Monday, May 30, 2005
Gang of Four
OK, so the first time I saw Gang of Four was in 1983. At Drumlins Country Club in suburban Syracuse, New York. (Keep your snickering to yourself, I saw The Cult play there a few years later in support of their, at the time, latest album "Love".) Anyway, it was also the first time I got drunk. See, I knew a guy who was a busboy there who knew a bartender. That bartender served up whisky sours before the show and I ended up sitting on the edge of the stage while there was a great racket going on behind me. This time there was still a great racket but I was able to actually enjoy it.
As you are probably aware, the Gang of Four, the original members, decided to get together and hit the road. No album to support. They apparently decided it was time to show the current generation how it is done. And man, did they ever. The place was the 9:30 Club in DC. The doors opened at 10. Waiting in line I saw a collection of old guys like me and younger kids who, I suppose, wanted to see where their favorite bands got their inspiration.
The opening act, Radio 4 , went onstage around 11. While musically proficient and interesting (guitar obviously inspired by Andy Gill) the lyrics were insipid and repetative. After a 30 minute set the crowd was left to wait. And wait. And wait. Around 12:10 the lights dimmed, some strange African chants were played over the sound system and then... The choppy distinctive Andy Gill style. From that moment on there was just an intense energy coming off the stage. I never would have thought that forty-something men could put on such a physical show. Jon King jumped all over the stage and, during the song "Why Theory" beat the crap out of a microwave with a steel baseball bat to keep rhythm. With Dave Allen, Jon King and Andy Gill strutting all over the stage, jumping about and striking rock-god poses I kind of felt bad for Hugo Burnham getting stuck behind the drums.
I won't try to recall the set list but I can say that all but a couple songs ("I Parade Myself" and "We Live As We Dream, Alone") came off their first two albums. Well those two and their third and final encore of "Sweet Jane" (whaaa, don't get that one). Of the songs played "Paralysed" was great as King and Gill played off of each other with their own individual monologues.
The staging was minimal. A few different colored gels. Three mic stands and that's about it. But, after the show started it was obvious nothing more was needed.
Overall the sound was great. The 9:30 Club is a fantastic place to see a show. The sound was clean and not muddy at all. And what a sound it was! You could hear the individual instruments and the vocals were not completely drowned out. They played an 80 minute set and it was just great. I have to say, it was the best concert I've ever been to.
As you are probably aware, the Gang of Four, the original members, decided to get together and hit the road. No album to support. They apparently decided it was time to show the current generation how it is done. And man, did they ever. The place was the 9:30 Club in DC. The doors opened at 10. Waiting in line I saw a collection of old guys like me and younger kids who, I suppose, wanted to see where their favorite bands got their inspiration.
The opening act, Radio 4 , went onstage around 11. While musically proficient and interesting (guitar obviously inspired by Andy Gill) the lyrics were insipid and repetative. After a 30 minute set the crowd was left to wait. And wait. And wait. Around 12:10 the lights dimmed, some strange African chants were played over the sound system and then... The choppy distinctive Andy Gill style. From that moment on there was just an intense energy coming off the stage. I never would have thought that forty-something men could put on such a physical show. Jon King jumped all over the stage and, during the song "Why Theory" beat the crap out of a microwave with a steel baseball bat to keep rhythm. With Dave Allen, Jon King and Andy Gill strutting all over the stage, jumping about and striking rock-god poses I kind of felt bad for Hugo Burnham getting stuck behind the drums.
I won't try to recall the set list but I can say that all but a couple songs ("I Parade Myself" and "We Live As We Dream, Alone") came off their first two albums. Well those two and their third and final encore of "Sweet Jane" (whaaa, don't get that one). Of the songs played "Paralysed" was great as King and Gill played off of each other with their own individual monologues.
The staging was minimal. A few different colored gels. Three mic stands and that's about it. But, after the show started it was obvious nothing more was needed.
Overall the sound was great. The 9:30 Club is a fantastic place to see a show. The sound was clean and not muddy at all. And what a sound it was! You could hear the individual instruments and the vocals were not completely drowned out. They played an 80 minute set and it was just great. I have to say, it was the best concert I've ever been to.
posted by Anonymous, 7:48 PM
2 Buffaloes were bitter enough to post comments:
At Coachella, I heard Go4 was received politely by a confused crowd, the majority of which thought Bloc Party influenced Go4 and not the other way around. For that reason (and because they performed on an outdoor stage much too large for the type of performance you describe here, Matt), I'm glad I picked Arcade Fire.
Still, the show sounds like a winner. I love the 9:30 Club, and I love Gang of Four. And I love Matt. Maybe I shoulda driven up there anyway. Sigh.
I DID manage to get to Chicago to see Kraftwerk last weekend, a show that was as much performance art as it was performance. Nowhere near as animated as Go4 were, the four middle-aged members of Kraftwerk stood in front of podiums and barely moved for the duration of the packed 2 hour show. I really did enjoy the show, though, enough that I may post my feelings about it here.
Still, the show sounds like a winner. I love the 9:30 Club, and I love Gang of Four. And I love Matt. Maybe I shoulda driven up there anyway. Sigh.
I DID manage to get to Chicago to see Kraftwerk last weekend, a show that was as much performance art as it was performance. Nowhere near as animated as Go4 were, the four middle-aged members of Kraftwerk stood in front of podiums and barely moved for the duration of the packed 2 hour show. I really did enjoy the show, though, enough that I may post my feelings about it here.
Hey, remember when Purdy used to contribute to his own blog? Those were good times!