For some extraordinary reason the winners of the Indy Award for Best Rock Act are playing at the Indy award winner for best venue, but they are playing at 8pm. Having negotiated the closure of the M40 on a hot afternoon the Fishes arrive late. As they start late they are not allowed to do a full set, even though the band after them have not shown up. We have to wait an hour before anyone else plays. By then the Little Fish crowd have either gone home or are enjoying the balmy evening sitting outside (in the smoking area).

JuJu is playing at the Drawing Room this evening. A number of other artists perform including Sam (13). Whilst Juju is mesmerizing, all the artists, personally selected by Richard of the Drawing Room, contribute to a splendid evening.

A triumphant return to Oxford for Little Fish - the Juju half anyway. I had been led to believe that the Purple Turtle in Oxford was very small. In fact it is a warren of cellars, although the actual gig area is quite small its quite respectable. It is also well lit and the sound seems good. Many of the crowd are faces I know, several were at the Indy's on Friday. Juju's performance is relaxed but keeps the audience totally gripped. There is a comedy interlude before Joe Allen (who may now be called the Joe Allen Band) takes to the stage. Since I last saw them they have acquired a drummer and become a 3-piece. It is interesting to compare the inter-song banter of Joe Allen and Juju. Both talk quite a lot between songs, more or less spontaneously. At times they both degenerate into a sort of gibberish. When Juju does this she gives an impression of an artist painting a picture. Whilst you may not understand her words literally you sort of know what she means by it. When Joe becomes tangled he stops to explain, perhaps because some of his comments may seem to be critical of his band (superficially). An interesting comparison.

I have read several other blogs about the Indy Awards. All emphasised how much longer the VIP queue was than the paying customers queue. This is because the VIP guests got free beer (until it ran out) and a burger. Although I had a VIP ticket I spent most of my time downstairs with the populous. Three bands I know and watch regularly have got through to the finals (in different categories). Little Fish have been asked to perform. Joana of Joana & the Wolf (who won last year and are finalists again) has been asked to present an award. Reverse E are also nominated, but can relax and enjoy the show. Overall the show goes very well, it must be a nightmare to organise.
After performing 2 brilliant songs including the new Darling Dear it is no surprise when Little Fish win the'Best Rock Act' award. We celebrate and finish the evening taking pictures in the car park.

I was considering venturing into the wilds of Essex tonight to see Slummin Angels again. A trip out of London is often exciting; on the other hand an hour and a half drive each way, virtually to Southend is rather a lot of travelling. When Juju from Little Fish invites me to Oxford it only takes a moment to decide that this is a more sensible trip. Apparently (I read the website) tickets for the Exeter College Ball are £50. This does include more drink than you could possibly drink and food and the chance to see JuJu wearing fairy wings!
It's all rather odd, as everything is free to ticketholders, our blue wristbands are the equivalent of an AAA pass, but also mean we can jump the queues for free whatevers. Everyone is very polite and I think you can jump the queues just by saying 'Excuse me' in a confident way. None of us are dressed in DJs or flimsy dresses so will probably be mistaken for staff anyway.
It's an interesting experience. Juju  (in her wings) gets a good response from the audience, particularly when she gets the crowd singing along on Let's Party (is it ok to call a bunch of people in evening dress 'the crowd' ?). They play a couple of new songs including one as an encore. I am told that they recorded some excellent songs in America.
I don't get home till 2am.

Its back to Oxford and a support slot with Envy & Other Sins. I had never heard of Envy & Other Sins (the band) but when we googled them we found they had won some TV program, maybe Channel 4 unsigned or something similar. I arrived to in time see the first band who are from Reading, actually its quite difficult to see them as the lights are generally shining frombehind the band into the eyes of the audience and I am dazzled. The lights don't look promising. When Little Fish play there is some improvement,hardly brilliant ....more like adequate. Little Fish play their 3rd great gig in 4 days. It is not uncommon for Little Fish to play several gigs close together, but nornally there isn't this level of consistency (and usually one of them has dodgy sound). They are all rushed as they are off to LA tomorrow morning, but this doesn't affevt their performance.

The 229 small hall is a pleasant venue; the modern LED lights are a bit disconcerting, looking at the stage usually looks dimmer than what the camera sees and the colour balance is difficult. There's a good crowd. The headliners have brought a coachload of people from Wakefield. JuJu bravely tries to get the audience to join in on 'Let's go to the party'  as she did in Oxford. Remarkably for a London audience they respond (although I guess it could have been the crowd from Wakefield). Its not as enthusiastic as in Oxford, but its amazing to get anything from a London crowd; to get a audience to repond in Hoxton would be a true test of greatness!
Second successful gig of the week.

Tonight is the launch night for a new Oxford music magazine with Little Fish on the cover: my photograph from the Crosskings. More pleasing, in a way is the inside black and white shot from Strongarm studios when they were recording recently. Its a good home-town crowd and in many visits to the Jericho Tavern, this is the first time I have seen people at the back standing on tables to get a sight of the band. JuJu has introduced a bit where she gets the audience to join in the chorus of Let's go to the Party. The audience respond much better than can have been expected. At the end there is a determined demand for an encore which is satisfied when they play Jackie D. This song providesv another opportunity for the audience to sing along with the chorus "We're not going to hevean, because we're already there" indeed we are tonight.

Little Fish went down so well last week that the owner has asked them back for another support slot this week. Tonight they are playing support to Nine Below Zero. The gig was already sold out before Little Fish were added to the bill. The crowd arrive earlier than last week, so by Little Fish take to the stage there is a very good crowd.
Strangely I was planning to see Slummin Angels playing the Comedy in Leicester Square tonight. They are playing at 9.20, so I have plenty of time to stroll down Wardour Street after Little Fish finish at 9.00.