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pound for pound, jamie lidell is probably the best live performer playing now -- for talent, raw energy, and showmanship, Jamie Lidell live is my favorite. May's concert at El Rey was a departure from the previous times I've seen him in that he brought a full band with him and it was a really different experience from the live-chopping of vocals and harmonies for which he is widely known.

anyway... let's get the basics out of the way. jamie lidell is a skinny english bloke with a voice becoming of the fruits of the offspring that nina simone and marvin gaye's would beget. it's pretty insane that this quintessential geezer can belt out the songs he can in a pitch-perfect style.

lidell's musical roots lie with the electronic group super-collider and that explains his proficiency with hardware and the improvisational elements of his live show. lastly, the man has the wardrobe of a senile stately gent: velvet robe, cravat or tie -- but all thrown on a slovenly skinny bloke so it just adds to the craziness.

the band playing this show wore similar attire and were as talented a collective as one can hobble together to perform the classics from Multiply (only a few -- The City, Multiply, and did i hear A Little Bit More... can't remember for sure). the rest of the show was made of material from Jim with lots of great solos and departures from the recorded material.

thankfully, lidell was given 10 or 15 minutes to do his live sampling magic where he spliced together snippets of himself, the audience, his bandmates into a unique sonic moment that won't be replicated ever again.... the man gets what LIVE can mean.

el rey with its plush red decor could be a permanent home for Lidell and the audience was great -- both charmed and dazzled.

top show, top bloke.

photos from a couple of different sources but mostly from:
http://picasaweb.google.com/dharma713

• On 10/23/08 at 7:22pm angus said: i want one of those robes. what an outfit! This is a comment on a file from the review gallery. View File Reply

• On 10/26/08 at 10:11pm rageman said: Lidell is definitely one of the best live performers out there -- all legend. Reply