Magma live in London - last UK performance?

spiritofmusic · Apr 14, 2015

OMG!!! I've just booked to see these guys at the Cadogan Hall, London, on May 8th. It is likely they won't grace these shores again, so a not to be missed opportunity.
Quite simply the most original and intense band to ever play music - truly channeling the spirit of Stravinsky and 60s Coltrane, wrapped up in the technique of the jazz rock fusion pioneers of the late 60s/early 70s e.g. late period Miles, Mahavishnu Orchestra, w/the energy of early Sabbath and Zeppelin, the improvisational genius of improvising modern jazz/70s King Crimson, the exuberance of early punk, and grandiose operatic splendour. And to top it off, all sung in their own made up language linked to a science fiction concept not a million miles away from Scientology! What's not to like LOL???!!!
For the uninitiated, Youtube "Udu Wudu", "Kohntark", "Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh" (correct spellings) - your life may never be the same. Energy levels undiminished from their debut lp in early 70s.
A few tix left - my advice? BOOK!

asiufy · Apr 14, 2015

Saw their gig in LA a few days ago, UNBELIEVABLE! It was my 5th time seeing them, and I'm blown away every time!
Funny thing: took with me a younger (25 y/o) friend, who's well into 70s prog, but also newer, heavier rock. He was blown away! Best show he's ever seen, according to him... He couldn't believe grandpa over there on the drums could kick so much a**

This video is from a recent concert (almost the same line up that's touring now), with the piece that they've been opened the shows:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHEfJdAKODQ&spfreload=10

spiritofmusic · Apr 15, 2015

Excellent. I'm really stoked for this one. Christian Vander, the drummer, has been such a brilliant example of longevity in the drumming world, I know the audience will have a fantastic time. A day after the UK General Election, the perfect antidote.

spiritofmusic · May 9, 2015

Well, there's good chance this is the last tour for Magma (the drummer is 68, and tbh can't perform at this intensity forever). I have to say this is the greatest concert I've been to, bar none. The band evoke the spirit of Bartok, Stravinsky, Karl Orff, late 60s free period John Coltrane, 70s electric Miles Davis. There was just no let up in intensity and technical prowess from the first bar of Kontarkosz to the last bar of Zombies.
I'm a massive fan of the unique cutting edge music of the early 70s, but am too young to have enjoyed it the first time. For several key moments during the gig I felt I was transported back to the era, and I've never had that experience before. 24 hrs later, I'm still suffering withdrawal symptoms.

Hi-FiGuy · May 10, 2015

Thanks! You Suck!

I cant believe I have never heard of these guys with my music background!
Cant believe I just missed them being here in Southern California.

These guys have EVERYBODY covered, so tight. The drummer and bass player are SO in the pocket, very interesting relationship there.

I have a very interesting take on vocals, usually I can do without them, my favorite part of most concerts is when the vocals exit the stage. So the fact they make up their own language is SO perfect. It makes it so they fit the music, not the other way around. Way tolerable and ironic at the same time. They become instruments.

For reals pops got chops!

I love finding new music.

[video]https://youtu.be/bYrHNLXwGe0[/video]

spiritofmusic · May 10, 2015

HFG, I see from your logo you're a Rush guy. I started going to Rush concerts from the '78 Hemispheres tour, and the Magma gig on Fri was the closest to the intensity of that tour I've been to since, and exceeded it comfortably. The drummer is late 60s, and Buddy Rich is the only drummer other than Christian Vander whose intensity and full on immersion in his art hadn't receded w/age. Neil Peart can only dream that he can play at Vander's level now or in 5 yrs' hence.
Re in the pocket, the bass player was phenomenal on Fri. It was the closest approximation to what a combination of Pastorius, Lee and Squire would sound like, at the height of their powers. Vocals were just totally cool, Carmina Burana style on steroids! Keyboard player ALL Fender Rhodes, analog tone heaven.
As I said, this was the closest I've got to a time warp back to what the full on intensity of early 70s prog/fusion must have been like to experience at the time. I missed the Golden age of prog fusion first time 'round, together w/the electric Miles/free Coltrane eras, and if I die before going to another gig, I die a happy man.

asiufy · May 10, 2015

You guys should've seen Vander in the 2000s tours... Absolute MONSTER! He did "tone down" a bit on these latest shows (been to the one in LA), but he's so ahead of anybody else that he's still pretty intense

I took a 23 year old (that works with us at the store). He knew Magma, but had never seen them live. Says it was the best concert in his life

Oh, and they're reissuing the old albums on vinyl, as well as putting out new material (on LP too) that's pretty much in the same old vibe. We got all those in stock !

cheers,
alexandre

Hi-FiGuy · May 10, 2015

Spirit, for me every tour since Moving Pictures. Clockwork Angels is the shiz, love the DVD.

