ECLECTICA THE BETA BAND Corn Exchange, Edinburgh, Fri 18 Jan 0000
You’d be hard pressed to have a better night out
A gig shouldn‘t just be — despite what Spirituali/ed or Super Furry Animals tell you — all ab0ut spectacle. At the core should simply be good music. Given the Beta band's visual identity llarking about in spaceSuits. being wrapped in tin foil. dressing like Mexican Banditsl. you'd expect some kind of sensory overload live. Here. however. it's just a singular treat for the ears. And that's more than enough.
Admittr-xlly. they have made modest inroads with their own visuals — a collage of images that looks part Adam And Joe Show part Magic Roundabout — but otherwise they're not the most optically captivating of outfits. But this doesn't matter. the music speaks for itself. You can happily dance your way through an entire Beta Band set eyes closed safe in the knowledge that you ain't gonna miss a thing.
Their last album, Hot Shots 2 perfectly juxtaposed jerky R88 funk With slouchy guitar anthems and makes up the bqu of their 90-minute set. Despite often SOunding dense and textured on record. it is thoughtfully tousled and strung out live. each breakbeat. squelching sample. guitar strum or dubbed-out bass thud. ringing crystal clear.
The painful familiarity of ‘Sguares' aSide lPortishead, Tricky. l Monster. let's stop it now. eh?) they click. skip, groove. bump. roll. sway and rumble their way through some unasswning, gleeful pop music. ‘Human Being' builds to a frenzy. all clattering drums and wheezing Hammond notes. while 'Broke' is as luscious a tribute to the Neptunes as any indie kids could dream up. When ‘Dry The Rain' finally ambles out for a stroll. only the cynical are left Without broad smiles on their
Music
POP ROCK SONS AND DAUGHTERS coooo
STUART NICOL oooo SLOWLORIS oo 13th Note Cafe, Glasgow, Sun 20 Jan
Funny how you start appreciating things more when they seem ready to disappear. As the 13th Note receivership saga rolls on. gigs there are gradually becoming more precious. the atmosphere more homely. Not even Slowloris' lumbering bedroom renditions of My Bloody Valentine. that almost but never quite fit together. can suck the warmth out.
Afterwards. The Zephyrs' Stuart Nicol determinedly tries to make everyone cry. With some bandmates on hand to prowde slide guitar. bass and occasional melodica. Nicol strums out some fabulously dreamy landscapes and breathes some plaintive lyrics in a crystal clear voice that has everyone wishing they were seven years old again.
Sons And Daughters compound the atmosphere perfectly by effertlessly conjuring up sepia-tinted scenarios and rousmg. traditionalsaunding arrangements alongside strong American folk influences. They play an outstanding set which fully demonstrates the benefit of restraint - simple yet inventive use of slide guitar. j_)ercussion and electric piano consistently combine into a distinctive Whole over which Adele Bethel's vocals glide beautifully.
I think I'll go and cry now. (Jan F. Zeschkyi
ROCK
THE COOPER TEMPLE CLAUSE
La Belle Angele, Edinburgh, Mon 28 Jan ooo
Whats the most important criterion for rock stars? Talent? Ambition? Attitude? No. no. no you dolt. lt's haircuts. Rock star hair is a very distant cousin of human hair. seemineg gravity—tiefying as well as breaking all rules of manageability and sense. Enter TCTC. who have rock star haircuts to die for. all six of them. And they 're matching. If only the Reading sixsome's music lived up tc the barnets. you'd have a worldbeating band on your hands. But it doesn't. so you don't. Not that they're that bad. mind you. Witl‘. singles 'Filmmaker' and ‘Kill All Music' qualifying as bona fide rzots of wlfir nu-
Hairs apparent
rock abandon. all bieepy. whoopy keyboards and gritty. dirty guitar riffs. But in tbss short set such moments are few and far between. and unfOrtunately :iitei'sj.>ersed with rather tedious. 'thoughtful' and 'sensitive' rock which. let's face it. is not iii/hat the kids are after one bit. (Doug Johnstonel
ROCK DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE Nice‘n’Sleazy, Glasgow, Fri 25 Jan oooo
Above the Pavement-esgue twang of guitars there's a bum in the air and that hum is the nOise of 200 American college students fresh off the plane (you could start a rousing chorus of 'l'm A Yankee Doodle Dandy' in here with the merest
faces.
The Beta Band aren't about incisive. even insightful lyriCism or radical agendas. this is proper feelgood hedonistic stuff. And finally someone does whiteboy funk the way it should be: awkward. kinda geeky. with loads of energy. stupid guitars and a knOWing nod. (Mark Robertson)
I Chumbawamba La Belle Angele. lidinburgli. l5 l5eb.
" Rock Of Travolta ch Note (‘|ub. (ilasgou. l5 l-‘eb.
* Albert Lee 8. Hogan’s Heroes Riverside (lab. (ilasgow. l5 Feb.
I Kelly Joe Phelps La Belle Angele. lidinburgh. l7 Feb.
I A (iarage. Glasgow. 2() l‘eb.
