Kid Harpoon

A Hawk And A Hacksaw, Kid Harpoon at London The Luminaire, Sun 12 Nov

Review by Colin Roberts

Despite the last-minute cancellation of oh-so-hot-right-now blog superstar Beirut due to ill health and personal circumstances, London has turned out en masse for co-headliners A Hawk And A Hacksaw - and I'll bet they're glad they did...»

The Luminaire

Since the demise of The National, Kilburn NW6 and surrounding locales have long been known as something of a musical desert, but now, The Luminaire, a 250 capacity, comfortable, slightly decadent and much-needed addition to London's small venue circuit, is promoting whatever alternative music can throw at it.

The venue is serviced by two tube lines [Jubilee + Bakerloo], two Silverlink rail lines [Brondesbury + Kilburn High Road stations] and a slew of buses [16, 32, 189, 316].

For directions, go here.»

Kid Harpoon

British solo artist.»

A Hawk And A Hacksaw

Jeremy Barnes of the seemingly disbanded Neutral Milk Hotel is the genius behind this scintillating project.

Two members, yes; many an instrument, yes. At the live show, Barnes alone has his beloved accordian close to his chest at all times, but uses the rest of his body (including a hat with bells attached and a drumstick protruding from the right hand side) to rotate between cymbal, gong, bass drum, and bongo. Quite a spectacle.

This is complicated by Heather Trost, dilligently playing her violin and creating a feeling of revolution, of shantydom, but of sadness too. Country songs from the '50s are covered, sad recitals of children going to war, but their music on record and live is largely instrumental.

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