plaid Plaid live at Norwich Arts Centre, 28th May

After several years of ruing the absence of any vaguely decent electronic artists in this lonely Norfolk outpost, who else is playing but fucking PLAID! Friday 28th May.

It's undoubtedly pointless plugging this show, but if anyone should be interested in making the trip, I can say that I've been to many, many worse small venues than the Arts Centre. I am so psyched for this shit it's unreal.

I went to this. Excellent venue, it was very relaxed, a bar was near by to the room where they played and not too much security around, so no one ordering people about.

The two guys supporting Plaid were not too great for me - the first was called "Son of Sam" - to be honest I only managed to catch the last few tracks of his set. He was looping guitar riffs, adding sound fx using some kind of pad (kaoss pad?) and was beat-boxing into the mic. I find this technique impressive but the actual music performed did not interest me..

The second guy who was on seemed to adopt the same kick drum for every track in the set and the same time signatures which made for a "samey" sort of clubby, mainstream sound. Things sounded repetitive and never deviated away from the typical 4/4 time signature he was using.

Anyway, for the most part, Plaid put on a good show. Itsu was played, which got me excited. They seemed to play all the unreleased melodic stuff they've been gigging with nearer to the end of the set, and the more darker, beat-driven tracks at the start. The tracks which lacked melody did not particularly grab my attention. I personally think Plaid are better at doing melodies. They did an encore with Dang Spots at the end. Still looking forward to Scintilli - if they include the melodic new material on this new album then it would make for an excellent release, possibly their best album.

edit: sorry, no recording guys, which kind of defines this post I've made very meaningless

  On 5/30/2010 at 6:45 PM, Bread said:

 

edit: sorry, no recording guys, which kind of defines this post I've made very meaningless

Yes. :angry:

No worries mate, maybe someone else did that :)

thanks for the review man. sounds like Plaid were good. your post isn;t meaningless.

second guy sounds well boring.. :(

Did Caretstik ask about Scintilli?? :)

Sadly I didn't get the chance to stalk speak to them. Amazing night though, best of the Plaid gigs I've been to. I nearly passed out when they played Itsu, and the drastically reworked Booc was cool too. AV visuals were excellent. The only thing that was missing was this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bCQggCXWyk

nice one for feedback. they always play itsu, tho. it's a wikkid track but i'm a bit bored with it now, just cos they play it so much.

sounds phat live, but maybe they should rework in future?

props for not stalking, lol

  On 5/31/2010 at 4:04 AM, sirch said:

nice one for feedback. they always play itsu, tho. it's a wikkid track but i'm a bit bored with it now, just cos they play it so much.

sounds phat live, but maybe they should rework in future?

props for not stalking, lol

Itsu was the extended version that crops up on a few bootlegs. First time they've played it a show I've been to, so I was chuffed. Be interesting to see how they might rework it, as it's probably my favourite Plaid track and what they've done with Booc is excellent. FUM cropped up too, which was awesome.

And thanks for the props mate, I can't afford any more restraining orders, next time I'll end up in the big house.

  On 5/31/2010 at 2:38 PM, Caretstik said:

  On 5/31/2010 at 4:04 AM, sirch said:

nice one for feedback. they always play itsu, tho. it's a wikkid track but i'm a bit bored with it now, just cos they play it so much.

sounds phat live, but maybe they should rework in future?

props for not stalking, lol

Itsu was the extended version that crops up on a few bootlegs. First time they've played it a show I've been to, so I was chuffed. Be interesting to see how they might rework it, as it's probably my favourite Plaid track and what they've done with Booc is excellent. FUM cropped up too, which was awesome.

 

And thanks for the props mate, I can't afford any more restraining orders, next time I'll end up in the big house.

why don't they ever play "Wrong Ways" live, i wonder !?? i absolutely LOVE that!!

it's beautiful, funky, spooky, swirly, cheeky, just pure fucking Class!

it's such a gorgeous track. it gives me goose bumps. the kind you get from true awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwesomeness. :))

  On 5/31/2010 at 2:38 PM, Caretstik said:

And thanks for the props mate, I can't afford any more restraining orders, next time I'll end up in the big house.

LOL, Plaid having a restraining order on you.. that's a funny thought.

ps. Love the bass in Itsu!! and the melody. it's brilliant. just a tad 'over played' i reckon.

Hi Folks

First time poster here - joined after a recommendation from someone at this gig.

[Me: the saddo on his own (typical electronica fan then!), clad in BOC t-shirt]

As stated there's little in the way of electronica in Naaarch so I was really looking forward to some Plaidy goodness.

