Move around

July 3 I slipped away to End Hits to see Captain Foxy - a local group I've never seen before - and Calvin Johnson, K Records founder. Captain Foxy play punk rock about unrequited love and oddball indie pop about working in an ice cream store. Or is it the other way around? It was 10 days ago and I can't recall anything that ancient.

Rekha on tambourine and vocals.



Chris Landry, once of Expatriate.



Allie Hanlon on drums.



Unfortunately I failed to get a good solo photo of bassist Andria (or of much else, I'm almost moved to say).



The whole lot!



Foxy action!



Captain action (it's quite similar, you'll notice)!



After that it was time for Calvin Johnson to take to the stage. Of course since this show was in End Hits' basement there was no stage, so he made do with a small bit of grey carpeting. Johnson has turned to acoustic balladry, which suits his careworn baritone and heartbreak lyrics. For this show he just stuck with acoustic guitar - he didn't even plug into a PA, not that one was required in the End Hits' basement with such an attentive audience. He also performed a capella on Move Around, When Hearts Turn Blue. He covered Dusty Springfield's A Little Bit of Lovin', which he said he admired for its combination of Memphis musicianship, Brill Building songwriting and Brit blues vocals.

All of my pictures of Johnson also turned out irredeemably horrid with but a few precious exceptions. Here's Johnson and his audience.



And him busting a few moves during the a capella Move Around.





An entertaining and occasionally funny show. I definitely heard some tittering and the odd guffaw.

• Show reminder: Brock Zeman performs at Irene's. In addition to their Bluesfest gig, The Deadstring Brothers will perform at the Rainbow.

Leaders of men

K Records founder and many of many bands Calvin Johnson put on an interesting show in conjunction with local's Captain Foxy. The Foxy ones are a new-wave influenced quartet (X-Ray Spex are somewhere in their DNA) and Johnson was playing solo acoustic, so it was a bit of an odd match. Then again, both have songs about unrequited love, so perhaps it's not such a bad fit after all.

Captain Foxy.



Johnson dispensed with the PA. Unfortunately End Hits' basement doesn't allow for a campfire.



Good turnout too: It was sitting room only.

"A fat chud"

Hamilton's B.A. Johnston is a rather self-deprecating fellow who sings songs about deep frying, being paid in pirate booty and hapless Dungeons & Dragons fans. He accompanies himself on guitar and keyboards and sounds a bit like The Mountain Goats. He's also damn funny, a very engaging performer and really, really hates squirrels ...

Hamilton's frying-est makes his explosive entrance! (At this point you should hum the Ride of the Valkyries - even if you're at work.)



Hot keyboard action! Which is appropriate, since this song probably featured deep-frying in some way.



That guitar has seen better days.



Arr, he wants pirate booty!



Like I said: Funny, but not just a joke by any means. The opening act for this show (at the Avant-Garde Bar, incidentally) was Allie Hanlon who I arrived too late to see. I did snap a couple of photos outside with her Casio, though ...



... and you can always check her Myspace page to see what she sounds like.

• Show reminder: The Setbacks and The Red Arrows play Zaphod's - apparently if you go to this show you get to make government policy for the next year, or something like that! Former Can singer and krautrock legend Damo Suzuki performs at the Avant-Garde Bar with members of the Unireverse. The Fiftymen perform at Barrymore's with Chris Page, Dave Draves and Scott Terry - a.k.a. Camp Radio - along for the ride.