Good morning with our Middle of the Week Song – May See You There by Weird Nightmare ( Alex Edkins of METZ). Have a nice day.
The Youth Play, Mouco, Porto, 30.01. 2026.
words: Paulo Carmona (freely translated by Raquel Pinheiro)photos: Telma Mota
So Young, So Young … The Youth Play take to the stage to enjoy themselves, and that sense of enjoyment comes through in every song.
They walked on stage with an introverted, introspective air, but the mood shifted quickly.
The frenetic cadence of their alternative rock ’n’ roll -characteristic of post-punk bands operating within this sonic register – takes effect almost immediately. This British band further embellishes its sound with flashes of abrasive shoegaze.
Diego Bracho, on vocals and guitar, smiling and self-assured, delivers chords in a tightly sequenced rhythm, supported by vocal lines rich in upper-mid tones and firmly grounded low registers. He combines ethereal, looping vocals with layers of distorted guitar.
He communicates effortlessly with the audience and remains constantly in motion. He did not hesitate to leave the stage and merge with the crowd at Mouco. The desired effect was achieved, as bodies responded in kind.
Harrison Ballard, on lead guitar, makes it scream in sharp, piercing melodies, while Alex Hanrahan on bass blends syncopated rhythms with solid, dependable structures whenever weight is required. Finley Bruce is the band’s driving force. With a dense, low-end drum sound, he imposes exactly what is needed for The Youth Play’s sound to be what it wants to be.
They opened with Castle, May Be This Was All For Us and Wild Flowers, moved through On Fire and After a Moment, and closed with Cowboy, A Fair Life, Sunday and If We Just Ever Were.
A blend of older material alongside newer songs from Someday, Forever, their 2025 album.
After the concert, the band stayed on to spend time more closely with enthusiastic fans in an adjacent space. A genuinely generous gesture from the members of The Youth Play. It is rare to see, but it should happen far more often.
Appalachian Road Show – Rosalee McFall
Hi with Rosalee McFall by Appalachian Road Show. Have a nice afternoon.
When What Used to Matter Stops Mattering at The Listening Room HQ
A recent interview with Josh Homme, of Queens of the Stone Age, on GQ Mexico lead me to write a post for The Listening Room HQ on leaving behind what no longer serves, staying present in the pause, and noticing when the old life ends and the next step arrives. It can be read here: here.
Clerks – Getting Out
Hi and Happy Sunday with Getting Out by Clerks.
Amazing Songs & Other Delights #92 – The Planets, The Stars and The Universe edition on Yé Yé Radio Monday 2 & 9
My radio show Amazing Songs & Other Delights # 92 – The Planets, The Stars and The Universe edition Monday February 2 & 9, 3-4pm (London time) on Yé Yé Radio: yeyeradio.com (or on the app).
It’s a popish, elegant,gentle edition with thirteen songs and one instrumental refering the universe, the stars, some plants and the moon, sometimes not literally. It mixes astronomy and astrology in joyful sixty minutes of music.
From Teenage Fanclub’s Planets to Hands On Approach’s My Wonder Moon though songs by Frank Sinatra, Dehd, Roisin Murphy & DJ Koze and more, and an instrumental by The Vampires.
01: Teenage Fanclub – Planets
02: Sturgill Simpson – Mercury in Retrograde
03: Kate Fenner – Transit of Venus
04: The Parlor – Underneath the Universe
05: The Vampires – Sun Gazers (ft. Chris Abrahams)
06: Frank Sinatra – Fly Me To The Moon (ft. Count Basie And His Orchestra)
07: Damien Jurado – Metallic Cloud
08: Dehd – Stars
09: David Bowie – Starman
10: Coldplay – Jupiter
11: Roisin Murphy & DJ Koze – The Universe
12: Raveloe – Clouds Are Release
13: R.E.M. – Saturn Return
14: Hands On Approach – My Wonder Moon
All previous shows on mixcloud: l
Yé Yé Radio mixcloud / | Mondo Bizarre Magazine mixcloud
Ye Vagabonds – Danny
Good morning with Danny by Ye Vagabonds. Have a nice weekend.
Full Moon in Leo – February 1, 2026 at The Polymath
Full Moon in Leo – February 1, 2026 on The Polymath site speaks of presence, coherence, and embodied orientation. Maps & Readings as instruments of field awareness, luminous without performance. It can be read here.
Liz Hogg – Mondo Bizarre Magazine Live Session
American classic and electric guitarist, and composer Liz Hogg kindly did a beautiful acoustic three songs live session for Mondo Bizarre Magazine.
The three songs, from her album Goodbye World Hello Something, are On Paper, Belly and One Thread.
We hope you love Liz’s live session and songs as much as we did.
Éme e Moxila – Estocolmo 1984
Good morning. Today, our Middle of the Week Song is Éme e Moxila’ Estocolmo 1984, their 2023 song about Portuguese long distance runner Fernando Mamede, and his win in the 10 000 meters, in Stockholm, in 1984.
Fernando Mamede died yesterday at 74. Along with his club rival Carlos Lopes (both run for Sporting Clube de Portugal), he was part of mine adolescence, as well as a familiar track and field runner for millions of Portuguese.
A brilliant runner – he held the 10 000 metres world record (1984-1989) – it was hard for him to win major competition, because he didn’t do well under pressure.
Éme e Moxila’ Estocolmo 1984 tells the story of how Fernando Mamede won the 10 000 in Stockholm, in 1984, ahead of Carlos Lopes, that got second place. That day, Fernando Mamede become a world winner in athletics, a first for Portuguese athletics.
