UPDATE 10/31: As you can see, I've got pictures, video and some additional thoughts added onto this post.
I just spent the last 30 minutes running through the London underground with a bunch of drunken club goers catching the last trains. I feel like a Londoner now.
Okay, it's 1am in London and for my 500th post, I wanted to get down my quick thoughts on tonight's semi-debut of Damon Albarn's new project, The Good, The Bad and The Queen. After playing three warm-ups gigs, tonight's gig was an all-systems go event complete with cameras taping for a BBC broadcast.
This new project is more an album, then a band. As you already know, the musicians on this effort include, The Clash's Paul Simonon, The Verve's Simon Tong, drummer Tony Allen and another guy who I can't remember who was part of the Gorillaz crew. The music might seem like an extension of Gorillaz. Of course, they both have Danger Mouse as the producer. This effort has more theatrical elements. Like anything that Albarn has done in this decade, including Blur, it show his wide tastes in music from dub, 60s rock, even some flamenco to spare -- this project has a mish mash of cultures involved.
This being new for the audience, it serves as a listening party and performance in one. It's strange because you want to rock out, but it's the first time absorbing the music. With that said, it's a beautiful, organic mixture of styles and themes. It felt like a soundtrack for a movie that doesn't exist.
Setlist, which is as Damon said, is the whole album in order.
- History Song
- 80s Life
- Northern Whale
- Kingdom of Doom
- Herculean
- Behind The Sun
- The Bunting Song
- Nature Springs
- Soldier's Tale
- Three Changes
- Green Fields
- Mr. Whippy (the B-side)
- The Good, The Bad and The Queen
There was a B-side that was played, where a Lebanese rapper, Eslaam Jawaad, came on stage to bust out some lyrics. That was pretty wild.
When Damon came out wearing a top hat and black tuxedo, it reminded me that this is the first time in about three-four years that he's taken the role as lead singer in a rock show. The Gorillaz music was him hiding in back and letting everyone else take the spotlight. Tonight, he's back to the Damon we remember -- shouting at the crowd, doing his signature jump and standing on the edge of stage to rock out. I like the rock star Damon, but I also like Damon the composer. Tonight, I got to see both in top form.
It's hard to get a feeling of the music the first time around. It's a lot to absorb. Kingdom of Doom is a real winner, so much so, they he played it twice to make it better. The title track is when the crowd went nuts -- it's a jump up and down, push the guy next to you, full on rock song with pounding drums and piano. Damon was like Jerry Lee Lewis on the upright. Northern Whale, as Damon explained, was a love song that turned into a song about a whale.
While Damon is the face of the project, you have to recognize the strong presence of Simonon, who really provides the backbone to this project. His heavy dub bass is the consistency to the performance. Poor him, his bass broke on him mid-song and they had to start over. "Wouldn't be the first time," Damon said. Allen gets to flex his muscles with some wicked drum solos. Simon has his moments with the Spanish guitar. Come to think of it, it's not really a rock project per se, it's more theatrical, than dumb rock songs. Almost like a carnival atmosphere or a Felini soundtrack with a lot organ in some of the songs. I'm sure there's a theme in the music, which we can all discover when the album comes out sometime in the future.
I have plenty of pictures and videos, which I will upload when I get back next week. The Roundhouse in Camden is an amazing venue. It looks like the inside of a spaceship. Acoustics are the best I've heard in London. You'll love the pictures.
I'll have more on this show later when I get back. While I have a minutes left, the after-party. Saw Damon, saw Paul, saw Brian Burton (aka Danger Mouse), saw five guys who looked like Norman Cook (aka Fatboy Slim), saw Cee-Loo. The best, I met Dave Rowntree, drummer of Blur. He's the only one who I've never met and taken a picture. Done. I can die a happy man now.
Other quick hits. Two words for you gang, Sunshine Underground. Unreal performance. You are going to adore them.
Gotta sleep and then off to Amsterdam. Peace out.
PICTURE UPDATES, 10/31:
The opening act was Jamie T, who might as well start calling himself Alex T because his voice is so much like Alex Turner that you wonder if it's the same person. His big single in the UK called "If You Got the Money," which a funny, infectious tune. It has that same sort of spoken word, slightly sung quality with strong sense of poetic lyrics that is similar to Turner's delivery. As I'll write later, now we get to see what effect the Arctic Monkey have on current music landscape of the U.K. -- this sort of embracing of their DIY, chav culture. It has some personality to it, but I got the gist early on and just wanted him to get off the stage so that the guys could do their thing.
BTW: 70 minutes between sets, it was TORTURE!!!!! After waiting in the queue for that long at the Tate Modern to ride the slide for 25 seconds, I was pretty fed up with standing in the same spot for long peroids of time
The videos, I guess you can see what I saw on BBC website. They cut out the parts where they banded start over. Luckily for you, I have evidence in the second clip.
The first one is "Behind the Sun," which deadicated to John Peel. Again, apologies for the bad sound. I'm standing right against the speakers and their is no way around it.
About a minute into this clip of "Three Changes" is when the band stops and regroups.
A little bit about the newly refurshing Roundhouse which is a beautiful venue. Located in Camden Town near the Chalk Farm tube, the main performance space is a round room, almost like a circus or a gladiator stadium. With the stage in the middle, it cuts the floor space in half. That's good because it makes the stage roomy, but kind of crappy for sight lines if you are on the far left or right. I was one or two people deep on the left. Those three or four people to the left of me probably had a hard time seeing most of the stage. Anyway, with the all the steel and lighting, it gave it a space age feel. With the stands surrounding the floor, it did make it feel like we were being looked down upon. I just like the look of the room with the tall ceiling and funky lighting.
If you happen to go there, I highly recommend Hache, a burger place about a 10-15 minute walk from the Roundhouse or a 2 minute walk from the Camden Town tube. Get the steak burger Canadian and finish it with the creme brulee. That was a mighty fine meal.
...and here's the picture of me and Dave Rowntree.
