Novelty acts aren’t generally my thing, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to see the legendary Monsieur Cheese and his swinging covers of entirely inappropriate songs. And although the occasional number fell flat, for the most part it was a hilariously lewd, crude and smooth experience for all concerned – loads of crowd participation, some inspired takes on popular tunes (a Mexican-tinged “Sunday Bloody Sunday” was pretty special) and naval officers dancing down the aisles to the sultry sounds of…Radiohead. Not sure the posh old dears stewarding the event really appreciated his take on “Show Me Your Pussy” though…
Sunday, October 28, 2012
RICHARD CHEESE (London Cadogan Hall, 27/10/12)
Novelty acts aren’t generally my thing, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to see the legendary Monsieur Cheese and his swinging covers of entirely inappropriate songs. And although the occasional number fell flat, for the most part it was a hilariously lewd, crude and smooth experience for all concerned – loads of crowd participation, some inspired takes on popular tunes (a Mexican-tinged “Sunday Bloody Sunday” was pretty special) and naval officers dancing down the aisles to the sultry sounds of…Radiohead. Not sure the posh old dears stewarding the event really appreciated his take on “Show Me Your Pussy” though…
Novelty acts aren’t generally my thing, but I couldn’t pass up the chance to see the legendary Monsieur Cheese and his swinging covers of entirely inappropriate songs. And although the occasional number fell flat, for the most part it was a hilariously lewd, crude and smooth experience for all concerned – loads of crowd participation, some inspired takes on popular tunes (a Mexican-tinged “Sunday Bloody Sunday” was pretty special) and naval officers dancing down the aisles to the sultry sounds of…Radiohead. Not sure the posh old dears stewarding the event really appreciated his take on “Show Me Your Pussy” though…
ACID MOTHERS TEMPLE (London Café Oto, 23/10/12)
The (in)famous Japanese psychedelic rock band advertised their second London show in two days as a one-off “electric jazz" set. What actually happened was they got bored of jazzin' within 20 minutes and ended up going off on the most brilliantly bizarre musical tangents I’ve ever experienced, encompassing a Jethro Tull tribute where the band pranced about with recorders, a cover of Tubular Bells with percussion courtesy of their guitarist (who doesn’t know how to play drums), a gravelly Delta Blues pastiche and finally, an incredible half-hour version of their spaced-out epic “Pink Lady Lemonade”. Not the kind of thing I’d ask for every day, but as a one-off it was a left-field, thoroughly enjoyable triumph.
(Photo: Mike Winship)
The (in)famous Japanese psychedelic rock band advertised their second London show in two days as a one-off “electric jazz" set. What actually happened was they got bored of jazzin' within 20 minutes and ended up going off on the most brilliantly bizarre musical tangents I’ve ever experienced, encompassing a Jethro Tull tribute where the band pranced about with recorders, a cover of Tubular Bells with percussion courtesy of their guitarist (who doesn’t know how to play drums), a gravelly Delta Blues pastiche and finally, an incredible half-hour version of their spaced-out epic “Pink Lady Lemonade”. Not the kind of thing I’d ask for every day, but as a one-off it was a left-field, thoroughly enjoyable triumph.
(Photo: Mike Winship)
SOAP & SKIN (London Royal Festival Hall, 06/10/12)
Another terrifyingly, beautifully intense show from Anja Plaschg in a venue much more attuned to her gothic majesty than her Scala. The addition of female harmonies (most notably on “Cynthia”) almost reduced me to unmanly tears on more than one occasion, and although it wasn’t her most “full-on” performance (that honour goes to her 2010 Union Chapel show), there was still more brutal emotion in one of her songs than the combined oeuvre of 90% of bands out there.
Another terrifyingly, beautifully intense show from Anja Plaschg in a venue much more attuned to her gothic majesty than her Scala. The addition of female harmonies (most notably on “Cynthia”) almost reduced me to unmanly tears on more than one occasion, and although it wasn’t her most “full-on” performance (that honour goes to her 2010 Union Chapel show), there was still more brutal emotion in one of her songs than the combined oeuvre of 90% of bands out there.
BLACK DICE (London Birthdays, 04/10/12)
Under normal circumstances I would have enjoyed the abrasive earth-sundering synths of this Brooklyn trio, but due to the exceptionally low stage of the venue and the exceptionally high twattiness of the crowd I soon realised I wasn't having fun and left. So it goes.
Under normal circumstances I would have enjoyed the abrasive earth-sundering synths of this Brooklyn trio, but due to the exceptionally low stage of the venue and the exceptionally high twattiness of the crowd I soon realised I wasn't having fun and left. So it goes.
THE SUN-RA ARKESTRA (London Barbican, 29/09/12)
These jazz-playing space wizards blew my mind at ATP this March, so I thought I’d rejoin the Arkestra for another session of toe-tapping bebop, mad squalls of avant garde noise and everything in between. And bloody good it was too. Marshall Allen is still a force to be reckoned with as he approaches his 89th birthday, and although some of their oeuvre could be considered…”challenging,” one never gets the impression, as with some of their contemporaries, that they take themselves too seriously (to be fair, the sparkly robes and cartwheels are kind of a giveaway...)
These jazz-playing space wizards blew my mind at ATP this March, so I thought I’d rejoin the Arkestra for another session of toe-tapping bebop, mad squalls of avant garde noise and everything in between. And bloody good it was too. Marshall Allen is still a force to be reckoned with as he approaches his 89th birthday, and although some of their oeuvre could be considered…”challenging,” one never gets the impression, as with some of their contemporaries, that they take themselves too seriously (to be fair, the sparkly robes and cartwheels are kind of a giveaway...)
DAN DEACON (London Scala, 26/09/12)
Even though I’ve seen Dan Deacon do pretty much this exact same show seven times by now, it still engenders a level of glee unmatched by anything else under the sun. The new iPhone/Android app that pulses coloured lights in time with the music adds a fancy new form of interactivity to proceedings, but as always, it’s the core triumvirate of brilliantly trippy songs, hilarious banter and a shedload of audience participation that made this an absolute joy to be part of. True, one day it’d be nice to see a DD performance that reflects the increasing maturity and majesty of his music, but for now, let’s all head to the mountain of snow, upon the big glen…
(Photo: Eleonora Collini (The 405))
Even though I’ve seen Dan Deacon do pretty much this exact same show seven times by now, it still engenders a level of glee unmatched by anything else under the sun. The new iPhone/Android app that pulses coloured lights in time with the music adds a fancy new form of interactivity to proceedings, but as always, it’s the core triumvirate of brilliantly trippy songs, hilarious banter and a shedload of audience participation that made this an absolute joy to be part of. True, one day it’d be nice to see a DD performance that reflects the increasing maturity and majesty of his music, but for now, let’s all head to the mountain of snow, upon the big glen…
(Photo: Eleonora Collini (The 405))
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)