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Gideon CoeΒ permalink
The Phantom Band
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Message 1.Β
Posted by steve_swift (U2177659) on Tuesday, 3rd November 2009
As we know, Gideon has impeccable taste and hearing the single Throwing Bones on his show recently I went to see this lot last night at Leeds' best music venue, the Brudenell Social Club.
Instead of the indie mulch I was half-fearing what we received was a pulsating fusion of primal beats, surround sound cosmic meanderings and a crunching electric jack-hammer that had the trousers wobbling and the hairs on the neck at full salute.
Six of them jammed on the tiny stage played as if their lives depended on it, two garbed weirdly in head to toe tin foil, a drummer that hammered away as if summoning the devil and a lead man who stretched between a neanderthal Glaswegian howl and a delicate ethereal falsetto.
The keyboards introduced each song with a Dr Who-like call to arms as the third guitarist had his back to the crowd throughout, nodding trance-like at his amp.
Towards the end, the lead guitarist was lost in a Joe Walsh-type solo straddling the singer, who was himself prone on his back doing sit-ups.
The ninety or so crowd by this stage was largely open-mouthed that this was really Leeds 6 on a Monday night - in a working men's club.
We were trying to think of three words to sum them up on the way home and settled on seismic, cosmic and Caldeonian.
If there is any justice they will be headlining Glastonbury in two years. Amazing stuff. See them as soon as you can. -
Message 2
Posted by gidarmy (U7627527) on Tuesday, 3rd November 2009
On a point of order Steve, there are wobbly elements in my taste spectrum (as there are in my choice of words) but that goes for everyone. The Phantom Band are up there with the best I've heard in what I'll broadly term "recent times".
Thanks for the review and I would encourage anyone wishing to post gig reviews on these boards to do so. Especially the long ones as I can't really do them justice on air. -
Message 3
Posted by tolhurst (U6377463) on Tuesday, 3rd November 2009
Great review, I'm thinking of Roxy Music with three Brian Enos.
What is a "Doctor Who call to arms" like? Does it involve a sonic screwdriver? -
Message 4
Posted by steve_swift (U2177659) on Tuesday, 3rd November 2009
The Dr Who call to arms was a rather clunky way of describing the vaguely glam-like synth sound that introduced each song, very reminiscent of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radiophonic Workshop noise - augmented weirdly by two of the band members dressing as pseudo-daleks.
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Message 5
Posted by tolhurst (U6377463) on Tuesday, 3rd November 2009
The Dr Who call to arms was a rather clunky way of describing the vaguely glam-like synth sound that introduced each song, very reminiscent of the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Radiophonic Workshop noise - augmented weirdly by two of the band members dressing as pseudo-daleks.Β
Thanks. I was thinking in terms of having a big scarf, or playing the recorder, or something...
Interesting that after the synth revolution we can still accurately identify a particular track - even though it was said at the time that "a synthesizer can make any noise you like, and here are four blokes all playing the same note!"
This surely isn't them, though, is it? Great roadsign...
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Message 6
Posted by tolhurst (U6377463) on Tuesday, 3rd November 2009
*realises road sign is a fake - the A6 stops before it gets to Scotland (as seen from St. Albans)
and the A505 is in Luton... d'oh! -
Message 7
Posted by steve_swift (U2177659) on Tuesday, 3rd November 2009
One of the things I especially liked about the Phantom Band is that the synth was VERY high in the mix. And then, for the slow song about islands there was the gorgeous traditional Hammond sound that gradually took over towards the climax leaving the place as quiet as a church in the final seconds.
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Message 8
Posted by Al McGregor (U2976807) on Tuesday, 3rd November 2009
Great review Steve - best not dawdle in the pub when they support Frightened Rabbit here in Dundee in early Dec.
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Message 9
Posted by Lee1975 (U4412355) on Tuesday, 3rd November 2009
Steve - I refuse to believe that the Brudenell Social Club could ever be "quiet" by any stretch of the imagination.
Having had gigs ruined there due to very loud people stood by the bar talking at an unjustifiably high volume when the more aurally modest songs are being performed, I stubbornly refuse to go back there again.
