Of whales and tweets

So last night I went to my first gig 0f 2010 - Freelance Whales at the Borderline in Charing Cross Road. I went into it a little bit blind - not literally - because I'd actually only heard three of their songs (two of which are available for free download HERE), but I'd nevertheless fallen utterly head over heels in love with them on that basis alone (that and the fact the tickets were less than a tenner - BONUS). Think of them as the melodic offspring of a theoretical union between Sufjan Stevens and Arcade Fire, with perhaps a dash of The Polyphonic Spree thrown in for good measure and you wouldn't be going too far wrong.

I don't own their album yet because it doesn't come out here until next month, but I think they played it in (almost) its entirety.

Needless to say, it was an awesome gig. Yazzle Dazzle and I were right up close to the stage, and I just spent the entire time they were playing looking at them a bit dreamily because I couldn't believe quite how incredible they were. Although that said I was 100% sold from the word GO when they whipped out a banjo (I do love the musical twangings of a banjo) and what Lauren Laverne described on the radio today as "a keyboard with lungs" (apparently it's actually called a harmonium, but I prefer a keyboard with lungs).

Also, there was some top-quality xylophone action going on which was a marvel to behold, let me tell you.

Aside from that, I also liked the striped jumper worn by one of the band, so if anyone can tell me where I can get one just like it that would be much appreciated.

Stripy jumper front and centre: me likey, me wanty.

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Bizarre end to the evening: upon leaving the Borderline en route for the tube, we passed a bookshop, and there, nestled in the window alongside '25 Quick and Easy Meals' and a number of other cookery books, was this:

A quick search tells me that it's available with a fiver off from Amazon if anyone fancies it. Er, the book, I mean, not a, um - OH YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!

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Finally, you may have noticed just off to the right there, but I finally caved on Sunday and joined Twitter. Well I had to - two people whose opinions I trust told me I'd be awesome at it, so it would've been rude not to. It's all going remarkably swimmingly so far, although I'm intrigued to see how long the novelty will last. Anyway, if you're a twit, feel free to follow me HERE.