Adrian Belew Power Trio

[low_delta]

Saw Adrian again. I was really less impressed this time. He and Julie (bassist) and Eric (drummer) are still very talented, but... I don't know. Adrian seemed a little more self-indulgent this time. His Side albums were declared to be experimental in nature, so he's gotten away from his songwriting, and leaning more towards just making wild shit. That's fun but a whole show of that is a little much.

Since he hooked up with the Slick siblings, it seems like he's found this outlet for further indulgence. It's like he's used them to tap into his own youth. His upcoming album is recorded with the Slicks, and seems like more of the same as what he's been doing, but less collaborative. He played three pieces from it, which may be a good portion of it.

Anyway, of the show, I recognized three Side tunes ("Ampersand" is the one I can name off the top of my head), and "Thela Hun Gingeet". What he played was good, but it was too much of "the same" for my taste. I need a little variety to keep the rock rocky. My favorite part was watching them play and interact. Like when Adrian tells Eric to play an intro, and then ignores him. So after a while Eric threatens to stop, and Adrian is, like, oh, were you waiting for me? Adrian really seems to dig drumming. Eric starts off all the songs, Adrian will let Eric play solo a lot, and he most often faces the drum set. Julie spent the entire first song trying to get her monitor turned down. I had to laugh when Eric had trouble with that too.

The Power Trio was only doing a five-show run, this time. Robin, are there plans to go back on the road later this summer?

A Madison musician, who has worked with Adrian (and Fripp) sat next to me for a bit. I was hoping to talk with him a little, but he wasn't nearby when the show ended. I e-communicated with him today, though. I was talking with his buddy Tom before the show. We had been to a few of the same shows, or at least the same bands - Crimson in Chicago and Madison (I didn't realize that was their only Madison show ever), Crafty Guitarists in Madison, CGT.

Petr Mac opened up. He sounds a lot like those tech-y fingerstyle guitar players, but he uses a pick. He was... not anyone I'd seek out again. He was really fast, but needs to work on some songcrafting and tunefulness, IMO.

Comments

[i.livejournal.com]

i would probably have agreed with you about the show. i love his distinctive style and i enjoy hearing it in other people's songs or in his own quirky ones, but just by itself?

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

If you asked him, he'd probably say he varied his style during the show, but he's a lot closer to it than we are. And there was certainly none of his earlier poppier stuff. I need that kind of variety. The music interesting to watch and hear, but not so enjoyable. And I like to watch what's going on with the performers, but the music is why we're there.