MUSIC LIVE REVIEWS
THE SULTANS/TINY MONROE
King Tut’s Walt Walt llut, Glasgow, 27 Jun.
There’s been some cranky lateral thinking going on with regards to teaming these two acts on a national tour. The ostensibly urbane, sophisticated Tiny Monroe sharing a stage with the lowest common denominator erstwhile rag week favourites The Sultans (nee 0f Ping FC) - a marriage made in some late- night alcoholic-induced fog. The only thing these bands realistically share is the uncomfortable knowledge that they are among the archetypal nearly- weres of the last five years. Unless you also count the difficulty in grasping why they were ever regarded as contenders in the first place. And that’s where you realise neither of these acts are going to do an Ocean Colour Scene phoenix from the flames routine.
0f the two, Tiny Monroe are far happier with where they’ve come from - above-average indie pop with a broody twist and more charismatic potential stalking the stage than any of the current teen ‘attitude’ crews can muster. This is no fresh start for them, more like a modest return alter an enforced hiatus.
The old material - such as we can distantly remember - is aired with confidence, but somehow without the sparkle that previously made them Best New Band possibilities. The
statuesque NJ is as commanding as
Tiny Monroe: (above-average indie pop with a broody twist
ever but her platoon are delivering lacklustre work. Maybe, possibly, hopefully an off night.
However, its sadly, inevitably, almost certainly not an off night for The Sultans. There’s something studied and consistent about their monumental awfulness which they at least go some way to mitigating by being a bit of a diverting (contrived) comedy turn. The general lack of stage decorum and sight of, um, visual' oddity Niall O’Flaherty sending up the Iggy sex god routine for all he’s worth make for a boozy laugh, but becomes the equivalent of a repetitive sight gag in a Leslie Nielsen movie.
Most disastrously they've shied away from the out-and-out quirkiness of ‘Where’s Me Jumper?‘ and those football-metaphor numbers and gone for total sonic overhaul in turgid homage to The Ramones. llow the vaguely entertaining have plummeted. (Fiona Shepherd)
JAD FAIB/ LUNGLEG/GANGER
K iug Tut's Walt Walt Hut. Glasgow. 5 Jul.
One thing you know nut to expect on a Vesuvius Records night is molten rock raining down on you mercilessly. but quirky pop tapping you on the shoulder is a distinct possibility.
Before anyone gets to hear Ganger‘s anrock explorations there's a mere 90 minutes of rockurnentary concerning Half Japanese. the name tonight’s A- feature Jad Fair usually goes under. An unexpected curtain raiser for some (well. for me anyway). the film provokes responses ranging from rapt attention to total indifference from those who forgot to bring their popcorn. But at least no one was condemned for fidgeting and rustling their cn'spbags.
But hey! make with the music. rrraestros. Ganger started out as a furrowed-brow amalgam of various other bands but have now taken on a life of their own via copious skittery percussive cacophonous Krautrock jamming which builds inevitably from teasing minimalism to a very nearly thrilling dissonant crescendo. A lot of people are getting excited about the muso kicks afforded by their Can-like tranceathon.
Ganger are good. very good. which is unfonunate for their soulmates Lungleg who still sound like a piss-poor Slits in need of some strident rehearsal. Traces of melody creep into a track announced
ALAN DIM MICK
.lad Fair: less than sparkllng as ‘a new one' but it's a false alarm for the rest of the set. Yes. anyone can and should form a band. regardless of technical dexterity. but after a few years of gigging there‘s the right to expect some vital life signs. Come on. girls. It‘s I996 and men with reverse mohicans can get to the top of the charts singing about arson. Keep up! Of course. Jad Fair has already carved himself a niche as a speccy dweeb loser so he’s not moving. even though — despite the best efforts of a backing band that comprises various Ganger and Yummyfur personnel - that niche is sounding more like a rut with every strangled vocal utterance. Turn on. tune
in and switch Off. (Fiona Shepherd)
BOOK NOW
Concerts listed are those at mater venues, for which tickets are on public sale at time of going to press.
ROCK
I GLASGOW BllltllllWUlllll (226 4679) Prodigy. 2/3 ()ct; Jamiroquai. l3 ()ct; ()cean Colour Scene. 27 ()ct: Lightning Seeds. IS Nov.
