James Marsters

Breathtaking Hobos Mar 26 2004

By Dayle Crutchlow

Being in a band and writing this column can present problems at times.

I often feel obliged to tuck Lazy Eye gigs away at the back end of a piece but that would be grossly unfair this time on the two bands sharing the bill with us at the Nags in Queens Road, Nuneaton, tonight.

Supporting Lazy Eye - damn, mentioned us again - are the majestically anguished and affecting Hobo Exile Hotel and Ottogono.

The Hobos exist somewhere in the gap between Radiohead and Muse, only about 500 times more intense. They’re loud, stirring and heartbreakingly beautiful in their fragility.

Ottogono have Ferris on vocals, still as mad and powerful as ever and yet somehow more controlled, as well as Jon on guitar but the rest of the band take them on a slightly different more melodic trip. From out of nowhere they’re one of the best bands to have emerged from Coventry.

And as for Lazy Eye, did I mention us? Smithy, Craig, Stroudy and I will be celebrating news of forthcoming support slots with American indie rock band Ghost of the Robot, featuring James Marsters, aka Spike from TV’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, dontcha know, at The Colosseum in Coventry, The Carling Islington Academy and The Forum, London, on May 4, May 5 and May 14.

But this will be far from a warm-up show - The Nag’s remains Lazy Eye’s hometown and favourite gig to play.

THE club within a club that is the Left Wing at Coventry’s Colosseum continues to be a mecca for assorted local beatnicks, 80s mullets, old hippies and facial-haired fashionistas.

It is basically the Star Wars bar with a heavier soundtrack and a kinkier disco. This week’s live musical mayhem is a four-pronged, strictly local, aural assault with headliners The Hearing. Before them it’s Scarlet Phere and a garage rock ’n’ roll knees-up, the cosmic Spotlight Kid and melodic indie grungers, Lowdrive.

Disco duties twixt bands and afterwards are as usual taken care of by ex-Melody Maker hack and discerning DJ type Mr Neil Kulkarni.

April Fools on Thursday is no joke as guitars are tuned down in anticipation of mightily heavy headliners Fume as part of the Colly’s Kinky Afro Rock club night.

Cov’s premier young metallers have been working on new material in the studio, hooking up with Thoria manager Scott Crowther and getting better by the week.

This will be their first proper outing for some time and support comes from Nexus College’s Echostar and local boys just back from Uni, Sandstone.