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My Robot Friend
Ton the Fringe Series
Drams 0
Music See the review
Band Howard Robot, Lola (on the decks) & Autojulie3000 (violin)
Venue Cabaret Voltaire (Venue 139)
Address 36 Blair Street
Date 6 August 2006
Reviewer Jamie Mackenzie
Upon leaving Cabaret Voltaire, having just witnessed the spectacle that was
My Robot Friend, I believe my first words were: "Well…that was totally
AWESOME!" Within the confines of this webpage, I shall reveal why.
Always keen to witness the support act of any band I go see, I arrived at Cabaret
Voltaire with plenty of time on my hands, 7pm to be precise. My Robot Friend
was not due on until 9pm and there was a lot of waiting during the two hours
before he graced the stage, with Jim Hutchison DJ setting the tempo of the night
with some funky electro beats. Unfortunately for the DJ there was little appreciation
for his music with the dance-floor remaining empty throughout his set.
The venue itself was fairly empty up until around My Robot Friend's set with
the majority of those there (myself included) not really sure of what to expect
from the evening and a sense of quizzical anxiousness filled the venue as more
and more entered during the wait.
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Howard Robot lit up
© Jamie
Mackenzie
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Finally it was time for My Robot Friend. I cautiously approached the stage
readying myself for whatever might happen. Electro beats began thumping as a
small woman (Lola) dressed in a lab coat and wearing a rather odd hat stood
atop a box so as to look over the decks she controlled, and began nodding along
to the music and prepared the next vinyl. Looking to the left of the stage a
figure appeared wearing an orange vest and trousers and what could only be described
as a large up-turned fruit bowl, covered in lights, on his head. The crowd was
not sure what to make of it all, especially when My Robot Friend (a.k.a. Howard
Robot) introduced himself, funnily enough, in a robotic voice.
The first song, The Cut, was catchy and had a great beat, but to be
honest everyone was fairly bemused by the long, thin lights protruding from
his fingers than the music. People started looking at each other wondering whether
this was in fact a comedy show rather than an actual music gig. Nevertheless,
the crowd quickly warmed towards the strange robot thingy-majiggy on stage.
It took just one song before everyone started dancing along to the funky electro
beats and comical lyrics of My Robot Friend.
Throughout the set videos were played on a big screen at the back of the stage.
For some of the songs Howard Robot even had cameras in the form of a steering
wheel and expandable ball from which he filmed himself sing. Probably one of
the funniest moments of the night was when our friend Robot attached a small
canon like tube to his crotch, stroking it as he sang Sex Machine, at
the end of which an explosion of white string spurted out onto the crowd.
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Howard Robot filming his audience
© Jamie Mackenzie
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My favourite song of the night had to be Dead, with the violinist, Autojulie3000,
accompanying Howard on stage. The electro beats were cleverly mixed with the
violin and topped off with great lyrics that made an altogether awesome song.
43 minutes had passed and the end of the show was disappointingly close. To
end what was a brilliant and madcap show Howard jumped into the stage with a
camera and began filming and singing to the audience with images of startled
members of the audience appearing on the big screen.
It was a shame the set was so short, but we certainly got our fair share of
funky beats and comedy. My apologies if I've left anything out. I have to admit
that for most of it I was completely entranced, dancing and laughing away along
with everyone else. Talking to some folk after the gig who had seen My Robot
Friend at T in The Park, they said that it was a similar set, but only at T
in The Park the venue was much larger and, as such, did not have the same impact
as this more intimate venue had: smaller venue + better crowd = better show,
seemed to sum up their thoughts.
I strongly advise, in fact, I implore anyone who has the chance to go see My
Robot Friend to do so. Remember everyone, My Robot Friend loves you.
