Great Escape Friday

*****Written some time after the event as I'm a lazy so-and-so. Apologies for any errors******

After the outstanding performances from Sunset Rubdown and Okkervil River the previous night, Friday got off to something of a slow start at the Artrocker gig at The Water Margin. Teasing Lulu, Le Tetsuo and The Race were on, but none really caught my ears. The Prince Albert suffered a power-cut so our trip to see Slow Club at the Republic of Music Distribution Showcase was aborted meaning we were back off to the End of the Pier show at Horatios. After all you've got to love a bar at the end of a pier! Mod revivalists My Federation were the first band we caught and were enjoyable, if unremarkable. Much more energy from the last band of the afternoon, Parka, who produced a good show despite the lethargic crowd.

In the absence of a standout show anywhere in the evening, we returned to Horatios. Slow Club appeared undeterred by their problems at the Prince Albert and mustered an enjoyable set, including percussion played on a chair and a bin.

Both members of Slow Club appeared with the next band of the day, the Mae Shi. One of the few bands we saw to make an effort with their performance, they proved to be one of the stand-outs of the whole festival. Opening their set by covering as much of the crowd as possible in a white sheet, the tunes, and the fun, kept the crowd literally hanging off the Horatios' furniture.

Hot Club de Paris, whom followed, could never hope to top that performance, and as the crowd drifted away it was the Mae Shi that they were talking about.