the beta band air ' Chemical bros
band apart
Blissfully unaware of the British musical landscape, the Beta Band continue to follow their own meandering musical path. Words: Johnny Reagan
live set by the Beta Band contains more vertiginotis twists ozscoxeiy. l-ie ‘.'.’()l'Sfllf)S at the altar of Jainaicai‘ 'i‘itiSlC. With its
and turns than a helicopter in free-fall. as they. viii: ()l'tjét'hl. .:'i(I|LlSl‘.(} approach. to sound creation. and uses this as a
(‘ien‘ionstrate as they take to the NM[-: Stage oi‘ tne r'e‘erence f)()l".i when making a y'rider comment: Sunr ay of T in the Park. Pots. pans. costumes. film screei‘s {tl‘tl 'Mooeri‘ inesiz: in th:s country is insipid. it lacks ‘ . e‘.’ei‘. some musical instruments are part o" the lands :ape o‘ the l"S[Jll'{:Ti()l‘. and ‘55; ai' been done before. The beautiful
stage. a landscape that singer and MC Ste-.e METSOl‘ straddles .ike Y‘.l()(t(‘7"'l records ::<:"‘-<‘ '
‘ifJI *(r (t‘rtlt i i . :ot..: emei :2 : gr :-z. zggz p d t a hybrid bet=sreen God/illa and a character ‘roii‘. Hon“ Kong /-:)oe'.'. an“ reggae 'l‘ < r It has ' ’
.g o. use. al'.'.'a§. s been a boiii'ig pot o’
The Beta Band esclie=.'.' (I()l‘.‘.'€'liil()lt ll‘. favour of searing. :iit.s::; and todag. is no ( if‘erent.'
(.lisconcertino. boundless Cl‘(}£1ti\.’lt‘.. Taking inspiration from such So. without the bombast and posturing. Steve unlikely setirces as Indian film scores from the His and Bil-s and rea. Masoi‘ and the Beta Band rail against all that is borsng
' ! hip hop. the band is all about ilt(2()"l)()f£ltllit} reapprocr ated sounds and contnxed about the music you buy. the music you S
into their contemporar‘x. sonic fabric. heai and the lTlJSltl tnat ‘s talked up ii‘tc soiiiet"ii‘:< Steve Mason corninei‘its ()t‘ the hitherto enineiitio'ieo is not. The; (Ith'ttlilli‘, don't get it i' gnf all the time. but
Bt)ll‘,'.‘/()0d influence: ‘The great thing about that ltitlSlC is its sense the potency of their :deas stit shines through. most
of disobedience. It takes samples and ideas from arguahere. liiere regularly when the; are on stage.
real“; are no boundaries. There is a real sense o‘ fun abotit it.'
Gi‘.'(:ll this acute sense of the importance o‘ f§_l)(>'li£tl‘i(}li',' aid The Beta Band play the NME Stage on Sunday.
fan. it's no .‘xonder tna! t'ie current British {ltlltflf' (:iop iea.es l‘.""
feeling (Empty. It's a 'i.'.’().ll(f that he iiistiiicti‘~.e?‘, a'.o<'s. .'.i:tl" the
feeling that. even alien'ring for the re;)etiti‘.'enes.; of history. gtiitar'
AIR
Who? That fOXy French electronica duo. as well known for their unique brand of electronic pop as their enthusiasm for singing live. So, a set of synthesised sounds from these French fancies then? Think 70s prog. 80s dance and 90s ambient rolled up in one big Gallic crouton. My, they sound like an awfully modish pair? Hell, style's their middle name. baby. L'Oreal even used their song. ‘La Femme D‘Argent'. in one of its shampoo ads. Go see ’em . . . you know yOu're worth it.
I Air play the NME Stage on Sunday.
land has a particularly ‘.'.'orr‘-,'ang teiidenc‘, ‘oi regui‘gitatioi‘.
So ‘.'.iha‘. have the, f)(:(3l‘ up to? lhe‘, “.e ;ust started ‘.'.ovk on the nex.’ albun‘. z nd .‘.'ii2 be (iréi‘f/il‘tj froin the enniatfle resource of the .1"; demos the, "we already got in the bag. last ‘l.earthei. honed their ski'is on larger stages by. touring the States ‘.'.ath Radicheazi The i'riage of the Beta Band '.'.rigging out in aii‘phitl‘ieatres tc £1(Z.’()‘.'.’(l of l'li'igtltxi. i‘ confused. young American Hadiohead tans fil'ilttjfi a sinite to the face.
Mason is unfa/ed by the prospect of festz‘.'al play ng. and is.
ai~ttis;ii‘.gl‘;,'. ()l)i|‘.’l()tlf5 to the other ham '5; on the bill at the l party. It's all part of his reclusive musical exrstence. He isn't air/are of a Scottish 'scene' ()l‘ either coast iMason resides in f‘liUi and feels
YOU’D BE A DAMN FOOL TO MISS THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS
Who? What do yOu mean who? ls this your first ever festival or something? Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. that's who. only one of the most important dance — and finest live — acts of the last ten years. Seeing as you have to ask. Oh, them! Wasn’t their last album rubbish? Don't believe the hype. mate. Come With Us is a storming album as you‘ll soon find out. Mark my words. this ‘.'/|H be the weekend's highlight. along ‘.'."|ift that shambling lot from Manchester.
I The Che/weal Brothers headline the ,‘v/i‘arri Stage on Sundai.
that he has grog'rn out of the trenddominated indie world. He beHezes that influences outside of 'iltlSK,‘ have had as much of ai‘ impact on the Beta Band as his beloved reggae. dub and hip hop. When asked '.'./nat inspires hiin his reply is cliarzicteristically re'narkable: 'Looking out at the sea. The Forth as ‘.'.’(;‘lt. Inspiration comes from so iilan‘, piaces that it is myopic to f)(;|lf:“.'(: that as rust a musical thrng.‘
If one .vord could describe Maso 1's musical oatlook. it :s
refreshing t .5; based on haii‘ilit',’ and a t"ue excitement about
28 THE LIST -'- "-1;..'