THE LONG BLONDES AT LAMP
Thursday 20th March 2008


It's been almost a year since the Long Blondes were in Hull. Their last gig being in a well kitted out Welly Ballroom, which, I think was probably one of my favourite and most looked forward to gigs of the year. It was early in the year and I was steaming through a fury of 'Someone to drive you home' on repeat in my car for about 3 months previous to them playing the club. I even bought myself a T shirt, which is very fussy of me and for that one gig I was like a screaming child at a Take That concert singing along to every word who probably deserved a bloody good slap but we're all allowed to get a little excited now and again aren't we? They didn't dissapoint as they played a fantastic set. It’s always a bonus when one of your favourite bands can pull off an even better performance live and that's just what the Long Blondes did, reassuring my faith in them as each song was tight, energetic and seeing Kate in person strutting her stuff on stage just like I do when I’m listening to ‘em in front of the mirror was just electric. Definately ticked all the right boxes.
The Long Blondes appeared later in the year at the Leeds Carling Weekend, I was in the same excitable mood but then again everyone is when your drunk and sunburnt at 3 in the afternoon after 2 previous days on the drink and when your about 200 meters away from the stage the best you can do to enjoy a live band at Leeds is to prance around with your bag of wine singing along like a twat. They played more or less the same set as they did at The Welly Club but I loved them at Welly so I loved them just as much in the West Yorkshire sunshine.
My face lit up when I heard they were coming back again, even more so when I heard that they were down sizing in venue and playing at The Lamp this time around, a much more intimate gig (just as long as you make sure you get yourself to the front otherwise your buggered if you wanna see). The gig had sold out 2 weeks after it was announced, which made me wonder why on earth they didn’t play a bigger venue but apparently the Blondes were touring a fair few smaller venues this time round and wanted it that way so who am I to argue.
I might deserve a slap on the legs for not watching the support band, they sounded good from where I was at the bar but I was conserving all pushing to the front energy for when the Blondes took to the stage.
For a gig that was Sold out, it didn’t look very sold out to me, but then again I guess they base tickets on how many people you can fit in the stage area rather then the in the bar itself, which is probably the best way to do it. After a quick pint and a fag the Blondes were on. I was only a few rows from the front and could see perfectly so wasn’t going to try and push any further like many annoying others.
They started their set with their new single, ‘Century’, which gave old fans a taster of what the new album was about to include. They’ve gone for a much more funky disco sound with their upcoming album, with plenty of keyboard, and electronic sounds. Front woman Kate seemed a lot different since the last time she was in Hull, she’d gone from a Long skirted, long haired Vintage princess to a short haired Brody Dalle lookie likie. She’d lost loads of weight too, not that she ever needed too. Vocals were spot on and she still spoilt the audience with some of her classic electric moves.

The set mainly included songs off their new album apart from the 2 off, ‘Someone to drive you home’, which really got the crowd bouncing, even though they went back to being morbid f**ks once the old favourites had been played. One girl was stood right at the front with a face like a slapped arse the whole way through, concentrating more on not spilling her lar de dar glass of vino rather then enjoying some quality unheard Long Blondes, people like that should be made to stand at the back to make room for actual fans. Static fans aren't real fans. Rant over, people like that just annoy me.
It was brilliant to hear the Blondes playing some new tunes, and from what they played the new album sounds even better than the last. Dorian (the dude on stage) had swapped his guitar for a sampler for a fair few more of the songs on this album and even threw in the sound of a Banana shaker in one of them. They’ve stepped up a disco notch but still threw a few in with that same sexy guitar sound that I’ll be looking forward to dancing in the clubs too very shortly!

Like all gigs, it seemed to all be over too quickly, but with fresh Long Blondes tunes in my head their new album (out April) had already been sold.
Hot and bothered I went outside for a cigarette to cool off and breathe some, ‘fresh’ air. Only to hear a group of young ‘uns crowded round saying how shit the gig was with comments like, ‘I only new 2 songs, that was shit’, ‘I’m so disappointed I’ve been looking forward to this gig all week’. I felt like giving them a good slap around the legs and sending them home to Mother. If you wanted to hear all your old favourites then you should have gotten out your nappies earlier and come to last years gig, Jesus Christ, keep up. You can’t expect a band to play the same set for over a year and to be honest if I heard them play, ‘Once and never again’ (the all time classic) one more time I probably would have thrown up. Some new fresh Long Blondes was just what the doctor ordered, quite frankly after over a year of listening to the same Long Blondes tunes I was getting a little bored but after their performance at Lamp, faith was truly restored and I'll be looking forward to a brand spanking new album and sound in April.

what do you mean by a 'Scene venue'? theres no scenesters in Lamp! its chilled out and relaxed, no trouble.

I must admit thou, i've never really seen much of a crowd dancing around in there, the crowd do tent to be quite static, which is a shame tbh but then again most hull crowds are quite static....

I wouldnt right off the lamp just yet tho, so what if the Rumble Strips were only on for 45mins, they were playing in a tiny venue, not a huge festival so of course its not going to be the same. The bars still open until 12 so you can watch a gig and youve got time to have a few more bevvies before your chucked out onto Norfolk road.

i love lamp.