I GLASGOW CONCERT HALL (227 55| l ) Patti Smith. 5 Aug; Cowboy Junkies. 6 Aug: Lighthouse Family. l2 Oct: The Manfreds. 30 Oct: The Hollies. 9 Nov: Tom Jones. 9 Dec; The Bootleg Beatles. I6 l)ec. I GLASGOW OLD FRUITMARKET (227 55 I I ) Eddi Reader. l6 Aug.
I GLASGOW SECC (248 9999) Steely Dan. l3 Sept: East I7. 20 Sept: Mary Chapin Carpenter and I.er |.ovett. 24 Sept: Celine Dion. I‘)/2() Nov: Sting. 23 Nov; Gloria Estefan. 28 Nov: Cranberries. 4 Dec; The Cure. 6 Dec; Status Quo. 7 Dec: Gary Glitter. 8 Dec; Eternal. I0 Dec.
I EDINBURGH FESTIVAL THEATRE (529 6000) The Hollies. I0 Nov.
I EDINBURGH MURRAYFIELD STADIUM (557 6969) Eagles. 4 Aug. I EDINBURGH PLAYHDUSE (557 2590) Jools Holland. 24/25 Aug. I EDINBURGH DUEEN’S ttAll. (668 20l9) Gil Scott-Heron. I0 Aug; Iiddi Reader. I-l Aug.
I EDINBURGH USHER HALL (228 ll55) Bootleg Beatles. l5 Dec.
I LIVINGSTON FORUM (557 6969) Levellers. l9 Sept; Manic Street Preachers. 5 ()ct.
I IRVINE BEACH (0| 3| 557 6969) ()n The Beach with Bjork. Supergrass. Julian Cope and more. 3| Aug—l Sept.
COUNTRY
I GLASGOW CONCERT
HALL (227 SSI l) Billie
Joe Spears. 2| Nov.
I GLASGOW SEGC (248 9999) Mary Chapin
Carpenter and l.) lc Lovell. 24 Sept.
I EDINBURGH USHER HALL (228 I I55) Daniel O‘Donnell. l7~ I‘) Nov.
JAZZ
I EDINBURGH FESTIVAL THEATRE (529 6000) Jan. Festival (iala Concert. 7 Aug.
I EDINBURGH DUEEN’S HALL (668 20l‘)) Aeket' Bilk. 5 Aug; Scottish National Jan Orchestra. 6 Aug; Gil Scott-l-Ieron. l0 Aug; Craig McMurdo. I9 Aug; Carol Kidd. 30 Aug. I EDINBURGITUSHER HALL (228 | I55) Syd Lawrence Orchestra. 7 Nov.
FOLK
I EDINBURGH FESTIVAL THEATRE (529 6000) The Jolly Beggars. 8/9 Nov; Boys of the Lough. 22 Nov.
LIGHT
I GLASGOW CONCERT HALL (227 55| I) Gary Wilmot. 6 Sept: Val Doonican. 2 Nov; Tom Jones. 9 Dec.
CLASSICAL
I GLASGOW RSAMD (332 5057) Festival of British Youth Orchestras. l2 Aug—I Sept; The Romantic Piano. I7. 20.
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The legendary Gil Scott-Heron returns to Scotland, Edinburgh Queen’s Hall, 10 Aug
22 Sept: A Muster of
Tales. 24 Sept;
Caledonian Opera. 26 Sept: Hebrides Ensemble. 29 Se )t.
I EDINBURGH FESTIVAL THEATRE (529 6000) Mikado. 7 Sept; British Youth ()pera. 10—I4 Sept. I EDINBURGH USHER HALL (228 |l55) Four Seasons by Candlelight. 8 Nov.
I EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL (225 5756) Various venues. II—3I Aug. Tickets for all concerts in the Edinburgh International Festival programme are available from the Box Office. 2| Market Street. Edinburgh EHI IBW. by personal application. telephone (225 5756) or fax (226 7669). See brochure for order form.
I SUBSCRIPTION SEASONS Programme details and tickets for RSNO. SC(). BBC SS() and (CPU concerts are available from Tickctcentre. Glasgow (227 55 l I ); Usher Hall. Edinburgh (228 ||55): Queen's Hall. Edinburgh (668 20l9). Tickets for Scottish ()pera from Theatre Royal. Glasgow (332 9000); Festival Theatre. Edinburgh (529 6000).
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Bttirk gets lrlsky with Supergrass and others at Irvine Beach. 31 Aug-1 Sept
ID The List 12-25 Jul 1996