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smokingbootAt least Valentino's bookie shop was safe. Marco Mendoza knew better than to give Vinnie Vexx the mike for Waiting for an Alibi, but he obliged him with The Boys Are Back In Town to all our regrets.
Vinnie bounced and bopped and tried to sing at the same time, which only works live if you are unbelievably fit and/or your pipes are very strong*. When in doubt, especially in a venue that seems to be having sound problems, save your lungs for the music. Caroline Kenyon understood this when Bastette were doing their thing. She moved sinuously, twisting and roaring and purring at the audience, just getting a great sound out there, and it worked perfectly; but she was out of breath between songs because she knew she had to make the effort. Vinnie had neither the voice, nor the nous to know he didn't have the voice. You can get away with a lot in cheese rock, for it seldom takes itself too seriously, and the energy generated is at least as important as musical ability, but try covering Phil Lynott's work with a thin voice and you end up as Vinnie did, hands curled desperately round the mike with little reedy meeps emerging now and then. By the end of the song he was desperate to be bundled off, and AFAIK sat around the foyer moping ever after.
His band, Bad Actress,are supporting Marco Mendoza's tour. Mendoza's a real craftsman, who gave us not only a half hours tribute to Thin Lizzy in celebration of the dates back in the 70s when that group came to Inverness, but easily an hours more music; we appreciated it but left when it became noise noodling. From what I understand he carried on into the early hours. I suspect Vinnie didn't return to the stage that night.
They weren't the highlights of Monsterfest 2022 for me; not even Mason Hill and Bastette were, though they put on great shows. No, the breakout star was some guy I had never heard of, Iain McLoughlin and his group, The Outsiders. These are local to Inverness, and over the past three years, what with real life, new families, and lockdown, appear to have exactly one song out. There's got to be an album somewhere. but I can't find it.
This was the feeling of Inverness, full of music and a very laid back vibe. Didn't need the festival for tunes really, there were singers and songs, disco, or karaoke in every pub, and if you didn't like the sound you just went somewhere else. Away from the festival we ate and drank, walked and talked, visited the museum, enjoyed the stories of the place. There are, I think, many more yet to discover. It was all very easy and just what we needed.
We returned home after three days, sunshine brilliant over the mountains and woods, the land turning to gold, and me once again experiencing that sense of barely scratching the surface of Scotland.
Friends arrived Sunday night, and that was excellent too; fifteen, eighteen years falling away like leaves, like all these autumn leaves beating a trail to my front door!
The little demon lord recalled his fairy catmother, she stroked him and he nuzzled her, and between us all the conversation and food were rich together. It was all good.
And yes, here's my wish to any passers-by for a very Happy Halloween. May the dark of the year be as warm or cold as you wish, with silence when you need and music when you want XXX
* This is how I knew Madonna was done; she's always been good at dancing and singing together, which takes admirable fitness. Eurovision 2019 revealed she couldn't bring it anymore, but hey, it's OK not to be fit forever. Jump to 2022; once you find yourself on Tiktok chucking your knickers at a bin in a bid for relevance, it's probably time to say goodnight.
Vinnie bounced and bopped and tried to sing at the same time, which only works live if you are unbelievably fit and/or your pipes are very strong*. When in doubt, especially in a venue that seems to be having sound problems, save your lungs for the music. Caroline Kenyon understood this when Bastette were doing their thing. She moved sinuously, twisting and roaring and purring at the audience, just getting a great sound out there, and it worked perfectly; but she was out of breath between songs because she knew she had to make the effort. Vinnie had neither the voice, nor the nous to know he didn't have the voice. You can get away with a lot in cheese rock, for it seldom takes itself too seriously, and the energy generated is at least as important as musical ability, but try covering Phil Lynott's work with a thin voice and you end up as Vinnie did, hands curled desperately round the mike with little reedy meeps emerging now and then. By the end of the song he was desperate to be bundled off, and AFAIK sat around the foyer moping ever after.
His band, Bad Actress,are supporting Marco Mendoza's tour. Mendoza's a real craftsman, who gave us not only a half hours tribute to Thin Lizzy in celebration of the dates back in the 70s when that group came to Inverness, but easily an hours more music; we appreciated it but left when it became noise noodling. From what I understand he carried on into the early hours. I suspect Vinnie didn't return to the stage that night.
They weren't the highlights of Monsterfest 2022 for me; not even Mason Hill and Bastette were, though they put on great shows. No, the breakout star was some guy I had never heard of, Iain McLoughlin and his group, The Outsiders. These are local to Inverness, and over the past three years, what with real life, new families, and lockdown, appear to have exactly one song out. There's got to be an album somewhere. but I can't find it.
This was the feeling of Inverness, full of music and a very laid back vibe. Didn't need the festival for tunes really, there were singers and songs, disco, or karaoke in every pub, and if you didn't like the sound you just went somewhere else. Away from the festival we ate and drank, walked and talked, visited the museum, enjoyed the stories of the place. There are, I think, many more yet to discover. It was all very easy and just what we needed.
We returned home after three days, sunshine brilliant over the mountains and woods, the land turning to gold, and me once again experiencing that sense of barely scratching the surface of Scotland.
Friends arrived Sunday night, and that was excellent too; fifteen, eighteen years falling away like leaves, like all these autumn leaves beating a trail to my front door!
The little demon lord recalled his fairy catmother, she stroked him and he nuzzled her, and between us all the conversation and food were rich together. It was all good.
And yes, here's my wish to any passers-by for a very Happy Halloween. May the dark of the year be as warm or cold as you wish, with silence when you need and music when you want XXX
* This is how I knew Madonna was done; she's always been good at dancing and singing together, which takes admirable fitness. Eurovision 2019 revealed she couldn't bring it anymore, but hey, it's OK not to be fit forever. Jump to 2022; once you find yourself on Tiktok chucking your knickers at a bin in a bid for relevance, it's probably time to say goodnight.
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