This show at the 100 club was in celebration of the re-issue of Odes by The Flowers Of Hell and of the band's latest album Keshakhtaran both of which I reviewed recently.
First on however was Spacemen 3 legend Pete Bassman who was playing solo with a box of tricks, sampler trigger, in the grand tradition of Spacemen 3 he was of course seated throughout his set, that opened with a real treat a very cool version of Mary Anne that had enough drones and effects added to conjure up the space ghouls.
Next up after he had played about with his box of tricks was a song about being Your Satellite that had some deep love in it's heart, set among the droning echo laden sounds. He kept things in the key of drone as the insistent riffs moved slowly around us, as he asked to make sure we Took His Body Home as if he was already dead, as his guitar crackled and fluttered as he made sure we knew It's Only Time and the simplest motif's worked to broaden the horizons.
Pete then told a few stories from his hopefully soon to be published memoir on his time with Spacemen 3 and Darkside as he told us all about Sonic Booms driving ability and the cars he's dad bought him. This involved the Captain Beefheart Death Trip through the Sound Of Confusion as the band returned form recording that album, he had little to say about Jason other than he knows how to be immobile in Germany, if these sketches are anything to go by the book will make a good read.
Next on where The Confederate Dead who I only really know from Ageing Boy the song that the bands Butchy Davey worked on for the recent Black Market Karma album Friends In Noise. From the opening song the bands singer was stalking the stage bellowing I'm In Love over and over like it was as much a threat as a good thing. Then as the spacey rock started to build he told us all about Ruby from His Heart and the lies she told. The band really worked to allow the singer free reign on He's Okay.
While there was nothing much new about the Confederate Dead they play some good tight spaced out indie rock for doomed lovers on It's Always You as he's been rejected once more. The singers east end harangues between songs seemed out of place, but then I wasn't expecting them to sing about The Flowers either. Your So High & Dry was both cool and insulting at the same time, while it sounded like the lyrics had been written by an east end wind up merchant.
They introduced In My Electric Ark as a new song that was as droned out spacey indie as they got, before introducing Henry is A Mother Fucking Machine like it was the bands grand statement and well it was played like a rollicking anthem, before they closed with what I guess was You're Body Is Your Mind that took us nicely out there and ready for The Flowers of Hell.
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The Flowers of Hell started the set as a 6-piece band led by Greg Jarvis who opened with some spectral tuning Swelling with the violin and trumpet at the forefront as The Sunrise Retreat hoved into view, in a semi classical haze accentuated by the mallets shimmering across the cymbals from Area 51, against the slow guitars building towards a whirlwind conclusion that they do indeed have Sympathy For Vengeance.
Greg then said good evening and told us the next selection was from the re-issued Odes album before a slow cool take on Mr Tambourine Man that was seemingly built around the clarinet and trumpet intertwining with each other.
They then introduced the second violinist in time for Piped Dreams as those mallets helped to build the soundscape as the trumpet opened out the epic vistas.
Greg then put his guitar down and went round the front to conduct the band through Ole as the two violins weaved around the clarinet and trumpet as the music swelled like a classical tone poem, building falling teetering along the precipice of sonic magic.
Greg was on keyboards for Opt Out that has symphonic sensibilities building from the keyboards up as they gave way to the clarinet as this built towards a slow burning freak out.
It was then time for Pete Bassmen to join them for a cover of the 13th Floor Elevators classic Rollercoaster that Greg pointed out many of us first heard played by Spacemen 3 this quickly took flight having some real rushes as the guitars battled with the keyboards and trumpet bringing an excellent show to a shuddering conclusion with a false ending leaving us all wanting more from the totally brilliant The Flowers Of Hell.
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