The LIVE music thread.

[Nospike]

Anyone else have opinions on these concert cinematics or lack thereof?

I think your average band shouldn't/doesn't need anything more than maybe a banner with the band logo as a backdrop. The music should speak for itself. That said I also see the value in having animated backgrounds or light projection shows for psychedelic music. As long as it improves the overall experience there's nothing wrong with it. But when it's done badly, it feels like you're being made to watch a crappy movie made by someone who hardly has anything to do with the band.

[Soul Monster]

Recently I went to go see Buckethead live. I got there early, and because there was a storm coming, they let us in to the venue early. I got to have a lot of cool conversations with other fans about Bucket, and I got a few compliments for my Gigan shirt (Gigan is a monster from the Godzilla series, and Buckethead has released 2 songs named after him). It was general admission, standing room only, and tickets were only about 50-60 dollars. I got right up to the stage, and it was an awesome show. I would say there was probably no more than 1500 people in attendance, with no opening act, instead Buckethead played 2 sets with his friend and collaborator Dan Monti (AKA Brewer), which included a few covers of songs like War Pigs and I Want It That Way. During shows, Buckethead does a gift exchange with the audience, where he comes out with a big sack of toys like Santa Claus and hands out toys to fans. I was one of the fans who got a toy, and I gave him some art prints of giant monsters I made. I also got to tap the killswitch on his guitar, which is something he lets people in the front do at shows.

It was so great to finally see him live. I've been waiting 5 years for this opportunity, but due to stuff going on in his personal life (and the world), he hadn't been touring for a while. When this tour was first announced, I was apprehensive about going because of the singer accompanying him. A lot of people were criticizing her lyrics, her singing (some fans even claimed they caught her lip synching), and her stage presence. Out of the blue, all mention of her was erased and Buckethead continued these shows as a solo tour. It's weird, because not only did she get removed from the tour, but all mention of her on Buckethead's website was removed, and he even deleted the music they did together. We'll probably never know the reason why, but that's the world of Buckethead for you. Anyway, I'm glad I finally got to see him, and it wasn't with that crappy singer he was working with.

[Benvolio]

I've been to a number of great concerts and music related events in London over the past few weeks.

Firstly I saw Ride, supported by BDRMM. Both were excellent. Ride were quite big in the UK in the early 90s, playing guitar-effects driven music of a style most often categorised as "shoegaze". Characterised by pensive vocals, layered effects and mesmerising soundscapes. I will admit to relatively superficial listening to them prior to the show but certainly knew them to be good. Their performance exceeded my expectations, with really well-polished instrumental work reaching some really captivating peaks. Their support, BDRMM, are a truly fantastic outfit from Hull, of a much younger generation but captivating some of the greatest 80s and early 90s musical styles to an extremely high level of fidelity and integrating them into their own discrete sound. Simultaneously sounding like early 80s Cure and early 90s Slowdive, with comparisons to peak Radiohead. They performed their second album "Bedroom" in full (which I would strongly urge anyone to check out as it is truly more than the sum of its influences). The performance was, like Ride's, extremely well polished and true to the record. Sound quality was well above average in the beautiful 18th century church where it was held.

Next, "The Last Dinner Party" in the Hammersmith Apollo was quite a lively, even bombastic affair. I am not necessarily at the core of their target audience but the music spoke for itself. This is *rock* music in the way that classic Rolling Stones is - loud, utterly non-punk-sounding and delivered with charisma and confidence. However rather than the jaded blues-tinged masculinity of the Stones, there was a feminine energy a little more rooted in cabaret and glam - at times politicised with feminism but mostly (I think) focused on music as a source of fun. They appear to have driven themselves to a point of burnout - as they proceeded to cancel the end of their tour in continental Europe - but hopefully we'll be hearing from them again soon.

Then, not strictly a "live music" event primarily, I attended a play called "New Dawn Fades" which is a retelling of the life and times of Joy Division and of course the iconic, tragic Ian Curtis at its centrepoint (but with worthy attention given to all characters, beloved bandmates and others). There was an even spread of humourous depictions of the era's culture, with the harsh and largely un-sugarcoated realities of the events that unfolded. I included it because, as well as being about music, there were some great re-enactments/actual performances(!) by the cast of some historic Joy Division shows.

