James. Posted 7 December 2007 Posted 7 December 2007 Wow. Portishead are playing a one off gig in Bristol next weekend as a thanks to their local fanbase. And through my contacts in the city (that brunette you were eyeing up Fez after the Bristol game!) I've managed to get a ticket. F**king get in there. My word this is exciting. I really, really can't wait. So if there are any Portishead fans out there I will provide a write up here next weekend. Not quite the same as being there I know but still...
Fez of Mahrez Posted 7 December 2007 Posted 7 December 2007 And through my contacts in the city (that brunette that was eyeing up Fez after the Bristol game!) I've managed to get a ticket. F**king get in there. I knew it.
hairy Posted 7 December 2007 Posted 7 December 2007 I hope bootlegs appear soon after. They played for half an hour last year at some pub in Bristol but no one recorded it to the annoyance of Geoff Barrow. There should be a bigger tour next year when the album is released in the spring.
Head Honcho Posted 7 December 2007 Posted 7 December 2007 Wow.Portishead are playing a one off gig in Bristol next weekend as a thanks to their local fanbase. And through my contacts in the city (that brunette you were eyeing up Fez after the Bristol game!) I've managed to get a ticket. F**king get in there. My word this is exciting. I really, really can't wait. So if there are any Portishead fans out there I will provide a write up here next weekend. Not quite the same as being there I know but still... Thought about going to this gig myself but queueing up for a couple of hours in Bristol on a cold december morning didn't appeal to me! Gotta rely on my mate now ................or ebay!
Guest Posted 7 December 2007 Posted 7 December 2007 Ah man I'm well jealous. Yeah a review of it would be good. Heard a new album's comin along next year after they've done this nightmare before christmas festival/gig thingy. On a slightly related note but never the less a bit of a tangent, I saw Ade Utley and Will Gregory (Goldfrapp) the other night performing a score they'd written for this silent movie (He who gets slapped) with the BBC concert orchestra. Think it's going out on BBC R3 in the new year sometime. Well worth a listen if you're into that kinda thing. Enjoy it anyway.
AoWW Posted 9 December 2007 Posted 9 December 2007 Wow.Portishead are playing a one off gig in Bristol next weekend as a thanks to their local fanbase. And through my contacts in the city (that brunette you were eyeing up Fez after the Bristol game!) I've managed to get a ticket. F**king get in there. My word this is exciting. I really, really can't wait. So if there are any Portishead fans out there I will provide a write up here next weekend. Not quite the same as being there I know but still... One word.... JEALOUS!!!!
James. Posted 9 December 2007 Author Posted 9 December 2007 One word.... JEALOUS!!!! If it's any consolation the ticket has gone to a worthy person. I absolutely adore Portishead and if it's anything like their Roseland, NYC concert I'll be totally blown away. I just hope they play Roads. Painstakingly beautiful song, seeing that live would probably result in a tear being shed! It sends tingles up my spine just hearing it on my iPod. Hmm, I probably haven't eased your jealousy have I!
AoWW Posted 9 December 2007 Posted 9 December 2007 If it's any consolation the ticket has gone to a worthy person. I absolutely adore Portishead and if it's anything like their Roseland, NYC concert I'll be totally blown away.I just hope they play Roads. Painstakingly beautiful song, seeing that live would probably result in a tear being shed! It sends tingles up my spine just hearing it on my iPod. Hmm, I probably haven't eased your jealousy have I! No. (sobs uncontrollably) Bastard. And, yes... Roads - simply mindblowing. From the very first 'oh...' I'm completely gone. How can it feel, this wrong?
Nationwider Posted 9 December 2007 Posted 9 December 2007 I heard Sour Times on the radio the other day, and it still sounds amazing. I enjoy these Portishead love-ins we have every now and again... And yes, I'm jealous JTB....
Lineker's Left Foot Posted 10 December 2007 Posted 10 December 2007 Wow.Portishead are playing a one off gig in Bristol next weekend as a thanks to their local fanbase. And through my contacts in the city (that brunette you were eyeing up Fez after the Bristol game!) I've managed to get a ticket. F**king get in there. My word this is exciting. I really, really can't wait. So if there are any Portishead fans out there I will provide a write up here next weekend. Not quite the same as being there I know but still... Excellent and will look forward to your review... as I'm a fellow fan myself
James. Posted 15 December 2007 Author Posted 15 December 2007 Today's the day. I'm so excited. Hopefully write a bit about it tomorrow evening.
