Issue 60 / October 2015

50
Bido Lito! October 2015 Reviews
Get The Blessing (Marty Saleh)
Rourke is not alone in his mastery, with the
rest of the band keeping tight throughout the
whole performance, providing a fitting climax
to a great evening of music in a hidden world.
Matt Hogg
BEAK> / GET THE BLESSING
AGP
EVOL and Bam!Bam!Bam! @ The Kazimier
Portishead are one of those bands that
seemingly all music fans can agree on.
Regardless of affinities to metal or hip hop
there is something about the Bristol outfit –
and in particular Beth Gibbons’ sultry tones
– that really seems to do the trick. So it’s no
surprise that, on the first night of a doubleheader
that features three different members
playing in two side projects, the Kaz is packed
to the rafters to witness BEAK> perform.
Before that though the crowd is treated
to an airing of seven new tracks from local
songwriter/producer AGP’s upcoming release.
Through the resident sound system, his
spacey and rhythmic creations sound almost
unsettlingly perfect. For those present who
have been following his progress, it is quite
apparent that he has really gone up a level.
Headliners Beak> provide the near-capacity
crowd with a performance that raises the
bar even higher. Their stripped-back sound
is never lacking in depth, and it is admirable
how much they do with so little. With just
bass, drums and synths they create a sonic
wash that is rhythmically driven and clearly
rooted in their Bristolian trip hop background.
At times there are glimmers of post-hardcore
influence, marking a satisfying change from
what is otherwise a tight and focussed
set. With minimal vocals delivered by the
drummer, and occasional switches onto the
guitar by the keys man, there is a lot of space
left for the bassist to inhabit. He does this
superbly and his contributions are probably
the most imaginative and memorable of the
three. Overall, it is a thought-provoking set
that melds the contemporary and the past
seamlessly whilst managing to preserve what
is most interesting about each.
For those who enjoyed the previous night’s
outing there is not long to wait for that postgig
itch to be soothed – 24 hours to be exact
– and tonight the balm comes in the form
of GET THE BLESSING. This time featuring
Portishead’s rhythm section in Jim Barr and
Clive Deamer, as well as two other members on
trumpet and saxophone, we stroll ecstatically
into Lounge Lizards-esque territory. We are
informed that the new songs in tonight’s set
were written in a house in Cornwall and so,
naturally, all of the track titles are derived
from the names of fish. As we settle into the
strains of Yellow Herring, it becomes clear that
the marine influence stretches only as far as
the name, and what we actually experience is
at times an almost industrial take on the jazz
form. Not straying too far from their output
in their other band, the rhythm section is
solid yet bouncy, providing structure for the
horn section whilst still playing around and
enjoying themselves. Eschewing any vocals,
the melody is delivered mainly by the horns
and also quite often by Barr’s high-end bass
riffs, which weave effortlessly between the
cracks of space afforded to him by Deamer’s
drum work. The symbiotic relationship that
has formed between the two after many years
of playing together is clear for everyone to
see, and it is really them that drive the songs
forward. One of the more surprising elements
of the show is the charisma and wit of bespoke
frontman Barr, who at first appears moody and
serious but actually turns out to be a hilarious
on-stage presence. The songs themselves are
also, at times, light-hearted and airy, creating
an atmospheric and dynamic shift that makes
for a pretty interesting dichotomy.
In terms of musicianship there is little to
be desired, as each member demonstrates
their virtuosity neatly whilst still serving the
song and bringing new elements to the mix.
There is sometimes the risk that instrumental
music with jazz stylings can become verbose
and slightly overbearing, but with Get The
Blessing this is never the case, and the songs
are fully-fleshed and well realised: they hold