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slowdive roundhouse
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Slowdive are as vital now as they were two decades ago

You might expect a Slowdive gig in 2017, three years on from reforming, to be a fairly nostalgic affair.

A chance for a bunch of former-indie kids to enjoy and reminisce over a genre that had a depressingly brief, music press-created (and sacrificed) moment of glory in the early-1990s.

That’s the problem with bands getting back together after a – in Slowdive’s case, 19-year – hiatus: a sense that it’s a bunch of once fairly successful musicians reuniting to make some money and give the 40-somethings in their old fanbase an evening to lose themselves in.

A case in point: underneath a picture that I posted on Instagram, following the band’s show in London this week, a school friend noted with reasonable fairness: “It’s 1991 all over again!”

Whilst it may seem unkind, Slowdive are not treading the same path as their peers from the same era, Lush – another of the bands that rose to semi-prominence during the so-called (and disparaging) “shoegaze” scene who reformed and played, coincidentally, at the same London venue in May 2016.

The Slowdive reunion in 2014 saw them play a sizeable tour, culminating in two nights at the Forum in London. I saw one of them and, rather unnervingly, thought I was listening to a different band to the one I’d first seen 23 years before, such is the impact of the passage of time on an ability to remember how good the band were.

Clearly, something happened on that tour and during the handful of (mostly) festival gigs that they played in 2015 and 2016 – perhaps the bond of being back together as a band, obviously, but perhaps a realisation that their “sound” had a lot more life in it.

Fast forward a year and Slowdive are showcasing the fruits of that switch from being “a band that reformed” to one that is diving back into their undoubted talent as one of the most innovative guitar bands to emerge over the course of the last two decades.

This is not hyperbole – the release of their latest album, the brilliant Slowdive, earlier this year and a steady stream of gigs throughout the summer has put them at the top of the creative tree in 2017.

* * *

There is perhaps no better venue in London for the modern Slowdive than the Roundhouse. The acoustics are superb for their wall of sound and low-key vocals, plus it just has an amazing ability – perhaps due to its design – of ensuring a gig feels more like an event (there’s a subtle difference).

From the chorus pedal-heavy chimes of Neil Halstead’s guitar on the opening song, Slomo, which echo beautifully around the iconic former steam engine shed, to the sheer intensity of the soaring Catch The Breeze – it’s obvious that their multi-layered sound is perfectly placed in goldfish bowl-like building.

The crowd is clearly not solely made up of the ex-indie kid variety either – there are plenty of fans in their 20s and, interestingly, hardly any of the inevitable shouts for the older numbers between songs.

In fact, the fifth song of the night, Star Roving (the first track aired from the newest album), is greeted with perhaps one the biggest cheers of the night.

It becomes clear that Slowdive’s new material is as popular as their tracks from the early-1990s – a combination of songs from the early EPs and the still massively underrated Souvlaki album of 1993, plus Blue Skied An’ Clear from the pre-break-up long-player, Pygmalion.

So why does it now all seem to work so wonderfully for Slowdive?

There are a combination of factors in play:

The new songs are different beasts to their older counterparts – broader, intricate, mature, yet they still retain that something which gives them the Slowdive sound.

The stunning No Longer Making Time will become a classic Slowdive song over time, with its trio of guitars feeling like they’re on the verge of going at odds with one another, before slamming back into complete harmony.

It’s a technique that has served Slowdive well over the years (Alison, 40 Days and When The Sun Hits are other examples), driven in part by Halstead and fellow guitarist Christian Savill’s ability to squeeze unusual sounds and textures out of their instruments.

Yet what makes Slowdive such an impressive live act is how the catalogue over time has now become more than just a glorious, 90-minute slab of shimmering effects pedals and dreamy vocals.

Sugar For The Pill is perhaps the most contemporary sounding song they’ve ever made and the beautiful, ode to love that is Dagger is not the kind of song that would usually find itself as the penultimate number of the evening.

Nor is there any pretentiousness about a Slowdive performance. They are mesmerising to watch (the visuals and light show combine to stunning effect with the music they create), but hold the attention of the audience with the sum of their parts and sound, rather than Halstead or fellow vocalist Rachel Goswell having to front for the rest of the band.

Nick Chaplin is perhaps the most energetic of the four band members out front, swinging his bass low like Simon Gallup of The Cure (although, disappointingly, he’s not wearing his Depeche Mode Walking In My Shoes t-shirt this evening 🙂 ).

In total contrast, Savill lurks in the shadows, giving nothing away as to how he makes his guitar sing and soar in such a devastatingly sonic way, whilst Simon Scott is a gem of an extremely accomplished and creative drummer.

This team of talented individuals are doing something that few bands in 2017 are doing – creating new music that inspires another generation of fans, and also paying homage to their back catalogue in a way that reminds everyone how important they actually were back then, but were almost criminally ignored by the critics once their faces didn’t fit the scene of the moment.