© Jamie Mackenzie. 13 August 2006. Published on www.edinburghguide.com
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McCalmans (p.123)
Drams 
Musicians McCalmans: Ian McCalman; Nick Keir; Stephen Quigg
Date 19 August 2006
Venue Acoustic Music Centre @ St Bride's (Venue123)
Address 10 Orwell Terrace
Reviewer Mairi Anderson
The McCalmans have a very solid fan base throughout the world (many of us getting
more solid every year!) and this show was a total sell-out. This was an excellent
set and for most fans, high expectations were exceeded.
With a shorter than usual running time, Ian McCalman kept his stories short. Well,
short for Ian is about twice as long as everyone else! The audience adore his
patter and give him plenty of encouragement.
The show was a mix of old and new, with quite a heavy emphasis on promoting the
new album Scots Abroad which is just coming out. However, the quality
of the new material is so good that this isn’t a great hardship.
I have to confess that I belong to the generation that has grown up and old(er)
with the McCalmans. Nick Keir and I were students together at Stirling Uni and
worked together in brand new jobs a lifetime ago, before Nick got his chance to
follow his dream of making music full time. It is entertaining for we fellow “baby
boomers” to see the new songs reflect the “maturing” process. From
the new album Extra Time covers adjusting your lifestyle, while Ian’s
Leaving Denmark looks at the process of beginning to let go of doing some
of the things you love. There are probably a few of us who can remember our dads
saying “Don’t Sit on my Jimmy Shand’s” too!
I’ve enjoyed watching Nick’s performing and song-writing skills grow
and develop over the years and he just keeps getting better. All Over This
Town is a wonderful ballad. It’s moving, meaningful and full of melody.
I could relate personally to two of Nick’s compositions. I now live under
an East Lothian Sky which he evokes so well and another song was inspired
by Norman McCaig. In our student days we were lucky enough not just to be taught
by Norman McCaig but we also remember Norman with affection as a semi-permanent
fixture in the union bar. Happy days! I’m sure Norman would be proud of how
Nick has gone on to use his writing skills and the contribution the McCalmans
have made to Scottish culture.
The newest band member, Stephen Quigg, comes from Ayrshire, as do I. There were
lots of caustic comments at the expense of Saltcoats, but I forgive them. Stephen
has a brilliant voice and the three part harmonies they create are rich and complex.
He’s a real asset to the trio and he not only sings well, but also plays
a mean guitar and bodhran.
The McCalman audiences love to join in and sing, so the highlights for me were
the songs they taught us. Don’t go on the 830, Five O’clock in the
Morning and Hooray for Parliament all went down well. Lots of witty
observations, harsh realities and caustic one-liners in that selection!
As always the jokes and asides had everyone in stitches. The night finished on
a high with encores of some more traditional material including the Skye Boat
Song and Westering Home.
Listening to comments as we left, the feeling among the audience seemed to be
that everyone liked the new material, but they would have loved, in the words
of their song, “Just a Little More” of the old stuff for old times sake.
I agree, but I know that writing new material keeps the music fresh, so I’m
not complaining as long as they continue to express themselves so well. I’d
like to see them bring back more of the well known sing-a-long tunes but I’m
happy if the McCalmans keep bringing us entertaining evenings like this.
© Mairi Anderson.21 August 2006. Published on www.edinburghguide.com.
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Mazaika (p.123)
Drams 0
Musicians Sarah Harrison (violin), Igor Outkine (tenor, accordion)
Date 22 August 2006
Venue C (Venue 34)
Address Chambers Street,
Reviewer Val Baskott
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Mazaika
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Mazaika is a sparkling musical mosaic that brightens up even the darkest corner
of the C venue. Delighted smiles light up every face as the first chords on the
big accordion and the magic of the gypsy violin catch at the throat. The artistry
is first class, the virtuosity immense and the presentation flawless.
Outkine is Russian, trained in classical accordion and traditional song. He has
phenomenal expertise as a player and as a singer his lyric tenor can do full justice
to La dona è mobile just as well as cruising though the old Cotton
Club favourite Dinah.
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Mazaika
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Harrrison, classically trained in London, has become expert in many genres, ranging
from classical, through jazz, Latin, Russian and gypsy and together they do it
all with style and panache.
