Nightshift Review of the Bays at Peepshow
THE BAYS
The Zodiac
The Bays have created an industry out of not being part of the music industry: Having made a career out of not writing songs or releasing any records, they’ve still seen the need to involve seven different organisations in putting this six-date tour on the road. There’s no faulting the impressive CVs; from The Poison Girls (Chris Taylor, bass), through Massive Attack (Andy Gangadeen, drums) to Japan (Richard Barbieri, keyboards). In addition we have Simon Richmond (effects) and Jamie Odell (more keyboards). David Torn was to have played guitar, but illness has forced him off the tour, to be replaced by Matt White (Pete Doherty cohort).
Maybe our suspicions should be raised by the sixteen-page tour brochure, loftily informing us how creative, radical and complex it’s all going to be. They certainly believe in expectation, keeping us waiting for nearly two hours before we hear a note, DJ aside. Slightly odd considering they’ve gone to the trouble of bringing a complete PA, and the stage is bursting with equipment of all hues, built around a huge drum kit in a circular frame.
After all this build-up the performance is bound to be a bit of a letdown, and here at least our expectations are fulfilled. What we eventually get is the kind of self-conscious clash of rock and dance music that you used to come across played by blokes in striped trousers and little beards at festivals in 1989. A bit of Ozrics here, a bit of acid house there, an obligatory Eno-esque section building up to a furious drum ‘n’ bass crescendo. It’s rather like a cabaret-style trip through the history of dance music, like those ‘Recreating The Rat Pack’ shows that tour regional theatres.
The audience don’t seem to know what to make of it all, but make an effort to cheer in the right places, trying to forget it’s Tuesday night. The curious part is making such a big deal out of what is essentially a virtuoso jam session, fabulously well-played but lacking any real soul or cohesion. As the saying goes, if something appears too good to be true then it probably is.
Art Lagun
The Zodiac
The Bays have created an industry out of not being part of the music industry: Having made a career out of not writing songs or releasing any records, they’ve still seen the need to involve seven different organisations in putting this six-date tour on the road. There’s no faulting the impressive CVs; from The Poison Girls (Chris Taylor, bass), through Massive Attack (Andy Gangadeen, drums) to Japan (Richard Barbieri, keyboards). In addition we have Simon Richmond (effects) and Jamie Odell (more keyboards). David Torn was to have played guitar, but illness has forced him off the tour, to be replaced by Matt White (Pete Doherty cohort).
Maybe our suspicions should be raised by the sixteen-page tour brochure, loftily informing us how creative, radical and complex it’s all going to be. They certainly believe in expectation, keeping us waiting for nearly two hours before we hear a note, DJ aside. Slightly odd considering they’ve gone to the trouble of bringing a complete PA, and the stage is bursting with equipment of all hues, built around a huge drum kit in a circular frame.
After all this build-up the performance is bound to be a bit of a letdown, and here at least our expectations are fulfilled. What we eventually get is the kind of self-conscious clash of rock and dance music that you used to come across played by blokes in striped trousers and little beards at festivals in 1989. A bit of Ozrics here, a bit of acid house there, an obligatory Eno-esque section building up to a furious drum ‘n’ bass crescendo. It’s rather like a cabaret-style trip through the history of dance music, like those ‘Recreating The Rat Pack’ shows that tour regional theatres.
The audience don’t seem to know what to make of it all, but make an effort to cheer in the right places, trying to forget it’s Tuesday night. The curious part is making such a big deal out of what is essentially a virtuoso jam session, fabulously well-played but lacking any real soul or cohesion. As the saying goes, if something appears too good to be true then it probably is.
Art Lagun
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