I just wrote a review and it sucks.

1. React. Live reviews ought to be reactions, primarily, not reasoned critiques - if the band you're seeing don't elicit some kind of emotional response in you, something's very wrong.

2. Try not to compare & contrast the live experience to the recorded equivalent - the moment is all, and gigs are just that: moments, snapshots of a band doing what they do, and by no means the be all and end all.

3. Look at the crowd - obvious, perhaps, but it's always helpful to have some context. Who listens to this band? Why? And *how* do they listen? Just standing there like dorks, or jumping around, or eyes shut-swaying, or whatever - it all adds to the atmosphere of the piece.

4. If you're writing for a blog or a zine/site, you can basically write what the fuck you like, obviously. But bear in mind, lots of magazine editors/subs have sets of rules they insist their writers abide by. For instance, a (formerly) top UK music rag I used to write for insisted I include at least two song titles in each review. Fuck knows why, it's not always necessary, especially if stream-of-consciousness is your thing.

5. Er...can't think of any more right now.

Hope this is helpful in some vague elliptical way - if anyone wants to shoot me down in flames for talking utter fuckshite, please feel free...

Anyway - keep writing & keep reading...

just to say that don't worry if you think it's good or bad. at least its out there and now keep at it.

disgusting!

...

the problem with most reviews is that the writer is thinking "oh no!1 i'm writing a review!! OH NO!!", and uses that as an excuse to cut the life out and leave the would-be History of Important Opinions in, which the turns out to be cuttings of other people's lame generalisations

your generalisations are fun, and funny

Sean, I thought I was always taught in English class varying sentence length was 'correct'? Knowing me I misremember and it's supposed to be the other way around. ;-)

I'm not too sure how to approach the Gluons exactly. It's my brother's band (well, he's in the band he doesn't OWN it, lol) and we mostly don't get along real well. So it's hard to admit that I actually like their music. Plus I've never heard that kind of music before really so it's hard to categorize it or compare it to anything. I mean, it's probably not very original but it's new to me.

Kilian, believe me I would take out the LOLs if I could but I'm addicted! *suppressing urge to type LOL here* I don't think I CAN quit.

Zebedee, there's no connection between all of those probably. Even though I almost always update my blog twice a day I'm really bad about keeping the links up to date and in order. I keep meaning to delete the Tori Amos and Bright Eyes links and I like Ned Raggett's site alot, even though its place in the list doesn't really mean anything. Me being so poor with HTML doesn't help matters also. (c:

Thanks again for all the suggestions. I might try to rewrite it and post it again I'm not sure. I can definately see how I should be more specific and stuff. And I spent more time complaining about the crowd and Brandan (yes, he can be annoying but then completely sweet too, it's strange) than I did talking about the actual music. 8-P