With David Thomas and crew effectively supporting themselves there was a sense that anything could happen during the two sets planned by the Cleveland-formed experimental popsters.
The first set turns out to be semi-improvised – founding father Thomas reading from a notebook containing ‘lyrics’ – or, rambling sci-fi-based stories – and the band – guitar, drums, clarinet, keys, and theremin/wibbly noises – leading off each odyssey into the semi-unknown.
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The second set, like the first, is fairly hardcore experimentalism, drawing more from recent album ‘Carnival Of Souls’ – the only nod to the band’s past being ‘Waiting For Mary’ being reimagined as a rambling piece far removed from the original, or indeed from 2013’s comparatively ‘pop’ long-player, ‘Lady from Shanghai’.
Thomas remains seated throughout, having debated (with himself) whether he should use up “RAM cycles”, or save his energies for prolonging his life, eventually leading to an argument (again, largely with himself) for which the vocalist eventually apologies – the well-meaning promoter having treated the band rather too well leading to some nagging discomfort only ‘relieved’ by an encore break before they’re back on track with a thrilling version of single ‘Irene’ that makes uu for all that’s gone before.
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