Unfortunately this was a bit of a 'meh' night for me. I'm more a fan of the first 3 albums and wasn't too impressed with Spokes so haven't kept up with what they've done since then. As such I only recognised the encore, although for some reason the Itsu vid was familiar (maybe a Youtube flashback).

Can't say I'll be rushing out to buy the next release if it's gonna be in the same style as the music played: I prefer a good 'ole melody...

cheers!

  On 6/1/2010 at 8:10 PM, microphonie said:

Hi Folks

 

First time poster here - joined after a recommendation from someone at this gig.

 

[Me: the saddo on his own (typical electronica fan then!), clad in BOC t-shirt]

 

As stated there's little in the way of electronica in Naaarch so I was really looking forward to some Plaidy goodness.

Unfortunately this was a bit of a 'meh' night for me. I'm more a fan of the first 3 albums and wasn't too impressed with Spokes so haven't kept up with what they've done since then. As such I only recognised the encore, although for some reason the Itsu vid was familiar (maybe a Youtube flashback).

 

Can't say I'll be rushing out to buy the next release if it's gonna be in the same style as the music played: I prefer a good 'ole melody...

 

cheers!

Welcome mate!

Hi microphonie, may i recommend a change of t-shirt for this forum please :)

  On 6/1/2010 at 8:10 PM, microphonie said:

Hi Folks

 

First time poster here - joined after a recommendation from someone at this gig.

 

[Me: the saddo on his own (typical electronica fan then!), clad in BOC t-shirt]

 

As stated there's little in the way of electronica in Naaarch so I was really looking forward to some Plaidy goodness.

Unfortunately this was a bit of a 'meh' night for me. I'm more a fan of the first 3 albums and wasn't too impressed with Spokes so haven't kept up with what they've done since then. As such I only recognised the encore, although for some reason the Itsu vid was familiar (maybe a Youtube flashback).

 

Can't say I'll be rushing out to buy the next release if it's gonna be in the same style as the music played: I prefer a good 'ole melody...

 

cheers!

Hi Microphonie

must say, i'm an electronica fan i think and i don't own 1 single BoC t-shirt! lol, or any elec/idm t-shirts either..

i haven't even heard 'campfire headphase' all the way through yet.. so i'm a pretty shit electronica fan really lol..

and i don't even have a beard.

but i'm a very big Plaid/Black Dog Productions fan. :)

ps. i really like the P-Brane/Spokes-era Plaid.

i think those 2 releases are better than the, a bit tooo poppy-overly-sweet nature of certain tunes on Double Figure.

i would way prefer an album of their darker, weirder, beatier, high-octane-BPM's stuff... with beautiful-sweet melodies, lush pads, strings and frilly bits,

more than the simple sweet melodic stuff. but each to their own. i just hope they put something out soooooooooon.

Welcome to u anyway :)

Love BoC.. found the Japanese only track 'Macquarie Ridge' the other day whist on a dl mission.. amazing tune. Heard the 35 track tape for the first time too.. twas a good night.

  On 6/1/2010 at 9:58 PM, magdog said:

Love BoC.. found the Japanese only track 'Macquarie Ridge' the other day whist on a dl mission.. amazing tune. Heard the 35 track tape for the first time too.. twas a good night.

That 35 track comp is pretty good too. It's mysteriously unable to be scrobbled on lastfm tho.

The Few Old Tunes are pretty awesome too. BoC is incredibly good.

I love the first 2 BoC albums. the 1st one especially. that is really special music, and for the memories it brings back too.

3rd one just didn't do it for me, what i heard of it...

i think i have the old tunes tapes 1 & 2, somewhere. is that not the same as the 35 track thing???

  On 6/1/2010 at 10:29 PM, sirch said:

 

i think i have the old tunes tapes 1 & 2, somewhere. is that not the same as the 35 track thing???

No mate. And old tunes stuff is way better than 35 tracks. More solid work, i think. Altought it wasn't officially released.

--

I love MHTRTC and Geogaddi. Actually, i love everything until The Campfire Headphase. Those guitars anoy me in a way i can't explain.

MHTRTC and Geogaddi are my favourite BoC releases as well, maybe because they are proper albums with a nice production. Have to say i loved those all the earlier lp's too. They have to be some of my most priced pieces of vinyl. Campfire Headphase a quality album mate, just gotta to be in the right zone.. or zoned.

