Link to PJ Harvey's review fit and working again, thanks Iain!

Completely forgot about BEYOND NASHVILLE at the Barbican, most of this weekend and various events til Nov 12th. The big one tonight is sold out (Kurt Wagner, Howe Gelb, Kristin Hersh etc) but there are some free events over the weekend. Lincoln and Oh Susanna are on now, Willard Grant Conspiracy are playing for free after 11.30pm, Barbican level 1. Mark Mulcahy is also doing something tomorrow afternoon.

Birthday part 1: fireworks at Alexandra Palace, then some drinking. It's as simple as that!

I've been to see the wonderful Amelie at last. Afterwards as I walked back up Wood Green High Road it seemed like I had been cocooned from the ugly modern world for a couple of hours. It seemed to strike a chord with me, maybe it's something to do with being an only child and having an overactive imagination. I absolutely loved it.

On to musical matters now, and news that the Clientele are playing next week in the Spitz. They're supporting the Ladybug Transistor on Thursday 8th November, and I don't know how much it costs yet!

Loooook, it's the Delgados Studio Diary! Follow the progress as they record their new album in Glasgow.

I've been beavering away on the website, and I've updated the PJ Harvey, Hefner and Les Savy Fav pages with new reviews, and added a recent review of Preston School of Industry.

I'm suffering from the first onset of birthday-planning stress which is seriously distracting me from finishing the live reviews! This year my birthday (Nov 4th) falls when I'm in London so I have to try and mobilise everyone towards some kind of central meeting point. People come and go from London all the time, so you get various friends saying things like "I can't do Saturday, but I'm free next Wednesday" and your celebrations end up being diluted. Things are easier in Belfast, when everyone just meets in Katy Daly's, buys you a pint and you end up staggering home hammered.
So far I've managed to narrow it down to a particular day - Saturday 3rd - which is something at least! Getting everyone in the same place may be more of a challenge, though I think I'll keep it central early on (say, Covent Garden or Soho) though Notting Hill Arts Club in the afternoon is also possible. Who knows where we'll end up, but the odds of getting everyone to the Bonnie Prince Billy gig in Shepherds Bush Empire would be slim to say the least!

On the subject of gigs, Mercury Rev at Shepherds Bush Empire on Nov 1 +2 is completely sold out, as is the first Air show at Brixton Academy on the 3rd. Still tickets for Air on the 4th apparently. And on a smaller scale, Kaito are playing on Nov 2 Upstairs at the Garage, as part of the Silver Rocket club. Should be £4 or £5, late bar.

Not much in the way of new releases this week, just a couple of singles caught my eye.
Jetplane Landing Revolution Rock 7" (yogaboy). JPL feature Andrew ex-Cuckoo in their ranks, this is the follow up to their track on the last Fierce Panda EP.
The Rock of Travolta I love it when a plan comes together Cd single. Currently being lusted after by all sorts of majors, this is a new version of the track from their debut mini-album.   

As for gigs, don't forget Olympic Lifts and Saloon on 30th October at the Toynbee Hall Arts Cafe, 28 Commercial Street London, E1 6LS. It's a Track and Field promotion, so it should be about £5 in. Nearest tubes Aldgate East or Liverpool St.