Sunday, 7 October 2007

808080808080808

Acid friends reunited!
Equipment: 3 x 101, 808, 909, 727, Roland SBX-80 sync box, Pearl Syncussion, Soundcraft mixer, the 303 was placed on stage later, along with an Apple laptop, for what specific purpose it was unclear, at least to me.


TG 55 Guitar Synthesizer! I don't know either!


Twiddly...


Tenori-On...


By and large, the music itself didn't rock. We were all there for the history, and their mere presence on stage generated many cheers. I was as thrilled as anyone, but my ears don't lie, and they weren't impressed! It perked up at about 2.50 and 3.35, with some mildly frantic 101 riffs, but then didn't really go anywhere. There was very little 303 action, which surprised me. Do you think it's bad that I criticise? It's just my opinion. I wake up and think about music, spend all day either thinking about music or making music, then go to sleep and dream about music. So if I say it didn't move me, it's not the same as saying I think they are bad people. I have met many folk, including well regarded musicians, who don't make that distinction. I went to the gig with Ed DMX and we met Gerald beforehand, and it was good as ever to say hi to him.
We also met Tom J there, and Sean B was reputed to be in attendance too. It was a bit like a techno version of "an audience with..."
But yeah, if you want to experience what a 303 / 909 gig can really be, try Ceephax.

edit: I emailed MatrixSynth about the TG55, I knew he would take the bait! I didn't feel cheeky enough to actually leap on stage and have a proper look. I can't know for certain, but right at the beginning of the set there was a 303 riff with the resonance and cutoff turned down, so it was just a low muffle, and then it sounded like they put it through "something" and the timbre gained loads of harmonics and a sort of "tearing" quality, in a really nice analogue sounding way, so i presume that was it. Also they were doing some live vocals that sounded a bit mashed up in a weird way, perhaps it was responsible for that sound too.
I should mention I left the gig at 3.40, because I wanted to get home before my travelcard ran out, so my review is based on the first hour and a half, I don't know what happened after that! Also, I wouldn't want Electro Elvis to read this and think I didn't have a good time - I did, and was most honoured to have been on the list.

1 comment:

analogassailant said...

Honesty from a musician talking about music or other musicians is refreshing. Besides you're not really saying anything bad.