Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda, Didn't

Here's another pesky but obligatory year-end list for me to get out of my system: it's my Top 5 list of the gigs I really would have liked to have gone to in 2008 but for one reason or another didn't.

I'm sure I can come up with something snappier than that.

5. Public Enemy, Custard Factory, Birmingham. I mentioned this during one of my 11-11-11 write-ups, but sort of subsequently forgot about it. I'm sure it would have been fun.

4. Band of Horses, Birmingham Academy. Clare bought us a pair of tickets, there was a mix up over the dates and we missed the gig. Bugger.

3. TV On the Radio, Birmingham Academy. I've been following them since 2004's Desperate Youths, Blood Thirsty Babes. 2008's Dear Science was one of my favourite albums of the year. For some reason I didn't catch them on tour. So it goes.

2. Bruce Springsteen. The last time I saw The Boss play live was at Villa Park in June 1988. That's fucking ridiculous, that is.

1. Leonard Cohen. Clare and I came close - this close, I tell you - to nabbing a pair of tickets to see Laughing Len in Manchester. I'll spare you the details.

The Littlest Raindog

I've made no secret of the fact that next week's Tom Waits gig in Paris has put me in a state of perpetual chomping-at-the-bit excitement. What I've now found out, however, is that this manic enthusiasm seems to be rubbing off on my nearest and dearest, too.

I was driving my car to someplace or other this evening with Clare and her astonishingly-bright four year-old daughter, Lily, as passengers. On the car stereo was Leonard Cohen's I'm Your Man album, which Lily took a strong disliking to. Fair enough, I though: Leonard Cohen is a bit of an acquired taste. Come to think of it, amongst Leonard Cohen fans that particular album is a bit of an acquired taste.

I decided to be considerate. I'd stop inflicting my music taste on others and - ideally - play something that had a stronger appeal amongst that sometimes difficult-to-please CBeebies demographic.

"What would you like to listen to, Lily?" I asked.

"Tom Waits," she said.

Lily was later heard singing Waits' classic track '16 Shells From A 30.6'. It made Clare giggle, and knocked Scarlett Johansson's cover versions right out of the water.