Type

When I started out working in print design and advertising twelve years ago, one of the designers took time out to explain to me the power of type as a graphic medium. "A picture may be worth a thousand words, but it has nothing on some perfectly crafted type." he said.

Type has the ability to instantly convey a mood or a message before the reader even has a chance to read the words that it constructs. Below is one of the best examples I have seen in a while...a new twist on some familiar dialogue.

Kasabian :: Live

One of the blessings of living in this city is that you get to see most of your favourite bands up close and personal. Bands always fit a stop in to Amsterdam on the European leg of their tours and there are really only two venues - Paradiso and Melkweg - both of which are small. So whereas in London you'd be struggling for a decent view, here in Amsterdam both venues have wrap around balconies and excellent acoustics to allow for maximum enjoyment (for even the latest of stragglers).

Last night's Kasabian gig at Paradiso was a perfect example. We turned up about 20 minutes before they got on stage and still managed to claim a spot on the 1st floor balcony so close I could have poured my beer on to Chris's bass. We had some friends turn up late and they managed to slot right in behind us...all at a sell-out gig. So good.

Though Kasabian's swagger is something of an anachronism in these days of indy winsome posturing, it is nothing if not infectious. They picked up the place from the moment they belted out Reason is Treason and never let up. They were totally wired and were clearly enjoying themselves whipping up an extremely responsive and largely British crowd. With the chanting echoing throughout the venue, the whole experience was like being at a football match. One skinhead up the front got so amped up he started throttling other gig-goers out of sheer over-excitement. Luckily for his victims, his big breasted girlfriend intervened each time to calm him down.

While Kasabian may not be breaking any new ground, they are the masters of guitar AND synth driven rock. Last night they rocked the venue with flawless workmanship. Leadsinger Tom whipped the crowd into a frenzy with his Mick Jagger swagger and 'come-on-let's-have-it' gestures (like Mick, Tom's stage routine is just the right side of camp for rock n' roll). Serge stayed as still as possible so the girls could get a good look and swoon, Jason looked like he was dressed for a Jesus and Mary Chain convention and Ian and his ever increasing girth bashed the hell out of his tom-toms.

It was an excellent gig that mainlined rock n roll into your veins. Even the most cynical hipster couldn't have stopped his foot from tapping. Kasabian are good and they know it.

They also give good video. See below for their Banksy-esque 'Reason is Treason' clip

Jetman

I want one.

The Rapture 'Pieces of the People We Love'

I am but one of many that has been loving The Rapture's latest album, 'Pieces of the People We Love'.

Their video for their hipster dissin' 'Whoo! Alright-Yeah... Uh Huh'directed by Ben Dickinson was the most fun had on a Brooklyn rooftop since I don't know when.

So what are band and director to do for a follow up?

Change direction it seems. Ben Dickinson shares the directing credits with Jon Watts in this video for album title track 'Pieces of the People We Love'. The boys drop the superhero capes and Beastie-Boy-goofiness to go for a more stylish and paired down vibe. Colour and animation also step aside to allow for desaturated and minimalist photography in a white studio egg - with characters literally emerging from the shadows.

It works.

Oh - and they throw in a glitter suit to let us know they're not taking themselves too seriously.




Streaming Quicktime here

New design

I finally found some time this weekend to have a bash at re-skinning this blog and lose that bland template. My Photoshop skills were a little rusty but I got there in the end.

I also checked in on my analytics this weekend and was happy to see a decent amount of global traffic passing through. There was of course the expected European and Stateside traffic, but also some from China, Argentina, Turkey and Indonesia too. Welcome to all of you and if you have time, please feel free to leave a comment on the blog or Gmail me at hairybones. Let me know what you like about Hairybones Blog, what you dislike, what you'd like see more or of etc. I need the input...it is after all only early days.

Stay hairy.

Bright Eyes 'Four Winds'

The king of performance-based indy music videos, Patrick Daughters, has directed this effort for Bright Eye's 'Four Winds'. Patrick has an enviable reputation for eliciting powerful performances from the artists he works with - most notably for Yeah Yeah Yeahs' 'Maps'. Coner's performance doesn't disappoint in this video and Patrick's photography is typically sharp and captivating (and there's the signature gig-in-an-irregular-venue setting), yet the core concept somehow falls a little flat with me...



...maybe it's the plastic cups. I can appreciate they are the only thing venues will let you drink out of these days, but it's all a bit soft compared to what the Blues Brothers had to put up with:



PS. I'm yet to find a version of Four Winds without a screwed aspect ratio. How do you manage to fuck that up? Did they get their grandmother to capture it on her new widescreen TV? Tsk.

Music

In all the navel-gazing about new genres, breaking acts, what's cool, what's not and general hipster chin-stroking - it's easy to forget what music is really about and how it has the power to break down the boundaries of genres, generations, backgrounds and cultures.

I'd never heard of Naturally 7 until I saw this. They are a New York based a cappella group that only do covers. Watch below as their impromptu performance on the Paris Metro slowly takes effect on some of the glum Parisian commuters around them (regardless of background).

This really isn't my style - yet it made the hair on my bones stand on-end and put a smile on my face.

That's the power of music.