Tuesday 17 November 2009

There's always going to come a time when we go dancing

One hundred people dancing to The Rocky Nest; Standard Fare looking almost shy that people knew the words to their songs; Liz from The School getting a bit teary during their set; Elizabeth Darlin' making grown men weep and swoon at the same time; and Tender Trap playing a set so effervescent that it belied the fact that they were by far the elder statespeople of indiepop.

All these things and more made the all-dayer on Sunday such a wonderful, wonderful day. It started at 11am in The Bell where I met Andy and drank a couple of Sunday morning(!) pints to fight off the nerves, and ended, for me at least, around 10.30pm, competely dead on my feet.

Every act was great, but Standard Fare ruled the day for me. I always think it must be strange being in a band and hiding yourself away for hours, trying to write these songs, and then actually having people love them. That's what seems to amaze Standard Fare more than anything else in the world, and it's completely disarming and wonderful. And Emma's voice doesn't so much send shivers down my spine as paralyse me for half an hour.

The days after events like this - events when you've seen so many friends in the same room as you enjoying the same things - are horrible. Luckily we've got the London Popfest in February to look forward to, and it's nearly time for Indietracks again, right?

I'm off back to bed.

1 comment:

Colin said...

We were lucky to share the stage with Standard Fare this summer in London - I don't know how to describe her voice, either, but I love it - and the recordings really stick in yr head as well!

I wish I could have been at this - so many of my favorite bands at the same time!

yow!