AoWW Posted 15 December 2007 Posted 15 December 2007 Today's the day. I'm so excited.Hopefully write a bit about it tomorrow evening. I'm so jealous - sure you don't wanna take me with you?
James. Posted 15 December 2007 Author Posted 15 December 2007 I'm so jealous - sure you don't wanna take me with you? Haha. I saw the track listing of the set they played at All Tomorrow's Parties last weekend. There were about 5 songs off their new album, apparently it's a little more guitar based than Dummy and Portishead. Not sure what to make of that but I'll go in with an open mind. They had to push their sound in a new direction and I'm fully expecting to love it regardless. Also Roads was the first encore they did. Please play it today! Just hope they have the full orchestra there. As it's a thank you concert I expect they'll go all out. Wow.
hairy Posted 17 December 2007 Posted 17 December 2007 All Tomorrows Parties Bootleg You need to join but its free and a great site for bootlegs
James. Posted 17 December 2007 Author Posted 17 December 2007 Warning: anyone who is expecting an unbiased review should look away now. Portishead make music that moves me more than any other band and as such seeing them live was ALWAYS going to be an experience to savour. I turned up at the Bristol Academy around 9:00 just as the rather bizarre support act was coming to an eagerly awaited close. There was a definite sense of anticipation in the air, the importance of this gig certainly wasn't lost on the home crowd; a blend of young Bristolites who probably were too young to remember Dummy's release (and subsequent Mercury Music Prize) and an older crowd relishing an opportunity that hadn't presented itself for over a decade. With the exception of being curators of ATP the previous weekend this was the first time Portishead had played their own concert for quite some time. Fans had been forced to feed on scraps of short festival appearances and a cameo appearance at a local pub. They had kept us waiting (albeit patiently; if ever there were two albums that sound as good now as they did on release then it's Dummy and their self-titled follow up). Finally the wait was over. They came on stage to a rapturous welcome. Portishead had come home. However there was no time for sentimentalities, it was straight into a new track (called Wicca I believe). This was a dirge of heavy bass reflecting the new sound the band had been nurturing over the last 10 years. After this another new track followed. You will need to bear with me, my memory is shaky at the best of times and I was quite drunk by this point! These 2 openers went down well. Portishead had moved on from the delicate beats and vocals of Dummy and the jazz-angst of their second album. On the evidence so far their new sound was heavier, both in bass and drums. The vocals were anguished and beautiful at the same time. Beth Gibbons (clearly very shy but with an aura and presence that encapsulated the significance of Portishead's contribution to modern music) is inimitable and this view was reinforced from the outset. There was however anticipation for some old classics. And what better way to relive past glories than with the song that opened their debut album. Mysterons was greeted with a nostalgic cheer and it sounded as fresh and as beautiful as ever. This song sums up Dummy. Gentle vocals, a delicate beat (with that instantly recognisable roll on the snare) and a haunting bass line. Another new track followed. This began acoustically with just a guitar and vocals but built (almost akin to GSY!BE) into a cacophony of bass and soaring guitar again reflecting a new heavier sound. Glory Box followed. This is possibly Portishead's most recognisable song. For a band famed for originality it is somewhat ironic that the music was actually produced by Tricky (listen to Hell Around the Corner on his album Maxinquaye and you'll see) with Beth Gibbons adding her own vocals. This was fantastic though, sounding exactly as it did on the album but with an extended guitar solo driven climax. Numb came next with it's hollow snare beat and jazz infused keyboards. There was a feeling, with the band at home in the midst of their old material, that they had filly warmed up and were performing as well as ever. Next was a melancholic, minimal version of Wandering Star. Coming on the back of Glory Box and Numb this was probably the weakest moment with the crowd struggling to hear the intricacies of this new version of the song through the unsubtle Academy sound system. A new song was next though and subtlety was no longer required. This song was dominated by drums. Electronic and physical. The bad let loose with a heavyweight bass line and the repetitive crash of synthesised percussion. It was a highlight for me, clearly they were not afraid to let loose. 10 years is a long time and the band had to push their sound forward. What was becoming clear was they had achieved this whilst not forgetting the unique qualities that set them apart during the 1990's. It was then into their final four tracks. Over and Sour Times (the only negative being some squawky girls next to me insisting on singing along. Sorry but to sing along to Portishead defeats the whole point of seeing them. I paid to hear Beth Gibbons, not you!). Followed by a beautifully delivered version of Only You and then a final opportunity to deliver a wall of noise in the form of Cowboys in all it's haunting, near-demonic form. We were again reminded of the band's love for scratching with the decks taking prominence as the song reached it's end. There was more to come with the encore though. They reappeared on stage and immediately gave us Roads. Simply one of the most beautiful songs ever written. Beth delivered the pained, subtle, angelic vocals as well as ever. She manages to carry such emotion in her voice and still manages to display great versatility. Roads demonstrated all of this perfectly. The final song of the night was another new one and saw Portishead abandon the broken beat for the first time. This was a driving straightforward 4-4 beat with a relentless two tone bass line. A complete departure from the previous tracks, both new and old. It did however reinforce what I had been thinking of the new material throughout - if any similarity can be drawn to it (and comparing a band that one has ever successfully come close to imitating almost seems a disservice) then Radiohead's Kid A is probably as close as you will get. It was a great performance (marred only by poor sound engineering, Beth needed turning up and the drums and bass (not to mention the squawky girls) needed turning down). And it gave an excellent insight into what is to come in April while also reminding us through brilliantly reworked performances of old classics of why I love Portishead so much.
