TENT, Rotterdam
16/04/04
The scene was strangely set for some nice music in Rotterdam’s TENT to open the 2004 edition of Motel Mozaique. The bright art gallery was adorned in many interesting decorations and hordes of audio and video equipment from 3voor12 preparing to capture the coming sounds (though it was clear the battery powered train wasn’t going to make it to the end of the night without incident, and it didn’t). Gathered were those fans keen to get started on the music before the other venues got underway, and also those just desperate to catch an extra show from The Shins. First however was I Am Kloot.
This English lot seemed surprisingly popular considering the dour Mancunian voice of John Bramwell, and as they settled into the first laidback song of their set, it didn’t seem too optimistic from my perspective. The three-piece turned out not to be Oasis wannabes, however, but something stronger, and as the songs evolved they actually produced some very enjoyable melodies. I even started to find my mind swimming away in the music briefly, and I was sure that wasn’t going to happen, so fair play to them.
Next however was The Shins, the latest media darlings from the US who have picked up masses of new fans with current release Chutes Too Narrow. I must confess to which, previous listens of said record gave the impression that The Shins were kind of boring, but I concede I was wrong. As vocalist James Mercer (looking like Kevin Spacey) and bassist Dave Hernandez (looking like Kevin Spacey’s 4AM mugger) performed a gentle acoustic set of five songs, I started to understand what all the fuss about.
Even so, it’s hard to place your finger on the exact thing that makes The Shins stand out. Maybe it’s Mercer’s voice, or perhaps just some effectively simple songwriting, which succeeds in being interesting on an emotional level without seeking to be too musically elaborate. Or perhaps it’s just the mystical power of Mercer’s current beard. Either way ‘Young Pilgrims’ and ‘Gone For Good’ sounded great as a duo, and ‘Pink Bullets’ seemed even more wonderful thanks to its lazy pace and captivating guitar riff.
But as The Shins departed, so did the majority of the audience. At least Dutch singer/songwriter Dez will just have been grateful to step into a Motel Mozaique performance at late notice. Perhaps everyone was expecting Dez Fafara of Coal Chamber and felt it necessary to make a quick exit, but beyond the name, the style was very much different, showcasing a selection of acoustic tunes and letting her voice impress the listeners, of which most seemed satisfied. It was difficult to gauge the overall potential of the songs on first listen, though. It proved tough to reach below the surface noise and seek out any passion and depth underneath, but at the time it was perfectly harmless acoustic pop.
As the stage cleared next, the arrival of two turntables seemed to hint that the bands were over to be replaced by a DJ, but no. In a strange twist, the gravel-voiced Canadian known as Buck 65 started scratching rapidly on the turntables, before turning around to the audience and switching into his quick fire storytelling over the electronic backing track. In a similar style to artists like Cake, the lyrics were fuelled by good (and bad humour), and whenever he would break off from the delivery of words, he was back to the turntables for some furious scratching, which really displeased the oldies in the audience. Yet every new song brought the surprise of new sounds to go with the wisecracks. From dance to folk to classic metal, there was a huge range of original options in his 12” repertoire, with some deadpan comedy bursting to be unleashed on top. Not that Buck 65 was simply in it for the cheap laughs, but with two turntables and a microphone, he provided a unique and entertaining performance.
Steven McCarron
Photo: 3voor12
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