reviews

White Magic, High Life, United Bible Studies & Cian Nugent

191 Commenthttp%3A%2F%2Fguesslist.ie%2F2008%2F07%2Fwhite-magic-united-bible-studies-cian-nugent-anseo%2FWhite+Magic%2C+High+Life%2C+United+Bible+Studies+%26+Cian+Nugent2008-07-29+12%3A00%3A26Ronanhttp%3A%2F%2Fguesslist.ie%2Ftest%2F%3Fp%3D19 29 July 2008

The upstairs of Anseo is ridiculously packed; it’s almost impossible to get into the room, let alone within viewing distance of the tiny stage. As with many gigs promoted by Skinny Wolves, it’s an impressive bill of weird and wonderful acts from home and abroad.

Opening act Cian Nugent is tonight accompanied by David Lacey on percussion, setting the tone for the evening nicely with his meditative guitar compositions. Recalling the wistful Americana of the likes of Basho and Fahey, Nugent’s music is backed by visuals that look like some sort of Amadeus-themed dream sequence. A very surreal evening has only just begun.

The next act on the bill could well be the most bizarre, ridiculous and captivating group I’ve ever seen. United Bible Studies have 11 members this evening – consisting of 10 vocalists and a drummer. What follows is some sort of extended vocal noise that lasts somewhere between 20 and 40 minutes, an improv jam like no other. The various sections of the group sing in a range of hums, drones, shrieks and guttural barks; building from mournful wails to thumping tribal gibberish and back again, feeding off each other’s voices in a random and often spellbinding manner. Time stops; a creepy old medieval vampire orgy movie plays behind the band, as  the audience is screamed and crooned to… It’s equally fascinating and irritating.

Before White Magic start their set, the core duo (Mira Billotte and Doug Shaw) give a run through some songs from Doug’s ‘High Life’ side project. Based on tropicala sounds played off a sampler, Doug sings effects-laden vocals over the track with backing from Mira. The result is a poor Animal Collective/El Guincho sort of affair, plagued by bad sound and an unimpressed audience.

After 3 songs the sampler is switched for instruments and High Life becomes White Magic, the headlining Drag City based psych-folksters. They play a far more rock-orientated set than expected by most in attendance; turning it up to 11 and pushing the room’s soundsystem to it’s limits. The first few songs are piano based, but muddy sound means much of the vocals are drowned out by Mira’s keys while Doug plays the drums.

Things get better when David Lacey takes over on percussion and Doug picks up the guitar, the mix is corrected and some newer material is played, including spellbinding single ‘New Egypt‘, a 10 minute epic based around an electricified raga riff as Mira’s vocal refrain ‘I can read your mind’ rings around the room again and again. It’s the highlight of the show, heralding a new direction for the group. As the final song descends into a surge of noise and effect-manipulating, its seems White Magic have moved away from the psych-folk sound that saw them associated with the New Weird America scene, and forged a brave new path on their own.

It’s been an evening of some very strange and often captivating music, defying audience expectations and eardrums with a whole host of otherworldly sounds and eerie visuals.

http://www.myspace.com/whitemagicmusic
http://www.myspace.com/highlifehighlife
http://www.myspace.com/unitedbiblestudies
http://www.myspace.com/ciannugent

http://www.myspace.com/skinnywolves

news

Kings of Leon play Ireland… again?

250 Commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fguesslist.ie%2F2008%2F07%2Fkings-of-leon-to-play-irelandagain%2FKings+of+Leon+play+Ireland...+again%3F2008-07-29+11%3A32%3A09Joehttp%3A%2F%2Fguesslist.ie%2Ftest%2F%3Fp%3D25 29 July 2008

Kings Of Leon are to play another 2008 gig in Ireland according to Jim Carroll.

The band will reportedly play a gig in The Point O2 in December. Meanwhile check out the widget below for new track “Crawl”, a taster of the group’s fourth album “Only By The Night,” due out on September 22.

featured

Have You Heard #1 – Sub Rosa

230 Commentshttp%3A%2F%2Fguesslist.ie%2F2008%2F07%2Fhave-you-heard-1-sub-rosa%2FHave+You+Heard+%231+-+Sub+Rosa2008-07-28+13%3A39%3A46Joehttp%3A%2F%2Fguesslist.ie%2Ftest%2F%3Fp%3D23 28 July 2008

Welcome to Have You Heard? In this (hopefully) regular feature we strive to bring to you acts from across the country that are knocking on the door of mainstream acclaim. Will you let them in? Are we the door? Are we the knocking? Have we lost the run of this convoluted metaphor? All this and less will be brought to you with an introduction to each band and a quick summing up, in their own words, as to what they’re about.

This week’s band is Cork four piece Sub Rosa, who enjoyed much success at last year’s Hard Working Class Heroes Festival when their tune “Walk Tall” reached number one in the event’s download charts, beating off stiff competition from the cream of Ireland’s unsigned acts in the process. The band released their debut eponymous EP (available online through their myspace) last April and have just announced that they will play the Electric Picnic this year.

Sub Rosa – I Won’t Be There

Sub Rosa – Waiting For Me

In Their Own Words:

Sub Rosa’s unique style reflects diverse influences, ranging from Portishead and Interpol to Nine Inch Nails. Dark organ sounds, driven guitars and arresting rhythms combine with an understated female vocal to create an intense mood that commands attention. The band’s ethos, inspiration and aspirations stem from their desire to create a unique, honest set of songs with strong melodies that stick. On-stage, Sub Rosa’s energy and passion fuels an all-involving, captivating live show.

Sub Rosa are:

Jenny Judge: Vocals, Keys
Cormac O Regan: Guitars, Vocals
Brian Dwyer: Bass, Keys
Ronan Mc Cormick: Drums

Live Dates:

• August 8th Mc Carthy’s Bar, Dingle
• August 29th-31st Electric Picnic, Stradbally Co. Laois
• With lots more to be added…

Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/subrosa06