Thinking back to the chicken shack

I hope I still have the heart for music but it is indeed I didn't go to gigs much recently.  Maybe I only saw three acts this year (!!! how desiccated I become!!!) but they were all fabulous.


Slowdive @ KITEC, Hong Kong 28.07.2014



Since neil halstead decided to grow his beard and called himself mojave 3, it's like he waved goodbye to his teenage years.  Slowdive became a vague reveries that you may sometimes recall it out of the blue, those dreamlike guitar sound, those long gone shoegazing years.  I never thought I could really see their live but yes, miracle happened.  It's great that neil put down his acoustic guitar, united with his old pals and relived his teenage years once in a while.   What impressed me most was that they were able to turn back the time to the 90's hands down.  Rachel was still charming with her angelic murmuring.  It was just like heaven to be drowned in their guitar sirens.  We were all stunned by the beauty of Golden Hair and chuffed to have the Dagger aimed at our heart again.


Spiritualized @ Rotunda 3, Hong Kong 11.08.2014



At first, I thought I could feel the psyche kicks again but, no no no.  We didn't have any psychedelic lighting or visual backdrop, no Electric Mainline, no effect of having substance.  Instead we had gospel choir and a very haggard Jason Pierce.  Having said that I didn't complain about the lack of any psychedelic element - all is because of the beautiful Always Forgetting With You.   I didn't expect to hear the rare track in The Space Project, but thanks to the tender Jason Pierce.  This bittersweet love song is always my soft spot.


The Libertines @ Alexandra Palace, London 26.09.2014
The Libertines @ Alexandra Palace, London 27.09.2014
The Libertines @ Alexandra Palace, London 28.09.2014



This picture makes me think of the words "dance like nobody's watching" (aka 旁若無人)

You know how devastated I was that I could not go to their Hyde Park reunion gig this summer. What?  I was given a second chance?  This time, the always out-of-luck fangirl did get her prayer answered!!!  (and here what the answer was:)
Yes, The Libertines announced to have London gigs in September and I had to go there no matter what.  After the short libertines film, the three magical nights began (and only the first night got the full version of the film, seems like an opening ceremony, I actually did not like the film playing at the gig, too polished and over-produced, libertines are meant to be raw and impromptu.)   We the old ship crews were glad with the songs in the first night, we had songs that thinking back to the chicken shack, with our secrets to keep us warm.  And we all grew sentimental in You're my Waterloo, that's the love song of Peter and Carlos, isn't it?  I think the boys themselves also got a bit emotional too.  The second night was the wildest.  Maybe it's Saturday and it was like the usual libertines gigs, I had to grasp for my place and my survival.  But maybe love among the band or us towards the band was too great, although the crowd was frenzied, they're also friendly, very paradoxical, right? it's like the libertines, they're pure and perverted, we the fans, violent and amicable.  Naughty Peter played a bit Bang Band You're Dead after Fuck Forever and it followed by What Became of the Likely Lads, ... humm..., what an arrangement.  The final night, my highlight was The Ballad of Grimaldi sung by Carl.  It was also a love song of Peter and Carlos (ok, that's the interpretation of me the abnormal fangirl).  it's about how a man kills the thing he loves.  they've killed each other before.  they're now given the second chance (an answer to fangirls' prayer again?)  I hope the story of the libertines will have a happy ending, for these three magical nights did end splendidly.  hopefully, the myth of albion goes on...