February 5th, 2010: L’Ocelle Mare / Simon Queheillard

@société de curiosités

Simon Queheillard played first, and that was a great performance despite their having just arrived from Germany. The sounds he gets out of his guitar are just amazing. Using a small motor as a pick, he can get something just as steady as an e-bow, but with far more versatility. It can sound like feedback, but also like it was played in reverse. All this from his inventiveness, control and physical engagement. And all this sound exploration was never without purpose, always weaved into music that made good use of the material while coming first throughout.

L’Ocelle Mare was just as good. He played banjo most of the set, but it was much more diverse than the last time I saw him. The most extreme variation came from his moving the bridge right next to the neck, but he didn’t really need this to change a lot in a short time. And of course he displays such a commitment to his music that I was just pulled in. I think the smaller venue fits his music well. It demands a focus that isn’t really compatible with a big space. A bit like his new record, which requires and rewards a little dedication.

February 3rd, 2010: Mathilde Monnier – Pavlova 3′23″

@théatre de la ville

I have not seen the dying swan in any form, so I may be wrong, but I think some of the obviously classical poses and movements came from it. I had a strong impression of seeing the dance equivalent of sampling and loops, not as a subject, but part of the writing of the show. And I think that was the most convincing use of these I’ve seen so far.

I really liked the structure of the show. At first I thought it stick to the initial pattern: all the dancers standing, the falling more slowly each time, then one rising for a solo, each such performance different and suited to the dancer. This scheme held just long enough to defeat expectations. The soloing did continue, but the other dancers were more involved, bringing various objects on stage that would briefly find a place in the solo. So that by the end the solo trend had died too, and the last sequence was looping group dancing.

The choreography impressed me. I missed the death reference most of the time, but I still saw all those different parts as fitting together well, with several evolutions taking place during the show. I don’t really have a favorite moment, because this overall trajectories are what I liked best. I liked this show enough that I don’t really want to see the dying swan now. I think I get the idea, and if I’m wrong, I don’t think knowing it would improve anything.

February 2nd, 2010: U.S. Girls / Opéra Mort / TG / L’autopsie…

@la suite

The first set was L’autopsie a révélé que la cause de la mort était l’autopsie. Now that’s a mouthful. Despite my current noise overload, I liked the set. There were a lot of unusual sounds in there — for the genre — and very diverse, from toyish to industrial through interference stuff. I did think it ran out of steam about halfway through, but got a second wind when Courtis put his guitar away and went and got a road sign to bang on. Maybe a little too long, but an interesting set.

TG started very well, with a wicked beat that had a limping side that I liked a lot. Beats were a big part of his set, but he would set filter and transform them and had heavily processed vocals that made them much more interesting. Unfortunately, the bass-heavy mix wasn’t to the liking of the people in charge and he had to tone it all down. That was already a downer, but by the second such coaching visit to the mound, I was officially tuning out. That’s a shame, and after the crappy sound system at UDO, I wish I can finally get to hear this side of TG in decent conditions. I also want to get his new record, so that’s a call for another gig soon. To make it clear, I’m not really blaming those people: they have a good thing going, and in the current climate I totally understand their not wanting to take a chance on their place for a mere gig. The situation sucked, but I put the blame on our Great Leader and those punier souls that made him so.

Opéra Mort did a good job of dealing with those conditions, with a swampy cold waveish set that could have been a perfect segue into the next set. I don’t know because I was just too pissed off. Nice set, and they managed to bring together noise and something else most of the people there are very familiar with but routinely deny. So they pulled it off despite everything thrown in their way. Damn, I wish I had been smart enough — sounds familiar — to enjoy it instead of skulking.

The last set was just too short. I though the setting would be appropriate for U.S. Girls, but I guess I was wrong. Maybe they were running late, maybe it was the bad vibes from the previous sets. Anyway it didn’t come close to what she can do. The set was short, and felt rushed to me. Maybe that’s just because I couldn’t really get into it and I projected that on her. I’ll probably not dwell on that performance and remember the other time I saw her instead.

January 30th, 2010: Music from Pakistan

@abbesses

I think that was my first time hearing live music from Pakistan, and I didn’t know anything about those styles to boot. So I probably totally missed the point, but it was a nice first contact. Three musicians were from Balochistan, and the two others from Sindh, but the good thing was the their costumes were the most obvious sign of this difference. Not that their music was alike, but I thought the same of both soloists from Balochistan anyway. I really liked that they played together at the end, and that Ali Dost played almost throughout.

Nawab Khan played a long flute and sang with a deep harsh voice almost like in throat singing. I thought of that because he also played flute almost at the same time, alternating quickly enough that I couldn’t really tell whether both did overlap. I liked those moments because he’s good at both and the sounds were so different.

Akbar Khamisu Khan played a double flute with circular breathing, with the lowest one a drone and the high one used for melody. Mohamad Khan was playing a dholak with him. The music was rather upbeat, and I think he was expressive enough to make the technical stuff secondary. I also appreciated that he seemed to pay attention to the other musicians when not playing and spurred them to play together at the end.

Ahmad Bashir played a Sorud, a kind of fiddle that  looked a bit like a Kobyz, but with many more strings. That part was the one that sounded the closest to Indian music to me, but what made it my favorite was the instrument, and of course his skilled playing that had him sometimes pluck cords near the top of the neck in addition to the regular bowing. I love this instrument, I should investigate further this music.

