Two up

After 200 performers on stage for Beethoven's Ninth, Smiths is a small outing. But even this gig had two bands, totalling 6 performers. The first band up were ANUSOM friends appearing under yet another name. This time it was A Town Called Panic. Panic, be worried. This was Brendan K-T, Ben Forte and Hayden Fritzlaff who play challenging indie music of their time. They did also play My favourite things, only just recognisable in this arrangement using hip-hop beats from J-Dilla. Brendan appears a musical director cum leader here, speaking to audience and introducing tunes from his school days (Bon Iver) and Aphex Twin and two tunes from LA bassist Thundercat. Plenty of power and chops and some stunner bass solos on current popular but interesting charts. I like this thing.

Next up was On Se Perde comprising a pairing of composers, William Flowers and Stephen Wilson, with drummer Malcolm Newland sitting in. This was a much milder outing, lower volume, mostly original funky or laid back syncopation or jazzy or rocky and with a few more obvious takes on standards, Scott La Faro Gloria's step and Jobim Wave. Most tunes had bass and piano solos, piano was variously acoustic and Nord, just one drum solo on the final tune. They appeared to relax towards the end and perhaps their liveliest tune was the final funk encore, but a tune towards the end, inspired by Fyshwick on a hot day, built to a nice driving 2-feel groove.

So, two bands over and still just 9pm. It's an unusual time for a jazz gig, 7-9pm Thursdays at Smiths, but nicely relaxed for an early night. Strange but easy.

A Town Called Panic comprised Brendan Keller-Tuberg (bass), Ben Forte (guitar) and Hayden Fritzlaff (drums). On Se Perde comprised William Flowers (bass), Stephen Wilson (piano) and Malcolm Newland (drums).