MOURNING THE ELECTRIC PROMS + GRANDMASTER FLASH + MEN + MORE

THERE were some genius moments in the glory days of the BBC Electric Proms Festival. Over its brief life it sent out talons, expanded to new venues, branched out in Liverpool, brought in obscure artists and became one of the highlights of Camden’s music calendar.


(Stunning Nitin Sawhney evening ft Natty 2008)

The mantra “creating new moments in music” was hammered into our brains and for a time had some justification – remember Africa Express, Mongrel at Barfly and Liam Gallagher’s Oasis return angry fireworks?



Not to mention The Last Shadow Puppets' incredible show at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.



But somehow it lost its Mojo, the very mantra forever etched in our minds fell from the BBC’s own consciousness.
Last year’s event was cut to three days and although it’s pleasant to know Neil Diamond, Elton John and Robert Plant are still alive, there was little new about their appearances.
Perhaps if we could all get off the BBC’s back for five minutes, the quality of the Electric Proms could have been sustained and it wouldn’t have been such a likely candidate for the axe. A loss to our culture, a loss to the Roundhouse and a loss to Camden.

• How many of you know every word to Grandmaster Flash’s Rapper’s Delight? If you’re lucky, he might just play it at Scala (Feb 10).

• Sia’s girlfriend and former Record of the Week candidate JD Samson (ex Le Tigre) brings band MEN to the Lexington on Tuesday (Feb 8).

• Diva Natalie May’s a graduate of Hawley Wharf’s Young Person’s Theatre Company and single Closer has won a prized spot on a number of radio playlists. See her at Dingwalls (Feb 6).

• Lovely of Ian Brown to back a £10,000 musical scholarship for prospective students at Camden’s School of Sound Recording, whose rehearsal rooms have been used by The Stone Roses. If I had an ounce of talent...

• Proud Camden’s Metallica 30th anniversary photo exhibition Fade To Black: Metallica By Bill Hale begins today (Feb3). Go soak up the culture.

• Joan as a Policewoman – first dance choice at a friend’s ultra cool wedding – plays the Barbican (Feb 6).

RECORD OF THE WEEK - MILES KANE, Come Closer

MILES Kane owns the guitar. By owns I don't just mean, has one in his possession, I mean every note he plays (and sings incidentally), is like an extension of his very being.
That's not to say he's technically the world's greatest guitarist but certainly a skilled and to some extent underrated songwriter with a pure northern soul who feels his way through the music. A departure from The Rascals and The Last Shadow Puppets, Come Closer proves solo Miles can stand on his own two feet.
 

 
Miles Kane plays XfM's All Dayer at Camden Barfly on January 22.

TALIB KWELI'S STAGE RAGE + LITTLE NOISE SESSIONS + THE RETURN OF MILES KANE

RAPPER Talib Kweli exploded in fury last week when the plug was pulled on his Roundhouse show midway through the final track.
Swearing in rage at the “disrespect”, he vowed never to play the venue again.



In a way he’s right, it’s a huge affront to an artist to be cut off mid-performance – in the case of Missy Elliott at Wireless this year, it was awkward and embarrassing to see the dancers flailing about wondering where their beats had gone.



But it’s not fair to blame the Roundhouse – yes licensing laws are there for a reason and neighbours need to be protected but surely there could be a short grace period post cut-off time?

• Latest names to be added to Mencap Little Noise Sessions at Islington’s Union Chapel are The Kooks, Example, John Bramwell, We Are Scientists and Leah Mason (Nov 18) and Ellie Goulding, Stornoway and Tinashé (Nov 20).

• Placebo fans watch out – former drummer and co-songwriter Steve Hewitt and his new band Love Amongst Ruin play Relentless Garage (Oct 30). New single ‘Home’ is out Oct 25.

• Not content with fronting cheeky scamps The Rascals, being Alex Turner’s bessie mate and one half of The Last Shadow Puppets, one of my favourite musicians Miles Kane is off on another side project. His obsession with psychedelia comes to fruition with the release of debut single Inhaler, an adaptation of 1969 track Mother Nature Father Earth in tribute to 60s LA psychedelic garage group Bonniwell Music Machine. He plays Monto Water Rats (Nov 23) and HMV Forum (Dec 7).

• Also at Relentless Garage, Liam Gallagher’s clothes label Pretty Green launches a club night (Nov 26) – live music from Exit Calm plus DJ sets from Andy Bell (ex-Oasis), Paul Gallagher (yes, his other bro), Eddie Piller and Jamie Skillz. But will Limo be there in his own clothes?

GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER ELECTRIC PROMS + PARTY FOR PALESTINE WITH AKALA, LOWKEY ET AL + SEAN LENNON'S SABER TOOTHED TIGER POUNCES ON THE ROUNDHOUSE + SEASICK STEVE'S BLUES

REMEMBER the great BBC Electric Proms of 2008 – Oasis, Glasvegas and Burt Bacharach at the Roundhouse, Goldfrapp at Cecil Sharp House, the incredible Africa Express marathon at Koko, and The Last Shadow Puppets in Liverpool?

It was the best of the Proms, multi-venue, multi-genre, multi-generational, spanning north and south.
Last year the Beeb tightened its belt and shrank to one venue but still pulled in the huge acts – Dame Shirley Bassey, Smokey Robinson and Dizzee Rascal.

(One of my favourite songs ever - I love you Miles Kane!)

So what happened this year? It’s always fantastic to see classic legends in a venue as concise as the Roundhouse but the Proms has been reduced to three nights, each headliner – Elton John, Robert Plant and Neil Diamond – over 60 and white (or perma-tanned).
Younger names such as Plan B will support but still, the Proms was such a huge event and a chance for surprises and unexpected collaborations – a real celebration of musicians of all kinds remembering what it was like to jam and experiment. A move away from the fuddy duddy traditional proms that clogs up our TVs annually. Did this really have to be a casualty of the cuts?
• Don't miss Party for Pakistan, fave acts on the bill include Akala, Lowkey, Riz MC, and Facejacker – you know who I mean – great cause – 02 Academy Islington, (September 29).
• Who's Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger I hear you ask? Although the musos out there probably know. This is Sean Lennon and girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl's collaboration. Expect beautifully crafted songs from their debut gig (Roundhouse, Oct 13).

• Seasick Steve plays the Blues Kitchen (Oct 7) – it's an oddly-shaped venue but old Seasick can bring any stage to life – do NOT miss this.