 | | Clor |
Support for the night, Clor, are certainly a musicians鈥 band. Like a web of finely-spun steel, each instrumental line supports the other in frail suspension. The spiky complexity of the guitar, the robotic morse code punched from the bass, and the classical clang of the synth weave an impossibly intricate sound. Underscored by an intelligently employed backing-track (so many bands seem to rely on samples and extra drum beats, but in Clor鈥檚 case, they really do enhance what is played live), the music of Clor is a binary baroque dream, over all too soon. Minutes later, and the capacity crowd swells to the edge of the stage as the lo-fi legend Malkmus and friends tiptoe into view. Visually, they aren鈥檛 spectacular to watch 鈥 there is no real intensity communicated, or pretension exuded. But Malkmus has never been about the show, and has always prized aural quality over performance. Any fans of Pavement would have been happy as pigs in proverbial with the music tonight, but I personally wasn鈥檛 over enthralled. Whilst I appreciated the musicianship, and have respect for the idea of playing music for music鈥檚 sake, to savour, express and enjoy, tonight just didn鈥檛 light my fire. I did enjoy the darker twists that peppered the set, but the bulk of what I heard failed to grab my attention. Ask me again in a few years time and my opinion may well have changed. |