The People's Hero Posted 17 December 2007 Posted 17 December 2007 Refuse to surrender Strung out until ripped apart Who dares, dares to condemn All for nothing Good review mate. Would have loved to have been there for some of the tracks off Dummy, have never listened to any of the other stuff though.
James. Posted 17 December 2007 Author Posted 17 December 2007 Just to add to my review here's the track list in full: 1. Wicca 2. Hunter 3. Mysterons 4. Mystic 5. Glory Box 6. Numb 7. Wandering Star 8. Machine Gun 9. Over 10. Sour Times 11. Only You 12. Cowboys 13. Roads 14. Peaches
AoWW Posted 18 December 2007 Posted 18 December 2007 Superb review, JTB. Can't wait to hear some of their new stuff... it's been far too long in coming. Shame it was marred by the squawky girls and the poor sound quality. Beth Gibbons is nigh on impossible to sing along to well - I've tried (in private!) and it ain't pretty! Good mix of old and new stuff on the list. Wandering star is too weak to hold its own with the others there, it would seem. Numb - mindblowing.... and you got Roads! I'm still jealous! PS: you into Morcheeba? New album - Dive Deep - due out early in the new year apparently. Yet to find a leaked version that'll cooperate. Some stunning acapella versions to download here though, if you're interested: Dive Deep - Acapellas to download
hairy Posted 18 December 2007 Posted 18 December 2007 PS: you into Morcheeba? New album - Dive Deep - due out early in the new year apparently. Yet to find a leaked version that'll cooperate. It leaked in late October. Must try harder. 3/10
James. Posted 18 December 2007 Author Posted 18 December 2007 Superb review, JTB. Can't wait to hear some of their new stuff... it's been far too long in coming.Shame it was marred by the squawky girls and the poor sound quality. Beth Gibbons is nigh on impossible to sing along to well - I've tried (in private!) and it ain't pretty! Good mix of old and new stuff on the list. Wandering star is too weak to hold its own with the others there, it would seem. Numb - mindblowing.... and you got Roads! I'm still jealous! PS: you into Morcheeba? New album - Dive Deep - due out early in the new year apparently. Yet to find a leaked version that'll cooperate. Some stunning acapella versions to download here though, if you're interested: Dive Deep - Acapellas to download Glad you enjoyed it. I've never written something like that before, I quite enjoyed it too! Cheers for the recommendation. Morcheeba are ok, they sometimes feel a little too "safe" if you know what I mean. I'll check out that album nevertheless. Just to give you a recommendation from me. The closest I've found to Portishead (they're very different but when you hear them you will know what i mean) is Lamb. I absolutely love them. They combine "trip hop" (horrible term), drum n bass and chill out really well. Massive, epic soundscapes and beautiful (female) vocals. I reckon you'd enjoy them. Their first album is self titled, my favourite is the follow up, Fear of Fours. They've also done What Sound and Between Darkness and Wonder which again are both excellent. Well worth checking out.
James. Posted 24 December 2007 Author Posted 24 December 2007 And Stateless. Great shout. Downloaded their self titled album, really enjoyed it. Although am trying to get by the fact that the singer sounds a little too like Chris Martin for my liking...
hairy Posted 12 February 2008 Posted 12 February 2008 We're pleased to announce that we'll be releasing our album, titled THIRD. on April 14th 2008.The album has 11 tracks and is 49 minutes 13 seconds long.
James. Posted 12 February 2008 Author Posted 12 February 2008 49 minutes, 13 seconds of pure sex. 62 days to go.
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