There is plenty of passion in the tangos, and Dinicu's The lark allows
Harrison to show that she can play as fast and furious as the best of gypsies.
This is a show rich in wit. Coquetry and flirtation fly between them, but in an
action-packed fifty minutes music wins hands down.
Unmissable entertainment.
© Val Baskott .23 August 2006. 21 August 2006. Published on www.edinburghguide.com.
See also www.mazaika-music.com/
Run 2-28 August 2006
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Mich En Scène (page 123)
Songs of Jacques Brel
Drams 0
Musicians Micheline Van Hautem (vocals); Frederik Caelen (piano and accordion);
Peter Swales s(inging saw)
Date 15 August 2006
Venue The Spiegetent (Venue No. 87)
Address George Square
Reviewer John Ritchie
Those of us who have been lucky enough to have watched the development of the
Speigeltent programme over the years will be well aware of the quality of the
shows that it produces and this performance adds to that pedigree. Rarely do you
come across a yardstick by which a genre can be future judged. This is one of
those very special performances.
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Micheline van Hautem and Frederik
Caelen
© Melanie Russell
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Micheline Van Hautem, with her second programme Songs of Jacques Brel,
brings us a Brel compilation that is truly second to none. Her voice is beautiful,
her timing impeccable, and her professional presence and sensitivy for her subject,
transported us back to the black and white days of the late fifties; all that
was missing was the gauloise smoke and the smell of pastis.
Very ably assisted by Frederik on piano and accordion, (she offered him to the
audience to take home with them at the end, and I had no time to wait and see
who did) we were treated to a Flemish masterclass in Brel music and songs, strangely
but well accompanied, by the man on the saw, Peter Swales.
Unfortunately Miss Van Hautem has only one performance left which is tomorrow
evening, but if Jacques Brel is your thing, she is simply the best you will hear,
and you should not miss her performance.
My one regret is that I missed her first programme, Madame. But hey! this
is the Festival and to manage to find such a gem, in what can be a shed full of
turkeys, is a prize indeed..
© John Ritchie, 15th August 2006. Published on www.edinburghguide.com
For more information go to www.michenscene.com
Run 14-16 August 2006 at 8pm Tickets £12.00 box office www.speigeltent.net
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Matisyahu
T on the Fringe Series
Drams 0
Music Reggae, amongst other things...
Band Matisyahu and Roots Tonic
Venue The Liquid Room (venue 173)
Address 9c, Victoria Street
Date 22nd August 2006
Reviewer Bruce Darby
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Matisyahu
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Matisyahu is a reggae MC who also just happens to be an orthodox Jew from
New York. His reggae has the religion of Bob Marley, the pop of Ziggy, and the
dancehall lyrical 'stylee' of Damien. Really though his sound is unique. It's
not often that you can't pigeon-hole someone but on a lot of songs he slips
from reggae to some slow religious sounding singing and back to reggae via a
guitar and then a drum solo. It's like when you serve tofu in black bean sauce
and penne picante at the same meal. Some people look slightly aghast at first,
but are soon tucking in with relish. Others will always struggle with the concept.
As he repeatedly leaves the 'riddim' behind and starts this almost muezzin-like
long sustained notes he is in danger of losing his audience. Not everyone can
cope with a reggae band who suddenly slips into a bit of psychedelic rock. But
as in dub reggae, when the repetive guitar rhythm returns, it feels perfect.
Like when the image finally swims into focus when you stare at a magic eye picture.
Even his MC'ing is his own special blend, at times it's like he's squeezing
in more beats than he's allowed.
Every great reggae artist must have a 'dance' and he's got a couple of crackers.
One involves him bouncing up down like he's pogoing on the spot. The other is
a slow moving, crouching skank, where he finds a beat that only he can hear.
But this is one of the only rules that he obeys. For if there is a risk to take,
he and his band Roots Tonic take it. He is a total rule breaker, who is as comfortable
beatboxing as he is MC'ing. Please, please, please someone get him in the studio
with Lee 'scratch' Perry, and let's see what the pair of them can come up with.
