spirit. I bend to the latter but there is definitely something to be said for rehearsal.

Liam. (P). Liam is a fantastic performance poet. His delivery and wit does hint at some acting experience, but nevertheless great to watch.
1. ?. Cluedo style detective poem with a gospel funeral element. “The man in the lipstick…untied his bonds with mortality”2. ?. (A serious one this…) “A man on the telephone..” forms the syntactic parallelism of the poem describing a train journey and its crying passengers. “It was almost Christmas…August 31^st.” “Mirac” “Shut your face and show us yer tits.”

Jake Times Broom. (M) Duo.

1. The lyric delivery of this track confused me as to whether this song was for against religion at the beginning of the performance, although I came to conclude it was ‘for’. Hmmm. Well it’s not my shot of Jager, but they’re cup of milky tea. Anyway…the delivery of the lyrics…plenty of influences running through the piece. It was little bit Emo, it was the scouse streets, water downed paper roach and a little Linkin Park. Which given the boho crowd and despite my reservation to their song, was quite refreshing.

2. ?. The ‘rapper’ goaded the crowd into clapping, before breaking into song. Of the two performers I felt the guitarist was the strongest. His playing was very good and enjoyed the ‘summery’ riff he played. Appropriate for July.

The Accords Perdus. (M) Acoustic Duo. Female singer, male guitarist.
1. ?. Song was lively and the singer even made monkey sounds which I found cute and entertaining. As it seemed to satisfy her inner child, it did mine - I even doodled a smiley in my book. “who has the time to please” was a key lyric, and indeed Accords Perdus have the time to please their audience.

2. ?. “In the back of the bus with your electric cigarette...if you saw the sign, I saw the light. I saw the light.” Good song and also made reference to Jake De Cassi’s ‘lecky’ fag. V. impressed with this duo. I look forward to watching them again.

2^nd Set – Guest Host – Tom George

Tom George. (P)

1. You make me walk lightly. Accapella. Great poem, good delivery, a romantic at heart but given Tom’s nature as person, he’s certainly no fool.

Joe Kelly. (M) Vocals, Guitar and Harmonica.

1. “The stars in the sky, they remind me of your eyes…they are listening like never before…” what to your romantic drivel? Sorry but Love songs are – BLEURGHHHHHHHH! Ok now, I’ll stop being childish.

2. ?. Song about a girl. So I figure Joe’s in love, or maybe he’s not a football fan.

Gavin. (P)

1. Moon(?) mystery. Talking about the US moon landing.

2. The Highway man. Differing versions of outlaws and what they would steal; “the randy highway man, the brandy highway man…”

3. I think therefore I am. “I drink therefore I am…” a twist on the philosophical debate of knowing, my now overtly clichéd. Oh well.

Tony Kehoe. (M) Guitar and vocals.

1. What remains of your culture now little boy blue? “you don’t have to win to succeed”.

2. ?. “…save the best to last, don’t be a fool, its only paper wings you’re flying on…” chorus has a nice allusion to Greek mythology. The tune is much like a lullaby. It seems the narrator in these lyrics has had his heart broken and is requesting their heartbreaker to look back on what they had.

Tom George. (P)

1. Clubland. Another bit of social anthropology condensing the back stories and identities’ of those who become transformed by the night and neon lighting, played out in the lines such as “check out girl barbaretta”, “mothercare Mandy refuses to swallow” and “lucozade light”.

Lilly Kehoe. (M), Vocals.

1. Cover of Valerie (The Zutons.) Little Lily Kehoe can warble – a new Aguilera in our midst perhaps? Again I cannot stress enough how much the egg needs a mini amp and mic. Lilly and other peoples talent are wasted because of the proxemics of the café, a little assistance in the audio department would do these performers justice.

2. Springtime. (P)

Joseph. (P) (M) Guitar & Vocals.

1. Wires. About being stoned. Quite funny. “You’re no better than me, you limping mollusc.” “not all of us men are keen to confess our mortal sins. Some…heart on sleeves, I shall wear a vest…its too hot anyway.” “Bends of reality.”

2. ?. Song. Joseph warns the audience, some of his lyrics are unsure. Tony Kehoe on Harmonica. “Steak place… I wanna stay here, I don’t wanna go anywhere.”

Fred. (M)

1. ?. Sounds a bit Dylan. Does anyone not want to sound like Dylan? Or is that a stupid rhetorical question?

2. ?. “Each new day is a gift…as the emotions shift…”. He f**ked up…but he’s honest…humble…show some humility. (F**k knows what I meant by that, but that’s what’s in my notes, oh well.)

3^rd Set.

Jim “Grandad” – as he called him self. I hinted a Glaswegian accent, definitely from the region and his poems were provocative.

1. The Terrorist. Jim explained we needed perspective and so wrote this1st person poem of a suicide bomber. “Youth coursing through my veins…this is also my last day…as I walk alone into Basra.”

2. Crosby Sand.

3. ?, I couldn’t hear title nor poem. L

Graham – I’m so glad to see this performer again, he’s shit-hot!

1. Lady Gaga tribute song ‘Love Game.’ Most definitely the best cover ever, even though I hate Gaga’s songs (which is a shame because she’s actually a talented musician but hey ho, shit sells.) “Disco Stick…Love Gaymeh!”

2. Veronica Poser. Song about the fans of a beautiful boy @ a bar, and said guy is “rolling in it like a pig in shit.” “Pretentious Indie Crowd…on one’s gonna love..” “nailed to a crucifix of cool…hot dog/doll”

As a performer Graham really appeals to me. So ENERGETIC! His lyrics are caustic, contemporary and witty and he hates the same things as I do such as scarf wearing scene chasing indie dickheads.

Tom Goole (ST)

1. 3X3 = 9, Story of magic. Tom told a tale about a blind fortune teller in Korea he could see demons and magic. All that was missing a starry night and a log fire to transport us to Seoul.

Vinny (M) Guitar and Vocals.

1. ?...has a Spanish flavour to it. “astah para___” “feet of clay…as you’re leaving.” “caught by friendly fire they say…did your friends stand and watch you fall?”

2. One night. About one night stands. He asked his friend what the 1^st line of the song was…he must have had too much ouzo from the one night stand. The line’s were a little clichéd “we hardly spoke a word… the day after…she should leave so hurriedly…she wasn’t into me so much…case of de ja vu…string of one night stands.” Tried meeting girls in day light? Just a suggestion.

Man Eats Plane. (M) 2 x Guitar, 1 x Ukulele, 1 x Vocals

1. Only for the fact the giant ears on a girl would prove a health and safety hazard, I’d let them grow to catch every single sound this ensemble made. I was truly impressed by their performance. The group really gelled. The riff’s and timing from the guitars and ukulele were excellent and the vocalist has good range and a deep warble, an influence that matched the hair do perhaps? The chorus or part “I don’t mind….” Is still ringing in my head. Kudos.

2. ?. Again no title, but heck who cares when it sounds this good. It had a slightly ethereal sound to it, and made me think the singer is the male version of Beth Gibbons of Portishead, whilst hints of Radiohead came through from the ensemble. These chaps are fan–fooking-tastic. Great sound, good looking, these guys could go far.

Rob (R)

1. ?. A scouse/yank style rap. Twas v brief.

Fin.