Back to the above-mentioned Hackney Church a week later to see the folk singer-songwriter Laura Marling, who is very well known primarily in the UK. Not someone I've listened to hugely but I've been impressed since she came to prominence circa 2013 for her Dylan-esque compositions (1964-65 era). She has continued with her own, updated version of 60s-70s folk, with really impressive melodic fingerpicking work that often matches the work of Joni Mitchell and others of the classic era. I haven't seen as quiet and respectful a crowd since the last orchestral/chamber music concerts I saw.

And finally, the only outfit of the bunch not from the UK, was Russian Circles. Was thrilled to get to stand near the front centre and experience the onslaught of instrumental goodness. I was pleasantly surprised by how compelling and heavy the music was. I've been enjoying some of their albums and they certainly deliver an integration of contemplative arpeggiations and clean-ish effects, with bouts of doom-laden riffage. But live, it was really compelling and somehow I was simultaneously dancing and headbanging. A refreshing example of how metal (or post-metal as they are labelled) has plenty more dopamine to deliver. Would really recommend checking out a live show of theirs if you like metal, and especially if you are a 30 or 40 something, plain-clothes wearing enjoyer of heavy garg music.

All in all a great 6 week run or so, with great music throughout, none of which were extortionately priced nor were they in massive soulless venues marred by inconvenience.

[Nospike]

I went to see MASTER BOOT RECORD last week. To any fans of chiptune, experimental metal or anything demoscene I can wholeheartedly recommend. The whole show is a barrage of badass riffage, some highly impressive guitar skills playing genuine soaring chiptune leads on a guitar, a frantic tempo set by amazing live drums and the screeching of floppy drives. I couldn't help but laugh a bit when the guy introduced each of his songs by name, like "80836" or "C:\CHKDSK /F". But they also played a few covers of great and well known chiptune or chiptune-adjacent tracks, such as the Golden Axe theme or the Doom theme.

The whole show took place on the backdrop of various beautiful demos, cracktros and gameplay footage of old games from the DOS era - yes, including Keen All projected in the back and also on a neat little array of CRT televisions.

I discovered by pure chance about half a year ago that MBR is in fact a touring band and would be visiting my city, and 10 minutes later I had bought the tickets. Good call, that one.

[Benvolio]

Went to see an up an coming Texan band that I'm quite fond of called "Being Dead", playing a show in London. The venue (MOTH club) could be classified as a smallish place with, to quote its website, "a relaxed, homey setting with a full bar menu." Well, upon arriving (late of course due to work demands) the place was packed to the absolute rafters and after several failed attempts to be shoved in the front door like those passenger pushers on the Tokyo metro, we were eventually smuggled (by the staff) through the bar and hastily deposited at the back (the silver lining was that we were at the bar and thus able to avail of it unlike the rest of the packed sardines in the place. Unnecessary detail for you, the reader, to be bothered with, but what it illustrates is how avid demand has become for an act of this calibre on the opposite side of the atlantic, whose popularity has surely entirely come from the internet (primarily Youtube I would conjecture). That's where I heard of them anyway (I'll never try to conceal the true source of any cultural insights I have!).

And despite the above described mayhem, I can assure you the demand was justified and would urge you to go see them if they pass through your neck of the woods. This is incredibly melodic, upbeat, humourous "alternative rock" or if you prefer another equally broad and probably unhelpful umbrella, "indie rock". It's got a driving energy remniscent of early R.E.M. fused with a knowing naiveté remniscent of early Talking Heads. But it delivers this with a huge dose of colourful melody strongly remniscent of the best that 1960s "surf" meets "psychedelia" could offer. Top class vocal harmonies, but with a uniquely raw twist that ultimately delivers a sense of energy that I've basically never heard elsewhere.

I already had the "EELS" album on vinyl having had a copy shipped over from America (yes I'm one of those sorts of people now apparently) and I bought their first album "When Horses Would Run" at the show. These albums are fantastic, and though I would not want to be critical of their slightly lo-fi recording technique, I found the live sound richer, and even more impactful than the records.

All in all, a show that I picked up tickets for for under 20 quid but turned out to be heavily oversubscribed (they actually added a second London night). Strongly recommended! I think this band will get bigger yet!