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The Pastels, Barbara Morgenstern, Mapstation, Buck 65, Fourtet, Future
Pilot AKA, Manitoba, Murcof, Leaf, Eyoe & Teenage Fanclub/BMX Bandits,
Lament @ Tron Theatre, Glasgow, 27th April
by anna battista
Gigs can be a big disappointment: you pay lots of money and you might end
up having to go through agonising supporting acts before getting to the
real reason why you went to the gig, the headliners, who might as well
disappoint you. Fortunately, this is not the case with tonight's gig, part
of the Tritptych Festival 2003.
Glasgow's Tron Theatre has been divided for the occasion into three main
parts: in the foyer Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake and BMX Bandits' Duglas
T. Stewart are DJing; in the bar there is a crazy atmosphere, with a line
up that includes Tony Morley, Murcof, Buck 65, Manitoba and Four Tet; in
the main room The Pastels are the first band to play (and the last one as
well - they have to play two sets since there are too many people tonight).
Tonight The Pastels play most of the soundtrack for David Mackenzie's film
The Last Great Wilderness, but their enlarged band (9 elements) includes
also Barbara Morgestern and Mapstation, both adding electronic layers of
sound to The Pastels' melodies for a surprising and unique set. They
conclude the set with the ethereal "Hallelujah" a cover by Japanese band
Star.
Future Pilot AKA arrive shortly after on the stage, playing a mix of Indian
rhythms and pop, with Vinita singing in Punjabi on "First Moon". Highlight
of their set is the Pilot dragging Duglas BMX Bandit on the stage and
improvising while Duglas sings BMX Bandits' hit "Serious Drugs". The Pilot
and his band are real fun and Vinita adds an aura of holiness to the whole
set when she sings a prayer without any instruments accompanying her.
A short film, Lament by Graham Eatough featuring music by Japanese
maverick Maher Shalal Hash Baz provides a good interval between bands and
after it Mapstation AKA Stefan Schneider (of To Rococo Rot fame) hypnotises
the audience with his experimental techno beats. A video is projected in
the background while Stefan is playing, one image quickly following
another, and people in the audience are truly tripping the lights fantastic
while he's on. Meanwhile in the other room, Manitoba are driving the
audience crazy: nobody is standing still, everybody is dancing even in the
remotest corners of the cramped bar. Back in the main room, very aptly,
Barbara Morgenstern follows Mapstation and after solving a couple of
problems with her Apple laptop, she launches in a relentless electronic set.
The Tron is filled by an incredible energy tonight: as soon as one artist
finishes playing you rush to another room to see what's happening there,
passing through the foyer where you are swept by more music courtesy of
Domino DJs. It's a brilliant and endless mini-festival with only one flaw:
it left us asking for more.
Issue 14, August 2003 | next article
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