[review] Nora Keyes, Singing Sadie and others, Cabaret Nocturne (Friday 21/1/05)

[darren_stranger]

Prompted by the various Bands Wot I've Seen lists going about the place (in turn inspired by Siobhan's post), i've decided to start writing those gig reviews again, mainly as a memento of things i've seen to remind me in later times.

Might as well start now, so here's what i can recall from Friday night.


We arrived a little into Dandelion Wine's set.  I'd seen them once before but my main recollection had only been that i didn't hate them.  That turned out to be an understatement and i was surprised to find just how good they were.  Whether they were playing better than the previous time i couldn't say, but i was well impressed.  The music had a big, full sound, especially the mandolin/lute/whateveritwas, and while i'm not a big fan of female singers who can actually sing, the vocals seemed spot on the money for me, varying between sweet and harsh in just the right measure.  Allover, they reminded me of Eden more than anything, in a more electrified and uptempo way, with vocals borrowed maybe from someone like Diva Destruction.  The only drawback was the extensive use of samplers/sequencers, which has been a pet hate of mine for goth bands since the '90s (always seeming like they couldn't find enough musicans to make up a band) but i also know enough to realise that without sequencers there probably wouldn't be goth bands for that reason.  Nevertheless, they kicked arse and i'll be keeping a better eye out for them from now.

 

Next up was "vampire ventriloquist Doktor Z".  What can i say?  Picture a guy in a Chandu the Magician turban, apparently lip-synching to heavily vocoded songs, bad jokes and dialogue with a glove puppet that looked like a vampire Mr Squiggle.  It was bizarre and hilarious (in a so bad it's good way).   My main impression was that it reminded me of DAAS-era Flacco, and even as i write my lasting mental image is actually of Flacco sitting there instead of Dr Z.  I loved it, though i know others were less impressed.

 

After that came "The Corndawg", a bare-chested fellow with an acoustic guitar singing redneck country'n'western songs about the pain of finding out your son's queer and the like.  Mildly amusing satire, though i wasn't especially in the mood for it.  I did notice that a lot of the c&w tunes were disturbingly familiar, to the point of almost knowing lyrics, but the closest resemblance i could nail down was maybe that Afternoon Delight song (Creedence?) on one ditty.

 

Next was a chap who (judging by the flyer) must have been Justice Yeldham. His act consisted mainly of pressing his face up to a sheet of glass or perspex which was wired for sound, and making industrial noise music with his mouth.  There was much blurting, saliva and spittle, but if you put a doof beat to it i'm sure it would be a dancefloor hit at some clubs.  (What?)

 

Then came a lolita-attired lass called Singing Sadie, who did a very 1920s flavoured cabaret routine, with Betty Boop styled vocals (Brooklyn accent and all) and jazzy backup tape.  She was very good, and even the tap-dancing worked well in the routine (usually i can't stand it).  I'm not sure if the guys from the audience she dragged up to dance with her were plants (one of them seemed to know the moves very well) but that was funny too, especially the chap she crooned to then told to piss off when she was finished with him.  One of the highlight acts for me, even if the music was pre-taped (i'll forgive her for not dragging an entire jazz band along).

 

Continuing the cabaret theme, but in a starky different way, was Nora Keyes. Looking like some gloomy character from a Silent Ghost Cinema flick, she settled at the keyboard and played a set of wierd '20s flavoured tunes with organ and vocals ranging from morosely monotone to insanely cackling.  Some moments were funnily absurd, like 'Look At You, You're Ugly' (Dedicated to George W Bush) with lines like "look at you, you're heinous - your face looks like an anus", while others were dreary and morbid.  The majority leant towards the gloomy side, musically at least, which did have the problem of becoming tiring at such a late hour after an early workday start.  It did become a bit of a struggle to stay awake and attentive and i found myself wishing there were a few more uptempo songs to provide a bitchslap of wakefulness (something like 'Midnight Cabaret' by Reverend Glasseye was one thing that came to mind).  I did enjoy it though, especially with my current slight fetish for '20s styled cabaret imagery, and i bought a CD.  Apparently 'Singing Sadie' also has a CD coming out soon, which i might hunt down to further plug the cabaret shaped hole in my collection.

 

By the time Immaculata came on we were getting quite tired and i wasn't as much in the mood for them after the other acts.  But they played well and seemed to be having fun.  They've settled pretty much into their new sound and the set gelled quite well.  But it was well past our bedtime, and the rum was winning over the coke for me, so i can't recall too many specifics to mention.  I've written about them plenty of times anyway.
 
All up, it was quite an odd night, which is Not A Bad Thing At All. 

Comments

[sharplittlteeth.livejournal.com]

The only drawback was the extensive use of samplers/sequencers, which has been a pet hate of mine for goth bands since the '90s (always seeming like they couldn't find enough musicans to make up a band)

According to Dandelion Wine's website, that's pretty much the case. They kept hiring drummers, then losing them.

They still rock.


Interesting comparing your review with mine. Different strokes, and all.