A quick Organ thing of the day today as we dot the eyes and play with the teas before the year actually does properly end. That North London’s Cafe Oto and their annual billboard this year designed by Chen Tiemei, an artist based in Shenzhen, China. Tiemei works at the bookstore/music label Old Heaven Books. Tiemei makes woodcut prints. Some of her works can be seen on cassettes released by the label Dusty Ballz. Cafe Oto is a venue that has hosted Toby Driver a nnumbe of times of course…
And as we draw closer to the closing of the year, one more album, although probably not the final album review of 2025…
Toby Driver – Live at Roadburn – As well as that latest epic KayoDot album and those brilliant gigs this year, KayoDot as the sun went down at ArcTanGent, Extra Life probably playing the gig of the year with Toby Driver in the line up here in London, there was also Toby Drive solo activity, does he ever stop? Can he ever stop? Is not making a music an option? And we say solo but that is one hell of a band he has in tow for his solo tour this year – Toby Driver: guitar and voice, Ana Cristina Pérez Ochoa: keyboards and voice, Timba Harris: viola, Sam Gutterman: drums and for this show at Roadburn, very special guest Pavel Tchikov on guitar and modular-processed guitar (whatever that is). An album recorded live at Roadburn Festival, 2025, Tilburg, Netherlands, at the end of their European tour, this is just an achingly beautiful set of pieces, set of songs, a glorious performance full of heart, soul, warmth and so much commitment to the music, the audience, the craft of it all.
Where do we start with all this? We don’t hide the fact that we’re long term admirers of his craft, that KayoDot and pretty much everything Toby Driver is involved in matters so so much; this is his quieter side, his more reflective side. No less epic, no less committed, no less anything, these are simple beautiful live versions, captivating versions of some of his songs that are much more that songs. These are pieces that tingle with detail, with hope, with the idea that we’re not done believing in humanity, in the things that matter, in art, in music, in life, in each other. if you don’t have time for anything else today, just dip your toe into the dreams of closing fourteen minute piece that is N.G.H.4.M. and for once, just leave me to enjoy the whole thing rather than having to come up with words and then when I have move on to the next one… This is just a very very (very) beautiful album. (sw) Bandcamp
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THE ORGAN 