Column: rockfeedback - The Third Anniversary, Sept 2003
By: Toby L
Fluke. That'd have to be the secret. Three years of rockfeedback.com, and - in spite of no funding, nor promotion - thousands of regular readers, and the ethos epitomised in evenings such as the one experienced on Monday 15th September 2003: an unofficial, semi-unplanned celebration co-promoted between rockfeedback and associated contributor, Gordon Raphael - chairman of Shoplifter Records.
'Is this the sound-check, or is this... the gig?' John Hassall provides the defining line of the night, an occasion so ambient and mild-tempered, it may not have even occurred.
Normally bassist from chart-battering Brit-renegades The Libertines, Hassall instead steps forth to the microphone for airings of his own work tonight, inclusive of the reggae-tinged 'Runaway', complete with full backing from regular bandmates Carl Barat on guitar and Gary Powell on a single-snare, bass-drum and cymbal, plus bass from old pal, Johnny Borrell of Razorlight. And, for all onstage concerned, it's possibly their most intimate event for over a year, improv-stylee guitar-plucks and wistful, yet downtrodden, vox from John that serenade a mighty few. Unfurling into debut-LP highlight, 'The Good Old Days', Barat takes over lead-vocals and the applause is restless. We even forget that it's only 8:15pm.
Solo he may be at first - Nick Drake cover-version in tow - but Jordi of Satellites is soon joined by regular members of his Mallorcan sonic-experimentalists, as the trio notch through an enchanting, occasionally intense, half-hour, lo-fi showcase. Bassist Puter, due to his near-astronomical height, however, is soon ordered to sit on the amp-rig, his extensive six-foot-six statuesque-being paling his seated, fellow performers into relative insignificance. New songs dart across the PA - notably taut, though somehow loose, and fiercely brooding - whilst Jordi's perfected, soothing and sensuous vocal-resonance is chillingly apt in such a restrained backdrop.
El Hula next up: a rendition of Cave's heart-breaking 'The Mercy Seat', shout-out to the recently deceased Johnny Cash, and shimmering rendition of 'Beautiful Day (Like Tomorrow)' sauntering across the room with poignant intimacy. Maybe it's just singer Blair Jollands on particularly compelling form, but the minimalist drum-sweeps from Serafin-guitarist Darren helps no end, with intricate six-string harmonising from Rhys similarly filling the fold... And who'd have thought a bunch of Kiwis could muster something this sweepingly epic?
Regina Spektor, as ever, is a winning ball of charm tonight. Whether hammering to pieces an innocent, defenceless, wooden-stool ('Poor Little Rich Boy'), chilling us with a windswept, glorious and piano-thundering 'Us', fulfilling requests (thanks for playing 'The Ghost Of Corporate Future' for us, Ms Spektor...) or executing one of the most beautifully sculpted love-songs in a decade ('Samson'), our songstress is both engrossing and diligent with the sincerity. Beckoned on for a final ode - possibly her finest track yet, dealing with the scepticism of human-emotion, no less - we're both humbled and teary-eyed.
A night bettered by the remembering of our third anniversary of helping (hopefully) present/promote such genius to the keen public at large, and this is a reason to celebrate indeed. Bless you, everyone.