TEA London News & Views

Day 3- Group Doueh, Prince Rama, Orthrelm, Oneohtrix Point Never, Tony Conrad & Jennifer Walshe, Ear Pwr, Atlas Sound and Gang Gang Dance.

Group Doueh:

Hailing from Dakhla in Western Sahara, the band consists of a man(Doueh), his son and four amazing super mamas. And on a Sunday afternoon, they were truly a joy to watch. The warmth that they produced were incredible and it came not only from their sound but also from them individually as fellow humans. I absolutely loved the super mamas, they sang and dance with such dignity and grace, and not to mention ease(Beyonce, eat your heart out). O and when Doueh switches from his traditional tindik to an electric guitar, boy, Hendrix was in the house! Yes, he was hot, and he’s got an impressive party trick up his sleeve too! Joy, joy, joy!

Prince Rama:

Though it says a trio in the write-up, but on stage were two girls, a synth, and a drum(not counting some other paraphernalia and a traditional Indian dancer for a few songs). Heavily influenced by the Hare Krishna (they stayed at the Hare Krishna farm for a while), their set were almost ritualistic with the obligatory chanting and clanging of prayer bells. But somehow the girls managed to keep the sound fresh and not too gimmicky. Having said that, it does feel a little bit tired towards the end of the set and as much as I like the synth and the booming drums, I can’t stop wanting perhaps a little bit more to their sound. A missing member maybe?

Orthrelm:

Like Spectrum, the write-ups for this band is enough to make me want to see them. A guitarist and a drummer. This duo started their career playing music that’s ‘very fast, abrasive, technical music with as little repetitions as possible’ and then they had a total turn around and started playing music that’s focus ‘entirely on repetition’. On hiatus since 2006, seeing them live was one of the highlight of the event. With no breaks, their set was just an amazing assault on your senses. Not one for slowing down, the drums were thumping like a thousand horses on the path of war all thorough the set while guitar was manically grinding like clashing chainsaws. It was fantastic and I have nothing but respect for them. How did they do it? I have no idea but it would be really interesting to see them at band practice. A definite not to be missed if you ever get the chance.

Oneohtrix Point Never:

An experimental electronic musician, Daniel Lopatin is very highly regarded and is not short of rave review. Hailed by the Wire as the musician that ‘open our ears to new sonic possibilities and… force us to reconsider and rewire some of our basic assumption.’, I was left rather disappointed. He is accomplished at what he does but his sound was rather common and tired, and it simply did not go anywhere. The only thing challenged was my patience and I strongly suggest he reconsider and rewire his basic assumption.

Tony Conrad & Jennifer Walshe:

This could possibly be the most avant garde of the lot for the weekend. And it shows as the exodus of people left the venue almost empty. But those that stayed were rewarded with the beautiful yet primal howl and screech of Jennifer Walshe accompanied by the frantic and disjointed violin by the both of them. Seeing act like this made me wish I own a gallery as this is the exact music I would be playing. It’s raw, but somehow cerebral, you don’t always understand it but somehow it calls out to you. I admit, they are a little difficult to get into at first but if you throw away your preconception and give them and yourself a chance, you might just find yourself enjoying something that’s simply not quite the same.

Ear Pwr:

These North Carolina duo are all about being sweet and innocent. And just like them, their music is sweet and innocent too. But in these world, there are such things as too sweet and too innocent; and they, have certainly crossed the line. I don’t mean to be harsh but it was sickly and nauseating. And I left as quickly as possible for some fresh air. You have been warned.

Atlas Sound:

Atlas Sound is the solo moniker of Deerhunter frontman- Bradford Cox and if you have heard Atlas Sound on the radio or on record, and you expect the same music, you would be left disappointed. Stripped off the pop-pier electronic beeps and blips, Atlas Sound on stage is one man with a guitar and whole lot of pedals. Possibly the most down to earth and sweetest person on stage, you will be amazed at how much one man(and a guitar and pedals) can do. His sounds wraps warmly around you like a cocoon and then sets you free to spread your wings. It is very comforting, and this is the second time I’ve seen him and he has yet to disappoint.