Somewhat ironically, the internet has ensured that the traditional music press (especially in the UK) no longer holds sway over the hearts and minds of music fans to the extent that it did in Slowdive’s formative years, yet the band’s fan-recorded live material shared on YouTube does not do them any justice at all.

Those clips give nothing away as the power and intensity of the Slowdive live experience. They have to be heard and seen, in a venue like the Roundhouse, to be believed.

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Funnily enough, nostalgia comes not from the band but a reminder of the bygone age from two members of the audience.

Slowdive appeared on British music TV show The Beat in 1991, performing Catch The Breeze at the Marquee Club in London.

For some reason (those artistic types eh) the director chose to highlight two indie kids as they, err, got to know one another as the band played in front of them.

Twenty-six years later, as the Syd Barrett cover Golden Hair reaches a crescendo (the final song of the main set), a couple nearby are clearly moved enough by the barrage of noise in front of them to (hopefully) unintentionally remake this moment. Bless ’em…

NOTE: More gig reviews here

sasha barbican
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Sasha shows there is life in live dance (and electronic) music

UPDATE:

The gig was recorded and will be available on Blu-Ray and CD from September 25th 2017… Pre-order HERE!

Here’s a clip of the monumental finale from the night, Xpander:

ORIGINAL REVIEW OF THE GIG:

Sasha is one of the most critically acclaimed DJs of his generation. He regularly plays to thousands of adoring, arm-waving clubbers and has his name associated with a string of famous dance records, as an artist, producer or remixer.

It’s a position that he’s worked tirelessly at for decades… and a status that he’s unlikely to lose anytime soon.

What sets Sasha apart from many of his contemporaries in electronic dance music is a desire to push the boundaries, whether they are personal in terms of what he can do musically or how his music should be consumed.

His double-header in the main concert hall at London’s Barbican Centre, judging by his post-weekend tweet below, probably ticked both boxes.

The two nights of Sasha: re-Fracted were sold out months in advance, such was the mixture of curiosity and eagerness to hear the 47-year-old play “live” for the first time, especially as the gig will featured a chamber orchestra and a “band” of musicians to bring everything life.

Perhaps another enticing factor, apart from the fact this is a man normally who is tucked away in a DJ booth rather than on-stage at one of London’s iconic, classical music venues, which has inevitably lured out a cross-section of muso-types and ravers, was the curiosity associated with wondering exactly how music that Sasha usually creates could be transferred from studio recording to real performance.

The stage set-up was not simple by any means… Four “work stations” (I can’t think of a better word) at the front with various keyboards, laptops and other bits of kit; a small area for the vocalists in the centre; and room behind for the chamber orchestra on one side and the percussionist’s area (he had more toys than anyone else!) on the other.

Sasha and co (the idea for the project came almost a year ago to the day and the team had been working on it, on and off, ever since) split the evening, classical performance-style, into two halves.

The first featured a reworking of the music he composed and recorded for the Late Night Tales-led album of last year, Scene Delete.

After the interval, new interpretations of songs from the Sasha back catalogue.

For a backgrounder on how the project came together, check this podcast with the Babican (he even spruced up his piano playing skills for the gigs with a tutor via Skype).

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I’ve been lucky enough to have witnessed some tremendous gigs this year (Underworld at London’s Alexandra Palace, Depeche Mode at the wonderfully intimate Glasgow Barrowlands, at the Ziggo in Amsterdam and their landmark event in London), but for creativity, invention and for generating an ability to surprise and thrill in equal, Sasha’s re-Fracted was a standout show.

It would be eay to dissect the gig, song by song – but that would miss the point.

This was an event where something new was created – something that I suspect will set a benchmark for how music that sits outside of the convential drums-guitars (sometimes with keyboards) set-up should aspire to be heard.

Clearly a hell of a lot of work (and money, given the dizzying array of tech on-stage) had gone into turning re-Fracted from an idea into something that was not only beautiful to listen to (typically Sasha, slow in building to an eventual burst of steam) but also fascinating to watch.

“Who is playing that bit?”, “Wow, the orchestra is doing the harmonic bass line!”, etc, etc.

The first half passed by in a gentle stream of relatively low-fi electronica, with lead vocals on various tracks coming via the pitch-perfect and melancholic Julia Daske and John Graham (he of Quivver fame).

What became clear during brief moments in the first period and then almost throughout the second, was how eager the crowd was to let go a bit – the meerest hint of some BPMs and a few arms would appear in the air.

Perhaps that said a lot about the old school ravers sprinkled heavily around the audience, but it also signalled how genuinely uplifting and inspiring was the music, especially given it was a debut performance.

Check the reaction as the crowd realised and, let’s just say, appreciated the finale of Sasha’s Xpander.

It is important for gigs like this to take place, to illustrate what a huge slice of innovation and effort can bring to the live music experience.

This didn’t feel like a club-DJ-tweaks-some-knobs-and-buttons-with-some-strings-for-backing type affair.

