Friday, April 18, 2008

The Portishead


Nobody loves me, it's true, not like you do.

Well, that was what Beth Gibbons sang to me last night. I had to put her right on a few points, but i think we worked it out.

You see I went down to see The Portishead play in beautiful Brixton town and might i say it has made me question live music.

They were really very good. Mrs Gibbons is amazing, her voice is incredible, but you can't really go and stand for 90 minutes just listening to music.

There needs to be other things there to entertain you. Whether that be an incredible stage show, you dancing, you singing loudly, you punching the air in time to the music, you just lightly jigging to a baseline, you pogoing. You need more than music.

With The Portishead there was none of the above and that is why I write.

Yes, the tunes were wonderful. Yes, her voice was incredible. But you need more to do. You end up just chatting and not really paying full attention.

In hindsight i would have much preferred sitting. Then you can just sit in wonder, as i had done several weeks ago when i saw John Michael Jarre in the Albert Hall. He was astonishing by the way.

So, from this point forward I will be questioning before I order tickets to gigs.

But well done The Portishead. You looked rather old, a bit like Genesis, but you were good.

Congrats

1 comment:

Jimjimmer said...

Horses for courses. Certain bands are worth going to see at massive venues aren't they - because seeing them live lets you jump up and down like a dick bumping into people who are equally hyped as you. But with a band like that you need a smaller more intimate venue.

Sorry you were so bitterly disappointed.