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Craig Parker | profile | all galleries >> Chain of Flowers >> Roger >> Synthetic 07/31/08 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Synthetic 07/31/08

Signed Set List Roger & Erin.jpg
Signed Set List Roger & Erin.jpg		 Poster and Signed Set List.jpg
Poster and Signed Set List.jpg		 Roger O'Donnell & Erin Lang @ Synthetic, Cavendish Arms 31-07-08 01.jpg
Roger O'Donnell & Erin Lang @ Synthetic, Cavendish Arms 31-07-08 01.jpg		 Roger O'Donnell & Erin Lang @ Synthetic, Cavendish Arms 31-07-08 02.jpg
Roger O'Donnell & Erin Lang @ Synthetic, Cavendish Arms 31-07-08 02.jpg
Roger O'Donnell & Erin Lang @ Synthetic, Cavendish Arms 31-07-08 03.jpg
Roger O'Donnell & Erin Lang @ Synthetic, Cavendish Arms 31-07-08 03.jpg		 Roger O'Donnell & Erin Lang @ Synthetic, Cavendish Arms 31-07-08 04.jpg
Roger O'Donnell & Erin Lang @ Synthetic, Cavendish Arms 31-07-08 04.jpg

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Craig Parker04-Aug-2008 21:25
Here's a review from Marco:

Thanks for reminding me about the live show by Roger O'Donnel feat. Erin Lang. I went down to Stockwell to the Cavendish Arms to see them play and I really enjoyed it.

The Cavendish Arms is a good-sized pub in a residential street with a beer garden at the front - not the kind of place I would've expected to find bands playing. The front bar had large leather sofas, flock black and gold wallpaper and board games around the room. The staff were friendly and cool. In fact the whole venue was cool. Casual cool. A hidden gem.

Through into the 'ballroom' at the back was a medium-sized room with black and white floor tiles, a low stage just a step off the floor which was framed by gathered red curtains. Tables and chairs were placed on the two sides of the room and another leather sofa at the back of the room. The room could probably hold 200 people but tonight it was more like 50.

I walked in as the first band Lettie took to the stage. I stood by the entrance as I hadn't yet got myself a drink. After their opener I ducked out and quickly returned to my place at the door. I realised that I was standing in front of a table and when I looked around to move aside a little to better the person's view, I saw that it was Roger and Erin. They watched all the bands tonight.

Lettie was good. Fun, interesting and very likeable. Just a girl and a guy. A bass, a casio keyboard, a mini keyboard, 3 foot pedals and a tape recorder. Each song was catchy and original. Quite fragile. Cool lyrics. The singer's voice was sweet as she busied herself selecting sounds on her keys and tapping her foot pedal to record and repeat vocal and keyboard phrases that echoed back as a backing vocal during the next bar. Mr Bass strummed along and kept up the groove.

Next up was Hornbeam. A lad with an Apple laptop and a machine at a table. Thundering beats, bleeps and tweaks. Quite an assault for a weekday. 2 people danced madly. Many went into the front bar for a drink or into the garden for a smoke. Including...

Third band was another duo called Noush. I had seen a girl in the crowd wearing a school uniform-esque outfit, pony tails tied with green ribbons and a slicked-down fringe. Behold the singer of Noush. Her partner wore black, hair flowing like a mad conductor. His lush keys and electro beats provided the music for the singer to trill and whisper over as she walked and bopped and pointed through the set. Apparently, one of their songs was reviewed in Korea. Finishing with 2 strong new songs, Noush left the stage without even a glimmer of a smile.

Roger O'Donnell started his set alone playing 2 new songs, Prince and Endlessly. He was then joined by Erin Lang to play the well-known Treasure and For The Truth In You. Just like on his CD, Truth In Me followed to complete the core of the set. Roger's sound was a fantastic, hypnotic journey that gently led the audience along its stellar path. Using the same Moog setup as can be seen in videos on YouTube, Roger looked comfortable and happy as he drew the small crowd into his dreamworld of swirling keyboards. Next came This Is A Story before Erin rejoined him onstage and sang her own Daisy for which Roger has done a remix (or it may have been the next track Tiny). The pair performed the final 3 songs together, finishing with This Grey Morning. Thank you Roger and Erin for a personal and special night.

Both Roger and Erin stayed in the front bar chatting to family, friends and punters after the show. Erin was very nice and friendly and encouraged me to 'play some bass!', which she also wrote on the setlist which she signed for me. Roger also signed the setlist which was simply written on a Steinway & Sons note pad sheet. I was pleased they both accepted my offer of a drink, small white wine for Erin and a Jack Daniels and coke for Roger. Roger was also very nice and talked about his new CD to me which he is eager to release. He mentioned a delay due to a 4 month lead time for the label to promote the record. He was very relaxed and made me feel at ease, including me in his general conversation he was having with other people. He even asked Erin if she had a white label copy of his CD to give me but as it was in the car already he asked me for my address and said that he would send it to me. Truly kind.

I didn't talk about The Cure to Roger as I didn't think it was appropriate at his own show. All I did want to simply ask was if he had seen any of their 4Tour shows but sometimes it is better just to wonder...

Thank you once again Roger and Erin. I'm looking forward to hearing the new CD.

I took a few pictures using my phone and I have also taken some of the poster and the signed setlist. They are included here.

Thanx

Marco x
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