MUSIC LIVE REVIEWS
l
seARENAKEo I LADIES
Venue, Edinburgh. 10 Jan.
80 this Canadian psycho comes up to me and says ‘I put my arms around your neck . . .’ I believe him and gulp. For these are rabid boys, jumpy, jittery minstrels with a mad glint in their eyes and Pied Piper-esque musical finery at their disposal. Barenaked Ladies‘ hidden agenda is the enslavement of us all — FACT - and they’ll throttle you with their boundless enthusiasm. But then.
‘. . . and you wrap your arms around me‘ comes the wistful re joinder, and shucks, all is well in the world, our fears are allayed, and the gig can continue apace.
Apace and agape. Barenaked Ladies are hyperactive. hyperventilating with their breathless gee-whizz adrenalin.,Unconfirmed early sightings told of an in-bred cross between The Housemartins and They Might Be Giants — wacky funsters with a chirpy line in quirky pop (“Be My Yoko Ono‘. ‘Brian Wilson‘, an album called Gordon). Great tunes, sniggery lyrics, but a whole gig, a whole album? Nein danke.
Joyjoy joy, then, when the Ladies are a revelation. They career along on a madcap stream of consciousness, propelled by their simple bar-skiffle freshness and impeccably turned out harmonies. So, in no order of appearance we get: a singer who dances like Skippy, comedy beards, tuna salad plays drums, Funky Divas meet Dead Freddie and Right Said Freddy and those New Canucks On The Blocks, Rush covers, Proclaimers covers. Madonna covers, synchronised body- popping, acoustic white boy hip hop, ‘Fight The Power‘, ‘You Know You Got Soul‘, Kriss Kross feeling frisky, Pot Noodles and Kraft cheese. The Beach Boys and The Eagles, The Cure and The Police, preppy frat brat pack vogueing, a smorgasbord of styles, an orgasm of therapeutic dimensions.
‘We‘re Cultural Ambassadors of Canada,‘ they reveal, and the only thing psychotic is the crowd‘s reaction. Verily. Barenaked Ladies are the cat's pyjamas.
l (Craig McLean)
mm- ooc FACED HERMANS
King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow, 8 Jan.
At a perpetually lallow time oi year tor gigs of any persuasion, let alone ones with a degree of calibre, an appearance lrom the Dutch-domiciled Dog Faced Hermans In their country of origin is a lirst loot gilt ol some worth, and accordingly King Tut’s is packed to the gunnels by the time our long lost artlul codgers take the stage.
In Scotland at least, the Hermans are the respected grandparents oi the barbed twangcore corner of the pop pasture. So tonight their lirst three ‘songs' (employ the terminology loosely—we don’t want to pin them down as one of those ‘song-based’ bands) are like a slap in the lace with an acid-soaked teatowel to anyone who merely expected pat delivery of all those danceably quirky favourites.
The group are lloating a good lew trump(et) cards out on experimental channels. In fact it's fair to say they’ve never sounded so detached Irom traditional song structure. There's little ol their usual lrenzied urgency to begin with, just loose compositions building to and sustaining absorbing rhythmic momentum.
Then, just as they seem poised to ship out in a hermetic bubble oi ireetorm lluidity, someone produces a saxophone and it’s angular-mayhem-
wlth-additional-muItl-instrumental- hokum-a-go-go, while in the pit arms
and legs are thnist akimbo and
Muppetmania breaks out.
The rest oi the set is similarly unsettled, like Daisy Chainsaw
«i
entering their jan period. Marion is an
engaging edgy presence, chanting Tantrlst theory, hershopping list, or something, and gesturing with a bizarre jerky semaphore as guitars
detonate and rhythms ricochet around
her. Apposite musical styles are squashed into battling two-minute outbursts or distended to explore a meandering, avowedly avant-garde path. Incredibly this obtuse melange
goes down like a crate ol bananas with a troop ol starved chimps, proving that there is room for wilful artiness even in
a supposedly shrinking market. Jazzpunk ol the most displaced order.
