Releases/
 |
New single
MELANCHOLY SKY
8 Jan 2012
|
 |
New album
THE SINGLES
6 Feb 2012 |
..................................
Live dates/
..................................
Latest updates/
Disco Dec 21
Video May 28
Gigo Nov 01
Press Apr 03
Pictures Jul 08
Bootleg May 04
..................................
Our Myspace/
..................................
Official site
Official forum
Official Myspace
.................................. |
|
| Date |
27/10/03 |
| Country |
England, UK |
| Town |
Leicester |
| Venue |
University |
| Support |
Mankato&l |
| Reviews |
- There's no two ways about it: Goldfrapp in the studio are glorious. Their sound ranges from the deliciously haunting film-score of Felt Mountain to the sexy (and at times downright dirty) disco sound of Black Cherry. And all topped with a variously powerful, soulful, ethereal voice that might give both Polly Jean Harvey and Martina Topley-Bird a run for their money.
With that in mind, the live experience at Leicester Uni represented something of a mixed bag. Support one-man-band Mankato did a fine job of talking to his audience, especially since, by his own admission, no-one had heard his old songs, let alone his new ones. So it was something of a disappointment that Alison, for all her undoubted experience, apparently left almost all of her showmanship in the dressing-room.
Her talented session players, depressingly bereft of introductions, were forced to speed through their set-list, in uncomfortable silence, in front of an audience of strangers. Alison, seemingly the only one entitled to speak between pieces, murmured inaudibly over the noise of the crowd, clearly apprehensive of using the microphone to communicate confidently. Accordingly what may have been calculated to add to her sultry mystique instead left the crowd feeling rather none the wiser.
Post Black Cherry, Goldfrapp thrives on an image of beauty, sexiness, and risque naughtiness, all enhanced on the night with Alison in a mini-skirt and kinky boots. But live, this carefully crafted persona didn't quite work, as if it were all just a pretence. The saucy theramin playing, whilst a vibrant part of the show, felt too out of character, and sent ripples of baffled uncertainty around the room.
Certainly, the music was more than up to the scratch of the records, although it was a shame that her voice was not given more opportunity to shine independently of the keyboard. The impact of the pieces was no let down, however: a combination of glitter, lighting, and seriously dramatic closes ensured that. And it was a genuine treat to see such a synthesiser-based group work in percussion, strings, guitar, and to do it so well.
Perhaps the nagging feeling that something was missing was confirmed at the end, when through no fault of the band, the amps started to give way. Thankful they had done their requisite encores, the band shuffled off stage, leaving an audience both buzzing and puzzled.
(Jon, from the official forum) |
|
|
|
|
;)
