MUSIC LIVE REVIEWS
liflflflillllll RADIDHEAD
King Tut’s. Glasgow. 3 May.
There comes a time when all discerning people say. ‘Hold the hype. where’s the music?’ and just in time we are saved. So who are Strangelove? Poppier than their write- ups would have you believe - they've been wrongly pushed to the goth fringe. just in case it doesn't all work out or something. Are all bets on Suede only as the saviours of pop? Both Strangelove and Radiohead have got what it takes. and this pairing is a coup. Disparate relations. both well out of fashion. Remember melody? Some boy bands pretend to be emotional. but rarely follow through. showing only those feelings it’s ’okay‘ to reveal. Strangelove aren‘t afraid to show raw emotion. playing as if their lives depended on it. For Patrick. the vocalist. in any case. The band‘s simple appearance says nothing - Patrick's intense stare speaks volumes. But here is the side that someone like Henry Rollins could never show: the female side. the emotional. the vulnerable. How deep this emotional well is. only time will tell. Stark. unadomed. humble and magnificent. this band will pierce many more hearts.
Radiohead in a perfect world would be the perfect pop band to be hearing on the radio any time. all the time. As it is. this excessively talented band may be waiting longer than they should for the success they truly deserve. in the shadow of I the Suede-hype. a band in 1 the best tradition of The l Buzzcocks. The Only Ones. The Beatles and, yes. The Smiths patiently waits its turn. Anyone who has turned on to this band already will testify to the purity. the passion. the pop and oft-forgotten humour. We‘ve not had a band this sexy since The Vapors . . . Cheeky. entertaining. simply lovely.
As good as or better than on record. they put thought into everything they do - a stunning light show, real lyrics. thrashy chords and percussion. The musical equivalent of surfing with your head. This band is spot-on in every way: infectious. hook-laden. singalong — mostly in perfect three- minute packages. Classic rock‘n'roll and indie. drowned in real life. feeling and humour. Here is the pop band we’ve really been waiting for. (Ania Glowacz)
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lling Tut’ , Glasgow, 28 April. Questions need to be asked. lot the kind of questions Dornershop aspire to address - questions about racism, sexism and homophobia too important to squander on something as desultory and dismal as this - but questions like how do Comershop get away with it? lion-disciples of the weekly inkies will already be stumped, Gomershop not being the greatest musical revelation to have stumbled their way on to these, or any other, pages. So for you members of the real world, a resumé of Gomershop’s career/significance/ achievements to date: close friends of iiuggy Dear; a band with a racial agenda; three parts Asian to one part English; fronted by two (sort of) articulate brothers; play fomiless sixth ionn diatribes with shocking ineptitude; command alarming chunks of space in the music press. it’s hard to escape the ‘novelty’ factor - Asians go indie. Equally, it’s hard not to be challenged by their stance. But since when has sound values guaranteed valuable sounds?
Like iiuggy Dear, Comershop are a band with an ail-consuming message, but one which they inadvisany communicate using a medium with which they have no affinity. You don’t get a band off the ground without some musical awareness, like you don’t start a fire without two sticks to
rub together. Cornershop have a stunted twig. How they ever advanced beyond tennis rackets in the bedroom is a wonder almost worth considering, but save your intellectual gymnastics for acts like Blaggers ITA and Fun-Da- Mental, both to appear this fortnight on the ‘llnited Colours Of Frustration’ tour.
The gig? I was afraid you’d ask. It was gruesome. Disregard references to ‘shambolic charm’ as whitewash. The material is a gutless monotone jam; their ‘rage’ wouldn’t flatten a flea. They have the passion of a drowsy dachshund and the character of a practising wallflower. They’ve chosen their vocation foolishly - Cornershop are misplaced evangelists perched on a platform riddled with rot. (Fiona Shepherd)
3
Theatre Royal, Glasgow, 21 Apr. Scottish Opera’s new production of Dellini’s ‘llonna’ was awaited with much anticipation. ‘lionna’, though brimfui of beautiful 19th century ltalian melody, is a rare occurence in the opera house, mainly due to difficulties in staging what can dramatically become very static and dull. The demands of the title role too can prove a stumbling block - singers
; with the voice, the technique and the stamina not exactly thick on the
ground. In this production, Scottish Opera have surmounted any possible
problems and scored a triumph in
bringing to the stage a production which is rich in theatre and in music. With Jane Eaglen as their lionna, they have found a voice and stage presence of stature and outstanding musicianship. Deftly directed by Ian Judge, emphasis is thrown on the music with as much interest as possible drawn from the drama.
The story, such as it is, is simple. liorma, a Druid high priestess, loves and has two children by the Roman Pollione, who now is in love with Adalgisa. lie won’t give her up, so llorma confesses her own guilt, is condemned to death and Pollione goes along with her. Visual interest was held by some spectacular design team work. The versatile set by John Gunter shifted with ease to make the most of any change of scene, while Deirdre Clancy’s costumes and Simon Tapping’s lighting combined to bring a series of striking tableaux and colour. But nothing ever obscured the singing. After his non-appearance on opening night, tenor Stefano Algieri was on form a few days later as Pollione, the self-centred smoothie. Katherine Closinski as Adalgisa may not have the command of Eaglen, but the voices worked well together, with ilorman Bailey as the elderly Dreveso yet another example of thoughtful casting. Conductor John Mauceri sensibly kept tempi moving and draw some fine, sensitive orchestral accompaniment from his players. (Garol Main)
There are further performances of llonna at the King’s Theatre, Edinburgh on 15 and 19 June.
