Dead Can Dance

[kneeshooter]

Obviously by sleeping I've missed being current, so there's every danger this entry will sound in parts like a poor shadow of s0b. Perhaps if I take a leaf out of last-nights-designated driver and exaggerate.

Firstly it was surprising to me how much of London I knew - I don't drive through there if I can help it, but it appeals to my inner-neat (not that it gets out much) to be able to see the roads that link the tube stations.

Anyway, getting to the Barbican was easy - getting to the Barbican was not so easy, but more so than getting around it, which itself was easier than getting something decent to eat. Still - food is for the weak.

Thanks to ashenkat I had a great seat, and settled down with seconds to go to see what the evening had in store.

I'd better come clean at this point and say that I am a casual rather than dedicated fan of DCD, I certainly don't recongnise many of the tracks (with some obvious exceptions such as Saltarello). So, all strapped in I was optimistic about the evening - and wasn't disappointed.

I certainly didn't get really drawn in as some said to me, but it's impossible not to be impressed by what they do - definitely appealing to my love of percussion. A good length and reasonably varied set meant I didn't see a disappointed face on the audience during the way out. A couple of observations came to mind on the way back.

The first is the obvious parallel with Neubatuen, and then a parallel with Tolkein. I did find myself musing on the nature of "made up history/culture". To me DCD have created a rich mythology and draw on this with their music. I wouldn't consider accusing it of being filk, but in the same way as Tolkein created wrote an "epic for a world that didn't have one", DCD come close to writing "world music for a world that doesn't exist".

The next parallel is with Neubauten. DCD draw upon history and tradition, and the sounds of days gone past. Neubauten draw upon the sounds of a different day - one where the world is sharp rusty metal, rubbish cans and machinery. There's strong parallels in having music drawing on the fabric of the world around - whether it be "an imagined patchwork of reality and fantasy" or "industrial society". Or at least I thought so.

On the downside there was the astonishing rudeness of people who kept coming in and out of their seats, and a pox on flash (see rants passim).

Oh, and apparently Gerrard sings "Glossolalia". Sounds painful.

And waves to nearly_everyone who were in the audience.

Comments

[cookwitch.livejournal.com]

I worked at the Barbican for over two years and STILL got lost! :)

[gothwin.livejournal.com]

I like DCD...good chillout music (I often put them on to sleep to) but for me there was something lacking in the gig (see my LJ post). Still got to admire their talent, and they both have great voices.

Biased moi?

[kneeshooter]

Yes - I read your post with interest.

In my mind there was no way they could manage to be as good as EN so if there was a "competition" they started with a big handicap.

Re: Biased moi?

[gothwin.livejournal.com]

So a bit like if I were to compare DCD to NMA kinda thing :)

Re: Biased moi?

[kneeshooter]

Yeah :-) Made more pronounced by having the gigs on consecutive nights.

[zoo-music-girl.livejournal.com]

I agree wholeheartedly about the camera flashes, so annoying and so pointless! We were at the front of the balcony so weren't disturbed by comings and goings though.

I like your parallel with Neubauten. I couldn't help compare the gigs with them being so close together, which as a huge EN fan isn't really fair to DCD, but I could see certain similarities. I missed the enormous charisma that EN have though - DCD's music has a great presence but I didn't feel there was enough of a connection with the audience. Perhaps that was just the result of being so far back though, they were tiny figures from where we were sitting.

[kneeshooter]

I was front-right - second row back. The people I noticed coming and going were in the first two or three rows of the centre - just in my peripheral vision where the movement distracted me.

I'm in a similar situation to you with the EN/DCD comparison and "relative fan levels". Good point about charisma/engagement - as you point out - EN brought me "in" - grabbed me, shook me and didn't let go. DCD had moments where I was pulled out of my seat into the music, but you're right the connection wasn't really there.

Indeed I think the last track, where Lisa probably made the most effort to connect directly with the audience, was one of the weaker ones.

On a different tack - one of your old posts mentions an EN tattoo... what do you have? I've had one on my mind for years.

[zoo-music-girl.livejournal.com]

I've got the eagle from Richterskala on my right shoulder. (I took that in a mirror, that is my right shoulder!) I got it done on my 21st birthday so it means a lot to me but it was never very well done and it could do with retouching/tidying up or maybe even covering up with something better.

Are you specifically thinking of getting an EN related tattoo or looking for general inspiration?

[kneeshooter]

Nice shoulder :-)

I suppose like many people I've been thinking "Hmmm a tattoo might be nice. I wonder if I'll ever settle on anything I like" for years (like many other people no doubt!), and the Mensch logo keeps coming as close as anything else.

[zoo-music-girl.livejournal.com]

I decided against the Mensch logo because I'd already seen it on other people but I sometimes think I should have just gone with it.

I've heard of great variations on the Mensch, like a chain of them dancing round someone's ankle!

[kneeshooter]

I know what you mean - the good ideas have already been taken. Bah :-)