2024 and radio silence

 It's been a bit quiet on Leith Notes for a while - only two posts before this one, the first in February and the last in December.

Leith Notes opened 2024 with the immensely wonderful Josienne Clarke who I'd been waiting for years to see live - I've been listening to her since before Leith Notes existence. I discovered her through my early days streaming music and probably found her more by accident than design. Did finally seeing her play lead to a deep satisfaction that meant no one else could move me to write about my experience of music, politics or the other things I write about here? While she's good,

To be fair 2024 has been a tumultuous year at Leith Notes villa. I worked part of the year as campaign manager for a candidate in the General Election and that consumed what free time had, well almost. I did regularly attended gigs and remained enthused by what I was experiencing. Often it was a welcome balm and release from the difficult and fractious political world. The General Election result did not go well for the SNP leading me to redundancy. That and my partner deciding that it was time to train as a teacher meant that there was change all around. Labour said it was change we needed haha.

I hope in the next few weeks to write about the year, the gigs, the politics, the hope, the enjoyment, the stuff that made me start Leith Notes all those years ago. After the ups and downs of 2024 I'll be looking for the discipline of writing to pull me into 2025. As always with a nostalgia for an age yet to come. 

Television Personalities, Cult Figures supported by Big Lanes - Bannerman's Edinburgh December 2024

I'm always a bit wary of revisiting musical inspiration from my twenties (code for late 1970s early 1980s kids). But there can be exceptions and tonight was one of those. There were two bands that I should have seen when I was young and stupid but didn't because well...

Hooked in by a promised appearance of the legendary 'Cult Figures'. I've got their 'Zip Nolan' single from back in the day that thought that was it, 7 seconds of fame and blam they were gone. I think that was the case at the time but they are out there again. Indeed I had a ticket to see them a couple of years ago only to have them enigmatically cancel the gig. Did they really exist? Were they imaginary Cult Figures? Whatever I've still got the flyer for the gig that never happened. As it turns out they are real and produce an infectious sound that's a lot of fun since you're asking. Because there was never an extensive back catalogue their set was mainly relatively new songs including a few recent unreleased tracks, meeting my criteria of moving on. I could have listened to them for longer and thanks to streaming services undoubtedly will. 

Television Personalities were a bit more real in my memory not least for the 'hit' the instantly singalong smash 'Part Time Punks' and an album with a picture of Steed from the Avengers with Twiggy on the cover. This combo was formed and led by Dan Treacy who is not able to tour anymore and entrusts his creations to capable hands who play them with a great amount of warmth, wit, and energy. There was something touching about the current line-ups dedication to keeping the Television Personalities legacy alive and with a good bit of kick. They were joined onstage for a couple of numbers by the garage band legend Lenny Van Helsing probably best known for legendary Edinburgh combo the Thanes. They ended the set with the 'hit' keeping everyone happy. 

It was a great night filling in some gaps in my musical memories.

Shout out too for the opening act Big Lanes who hail from a more recent vintage and produce a guitar drenched pop sound that is well worth catching.