June 19th 2004 Colchester Arts Centre

T'was a bit a trip down memory lane with Hirameka Hi Fi on this fine summer's evening in 2004 for me. Let me explain:

Rewind six and a half years. Its October (9th?) 1997 and Mogwai play colchester arts centre for the first time. I interview Mogwai for Essex Uni Newspaper, and see Hirameka's second ever gig. They are noisy, sloppy, but (in retrospect) full of guts that sets them apart from a lot of other acts around the same time. They are not afraid to be different.

Fastforward fourish years. Ipswich Drum and Monkey, in the Steamboat Tavern. One of my personal favourite gigs of all time. Get totally wasted on Guiness and spend the entire of the support band's (The Dawn Parade) set shouting "BROWN PANTS" at Greg, their singer. He is about 18, and is trying to act like Jim Morrison / Bono. Despite having brown M&S Y-fronts visible from the back of his leather keks. Barely vertical by the time Hirameka come on. They don't give a crap, and set out to piss off the MSP/DP fans by playing as noisy and scratchy as they can and destroying the drumkit at the end. For an Ipswich gig, to me its legendary.

Rewind to some point when I was doing my finals. Matt from Gringo sends a letter to Essex SU newspaper asking us to promote Gringo. It gets lost in the haze of finals, dissertations and so on. I have regretted that ever since...and I found the letter again the other weekend.

Fast forward again to some point in 2001 (I think). Hirameka Hi Fi play with Six By Seven, they are excellent. Less chaotic than previously, and I am increasingly drunk throughout the gig. Spend the evening chatting to female friend's female friend, whilst thinking "I can't believe this is the same lot from so long ago."

Rewind to 1998 (I could be wrong). Hirameka play with Arab Strap (correct me if I'm wrong, and I probably am). Their bass player trashes his bass at the end of the set whilst knocking a plastic doll's head off his amp. Its the only time anyone has destroyed an instrument when I've been at a gig. And I was in the bog. Dammit!

Fast forward again to December 2003. Another alcohol haze. This time I'm filming the gig for the band. The audio (on playback) consists of me and Staff from the Blitters saying "d'ya wanna anuva pint mayte???". I feel the need to apologise profusely.

Press play. June 2004, arts centre for the final time. The sound is great, the band sound great. Its been a long road, I've changed, they've changed. I still remember the time that Steve Lamacq phoned them on the evening session ("lucky bastards!"), but now I think good luck to everyone, richer for the experience. An excellent send-off.

AF