Wave World Concert Reviews

14th October 2000 Venue: Union Chapel London

A bountiful 'Kid A'-friendly feast of modern progressive electronica.

It may seem odd celebrating the Third Millennium when the second is only just under way, but this is a one-day event celebrating the myriad strains of modern prog set decidely in the realms of the future.

This may bring to mind elaborately theatrical costumes and three day guitar solos, but only Waveworld make their entrance in monks' robes. Immediately at home in this stunning Gothic chapel, their music is decidedly in the post-new age ambient sphere, remarkably suited to the widescreen computer-generated film it accompanies. The combination of solar system fly-bys, virtual pollen sprays and some very psychedelic alien landscapes is highly engaging and ably sets out the ambient-electronica stall for the evening.

Alquimia, on directly after, brings her Mexican roots to life through electronics, various chimes and layered, wordless vocal segues. But despite piano accompaniment from special guest Michael Nyman and some shimmering synth work, unfortunately it's all a little unconvincing.

Arch synth-wizard David Vorhaus meanwhile is in his White Noise element tonight with his particular special guest being Alex Paterson of The Orb, the ex-chartist perched impishly in the pulpit with a handy set of decks. Vorhaus may have a rather phallic guitar synthesizer strapped around his waist, but the gouts of smoke and promises of "genuine experimentation" with his Maniac software instruments don't add up to much beyond self-indulgence of only half-captivating electronic rambling.

While his group's progressive music seems technically innovative, containing some funky hi-tech electro composition on the fly, the music created ends up as mildy rambling synth gloop with Paterson's gurgling beat insertions not quite being enough to save the day .

It's left to pioneering electronica legends Michael Rother (ex-Kraftwerk, NEU!) and Dieter Moebius (Cluster) to round off the evening in fine style. In no way resting on their considerable laurels, the duo expertly conjure up a shifting collage of churning digital rhythms, shards of noise and cunningly cycling samples into the consecrated hall. The organ sounds in particular are most appropriate to the venue, building gradually across an engaging blend of rhythmic constructions equalling any of today,s electronic upstarts.

Moebius and Rother can make the complex sound so simple, so natural, and their genius can be found in the modulation of a repeated keyboard chord across a hypnotic backdrop of looped beats and noise. As the evening draws to a close, the night's only guitar is taken up by Rother and the resultant combination of repeated spacious figures with the motorik machine rhythm makes an uplifting, soaring conclusion. This hallowed venue may not need extra beauty through electronics, but tonight it got it anyway.

Richard Fontenoy

Eyewitness Report: Opening act Waveworld follow their hauntingly religious entrance by spending a full two minutes praying at their instruments both before and after their show. Apparently this is done to "exorcise the demons of ill tuning".