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The Monsoon Bassoon / Max Trundra / Rothko - London, Upstairs at the Garage Friday 2nd April 1999 The sun's out, the coursework's finished, I feel better than I've been in ages; and I've just experienced one of the most awesome gigs of my life. A night of glorious noise - and a crowd more in contrast with the last gig I'd been to here there could not have been. The fact that Rothko's very first track was uproariously received was mere evidence of this. Superb. Indeed Rothko were thoroughly deserving of their reception, the best I've seen and heard them. Opener 'Imprint Of Leaves' hitting a precise groove, interlocking basslines rippling before eeking all life from it. That cyclical hypnotic riff lures you to it, before Crawford washes over it all with screaming ultra-distortion. Other tracks like 'For Danny' and the alcohol related 'Angostura' are just as absorbing; through to closer 'Zeit' that was just wall-of-sound black (as opposed to white) noise, that changed notes now and again. At other times, the bass sounds ebbed in and out, enveloping you, then proceeded to rumble like an earthquake and shake the room. Powerful, intoxicating. If someone mentioned a band with 3 bassists, in a post/space-rock vein, you may hang your heads or run like yr arse is on fire for fear of uber-wanky noodling. You would be wrong though; this is something thoroughly intriguing, something you would be advised to come out and discover yourself. Something very different, and (more than enough of the time) totally astounding. Quite a few did not know what to expect from Max Tundra; he initially set off with a remix of an early 90's Madonna song ('Jesse... & something' can anyone remember the damn title of this?!) that eventually looped and he added little guitar etchings. But in fact, the whole of his set turned out to be thoroughly enjoyable. All his own songs, laying down before the crowd a slew of dance styles - from the pumping techno/house moments of Underworld and Moby, to more expansive and perhaps experimental sounds, hints of Add N To X screwiness in there. And glockenspiels. Then it is finished off with a long entrancing guitar ending, twinkling and beautiful, rather Dave Pajo I guess, blending in perfectly as the music fades off. Terrific, not constricted to any one dance style, ANY style even, melding lots together and producing a great mixture of sounds. And The Monsoon Bassoon? All right, I think they are the best band in the country currently. But I still get that incredible feeling I did when I first heard 'Wise Guy' back on old Xfm, totally unique and truly alternative, and tonight it is warped from one side to another, gnarling and malevolent. "Sonic rigmarole" indeed. 'Fuck You Fuck Your Telescope' is gorgeous, with it's soaring flute ignorant to the winding guitar chaos around it; and Sarah's delicious voice could melt the coldest heart, particularly on 'The Next Two Weeks'. 'Volcano' is as twitchily ravishing as ever, the moment where everything kicks back in on 'King Of Evil' is surely the nearest thing ever to a sonic orgasm; and the dark sounds of 'In The Iceman's Back Garden' bring everything to a chaotic, shuddering close, everything falling over and apart. It's the (black) magic mix of woodwind and ragged pointed riffs, the interlinking male/female vocals that weave in and out amongst each other. But just so much more than this, a feeling that cannot be described in words. This is hard fuck music for the next millenium. Baby. 10 10 10 10 and 10 again! Pete Flynn [photos] Rothko setlist: Imprint Of Leaves / For Danny / Angostura / SeventysevenA / Shock Of Self / Us To Become Sound / Zeit The Monsoon Bassoon setlist: Fuck You Fuck Your Telescope / The Next Two Weeks / Wise Guy / The Constrictor / Volcano / Soda Pop & Ash / The Very Best Of Badluck '97 / The King Of Evil encore: In The Iceman's Back Garden

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