london: 23 skidoo review

From: Wendy K (wendy@ninjatune.net)
Date: Tue Oct 24 2000 - 22:19:05 MET DST

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    promised i'd post a brief review of this show that happened last week...
    it was obvious that fans from 10-15 years ago came out of the
    woodworks for this -the group hadnt done a proper gig in almost 10
    years, they've got a new release out...

    andrew weatherall played a particularly enjoyable set of electro
    based minimal stuff which was pretty seamless, i don't spot trains,
    but - i'm sure i recognized a few things from pre-acid house 80's,
    but i wouldnt even want to venture what the old swordsmith was
    throwing down - he was seamless as usual. the surf babe videos
    playing behind him during the set were pretty distracting, i would
    have preferred nothing, but i'm sure the largely male audience was
    entertained... he ended his set on a dubsphere which wasnt on-u
    sound, but more out there...surprised he didnt stretch a bit more as
    i've actually heard him play the odd hip hop and funk tune when
    inspired. oh well.

    either the sound system or the sound engineer or something wasnt right on the
    night at the scala, i'm not sure which of the 23 names does vocals,
    but no matter how much he signaled the sound bod, no one was paying
    attention during the first number. so it took the skidoo a tune or
    two to find their feet, but once they did it was full of the stuff
    that influenced the beginnings of acid jazz - Rodney P livened up
    the flava along with Roots & The Deckwrecka - the mics got sorted for
    them and they rocked the place ..giving it a more like we know what's
    goin on scenario. The slapping bass and heavy percussion was still
    there - the distinctive percussion makes any 23 Skidoo track stand
    out - and the mighty Aswad horn section added to the overall
    funkyness - even if they carried their sheet music stand back & forth
    and fumbled about - these guys know
    how to blow!

    Best social moment of the night: having Dave Dorrell (MARRS "Pump Up
    The Volume" & ex manager of Bush) come up and say hello howyadoin in
    that rocknroll sorta way.

    Second best moment of the night: spotting the
    http://www.virtuetv.com crew who are going to be archiving the show
    for about six weeks, so I can watch it from home and hope that they
    gotta better sound...

    >this sounds like an awesome nite which i plan to get out of cyberspace 4.
    >23 Skidoo play their only London show at the Scala on October 18th.
    >
    >We can now confirm that accompanying the classic Skidoo line up of
    >Alex and Johnny Turnbull, Fritz Catlin and Sketch will be Roots
    >Manuva, Major, The Deckwrecka and the Aswad horn section (who all
    >appear on the recent 23 Skidoo album) plus special guest Rodney P.
    >
    >Andy Weatherall, who recently included Skidoo's all time classic
    >'Coup' on his Nine O'Clock Drop compilation, will be DJing, and
    >Skitz, who records for the Ronin label, will make a rare live
    >appearance.

    "uneasy listening"/"easy watching"
    solid steel: mon nite 12am-2am gmt
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/londonlive
    http://www.worldtimezone.com
    archives: http://www.ninjatune.net/solidsteel
    http://www.ninjatune.net
    zentertainment: wed nite 9pm - 1am gmt
    http://www.piratetv.net



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