Again, the last few songs had them play together, even though Nawab Khan didn’t play flute at that time and didn’t sing that much. I really liked that because seeing musicians sitting side by side but not playing together often seems pointless to me. I might have been for show, but the fact that Ali Dost did play almost the show — expect for some dancing at the end — makes me think there was more than just that.

January 29th, 2010: Laura Veirs / Cataldo / Old Believers

@café de la danse

The first opening set was by a member of Laura Veirs‘ tour band, and though he introduced himself as Old Believers, there’s actually someone else in that band. He looked quite unassuming, but I really liked his set and his songs. He didn’t sing or play demonstratively well, but in my opinion he was exactly right for his songs, and that’s more important; for me it’s even better as I’m usually not fond of skill.

Maybe that’s why I liked Cataldo less. Another member of Laura Veirs’ band, he had a better voice and played faster and seemed more confident, but that was a drawback for me. He won me over during the set, and the main reason was that he write very nice songs, well crafted with quite a few twists.

Within Laura Veirs’ band, these two handled drums, keyboard, bass and guitar, depending on the song. The band also included a fiddler and of course a very pregnant Laura Veirs herself. It was a great set, with some old songs but I really like the new ones too — those were unfamiliar for the most part because have always bought her records at her shows. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her twice with the same band, and I really like this lineup. None stood out as much as Karl Blau or Tucker Martine, and between that and the instrument switches, I liked the vibe from these people. Of course I was here for Veirs’ voice and songs, and I got what I wanted. Exactly what I needed now that I’m getting bored with the experimental stuff. She said they planned to be back in August, but I’m not holding my breath, she may want to change her mind by then. Anyway I just hope it won’t be close to three years before her next show — though one was canceled during those three years, that’s way too long.

January 28th, 2010: Lemi Ponifasio – Tempest: Without a Body

@théatre de la ville

I am fully aware that I probably missed a lot because of my total lack of familiarity with the Samoan and Māori cultures, but I loved this show as a contemporary dance one. I hope Lemi Ponifasio will be back in the coming years.

I was a little puzzled by the subtitle, as it was pure dance, and almost everything went through the body. If anything, there was a sequence with a dancer crouching in the back with his back turned to the audience, and the way he had his back rippling made him look headless, as were the two dancers that walked onstage at the end of this sequence, as their heads were hidden by the big silver block hanging from the rafters.

Another important element beyond dance itself was Helen Todd’s lighting, which was just terrific. It changed the shape of the stage and often transformed the dancers, another instance of that was a prone dancer on a raised platform in the back that looked made of bronze at times.

Most of the movements were deliberate, though not always slow. There were several sequences with a group of dancers in dark robes sliding with short steps and a raise finger, who would stop and switch to clapping/slapping motions whose energy looked just as deliberate as the slower motions in other sequences. That restraint built a tension that was there from the delightful roar of noise that opened the show.

The only time words were involved was when Tame Iti delivered his speech, dressed in suit and tie, but moving around with authority and arm movements that looked like some of the videos I’ve seen since — I did try to catch up a little about those cultures, but gave up for lack of a reliable entry point.

My favorite figure of this excellent show was the beleaguered screaming angel that appeared several times, often just passing by, once dragging a fallen dancer offstage, and once rubbing her hair to let forth a cloud of smoke.

That was an awesome show, so strong visually. And really physical, despite its title. Lemi Ponifasio is someone I’ll definitely be on the lookout for in the future.

January 26th, 2010: Josef Nadj – Sho-bo-gen-zo

@theatre de la bastille

I was surprised to be able to get a ticket for this show after learning about it so late. I like Josef Nadj, and having both Akosh S. and Joëlle Léandre on stage made it even more interesting. Not that I’m complaining, but it’s puzzling.

The dance was performed by Nadj himself and Cécile Loyer, with each musician on one side. I was a sequence of scenes but the music never stopped. The first scene made the Japanese theme obvious, with a white mask and costume for Loyer and a black mask with samurai helmet for Nadj — but he was wearing his trademark black suit, and Loyer switched to one right after this one. No such nods in the music though, and that was a relief as it would have been a waste of these talents. Those over the top elements soon disappeared, and though some elements did echo some Japanese traits, the very same things were very much in line with Nadj’s work. Which only means it meant perfect sense for him to use this material. I guess it would be possible to attribute some parts to the book, but what’s the point?

It may have referenced something different, but for me it fit perfectly within his work, familiar but different, as usual. There were those usual movements that are almost mechanical. But also some fast and wide arms motions I had never seen so emphasized in his work. A purely visual sequence without dancers, another with Nadj pushing a miniature stage to the front with a small unicorn he shaped into something else. And Loyer with a flexible mirror wrapped around her that reflected the musicians. So the tricks and the usual universe were there. The dance was there too. It’s easy to forget about it with all these other elements, but I think Nadj’s dance is very physical, trusting the body to say what other media don’t. And he’s so good at using many of these, each doing its part in the whole, but I think the dance remains the most important.

I didn’t pay enough attention to the music on its own, but it was interesting when on its own between scenes, and what I loved about it was that I couldn’t really separate it from the dance. There were a few times — one when the dancers were hitting their thighs, another with Léandre whipping the air with her bow — when I couldn’t tell the sounds the dancers were making apart from the music. I guess I could have, but it seemed beyond the point. And I think that was the case throughout, quite possibly the best merging of music of dance I’ve ever experienced.