WHAT a way to start a show...
The Goggenheim take the stage, dressed a la Yorkshire People's Liberation Front, and begin an eerie intro, into which steps the transfixxing Geisha Grace X - and we are plunged into a new world of strangeness.
Scintilating sax (with antennae-like antlers!), athletic axe-work, throbbing bass and relentless drums create a sonic soundscape, onto which Miss X adds operatic arias, throat warbling (Ah Samina), agit-pop ranting (Moth) & some rock-chick chanting (Acromity).
Stand out song Acutay Yu has the GoggenQueen in Big Sister mode, sloganeering in a polyglot tongue, and the whole set is accompanied by imaginative video looming over the audience. A punkadelic performance art pantomime! I hear the guitarist heroically drove from wales and only arrived with minutes to spare!
Second up were Banb/Ox band In Zanadu. Dressed to impress, the horn blower sported a red military jerkin (reminiscent of Michael Jackson) and was accompanied by a vivacous and captivating lead singer. Fresh from an open air set to entertain half-marathon runners and watchers earlier in the week, they had great stage presence, and a foot-tapping bounciness which will work very well on the festival circuit next year.
Scritti Politti's Green Garvey, bearded in an Al Gore/ Christian Bale's Batman after-the-wilderness-years way, seems to treat the gig as a contractual obligation.
The keyboardist slips from his mask of disinterested boredom only once during a hypnotic number.
The mood is lightened briefly when a woman demands to tickle his feet. Things pick up towards the latter part of the set with versions of hits Wood Beez and Absolute, and there's a certain high weirdness to proceedings. But they seem to take themselves too seriously – demanding that pop=art. An awkward rendition of a Jeru the Damaja cover only served to further confuse.
Dot 23
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article