This was electronic music (not just dance music) on a creative peak.

It was a privilege to see and hear it (and judging by the jubilant reaction of the crowd, many others felt the same).

I hope for everyone else’s sake that Sasha and his team of musicians and collaborators either take it on the road, or play at least few gigs again in the future.

A triumphant event.

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NOTE: Top pic via @martinw_ldnstudio on Instagram.

underworld ally pally 1
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Still the best around: Underworld magic not spooked by Ally Pally issues

Underworld have a rightful claim to being labelled one of the best live dance acts of all time.

They have achieved this unofficial accolade over the course of years and years by doing what most dance “bands” do not do: playing live.

The electronic dance music (EDM, as we’re now supposed to call it) scene is dominated by bedroom DJs and “producers”, yet very few will actually get up on stage – beyond doing DJ sets at clubs that might feature a performance from someone doing the vocal from a song – and crank out their repertoire of tracks.

There are obvious exceptions, such as Leftfield, The Chemical Brothers and the constantly retiring/coming back Orbital, at the high-profile end of the scene.

What makes Underworld such a popular band and why they can draw thousands of people to a cold and wet Alexandra Palace in North London in March is that they have a winning formula.

Perhaps they are the Rolling Stones of dance music (or like that other important band in my world, Depeche Mode), in that they have a back catalogue of songs that they know can satisfy old and younger fans of their genre.

And, therefore, they rarely tinker with a setlist that has been blasted out consistently – with a few tweaks here and there for bits of new material – for years.

It works. Karl Hyde and Rick Smith know what they’re doing.

They essentially played the same setlist as that of almost a year to the day on from a barnstorming night at the Roundhouse in London.

Still, for those who fondly remember Underworld’s arrival on the scene in 1994 with the widely-acclaimed debut album Dubnobasswithmyheadman, Ally Pally started with a gem of a track that was sadly missing from 12 months before – the bizarre Mmm…Skyscraper I Love You.

But it was business-as-usual thereafter, with Juanita, I Exhale and If Rah managing to slowly warm up those swarming around the cavernous venue.

Dark & Long (Dark Train) has been a favourite for many years – a rather understated track behind the scenes that somehow manages to bring the house down every time with its booming chords.

From then on, Ally Pally was bawling mass of arms and lights (Underworld have always paid a lot of attention to the visual elements of their gigs), perhaps only brought down to earth for a breather with the slower, bass-heavy but terrific Ring Road half way through the set.

So here is the (mildly) controversial bit of the review – I rarely listen to Underworld’s recorded output. I find it a bit flat, even on decent headphones.

Every one of the tracks played at Ally Pally has been released in some form over the years, yet it is the live versions, mixed with the atmosphere of a large crowd on a mission to have a good time, which linger in the mind.

Perhaps it is that heady combination of live performance, visual overload and ambience that has created elevated Underworld to being more than just an EDM band that bashes out a few tunes.

Average recorded tracks (Jumbo, Cups) become semi-euphoric or celebratory in a live environment, for example.

The classics of Rez and Cowgirl are not popular (they always come towards the end of a set) because they sound great on record, but because they are anthemic and loud on-stage.

And what is most remarkable (and pleasing) about Underworld, 20-odd years on from their creation, is that they have managed to reclaim the classic Born Slippy sing-a-long.

For a period in the mid to late-1990s, Born Slippy became a football chant-style excuse for sweaty (and often very drunk) blokes to extoll the virtues of their alcohol consumption.

But now the track (which has recently been brilliantly reworked into a grinding, slower version for the soundtrack of T2 Trainspotting) is a call-to-arms for those who remember and want to celebrate the 1990s as a joyous period for dance music… and for those that wish they were there.

 

underworld ally pally 2

Footnote:

Some might say playing Ally Pally was ambitious – a 10,000-odd capacity venue to fill, just a year after playing a couple of nights in London.

From a gig perspective, as the review indicates, Underworld did not disappoint the legions of fans who made it up the hill overlooking North London.

They pulled it off again. They have no problems drawing a huge crowd.

But whether the event was sold out or not (it felt very busy), Ally Pally has some serious issues around how it handles the flow of people and how it ensures those people can buy the stuff that, ironically, allows the venue to make even more money from the gig.

Two fairly wide doors onto one side of the main arena is not enough (if there were more, it was not obvious – another problem right there) – not because of any particular safety issues, but it meant hundreds of people had to spend a long time navigating from one, densely packed side of the arena to the other, in order to find some room.

And, queuing for 45 mins to buy drinks is not a decent use of anyone’s time, let’s face it.

The frustration that many (well, everyone) had with the bars was compounded by learning once they got to the front that they were, in the case of draught beers, just “ordering” their drinks and would then have to wait another 10 minutes or so to collect.

It was a bizarre and frustrating experience. Come on, Ally Pally, you can do a lot better than this.