As the DJ's shout - 'rewind'.
Matisyahu has an album out called Youth on Epic Records, released
March 2006.
More information, downloads and videos:
www.matismusic.com/
www.myspace.com/matisyahu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matisyahu_(musician)
© Bruce Darby 30/08/2006. Published on www.edinburghguide.com
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Mikelangelo and the Black Sea Gentlemen (p.124)
Drams
Musicians Mikelangelo (vocals); The Black Sea Gentlemen: Rufino the Catalan
Casanova (violin); , The Great Muldavio (clarinet); Guido Libido (piano accordion);
Ruprecht (double bass)
Date 22 August 2006
Venue The Spiegel Garden (Venue No. 87)
Address George Square
Reviewer Val Baskott
On a dark journey from here to there and back again (with a bit of luck) is the
promise from Mikelangelo at the start of this cabaret noir.
Carrying a Balkan Elvis look with attitude, this highly original singer/songwriter
can produce some clever gems. The depressive's A minor day and the Formidable
marinade of sexual excess are delivered in a fruity baritone.
The band sound more than good enough for the job, a deliberate pastiche of 'Balkan',
and look the part, but are chiefly there as a foil for Mikelangelo on display,
and we are never quite sure where we're going next with him.
However this is a show to be seen, silent film comic faces, spoofs of westerns
and vignettes from band members are good. A send up of an author monologue on
taxidermy is bitingly funny if long, and there is plenty of black humour throughout.
It's a surreal Gothick chiaroscuro of a show, with enough innuendo to have the
audience rolling in the aisles. Darker dark, lighter light and focus and direction
and this could be an even greater show.
© Val Baskott. 16 August 2006. Published on www.edinburghguide.com. www.oninvisiblewings.com
Run 7-27 August 2006
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Maria McKee
T on the Fringe Series
Drams 0
Music See the review
Band Maria McKee (acoustic guitar, keyboard and vocals); Susan Otten
(harmony vocals)
Venue Cabaret Voltaire (Venue 139)
Address 36 Blair Street
Date 6 August 2006
Reviewer Julian Davis
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MariaMcKee
© George Lorimer
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Following the success of her Peddlin' Dreams album Maria was
invited to play at the Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow. Having decided
not to repeat the same set of tunes, she pulled together an amalgam of Lone
Justice, brother Bryan's and her own solo works plus some cover versions
to come up a folk-country play list, which in turn has spawned an exciting live
acoustic album.
Leaving behind her husband and bassist Jim Akin to look after the dogs, and
the rest of the band, she teamed up with a dear friend, Susan Otten,with whom
she has now embarked on a short tour to promote the forthcoming Acoustic
Tour 2006 album (Cooking Vinyl - CookCD387) due for release on the 11th
September in the UK - unless you are Phil Jupitas and can get hold of an advance
copy for your radio show; it's amazing how a physique like that can turn a young
girl's head (or so we thought - more on this later)! Only playing at Bristol,
Edinburgh, Sheffield and the Greenbelt Festival at Cheltenham racecourse, we
are indeed privileged to have Maria here again at Cabaret Voltaire tonight under
the T on the Fringe banner.
Despite her apparent regular forgetfulness - not bringing along the order of
play nor more than one guitar pick, fans can be assured that she kept reasonably
on track and covered almost all of the tracks which appear on the new album.
Despite some pleas from the front of the audience, the notable exception was
the beautiful cover of Bruce Springsteen's Backstreets on the basis that
it is hard on the vocal chords to sing throughout a tour. What we did get was
an hour or so of Maria's multi octave talents accompanied by her trusty Gibson
or sat at the Yamaha keyboard being carried along on a wave of adulation from
the packed venue - and ably supported by the beautiful vocal harmony of Susan.
