The Abjects were meant to be on at 3pm. But for whatever reason, they didn’t turn up on time and it was well after 4 when they finally turned up.

The great / bad thing about bands playing in a record shop is that (other than Rough Trade East), it’s a record shop. They’re not really setup for a band to play in, so the sound can be poor. But it does mean that you feel like you’re inside the performance. In Flashback’s case, there really is no place for a band, but somehow they managed to fit in.

The Abjects are a great little band. They’ve got a simple garage rock sound but it’s done well. I think most of the gathered crowd didn’t know the band, but they seemed to enjoy their performance.

After the Abjects finished, it was far too late to get to the next gig on my list, Prom at Flashback’s sister store in Islington. But I decided to head down anyway to see if Fake Laugh were playing and was surprised to find that they were still playing. I say they, but this was a solo performance. I actually prefer their solo performances. The lead singer’s actually got a really distinctive voice which I think stands out better when playing solo.

I had been interested in getting hold of the Robert Plant live EP. Neither Flashback store had a copy. So I decided I might as well walk down to Rough Trade. It turned out they had copies but they were £24 – too expensive for an EP. Luckily it also turned out that there last band, the Riddles, were still playing. They seemed an odd choice for Record Store Day. The Riddles aren’t the normal indie fodder that you’d expect to see on a mixed bill. They’re firmly \m/ rock!

I like bands that don’t take themselves too seriously and just enjoy playing live music. I’d say the Riddles fall into this category. The lead singer looks like he’s escaped from the set of Spinal Tap. In fact he even joked about playing ‘Stonehenge’. They are an unapologetic unreformed ‘Black Sabbath influenced’ rock band. They themselves describe their sound as ‘space rock’. They’re look the kind of band that could turn any three minute rock song into a 20 minute long psych experience. By the time they’d finished, they’d managed to climb the riggings, played over their allotted time so that Rough Trade switched on the lights but they’d also managed to entertain quite a diverse crowd. I’m not sure I’d listen to any of their recordings. But they’re definitely a fun band to watch.

It’s also the first time I’ve seen crowd surfing at a Rough Trade gig.

The evening started with FVR. This was her first solo show. Accompanied only by a Mac which although pretty, doesn’t have much stage presence. It left her with a lot of work trying to dance and sing around the stage and although nervous, she made a fine stab at it. The music though wasn’t my cup of tea. But maybe with a band behind her, it might have been different.

Next up was Fake Laugh. I’d seen the band a few weeks ago and thought they were okay. I’d liked the lead singer’s voice but I’d zoned out a few times. However tonight, it was a solo show from the lead singer and I thought the more more lay backed approach actually suited the music.

Closing the evening was Girlpool. I’d loved their low-fi sound and was expecting a dynamic performance. Tonight’s performance wasn’t this. The music was great. I did enjoy the music. But I was surprised how static the girls were. Hich was a great pity.

First band tonight were Fake Laugh. They were pleasant but I admit I zoned out once or twice. Their last song though broke me out and was pretty good.

Nai harvest up next. A two person band from Sheffield via early 90s Manchester. They had a very scuzzy sound and put in a great performance. But they didn’t completely connect. But I think they’re worth giving another listen to.

Finally it was Happyness. I really liked their album. But I’ve found it an album of music that works better when the songs from the album come up on shuffle. Tonight, kind of was the same. I enjoyed them. Their performance had some really good moments. But a bit like the album. Most of the time I was just ‘enjoying’ their performance rathe than feeling fully engaged.