David Thomas Broughton / Micachu & The Shapes / Treetop Flyers / First Aid Kit

Arnold Circus Bandstand
2 August 2009

A double-header of Bandstand Busking, on a perfect day for it. The deal is that short acoustic sets are performed and recorded at some of the old bandstands that survive at various locations around London. The BB team have a website for the films they make, with the action generally taking place on the first Sunday of the month.

DTB appears to be a kind of psychotic troubador, with staring eyes and a knack for awkward pauses, combined with a haunting hooting vocal style that perhaps doesn't inflect as much as it might if it were to sustain a serious level of interest. Nonetheless a compelling performer, with all manner of seemingly unplanned idiosyncratic tics and quirks - would anyone else begin singing a new song with a stick of blue chalk lodged fag-style in the corner of their mouth? How about attempts, while in full musical flow, to climb up onto the low wall around the edge of the bandstand?

Looming at one of the cameras, DTB advanced in a diminishing spiral, singing straight into the lens and - frightening moment alert! - genuine tension was created as everyone could see that the mid-floor sound mic was gradually being wrapped up in cable and could so easily be dislodged.....*pause*.....

but happily the equipment made it safely through the song. Phew!

And now - bad photo alert:


Photo credit: G Tothedogs

...told you.

Micachu and the Shapes were running a bit late, and looked a bit early morning-ish, but that didn't affect the songs which were, as ever, imaginatively remodelled to suit the circumstances. Their customised guitars were tapped, scraped, drummed and strummed to create the desired woozy assymetry, and these simplified performances showed just how strong the songs really are. Bless 'em, they were playing at Field Day the day before, and after Busking had to scoot off to Standon Calling. Busy bees.

The later pair of Busks were both really very good, but fit into the 'tuneful but not especially memorable' bracket and couldn't match the spark of Mica and DTB.