It came as no surprise that she covers some of brother's compositions (Orange
skies, Don't toss us away and the gospel sounding Blessed salvation)
and gave a brief eulogy on the late Arthur Lee and Bryan and how much they meant
and their undoubted influence on her. Nor was it surprising that two tracks
off the previous album also found their way onto this acoustic set, the title
track Peddlin' dreams and super rendition of husband Jim's Sullen
soul despite my misgivings that it would suffer without that wonderful lead
guitar riff of the original version.
We had an amusing incident whilst Maria attempted to play into Breathe
as she recognised some similarity of chord progression with Black Sabbath's
Paranoid which she proceeded to show us and then couldn't immediately
get back into the rhythm of her own song. When she did attempt it again later,
you could almost have heard a pin drop amongst the audience watching her live,
seeing the body language, and hearing the power and the emotion of the song.
It was almost worth the admission money on its own to have witnessed that performance
as she poured out her heart and soul on this song and deservedly received rapturous
applause from the gathering.
The girls obviously fancy their chances in any remake of Russ Meyer's classic
Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, with an excellent cover version of the
Carrie Nations' In the long run. And Richard Thompson's beautiful, slow
and sad Has he got a friend for me was well received. But it was another
cover version - actually of a song she wrote herself when she was 18 but has
never recorded that almost brought the house down. The Feargal Sharkey hit A
good heart, which is rumoured to be a single next February, went down an
absolute storm.
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MariaMcKee
© George Lorimer
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Husband Jim may not have been present but he was obviously still in her thoughts.
After coaxing Susan back for the encore she rounded off the evening firstly
with Jim's My one true love which showed her at her winsome best (I can
almost hear Neil Young reciprocating and singing a cover of that one) and then
with a solo version of the 1996 album titled Life is sweet. Time
unfortunately had caught up with us and Maria took her deserved applause and
departed to find that long way back to the dressing room, but before she left,
we did hear the great news that her new album was actually going to be on sale
at the back of the venue; the long eager queue to snap it up was testament in
itself to the evening's entertainment and the popularity of this superbly talented
singer/songwriter.
Whether it was a entirely a polished set could be debated but it was certainly
one not to be missed and, as she will be back with the band when she returns
home recording a more rock-oriented album. it may well be a long time before
we see a performance like this again.
www.mariamckee.com
© Julian Davis 25/08/2006. Published on www.edinburghguide.com
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Muse (p.124)
Ton the Fringe Series
Drams 0
Music See the review
Band Muse: Mathew Bellamy (guitar, vocals, piano); Chris Wolstenholme
(bass, backing vocals); Dominic Howard (percussion, drums)
Support Band My Chemical Romance: Gerard Way (vocals); Mikey Way (bass);
Frank Iero (rhythm guitar, backing vocals); Ray Toro (lead guitar, backing vocals);
Bob Bryar (drums)
Venue Meadowbank Stadium (Venue 333)
Address London Road
Date 24 August 2006
Reviewer Steven Johre
My Chemical Romance
These guys were full of hard-driving music from forthcoming The Black
Parade album which changed them as a band, taking members to previously
unexplored internal and personal locales. All clad in black they put on a very
energetic show providing good warm up for muse.
Muse
Muse very recently won the Kerrang award for best live band. I'm not surprised.
I have to say as they were awesome! I had not seen them before and wasn't expecting
such a force, which took me by surprise. The intensity of the show was extraordinary
and captivated me completely.
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Black holes
and revelations
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Guitarist Mathew Bellamy showed huge talent playing some great guitar with
absolute fluency whilst grooving all over the stage. Looked like a lot of fun!
Great voice as well. Bassist Chris Wolstenholme and drummer Dominic Howard were
also fab. Totally engaging and as tight and skilled as you could want a rhythm
section to be (and many times providing the melody).
The visuals of the show of the show were very consuming and played a significant
role in the bigness of it all. The images were very provocative and reminded
me of some Pink Floyd concerts I have seen. Clearly Muse are an intelligent
group of guys with big ideas.
