A Hack and a Hacksaw started life as a one-man band, the one man in question being former Neutral Milk Hotel drummer Jeremy Barnes (who has also played with Bright Eyes, the Gerbils and Beirut). I picked up the CD of the most recent album 'the way the wind blows' whilst browsing the Neutral Milk Hotel section in a local quality record store (Avalanche). The album is different to most conventional alternative rock, drawing on eastern European influences and using folk instumentation.
I nearly missed the Glasgow show (because I forgot about it) but I was lucky to see a paragraph in the Sunday Times discussing the show as a 'Scottish cultural highlight'. It was fucking excellent.
The support act was Jim Rose, a beardy American who played some instumental acoustic slide guitar stuff. It was pretty cool but nowhere near the standard of the headliners.
The show started with violinist Heather Trost and a Hungarian percussionist picking out a hypnotic tune. Then, from the back of the room, a drum began to sound and 5 more musicians wearing face masks began to march towards the stage filling out the sound of the song. The effect was electric.
When the full band was positioned on stage the magic continued. They mixed original material from the album such as 'in the river' with traditional Transalvainian music. Instruments that I had never seen before were deployed energetically. People danced.
The crowd was very varied. Middle aged couples had come having bought tickets based only on the Hungarian folk music connection. Everyone in the room seemed to enjoy the gig.
After a short break a second set started with an anti-war song 'portland town' which was beautiful. The music seemed to get better and better with elements of improvisation and a jazz like feel towards the end. Trumpets and saxaphones gave it an ecstatic Mexican feeling. This was a great fucking gig. During the last song Barnes again walked through the crowd banging a bass drum. It was spiritual.
We also got a couple of Hungarian jokes and a short lecture on the similarities between haggis and Hungarian food. (As an aside, I had dinner in the Arches cafe before the show. The fillet of beef special was great)
The bands Jeremy Barnes has played with in the past have been like butterflies; beautiful but short lived. Catch A Hawk and a Hacksaw while you can.
funky
www.ahawkandahacksaw.co.uk
www.myspace.com/ahawkandahacksaw
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1 comment:
just joined facebook. seems loads of ppl have joined it, inc rupert and max. come and join!
deep
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