Last night's gig was very good.
I was very worried about it in all honesty, the signs weren't good.
A slowish start, classic empty stage opening with a butchered version of "sweet dreams" playing over the PA to an empty stage.
But I was sufficiently pissed after a few pints in the Britons protection. Goodish atmosphere, but also not very busy in the venue.
[Some comedy on the way in, where the covid check consisted of a guy looking at the qr code on my phone and saying yep, no problem. And then saying he was ready to accept a tesco club card.]
Tricky was entirely in silhouette for almost the whole show, with the singer, drummer and guitarist all lit up. Nice blue and red lights.
First 30 minutes very much a warm up, barely a few whispers from Tricky, most of the work being the singer (wasn't sure who she was). She did pretty well, but difficult one for the crowd who wanted Tricky.
He was skulking about quite a lot, pulling at his clothes, twisting his head, sticking his tongue out.
Then it started to click a bit. You could see him "directing" the other players and feel the improv, and it started to build and become something. Longish jams/riffs on single phrases.
Very dark, but very engrossing. One tune was just him repeating "inhale, exhale", "I inhale, you inhale", and then he started flexing his arm up to the sky, really fast. Snapping his elbow. Intense.
The final tune is just him repeating "pain" endlessly, but by then it was very hypnotic.
I feel like he's developed his stage show a bit since I last saw him. Kinda reminded me of the last time I saw thd Fall, with the element of directing the players.
Here's a review of the Glasgow gig from a few nights before
Tricky delivers a dark and moody set at Glasgow's Orán Mór. Rhys Delany covers for Louder Than War | Louder Than War
louderthanwar.com
Must say the Manchester audience were better than how the guy writes up the Glasgow audience. There was definitely some impatience (some very annoying guy near me screeching out "black steel" after every song) but by the end there was a good vibe. Especially cos its still very weird to be out around a lot of people.
I like that venue as well (O2 Ritz) cos of the wooden floor, so you get a big of a bounce feeling.