An upgrade

World Tour time. But on this occasion, we actually get a visit!

And the Cape Town Cigarettes After Sex gig sold out much more quickly than I expected. Especially given that it’s a whole year away. I actually initially thought that it was going to be in May, which seemed much more reasonable, but I had fallen foul of the American dating system, and it was 5/3 rather than 3/5.

Or whatever.

So yes, we’ve still got 50 weeks to wait for the concert. And I didn’t get very good tickets, because I was a bit slow off the mark, because I genuinely thought that it would be a real slow burner.

What a muppet.

But here’s the thing: because it sold out so quickly, they’ve added another date! And I was much quicker off the mark this time, booking some really awesome seats: right next to the people who are spending far too much money on concert tickets, but only spending a fraction of what they did despite only being 50cm further from the action.

Now all I need to do is get my previous tickets refunded (thankfully, the promoter specifically allows for this “second date” situation on their website) and we’re golden.

Oh. And then just hang about for 11½ months until the gig actually happens…

That’s not me

“Suggested for you”, said my Spotify. And then proceeded to come out with a stream of diverse artists such as Britney Spears, Frank Sinatra, The Troggs, Nat King Cole and Fleetwood Mac.

And Selena Gomez.

Oi! Spotify! No!

Have we not been together for a number of years now? What are you thinking? Literally none of those appeal to me in the slightest. Sure, they may each have had a hit (or maybe two) which I have heard in the last few years, but that was it.

In fact, so bizarre was the selection presented, that I’m even wondering if my account has been hacked: maliciously like my bank card or just as some sort of mildly elaborate sick joke. Think about it – it’s the perfect way to get at someone: invading, influencing and ruining their most personal moments by wreaking havoc in their algorithm. And then the soundtrack for their next plane trip or exercise session will be trashed.

The only sad bit is that you’ll never even know if it worked. Unless they write a blog post about it.

Well done, whoever you are (it’s probably my daughter). You got me.

ON THAT NOTE (no pun intended), here’s my 2024 Spotify Playlist. Which contains all the good stuff that isn’t the stuff mentioned above.

Click through, hit random and have fun. I’ll keep adding the good stuff as I hear it.

Friend of a friend

The Smile is the “new” project of Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood, so it’s fair to call it “Radiohead Lite”. Their latest release is the very enjoyable and Radiohead-esque Friend of a Friend. It’s made it onto my #2024 Spotify playlist. And it’s on their new album: Wall of Eyes.

It was also played by Nathan Shepherd sitting on for Chris Hawkins on Friday. And he mentioned that the video was worth a look.

So I looked.

I don’t know quite what to make of it, except to say that the little girl in the foreground from 1:32 is the perfect allegory for modern life.

Clearly, the audience isn’t the most receptive to the somewhat experimental sounds of Thom et al. but then what were they expecting?

One day, those kids will be able to say that they were in one of Thom Yorke’s videos. And that might mean something to some of them at some point in their lives.

But I don’t think any of them get it yet.

YBTPR – 6Music session

As heard this morning on Radcliffe & Maconie. A beautiful, acoustic version of a beautiful song.

This recorded for 6Music back in July 2002, I believe. I saw The Flaming Lips twice the following year: once at Glastonbury, and then once later in the year (November, Google tells me) at the Hammersmith Apollo, where he began the gig with 7 Nation Army and ended it with White Christmas delivered through a loudhailer.

Halcyon days.

Weirdly, on that second occasion, Wayne Coyne told us it was the biggest audience he’d ever played in front of. He must have been as high as a kite to have forgotten the 90,000+ in front of the Pyramid Stage just a few months before.

4 to go for #2024 – advance warning!

I’m nearly ready to share my Spotify #2024 Playlist.

Yes, I know. Already.

And it’s going to be good!

My playlists for each year (you can find them and more on that link) don’t necessarily reflect or contain content from the year in question. Just tracks that I have heard in that calendar year that I thought:

“Yeah, let’s have a bit more of that.”

There’s no point in sharing a playlist with just 6 tracks on (none of which are current songs), but as soon as I reach double figures, I’ll add it to the list and share it on here.

Meanwhile, here’s a bit of Old Skool live Dire Straits which has somehow made the cut.

Not really my usual thing, but when that riff kicks in at 3:13… well… yeah.
It’s all just fun and games after that.

And sounding remarkably good on my laptop’s B&O speakers.
But probably better in your ears.