Soap&Skin, Jack November

24 March 2010
Alhambra, Paris

Today was full of gig-related sightings. I spotted Anja out and about a couple of times during the afternoon - darkly moody singer secretly cheerful in her spare time shocker! - and her band ate in the same restaurant that I did. So I was well primed for the show.

Initial unsatisfactory impression of the venue for the usual queueing/bag search/water-in-the-bin-buy-more-expensive-water type reasons. Despite these modest but sadly predictable failings, I was then considerably less impressed with seats that somehow managed to not give enough room for my legs - when the seat was folded down, there was about 7cm between the front of of it and the back of the chair in front. Come on people, measure a knee, I bet it is more than 7cm. What the fucking fuck is that all about? For a €25 seat I would hope to be able to accommodate my limbs as part of the deal; perhaps that charge was specifically to provide a temporary residence for my derriere, and I was supposed to make my own arrangements for other body parts I was foolish enough to have with me.

Incroyable.

Some further specifics:

- talking of legs, Ms Plaschg has a fine pair. Must be a contender for Angel Deeradorian's claim to the best pins in music.

- support act was a very attractive blonde young woman, who was a kind of parallel universe S&S mini-me, performing under the name of Jack November, mostly with a harmonium. If you ever get the chance to see her, don't bother unless it is a guaranteed two-song set.

- much anticipated headline show with band of 2 violins, cello, double bass, brass player and a backing vocalist/ melodica contributor. (I can confirm to you that these people do indeed eat food, and speak German.)

- I think the ensemble were slightly under-used, as at a few points their impact was thrilling - sometimes a shock of violin, sometimes the rumble of the double bass - but there was still a reliance on beats, hisses, clicks etc BOOMING out from the laptop. If she added a percussionist to her band that might allow the laptop to just be used for emails and so on.

- a predictably wonderful performance, dramatic and intense, sometimes even spine-tingling. And one of these days she is definitely going to break out into full-on robot dancing.

- I would really like to see all the instruments unamplified at the Union Chapel show, with just voices and laptop run through the PA. I may start a Facebook campaign, but then I'd have to join...