JUST THE TIP
Gig Review: Crystal Fighters – 23.11.13 @ Academy 2
I can’t remember when exactly I was made aware of the Crystal Fighters, but I do know that ‘Follow’, from their 2010 album Star of Love was featured on the soundtrack FIFA 13, so that’s something. Having assumed the role of chief blagger, I managed to acquire a ticket to their sold-out gig at in Academy 2 on the 23rd of November and boy, was it worth it.
For those of you not ‘in the know’, Crystal Fighters are a group formed in London, with ties to Spain and in particular the Basque Country. It is due to this that there style has become so varied and so diverse that it often defies attempts to pigeonhole them into one specific genre, instead being described as a folk/electronic/dance/psychedelic combination or some variation of the aforementioned (see: folktronica). With the fairly recent release of their second full album, not counting remix albums, and with a fairly large arsenal of songs to choose from, I knew that this was going to be something special.
As they emerged from the side lines, I spied their trademark txalaparta, a type of traditional Basque xylophone played by two people, in the centre of the stage. Cue crazy costumes and colourful lights. As the first song came to an end and we were introduced, the energy had already permeated into the crowd and it was certainly infectious. Sebastian Pringle assumed the role of hippy-esq shaman, and yes I know how cliché that sounds but I assure you that it is accurate. Sporting a top-knot, large sunglasses and a marvellously sequined shirt/trousers type thing, he appeared as a conduit for the music, waving his hands around not unlike a sorcerer as the rest of the group added the extra layers of vocals.
This was the kind of gig where everyone knows the lyrics and everyone sings along, dancing in their own way and not afraid to look a little bit leftfield. If there were any criticism of their music, it could be the repetitiveness of some of the lyrics, such as in ‘Plage’, however I would argue that this added to the set, allowing them to transform tracks such as this from album-fillers into crowd-pleasing anthems, allowing for a sense of togetherness. In the few quiet breaks from the music, we were thanked for taking time out of our lives to be there, and then to simply ‘be’, which I thought was quite nice, followed by a command for everyone to give the person to their left an item from their pocket in an effort to start a friendship. (NB: I met Gilbert Vierich after the gig and informed him, rather embarrassingly, that I have no recent memory of being in such a happy room.)
Having finished their set and gone off stage, the raucous of the crowd continued, culminating in the inevitable return to the stage and the encore. The band welcomed their support act back onto the stage, handing over the txalaparta responsibilities to them, signifying that something special was to happen, which it did. ‘Xtatic Truth’ is one of their best known songs, one of the most energetic, a perfect encore. As the strobes kicked in for the last time and I waved my hands above my head mimicking both Sebastian and the two female vocalists, Mimi Borelli & Laure Stockley, I found myself wanting more still but the house lights came up and I knew that it was over.
If this sounds a little bit “far-out” for you, that’s because it was, but that shouldn’t stop you from checking them out. Whether you’re a fan of acoustic folk, psychedelic electronica, drum & bass or even dubstep, this band have something for you. Their stage presence is incredible and it is surely a gig not to be missed…I'm a paragraph.
Gig Review: Newton Faulkner – 07.02.14 @ The Bridgewater Hall
As this was my first time at the Bridgewater Hall, I was immediately impressed by the grandeur and vastness of the place. I at once found myself having doubts as to whether this would be the right venue for a Newton Faulkner gig – how wrong I was.The unknown to myself, Sam Brookes was the support act. A solo acoustic musician drawing from the folk influences of his native West Country, he was nothing short of phenomenal. Taking time out between each song to allow us an insight into his inspiration for and the experiences that shaped his music was a welcome addition, adding a welcome note of intimacy to the performance.
Following a short interval, Faulkner appeared on a dimly lit stage which had been set up to mimic a living room, complete with bookshelf, books, teapot et al. This stark contrast between the size of the venue and the nature of the concert worked perfectly. Whilst he drew from his four-album back catalogue, choosing favourites and less well-known alike, Faulkner also took time to engage the audience, all the while pouring and drinking tea for himself. Whereas during his previous tours he struck the image of a lone performer on stage, he informed us that he had taken the decision to change things up a bit this time with the introduction of a cellist, along with his own brother Toby and Sam Brookes as back-up vocals and supporting artists.
As always, I was blown away by Faulkner’s own musical prowess to the extent that I wouldn’t find it surprising if he had made a deal with the devil for his talents. As a guitarist myself, I spent the majority of his hour and a half set with my jaw dropped at the way he plays the guitar as so much more than just a six-string hollow box: using it as microphone, piano and drum kit at various points, all the while playing various loop pedals, keyboards and drums barefoot.
My only disappointment is that two of my favourite songs (‘Lipstick Jungle’ & ‘Full Fat’) were left out but with only an hour and a half, something always has to give way. The two most outstanding moments for me where his impeccable rendition of Justin Timberlake’s ‘Like I Love You’ and the ‘Orange Skies’ finale from his real-time recorded Studio Zoo album. By this point every person in the audience was on their feet and singing along, which continued even after he bowed out and left the stage making for a fantastic end to an emotional evening.