I was wowed by Magma twice in ’99, at Progfest, and then in LA. What do I think after Sunday night’s performance? WOW!!! WOW!!! WOW!!!
After eight years and some personnel shifting, they’ve only gotten better, more refined, polished. Face it--Magma’s element has always been live, and with a few exceptions their studio efforts fell flat. My favorite Magma album, indeed one of my favorite albums of all time, is HHAI. But get this: Even without bassist Jannick Top or a violinist like Didier Lockwood, I’d say Sunday night was better than that. This concert ranks as one of the best I've ever seen, up there with seeing a reunited Yes in 1990 and ten years later, Il Balleto Di Bronzo and Happy the Man.
The vocals of Stella Vander, Isabelle Feuillebois, Himiko and Antoine Paganotti blended together well into an amazing space opera. And Christian Vander, besides being one of the best drummers in France, Earth or Kobia, has a great voice himself. James Macgaw, whom I saw Friday in One Shot, surprised at one point by adding blues licks to the Magma sound. The xylophone was a nice addition, skillfully played by Frederic D’oelsnitz. Yes, I’d say Magma is better than ever, tighter, more intense. They know how to build tension in the music until the fabric of space-time seems ready to unravel. I don’t think any studio or even live album (even of Sunday’s performance) could ever capture it. You’d have to be there, to hear, see, and feel the Zeuhl flowing through you.
No comments:
Post a Comment