Well, I went to that "indie showcase" thing last night, and it was pants. I arrived after 10pm, finding a somewhat dingy pub. In the middle of the floor (the pub had no actual stage, you see), a group of musicians were playing a Dire Straits cover. It didn't get any better; the band, it seemed, was an ordinary covers band. The patrons didn't seem to be paying much attention, being pretty much regulars who apparently didn't come here for the music. I left shortly after the start of the third song ("Still Got The Blues For You"), immediately after draining my pint of Guinness, and caught a chain of buses back.

(Btw, English pub Guinness tastes rather like the Australian stuff, or perhaps more like the stuff you get in cans in Australia. Don't know yet what the Irish Guinness tastes like.)

Posted by: MJ | http:// | Tue Oct 29 17:43:11 2002

Well, I'm not from Britain, but my understanding is that 'indie' is used in the literal sense over there. As in independent or unsigned bands without regards to style. IOW, that unsigned polka band could be very 'indie' (well, I guess with the right attitude they could be very indie here in Chicago, too) MJ

Posted by: acb | http://dev.null.org/ | Wed Oct 30 01:25:23 2002

I think the NME definition of "indie" means "not signed to a major recording label", and "major" means "EMI, Warner, BMG, Sony or Universal". Thus a few years ago, the NME indie charts were dominated by Britney Spears, Nsync and the Backstreet Boys, all products of that greatest of indie labels, Zomba.

Posted by: kstop | | Wed Oct 30 10:39:25 2002

If the "yet" implies that you're also visiting Ireland, indie bandery details can be found on www.thumped.com and www.eventguide.ie - think you've just about missed the Dublin Electronic Arts Festival at this point, but.

Posted by: acb | http://dev.null.org | Wed Oct 30 11:14:23 2002

Ta. I may be in Dublin for a day or two (depending on how things unfold; London is proving interesting enough to hang around in, and then there are all the places in England, Scotland and Wales I'd like to visit), but I'll certainly take a look, and possibly time my visit accordingly.

Posted by: acb | http://dev.null.org/ | Wed Oct 30 11:16:31 2002

(Speaking of gigs in Dublin, I do believe that Ninetynine are playing there in early November sometime...)

Posted by: kstop | | Wed Oct 30 11:49:46 2002

Yeah, this weekend I think. I'll probably go along, as I like one of the support bands anyway.

Posted by: acb | http://dev.null.org/ | Wed Oct 30 23:37:46 2002

Who's supporting them, and what are they like?

Posted by: kstop | | Thu Oct 31 14:47:09 2002

Joan of Arse, who are sort of quiet but rockin with really good lyrics (for some reason the phrase "urban folk rock" comes to mind, so I'll probably have to self-flagelate later to make up for it) and the Coldspoon Conspiracy, about whom I have no opinion, having only heard them once while drunk.

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