COMA not at all

I've mentioned COMA (Creative Original Music Adelaide) on CJ before.  This time I managed to attend a gig.  Basically it's pretty much a fortnightly event on Mondays at the Wheatsheaf Hotel in Thebarton (the Wheaty).  Two sets for two groups playing original music in various forms.  This night it was the Elder Music Lab out of the local con, the Elder Conservatorium, at Univ of Adelaide and a 4-peice band called the Harmful health.  The Elder Music Lab played four original pieces, 2 each from composers Rafael Raschella and Belle Smibert in various combinations of string quartet with additions of clarinet/bass clarinet and flute. Conductors were listed as Luke Dollman and Lloyd Van t’Hoff although I only noticed one conductor.  Works of Rafael were floaty, sometimes bleak, his string quartet no.1 and another called Grief (or Grieve?) with addition of that clarinet and flute pairing.  Works of Belle were interleaved as 2,4 on the program with titles When the weather turns cold, influenced by a book and played by a trio of violin, guitar, cello and Saoirse=Freedom in Irish Gaelic.  The first was mostly triplet feels, 6/8 or 12/8, and these works seemed more structured and melodic.  I didn't gets names of performers.  Then the band Harmful health.  The description mentioned influences of Latin and World music.  My feel was more prog rock with its solid rock grooves, truncated bar counts, polymeters, plenty of solos and nicely stated guitar melodies, some incessant sturdy and essential bass and some luscious malleable drums that so enhanced the grooves.  And loud.  They played ~4 tunes going perhaps over time.  The structures of feature lines or interim parts between melody and solos were all features.  Bassist Luke spoke for the band and maybe formed it.  His bass certainly defined grooves, often steady and unchanging, but sometimes letting loose with some delicious fills.  Again, I loved the elaborations of drums and nice guitar and key solos, although my rock ears yearned form more drive and distortion on the guitar at times.  Sam was similarly capable but perhaps more modern than that!  So, loud but well practised and nicely played.  Perhaps I was being indulgent in my interest in Luke's bass.  It looked an old PB.  We chatted later, and yes, it was a 1970 PB.  I'd had similar in my time in Adelaide (PB '72, sunburst, rosewood). I was interested in fret sizes and more, but frets had been changed out and the body had some changes over time, but the neck was gloriously aged and the body looked so too.  But I enjoyed the band.  As for COMA, what a wonderful event in a very cool boho pub with its own brews and a pizza cart outside and with an audience of all ages, families and younger tats, plenty of aged blokes to chat to and a range of styles to hear and a general inviting feel.  I can only recommend it highly.  COMA live recordings are on Bandcamp and YouTube.  And cheers to Grant and Tom who I shared a table and plenty of interests with.

The Elder Music Lab performed new works by Raffael Raschella and Belle Smibert (composers) with Luke Dollman and Lloyd Van t’Hoff (conductors).  The  Harmful Heath performed in a rockier style with Logan Watt (keys), Sam Cagney (guitar), Luke Lendrum (bass) and Gilli Atkinson (drums).  Both sets were at COMA (Creative Original Music Adelaide) at the Wheatsheaf Hotel (the Wheaty).

Another take on a guitar band

I like jazz that's exploring new combinations. This was the Adelaide band, yeahyeahabsolutelynoway!, and the lineup was guitar, guitar and drums. There are new sounds possible when you drop sax or piano or (as a bassist, I dread the thought) bass. I'd heard this combination once before from The Alcohotlicks, but I remember their music as more outgoing, rocky, blazing. Yeahyeahabsolutelynoway had elements of blues and rock and a few tunes were strongly so, but there was also psychedelia and effects. Both guitarists, leader James and Sam, had panels of effects at their feet. I joked with James that his effects cost more than his guitar. No doubt they did; effects are not cheap and they add up. But they used them nicely, subtly, just occasionally ending with looped noises and the like. But any guitar band will have rock influences and they were there. The drums were mostly playing rock rhythms, sometimes with stubborn simplicity and sometimes with jazz colours or abstruse or jerky crossing rhythms. Some tunes were straight blues-drenched, licks and minor pentatonics, other spoke with rock chords. The melodies were insistent, played with clear, simple, unsustained tone, and sometimes the solos were similar, lyrical, but there were others with screeds of notes, especially from James. I thought the guitars worked well together, and the whole band felt comfortable and moved through transitions very neatly. If I heard right, they've been playing weekly in Adelaide for years and the regular performance shows in their ease together. Their tunes were originals, by James or Sam, and mostly from the album they are releasing on this tour. The band's got a strange name, but so have the songs: (Believe in the) monocause, Perfect day for Bananafish (literary reference), Perks of being a wallflower. Down home was perhaps the most bluesy of the set with its steady underlying minor riff. Why sheep (did I catch the name right?) was more floating and effected. Bananafish was effected guitars leading to a drum solo and a heavy rock end and decaying to looped noise. Shetland dream 1983 was, well, dreamy, mostly sparse solo guitar with echo. Bad day for the butter was a great title and also a 3/4 with hits on 1-2 leading into an frenzied accompanied drum solo and sudden stop. Yes yes was a double time four with an anticipated guitar chord. Jesus incorporated was a pretty 6/8 with the most jazz-like chording of the night. The audience was too small, but yeahyeahabsolutelynoway! was well received for their attractive music with openness and a fresh sound and their clear references to rock and blues. Much enjoyed, and very nicely developed.

yeahyeahabsolutelynoway! are James Brown (guitar), Sam Cagney (guitar) and Stephen Neville (drums) and they played at Smiths on tour from Adelaide.