* Scott 4 La Belle Angele. lidinburgh. 2() l‘eb.
I Shaggy (‘l_\de Auditorium. (ilaxgtm, 21 Feb.
I Ben 8. Jason La Belle Angele. lidinburgh. 2| l-‘eb.
utterance of the word ‘pOpcorn'i. Boxuig under their weight — a poor sound and the weather nothing to write home about. mom -- Death Cab For Cutie are homecoming queens. They charm, warm and occasionally alarm With knowing words and slanted arpeggios that cruise them into the top twenty of indie-must- sees. Not at all bad for boys in plaid. (Ben Ellisi
Ticket information: Tickets for most medium/large concerts can be bought from the following:
Glasgow: Virgin Buchanan (,‘ialleries. 31%? 3.400 0 Credit card bookings from: licket link: 287 {ifil ‘. 8. Way Ahead: 3139 81583 Edinburgh: Virgin Princes ‘treet. 920 391% - Ripping Records South Bridge. 9‘76 Til’ti - Way Ahead (lioil 3139 81383
I Jamiroquai Sli(‘(‘. (ilasgow. 22 Feb.
I Afroman (iarage. (ilaxgim. 22 l‘eb.
I The Mission Liquid Room. lidiiiburgh. 25 Feb. * Tanya Donnelly King 'l'ut's. Glasgow. 26 l"eb.
I Ian Brown
Barron land. (ilasgtm. 2% l-‘eb.
I Deep Purple ('l}de Auditorium. (ilasgow. 28 Feb.
* Clinic La Belle Angele. Edinburgh. 28 lieb.
I Atomic Kitten (lVdL‘ Auditorium. (ilztsgtm. 1 Mar.
I Spiritualized ('urn lixebange. lidinburgb. 2 Mar.
I Groove Armada Barrowland. (ilasgow 3
Mar.
I Travis Sli(‘(‘. (ilasgou. 8. 9 c& 19.20 Mar. S()I.I) ()l‘l.
* lkara Colt and The Parkinsons La Belle
Angele. lidinburglt. b’ Mar;
ch .\'ote ('lub. (ilasgou'. ‘) Mar.
* Tomahawk (iarage. (ilasgou. ll Mail
I Sum 41 Sli('(‘. (ilasgou. ll Mar.
* Nickleback
Barron land. (ilaxgow l-l Mar.
I Faithless Sli(‘(‘. (ilitsgtm. [-1 Mar.
I Judie Tzuke (‘oiiieiz
(ilasgtm. l5 Mar.
I Billy Bragg 8. The Blokes t’xher Hall. lidinburglt. lb Mar.
I Stiff Little Fingers
Burro“ land. (ilaxgim. 17 Mar.
* Ozric Tentacles King 'l‘ul's. (ilasgtm. l5 .\lai': La Belle Angele, lidinburgh. 17 Matt
I Decapitated ('athouxe. (ilthgtm. l7 .\lar.
I The Bluetones liquid Room. lidinburgh. l‘) Mar
I Weezer Barron land. (ilasgou. 2() Mar.
I The Monkees Sli('(‘. (ilasgim. 2| Mail I The Strokes Barron land. (ilaxgotx. 22 Mar; ('oi'n lixeliange. lidinburgli. 23 Mar. S()l.l) ()l'l'.
I Godspeed You Black Emperor! (‘).\ll '. (ilasgim. 24 Matt
I :\l'l St‘lltml. (ilaxgim. 25 Mar.
I System Of A Down Barron land. (ilasgtm. 30 & 3| .\lai'.
I Lamb (‘).\ll '. (ilaxgou. 3 Apr.
I Jon Spencer Blues Explosion Qth '. (ilaxgim. lll.v\pr.
I Ricky Ross (‘oiiieix (ilaxgou. l5 Apr.
I Simple Minds ('l)de Auditorium. (ilasgim, l7 & l8 .-\pi'.
I Sophie Ellis Bextor l'sher llall. Edinburgh. 22 Apr.
I Brian Auger La Belle Angele, lidinburglt. 20 Apr.
I Here And Now l'eai. Adam Ant, ABC and Toyah Sli('('. (ilasgim.
28 Apr.
I Doves ()Mt'. (ilaxgow l Ha}.
I Westlife Sli(‘(‘. (ilaxgou. 8 ll Ha)
I Lambchop ()ltl l’i'uitniarket. (ilasgtm. l l Ma}.
I Barry Manilow (‘l_\ de Auditorium. (ilasgoxi'. l5 ck lb May. I Kylie Minogue Sli(‘(‘. (ilasgtm. I7 I‘) .\la_\. S()l.l) ()l'l.
I Gabrielle Sli(‘(‘. (ilaxgim. 5 Jun.
I Pulp Rnxetsle l'iol‘esl. Near lilgin. 2i Jun.
I Rod Stewart Sli(‘(‘. (ilaxgou. 22 k 23 Jun. I Aimee Mann Liquid Ronni. lidinburgh. (i Jul. I Hear’Say Sli(‘(‘.
(ilasgim, l5 Sep.
31 .lan- l-i Feb 2002 THE LIST 45