Well as far as double headers go, this one’s a cracker. The Orb & Ozric Tentacles. I’ve an obsession with both. More so Ozrics, but I’ve spent many an evening slowly decompressing to The Orb. The NHS should get on to both these bands, they’re wonderful for winding down after a tough week. How are they live though. Well I’ve seen Ozrics play plenty of times, but this is only my second time out with The Orb and the last was a rather odd experience at Glastonbury going on for a decade ago. There’s a decent crowd for them early doors at The Ritz as the ambient introspection begins. There’s a gentle beatless soundscape to start that eventually gives way to some bass, then a full on jungle breakbeat that gets the dads dancing… a bit. This is a largely sedate affair. There’s not much to bounce off onstage. Dr Alex and his current mate Micheal Rendall, noodle behind banks of kit, but there is a rather wonderful trippy projection rolling behind them. I’ll forego song titles as everything kinda blends together in their live set, but there’s certainly elements I clock from Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld and UF Orb. Most of the set relies on a steady dub heavy bassline to drive it, which is fine by me, but truth be told, they probably make more sense in a warehouse in the early hours or on a Sunday morning lounging around with a cuppa. I’ll admit though, once they get my head bobbing, it does not stop. The rhythm is totally infectious. On that note, it would perhaps be better if they ditched the mind twisting projection and tucked themselves in the corner of the stage, you know like DJs and we could all just dance like in a club, instead of gig dancing where you all still stare at the stage. Just a thought. As the set goes on, there’s more I recognise like ‘A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain That Rules From The Centre of The Ultraworld’ (took a while to type that) and a particularly bouncy version of ‘Perpetual Dawn’. We even get ‘Little Fluffy Clouds’, which I guess is the predicable big hit nod, but it is brilliant. I’ll not lie, it’s not going in my favourite sets of the year list, but they do make me smile and that’s enough.
On then to Ozric Tentacles. There’s no messing around, straight in with ‘Eternal Wheel’. The space rockets are lit and we’re off. Bass lines roll, synths soar and guitars noodle. It’s a full live band. I say that as they do some sets fully electronic, but they sound so much better organic. The trippy ‘Erpland’ follows. Bloody hell they’re good. It’s dub heavy bass giving solid reasoning for team teaming up with The Orb. This is psychedelic space rock though, the top notch Grade A stuff. Seriously, I always forget how good a guitarist Ed is, he’s amazing. I think it’s ’The Domes of G’Bal’ next, I know the riff but titles get fuzzy with this lot. It’s bloody wonderful though. Ed and his son Silas are on the synth and guitars, but the backline it bloody brilliant, especially the bassist. They’re in control of the accelerator whilst the father and son handle navigation. Saskia joins them for ‘Lotus Unfolding’ with her flute. This is much more tranquil as the title and a flute might suggest. It meanders beautifully through the room, the collective nod now in full flow. Saskia informs us “With this next one we’re gonna bring out the sun”. It’s ‘Sunscape’ obviously and although we’re indoors at night, you know what, close your eyes and you can feel the rays. There’s quite a few like this from the Erpland album, it’s lovely to hear so many old favourites. “Time for a magic carpet ride into a mystical realm” is Ed’s way introducing ‘Ayurvedic’. This one has teeth. It twists through full blown wigouts into a ska fused jam. They’re always great live, but this current line up really is the best I’ve heard them in years. Theres no mistaking ‘The Throbbe’, that bass wobble takes over your senses as it permeates the room. A whole lot of wibbly synths, solid drums and god did I mention that the bassist is brilliant? Always a live favourite, it proper mind expanding stuff. I don’t recognise what’s next, maybe it’s something new, but sounds really cool. Very Ozrics. This is the thing, despite the decades rolling by, the new music never stops. I’ve a ridiculous collect of LPs to prove it and may it long continue. It’s back to the old faves for the finale though as things crank up with ‘Sploosh’. Ed’s guitar turns it into a bit of a live monster. It would be the perfect closer, but instead they slide into ‘Jellyips’… I think. It’s from one of the newer records where my knowledge gets more sketchy. It’s great though and after a brilliant set like this, frankly they can play whatever they please. In a world that slowly tearing itself apart, thank fuck for bands like Ozric Tentacles and The Orb for calming the mind.
Comments