REVIEW: Thomas Dolby
- Posted on October 19, 2007 5:40 PM
- 0 comments
Thomas Dolby
Carling Islington Academy
Wednesday 10th October 2007
Review by Matt Killeen
The first Thomas Dolby interview I ever read began with the story of how public apathy, media antagonism and a small child’s taunt had finally driven one of our brightest musicians to flee these shores. It was fitting therefore, that he began the show with this story:
Twelve months before, his agent in LA asked him whether he fancied playing in Europe. Not really, he replied, they don’t like me there. Why did she ask? Depeche Mode have asked you to play with them in Hyde Park, she said. That would be nice, he said, my daughter likes Depeche Mode. OK, I’ll do it, but book me a pub gig beforehand so I can test my gear out. Two weeks later the agent calls back. Your gig has sold out, she said. That’s nice, said Thomas, why is that an issue? I booked the Scala, she said. It’s an 800 capacity venue. He didn’t believe it, and continued to be surprised even when he saw the venue with nearly a thousand people crammed into it.
“…and because of that gig, I packed up my family, and moved back to London, and…” he paused momentarily to allow the cheers to ripple through the crowd. “…and that was because of you.” He shoved a long finger at the audience.
The crowd went wild, obviously. There isn’t anything like actually making a difference to the life of a musician you like, especially one as important as Thomas Dolby. And yes, he is important. He isn’t in Heat, he isn’t stumbling out of the Ivy with white powder on his nose but in terms of wide reaching influence, in terms of things that really matter, he was, and is, pretty special. To demonstrate – he brings on his first live band, all smiling and excited. When did we last play together he asks the audience? At Live Aid of course, they were Bowie’s backing band.
That, in essence, is the issue with Thomas Dolby. He has eschewed fame and its trappings but can’t help being famous. His one indisputable contribution to modern culture, ‘She Blinded Me With Science’ is such a perfect and quirky piece of pop that he can’t be forgotten and yet his further career has a strange enigmatic quality. His fifth album that I had never heard turned out to have four songs on it that I knew – when did that happen? How did I miss that? Six albums in nearly 25 years is Boston / Def Leppard level of lazy, but it has meant that his output has been consistently good, not something that can be said of ‘Third Stage’ or ‘Make Love Like a Man’.
I guess they call what Thomas Dolby did ‘electro’ these days. There certainly isn’t a proper contemporary analogy. He’s back up on stage alone but he works hard to avoid the live sterility of his early career. He builds up his techno-babble meticulously layer by layer, playing pretty much everything at once, even before introducing a brass section and former band. Just in case anyone felt too comfortable though, he brings on Lena Lovich, the well known ‘80s nutcase, to sing ‘New Toy’, a song that he wrote, of course.
It’s a great gig but it’s not faultless. Machinery fails, the sound could have been better and for the fan there are far too many edits and short versions. It matters little as it’s a gig with a cosy vibe, like a friendly jam in your mate's synth-strewn bedroom. For all its sequenced samples and drum machines, it proves itself to be the most human of experiences. It's a celebration. Of course every single person here is a fan, most of whom didn’t expect to hear ‘Hot sauce’ live, ever. When he returns next year, a promised new album in tow, we’ll get a better idea what we might reasonably expect from the original absent minded professor.
Have you seen Thomas Dolby live? Tell us all about it in the comments section.
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