Gang Gang Dance:

Described by many as the darker and twisted side to the New York avant-garde movement(Animal collective represent the sunny side), Gang Gang Dance is a kinda like Atlas Sound X 5. But what looks good on paper may not always work on stage. Louder doesn’t always mean better. First of all, yes they are a little darker than Animal Collective but their sound is by no means dark and it is far from being twisted. And secondly, I think the term avant garde has been used rather loosely to something perhaps that is just not mainstream or pop. Anyway, I thought they were, quite enjoyable but sadly suffers from more or less the same problems that I have with Animal Collective. I think sometimes it is too easy to layer on more and more, but unfortunately it doesn’t always take you higher. Maybe if they take a step back and peel off some layers, they might actually find something fresher that’s already there.

And that’s the end of Day 3..

Overall, I really think it has been great.  And besides the smaller crowd, this ATP also benefited from a later start and a later finish to the day. It was also great to see DJ’s being given a better billing than before but I think more still can be done. I know ATP is not a dance event but I think having higher profile DJ’s would simply add another dimension to the whole event. At the moment having DJs feel almost like an after thought rather than something they planned for. Anyway, that’s it about this ATP. The next one is the Nightmare Before Christmas curated by not one but three bands: The Battles, Les Savy Fav and Caribou. Bring it on!!

o I luv the poster!!!

BE

Disclaimer: The views of Bunny Ears is not necessarily that of TEA London’s; or that of anyone else’s for that matter.

Day 2- The Brothers Unconnected, Meat Puppets, Kria Brekkan, Spectrum, Thinking Fellers Union Local 282, Animal Collective

The Brothers Unconnected:

The Brothers Unconnected are the two living member of the Sun City Girls, a trio that went on to be the most influential underground band in North America. Their approach are described as “borderless, peerless and take-no-prisoners”. And this very rare appearance is their way of honouring the memory of the deceased member. I struggle a little to write about them. On one hand I really do like their style but on the other, I have serious issue digesting their lyrical content. Yes, I know they are ‘pushing boundaries’ but perhaps what works in 1981 may no longer work in 2011. To perform an entire song by making a mockery out of a nation’s culture and language is so not cool. And their student jokes fell flat in a crowd of working adults. Calls against attending university also seemed out of place, and touch, in a time when many are fighting against cut in education. And the excessive use of the M word is almost unbearable. I guess in the last 30 years, we have all grown a little wiser. The Brothers Unconnected however stayed very true to themselves and unfortunately, that’s the real problem.

The Meat Puppet:

I am very sorry I have to say this but seriously, did Kurt Cobain really like them? Really? Two words; uninspiring and huh? I left after a few songs to see the Kria Brekkan.

Kria Brekkan:

Hailing from Iceland, Kria Brekkan is as quirky as Iceland gets. She first sprayed vaporiser into the crowd as she got on the stage. And as she settled down, gold dust were blown into the air from a magic tin. Now, with the air purify, cleansed and energised, a little voice came out of her to fill the room with cupcakes, fairies and unicorns. Her voice is very Joanna Newsom, and her music has a hint of Tori Amos(without the frustration) and a Bjork-ish twang every now and again. It wasn’t ground breaking by any stretch of the imagination but it was nonetheless interesting, light and slightly innocent. And I for one don’t really have a problem with that.

Spectrum:

This was one band I really wanted to see as I thought this Spectrum was the London based band that’s also called Spectrum(hence the confusion). This Spectrum is one of the projects undertaken by Pete ‘Sonic Boom’ Kember, who is also the co-founder of Spacemen 3. Their music is described as ‘hypnotic drones and psychedelic soundscapes’(Sold!), and he once cited ‘Three chords good, two chords better, one chord best’(SOLD!). And guess what, they lived up to the write ups. Spectrum was fantastic, their sound was truly hypnotic, sensual, lush with just enough fuzzy dirty feedback to make you buzz from within. It was heavy but they never went overboard, which is something many bands going for the multi-layer-sound do. So, if this sounds anything like the sort of music you would like, I thoroughly recommend you checking them out. : )

Thinking Fellers Union Local 282:

Hmm.. They are alright. Nothing really to shout about really. So, I’m just gonna skip to the next one.

