CityLife

Lara Williams' top five

Ryan Adams and The Cardinals

Cat Power @ Academy 1 - A visibly conflicted Chan Marshall blended palpable fragility with cocksure arrogance - leaving you confused as to whether you should be somewhat terrified or clamouring upon stage to wrap her in a warm blanket.
 
The Twilight Sad @ Night and Day Café - Swelling choruses saturated every inch of Night and Day whilst front man James Graham’s facial contortions betrayed every emotion - which were inclined to change rapidly and often. Brooding theatrical and Scottish. Very, very Scottish.
 
Ryan Adams @ Academy 1 - Looking every inch the Renaissance man in dapper thick-rimmed black glasses - Adams bucked recent shambolic conventions (and indeed, expectations) playing a note-perfect set. Haunting, hypnotic and really - a little bit sad. 
 
Silver Jews @ Dancehouse Theatre - Witty and effusive - David Bermann ambled across stage dispatching nonchalantly delivered anecdotes punctuating each song. Which were basically nonchalantly delivered anecdotes themselves. Albeit with accompanying music. 
 
Dananananackroyd @ The Deaf Institute - Foot -stomping that somehow eschewed cliché and a cacophony of abrasive, feral vocals that (thank-god) bypassed emo. Visceral, incendiary and loud. And it could have all ended being a little bit ‘Skins’.