The 1978 Rétrovision show with its cabaret 'variété' presentation seemed like the end, at first. But under that brash vulgarity, the music entered the bloodstream, undetected until the following day, casting its magic, creating hunger for the next gig that night; a familiar pattern. Repeated Bobino 1981, Germany 1983, Paris Forum 1984, Bloomsbury 1989… still happily addicted.
REVIEW:
I'll try to drop the verb-less terseness and analogy and talk about the gig. In short, I didn't
like it. We hadn't planned to travel to the next gig the following night, and
for the first time, I had no regrets or any temptation to catch the set again.
OFFERING started with a heavily abridged version of 'Another Day'. This caused me no grief. This piece peaked about five years ago - before the recording - and since then its been getting more and more weary. Then followed five songs from Stella Vander's new CD. Nice, pretty melodies, sophisticated arrangements, with a sweet and smooth Jazz nightclub feel that's not my sort of thing. After this, a low-key tympani stick drum solo from Christian Vander, followed by 'Anahë'. This featured some pleasant sax from Alex Ferrand with a touch of Albert Ayler grief-stricken wailing.
The whole set was downbeat and dreamy to my ears and soul. Still addicted, but not so happily at the moment.