It was great to be back at The Musician in Leicester last Tuesday night for what turned out to be an epic journey of a gig. I'm leaving most of this write up to my good friend and previous contributor Charles - it was he that suggested the gig back in March, when we booked in the hope that by December gigs would be up and running again. It was an interesting line-up: the headliner was described as 'Ozric Tentacles Electronic', and consisted of Ed Wynne (a founding member and the only person to remain a consistent part of the band since its inception in 1983) accompanied by his son Silas Neptune; Silas also acted as the support act, performing with Saskia Maxwell.
Charles was clearly transported close to heaven by the experience last week so I thought it only right to pass him the baton ...
The evening began with strains of flute, echoing strummed guitar, and presently the introduction of an East Asian-inspired beat. This was 'Harmony of the Spheres', a beguiling and hypnotic number. Saskia sung the lyrics “Life is whirling” while she slowly revolved to the music. At first this came across as a bit surreal, but as the track progressed I was taken by her ethereal voice and sensual performance, not to mention her incredible vocal range. She commands a certain alluring presence on stage.
As the set progressed I was drawn in by the range of different styles and the overall vibe created, as Silas and Saskia both moved effortlessly from one instrument to the other, all the time backed by throbbing bass-lines and addictive beats. The Eastern influences continued throughout the set, with inventive use of instrumentation and lesser-used key signatures. When he wasn’t playing one of his distinctive guitar solos, Silas stood masterfully creating the vast range of sounds with seemingly minimal effort, decorated by a variety of synthesised effects.
Their set concluded on a high note with soaring vocals, dreamy flute, and a contemporary beat. I found myself craving more, as if I had been given an exotic aperitif.
After a brief interval, Silas reappeared on stage accompanied by Ed, and presently we were treated to the familiar arpeggio introduction to 'Eternal Wheel', a fitting opener for the sonic journey that followed, and one of my personal favourites.
Despite the stripped-down line-up, the performance did not disappoint. A true devotee of the band with a more encyclopaedic knowledge of their extensive back-catalogue would probably have been able to name and place each track, but I didn’t feel this was necessary. Rather than systematically analysing each song or piece I decided instead to allow myself to drift along with the experience. To do so was like being transported through the galaxy - as if travelling in some kind of intergalactic passenger plane. I got lost in the music, nodding along to the rich variety of rhythms, and moving in appreciation to Ed’s marvellous guitar solos. Others were clearly doing the same, with the crowd becoming increasingly animated as the evening progressed.
Again Silas stood behind his keyboards, effortlessly illustrating the scenes with a staggering range of synthesised instruments. When he wasn't shredding, Ed chipped in every now and again with a solo on a Moog-style synth sound, or by contributing oscillating live effects.
The pair encompass a number of different styles within the loose self-proclaimed genre of space rock. Their sound is often very imaginative, sometimes whimsical, sometimes raw, but all the time demonstrates an incomparable skill at creating soundscapes while making use of a range of instruments, time signatures, key signatures and beats, which come together to form a smorgasbord for the senses.
When the set was done, again concluding on a high, the audience cheered for an encore and the duo obliged, this time joined by Saskia on flute, which was a nice touch and a fitting end to the performance.
If you enjoy being transported by music, I recommend going to see Ozric Tentacles in any of their guises. They are masters of their craft, providing a unique live experience and one that I will be reliving for some time to come.
Words and photos by Charles Stickley for Music Observer