Entertainment For Lively Minds
Gary Lucas' Captain Beefheart Symposium
Posted by thecheshirecat on 22 January 2012 - 10:29pm.
When:
Saturday 21st January 2012
Where:
The Rodewald Suite (aka 'upstairs'), Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Comments:
Having played guitar in The Magic Band for 5 years, Gary Lucas is as well placed as any to interpret the late Don van Vliet for today's audiences. He is convivial company for over two hours, guiding us through a career interwoven with that of Captain Beefheart, first as awestruck fan, then as band member and manager / minder and ultimately as curator and champion of the legacy. There is spoken word, archive footage and a mixed bag of guest contributions, best of which were poems, passionately delivered. Liverpool was an appropriate venue as the city where he first exhibited at The Bluecoat in 1972, and there is an ever changing backdrop of the art that filled van Vliet's life after 'Ice Cream for Crow'. But it was impossible to ignore the guitars propped on the stage and finally we were treated to a precious demonstration of how good the music could sound live, plus a generous encore of Lucas playing Lucas. I could have listened to those awkward rhythms all night.
The Audience:
The first impression was that I was the straightest person there, but calmer observation revealed the reach of Beefheart across generations and hair length. There was no risk of conversions to the cause tonight; nor was there any need.
Food & Drink:
Bottled beers, including decent local brew Cains.
It Made Me Think...:
In terms of getting to grips with Beefheart, it gave glimpses, but I've still barely scratched the surface. Lucas' own material sounds worthy of exploration too.
