Owen Pallett, Nico Muhly & Sam Amidon, Lightspeed Champion

Union Chapel
25 January 2010

I was hoping to start this with a comment along the lines of "Better the Dev you know", but instead will mention the FUCKING SHAMBLES that occurred simply trying to get into the venue. Very badly handled indeed, confusion reigned and I spent time in four queues rather than the more traditional one. I didn't hear many people express themselves contentedly around that time; safe to say that someone made a bad call*.

Dev Hynes played an odd opening set (although perhaps normal from his point of view, to be fair), starting and finishing with Elvis covers, during which he spent too much time singing in a higher register than he seemed comfortable with. All the more strange as when he did sing in his more natural range, towards baritone territory, his voice was great - smooth and rich. New songs from a forthcoming album featured, but I doubt I'll be rushing off to buy it. Solo and live may not be the best way to feel the magic, perhaps, especially as he didn't seem sure how best to approach a couple of the tunes.

Nico Muhly and Sam Amidon, joined by Beth Orton for a couple of songs, also with Owen Pallett for one of these, were a much more adventurous offering. With stuttering rhythms and improvised transitions between Muhly's piano and Amidon's acoustic guitar or violin when alternating the lead, they were playing with the sounds they could make, and some really beautiful moments were found. A very happy pairing, taken to an interesting, but simpler, place when they were joined by their high-profile pals, but most arresting just as a duo.

Owen Pallett - no longer known as Final Fantasy - was initially not exactly smooth with his trademark looping, slightly missing the effortless, floating quality of his new material ("not prog-rock, not a concept - an album!") but found his stride soon enough. Although there was the occasional miscue, he delivered a deftly sumptuous set, in sometime tandem with drumming/whistling/guitar playing buddy Thomas Gill who added, as one might expect, thumps, toots and twangs. Despite the high points there is some danger of his falling into Andrew Bird territory, where fine musicianship is not in question, but things do get just a little samey. Not one for every day of the week, but a pleasure now and again.

* Understatement replaces vile abuse

Photo by Anika