[acid-jazz] QSO Live report & Kathy Diamond 12" review

From: Jon Freer (jon-freer_at_excite.com)
Date: 2003-11-20 13:39:13

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    Quantic Soul Orchestra at The Tuesday Club, Sheffield Uni. 11th November 2003.

    Brighton’s Tru Thoughts imprint took over the cavernous Foundary space, to showcase the label’s incredible array of talents. The night was geared more towards displaying the artistic genius of one man, Mr. Will ‘Quantic’ Holland, than giving a balanced view of the label’s output. Will appeared on the stage no less than three times, as part of the Orchestra he had dreamed up, DJing alongside Russ as one of the Limp Twins, and drawing the night to a close, with a solo set.

    QSO’s gruelling fifteen date tour was conceived to bring the riotous funk of their zoo animal inspired “Stampede” longplayer to life. Their 11 piece set-up was impressive, but their performance was impeded by a muffling soundsystem. Album highlights such as their bass heavy cover of 4 Hero’s “Hold It Down still went down to rapturous applause. This was alongside sneaky numbers such as a revision of a certain glowing US diva’s “Heard It All Before” and an elaborate live touch-up of a untidy gentleman’s ode to hurrying up.

    Due to the time constraints put into force by a 2am license, Tru Thoughts boss Rob Luis, an immensely talented spinner, was dropped from the bill. Therefore, the warm-up job for the live ensemble fell to TM Juke. He got things moving with a set of heavy hip-orientated broken hop and the highlight of his set was Rjd2’s tear-inducing “Here’s What’s Left”. Russ and Will’s ‘Limp Twins’ project is probably not what you’d expect for something with the Quantic stamp on it. Their album of humour-laced guitar based compositions is more likely to succeed as home listening material than as something to get posterior’s shaking on the dancefloor. The pair’s set showed their musical kindred spirit, but was easily eclipsed by Will’s solo effort. For those who stayed, they were treated to an exciting selection of fractured beat driven soul-embodied cuts. Cuts of note included Seiji’s rough revision of Da Lata’s frustrated “Serious” and Bugz’s In The Attic’s darker and pointed versio!
     n of Fela Kuti’s “Zombie”. However, the highlight of Quantic’s set was the dropping of Irfane’s sublime “Just A Little Lovin”, even if the majority of the audience didn’t respond to the jumped-up beats and pleading smitten vocals.

    Kathy Diamond – Miracles Just Might (White)
    Whether Chris and Richard decided this was too much of a radical departure from the rest of “No Such Thing” to warrant its inclusion on the album or they just ran out of space is anyone’s guess. Their original is a string-soaked optimistic vision of the future, with feet dragging percussion, eccentric keys and inspiring vocals. YDS have come up with a smoother take on Swag’s customary roughened up House sound, as golden guitars, bass nuances and faultless keys combine on a charming broken-house refit. A much needed winter warmer!

    Jon Freer(jon.freer_at_wrongsteps.com)
    reviewer and writer for the following
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    XLR8R Magazine, Keep On Magazine, pitchadjust.com,
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    deephousenetwork.com, offitsface.com, Sandman mag,
    breakevencrew.com, overloadmedia.co.uk, funk-me.com,
    Vanguard online, quadrastate.co.uk, spaced.co.uk,
    beats.to, housecollective.org, capitolvibes.com,
    www.selekta.com, djriri.com, universalsource.co.uk,
    Inner Loop Magazine, housemuziq.com, undergroundhouse.net, worlddj.com,
    mosoul.co.uk, discotribe.net, flygarictracks.com,
    skansen.no, nwdnb.co.uk
    planetsoulnetwork.com
    allaboutdj.com
    mundovibes.com...
    Writer for:
    Brique Rouge, Exceptional Records,
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    Robsoul Recordings, Dust Traxx,
    Spiritual Life Music and more...

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