F,
BOOK NOW ACIDC SECC, Glasgow, Sat 2 Dec.
Irony and nostalgia: the twin home-helps of the OAR (Old Age Rocker). Long after the last droplet
of creativity has drained away,
ageing popsters can count on either blind loyalty or kitsch revival to keep their bank balances buoyant
For as the years rock unceasingly onwards, every fave-rave pop-God eventually loses touch with reality, becoming complacent and uninspired. But who can blame ‘em? Picture yer average rock deity, floating idly in a cash-filled, pancreas-shaped swimming pool, brushing flunkies from their beard, what else is there left for them to
achieve?
But still they haul their scraggy hides on stage, playing songs they stopped caring about decades ago to adoring, sell-out crowds. Take The Who, soon to embark on yet another comeback. The irony of the words 'l-Iope I Die Before I Get Old' can hardly be lost on Pete Townshend, perhaps rock's most incisive ambassador. So why bother? Surely, like The Stones, they don’t need the money? And
how can any real fan be content to
watch their heroes trot blandly through passionless versions of such incendiary music?
Scrotal rockers AC/DC were
. always at least semi-parodic, so
clearly have no qualms about dragging out the inflatables and sweating out the same ol’ teen- steam blare. Even Kiss, who unlike the 'DC, have never been responsible for anything of note, are given knowing lip-service by contemporary alt.rock hipsters; all
in the name of post-modernism.
Clearly, as long as we're willing to help the aged, our heroes will continue to tarnish their legends until the day they drop.
(Paul Whitelaw)
ROCK
Smashing Pumpkins SECC, Glasgow, Mon 30 Oct * it
Steve Albini once quipped that ’splitting up is an idea that has occurred to few bands, most often the wrong ones'. After this evening’s debacle, Smashing Pumpkins have shifted the odds the other way; splitting up is the best thing they could have ever done.
Instead of kicking off what was being billed as a farewell gig in predictable, get the crowd up and movmg, style, Smashing Pumpkins launch, no hobble, into a 30 minute meander through
48 THE lIST 2—16 Nov 2000
Ticket information
Tickets for most medium/large concerts can be bought from the following:
Virgin. Buchanan Galleries, 332 4400 Credit card bookings from:
Ticket Link: 287 551 1.
Way Ahead: 339 8383.
EDINBURGH
Virgin Princes Street. 220 3234. Ripping Records South Bridge. 226 70l0.
Assembly Rooms George Street. 220 4349
Way Ahead 014! 339 8383
I lo-Fidelity Allstars Liquid Room. Edinburgh. l7 Nov.
I Roachford ()Id i'TllillIlilTkL‘l. Glasgow. l‘) Nov.
I Him (‘athouse Glasgow. 1‘) Nov.
I UFO Barrowland. Glasgow. 22 Nov.
I Martyn Bennett Arches. Glasgow. 23 Nov.
I Martyn Bennett Liquid Room. Edinburgh. 24 Nov.
I The Fall Liquid Room. Edinburgh. 25 Nov.
I Thin Lizzy Barrowland. Glasgow. 25 Nov. I Gong Renl‘rew Ferry. Glasgow. 25 Nov. I People Under The Stairs Arches. Glasgow. 26 Nov.
I Gong Liquid Rooms. Edinburgh. 26 Nov. I Terrorvision Venue. Edinburgh. 27 Nov. I And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead King Tut's. Glasgow. 28 Nov.
I And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead Liquid Room. Edinburgh. 2‘) Nov.
I El Vez Garage. Glasgow. l Dec.
Smashing Pumpkins’ flatulent indulgence is thankfully no more
some of their most ponderous moments. Think Fleetwood Mac, GeneSIs, even Foreigner and you’ll get where they’re coming from. This should have been the most spectacular and graceful of all Pumpkins material but It comes over as self-indulgent monotony.
They then descend into a drum solo from Jimmy Chamberlin, time enough for Billy Corgan to change from white full-length cassock into black leather ’rock' cassock to give him the ilfllShed 'starved Uncle Fester’ look. James Idha remained in his white two piece Sun, looking not unlike a marionette of Prince, while bassist Melissa Auf Der
ACDC prove you are never too old to rock
I ACIDC SECC. Glasgow. 2 Dec. SOLD OUT
I Craig David Barrowland. Glasgow. 3 Dec. SOLD OUT
I My Ruin Garage. Glasgow. 3 Dec.
I Willard Grant Conspiracy Attic. Edinburgh. 4 Dec.
I At The Drive In Arches. Glasgow. 4 Dec. I The Alarm 2000 Garage. Glasgow. 4 Dec. I Billy Bragg And The Blokes Liquid Room. Edinburgh. 5 Dec.
I Soulfly Garage. Glasgow. 6 Dec.
