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Thursday, April 30, 2009 {The Blue Banner} ' Page 13 Scottish rock clashes with Orange Peel audience By Sam Hunt Assistant Arts & Features Editor SCHUNI@UNCA.EDU Instrumental rock legends Mogwai delivered an extra dose of their patented wall of noise to Thursday’s Orange Peel crowd. The encore, a 25-ininute version of the epic “My Father My King,” forced the sizeable crowd to stand still and soak in over 10 minutes of pure UOnCGrt guitar noise at the song’s Review Many in the front row of spectators covered their ears for protection, while others seemed to gladly bask in the ear-splitting cascade of drones. “Let’s put all our cards on the table. Who here is a hippie?” asked lead guitarist Stuart Braithwaite after returning to the stage for the encore. “Vietnam is ovep” Braithwaite said with a chuckle after the majority of the crowd raised their hands to acknowledge that they were, indeed, hippies. To be fair, Braithwaite’s deep Scottish accent made the word “hippie” sound like “happy,” so perhaps there was some rniscommunication. For a band whose songs range from near silence to jet-engine volume, concentration is essential onstage. Apparently, the Glasgow, Scotland five-piece was taken aback by the crowd’s loud between-song banter. Braithwaite and bassist Dominic Aitchison seemed disappointed when the crowd yelled during the quiet intro of “Christmas Steps.” On a few occasions Mogwai made their second appearance at the Orange Peel'^on^AorrM^ playing to an eager crowd of Asheviile noise enthusiasts. the band signaled to the sound men to “turn up,” as if to deafen, the pesky crowd. Although the band and the audience clashed, unlike at most Orange- Peel shows, everyone, Mogwai included, seemed in good spirits and embraced each others’ differences. During “Batcat,” the lone single from the band’s latest full- length The Hawk Is Howling, Braithwaite laughed out loud and made flying motions with his arms, as if he were some kind of winged monster. The Hawk Is Howling could be the band s best album to date. All of Mogwai’s facets can be found somewhere on the new record: the quiet-loud dynamic, gorgeous electronic beats and epic guitar-and- keyboard crescendos. The diversity of sound on the new album translated into a crowd-pleasing Orange Peel show. Raw Mogwai classics kept the die-hards honest, while the more recent material kept fifth man Barry Bums switching between guitar, keyboard and laptop. Bums, who joined Mogwai before they began recording 1999's Come on Die Young, has played a cmcial. role in expanding the' band’s sound from guitar rock to something more lush and synthetic. Known for being one of the loudest live bands on the planet, Mogwai plays at absurd decibel levels, but also uses silence to stun its audiences. Several songs transition from silence to utter guitar chaos within a split second. “Mogwai Fear Satan,” a frequent shout out request from the band’s 1997 debut. Young Team, was especially jolting inside the venue. After a Tew minutes of tranquil echoes, the band’s three-guitar onslaught kicked in all at once with distortion pedals turned to max volume. Brilliantly textured new songs, such as the bizarrely titled “I’m Jim Morrison, I’m Dead” and “I Love You, I’m Going to Blow Up Your School,” ensured a great show for Asheville fans, who could not have asked for a more well-rounded Mogwai experience. Il/heyilte /uflimer fc/liycil /chedule By Brad Lovejoy MACROBRAD@GMAIL.COM French Broad River Festival: May 1-3, $75 Hot Springs Compground and Spa, located in beautiful Hot Springs, N.b., just 45 minutes north of Asheville. Don't forget to reserve a hot tub in advance! www. . frenchbroadriverfestival.com The Bele Chere Festival: July 24-26, FREE The Bele Chere Festival an annual three- day festival on the streets of Downtown Asheville features four stages of live music . and a variety of other activities, www. belecherefestival.com Downtown After Five (DTAS), FREE Celebrating its 21st year, the event takes place every third Friday of the month. May- September. The event's location is Lexington Avenue and 1-240, and will be more environmentally responsible through the use of compostable cups, plates and utensils. ! Free live music and dancing starts at 5 p.m. with food and drink available for purchase. www.ashevilledowntown.org Shindig on the Green: July-September FREE Bring your instruments, families, friends, lawn chairs and blankets for good times at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. www.folkheritage.org/shindigonthegreen.htm The Lake Eden Arts Festival (LEAF): May 7-10,$29-$140 LEAF'S goal is to connect its festival-goer with culturally important, international and homegrown musical acts that are both entertaining and inspiring, www.theleaf.com
University of North Carolina at Asheville Student Newspaper
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April 30, 2009, edition 1
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