So today we began looking for accommodation. it's quite hard to find a perfect place. We're looking for a place near downtown, that will sleep 3 people for less than 1500, and from now til August. They are a lot of specific parameters involved you will agree.

So when we found a place right on main street for 1200 and they say they will put in 3 single beds you can understand we were quite positive. Those of you who have seen Pembrooke will understand our lack of standards when it comes to living conditions. We are not looking for the ritz. The ad said that it was currently being done up. We were open minded going to view it.

So we found the address. A narrow green wooden building standing 3 stories tall. Dilapidated. Paint was falling off the walls. Windows were broken. There were tires and random sheets across the lawn. There was a chest with a man's face drawn onto the front. We think his remains were inside. Brian was rather frightened when he spotted the gargoyle perched on the balcony. This makes Paper St. looks desirable, but at 1200/month, a bargain.

Kevin and I approached the front door. We remembered that the ad said no smokers, so were confused by the fact that there were 3 bongs on the front porch alone.

I knocked the first door. It swung slightly ajar to indicate that in fact there was no lock on this door. Interesting.

Meanwhile Brian had found the man who would show us around the basement 'suite'. He had no shoes or socks. We walked into the kitchen area. The floor was stone and concrete. But uneven. Like a really old pavement in Clogher. Except its in a kitchen and being described as 'unique'. Clearly its been painted recently. At least there's that.

Merlin, as he called himself. told us a bit about the place. Considering he was trying to sell this place to us, perhaps he should not have mentioned that until recently it was a squat house and boarded up. Kevin especially liked that he called the past tenants 'weirdos'.

He took pride in showing us a piece of crap lamp that was 'only 3 dollars, isnt that amazing'. Kevin approached a sink, but he was stopped by Merlin, who warned that it did not work. The back room had no light, and a fake plastic brick wall. The bathroom was up two steps, and measured approximately 6 * 2 ft. But thats like amazing because its the most unique bathroom in the world.

We walked outside onto the lawn where he discussed his life. Over the last 6 years he has perfected a perfect financial model for predicting trends. How? Well it came to him in a dream.

I hear Vancouver weed is good. But fuck me.

March - A Place To Bury Strangers, Dead Confederate, Darker My Love, Sweet Jane
March - Mogwai
December - Glasvegas, White Lies
November - Wolf Parade, giveamanakick
November - Tv On The Radio, The Big Pink
October - Port O'Brien, Mighty Stef
July 2008 Oxegen:
Battles
MSTRKFT
Interpol
Bell X1
Concerto For Constantine
Delays
Vampire Weekend
Stereophonics
REM
Manic Street Preachers
Kate Nash
The Pogues
The Chemical Brothers
July 2008 - Fischerspooner
July 2008: Rock Werchter:
The National
Lenny Kravitz
REM
Chemical Brothers
Air Traffic
Jay Z
Neil Young
Moby
MGMT
Editors
Kings Of Leon
Ben Harper
Sigur Ros
Radiohead
Grindermen
Justice
June 2008 - Steven Malkmus & The Jicks, Jeffrey Lewis
June 2008 - Radiohead
June 2008 - Bon Iver, Get Well Soon, James McMorrow
May 2008 - Times New Viking, Giveamanakick
May 2008 - Jens Lekman, Jaymay
May 2008 - Broken Social Scene
May 2008 - The National
April 2008 - Concerto For Constantine
April 2008 - Fight Like Apes
March 2008 - Delays
February 2008 - Los Campesinos!, Johnny Foreigner
February 2008 - The Smashing Pumpkins
December 2007: Girl Talk, Final Fantasy
December 2007: Jens Lekman (guest apppearance from Owen Pallet)
December 2007: Final Fantasy, Miracle Fortress, Jessie Stein
December 2007: Friendly Fires, Interpol
November 2007: Manic Street Preachers
November 2007: Cold War Kids, Patrick Watson
November 2007: The National, St. Vincent
October 2007:The National, St. VIncent
October 2007: Los Campesinos!
October 2007:Arcade Fire, Clinic
September 2007- The Strange Death Of Liberal England
August 2007: The Butterfly Explosion, La Galaxie
July 2007 - Oxegen:
The Cribs
The View
The Pigeon Detectives
The Maccabees
The Fratellis
Kings Of Leon
Maximo Park
Interpol
Cold War Kids
Bright Eyes
Rufus Wainwright
Daft Punk
April 2007- Loney, Dear , Crayonsmith, Pinky
March 2007 – Andrew Bird, Dosh
March 2007 – Arcade Fire, Patrick Wolf
Feb 2007 – Bloc Party, Fields
Feb 2007 - Paraphelia, 65 Days Of Static
Jan 2007 – Air Traffic
Dec 2006 – The Immediate, The Keds
Nov 2006 - God Is An Astronaut, Dry County, Tracer AMC
Nov 2006 – Sufjan Stevens, St. Vincent
Oct 2006 – Guillemots
July 2006 – Oxegen:
- Foy Vance
- The Spinto Band
- The Upper Room
- Damien Dempsy
- Magic Numbers
- Hard-Fi
- Arctic Monkeys
- The Strokes
- Death Cab For Cutie
- Guillemots
- Hope Of The States
- Corine Bailey Rae
- Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!
- Ben Harper
- Sigur Ros
- Jerry Fish
Feb 2006 – The Strokes, Adam Green, Humanzi
Nov 2005 – Franz Ferdinand, The Rakes, Editors
July 2005 - Oxegen:
-Razorlight
-Kaizer Chiefs
-Echo & The Bunnymen
- The Bravery
- Bloc Party
- Interpol
- Ian Brown
Dec 2004 – Manic Street Preachers, Cathy Davey
Aug 2003 – Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, Queens Of The Stone Age, PJ Harvey, Feeder
Sep 2001 – U2, Moby, Ash, Nelly Furtado
Aug 1999 – Robbie Williams, Stereophonics, Happy Mondays, Placebo, Gomez

Review Snapshot: Times New Viking played to small crowd on a Monday night. They gave it everything though. They were trashy, noisy and superb.

The Cluas Verdict? 8 out of 10

Full Review:

Times New Viking released their third album 'Rip It Off' to much fanfare in blogs and, most importantly, Pitchfork. Being signed to Matador had not caused them to change their sound away from their lofi home-recording beginnings on the Stillbreeze label. Instead 'Rip It Off' is like early Pavement going punkier. It's so noisy that it almost gives you a headache. Importantly though, it sounds great...

read the rest of the review here: http://www.cluas.com/indie-music/Def...