2009年 03月 6日 金曜日 19:01

Fri 6 Mar – Jim Black 'Alas, No Axis'

Jim Black's Alasnoaxis played in Amsterdam, apparently their fifth tour of Holland and somehow I never caught them live. I saw Black and other members in various constellations numerous times, like with Pachora which is the same band but with Hilmar Jensson replacing Brad Shepik and not a Balkan approach but an 'alt.jazz' type thing. I heard an album or two, once or twice, but I saw Pachora play after a extremely tiring trip from Milan to Utrecht which didn't have any noticable effect on the performance, so I wasn't expecting anything less but a great show.

And they did deliver. Like improv parts mix with sedate melodies and some real heavy fireworks from the drums (and whatnot) and guitar. On the records the controlled melodies from Chris Speed run the show, but Black and Jensson overruled that in the live situation to great effect. Lots of raw energy while maintaining an enthusiastic playfulness. My bad homework was always a matter of time and money rather than their musical qualities, but seeing them live was a blast, as expected and totally satisfactory.