Cardiacs Manchester Academy 21st november

Here we are again, it has been nearly 3 years since I was last able to witness this most amazing band, and tonight would reaffirm how good this band is. With us tonight is a Cardiacs virgin, so who knows what she is expecting. Supporting the Cardiacs is former Cardiac, Jon Poole, with his band The Damn Filthy Whores.

Ballsy rock n roll with a Cardiacsy twist, entertain all those who wish to stand, sit or swim before them. Banter with ’Bernard Manning’ and a brief love affair with a large beard are but tiny interludes in these precedings. Jon’s tenure as focal point come to an end, but entertaining he was and always will be.

Of course we the fish, are here for the big ugly shark, and this huge swimming muscle must flex and twist the night away. The bass drum pounds with constant poundings, an introduction to what is to follow, and what follows will be remembered till our synapses cease their firing. This grand spectacle beholds the swaying pond, while a historial selection of musical interludes with smatterings of current offerings are welcomed with open hearts and minds. Highlights include Tarred & Feathered, Breakfast Line, Dive and RES.

Tim is his usual self, a duality of personas, headmaster and child, while his brother is a stoic as usual, with the occasional bow to the pond in recognition of appreciation. Karvus the animated, is well, animated. The new non-dancing girls don’t dance but bang drums and sing with aplomb. Bob, when you can see him, wears headphones with style, and his style works the room.

So comes the end, a little earlier that the set-list had planned for, but, well it doesn’t really matter, does it, for what came before is more than what we expected. So say goodbye to those funsters, hope to see you soon, maybe on one of those digital plastic disc things, if youtube is anything to go by.

Tim Smith - Liverpool Academy

tim smith

liverpool academy march 26th 2006

Cardiacs being lovable funsters, and lacking frequent live appearences, are allowing limited exposure in limited locations. Such an appearence wherever the location, is of prime interest to a pond dwelling, shark fearing fish. The location Liverpool, the incarnation for the evening is Mr Tim Smith playing a selection of Cardiacs tunes, accompanied by Mr Jon Poole (ex Cardiacs guitarist, now Wildhearts bassplayer) & Ginger (Wildhearts) and a big bass drum.

The evenings entertainment of primary concern is of a supporting kind, Ginger has collected together like minded individuals to be known as Ginger & The Sonic Circus. This will be the main act of the night, but for us fishies, it is of lesser importance. We want Tim. Cameras are primed, recorders are set to record, and time must pass before all that is about to happen.

Happily flapping about are a small school of fish, bestowed in monochromatic attire potraying appreciaton of all things Alphabetical and Business Concern. The last seconds make their long swing around the clock, time is apparent, its Timmy time.

Sitting at the front of the stage, guitar on his lap, not so big big bass drum infront of him, Tim beams at his welcoming audience. To either side of him are Jon and Ginger, unmoving, emotionless. Jon is sporting a rather sporting moustache and beard, both he and Ginger have dressed up for the evening, but still they make no sound. Regular fish in the pond greet Tim with love and admiration, vocalising such emotion, trying to elicit a response from Tim. Tim bespectacled for the evening uses his Quade-like grin, signals to his cohorts, time to begin.

Conducting all around him from behind his not so big big bass drum, his accoustic guitar manages to become more that it was built for, sequences appear from nowhere, swirl around us and dissapear as though they had never been. Punctuating at irregular intervals, the not so big big bass drum pounds out beats from under Tims flapping foot. Keeping some measure of time, not controling but guiding the processes eminating from the minds on stage, forcing fingers into fret based dancings best described as elusive.

New arrangements of familar Cardiacs tunes bemuse and amuse the welcoming crowd, newbies maintain a bemused expression, this is like nothing they have experienced before, even to the initiated, its refreshing and new. Somebody compares it to Tenacious D mixed with Fantomas, but comparisons aside all regard what they are experiencing as most enjoyable. In between peculiar renditions of 'Duck And Roger The Horse' and 'Anything I Can't Eat', Tim regales the shallow pond of eager fish with strange stories of tiny people, and often surreal oneway conversations.

During one such musical rendition, the song is paused until the fish make a selections as to who should perform a guitar solo to accompany and continue the song, Ginger is tonights chosen one, and expressing a slight flicker of emotion, plays said solo and returns to the stoic stance, both he and Jon have maintained throughout. More familiar tunes are given a fresh, yet stripped approach, ' To Go Off And Things' still has its manic stop start twitchiness about it, and 'Body's Bad' still drives its way epileptically to a final conclusion.

A final slowdown brings us to the eventual stop that had to arrive, unfortunalely there is no encore, but what we had was more than enough, its just a pity we dont get to experience this type of evenings cavalcade of musical stylings a little more often. Too much of a good thing if this sort of thing can never be bad, for it is never the same, no matter how many time to experience it. Its only spoiled by the fact that it is over, and who knows when we will see the likes of it again.

Next on the bill is 'Ginger And The Sonic Circus', so back on stage is Ginger and Jon, looking a little more relaxed than earlier. To say that this cup of tea is not my cup of tea, is more than adaquate for this musical styling, so a quick view is all that is needed, its time to go home, goodnight.

Cardiacs - Manchester Academy

Cardiacs

manchester academy december 9th 2004

Not having seen the Cardiacs for quite some time i was looking foward to it, especially as earlier that day i was in Barcelona visiting friends, so it was going to be an eventful evening to a long day.

Gladly my band of choice did not dissapoint.

A new guitarist had joined the ranks, and was filling a well worn pair of shoes as though he had bought them for himself. As for the choice of songs they played, well, a history lesson in the bizarre word that the Cardiacs inhabit was on the cards this evening.

A veritably well ticked dance card of old favourites was presented to a confused audience, as the Cardiacs were the support act for another, namely The Wildhearts, so the audience was not fully their own, but a gentle nudge in the right areas, and the fish in the pond were well and truely swimming in delight.

Out came all the classic tunes, some, as far as i know, had not seen the light of day for many many a year, but sounding as fresh as the daisy that adorned many a convert in the crowd. Tim loved us all, Tim loved his brother Jim, and we all loved them back.

But all good things must come to an end, and the end it did come, pity.

Watched the Wildhearts for a couple of songs, but no comparison.

Lets hope the Cardiacs play again sometime soon.