Photos Of Miracles

My lodger/roomie, Yusuf is a photographer by – not by trade, not yet. By what then, paying hobby? He takes pictures which go up on walls and in magazines and people pay for them and have them framed and hang them in their homes. Nice pictures too. I don’t know much about photography, but his thing seems to be capturing juxtapositions in everyday scenes, usually on the Tube. The compositions are quick snaps, the sort of thing you often see in and around a big city with large adverts and masses f people. He’s got a knack for grabbing interesting combinations. His site has all his work and info about shows and buying prints. He’s had a couple of displays in galleries and the like, most recently at Flaxon Ptootch, a salon/bar/gallery in Kentish Town. Run by the flamboyant and welcoming Michael Flaxon, it seems to be a social focal point in the area. All the hair-cutting stuff was covered up for the evening, and a pair of decks stood ready. There was a good turnout of people (including my friend jkneale) to look at the photos, and also to hear a new band perform. My ex, now friend, Mairi, had formed a band, and this was their first gig. The band, Of Miracles, was playing covers this time, but they are working on original stuff.

They describe themselves on MySpace as indie/alternative - I see them as a shoegazey kind of thing, with guitars, bass, drums, keyboards and vocals, Mairi performing these two last. Delicate vocals, nice synth lines, and Roman tends towards the harder edge of the guitar, with his multiple effects pedals. Nice combination. Sorry, juxtaposition.

I’d already seen Of Miracles at their first invitation-only rehearsal, which took place in basement flat in a sports-car filled street in Chalk Farm. The set at the gig above was reordered from the rehearsal, but contained the same set of good covers. I don’t remember the full set, or the order, but it contained the following:

  • British Sea Power
  • Echo and the Bunnymen
  • The Manic Street Preachers (always a favourite of hers)
  • Tainted Love, done in a rollicking rock version.
  • The Jesus And Mary Chain
  • and many more

It was a great first gig, and I look forward to their next. I hear they’re writing
original stuff, with a new drummer. Good luck!