(Fiona Shepherd)
i 3m: MAoIo FLUTE
Theatre Royal, Glasgow, 17 Dec. It was as it Santa Claus had paid Scottish Opera a quick and early visit: the programme came in a little parcel complete with a mask 01 purple and gold, laterto prove the predominant colours of the production. But whatever you might think about such over-the- top opera-going accessories, this is undoubtedly a highly enjoyable version at one at Mozart's greatest loved pieces and, although it may have been specially scheduled to be revealed as a pro-Christmas treat, Martin Duncan’s production is one which is certain to delight all year round.
“The Magic Flute' is well known as an example of Mozart’s opinion of
lreemasonry and, although the
symbolism may be heavy at times, it is
nevertheless entertaining, delivered humorously in a gentle and good-natured lashion rather than obviously clever. The lnlamous rolled-up trouser leg, for instance, is there, but takes the form of being cut off
completely.
Star 01 the show is Papageno, Simon
Keenlyside, who appears resplendent
in gold and purple leather costume and
bird-like to the last, all delivered with deadpan humour. But Keenlyside's
acting abilities are more than matched
by his vocal powers, perfectly paced throughout the demanding role. Other highlights are Jenniler lihys-Davies’ classy Oueen oi the Night and the
splendid team work at the slinky Three
Ladies.
Oi the other principals, Susannah Waters was a prettin sweet Pamina, while Gidon Saks as Sarastro took a
while on lirst night to sing into the role.
The lyrical tenorvoice of Paul Nilon (Neill Archer lrom 23 Jan) suited Tamlno and overall the cast members were superb in evoking the sense ol mystery, magic and mystique. Following the recent news at their demise, it may have been imagined that the orchestra was more sluggish than usual, but it could equally have
been that conductor Nicholas McGegan
was not persuasive enough in the requisite tlght-relned lightness ol
touch. (Carol Main)
Scottish Opera’s The Magic Flute continues at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow on 23 and 30 Jan, 4 and 10
V BOOK NOW
Concerts listed are those at major venues, lorwhich tickets are on public sale at time at going of press.
ROCK
I GLASGOW BARROWLAND (226 4679) The Saw Doctors. 30Jan: Hendrix tribute. 12 Feb; Pantcra. 14 Feb: Arrested Development. 19 Feb; DinosaurJr. 20 Feb: B-52‘s. 21 and 22 Feb: Alice In Chains. 24 Feb; Jeff Healey, 1Apr'. James. 1 and 2 Apr;
Hothouse Flowers 30Apr '1 and 1 May. I GLASGOW CELTIC PARK
(2275511) U2.8Aug. I GLASGOW coucsm HALL(227 551 1) Elvis
' Costello and Brodsky ; Quartet.22 Feb;Gerry
Rafferty. 26 Feb; Solid
; Silver Sixties. 8 Mar; Don j Williams. 18 Mar; Brenda Lee. 19 Mar;The Hollies. 24 Mar; Elkie Brooks. 4
Apr; Everly Brothers. 19
; Apr: NeilSedaka.29 Apr: ; Crystal Gayle. 23 May.
I GLASGOW PAVILION
(3321846)MaryChapin Carpenter. 11 Feb;John Martyn. l7 Feb;Tasmin Archer. 28 Feb.
I GLASGOW SECC (031
557 6969) Chris Rea. 12 Feb; David Essex. 8 May;
Michael Bolton. 9—10
May; Bon Jovi. 19 May; Iron Maiden. 21 May.
I EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE (557 2590) Joe Satriani. l
Feb; Kid Creole. 6 Feb;
Gerry Rafferty. 25 Feb;
1 Brenda Lee. 20Mar;
Elkie Brooks. 3 Apr:
3 EverlyBrothers.21 Apr. I EDINBURGH DUEEN'S
HALL(668 2019)John Martyn. 16 Feb.
JAZZ
? I GLASGOW cm! HALL
(227 5511) Lytteltonand
Bilk. 4 Feb; Kevin
MacKenzie. 6 Feb; Michel Petrucciani.13 Feb; Don Cherry. 25 Feb: Melanie O‘Reilly.11Mar;Tom
Bancroft Orchestra. 20
Mar; Rebirth Brass Band. 25 Mar.