Songs such as latest single Supermassive Black Hole and Starlight
of their Mercury-nominated Black Holes and Revelations album blew
the crowd away along with various greats from their previous work.
© Steven Johre. 28 August 2006. Published on www.edinburghguide.com See
also www.muse.mu
http://www.mychemicalromance.com/
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Music
at St Cuthbert's (p.124)
Organfest Series 2006
Drams
Music Hollins: Concert Toccata in B flat; Krebs: Allein Gott
in der höh ser Her from Clavierübung; Bach: Fantasia und fuge
g-moll. BWV 542; Percy Whitloc: Plymouth suite; John Arthur Meale
(1880-1932): Chanson d'espoir; William Faulkes: Concert overture in
E flat
Organist Ruaraidh Fergus Sutherland, St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Edinburgh
Venue St Cuthbert's Parish Church (Venue 122)
Address 5 Lothian Road
Date 24 August 2006
Reviewer Charlie Napier
Ruaraidh Fergus Sutherland is a young man with talent. He has just graduated
with honours from the Music Department of Edinburgh University. During his time
at the University he has played a very active part in its musical life as well
as that of Edinburgh. For the past three years he has been the Organ Scholar
at St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Palmerston Place, as well as organist at Fettes
College, Assistant Organist at Christ Church, Morningside, and Assistant Organist
at the Cathedral. In addition to giving organ recitals in Edinburgh, Carlisle
and St Albans, he has played with Edinburgh Symphony Baroque, Scottish Sinfonia,
Edinburgh Bach Choir, Edinburgh Singers and Garleton Singers.
He leaves Edinburgh to take up a position on the staff of Sherborne School and
as Organ Scholar at Sherborne Abbey. He will be the principal organist for all
school services as well as accompanying and training the all-male Abbey choir.
Ruaraidh opened his recital with the Concert toccata in B flat by Alfred
Hollins. Hollins, who was blind, was a renowned organist and composer and was
organist at St George's West church, Edinburgh. This lively, and exciting work,
with its intricacies expected from Hollins, was an excellent choice not only
to demonstrate the range of the instrument but also Ruaraidh's excellent technique,
especially in the pedals.
The Hollins was followed by two baroque masterpieces. First, a setting of the
German Gloria by Johann Krebs, J S Bach's finest pupil. The quick first
part, demonstrate Ruaraidh's fine finger technique, then the second part, a
fugue, in which the parts were clear and distinct, ending with a chorale. Good
use was made of the chancel organ as well as the nave organ, illustrating the
different tonal qualities obtainable from each. The second was by the master
himself, J S Bach, the Fantasia and Fuge g-moll. This is considered one
of the finest pieces for organists to play, with its adventurous harmonic sequences
in the Fantasia I and the great contrapuntal writing in the Fuge.
We then skipped a few hundred years into the 20th century. Percy Whitlock known
as the "English Rachmaninov", was organist at the Bournemouth Pavilion
as well as organist at Rochester Cathedral and St Stephen's Church, Bournemouth.
This suite of five characteristic pieces was obviously inspired by the English
West Country. (1) Allegro Risoluto: nice introduction with excellent variations
both in tone and volume: (2) Lantana, a "meditation" or "reverie"
using quite reeds, very effective; (3) Chanty, good use of high flute stops,
very like a sea shanty, giving one an impression of the relationship with the
sea; (4) Salix - the Latin for a willow tree and this soft melancholy movement
on the reed stops easily conjured up a vision of a drooping willow; (5) Toccata,
a typical toccata with quick finger passages, a powerful theme in the pedals,
exciting development with the theme in the trumpet or tuba stop on the manuals,
then back into the pedals. It was an excellent piece, very finely played, and
an exciting finish to the work.
The penultimate item was Chanson d'espoir, "Song of hope" by
John Arthur Meale, for the first twenty years of its life, the organist at The
Central Hall, London. He was a much-sought-after recitalist and a prolific composer,
but sadly not much of his music is available today. This was a very pleasant
piece, very melodic and restful, made interesting by the excellent choice of
varied registration and use of the tremolo.
