Jah Wobble touring UK with amazing Band!!

Bruce Lindfield · #1 09-17-2001, 08:20 AM

I would have gone to see him anyway, but was amazed with the quality/standard of musicians he has got together. So he has the Can drummer Jaki Liebezeit - Can were one of my favourite bands of the 70s/80s and Jaki's drumming is outstanding. He has also got Bill Laswell and the avant-garde pianist Harold Budd who has played with loads of people like Brian Eno and the Cocteau Twins amongst others. For once the advertising doesn't seem to be over-the-top when it says :

"an extraordinary musical meltdown of world dub, jazz, ambient minimalism, avant-rock and improvisation"

Not to be missed!

Monkey · #2 09-17-2001, 08:26 PM

Dang, I'm jealous! I love Jah Wobble and Bill Laswell. I bet the bottom end in that concert could rearrange your intestines! I love Jah Wobble's bass tone. Enjoy the concert!!

Bruce Lindfield · #3 09-18-2001, 10:16 AM

Yes, I got tickets for the Brighton gig today, but was suprised that it is to be all-seated - still I am in the middle only 5 rows back, but usually Jah Wobble's stuff is pretty danceable. He must be going for a more serious Jazz/Avant Garde thing?

Monkey · #4 09-18-2001, 07:28 PM

Interesting... I would have thought that dancing would be encouraged. I'm sure it will be great. The only thing about Jah Wobble; I wish he wouldn't sing. I like the content of what he is expressing, but his singing sometimes makes me squirm.

Matthew West · #5 09-20-2001, 10:24 AM

What is Bill Laswell playing? Doesn't he usually play bass?

Bruce Lindfield · #6 09-20-2001, 11:13 AM

Well hopefully !! I think it'll be great to see two of my favourite bass players in one band. But I think he does play keyboards/synths as well.

They have collaborated before on several projects - there are lots of mentions of things where they have played together, on the net - try this for example :

http://www.roir-usa.com/laswell.htm

Here's the publicity for the gig I'm going to :

SOLARIS - Live touring in the UK in October 2001.
London, Ocean, Oct. 21. 2001 / Glasgow, The Arches, Oct. 22. 2001 / Manchester, Contact Theatre, Oct. 23. 2001 / Leeds, The Wardrobe, Oct. 24. 2001 / Kendal, Brewery Arts Centre, Oct. 25. 2001 / Brighton, Dome, Oct. 27. 2001 / Coventry, Warwick Arts Centre, Oct. 28. 2001
Jah Wobble: bass; Bill Laswell: bass, electronics; Harold Budd: piano; Graham Haynes: cornet; Jaki Liebezeit: drums.

maxvalentino · #7 09-20-2001, 12:44 PM

They did some shows in the US this summer...and are releasing a live album of it on Wobble's label.
By the way.....they both play bass in the shows! Usually, Wobble handles the dub-ist low end and Las adds his unique filtered'nprocessed bass on top. But then they do switch off....should be a great show! Two of my personal favs also!
Max

Bruce Lindfield · #8 09-21-2001, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by maxvalentino
They did some shows in the US this summer...and are releasing a live album of it on Wobble's label.

Yes I found lots of links to collaborations between the two and US gigs (knitting factory?), although not with exactly the same band. I was surprised no US-based TBers had been to these gigs or mentioned them before?

Bruce Lindfield · #9 11-02-2001, 05:02 AM

I must say after a period of reflection (the gig was last Saturday) that this was one of the worst gigs I have been to in many years. I walked out after about 45 minutes and the drummer in my band told me later that he walked out after 15 minutes. I have also met some other musicians I know locally who also said that they thought it was really bad as well.

It was almost like musical torture for several reasons. Basically the band played a continuous piece which was extremely slow and dirge-like and kept on the same chord for what seems like and eternity.

After 45 minutes I walked out but they were still going on the same thing. The drumming was incredibly repetitive and not interesting in any way - Jah Wobble played one or possibly two notes at a huge volume that was literally dangerous - it was shaking everything in the building!! He only wandered onstage after about 20 minutes, but when he started to play it was very unpleasant - especially as it was a seated gig and I was sitting right in front of the bass bins.

At the same time the cornet player has given up actually playing and was "treating" what he had played with electronics and getting very high pitched, distorted sounds - I honestly feared for my hearing - and I've been to some loud gigs - like Led Zeppelin! But it was more the actual nature of the sound - if somebody wanted to torture me for information I would tell them anyting after a few minutes of this!

But the band seemed completely oblivious to the audience and the fact that quite a lot of people were drifting out of their seats to the back!

Very,very disappointing!