IGLASGOW CONCERT
HALL(227 551 1) Herb Miller Orchestra. 8 Feb:
' Chris Barber. 23 Feb.
I EDINBURGH OUEEN'S HALL (668 2019) Lyttelton and Bilk. 5 Feb; Evan Parker and Django Bates. 8 Feb; Michel Petrucciani. 12 Feb; Don Cherry. 26
Feb; Cauld Blast Orchestra.5 Mar;Tom
Bancroft Orchestra. 19 Mar; Rebirth Brass Band. 26 Mar.
I EDINBURGH USHER HALL (228 1155) Herb Miller Orchestra. 9 Feb.
FOLK
I GLASGOW CONCERT HALL (227 5511)The
Dubliners.17 Mar.
LIGHT
February; King's Theatre, Edinburgh on . Gusgow concern
16,18 and 20 Feb.
HALL (227 5511) Richard
Clayderman. 9 Feb; Howard Keel. 5 Apr: Pirates of Penzance. 5 Mar; Michael Ball. 1 Apr: Slim Whitman and George Hamilton IV. 8 Apr.
I GLASGOW PAVILION (332 1846) Lena Martell. 18—20 Mar.
I GLASGOW SECC (031 557 6969) Barry Manilow. 14 Apr; Johnny Mathis. 26 ’ Sep.
CLASSICAL
I GLASGOW CONCERT HALL(227 5511)Polish
'CO.1Feb;John Williams. 10 Feb; Wilhelmenia Fernandez.
25 Feb: Vienna $0.4 Mar: Philharmonia. 22 Mar; ltzhak Perlman. 20
Apr; St Petersburg Phil.
3 11—12 May.
! I GLASGOW RSAMD (332
5057) Leda Trio. 221an:
f Paragon Ensemble. 24 Jan; Ralph Kirshbaum. 26 Jan: Licderfest. 29Jan; Chamber Group of Scotland. 30 Jan; Talich
Quartet. 4 Feb; Zoe Alambicum. 6Feb2John Currie Singers. Feb 7;
- Academy Orchestra. 11
Feb; Scottish Ensemble. 12 Feb; Voices. 14 Feb; Hebrides Ensemble. 20 Feb: Paragon Ensemble. 21 Feb: chenka Lamentations. 27 Feb; Acad Wind Orch. 4 Mar: Leda Trio. 5 Mar; Glasgow Wind Band. 6 Mar; Voices. 7 Mar: Peter Michael Hamel. 11 Mar; SCQ Brass. 12 Mar; Glasgow Cham Orch. 13 Mar; Paragon Ensemble. 14 Mar: Paris Collection. 16—20 Mar: Acad Cham Orch. 18 March; SEMC. 20Mar; BBC S80. 17 Apr: Junior Orch. 28 Mar: ECAT. 29 Mar.
I EDINBURGH QUEEN'S HALL (668 2019) Cabaret. 30Jan—6 Feb; Scottish Sinfonia. 7 Feb; ECAT. 8 Feb; John Currie Singers. 11 Feb; Scottish Ensemble. 14 Feb. 25 Apr; Britten Quartet. 15 Feb; Leonard Friedman. 17 Feb: King‘s Consort. 18 Feb. 13 May; ESO.20 Feb: Hebrides Ensemble. 21 Feb: Brindisi Quartet. 23 Feb; SEMC. 24 Feb. 18 Mar: Composer‘s Ensemble. 28 Feb; SCO Brass. 13 Mar; Nash Ensemble. 22 Mar; BBC $80. 27 Mar; Florilegium. 28 Apr.
I EDINBURGH USHER HALL (228 1 155) ERCL‘ Elijah. 3 Apr.
I SUBSCRIPTION SEASONS Programme details and tickets for RSNO. SCO. BBCSSO. and CGPO concertsare available from Ticketcentrc. Glasgow (227 551 1 ); Usher Hall.
: Edinburgh (228 l 155):
Queen‘s Hall. Edinburgh (6682019). Tickets for
Scottish Opera from
Theatre Royal. Glasgow
L (3329000);King‘s
1 Theatre. Edinburgh (229
I 1201 ).
38 The List 15 - 28 January 1993