Try the food too, its pretty god damn decent

Hi. I'm not much of a reviewer, but i would just like to share my experience seeing the Rumble Strips play at the Lamp on Sunday 28th October. I'd never been to the Lamp before and it seemed like a very 'scene' venue, aimed at the indie market. I thought the stage was located in a strange place, almost not part of the rest of the venue. The staff seemed really nice and friendly but the prices were quite expensive for my tastes. I liked the intimacy of the stage, being so close to the band, but i didn't feel like most of the crowd actually wanted to be there. They didn't seem to get into it, the majority seemed to just stand and watch, which i thought was a waste of money really. The band (I am fairly biased) were brilliant, given the circumstances... static crowd. I was left feeling a bit cheated by them finishing at 11pm after playing only 45 minutes. I had seen them previously at a festival and they played for nearly that long whilst being on halfway through the day, never mind actually headlining a gig! On the whole it was a decent night, which ws spoiled by a few minor things. I don't reckon i will be passing by the lamp again though.

RIP The Johnsons and Welcome back to The Dirty Dreamers!
As one band dies, another is resurrected!
Oxjam 22nd October
The Lamp

Many will know and recognise the name of Hull band ‘The Johnsons’ and after gigging in and around Hull for 3 years now they’ve decided to call it a day. Ending the Johnsons era with their last gig at The Lamp (Oxjam gig) which was on Monday 22nd October (just gone).
Monday nights around Hull are usually those of tumbleweed and the odd chav or two still wondering the streets at 11pm, unless your a student that is, where there’s a choice of student nights guarenteed to be rammed.

It was surprisingly busy at The Lamp this Monday, i’d say busier than the usual live music night on a Wednesday (The Sidekicks lounge). Due to a mixture of it being Hulls last chance to see The Johnsons, checking weather The Dirty Dreamers still had it and/or becuse it was for charity.

A chilled out atmosphere and many friendly faces, all coming together in Hulls funkiest underground venue, The Lamp.
Usually on live music nights here the audience tends to be quite static, Hull being known for its static crowds when out of town bands come to play, a shame to others but these wern’t out of town bands.
It was clear that everyone here had come to give The Johnsons a good send off and to welcome the Dreamers back with open arms. The Johnsons were first.
They’ve never had a particularly bad reception at a Hull gig, which is why i wondered why they were calling it a day but this was their last.
The atmosphere was brilliant, people were dancing and singing along to every word, demolishing the reputation of Hull crowds being static. It was a shame that The Johnsons were never to build an atmosphere like this up again. If i were in the Johnsons, after that performance i’d have thought ‘Crap, that was a really good gig!’ Feeling gutted that it was the last. It was nothing more than the perfect send off.
Sound quality at The Lamp isn’t the best in the world but those Indie, Funk, with the odd Ska like sound had everyone bopping with a smile on their fanzine faces with singer Matt sounding brilliant on vocals. The Johnsons jog on.
Next up were the Dirty Dreamers, after almost a year of dissapearing off the planet they re-appear one Monday night at The Lamp, bringing with them a trolley load of fans. Can’t be bad. Any usual Hull band have to go through months of gigging before being guaranteed a gig and a crowd but even almost year on The Dreamers packed it.
Being welcomed by fans chanting ‘Dreamers! Dreamers!’ it’s as if they’d never been away, still with a tight sound and again fans singing along to every word.
As far as reunions go, it couldn’t have gone any better and i’m sure this wont be the last we hear of the Dreamers, with more Hull dates to be announced the band are looking forward to gigging, recording and ‘possibly’ writing some new material so look out, THEY’RE BACK!

If you’ve got any views on the boys or any other reviews on bands you’ve seen in and around Hull email them in to info@hullvibe.co.uk and we’ll spread your thoughts with the rest of Hull.

We love the place and there's nowhere in Hull we'd rather host our parties. The venue, atmosphere, music and the staff are all second to none.

Bring on Bank Holiday Sunday 26th August for our next Terrace Party and Shinobi. 2pm start, live music & DJs all day, free before 4pm and only £1 after - door donation & collections for the St Andrew's Children's Hospice.

www.differentlanguage.co.uk
www.myspace.com/differentlanguage

The foods bloody brilliant, me and my friend got a platter for 2 and it was the best EVER! and the pizzas are excellent, i had a vegetable one and it really hity the spot, fresh and just perfect!

i love the sunday BBQs too, im vegetarian so i love the Falaffel and spicy beans that they do. i just wish they did falaffel during the day and not just at the sunday BBq.

if the weathers good i might go again this sunday, aint been for a while..damn ive made myself hungry now...grr
xx

I absolutely love this place, it has a warm and friendly staff, I have witnessed hardly any trouble in all the times I have been, it is such a chilled out and relaxed atmosphere - would definately recommend this place, and if you do feel a bit innibriated they do have an expresso machine that soon brings you back to your senses after a couple! My favourite bar :-)

Air Traffic are certainly on the up. I saw them a couple of weeks back on Jules Holland and they really delivered the goods last night. There wasn't masses of people there, but that added to the atmosphere in a funny way because the venue is fairly small anyway. I think they are only young lads, but in terms of musical ability and stage presence they are certainly mature. Try their myspace - airtrafficlive.

i went 2 see them ther its a good place and the bar staff hot

I f**king love The Lamp!... especially Shinobi, GOOD TIMES!!