The Recital was brought to a close with the exciting Concert overture in
E flat by William Faulkes. Faulkes, another fine British concert organist
and composer and a contemporary of Hollins , who actually requested this piece
from Faulkes. Again, the range of the St Cuthbert Instrument was demonstrated
with the excellent use of varied registrations, as well as the excellent tuba
stop, which was a requested feature of the piece. It was very much in the "romantic"
style; in fact it was almost "slushy", with its "cinematic"
effects. A delightful way to spend a lunch-time hour.
© Charlie Napier, 24 August 2005.
Series 14-25 August 2006 at 12.45 in St Cuthbert's Church
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My Morning Jacket (Not in the Fringe brochure)
Ton the Fringe Series
Drams
Music New Wave/Indie/Electro
Band Jim James (vcls, gtr);Two Tone Tommy (bass); Carl Broemel (gtr);
Bo Coster (keys); Patrick Hallahan (drums)
Venue Cabaret Voltaire (Venue 139)
Address 36 Blair Street
Date 26 August 2006
Reviewer Roddy McNeil
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Long-haired and bearded, Jim James comes on stage alone with acoustic guitar.
He strummed, then threw a sonic grenade into the audience in the form of a voice
of clear, ringing, angelic uplift.
He sang a beautiful ballad about I dunno young love run free and shot for trying.
I was so knocked away by the sound that I couldn't concentrate on the words.
I was up up and away in cloudland.
Song ends. Head in the clouds and breathless, it takes a few moments for the
audience to regain their corporeal bodies and muscle control to clap and cheer.
Now we know where we're going tonight we can unfurl our wings and grip our drinks
firmly lest they fall from our limp fingers as we leave our bodies again. The
band come on and with all engines thrusting we taxi along the runway and are
pulled aloft by MMJ Airways, soaring through the greyday depressions of cumulus,
reaching for the glimmers of light suffusing the stratus high above Louisville,
Kentucky.
We are taken on an aerial ghost-dance of reverb n roll, shamanic drones fed
through balladry, country soul, elated blues jams and full on guitar strangling
headbangin'.
Time and space warped and expanded. The low cavern of the Cab fell away below
as harmonic thermals raised us up to to be touched by the crystalline cold at
the near edge of Space, falling back as shards of angel, only the big tent of
the Aurora Borealis' magnetic field preventing our flyaway spirits from streaming
into final immolate oneness with the sun.
Well, that's where I seemed to get to.
Not a word has been spoken between songs,no need. Better to concentrate on flying.
Now Jim breaks into a broad smile. Gotta go, not allowed to play longer coz
there's a disco next but hey, they'd love to play all night for us, they're
only getting warmed up.
Jim thanks the audience for 'sharing their energy' and them 'taking it and giving
it back', echo-ing William Burroughs analysis of the band/audience feedback
loop - 'A rock concert is…a rite involving the evocation and transmutation
of energy…the origin of all the arts is magical'.
For the first time this Festival I'm in an audience that insists on an encore,
not putting up with the 'Clear off, you've had your gig' pa muzak. My Morning
Jacket are only too happy to squeeze in more playing time and not one not two
but three or even four songs later dizzying impressions of Gilberto Gil, Dave
Gilmour, jam-dub and Kentucky fried Psyche-out tumble about in the aftermath
of the cyclone
But it's not over yet.
Jim came back on alone with guitar and a final song to complete the circle of
beginning to end and to bring the ritual to a gentle close and ensure everyone
lands safely.
Floating out of the Cab I checked the time. Whaat, nah!? They were only on stage
for an hour fifteen! That felt like a solid two and a half hour set. Minimum.
Next time put My Morning Jacket on at a venue where they can play away to their
hearts content, a whole night at the Bongo Club is the best place I can think
of. They'll use the time and fill the space to take you right out of your head.
© Roddy McNeil 30 August 2006 Published on Edinburgh guide.com
Find out more at www.mymorningjacket.com
