Live Review: Jad Fair & Lumberob/Alleschwindel/Aether Flux @ Stereo, Glasgow, Scotland, 2nd June 2004

by anna battista

Duo Aether Flux has just started playing when I arrive at the venue. Their music is mainly made of dark instrumentals built with guitars and samples, a cross-over between the darkest Mogwai and Macrocosmica. It's a shame that too many people are distracted while they're on, because they're very good. Decadents Alleschwindel (featuring ex-members of Badgewearer, Archbishop Kebab, The Male Nurse and The Sativa Drummers amongst others) take a while to get organised on the stage since they seem to have quite a few pieces of equipment, some of which they install on iron boards using them as stands for their instruments. After telling us that they come from the far far east, they reward us with a theatrical set, playing some tracks from their latest Is This Schwindel? and getting a round of applause especially for "I Came From The East" and "Troublemaker".

After their long set, it's Jad Fair's turn. In the audience, Teenage Fanclub, The Pastels, Bill Wells and Isobel Campbell eagerly await to hear him. I saw Jad playing in Glasgow six years ago, so this for me is a significant gig, and it will be significant for the audience as well since Jad is accompanied tonight by fellow Half Japanesers Gilles-V. Rieder on drums and Rob Erickson (Lumberob) on guitar and vocals. I honestly don't know what to expect from tonight's gig, but when Jad & Co. get on stage I realise this is the stuff music dreams are made of. The trio performs songs from the Half Japanese's repertoire, but also from Jad Fair's new album Let's Born To Rock and from Monster Party's (Jad and Gilles' project) latest album Haunted House (released on Gilles' label Kitty Kitty Records). It is absolutely amazing seeing Jad singing while Rob, dancing and jumping near him, creates in the background very special effects basically using only his lungs and lips. Jad and Rob deliver all the songs in a madly twisted a cappella with effects and most of the tracks are short epiphanies of sounds and enraged vocals, stories about lost loves, monsters and comics heroes. Was it a great night then? It was a monsters' night.

Issue 24, June 2004