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M U S I C
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Sunday, March 23
[Moby]posted by pete at 22:07*revised to prevent misunderstanding*
Well I've been, seen and returned with numb ears. The evening didn't begin all that well because I'd dug up one of the shirts I bought in Hong Kong which I probably shouldn't wear anymore, and I felt a bit like a member of the Village People or something. Pippa's company lent a huge positive dimension to the evening, but can I just say from the outset that it was such a shame that Groove Terminator was the support act because he was not to my taste at all. I don't do happy house, or whatever it was.
Anyway Moby came on, accompanied by a full band, and raised a very warm reception that is typical of all Adelaide gigs. And it was a lovely show, even though my enjoyment was hampered by a girl who insisted on leaving a vast gap in front of her at the expense of the gap in front of me. I think she'd probably worn the same shirt two nights in a row, so Moby's music will now forever be accompanied by the recollection of a pungent smell of sweat.
Unsurprisingly I knew all but about two songs, and they were performed with enthusiasm and vigour. I particularly enjoyed his old rave classics (such as Go and Feeling so real), which are probably where my preferences lie with regard to his music. I'm a bit indifferent to some of his later stuff. At times the music suffered from a poor mix, and the guitar distortion reached ear-blistering proportions.
The concert drew a diverse and strange crowd (generally not my scene), and likewise the performers were an eclectic bunch. We had the mandatory attractive female bassist resplendent in white-chic; two violinists, suitably demure and also adorned with white; a shirtless drummer (originally from Adelaide) who had a penchant for twirling and hurling his sticks and might have confused some insecure boys; a wonderfully busty singer with an amazing voice and attractive personality; a very hip London DJ with loads of funky attitude; and of course Moby himself who commands a fun stage presence which is, as Pippa commented, at times redolent of an American tele-evangelist.
All in all a great show, but I think I would have preferred the concert two years ago, as it might have more closely matched my musical tastes then. But this coming from somebody who is currently obsessed with Joni Mitchell... perhaps my opinion should be ignored.
[Run on]posted by pete at 09:51It's the Moby concert tonight. Stay tuned for some sort of wrap-up.
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[When the day is]posted by pete at 23:01I've been trying to decide my favourite Nick Drake song. Not that it really matters, but it's good to categorise these things sometimes.
At the moment I'm struggling between River man, Day is done and At the chime of a city clock. Then of course there's Fruit tree and Things behind the sun. So much beautiful music – it's too hard!
In other news, my flatmate Nikki brought home a vinyl LP of Roberta Flack's Killing me softly from a school fair. It's so damn good!
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[Not to be]posted by pete at 08:13And so I've resigned myself to the fact that I can't attend Womadelaide this year, due to serious Melbourne-induced budgetary constraints. How disappointing. It's one of my favourite festivals. :(
In more bad news, I also don't think I can make it to the Bundaleer Forest Concert Weekend, for reasons as described above. Oh the sacrifices we young things have to make... :(
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[16 Beats]posted by pete at 08:18Thanks to the very generous Pippa, I now have my very own copy of the New Buffalo EP About Last Night. My introduction to New Buffalo occurred when I saw her as the support act at the Beth Orton concert. She played an amazing set (despite the thoughtless people in my vicinity who were intent on talking loudly about what their sons, daughters and divorced friends were up to – hello, that's what cups of tea at family-oriented cafes are for), and it was pretty much just her on stage with either a guitar or a strange little electronic gadget that seemed to be full of samples.
Anyway, it's a great EP, and has cute cover art too.
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[Somewhere in Twin Street]posted by pete at 13:15Last night's gig at The Jade Monkey was a blast. The impressive lineup of Clue to Kalo, At Sea and Machine Translations provided a perfect evening of aural entertainment.
Clue to Kalo performed a heavily electronic set, which reminded me of some of the Icelandic music I've been hearing lately. At Sea were a threepiece who achieved an amazing density of sound with their three instruments. The singer had something Nick Cave-like about him, more in stage presence than actual sound. Machine Translations were especially memorable, with their tight performance, strong vocals, beautiful violinist and slightly creepy electronic samples. I found them entirely mesmerising, and really enjoyed watching their personalities emerge on stage.
And it's such a cute club – I really hope this place becomes an Adelaide institution! Dark floorboards, light walls, a red stage flanked by fairy lights, couches, interesting sculptures, stunning lightshades and exotic plants combine to produce a wonderful performance space. All this for only $8! It's a non-smoking venue and attracts a diverse and quite edgy crowd, which is only another feather in its cap.
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