  On 6/1/2010 at 11:53 PM, ruiagnelo said:

I love MHTRTC and Geogaddi. Actually, i love everything until The Campfire Headphase. Those guitars anoy me in a way i can't explain.

same here. and the A Beautiful Place in the Country EP is soooooooooooo good, eh. absolutely beautiful record. an all time fav.

i don't like those headphase guitars either tho.. that album just didn't really sound like BoC to me. it sounded too digital, imho.

a bit like how new tBd sounds now! it all sounds very digital and too clean and shiney to me. which isn't to my taste.

i like the older sounding, grainey, warmer, analog-hissiness and hum of the older albums. they just feel better and deeper and more real to me.

tbh, i can't stand twangy guitars creeping into electronic tracks! unless it's done in a delicious way like what that Benet Walsh does on Not for Three's and Rest Proof Clockwork. :)

Heh! One post in & I seem to have instigated a BOC takeover. I'll listen to Spokes/P-Brane/Dial-P again as penance...

I don't know whether I dare approach the Autechre board with my opinions though.

Ta for the welcome chaps: I'm most likely to lurk than post 'cos there're always more geeky knowledgeable people around than me when it comes to this sort of music. I can barely remember album names let alone track names/running orders/what Ae had for breakfast on the third day of their '96 Japanese tour...

  On 6/2/2010 at 7:38 PM, microphonie said:

I don't know whether I dare approach the Autechre board with my opinions though.

just do what i do, state your opinion, get it off your chest, feel better, leave, and don't even bother looking back, LOL

  Quote

Ta for the welcome chaps: I'm most likely to lurk than post 'cos there're always more geeky knowledgeable people around than me when it comes to this sort of music. I can barely remember album names let alone track names/running orders/what Ae had for breakfast on the third day of their '96 Japanese tour...

well you know more than me dude! i didn't even know they toured Japan in 96, hahaha :)

we need more posters here tho. too many lurk as it is and don't get involved. Boooooooooooooooooooooooo

i know there are times when there's nothing really going on tho, or anything much to say about anything. which is when forums die off.....

  On 6/1/2010 at 8:10 PM, microphonie said:

there's little in the way of electronica in Naaarch

I was talking to a guy at the Arts Centre who had a hand in organising the Plaid show and Spectro looks like being a semi-regular thing. I thought it was a decent turnout on Friday and it'd be nice if it could be some kind of springboard to get a bit more variety in the live scene here. Ace little venue as well. Norwich doesn't do too bad for bands I suppose, just needs more for the electronic geeks.

  On 6/3/2010 at 2:38 AM, Caretstik said:

  On 6/1/2010 at 8:10 PM, microphonie said:

there's little in the way of electronica in Naaarch

I was talking to a guy at the Arts Centre who had a hand in organising the Plaid show and Spectro looks like being a semi-regular thing. I thought it was a decent turnout on Friday and it'd be nice if it could be some kind of springboard to get a bit more variety in the live scene here. Ace little venue as well. Norwich doesn't do too bad for bands I suppose, just needs more for the electronic geeks.

Yeah, over the last few years there've been sporadic attempts to get electronica nights going. Spectra is the latest attempt (I missed the Kelpe gig)

The guys at Slow Magazine promoted a few nights, as did logarhythm.org.uk (now sonamu.net by the looks of it): Mira Calix and Chris Clark at Cafe Da for example, and there was a short-lived series of nights in Bedfords' crypt iirc.

I think the problem is the overall small market for much more than a monthly event. There's no way I'd get any of my mates along even on a monthly basis though - they'll all very MOR musically or the more adventurous have moved away from the area...

The Arts Centre is the best venue by far & have had a few decent bands on in the last year or two:

Project D.A.R.K., Blissbody & Pram did an experimental night with weird home-made instruments: The Photophonic Experiment

short clip

Ulrich Schnauss, as part of Sonic Cathedral (awful sound though), & múm more recently.

It all leaves more cash to buy sounds I suppose!

seems most if not all electronica-type nites have dried up really.. only the bigger names pull anybody in anymore. it's not only like that in Norfolk! it's everywhere. - London, Brighton, Manchester, etc. there's an IDM drought!

i suppose a lot of it is down to the fact that so many of us older electronica geeks/nerds/buffs/obsessives have 'grown up' over the last decade, sadly! andnobody can really be arsed going out to see 20-year-old whatsisface from that other new label. plus these days money is so tight.

and like you say, people move away, too.... and have kids, and grow up. i guess, and conclude, that IDM/electronica has really had its day!! :(

there used to be weekly and monthly nights/gigs all over the place 10 years ago!!

Eh? You're having a laugh mate, there's shit going on all the time, just that times have changed and the names are different perhaps? V confusing post!