So I spent yesterday watching all the you tube videos and then looked into purchasing videos and they do that their own way too!

I love watching concert videos more than just listening.

At $60 a pop though I would like to find someone selling all 5 as a set.

If you have not seen Path Metheny The Way Up Live on Blu-Ray I highly recommend it as well as Zappa Plays Zappa.

Saw Zappa Plays Zappa at House of Blues Anaheim and at one point there was 12 musicians on stage, same energy as Magma.

spiritofmusic · May 11, 2015

Asiufy, I saw Magma back in London in the mid 90s I think, and the performance of De Futura was transformational. I contend they're the only band from the groundbreaking early 70s period that still maintains the on the edge spirit/technique/energy. As a result I feel blessed to have been part of an experience that really transported me back in time. I don't doubt Vander has had to tone it down, he is 68 after all, but I can only think of Buddy Rich as a drummer who has maintained such crazy performance levels as he got older.
HFG, have to disagree re Clockwork Angels. Despite it being a renaissance of sorts for Rush late in their career, it does nothing for me. Really feels like the youthful exuberance of the young Rush, 2112 filtered thru the prism of so called mature musicians middle of the roadness. That energy on the Hemispheres tour is present. Just not w/Rush now, but w/Magma 2015!

asiufy · May 11, 2015

Guys,

Magma put out a DVD series called "Epok", based on a month-long residency they did in Paris, a few years ago.
Each week, their set was based on a specific period in the band's history ("epok"), so Epok I is the very early stage, etc. Highly recommended, as the sound capture is quite good, and performances mindblowing!

alexandre

spiritofmusic · May 11, 2015

I'm not the biggest fan of music dvd's - too much camera mvt, just when you want to concentrate on the band, viewpnt shifts etc. But I'll keep an open mind.
However, stoked for vinyl reissues. If ever a band deserved "official" bootlegs, collated live cd releases, this is the band.
Was an honour to perhaps be at the last time I may see this truly original phenomena, as Stella Vander said after 30mins of live fury that was Kontarkosz came to a thundering end, this music was ahead of it's time in 1973, and is even more ahead now in 2015.
I put this track right up there w/the compositional genius of Bartok and Stravinsky, the virtuoso musicianship of John Coltrane, Miles Davis and King Crimson, the originality of Can and Van Der Graaf Generator, and the menace of Black Sabbath and full-tilt opera a la Carl Orff Carmina Burana O Fortuna.

asiufy · May 11, 2015

Yes, your comparisons are perfect! That's how I'd describe them to a newcomer!
If you look up Seventh Records (Magma's own label), you'll see they have quite a few archival releases, all of them solid. And if you look up online (torrents and such) you'll see many more live shows, from the 70s through today, some in excellent quality.
I don't like (music) DVDs either, unless it's something like this, pure 2ch, that I can play through my system!
Here's a clip from one of the Epok DVDs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izouiDX1xGY&spfreload=10

I forgot to mention that they brought old members to play on these shows! On this clip, it's Benoit Widemann on keyboards, from the mid-to-late 70s lineup!

spiritofmusic · May 11, 2015

Asiufy, it may be heresy to suggest this, but is there any likelihood Christian is preparing a new drummer to take his throne to keep the Magma flame burning? Does he have a son who is similarly skilled? This music CANNOT be allowed to die.

asiufy · May 12, 2015

Not that I'm aware of...
There are other bands that kinda follow Magma's lead, in the same style and all, but none (or nobody) has been appointment "successor" yet

If you want to dig into "Zeuhl", the style of music they created, here's a good guide:

https://rateyourmusic.com/genre/zeuhl

For a start, you can pick up the One Shot albums. Those were Magma (2000-era lineup), with a different drummer, and a more fusion-y approach, but still crazy good!

alexandre

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Magma live in London - last UK performance?

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