One Chip Potato
and The Transcendental Watermusicians

Martin Chitty

Kr!ss Foster

Yorkshire House, Lancaster
November 2006

I noticed recently this buzz about Lancaster's music scene being a bit poor. I keep overhearing it and reading it on message boards and stuff and it's an absolute travesty… as well as being utter bollocks! For any of you guys doubting the scene go to Pendle Bar on Saturdays, go to L.A.W.M, or one of the other nights on at the Yorkshire House, the Sugarhouse, John O'Gaunt, Toast etc… and you won't be disappointed!

This last fortnight my personal favourite night was a free gig at the Yorkshire House (www.yorkshirehouse.enta.net) featuring One Chip Potato and The Transcendental Watermusicians, Kr!ss Foster and Martin Chitty. These guys are my Arctic Monkeys, my Oasis, my… erm… Geldof.

First on was Martin Chitty who made all the couples in the room move a little bit closer to an eclectic set full of tear-jerking folk mastery and uplifting acoustic should-be pop hits. I myself moved a little bit closer to my partner, before getting a sharp elbow in the ribs for singing along and ruining it for her.

Highlights of his set were Meccano, his heartfelt tribute to his late granddad and Young Lives Take Funny Turns which was delivered with enough passion to make world leaders hug apologetically.

Next up was Lancaster's very own Kr!ss Foster who was… informative. With lyrics like
“Morecambe, it's a place down by the sea.
It's just like Venice, but it's not in Italy…”
it's hard not to love Kriss. In fact, if the world was fair there'd be a Kr!ss Foster in every home lurking around a corner waiting to make your day a little stranger. Last time I spoke to him he was competing in a national scrabble tournament. He didn't win.

And ending the night were One Chip Potato and the Transcendental Water Musicians, an ever changing monster of obscurity led by Mike Kenney who seem to have taken on three new members since their last performance, most notably his good lady friend Natasha on vocals.

In a sound that I can't quite fit into any category (I was recently told by Mike that it's part of a new musical genre called “the sunflower movement”) One Chip Potato seem to have become a whole lot less shambolic since the beginning of term and a whole lot more epic with a veritable feast of pirate shanties and pop-folk.

Looking at some of the acts booked for around Lancaster recently though, I'd say it gets a whole lot better… Pendulum, And What Will Be Left of Them? (featuring yrs truly), the Hot Puppies and Untitled Musical Project anyone?

You lucky devils.

Joe Beech
28/11/06

LINKS
One Chip Potato & The Transcendental Watermusicians

Kr!ss Foster

Martin Chitty

The Hot Puppies

And What Will Be Left of Them?

Untitled Musical Project