reviews
Portishead
Wolverhampton Civic Hall
13/04/08
rock
When Portishead first hit the record shops in the mid-90s, I have to admit I was initially a little underwhelmed. That all changed with the release of Roseland NYC Live (and the accompanying concert video) when I discovered just how artistic their music can be; if you're the kind of person who likes contemporary classical music as might be played by B.E.A.S.T. or the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, or alternatively if the arthouse flicks of the Electric Cinema might make that venue your second home, then Portishead are the band for you.
After a gap of some 10 years since that album, the band have come together at last to release a new studio album, the imaginatively titled Third (released on 28 April 2008), together with a European tour to promote, which reached
Unlike many rock reformations, where it feels like the spark had long gone and has barely been rekindled to pay an unexpected tax bill, the return of Portishead shows a group of true dedicated and accomplished musicians demonstrating as much skill and energy today as they did on the album which converted me. The opening track included loud heavy guitars demonstrating them to be so much more than the label 'trip hop' leads one to assume, but the intimate numbers are still there with the band gathering around close in to each other sitting in a huddle.
Importantly, each song blended perfectly with the one preceding and following, and the sudden endings - a feature which often irritates me in a band - in this case were just 'right', an important part of the music rather than laziness. The Lalo Schifrin-esque melodies which wouldn't be out of place in a James Bond soundtrack are still occasionally there along with the live turntablism (I do often wonder, does it matter what records they're playing when they're scratching?), together with a more classic analogue synthesisor soundworld - I counted at least two Minimoogs on stage.
Unless you can make a trip to Paris or Brussels early next month you've missed your chance in the UK on this tour, but if you fancy a Bank Holiday Eurostar trip you could do no worse. Hopefully we won't have to wait another 10 years to see such a truly great band.
After a gap of some 10 years since that album, the band have come together at last to release a new studio album, the imaginatively titled Third (released on 28 April 2008), together with a European tour to promote, which reached
Unlike many rock reformations, where it feels like the spark had long gone and has barely been rekindled to pay an unexpected tax bill, the return of Portishead shows a group of true dedicated and accomplished musicians demonstrating as much skill and energy today as they did on the album which converted me. The opening track included loud heavy guitars demonstrating them to be so much more than the label 'trip hop' leads one to assume, but the intimate numbers are still there with the band gathering around close in to each other sitting in a huddle.
Importantly, each song blended perfectly with the one preceding and following, and the sudden endings - a feature which often irritates me in a band - in this case were just 'right', an important part of the music rather than laziness. The Lalo Schifrin-esque melodies which wouldn't be out of place in a James Bond soundtrack are still occasionally there along with the live turntablism (I do often wonder, does it matter what records they're playing when they're scratching?), together with a more classic analogue synthesisor soundworld - I counted at least two Minimoogs on stage.
Unless you can make a trip to Paris or Brussels early next month you've missed your chance in the UK on this tour, but if you fancy a Bank Holiday Eurostar trip you could do no worse. Hopefully we won't have to wait another 10 years to see such a truly great band.