Post by markwj on Oct 16, 2008 12:05:58 GMT
Ectogram, Black Balloons, Facefish, Whales
Anglesey Arms, Menai Bridge
1/10/08
When asked what type of gig this was by a prospective attendee I thought weird was the best description. Afterwards it was agreed that did pretty much some things up. Not in a bad way though, I only knew Ectogram in advance but from themselves and the artists they put on I would expect the unexpected and the unconventional. On arrival, a projected backdrop of goats to-ing and fro-ing seemed to confirm this, but as an emissary of Satan I felt right at home
The main pull for me to head over this way instead of to yet another new venue in the Bay was the prospect of some “grindcore for the under 5’s” (their own description) from Whales. This is the recent experimental creation of the bassist formerly of the now apparently defunct Micrographia, a one man effort backed by 200bpm electronics, Fisher Price included. Personally I felt it could be grindcore but not as we know it Jim, but really it was more in the vein of random digital hardcore, Ween meets Mr Bungle, as opposed to the real thing delivered these days by the likes of Rotten Sound. Maybe it was just a piss take but when the sound levels are all over the place and you can’t tell if feed back is intentional or not it’s hard to judge whether there’s an earnest intention to push musical envelopes or make 15 minutes of noise.
A shift back into the comfort zone next with Face Fish which is a side project of Ectogram’s drummer Meic, with him up front providing the vocals as well as rhythm guitar to yer standard band line up. Reading up, it’s intended to be straight up unpretentious rock but I think they’re underselling themselves there as I really enjoyed the sleazy dark vibe they created. There was a simplicity to what they were doing but no element of pubrock cheese, more a raw threat of the like of their acknowledged influence The Stooges. One particularly relentless number powered along by the drums almost got into Spacemen Three territory, especially with the trance like spiral on the projection, and in general the repetitive lyric hooks and clashing guitars were thoroughly enjoyable.
Back to one man bands with Black Balloons, a guitarist playing with a projection of himself playing the guitar, although it didn’t particularly need to be in sync. What he created was interesting though as through the use of delay loops he built up some layered sonic effects that provided a sense of rhythm, initially wth the drawn out mellowness of God Speed! You Black Emperor, through the kind of stuff found in Justin Broadrick’s Final project onto a bit more harshness altogether. He also created blasted loops of higher pitched “electronic mouth organ” (one of those synths you blow in!) noise over the top that became quite wincing at times but I’m all for aural abuse. Topping things off was wavering vocal melodies that were not a particularly positive addition to the mix, although when he delivered one song (“Your face. When you come”?) with audible lyrics they were classics.
Finally Ectogram, who remain the conundrum that they may set out to be. I’ve seen them a few times and simultaneously don’t know any of their stuff and yet find myself recognising songs, or at least elements. I don’t know how precise they deliver their songs or whether there is an element of freedom to elaborate on the themes of their angular psychedelia. Some strikes me as tedious or rough, at other times you can be swept away by chorus effects, hypnotic beats and birthday girl Ann’s wails. They obviously have an established fanbase locally as well as the opportunity to take it abroad too so that can’t be knocked in the slightest. Plus the support like tonight they are giving to others who are willing to trial the musical senses is a positive thing too, enough to encourage me to keep checking what’s bubbling under.
Anglesey Arms, Menai Bridge
1/10/08
When asked what type of gig this was by a prospective attendee I thought weird was the best description. Afterwards it was agreed that did pretty much some things up. Not in a bad way though, I only knew Ectogram in advance but from themselves and the artists they put on I would expect the unexpected and the unconventional. On arrival, a projected backdrop of goats to-ing and fro-ing seemed to confirm this, but as an emissary of Satan I felt right at home
The main pull for me to head over this way instead of to yet another new venue in the Bay was the prospect of some “grindcore for the under 5’s” (their own description) from Whales. This is the recent experimental creation of the bassist formerly of the now apparently defunct Micrographia, a one man effort backed by 200bpm electronics, Fisher Price included. Personally I felt it could be grindcore but not as we know it Jim, but really it was more in the vein of random digital hardcore, Ween meets Mr Bungle, as opposed to the real thing delivered these days by the likes of Rotten Sound. Maybe it was just a piss take but when the sound levels are all over the place and you can’t tell if feed back is intentional or not it’s hard to judge whether there’s an earnest intention to push musical envelopes or make 15 minutes of noise.
A shift back into the comfort zone next with Face Fish which is a side project of Ectogram’s drummer Meic, with him up front providing the vocals as well as rhythm guitar to yer standard band line up. Reading up, it’s intended to be straight up unpretentious rock but I think they’re underselling themselves there as I really enjoyed the sleazy dark vibe they created. There was a simplicity to what they were doing but no element of pubrock cheese, more a raw threat of the like of their acknowledged influence The Stooges. One particularly relentless number powered along by the drums almost got into Spacemen Three territory, especially with the trance like spiral on the projection, and in general the repetitive lyric hooks and clashing guitars were thoroughly enjoyable.
Back to one man bands with Black Balloons, a guitarist playing with a projection of himself playing the guitar, although it didn’t particularly need to be in sync. What he created was interesting though as through the use of delay loops he built up some layered sonic effects that provided a sense of rhythm, initially wth the drawn out mellowness of God Speed! You Black Emperor, through the kind of stuff found in Justin Broadrick’s Final project onto a bit more harshness altogether. He also created blasted loops of higher pitched “electronic mouth organ” (one of those synths you blow in!) noise over the top that became quite wincing at times but I’m all for aural abuse. Topping things off was wavering vocal melodies that were not a particularly positive addition to the mix, although when he delivered one song (“Your face. When you come”?) with audible lyrics they were classics.
Finally Ectogram, who remain the conundrum that they may set out to be. I’ve seen them a few times and simultaneously don’t know any of their stuff and yet find myself recognising songs, or at least elements. I don’t know how precise they deliver their songs or whether there is an element of freedom to elaborate on the themes of their angular psychedelia. Some strikes me as tedious or rough, at other times you can be swept away by chorus effects, hypnotic beats and birthday girl Ann’s wails. They obviously have an established fanbase locally as well as the opportunity to take it abroad too so that can’t be knocked in the slightest. Plus the support like tonight they are giving to others who are willing to trial the musical senses is a positive thing too, enough to encourage me to keep checking what’s bubbling under.