Glasgow Mega Snake
So I went to see Mogwai last night with Dan from work. They're playing the ICA, which is an arts centre i.e bookshop, theatre, venue, restaurant, bar, gallery, cinema all in one. It's also pretty small, but everyone was drinking wine (£3.50. A. GLASS. no less!?!?!?!?) and looking very cultured, mine and Dan's smart coats weren't going to impress anyone what with their smarter looking coats.
Anyway....
Part Chimp supported who have to be the LOUDEST BAND IN THE WORLD. They were experimenting with a guy called Alexander Tucker, who was okay, but didn't really go anywhere. Interesting use of peddles and loops and various different guitars, but it wasn't until Part Chimp came on with some percussion and two guys playing flute and saxophone then it varied. PC were awesome, although I sorta wish they played more of the "hits" like B1, War Machine, Hello Bastards and Fasto. They were great, don't get me wrong, the playing was intense, the singer/lead guitarist lurching over his mic ala Herman Munster, just something to bop my head to a bit more.
Mogwai, as you'd imagine were amazing. Their performance was so tight, everything sounded beautiful, the layers of guitar never muddled together, the inclusion of drum beats and keys never felt flat or empty. Much better than when I saw them at the Astoria and even that was really just as moving. They're not an amazing band to watch, with the exception of Stuart Braithwaite who jumps and shake his guitar while keeping in the same spot and starring off into the distance, so the light show took over, never distracting you from the music, almost enhancing it. The lights were sometimes so well lit, you couldn't see the band, only their silhouettes, the smoke from people's fags filling the room added an extra ambience.
The new stuff was pretty emotional. There were times when I closed my eyes and let the lights shine on my face and all I could think about was Holly and the last time I saw her and how happy I was when I came home, knowing that we're still deeply in love, despite having a pretty shit time at the moment.
The new album Mr Beast is released in March and I can't stress this enough, but it won't be bettered this year by any other release. It's an exceptional piece of work, one that pushes their bulk of work forward yet never going off track. The inclusion of the vocalist from Envy (Japanese hardcore band, signed to Mogwai's Rock Action label) on a later track adds an extra warm and softness to Mogwai's sound. There's moments of folk, eletronica, post rock, piano led explosions. It's not a mish mash of sound, it all compliments each other.
It's an album to die to.
Really.