 | | Clor |
Support for the night, Clor, are certainly a musicians’ 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’s 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’t spectacular to watch – 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’t over enthralled. Whilst I appreciated the musicianship, and have respect for the idea of playing music for music’s sake, to savour, express and enjoy, tonight just didn’t 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. |
