Mr Owl PhD

That was an evening of particularly high quality entertainment - thanks to all involved.

1st-7th May at the Belmont according to their latest brochure.

BBC NEWS | Scotland | Crashed helicopter gearbox failed

I'm listening to it right now. And am also thinking it's lovely. Also on regular repeat are: Neko Case "Middle Cyclone" Rachael Dadd "After the Ant Fight"

Should be a good warm up. I've been listening to Rachael Dadd's latest record a lot recently. It's as good as anything I've heard this year.

Yas min, is I think the phrase.

I like pictures of guinea pigs wearing clothes. costumes

Joy Formidable were excellent and energetic, as expected. I'd heard a few bits by Howling Bells before this show and hadn't been all that impressed. I was wondering if they might make more of an impression live but I'd heard enough after about four or five songs to know that they probably wouldn't. Not really my thing at all.

I tend to find that now is always best. Although there were some good things between the late 80s and mid 90s too.

Alela Diane "To be Still" Nancy Wallace "Old Stories"

All rescued apparently BBC NEWS | Scotland | North East/N Isles | All rescued as helicopter ditches

That's really sad. Some of my favourite ever records came out on Touch & Go - one of the greatest of labels.

New Radio is probably the punkest song I've ever heard. I kind of think women are a bit better at being punk than blokes. I'd also recommend Team Dresch. You might want to check out their album 'Personal Best'.

As far as snow sticking around for a bit longer goes, the forecast for Braemar gives cause for optimism: Met Office: Braemar: forecast weather

And here's how it happens: YouTube - Charlie Brooker - the Talent

One of my favourite videos ever, and a great song. Here's a characteristically unnerving video accompanied by the voice of Karin Dreijer from the Knife, this time with her new solo project Fever Ray:

The good news is that I think they'll be back next month, supporting Howling Bells at Moshulu. I kind of think that should be the other way around, but there you go. It's a very good name, although maybe a bit hard to remember.

Short but wonderfully intense from The Joy Formidable tonight. Can't believe how lovely Ritzy was when I went to talk to her afterwards too.

I notice from their myspace that the Joy Formidable are playing at Drummonds on Monday, but I'm struggling a bit to find any further info. Ticket websites suggest it'll be 5 and doors open at 8. Anyone know anything about supports, set times etc? They seem like rather a good band, possibly doing this sort of thing except without Frank Sidebottom dancing: YouTube - The Joy Formidable - Whirring (Live on Channel M Dec '08)

I also went to see Crackerjack being recorded, probably around the same time. So I guess my first gig was actually The Krankies, Chas and Dave and Dexy's Midnight Runners.

Senseless Things at the Black Lion in Northampton, early 1989. Quite a good show and I even got to meet the band.

A few coastal areas: The cliffs north of Cove Bay Girdle Ness of course The stretch of sand from Blackdog to Donmouth The mouth of the Ythan at Newburgh Rattray Head And some inland: Almost anywhere along the Dee but especially at Inchgarth in Cults, at Dinnet by the oakwood and in Ballater. Durris Forest Mar Lodge Loads of other places too.

Goldcrests are really great Dave. There were quite a few last autumn along the coast which had just flown across the North Sea. It's always remarkable and rather humbling to see such tiny birds after they've crossed a rough sea. Firecrests are really great too. Maybe there'll be one or two this year - they're rare up here though. Actually I can't really understand why anyone would think birding is unlikely to attract much interest from people on a music forum. Artists like Sufjan Stevens, British Sea Power and quite a few others have claimed to be birders and birds crop up in one way or another in loads of songs. And birds are of course rather musical themselves (and maybe the origins of human music lie in bird music). By the way, if you want to read some amusing stuff about birding then just google the phrase 'mindless swearing'.

Great photos Dave. Your garden is definitely very good for birds - GS Woodpecker, Blackcap, Redpoll and Goldcrest are all good ones to get. I was away this weekend (making recordings of ducks, swans and geese on the Solway) so didn't do the garden birdwatch. I don't actually get too much in my (shared) garden even though my house list (i.e. the birds I've seen from my flat, and not just in the garden) is around 90 species. It's amazing what you can see in beautiful Torry with the aid of powerful optical equipment. And, as you know, I'm interested in birds to an almost worrying extent, so would definitely make up for any assumed lack of interest from elsewhere on the forum. In other words, keep posting this stuff.

Headless Heroes "North wind blew south". Great song and an amazing video. YouTube - Headless Heroes 'The North Wind Blew South' And here's how it was made: ABC News