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Concerts listed are those at major venues, for which tickets are on public sale at time of going to press.
ROCK
I GLASGOW BARROWLAND (226 4679) Stereo MCs. 21 May; Rage Against the Machine. 24 May: Naughty by Nature. 4 Jun; Brian May. 6 Jun: Galliano. 31 Jul.
I GLASGOW CELTIC PARK (227 5511) U2. 9 Aug.
I GLASGOW CONCERT HALL (227 5511) Crystal Gayle. 23 May: Showaddywaddy. 24 May; Bay City Rollers. 29 May; 10 CC. 6 Jun; Nanci Griffith. 8—10Jun: Squeeze. 26 Sep; Jethro Tull. 11 Oct.
I GLASGOW GREEN (031 556 1212) Headh. 5 Jun. I GLASGOW PLAZA (227 5511) lnspiral Carpets. 24 May.
I GLASGOW SECC (031 557 6969) Iron Maiden. 21 May; Peter Gabriel. 26
3 May. ; lEDIliBUltGll MEADDWBANK (557 6969 )
Prince. 29 Jul.
I EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE (557 2590) Velvet Underground. 1—2 Jun; Brian May. 4 Jun. I EDINBURGH OUEEN’S
; HALL (668 2019) Maria McKee. 4 Jun; Indigo
‘ Girls. 30 Jul.
I EDINBURGH USHER
HALL(228 1155) Buddy
I Guy. 23 May; Big
Country. 24 May; Aztec Camera. 27 May.
JAZZ
I GLASGOW CONCERT HALL (227 5511) Oscar
Peterson. 3 Jul; Nina
Simone. 7 Jul; B. B. King.
j 8 Jul; Tony Bennett. 9 Jul; ; Stephane Grappelli. 10 Jul; Syd Lawrence
Orchestra. 30 Oct; Glenn Miller Orchestra. 18 Nov. I GLASGOW
1 FRUITMARKET (GIJF) (227
5511)Jools Holland Big Band. 1 Jul; Stan Tracey
Octet. 2 Jul; Jack Bruce.
Jul; David Murray Trio. 3 Jul; Joe Pass & Martin Taylor. 3 Jul; Don Pullen. 3 Jul; Tommy Smith & SYJO. 4 Jul; Tommy Smith & John Taylor. 5 Jul; Ahmad Jamal. 6 Jul; Brecker Brothers. 7 Jul;
Carol Kidd. 8 Jul; Art
Ensemble of Chicago. 9 Jul; Django Bates & Joanna MacGregor. 10 Jul; Hermeto Pascoal. 9—10 Jul. GlJF info from 041 552 3572.
I EDINBURGH OUEEN’S HALL (668 2019) Brian Kellock Trio. 21 May; Garbarek & Vitous. 27 May; O‘Reilly Dectet. 28 May; Helen Delavault. 30 May; Wynton Marsalis. 3 Jun; Carla Bley. 30 Jun; Georgie Fame. 8 Jul.
FOLK I someone" ususn HALL (228 1155)
Incantation. 20 Jun; Clannad. 22 Jun.
LIGHT
I GLASGOW CONCERT HALL (227 55 I 1) Elaine Page. 21 May; Victor Borge. 1 Jun; Dominic Kirwan. 4 Nov; Tammy Wynette. 7 Nov; Patsy Cline Tribute. 28—29 Nov.
g I GLASGOW SECC (031
557 6969) Johnny Mathis. 26 Sept.
CLASSICAL
I GLASGOW CONCERT
HALL (227 5511) RSNO Proms. 11-12. 15—19. 22—26Jun.
I GLASGOW RSAMD (332
5057) Acad Wind Ens. 21
May; Owen Murray. 21 May; Kathryn Stott. 21 May: Jun Cham Orch. 5 Jun; Glas Cham Orch. 6 Jun: Chamber Group of Scotland. 13 Jun; Zoe Alambicum. 19 Jun; St
' Mary‘s Concert. 20 Jun; Jun Orch. 26 Jun; Magic Flute. 28 Jun—1 Jul.
I GLASGOW TRAMWAY
(227 5511) VS (SCO).
20—23 May. I EDINBURGH OUEEN’S
. HALL (668 2019)
Edinburgh Concert Band. 22 May; Fiona Kelsall. 26 May; MCO 8; Stephen Kovacevich. 29 May; Helene Delavault. 30 May; El.(). 5 Jun; RSAMD Recital. 9 Jun; 1.othian Schools. 12—13. 15 Jun; Chamber Group of Scotland. 14 Jun; St Mary's. 16 Jun; Haddo House Choral. 19 Jun; Napier Bands. 25 Jun; Come and Sing. 26 Jun; Philomusica. 27 Jun;
Scottish Ensemble. 9 Jun.
I EDINBURGH USHER HALL (228 1155) RSNO
Proms. 29 May. 1—5 June.
I EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL 15 Aug—4 Sept.
Programme and tickets from EIF Box Office. 21 ' Market Street. Edinburgh
EHl IBW (031 225 5756). I SUBSCRIPTION
SEASONS Programme
: details and tickets for
RSNO. SCO. BBC SSO. ; and CGPO concerts are
5 available from
Ticketcentre. Glasgow
(227 5511); Usher Hall.
Edinburgh (228 1155);
Queen's Hall. Edinburgh
(668 2019). Tickets for 5 Scottish Opera from Theatre Royal. Glasgow
(332 9000); King‘s
Theatre. Edinburgh (229
1201).
Prince
50 The List 7—20 May 1993