MUSIC REVIEW 1 i Cauld : Blast
Acoustic Music Centre. Edinburgh. 26 Aug.
Is it some Caledonian
variety ofjazz. a highly
sophisticated form of folk or the most explosive chamber music yet heard'.’ The CauldBiast Orchestra is all ofthcse things. a skilled. multi-instrumentalist ensemble who. like plate-spinners. set as many as seven melodic lines in motion at once. weave them together and. powered by some excellent percussion. send them to tremendous heights. Whether its starting point is in jazz (most obvious in Steve Kettley's compositions). traditional Scots music or the classical tradition. Cauld Blast take each tune in surprising directions. With a battery of instruments that includes E-tlat horn. thumb piano. accordion. piano and various penny-whistles and percussion items at their disposal. they could hardly resist the temptation to do otherwise. At one point the stage is cleared for a frighteningly percussive violin and cello duet. but the band‘s final number is like nothing so much as Spike Jones throwinga ceilidh.
Visually as well as aurally they command a lot of attention. The hyperactive violinist Anne Wood kicks her legs. throws back her long hair and suddenly sinks toa crouch while Steve Kettley's face grows alarmingly red as he attempts to fire his latest sax solo straight through the hole in the ozone layer. One thingthey share with the (often rightly) maligned fusion groups of the 705 is their enormous collective energy. Everyone gets a chance to shine. but there isn‘t the time to clap after a solo- it‘s straight onto the next bit. which will often mark acompletely unexpected departure.
1thinkit'sjazz. Butthe jury‘s still out. (Alastair Mabbotl)
r
V LIVE EDWYN COLLINS
Marco's, Edinburgh, 16 Aug.
His post-Orange Juice career may be less than spectacular in terms of commercial success and chart placings, but on his last two solo albums, ‘Hellbenl 0n Compromise' in particular, Edwyn Collins has developed to such an extent that he can now take his place alongside Nick Cave and Elvis Costello as one of the most consistently intriguing male singer-songwriters of recent times. By the look ofthe audience, though, this means little. Marco's may not quite be Vegas, but they have come for a nostalgic cabaret ofjangiing, awkward pop. Collins does not disappoint. The ‘Texas Fever’ album is heavily featured, yet material like ‘Don't Shilly Shally' and tracks from ‘Hellbent’ come across betterthan the likes of ‘Consolation Prize'. You see, maturity becomes Collins.
The cabaret element, too, is well catered for. The relaxed atmosphere lends itself perfectly to good-natured heckling and Collins' one-line retorts. He may indeed be too sexy for his shirt, as one pisshead points out, but it will have to stay where it is, Collins’ back being too spotty to display. Well-known
lines the audience are about to sing are i rewritten-apparently Brockthe l badger has a rather large tadger. 1 Thankfully, although he maybe sharing 1 the stage the following night with his ‘ 3 old mucker Roddy Frame, we are spared an appearance by the Aztec Camera crooner, even though a run-through of ‘Pale Blue Eyes‘ would not have gone amiss. He may no longer be on ‘Top Of The Pops', but Edwyn ) Collins is still a brightly shining star. (James Haliburton)
V LIVE
MZODHONEY/HOLEi CAPTAIN AMERICA
Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow, 16th June.
It’s all inthe scream, really, isn’t it? This whole sleaze-garage-grunge- prog-art-rock business — it all hinges on Iungpower. How effectively you can nullity yourvocal cords through the simple act of opening your larynx and expelling cranium-shattering cries. That seems to be the yardstick, and tonight the Yanks have it.
For those in the know, the Captain America story Is already a familiar one, so let's skip it and ditch those ‘iourth generation Teenage Fanciub copylsts’ notions at the same time. Sure, there are similarities- like the drummer, y’know7- but whereas the Fannles want to be a pop band, Captain America want to be a rock band. First though, they have to cut through that ‘heard lti' hometown cynicism syndrome. Tonight’s audience remember what a ridiculous shambles The Vaselines could be, but this Captain America bloke runs a tight ship, all formation headbanging and sturdy in yer face
38 The List 30 August — 12 September 1991
Concerts listed are those at major venues. forwhich tickets are on public sale at time of going ofpress.
