Selling England by the Pound by The Musical Box - Oct 20th 2016

Second time I've seen these French/Canadian musicians and their attention to detail is very impressive. One of the Genesis members is quoted as saying it is carried out as though it was a play. Not so much a concert as a play with original costume and back projected slides and probably instrumentation; judging by the authentic sound quality.

Impressive as this is, its also rather irritating, along with the jobsworth who interrupted the three photo's I took on my mobile with a tap on the shoulder. The origin of Peter Gabriel's aside to the audience in his day's with the band is to fill in whilst the band tune or re-tune their instruments. Here it seemed like a script carried out with dubious necessity and for historical effect only. Lover's of early Gabriel wordplay would be disappointed at the diction which may have been word for word, but I couldn't tell, I couldn't hear it.

And there for me is their biggest problem. I'm not sure but the vocalist is a long standing member of the tribute collective but he is also their weakest contributor. Gifted flautist he may be but he exudes none of the presence that Gabriel had, has nothing like the strength of voice and appears to me to be tiring of a well rehearsed display going back years.

Genesis tired of the praise Peter got in contrast to their input and I suppose the friction undermined relations to the point of his eventual departure. Here I feel that the shoe is on the other foot as the focal point is definitely the music and not the theatrics of the vocalist who I feel is letting them down badly.

The 'Selling England' set was interspersed with classics like Supper's Ready, The Musical Box itself and the show stopping opener Watcher of the Skies. Impressive displays by the resident drummer and keyboard player made the night an enjoyable one. The lead guitarist was good but no Hackett and Rutherford's role was always rather in the wings during the early period of Genesis and likewise here. To say that they were note perfect is just about right and perhaps the lighting display was as of 73' but it could do with more attention to the drama of each song. 

Coming back for an encore they played The Knife to a less than full auditorium, the wings upstairs were sparse but I believe the Stalls were well attended. 

A good night but not a great night, maybe I'm not so stuck in an historical past as I thought?    

Explosions in the sky

Tuesday 11 October, amidst a rather fraught time I was taking a time out to see a band that I'd heard a little of. Had downloaded the latest album, The Wilderness and thought it enjoyable enough to see them perform live.

I arrived at the Sage for about 7.15 for a proposed 7.30 start. No sign of John & Sheelagh, I decided to find my seat and take in the surroundings. It's always pleasant visiting the Sage but its such an awkward journey to get there down Dean Street and cross the Swing Bridge. I usually favour the link bus but I'd got my timing wrong tonight.

A solo performer who apparently went by the name of Entrance (I think) joined the stage, playing a semi acoustic Gibson with his left hand would you believe. About three songs in it became evident the guy was an American wordsmith in a long tradition of Greenwich village type performers. He had more to say lyrically than musically in the style of the newly vaunted Nobel prize winning Bob Dylan. A bit dark and a little short on life experience possibly. Maudlin' - a comment passed on by one of John and Sheelagh's friends during the interval where ice cream comes in small tubs and costs £2.50 - just about sums him up. Good luck to him anyway on his musical journey.

About 8.45 Explosions in the sky introduced themselves, praising the 'musically gifted' Entrance and letting us know they came from Texas. And it was the last words I heard them offer before my departure about 70 minutes later when a mixture of last bus and football highlights had made me realize that I wasn't going to love this band any more or any less. John mentioned their intensity which I wholeheartedly agreed with and it was those intense passages that they were possibly at their best. The screaming guitar attack certainly heightened the senses as we drifted from atmosphere to different atmosphere.
It began to play around in my head that both acts were somehow auditioning for a soundtrack involvement in a new Twin Peaks experience I'd heard a little about. One track bled into the next fairly seemlessly and each was aided by a largely simple but hugely effective use of smoke lit in colourful fashion. A throbbing linear pulse was to be seen on at least two of their offerings and was definately one of the most memorable events I will take away from the night. I can't tell you track names and as I say I was to leave about 9.55 and missed a further 15 mins. Eventful and not un-enjoyable but that may well be my first and  last visit to see them. A journey back in time next week when Genesis tribute band The Musical Box play the City Hall. All our yesterdays, back in a more comfortable historical zone.