What an awesome evening's music at The Arnolfini!

JJ and The Birdman, Defibrillators and Mick Flower / Chris Corsano. I'm sure all the other drummers in the audience were drooling too.

Some quick reviews:

JJ and The Birdman - my good friend Tony Orrell and his mate, the keyboard player from The Scissor Sisters. They played an intriguing Kraut-Disco improvised set. Tony was using a Hubback Skull Gong, Hubback Vulture Sculpture Cymbal and a set of cowbells and woodblocks. Oh yes - and a drum-machine plus some kind of looping device. JJ was mellifluous and bubbling. Tony was energetic.

Defibrillators. Well, what can I say? 2-piece art-noise pandemonium. Their opening onslaught had everyone in the front 2 or 3 rows putting their fingers in their ears as fast as they could - and me popping in my musicians' earplugs (they were primed and ready - I've heard these guys before). It was fantastic though. Loud, dark and visceral. The opening explosion was made all the more startling by the extended pause beforehand due to sound problems - no sound at all. Seth Cooke played a vintage Premier drum kit with concert toms, a set of crotales and a mix of cymbals including one of my Stainless Steel Rides. Tony Geisha played an analogue synth, a radio-mic, a Mac and a Wii Controller - like some ironic triumphant phallus.

Mick Flower played a hypnotic Shaahi Baaja - which is like a cross between a dulcimer and an auto-harp, with electric pick-ups. Chris Corsano had everyone tranced out with his effortless, flowing, free-drumming on a little kit with old beaten-up Zyn Cymbals, plus lots of other metal oddments and a string/bridge across his snare drum that he could bow. I have no idea how long they played for. It was like time went somewhere else. They took the dynamics up and down a couple of times, reaching a natural and delicate end not long after the final climax.


I was very pleased to see a very healthy turn-out for such "way-out" music as well. I do like Bristol in this respect. Between The Cube, The Croft, The Arnolfini and The Folk House, there's quite a scene.


It was good to have a quick catch up with both Tonys and Seth after the show. And great to be introduced to Chris Corsano too. We talked about - of course - cymbals. I think Chris has unwittingly set me on a quest to find a new way of working with Stainless Steel. Well have to wait and see where that leads...