05.31.2007 Secret Chiefs 3 / Faun Fables
Secret Chiefs 3 is probably a band that is most likely not well known to those not familar with Bungle/Patton/FNM projects. After finding a hard time trying to wrap my head around a Tomahawk or Fantomas albums, I almost dismissed SC3 with the rest of the band's cohorts. However, as luck would have, a certain video clip from youtube, changed my mind; it had in fact made me almost anxious to see them live. Which leads to Thursday night.
Faun Fables, which is really just Dawn McCarthy, opened the show. For most of the set, it was just her and her acoustic guitar. On other songs, she would be joined by members of SC3 for additional instrumentation. Her music consisted of folk tunes with varying themes. Oddly enough a portion of her set consisted of a couple of songs themed around the kitchen. She seemed quite proud of that fact. Her last number, was a dancy (in a hippie dancing kind of way) number in which she showed the audience a dance that she came up with - which was vaguely reminescent of the Macarena. The hippies seemed to eat it up. Did I mention there were a lot of hippies at this show - The I don't know personal space / I'm casting a spell dancing hippies were all there.
After a short break, SC3 came out on stage. Dressed in black robes decorated with Masonary insignias, the band seemed to play up on the almost esoteric nature of their music. Boasting a band that would make both Godspeed you! Black Emperor and Do Make Say Think proud, they consisted a sitar player, 2 drummers, a guiatrist, bassist, a keyboardist and a violinist. Playing music that spanned their many albums, SC3 seemed to shift through many genres of music almost seemlessly. Middle Eastern, Mediterranian, Surf Rock, Death Metal and Motion picture type music were represented effortlessly. The evening was divided into two 45 minute sets and a two song encore. Despite the volume of music, it never seemed boring or pretentious which is can be a common complaint for bands with such wide influences. Even the smaller sized audience (the balcony was closed off), didnt seem to detract from the overall show or performance- some would argue it created a more intimate show. In truth, I doubt anyone would have complained if the show had lasted another 2 hours.
$20/$20
Faun Fables, which is really just Dawn McCarthy, opened the show. For most of the set, it was just her and her acoustic guitar. On other songs, she would be joined by members of SC3 for additional instrumentation. Her music consisted of folk tunes with varying themes. Oddly enough a portion of her set consisted of a couple of songs themed around the kitchen. She seemed quite proud of that fact. Her last number, was a dancy (in a hippie dancing kind of way) number in which she showed the audience a dance that she came up with - which was vaguely reminescent of the Macarena. The hippies seemed to eat it up. Did I mention there were a lot of hippies at this show - The I don't know personal space / I'm casting a spell dancing hippies were all there.
After a short break, SC3 came out on stage. Dressed in black robes decorated with Masonary insignias, the band seemed to play up on the almost esoteric nature of their music. Boasting a band that would make both Godspeed you! Black Emperor and Do Make Say Think proud, they consisted a sitar player, 2 drummers, a guiatrist, bassist, a keyboardist and a violinist. Playing music that spanned their many albums, SC3 seemed to shift through many genres of music almost seemlessly. Middle Eastern, Mediterranian, Surf Rock, Death Metal and Motion picture type music were represented effortlessly. The evening was divided into two 45 minute sets and a two song encore. Despite the volume of music, it never seemed boring or pretentious which is can be a common complaint for bands with such wide influences. Even the smaller sized audience (the balcony was closed off), didnt seem to detract from the overall show or performance- some would argue it created a more intimate show. In truth, I doubt anyone would have complained if the show had lasted another 2 hours.
$20/$20
Labels: faun fables, plaza, sc3, secret chiefs 3, show reviews
posted by firmdragon at
11:12 AM
2 Comments:
There have been many members throughout the incarnations of SC3 but I don't believe any of them have ever used a sitar. The instrument used at that show was bowed. Probably an Esraj or Sarangi. Trey Spruance played Guitar & Saz. The violin player also played Guitar and Trumpet.
By
Anonymous, at Thursday, June 14, 2007 at 8:18:00 PM PDT
I probably should've looked at their website a little more closely. But you are quite right, the instrument I was thinking of was the esraj. I think I also remember Trey saying to someone in the audience that one of the guitars had a saz neck and a guitar body.
By
firmdragon, at Saturday, June 16, 2007 at 12:06:00 AM PDT
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