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So what has been happening in the Hong Kong Gardeners potting shed this month? Not a lot as it happens. We have been having a rest from putting on gigs, which has given us some time to actually listen to some music for once.

With the excitement and the exhaustion of Southsea Fest it has been lovely to take in some gigs put on by other people. We started off on the right track when we went to Brighton and found our punk spirit with Wave Machines on tour. Though they played to a relatively quiet yet enthusiastic Freebutt crowd,  we soon found ourselves singing their songs all the way back home, with a newly purchased album clutched safely in our hands.  This is already destined to be one of our most played albums with diverse memorable hooks and lyrics remaining firmly planted in our heads for weeks after the gig. Their music ranges from early Prince to Deadmaus and 90s shoegaze. Eclectic is not the word. Wonderful may be.

Another album gracing the HKGC jukebox this month is the new one from Johnny Foreigner “Grace and the Bigger Picture”.  It is no great evolution from their first album, but delivers the same short, sharp, sugary noisy punk pop hits as last year’s “Waited Up til It’s Light”. As with their debut the noisy pop hides some very clever lyrics and pretty melodies, and is well worth a couple of listens. All in all a great album to get you going in the morning.

If you like your music a little more complex than punk pop, why not give Sufjan Stevens new album “The B.Q.E.” a whirl? Yes, it’s a semi-classical homage to the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, but it’s really rather beautiful.

Further forays out of town followed - Mumford and Sons playing to a packed out and much reviewed Talking Heads gig, and an equally packed out Joiners for Band of Skulls triumphant home town gig.  The month was then topped off when we attended a gig we have been banging on about for the last two months- The Strange Death of Liberal England, Iliketrains, Swimming and Aeroplane Attack at the Wedgewood Rooms.  The two local bands were huge crowd favourites, Aeroplane Attack opened the show with an epic and faultless performance which would not have been out of place headlining. It proved difficult for Swimming to follow and they were unfortunately struggling, with much of the crowd drifting off to the bar.  The audience soon returned when TSDOLE took to the stage and showcased a lot of new material from their forthcoming album as well as some old favourites to keep the fans happy.  The new material makes more than a passing nod to The Arcade Fire, but is distinctly more pop than previous efforts.  ILikeTrains seemed to bring the mood down to fit their brooding, (some would say bleak) sound which was unfortunately out of place on a Saturday night. Everyone adjourned to the aftershow party where Rusty Sheriff swapped the Aeroplane Attack drums for turntables.  The AA boys took the opportunity to record a diary of the day and night.

So that was last month, what can we look forward to this month then?  Bizarre Magazine are bringing Japanese rock gods Electric Eel Shock to the Wedgewood Rooms on the 1st of November with support from Portsmouth’s rock gods Dragon Eye Morrison and we will be in attendance.  We will report back, if we survive!!

And most importantly, we are back putting on gigs. Don’t miss our first gig in a while with London 8-pieve Revere and The Wedgewood Rooms showcase 09 winners Ribbon are playing for us on November 11th at The Edge of The Wedge, with support from Caz Batten.  Free entry!