Basic

Molly from Alvvays asked the crowd what Leicester was like and the answer - possibly misheard, misunderstood or both - was "basic." "That's like a big insult in the UK, right...?" She replied, cheerfully. At the o2 Academy at Leicester University - actually 'Academy 2', round the back, not my favourite venue (despite the fact that it reminds me of the Riley Smith Hall at Leeds Uni, and thus Fall gigs in the late 80's and the Afghan Whigs in particularly ferocious form) as it's rather like a school hall, unusually chill and characterless and redolent of farts and desultory crowds for midweek Wedding Present gigs, however much blue light and dry ice they try to disguise it with. "Nice room!" Said Molly, cheerfully...

Alvvays were great, though, as ever - and my regular afternoon trawl of the internet for Stage Times (potential boon for the middle-aged gig goer that they are...) had revealed that Spinning Coin were supporting, a definite bonus! I made the effort to get there early...