Robert Scott, Minisnap and the Bats @ Arc 30 November

There's a valiant but oft ignored movement in Dunedin at the moment, attempting to start gigs at earlier times ... times earlier than 10.45 or whenever the band in question put down their drinks (optional) and meander up on stage. We'd turned up at Arc at 9.30 expecting to see something of the 9 pm starting Bats extravaganza - instead what we saw chilled us. A table of Bats crowded around Arc food like Bats round a felled cow carcass. Well, actually, we felt good - fuel for them to burn off later. Especially that Malcolm fellah, who could run the national grid ...

We returned at 10.30 in time to see Bob Scott take the stage in front of a steadily increasing crowd. He played "Drive By" (it sounded like a Neil Young song ... not sure), some songs from 'Creeping Unknown' such as "Wick Effect" which was a lot crunchier than rawkus than the original.

Minisnap started out with drum machine (or a recording of a drum?) in support and played everything of their new EP. Malcolm came along to replace the drum machine halfway thru, and the new stuff sounded great - a good kind of fun dark menace in places.

Then Bob returned to complete the lineup as the Bats. It was a fairly similar set list to the gig they played at Fuel (before it closed and reopened nearby as ReFuel), but they hadn't played together so much beforehand, so every other tune felt wonderfully loose, slightly improvised, a little bit of fear and confusion lending a fresh 'best before' sound to the old favourites, which included "Smoking Her Wings", "For the Ride" (my absolute favourite, sorry for all those I alarmed with my banshee reel frenzy), "Afternoon in Bed" and "Land 'o' Lakes" ... a fair amount was off 'Couchmaster', which suited me just fine, being my favourite album by them. There were a couple of new songs, one by Bob (about being in NYC 11/9) and one by Kaye (which was a cool lil mean ditty).

After a fairly quick interval, during which they mighta recharged Malcolm from the grid, they returned with a few last tunes, ending with a blistering "Made Up in Blue".

A good night had by all. I tried to sit a few songs out, but on the way back to my seat something, an old Battish devil on my shoulder, would call me back to boogie and there would be nothing I could do to resist. I was in delightful aching muscle pain for some few days afterwards ... if only they would play more often. Next time I'm especially looking forward to an expanded Minisnap catalogue.

go mini snap i luv u
you guys r cool for my world

Minisnap gigs coming up,
playing with Fur Patrol and the Accelerants
ReFuel - Dunedin thurs 6th May 04
Rocky Cola - Christchurch, fri 7th May 04
Indigo - Wellington, Sat 8th May 04

Minisnap - Live!
with the Bats & The Boxcar Guitars
sat 14 auh at the Kings arms Tavern

When did Woody from Toy Story learn to play guitar?

You guys a great, the rhythm is something special, you cant get that tight over night.