The Love Apple, Bradford. RIP

Admittedly the closure of The Love Apple in Bradford isn’t the saddest news I’ve been greated with in the past couple of days. I wish it was, however, and that the shootings in Cumbria hadn’t happened.  However, I’m totally shocked and gutted that The Love Apple had to close, and this is a sad result of what has happened to Bradford in the past few years.  About 5 years ago the place (both Bradford and The Love Apple) was buzzing (quite literally after The Twilight Sad and Frightened Rabbit‘s loud gig there!)  and there was a real vibe around the place.  Now…well, how things have changed.  The Bradford Playhouse is showing promising signs, but if a nice independent bar like The Love Apple can’t make ends meet, well, we’ve got problems.  Other highlights that I’ve seen there include Jeffrey Lewis (at which I was very proud to be part of the support with Wilful Missing), Dufus and The Wave Pictures (a great, yet poorly attended gig, again at which Wilful Missing were lucky enough to be asked to support).  I was also at the Jeremy Warmsley gig at which one Laura Groves made her first appearance, many a moon before blossoming into Blue Roses.  So, thanks must go to Pav and co for giving us The Love Apple, and I wish him and his staff the best of luck for whatever they do next.

Here’s what I played in my show tonight:

Lost Idol – “Lightwerk” (EP – “Lightwerk”) (Cookshop)
Foals – “Spanish Sahara (Sonar)” – (LP – “Total Life Forever”) (Warners)
Sleepy Sun – “Marina” (LP – “Fever”) (ATP)
The School – “Valentine” (LP – “Loveless Unbeliever”) (Elefant Records)
Hot Club De Paris – “The Rise And Innevitable Fall Of The High School Suicide Cluster Band” (EP – “The Rise And Innevitable Fall Of The High School Suicide Cluster Band”) (Moshi Moshi)
Liars – “The Overachievers (Devendra Banhart & The Grogs Remix)” (single – “The Overachievers”) (Mute)
Lorn – “Cherry Moon” – (single and LP – “Nothing Else”) (Brainfeeder)
Dum Dum Girls – “Bang Bang, I’m A Burnout” (single and LP – “I Will Be”) (Sub Pop)
Teenage Fanclub – “Baby Lee” (single and LP – “Shadows”) (PeMa)
Surfer Blood – “Swim” (single and LP – “Astro Coast”) (Kanine)
Faust – “Dolls And Brawls” (LP – “Faust Is Last”) (Klangbad)
The Divine Comedy – “The Complete Banker” (LP – “Bang Goes The Knighthood”) (Divine Comedy Records)
Male Bonding – “Nothing Hurts” (LP – “NOthing Hurts”) (Sub Pop)
School Of Seven Bells – “Windstorm” (single) (Full Time Hobby)
Africa HiTech – “Said Speed” (EP – “Hitecherous”) (Warp)