Animal Collective:

The curator. Seeing them you would understand why most act at this ATP has a synth. To be honest I am really a big fan of Animal Collective. I mean I do like some of their songs but it’s more like because they are kinda nice rather than ‘O gosh! that’s amazing’ if you know what I mean. They did however, put up a good show and if I was a fan I would be absolutely thrilled. They were loud, happy, cheerful, exuberant with the energy to match. And, I think that’s my problem with them. I find their sound a little to much sunshine for my liking. It gets a little too fiesta. And they definitely have the problem of going OTT(as mentioned earlier). It’s like you know what they are doing and you understand what they are trying to achieve but at the same time it’s kinda all over the place. I think it is great that they are exploring everything they can, but with that, you would need a greater sense of focus and I think that’s just what’s lacking a little bit here. But hey, judging from the crowd that night, I think most of them would disagree with me.

And that’s the end of Day 2!

BE

Disclaimer: The views of Bunny Ears is not necessarily that of TEA London’s; or that of anyone else’s for that matter.

Bunny Ears was very lucky to be able to get away from London for a fun musical weekend at Butlin’s, Minehead. Yes, ladies and gentleman, it is the world famous(their words not mine) ATP festival. For those that has never heard of the ATP, I strongly suggest you do a little read up yourself as frankly, it is the only festival this bunny would ever consider setting it’s lucky foot on. Civilised and civilised, what else can I say?

Curated by the weird and wonderful Animal Collective, this particular ATP was indeed a little weird and wonderful. With acts ranging from hip-hop to obscure electronica to avant noise, it was definitely the place to open your mind to new music. But the best reward one can get, in my not-so-humble opinion, is when what you see (and hear) makes you think not only about music, but about social issues, cultural issues, and indeed the world.

Size-wised, it was definitely a scaled down ATP. The main arena was not used -although they did use a smaller stage that in previous ATP was reserved for Pop Quizes and DJ’s. As a result, schedule-wise it is less hectic, which gave the festival a great sense of ease and the sort of laid-back-ness reserved only for lazy Sunday afternoon. So with a half-pint in hand, this bunny hopped around the different stages soaking up what the other side of pop has to offer. Below is a run down of the goodies and the baddies.

ATP

Day 1- Dent May, Lee Scratch Perry and Big Boi

Dent May:

My very first act. Described as “pop music’s version of attention deficit disorder”, Dent May’s disorder is truly contagious. Within two songs, I was going to the loo, then to get a drink and ended up on a racing bike(game not real). I don’t remember what he sounds like but I do remember saying “this is bad..” and left. Good riddance

Lee Scratch Perry:

O what can I say. This man is a true legend and to get to see him live is a real threat. More blingin’ then bling itself (he had a half disco ball glued to his cap), Lee and his band served up a slice of rasta goodness. Talking about real ‘ting’, his words of wisdom are all o’ so inspiring. If only the world would listen more to him, perhaps it might be a better place (He’s talking to you Mr. Barclay Bank and Bank of England!!). Anyway, by the time he finishes his set, we were all calling out “Lee Scratch Perry! Lee Scratch Perry!”. A job well done.

Big Boi:

Better known for his work as Outkast with Andre 3000, Big Boi is ,I guess the pop-est person in this year’s line up. And this bunny, being the big hip-hop fan that it is(ahem) is not at all familiar with his solo work. Nonetheless, I have to say, this, is one of my personal highlight. For once, I have never been to a rap/ hip hop gig (Erykah Badu doesn’t count) and the chances of me ever going to one is slim. This is not that I dislike hip hop, but I just not that big a fan. Back to Big Boi, well, he gave what you would expect from a hip hop gig; big thumping bass and all the frills. He even got a bunch of girls from the audience to dance on stage. That I have to say was a little weird. We all know what he’s trying to do but honestly, I don’t think your typical middle class English girl appreciate being objectify that way and seeing them uncomfortably cowering at the back of the stage with ‘Shit, I hope no one sees me’ running through their head simply proves the point. But all and all it was fantastic. For 45 mins, this bunny bounced(pun not intended) like a ghetto bunny and for 45 mins, this bunny was the baddest bunny in da hood. And when Ms Jackson came on, this bunny shot right through the roof. O what a night!

And that’s the end of Day 1. Review for Day 2 and 3 will follow suit.

BE

Disclaimer: The views of Bunny Ears is not necessarily that of TEA London’s; or that of anyone else’s for that matter.