Type and hit ENTER

Commonly used tags...

Brighton Festival Brighton Fringe Brighton Pride British Sea Power Cinecity Lewes Psychedelic Festival Locally Sourced Lost & Found Love Supreme Festival Mutations Festival Nick Cave Poets Vs MCs Politics Rag'n'Bone Man Record Store Day Save Our Venues Six Of The Best Source Virgins Streets Of Brighton Street Source Tattoos The Great Escape Tru Thoughts Unsung Heroes
  • Home
  • News
  • Previews
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Food
  • Tickets
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Advertise
  • Home
  • News
  • Previews
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Food
  • Tickets
  • Contact
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Advertise
Reviews

The Necks Review

May 3, 2017
-
Posted by Jon Southcoasting

Dictionary Pudding have been putting on some diverse gigs of late and a recent partnership with the Brighton Alternative Jazz Festival has led them to some excellent jazz. On Monday night they played host to the avant-garde Australian trio The Necks in a Victorian gothic church at the top of muesli mountain.

The Necks formed in 1987 in Sydney Australia and Chris Abrahams (piano), Tony Buck (drums) and Lloyd Swanton (bass) have been ploughing a consistently highly acclaimed furrow ever since. The trio are famed for playing hour long improvisation pieces that explore a relatively limited range of intense repeated musical figures to create an atmospheric ambient orchestral sound, and that was very much what the Brighton audience got.

The church of St Luke’s in Hanover was an excellent choice of venue for this music, its simple interior and candlelit statues created an atmosphere that felt a little like being on the set of a low-budget horror movie. The eerily haunting music produced a similar feel, not unaided by a slightly edgy sense of trepidation as the Necks came on stage a full 15 minutes late.

The trio played two sets of improvised music. Imagine late 70s horror soundtracks recorded for the ECM label, with a colony of rats scuttering around the floor tripping over nails. To this listener’s ear the first set felt somewhat hesitant, as if the band were in awe of their surroundings and reluctant to stretch themselves.

The second set was more varied and emotive, full of moments of mesmerising beauty. Whilst the first set was dominated by Lloyd Swanton’s dominant bass lines in the second set all three band members came together more and Chris Abrahams’ piano in particular seemed to cover more ground and take their whole sound into a different place.

The gig was quite a coup for the promoters and hopefully the sell out crowd means we might expect more experimental innovative concerts like this in future.

St Luke’s Church, Monday 1st May 2017
Words and photos by Jon Southcoasting

May 3, 2017
Email
Jon Southcoasting
Jon Southcoasting photographs all sorts, including music, writes about things, as often as not musical, and sometimes plays his own songs too. He lives in Brighton.
← PREVIOUS POST
Kraftwerk, Weds 7th June
NEXT POST →
Kandace Springs Review
Mailing List

Recent Posts
  • This Is The Modern World Exhibition
    Aug 5, 2022

    Paul Weller's sister has curated a unique exhibition of Jam and Style Council artefacts and memorabilia alongside a season of related gigs and events.

  • Yama Warashi performing at the Rosehill, Brighton
    Yama Warashi Review
    Jul 28, 2022

    Melting Vinyl presented Yama Warashi and Brighton's ChopChop for an oddly pleasing evening of sonic, organic, woven spells.

  • Love Supreme Festival 2022 Review
    Jul 6, 2022

    Love Supreme returned, bigger and better than ever. The sun shone and the music dazzled across a perfect weekend.

  • Slap Rash
    Ruinfest Review
    Jul 5, 2022

    Ruinfest brought together some of Brighton's best bands and a few killer out-of-towners for an intense all-dayer at the Hope & Ruin at the end of June.

  • Tears For Fears, Fri 22nd July
    Jul 5, 2022

    The 80s pop duo perform at Hove Cricket Ground to showcase their long-awaited new album alongside a run of classic hits.

  • Leon Bridges Review
    Jun 28, 2022

    The Texas-based soul singer brought his hits to Brighton and also introduced a future star with his opening act.

  • Waitress comes to Theatre Royal
    Jun 27, 2022

    Star of the show Chelsea Halfpenny talks us through the pop-infused pie-baking musical's time on the road ahead of its visit to the Theatre Royal.

  • Morrissey, Friday 14th October
    Jun 27, 2022

    Morrissey is back in Brighton with a new, as yet, unreleased album and a bulging back catalogue to round off a nine-day UK tour.

Website developed in Brighton by Infobo
Copyright © Brighton Source 2009-2021
The Necks Review - Brighton Source