I David Gray Barrowland. Glasgow, 7 Dec. SOLD OUT
I The Mission Garage. Glasgow. 7 Dec.
I Richard Ashcroft Barrowland. Glasgow. 8 & 9 Dec. SOLD OUT
I Beautiful South SEC C . Glasgow. 8 Dec. I Green Day SEC C . Glasgow. 8 Dec.
I Amen C athouse. Glasgow. ll) Dec.
I Duran Duran SECC. Glasgow. ll) Dec. I Bad Manners Garage. Glasgow. ll) Dec. I Bad Manners Liquid Room. Edinburgh. l2 Dec.
I Levellers Barrowland. Glasgow. 13 Dec. I Foo Fighters Corn Exchange. Edinburgh. l3 Dec.
I Foo Fighters Barrowland. Glasgow. l4 Dec.
I David Gray Corn Exchange. Edinburgh. l-i Dec. SOLD OUT
I The King Garage. Glasgow. l5 Dec.
I Jools Holland L'sher Hall. Edinburgh. l5 Dec.
I Saw Doctors Barrowlands. Glasgow. 15 Dec.
I Sick Of It All Garage. Glasgow. l6 Dec. I Cradle Of Filth Garage. Glasgow. 18 Dec. I One Minute Silence Garage. Glasgow. 20 Dec.
I Mel C Playhouse. Edinburgh. 2 Feb.
I Texas SECC. Glasgow. 22/23 Feb.
I Uriah Heap/Nazareth Garage. Glasgow. 2| Mar.
I Ocean Colour Scene Barrowland. Glasgow. 26 Mar—2 Apr.
Maur struck rock poses, her heroin chic Princess Leia outfit finishing the ensemble. At least they made an effort I suppose.
Yes this was to be a greatest hits set of sorts, 'Bullet With Butterfly Wings’, ’Cherub Rock’ and ’Ava Adore’ all getting an airing, but only 'Tonight, Tonight’ truly illustrated how good they could be, its swathes of strings electronically reproduced but no less captivating.
The evening was summed up by the final few minutes as they stood, for their final moments on stage in Scotland ever, With their backs to the audience jamming out a riff.
What could have been a glorious celebration was marred by the bands own indulgences and truly terrible sound. OutSIde, as the masses filed out, one teenage girl shouted across the
foyer to her pals, ’that was shite wasn’t
W. No one even raised a head in objection. Perhaps in quitting, Smashing Pumpkins have done us all a favour. (Mark Robertson)
LOCAL LIVE Nepalese 13th Note, Glasgow, Thu 19 Oct.
You can’t move these days without yet another experimental electronica outfit shuffling out of the woodwork to confound the collective senses with low-rent conceptualism. The type of bands who possess plenty of ideas but frequently lack any sense of tension or dynamism. Fortunately, Nepalese manage to avoid these pitfalls.
They excel in dub heavy, neo— psychedelic excursions into inner space, with synapse melting space rock a specialty. ’Nekro' is a prime example,
with slide bass lines spookin
reminiscent of 'Albatross'-era Fleetwood Mac, suddenly erupting into a ’Flight Of The Bumblebee' style furore. Just as you’ve got your head round that one, it all combusts in Beastie Boys-esque riffs and a bizarre but highly entertaining dub/metal extravaganza. Meanwhile, the angelic tones of vocalist Madame De St. Ange come across like Minnie Ripperton floating through the ether. And not a chin stroked all night. (Neil Ferguson)
Desalvo
Barrowland, Glasgow, Sat 21 Oct. More than a little in awe of their surroundings, Desalvo are used to more intimate venues but this doesn’t stop them filling any spaces in this crowd waiting for ldlewild, with noiseThey have an expert grasp of dynamics and pace, and Richie Dempsey's drumming is as imaginative and tight as rock drumming gets. The prevailing sound is one comparable to that of Helmet or Deftones at their most tuneful, without the overwrought Cure-isms. The only place where there is room for improvement is with their frontman who lacks some presence and his voice doesn't always cut through the melee.
'You could all come and see us at the 13th Note Cafe next week,’ he suggests. ’Well . . . not all of you obviously.’ Follow this advice, you won’t be disappointed.
(Mark Robertson)
Little Hell
The Venue, Edinburgh, Thu 19 Oct. Little Hell seem to be under the
impression that The Venue is in fact Wembley Stadium, judging from the way they pose, pout and rock the proverbial fucking bollocks off the small and frankly frightened-looking crowd. Singing sex bomb with attitude Lucie Johnston leads the way, roaring and purring over some stupendoust dirty buzzsaw guitars in the likes of set opener ’Music Masochists’. This band are basically the anti-Coldplay — equal parts Stooges, Blondie and Nirvana — and we should therefore thank our boring little arses for their arrival.” Plus they have the best song title of the year with ’Love Makes. You Come Hard’. Respect. (Doug Johnstone)