Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Live Review: WICKED BEAT SOUND SYSTEM, MUSIC Vs. PHYSICS

Tuesday, April 24, 2007 
Northcote Social Club


"Well I'm glad we got you folk away from Bring It On," says Music Versus Physics (MvP) singer 3rd Deck part-way into their set, and it's a good thing people did switch off and get down, as MvP put a sharp set together to support Wicked Beats' CD launch tonight.


The segue from smooth dub and dancehall DJed before the show into the Bristol-via-3070 vibe of MvP set was seamless. The sheer diversity of their digitized sonic palette tends to dilute the overall impact. This dabbling in everything means they convince in nothing and renders their tough lyrics a bit half-wood. However rapping is just another string to their bow, like Bollywood sampling, sine-wave scratching; the Latyrx-flavoured Human Pride and gospel-vibed The Devil Isn't Welcome In My House  showcases how great the band can be. Ironically, MvP sound most natural and strong on the one cover they play, Hush-A-Bye, which, with it's flowing banjo sample and down-home melody, makes Beatrix look so at home that her subsequent rapping seems forced. Overall though, a tight and crowd-pleasing set.


By the time Wicked Beat Sound System arrive the place resembles a stage at Woodford with dreads and dresses and the feel of a hundred friends comfortably chatting, and no one seems bothered by the blatent misadvertising given the lack of wicked beats or a sound system. The onstage production though is brilliant, as is the tightness of the band who are essentially recreating the studio recordings live, with bassist Cameron Undy's slabs of underwater detonations proving an essential connection to the crowd. Wicked Beats are more 4WD-on-the-Great-Ocean-Road fun than sticky-ceiling dark dub urbanity, and it's this lightness of touch that works against them tonight (and possibly for them back home in Sydney). Launching their smoother and funkier Hydromajestik CD ("Whatever that means!" laughs singer Linda Jannsen) the band seem comfortable and not at all like they've had a 2-year break from playing live. When dynamics are brought to the fore, the songs really take off, especially the Badu-esque Won't Let Go which could easily be a hit in more famous hands and the well-funky It Doesn't Matter. By the time of the ace encore I Don't Want To Know and Rocksteady, The Curse of the D is broken and people move forward to dance by the stage, ending the show with warmth and smiles; what the punters brought and Wicked Beat celebrated. Nice one.


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