OFFISH: UK TV & TOURS

[Dave Berry]

In article <199808161541.QAA05007 at holyrood.ed.ac.uk>, J Strobridge
<eset08 at HOLYROOD.ED.AC.UK> writes
>obDisappointingGig> Spiritualized.  Gospel choir and Barber Shop
>harmony.  Not what I expected!

That wasn't just a Spiritualised gig.  It was a Spiritualised + Steve
Martland gig, combining a rock group with a classical composer, along the
lines of last years Divine Comedy + Michael Nyman.  So some of the pieces
were pure Spiritualised (with the choir doing the backing vocals), and some
were pure Steve Martland (e.g. the pieces with the choir alone).  IMO, the
combination worked best when the band started jamming over a minimalist
rhythm on the xylophone or clarinet.

The advertising for the gig was a bit dubious.  In all the brochures the
gig was correctly explained, but in the box office window it was just
displayed as Spiritualised.  There were some very disappointed rock fans in
the audience.

I thought is was interesting, but not very satisfying.  The choir pieces
highlighted the presence of the choir in the Spiritualised pieces, but were
otherwise out of place (and not very good anyway).  The minimalist pieces
were quite good.  But the band pieces were the most satisfying.  I think
the basic problem is that Steve Martland just isn't that good a composer
(IMO).

Dave.

ObUpcomingGig: John Zorn's Masada.




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