Britain's Loveliest Livejournal (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} gruffexterior) wrote,@ 2007-02-16 09:29:00 |
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Femi Kuti, Barbican Centre
Due to sheer exhaustion, I almost didn't make it to the Barbican last night to catch Femi Kuti and Postive Force. Having promised myself 40 winks, i set my alarm for half 7, but awoke at quarter past 8. When I did eventually find the Barbican Centre, I had to ask a couple of people to move out of my seat and caught the rest of Ba Cissoko's set. I had missed Akli D Berber.
The bill is touted as the African Soul Rebels tour, with Femi headlining (well, you couldn't possibly follow him).
Ba Cissoko, named after the lead singer consist of four members, two of which play the traditional West African instrument the Kora whilst the other pair are on percussion and bass respectively.
The Kora is a beautiful instrument, made up of 21 strings and looks like an extended lute. Ba Cissoko amplify their koras and attach all kinds of effect pedals to them so that the sound generated is absolutely incredible. They are in fact, referred to as the West African Jimi Hendrix experience, and have gone so far as to call their latest album 'Electric Griot Land'. (Griots are West African poets, storytellers, bards, musicians). The interplay between the two kora players is terrific and the rhythm pulsating, making it difficult to remain seated. The audience is fully appreciative of the brilliance of the show and gives them a rousing sending off as they leave the stage.
I hadn't been to the Barbican Centre before, but it is one of the most fantastic venues i've been to. The acoustics are superb, and I could hear everything from the stage, despite being right at the top of the circle. The seats actually were rather good, and I pray that with my birthday next month, my parents might hear my call for a digital camera. Really looking forward to seeing Tinariwen there now.
The first members of Femi Kuti's band Positive Force to come on stage are the drummer, percussion, keyboardist, bass and lead guitarist and they kick off playing, being joined a miunte later by the brass section who stride on centre stage and start dancing, before retreating to their positons beside the drummer. Next on are three scantily clad, bottom shaking dancers and backing singers (female), and the noise grows and builds before the main man, the showman arrives onstage sax in hand, dressed a little like the Scorpion character from Mortal Kombat. It's quite late by the time he comes on, around 10 and i'm wondering whether his set will last just an hour or be a marathon two and a half hour affair. Such is the rhythm of the music, (it can hypnotise you) I wouldn't have begrudged him playing for hours. I only have his 'Fight To Win' album, which features collaborations with Common and Mos Def. As his father embraced soul and funk in the 1970s, so Femi embraced hip-hop. He's also sung with Macy Gray and supported Jane's Addiction.
His songs are usually politically driven or have a social conscious, including raising the awareness of Aids in Africa. Yet, he can write playful songs like Beng, Beng, Beng, where he sings;
"She said love me now
She said squeeze me now
To the left, don't slow down
To the right, don't come too fast"
The song was banned by the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation. I think Mike Read was DJing at the time.
The audience were overwhelmed, though I think a few people left before the end. Presumably they hadn't put enough money in the the parking meter although the performances last night would be worth any fine.
Due to sheer exhaustion, I almost didn't make it to the Barbican last night to catch Femi Kuti and Postive Force. Having promised myself 40 winks, i set my alarm for half 7, but awoke at quarter past 8. When I did eventually find the Barbican Centre, I had to ask a couple of people to move out of my seat and caught the rest of Ba Cissoko's set. I had missed Akli D Berber.
The bill is touted as the African Soul Rebels tour, with Femi headlining (well, you couldn't possibly follow him).
Ba Cissoko, named after the lead singer consist of four members, two of which play the traditional West African instrument the Kora whilst the other pair are on percussion and bass respectively.
The Kora is a beautiful instrument, made up of 21 strings and looks like an extended lute. Ba Cissoko amplify their koras and attach all kinds of effect pedals to them so that the sound generated is absolutely incredible. They are in fact, referred to as the West African Jimi Hendrix experience, and have gone so far as to call their latest album 'Electric Griot Land'. (Griots are West African poets, storytellers, bards, musicians). The interplay between the two kora players is terrific and the rhythm pulsating, making it difficult to remain seated. The audience is fully appreciative of the brilliance of the show and gives them a rousing sending off as they leave the stage.
I hadn't been to the Barbican Centre before, but it is one of the most fantastic venues i've been to. The acoustics are superb, and I could hear everything from the stage, despite being right at the top of the circle. The seats actually were rather good, and I pray that with my birthday next month, my parents might hear my call for a digital camera. Really looking forward to seeing Tinariwen there now.
The first members of Femi Kuti's band Positive Force to come on stage are the drummer, percussion, keyboardist, bass and lead guitarist and they kick off playing, being joined a miunte later by the brass section who stride on centre stage and start dancing, before retreating to their positons beside the drummer. Next on are three scantily clad, bottom shaking dancers and backing singers (female), and the noise grows and builds before the main man, the showman arrives onstage sax in hand, dressed a little like the Scorpion character from Mortal Kombat. It's quite late by the time he comes on, around 10 and i'm wondering whether his set will last just an hour or be a marathon two and a half hour affair. Such is the rhythm of the music, (it can hypnotise you) I wouldn't have begrudged him playing for hours. I only have his 'Fight To Win' album, which features collaborations with Common and Mos Def. As his father embraced soul and funk in the 1970s, so Femi embraced hip-hop. He's also sung with Macy Gray and supported Jane's Addiction.
His songs are usually politically driven or have a social conscious, including raising the awareness of Aids in Africa. Yet, he can write playful songs like Beng, Beng, Beng, where he sings;
"She said love me now
She said squeeze me now
To the left, don't slow down
To the right, don't come too fast"
The song was banned by the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation. I think Mike Read was DJing at the time.
The audience were overwhelmed, though I think a few people left before the end. Presumably they hadn't put enough money in the the parking meter although the performances last night would be worth any fine.
