Live Blog: Vile versus Eric at Stereo

GKV: Hey Eric, I've just realised we can probably get a signal for the internet in Stereo. Fancy doing a live blog review of Nights at the Circus?

EK: Sure, why not? I'm impressed this works.

GKV: The magic of the Vile Arts. So - a bit of scene setting. We are in the basement of Stereo, the event has been curated by Natalie Pryce - we've been punting their new album on the show because I love a nice garage rock sound. But you seem to be enjoying the band onstage at the moment. I saw you doing some air drumming just there.

EK: Aye, they're loud and grungey. This seems like the appropriate setting for a gig like this. And yeah, look, even that guy was shaking to the beat! I wonder if you could mosh to this...

GKV: Don't let me stop you. But try and get a flyer first. I want to be sure about the line up before we publish this. For me, these guys are a little too metal - the intricate guitar solos, the serious vocals, the thudding bass, the sudden aggressive riffs. But I guess they do suit the venue pretty well. And they look like they sound - tough and uncompromising.

EK: Indeed. I think I've heard their vocalist before. Not entirely sure. Too bad there's not more  people here... It seems like a 'friend' audience to me. What do you think?

GKV: I just shat my pants as Derek McLuckie walked past in what appears to be a zombie military outfit. You might want to explain what you mean while I am wiping myself clean in the toilet...

EK: I meant that, judging by the number of people here, the audience seems to consist mainly of friends of the performers, although more and more people are joining the ranks. As for Mr. McLuckie, I saw him performing vocal exercises earlier. I wonder what he's doing tonight. Also I can see Calum Macaskill wandering around.... You've missed him.

GKV: Anyway, that's Dog Moon Howl rocking out on stage: I am not sure I'd agree about that. What I can see is an interesting  mixture. Dog Moon Howl are getting more metal, and this is very masculine music - I could see them sharing  a bill with the mighty Holy Mountain, as they have shades of that 1970s heaviness. But the audience is pretty balanced between men and women. I can see people I know from the theatre world and more obvious rock fans. And that's why we are here: to find out whether there is an audience for this kind of show.

EK: But Nights At The Circus? There is a variety of performers here, but I don't know whether I'd call it a 'circus'. Then again, they have some acrobats performing later, don't they?

GKV: Hey, you are the one checking out the acrobats. You'd know better than me... Give it time. It might be a reference to the Angela Carter novel - and it's more suggestive of a variety atmosphere than being about a traditional circus. Anyway, you like blues rock, so I imagine you are digging Dog Moon Howl...

EK: Indeed, it might be. I looked it up just now - it comes under 'speculative fiction'. No idea what that is. As for the atmosphere, I'd say I'm not the only one digging Dog Moon Howl. That guitar solo! Woof. Admittedly, I'm also impressed by Stereo's equipment, seeing as most gig-hosting  pubs I've been to tend to have bad acoustics.

GKV: Sorry, I just got distracted by that couple snogging in the corner.