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Tonight’s show was billed as:
Max Tundra
Archie Bronson Outfit
Oh No Ono (Denmark)
White Hinterland (USA)
Mugstar
On the subject of good hair, whilst on Liverpool’s Hardman St on the way to the show, it amused me somewhat to see the collective grouping of bands gathered and segregated clearly by their demeanor and hairstyles. Clusters of 4 ‘ and 5’s: The men with the moustaches... The boys with the braces… The dudes in denims… The eggs with the eyeliner, etc; a great visual treat for all it’s worth.
Mugstar have just released an amazing new album of contemporary Psychedelic rock that stands up to their dazzling, mind bending, freak-out live show, so I wanted to get there early. A meagre one hour and five minutes later than advertised, they take the stage with a tasteful backdrop of black and white animations projected. This keeps flashing in the room for 45 minutes and, combined with the musical trip, leads to another exceptional set from them. If you get a chance to see them, do!
Interesting set from this two-piece; I was taken back to the mid 90’s when trip-hop poured through. This set is centred on slow, throbbing beats prepared live with a blissful female vocal. Live harmonies seem to appear from nowhere and it adds to the air well. WH remind me of FOG but less broken. Playing in candlelight was a nice touch too!
Last album ‘Eggs’ is one of my favourites of this year. It is a lavish affair with plenty of production flamboyancy, whilst also being written and composed superbly. They are over-the-top-pop. I have seen them before live and they seemed to cut it.
Tonight it appears that the keyboard player hasn’t toured with them so all those extra nice little bits in their music are currently appearing through the power of backing tracks (always a shame, unfortunately sometimes a necessity).
That aside, Oh No Ono performed an up-tempo set, threw in the obligatory Euro-band-visit-Liverpool Beatles cover, avoided playing their singles and then left promptly. (Worthy note, a stand-up drummer with a splendid cocktail kit).
Just before taking the stage, what seems like a million people all of a sudden enter The Kazimier only to make the place look and seem like a gig’s on or something?
Musically, ABO are like a trad. stoner rock band with slap back echo on vocals. What it doesn’t do for me, it does do for everyone else. The crowd loves it and, just after the band the leave stage, so do all the audience. How rude! Paid crowd? Nahhh… Wristband wearing, featured-artist-loving crowd (collective noun being a Susan?) Maybe?
What can I say? This chap finally played after 1am to about 30-40 people, which means 100190890910199019990091099 people… erm, no... the rest of the world (!) missed one of the best songwriters our land is lucky to have at the moment.
The flair of Brian Wilson with Prince /Michael Jackson on Vocals remixed by someone on Warp. Love it! The last three albums are all works in their own right and he transfers well to the live arena.
He performs as one man, two synths, melodica, glockenspiel, percussion and goes totally um bongo to boot! Go listen to his recent album “Parallax Error Beheads You” or my favourite ”Mastered by Guy At The Exchange”. Due to an unfortunate baggage accident (perhaps on the way back from Japan…) he lost his synths and I like him that much I lent him mine, look...!!!
Barry Thone
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