Tricky @ The Metro Theatre(30/07/08)

Sat 2nd Aug, 2008 in Gig Reviews

When I am reviewing gigs I go in with a plan. It involves paying attention to how the crowd is responding to the music and how the artist is interacting with and engaging the audience. I make judgments about the quality of sound and performance. At the end, I decide what the high and low points were. The next day I sit down at my computer and write a recount with my bias thrown in.

I saw Tricky play at The Metro Theatre on Wednesday 30 July and whilst the concert has been the only thing on my mind since, writing about it became a daunting task. Trying to capture the brilliance of the show in my words seems impossible. So to anyone reading this that saw the show, I realise my review can’t truly capture how amazing the experience was. To anyone who wasn’t there, keep in mind that anything I write here should be multiplied and intensified and then perhaps it can come close to capturing the feel of the show.

Tricky has been at the forefront of the “trip hop” genre since the release of his album Maxinquaye in 1995 which saw him begin to break ties with Massive Attack and establish himself as a solo artist. This year he released his eighth studio album, Knowle West Boy, paying homage to the area of Bristol he grew up in with the album title and single Council Estate, and bringing together on the one record the different musical styles he has experimented with throughout his career.

Knowle West Boy experienced live is incredible. Tricky’s four-piece backing band provided layers of sound which made the venue seem completely detached from the rest of the world. Nothing seemed planned and movements by Tricky seemed to direct the band to slow down or speed up as the mood hit him. With his back to the audience for most of the show, it was still obvious that every song was a completely new experience flowing through his body.

The singer for the Australian tour was Kira, a Danish artist currently working on her first album with Tricky’s label Brown Punk. Her renditions of Christiansands and Overcome weren’t quite what Martina Topley-Bird made of them, but her vocals worked perfectly on every other song, particularly the opener of the set, a cover of The Cure’s Lovecats. As though the excitement of seeing Tricky wasn’t enough for everyone, he cleverly added covers of The Cure and XTC, bands of great significance throughout the – œ80s and – œ90s, fitting for the crowd which seemed a little older than witnessed at most gigs nowadays.

The highlight of the concert was undoubtedly Past Mistake, a track from the new album, performed with an extended ending involving complete silence from the band, just Tricky’s whispering vocals and heavy anticipation from the audience. The shortened version of Coalition was also impressive, with yelled repetition of the line “you can make more money and still here you are”. Weaving new track Veronika into different songs throughout the set was also wonderful, especially when used in the encore. Whilst it would have been nice to hear more of his older material, Tricky’s incorporation of new songs, well-chosen covers and standout favourites from his back catalogue made for a brilliant show.

Tricky’s sold-out show at The Metro gathered a chilled out crowd which seemed to truly appreciate the music. The generally older age of the audience meant there were thankfully no high pitched squeals as clothing was shed on stage. The atmospheric, bittersweet feel of the show set a mellow mood, and overall a fantastic concert was enjoyed.