Colin Currie Group
Reich, Turnage
Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7:30pm, Thursday 28th March 2024.
Steve Reich:
Music for pieces of wood
Rolf Wallin:
Twine for xylophone & marimba
Julia Wolfe:
Dark full ride for percussion quartet
Interval
Steve Reich:
Drumming - Part 1 for tuned bongo drums
Mark-Anthony Turnage:
New England Etudes for percussion sextet (UK premiere)
Music for pieces of wood by Steve Reich live was all I had hoped for. The staccato hit and the slight after sound of each of the five wooden pieces were very clear and the interaction in phasing and the notes was fascinating. At the end of the piece the absolute silence of the concert hall was met with happy applause. I was three rows back from the stage at eye level with the standing performers so was not really aware of the size of the audience in the full (I think) hall.
The xylophone and marimba have distinctive 'voices' as in the Rolf Wallin piece. This might be one overall impression from the evening’s performance, just how unique the instruments are but how they fit into the synthesised sounds that may be more familiar today.
The four drummers on similar kits for the Julia Wolfe piece demonstrated just how much unique sound can be produced from high hat, cymbals and drums. The ensemble nature of the piece was very clear, the musicians were working together as one!
I think that I have actually seen the Steve Reich Drumming - Part 1 performed by the group previously. The format was familiar and the attack, retreat and phasing through the piece was acute, once again ending with the extraordinary silence of the venue. It is quite curious to compare the compositional elements in this piece with the tape loops utilised by many contemporary musical performers.
The stage was set with a multitude of instruments for the final piece of the evening, New England Etudes by Mark-Anthony Turnage. I am not familiar with the composers work but the five sections expressed different emphasis available from the range of percussive instruments, including bells and chimes.
I am making notes principally for my own benefit as having established a very enjoyable concert going routine it is occasionally frustrating not to have a point of reference!
False Lankum
Hackney Empire, 8:00pm, Sunday 19th May 2024.
F23 & F24 at the back of the Upper Circle provided a good view of the stage.
Ian Lynch - vocals, uilleann pipes, concertina, tin whistle, percussion
Daragh Lynch - vocals, guitar, percussion, piano
Cormac Mac Diarmada - vocals, fiddle, viola, banjo, double bass, vibraphone, piano, percussion
Radie Peat - vocals, bayan, concertina, harmonium, organ, piano, electric organ, harp, mellotron
John Dermody - drums, percussion
...plus guest.
Lankum took the stage at about 9:00pm and worked their way through the album with occasional breaks to converse with the audience.
There were some peaks in response from that audience, 'New York Trader' probably being the highest response. There were some dark moments after initial Irish Folk starts which felt light but were very well ‘mixed’ at the sound desk!
The final piece before encores had the players leaving the stage as helicopters 'circled' the auditorium.
If I was being cynical I would say that the 'theatrical' aspect was 'smoke and mirrors' and that 'doom-folk' was all it was, but I am not! The accordions, harmoniums and other unusual instruments were given full voice and I think that the manager/producer/sound mixer was doing a very good job!
I was home by 11:00pm after the short (5 minutes) walk home.
Cadogan Hall, 6:30pm, Sunday 2nd June.
A15, a good seat!
80 Years of a guitar legend
It felt like gatecrashing a family event with various friends and relatives being called onto the stage as the evening progressed. The various instruments and vocalists could only occasionally be heard above the collective mush so it was probably not the best event at which to appreciate the special capabilities of the headline guitarist, Albert Lee. Ralph McTell's spot was probably the only one when clarity and stage presence came to the fore.
Cadogan Hall
7:30pm, Friday 25th October.
Stalls, DD12+DD13.
Bill Frisell, electric guitar
Greg Tardy, tenor sax, clarinet
Gerald Clayton, piano, organ
Johnathan Blake, drums
Barbican Hall
7:00pm, Saturday 16th November.
Circle, Row L, Seat 43.
ARK : United States V
The Hall, Aviva Studios
Water Street, Manchester, M3 4JQ
7.30pm, Saturday 23rd November.
Stalls, Door B, P20.
Kings Place
7:30pm, Saturday 7th December.
Stalls, West Door D13.
David Horne:
Pulse for solo marimba
Aileen Sweeney:
new work for percussion quartet, London Premiere
Steve Reich:
Mallet Quartet
Ben Nobuto:
new work
Anna Meredith:
Dodgem Studies arranged for percussion quartet, World Premiere
Colin Currie
Owen Gunnell
Adrian Spillett
Sam Walton
Cadogan Hall
7:30 pm, Thursday 23rd January.
Stalls - A14+A15.
Joe Lovano, saxophone
Julian Lage, guitar
Asante Santi Debriano, bass
Will Calhoun, drums