I'd make an exception if Elvis rose from the dead and added it as a venue for his comeback tour, but that's about it. It's a nightmare of a venue and no mistaking. -
Message 10
Posted by steve_swift (U2177659) on Tuesday, 3rd November 2009
Lee, I know what you mean but recently its been fine and especially last night.
Will see how it goes for Daniel Johnston and Mark Eitzel in the next week or so. I doubt whether either will stand for any bar talk. -
Message 11
Posted by Lee1975 (U4412355) on Tuesday, 3rd November 2009
In one corner of the room (extreme left as you look at the stage), the raised area where the seating is smells over-poweringly of cat wee too.
I'm not sure there's many worse venues in the Glorious North if I'm honest, which is a real shame because they do house some very fine acts. -
Message 12
Posted by steve_swift (U2177659) on Tuesday, 3rd November 2009
I'll have a sniff next week!
As an aside, who did I bump into yesterday in Leeds city centre looking a bit lost but guitar god Nels Cline and drumming icon Glen Kotche of Wilco, who are playing in the city tonight.
They were looking for The Ship (where some of their crew were drinking and another smelly place from memory).
Had a nice five minute chat and said to them that I would have gone to see them if I hadn't already had tickets for Steve Earle to which Glen replied "I don't blame you, I would have done the same"!
No sign of Jeff Tweedy though. -
Message 13
Posted by U6679583 (U6679583) on Tuesday, 3rd November 2009
See, now I've had to go and buy a proper copy of the CD and everything!
The Phantom Band session on marc's show this summer was my introduction to them. Well worth a re-play, if you haven't already. -
Message 14
Posted by I am not an organiser etc (U11351618) on Tuesday, 3rd November 2009
Based on Steve's review have just listened to samples and then paid for the download of the album. They may owe you a pint (do they make that much on a download copy?).
Isn't this entirely what 6 Music is for? -
Message 15
Posted by steve_swift (U2177659) on Thursday, 5th November 2009
Here's the video for The Howling.
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Message 16
Posted by rileydj (U2509737) on Sunday, 8th November 2009
Yeah - a wonderful band.
I've had them in session twice this year... and both of the sessions were amongst the years best.
I'll be repeating one of the 6 songs they've done at Xmas for sure- but I'd agree that a whole session (either one) would be well worth a repeat! -
Message 17
Posted by DesCarter (U12016046) on Monday, 9th November 2009
I caught these at the urban setting of Salford's Islington Mill last Saturday. It was pleasing to see that the support band (another session guest of this year) were the Dutch Uncles. I found the Uncles spidery exploratory guitar all contained within a pop framework very enjoyable. The band are young, their stage manner energetic and fittingly, inside what was an old cotton mill, their clothes carried a radiant hue.
The Phantom Band appearance is more inscrutable by contast with some of them hooded and others in spangly, sequined robes although unfrocked singer Rick carried things off with fine poise. Whereas the Dutch Uncles style is kept within a poppy style, the Phantom Band stretch their sound which will often morph into something different. Some are embellished along with various pipe or percussion instruments that suggest those Scottish folk interests. It’s rare to see the songs of such length holding the audience’s attentions.
The venue was a cracking place with other floors that have been given over to artistic ventures. The open plan was all it had in common with the loft apartments, the likes of which usually arise from such unoccupied buildings. Tony Wilson would have appreciated the fact that the Mill had re-opened. -
Message 18
Posted by lowball (U14084616) on Monday, 9th November 2009
for the ultimate Phantom Band experience
Chemical Underground Night
The Phantom Band
Emma Pollok & Band
Aidan Moffat
De Rosa (main man solo)
plus
Chemical Underground films
Aberdeen Lemon Tree Frid 20th Nov 09 -
Message 19
Posted by Tinsnail_Racer (U1486682) on Tuesday, 10th November 2009
If you like the Phantom Band, go and see Tower of Girls if you see the name written on a blackboard outside a venue, cos that's them too.....
Is there still luxuriant facial hair on display?
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