A Night At The (Invisible) Opera
Gong Live In London May 2000 - Gong 'Zero To Infinity' CD
Images courtesy of Snapper music and Copyright Fin Costello
Gong at The
Hammersmith, Palais, London., May 7th 2000
I have been listening to Gong since 1976 but for many years never
thought I would get to see them live. However since the 1995 25th
anniversary gigs the band have been playing fairly regularly in
various interesting shapes and forms. The last tour in (I think)
1998 was particularly brilliant with Pierre Moerlen on drums and
Professor Sharpstrings on synths and guitar. It was a little
disappointing to find that neither is currently playing in the
band but oh boy was this gig brilliant. Not necessarily better or
worse than the last tour, just different and totally wondrous.
The immediate impression upon walking into the venue was that
this was going to be a cool gig. Day Glo Om and Ying Yang
backdrops coupled with various gauze screens and large hanging
balloons (onto which images would later be projected) created a
great atmosphere and the audience, some in fancy dress, were
clearly 'up for it' as were we.
The support act 'Witch' served up some festival style heavy-ish
rock. It's clearly acceptable to be a self-righteous pagan but
not a self-righteous Christian. Not my cup of (mushroom) tea
really but good all the same and quite warmly received
As soon as 'Witch' left the stage we were treated to some
beautiful ambient sounds courtesy (I think) of Professor Steffy
Sharpstrings. The gig started here and the continuation of these
sounds right up to the appearance of Gong really served to raise
the atmosphere. This one was going to be gooooood!
Gong May 7th 2000 (as described on the Snapper site)
Daevid Allen: Bi-focal Vocals, Lewd Guitar and Glissando
Gilli Smyth: Vocals, Chants and Deep Space Whisper
Didier 'Bloomdido De Grasse' Malherbe: Deva Delights & gnome
presence
Mike Howlett: Mesmerizing Cosmic Bass
Theo Travis: Jazzy Sax and Flute Salad
Chris Taylor: Space Funk Drummering
Gwyo Zepix: Keyboard Magick and Cynthia-Size-A
Images Copyright Onlinemusic.com
Enter Gong themselves beginning with a number of tracks from the
new album 'Zero To Infinity', these like the other new tracks
played on the night sounded really great live and the gig got off
to a flying start (almost literally). About 10 minutes however
the fun really began as the band entered one of the many deep,
deep trance-funk zones that we were to be treated to. This was it,
we were there in the zone and there we stayed until the last
notes of the encore (and for a good while afterwards).
The current band is exploring deeper funk grooves than either the
Pyle or Moerlen driven incarnations, these are truly glorious.
Also the addition of Gwyo Zepix (!?) in keyboards has really
added harmonic weight to the sound as well as lots more twiddle
blips than have been in evidence in recent years. With no
guitarist other than Daevid (although Gwyo played rhythm guitar
on Oily Way and I think one other number) it was left to Mr Alien
to assume the lead guitar role in his own unique style. Daevid is
certainly no technician (but no slouch either) and basically
plays it as he feels it. The results are usually a lot weirder
than Hillage or Steffy and often quite brilliant. Overall the
sound was deeply funky, highly spacey and I think the closest
thing I have heard to being in a tent with Thandoy / Kharma Kanix
in the early 80's. Groovesomely brilliant and totally zonal!
Mention must be made of Mr Aliens costumes. Starting off in a
decorated white boiler suit looking like Pete Townshend after too
much acid Daevid then treated us to a white, partially fluffy,
winged affair decorated with CD's which made him look like a sort
of outer space Elvis. The last outfit I remember (there may have
been another) consisted of a shiny sequinned one piece suite
overlaid with a white and very fluffy waistcoat. Wonderful stuff
and of course totally silly. At the time of writing there are
some pictures at the Snapper site.
I can't name all of the tracks that they played now but the
generous helping of 'Zero To Infinity' numbers, particularly the
aforesaid funky grooves really served to add variety to the set
after several tours consisting almost entirely of old favourites.
The material from the new album sits alongside the original
Teapot trilogy better than anything Daevid and the band have
produced since 'You'.
Here are a few of the tracks I am pretty sure they played in no
particular order:
You Can't Kill Me, Zero the Hero & the Witches Spell, Witch's
Song, Radio Gnome Invisible, Oily Way, Outer Temple, Master
Builder (final climatic number), Foolefare, Magdalene, Infinitea,
The Invisible Temple, Tropical Fish, Yoni On Mars
I haven't mentioned all the band members but suffice to say they
were all brilliant but particular mention must go to Howlett and
Taylor for laying it down so deep and Bloomdido for being his
usual genius self.
So there you are. That's how I remember it. Brilliant, but of
course you had to be there. If you are into Gong and haven't got
'Zero To Infinity' yet then get it post haste. If you have never
heard them then buy 'You' first.
Love you Baaaaby!
Gong 'Zero To
Infinity' (Radio Gnome Pt 5)
Although there have been a number of albums over the years
bearing the 'Gong' moniker none have really sounded that much
like the band that made 'Camembert Electrique' and the Teapot
Trilogy. 'Shapeshifter' (Radio Gnome Part 4) in the mid 90's had
some great moments but somehow wasn't quite Gong. 'Zero To
Infinity' however does sound like Gong, in parts like the Teapot
albums and in parts like the less refined albums that came before,
'Camembert…' and 'Magick Brother'.
Long serving Gong members Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth, Mike Howlett, and Didier Malherbe are joined by Theo Travis on sax and Chris Taylor on drums.
1 Foolefare (0.42)
2 Magdalene (3.57)
3 The Invisible Temple (11.35)
4 Zeroid (6.08)
5 Wise Man in Your Heart (8.03)
6 The Mad Monk (3.24)
7 Yoni On Mars (6.07)
8 Damaged Man (5.13)
9 Bodilingus (4.02)
10 Tali Song (6.25)
11 Infinitea (7.48)
Like many Gong outings this is a two-sided, Ying and Yang affair,
part spacey, jazzy, trance funk, part avant garde rock and
silliness. Personally I prefer the former but then they wouldn't
be Gong without the balance. It also has a very pure sound with
just bass, drums, Daevid's guitar (either gliss or conventional)
and sax on most tracks, the keyboards that are there are
unobtrusive. At times it is maybe just a little too empty (pity
that Gwyo wasn't there to add more keys and blips) but overall
this is a great album and as I said above worthy of a place up
with the three Teapot albums (I wouldn't personally put 'Shapeshifter'
in that category).
I won't list all of the highlights as there are very few parts
that aren't highlights but special mention must go to the trance
funk of 'The Invisible Temple', 'Yoni On Mars' and 'Infinitea'. 'Wise
Man In Your Heart' may just be one of the best songs that the
band have ever recorded.
A very, very welcome addition to the all too small canon of Gong
studio albums.
Daevid, Gilli, Didier, Mike (especially Mike) et al I thank you.
Buy it.
David
Weston May 2000
Gong Links
Gong Netcast Archive at Online Concerts http://www.onlineconcerts.com/gong/gong_archive.htm
Official Gong Album Site http://www.snappermusic.com/gong
Gong Appreciation Society (GAS) http://www.planetgong.co.uk/
Images courtesy of Snapper Music, Fin Costello, Onlineconcerts.com