soundCHECK 14 – October 1st 2009

White rabbits.

That’s what you have to say on the first day of the month. Otherwise your soul will turn into jam and you will forever be cursed with ill fortune. At least, that’s what I believed when I was little given the ritualistic fervour applied to the monthly event by my Father.

Anyway, as we collectively prepare for crunching the crispy leaves of autumn, the curious smell and fettered ground left by the gap-toothed money-snatchers of the Barnstaple Fair have all but disappeared. We’re left with more adrenaline-soaked memories of hi-jinks, bright lights, and the occasional pile of sick.

Going head to head with such celebrated annual festivities was a curious endeavour. But Generator’s night at Inn On The Square a couple of Friday’s ago still had an adequate turnout. Blessed were those that saw Aberdeen’s X-certs too, their set was amazing.

Despite the three-piece dwindling to a two-piece at the last minute due to the bass player breaking his arm, X-certs stoically ploughed on, albeit with a humble and very apologetic frontman. He needn’t have worried, they were super-tight, and their songs were delivered with such passion and urgency that they not so much summoned goosebumps as demanded them. Not least with their parting offering of Bon Iver’s Wolves. They said they’d be back to these parts. Let’s hope so.

To business, what’s on this week? Not much, apparently. However, Friday sees John Bangham of The Breaks play with Nel O’Carroll at Chambers’ new weekly nights. Go. It’s a really chilled out atmosphere in a cool bar that serves the best Guinness in town.

Also, if you fancy some top industry advice on how to not get shafted from a career in music, then there’s a free seminar at The White Lion in Braunton on Monday 4th. Knowledge bombs containing advice on everything from legal matters to royalties and copyright issues are dropped by Paul Gray of The Damned and UFO. If you’re serious about a career in moozic you should probably go. It starts at 6pm.

Next week’s column will be written from my new penthouse in Manhattan as Fearne Cotton serves me a jug of White Russian, Jonny Greenwood prepares my next guitar lesson, and Frank Lampard pops round for a game of Pro Evo. Spiders will be extinct.

Saying “white rabbits” is known to be a potent luck enhancer.