ROCK
I GLASGOW BARROWLANO (226 4679) lee-'1'. 26 Sept: Dinosaur .lr. 29 Sept; Level 42. 3 ()ct; Psychedelic Furs. 4 ()ct: Black ('rowes. 8 ()ct'. '1"Pau. llOct; Kevin
Mchrmott. l2()ct; (ramps.16()ct;Billy
Bragg. lHOct; Stiffl.ittlc Fingers. l9()ct; ('arter
'I'he L'nstoppable Sex Machine. 2 .\'ov; James. 6
Nov: 'l‘in Machine. 7 Nov: l‘ish. 111 Nov; The l-‘arm.l
Dec. I GLASGOW CONCERT
1 rifting.
Like Captain America, Hole are one of those bands everyone has something to say about before they hear a note of their music. The difference is: 1) Hole are American, and 2) there are girls in the band, so they’re already well and truly enveloped in a blanket of approval. But this screaming lark— bandy around words like ‘visceral’ if you will, but i still have a problem with groups who equate volume with intensity, and screeching with emotion.
There's never any doubtthough- Mudhoney are kings of the Yowl. They : keep us waiting for it however, opting to inaugurate tonight's ‘wave your legs in the air like you don't care’ session with the groovy trash garage instrumental ‘Fungun 91’. And from there on in, well, particulars are hazy when you opt for the frenzied hair-tossing option over the studious assessment of their “rock sensiblllty’ but hey! it’s what the band would have wanted. Let's just say, I'm glad I wasn’t picking up the tab for the backstage throat lozenge provision. (Fiona Shepherd)
1 HALL(3323123)('hesncy ' Ilawkes.22 (‘)ct:.\'eil
Sedaka. 24 ()ct: Tammy
7 Wynette. 12 Nov; Deacon BIue.27—2h’ Dec.
. IGLASGOWSECCt557
6969) Dire Straits. 11—1-1
Sept: Whitney Houston.
; 17—19Sept: Status ()uo.
21 Sept; Sting. 23 Nov;
(‘hris Rea. 29 Nov; New F KidsOnThe Block.8
Dec:GaryGlitter.23~2-1 Dec.
IGLASGOWPAVILION
(332 1846) Blues Band.5
Oct; Don McLean. 16
Oct. I EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE (557 2591)) Marillion. 22
Sept: Black Crowes. 10 Oct: Extreme. 13 Oct;
Lloyd Cole. 18 Oct; Chesney Hawkes. 21 Oct;
i Seal. 22 Oct; Kylie
Minogue. 4 Nov; James. 8 Nov: Midge Ure. 13 Nov: Deacon Blue. 29—30 Nov:
1 Fish. 31 Dec.
I EDINBURGH OUEEN'S HALL (668 2019) Beverley Craven. 17 Sept; Arthurll.40ct; Billy Bragg. 21) Oct.
I INGLISTDN EXHIBITION
CENTRE (557 6969) Roxette. 18 Oct.
V BOOK NOW
IGLASGOW CONCERT 1
I EDINBURGH USHER HALL (228 1 155) Georgian
Seasonsfeaturingthe ' Royal Scottish Orchestra.
Orchestra. and Scottish Opera. Leafletsare available fromthe
i ILIVINGSTDN FORUM ! (5576969) Progeny with The Shamen. 4-5 Oct.
JAZZ & FOLK
HALL (332 3123) 1 lerb
Miller (')rchestra.25 Sept:
Whistle Stop Jazz Tour. 26 Nov.
I GLASGOW PAVILION (332 1846) The Chieftains. .21 ()c‘l.
I EDINBURGH OUEEN'S HALL 1 (ms 21) 1 9)
Arthur 11.4()ct:(’lancy Brothers. 26 Sept.
LIGHT
I GLASGOW PAVILION (332 1346) Dominic Kirwin. 8 ()ct; Sydney Devine. 24726 Oct ; Joe 1.ongthorne. 3(iOct.
I EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE (557 2591)) Maui Webb 8; Mark Batlray. 7 ()ct; Rebecca Storm. 11 Oct: John Denver. 211 Oct: lilkie Brooks. 2 Nov; [Engelbert l lumperdinck. 21 Nos.
CLASSICAL
I l . IGLASGOW concern 1
HALL (332 31 23) Czech Philharmonic. 12-14 Sept: Scottish Fantasia. 15 Sept; Georgian State Orchestra. 23 Sept : Tokyo SO. 8 Oct: Leningrad Phil. 21 Nov.
I GLASGOW SECC (557 6969) Jose Carreras.
9 Dec.
State Orchestra. 25 Sept. I SUBSCRIPTION SEASONS Public booking is now open for the Winter
the Scottish Chamber
organisations concerned. or from major venues.