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Reading 03 - Mars Volta singer (by Alex Gibbs)

The Mars Volta

Lineup: The Mars Volta
Date: 13/03/2005
Venue: London Brixton Academy
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? by Jeffrey Onions
Gums aren’t far short of bleeding, such is the intensity of the rattling of the teeth. How so? The Mars Volta so. These proggy punks wouldn’t know subtleties if they wore fuzzy pink Afros and danced naked in a shower of Skittles. Taste the rainbow? Taste my funk-fuelled prog-rockin’ rage you motherfucking inbred Brixton fashionista spunkbuckets.

The trendies drawn down front by word-of-mouth rumblings are left utterly shellshocked, so much so that they flee towards the back bars like wildebeest scampering across crocodile-infested rivers. Yes yes yes you fucks, head on home to safety, to where you can wax shitty about Band X’s latest offering of retro-spazzing skull-fuckery – who gives a flying rabbit shit? The Mars Volta are rocking songs right now that are so ahead of the ‘game’ that they’re ticking days off the 2010 calendar waiting for kids to play catch up. They’re spinning tops of fretboard-fingering excess; wailing banshees born of futuristic nightmares. This isn’t even music, it’s theatre, dah-ling.

Seriously, how is this not a work of fiction? How is it not rigged with ropes and pulleys and triggers? How does Cedric do that with his elastic legs? How does Omar reach around that way without dislocating his digits? Hats off, pants down: this is so naughtily indulgent that it must spell S-E-X. No? Fuck. This is so not real, so un-fucking-real, that it’s not even critically comprehensible. Tongue’s a wagging and teeth have given up altogether, victims to the volume. Astrological readings said something about a soul-searing visitation. Pen-pushing a-holes said something about a review?

Fuck this ‘review’, I’m a dancing soul-ablaze brother, motherfucker…

…See you on the comedown.

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The Mars Volta

What a bollocks review.

Completely pointless.
homesick_alien | 14 Mar '05, 17:10 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The Mars Volta

I'd just like to add to that, as it sounds a bit harsh in retrospect. I was just quite annoyed.

I was actually quite interested in this gig, because I was thinking of going at one point. But the review was completely self-absorbed and not informative in the slightest.

So, erm.

bye.
homesick_alien | 14 Mar '05, 20:29 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

But it was a damn sweet gig, I loved every minute of it. The saxaphone player was really good and some of the improvised sections were amazing. There were seven songs and if anyone is interested this was the set list:

Drunkship Of Lanterns
Concertina
Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)
Cygnus
Take The Veil Cerpin Taxt
The Widow
Cassandra Gemini
smallpox_champion | 14 Mar '05, 17:14 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The Mars Volta

Did they not do 'Televators' at one point?
Or is that part of another song?
Mike_Diver | 14 Mar '05, 17:17 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The Mars Volta

They definately didn't play it as a whole song, but they might have added a few lines or so of it to another one.
smallpox_champion | 14 Mar '05, 18:40 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The Mars Volta

Ah... that might be it.
I'd gone back up to the bar, but I'm sure I heard some of it...
...or of course, not!
Mike_Diver | 15 Mar '05, 09:43 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The Mars Volta

same set they played in birmingham.....

if anyone cares (i doubt it)
feedmetotheforest | 14 Mar '05, 23:52 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

to be honest i was a bit let down. certainly not as good as when i last saw them (reading a few years back). maybe its just because i dont like the second album as much as the first. some of the wanking was just really uninteresting at points, and i kept wanting them to just get to some proper stuff off the first record.
outstandingly performed of course, but the thing i love about the first record was that it sounded like nothing else and yet was fantastically well structured and also..shock horror...catchy. still it was a pretty good night despite the slight letdown.

Jamie
Jamie_Summers | 14 Mar '05, 18:14 | Send note | Report this | Reply

WHAT?

I completely disagree with Jamie, for these reasons...

You call yourself a Mars Volta fan? The beauty of the Mars Volta is that they aren't categorized in the eye's of music theory, they go beyond music theory. They keep things so real and ecstatic. They weren't structured because they didn't follow any "map", they go their own way. They play no notes but their own, their music comes from no radio station, no record lable. Fuck that, it comes from their souls, and when you listen, you become part of them, you part take in their journey and absorb everything they have to give.

HOw can you be dissappointed in that?

And you say you like it because it was catchy? CATCHY? Fuck that, catchy music is for the radio. As we all know the radio is fucking blasphemy, and they [the Mars Volta] do not belong there.

They may be different on stage, but that's because they are on stage, live, purely jammin', and every experience is different, hence the whole prog-look, because everything is different.

Don't ever come back to a Mars Volta show expecting something catchy and structured, go see Prince for that shit.

THEMolly | 6 Jun '06, 20:32 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

Yeah i agree with jamie. I was bored for the most part of it and just wished they'd play songs like the record and cut out the improvisation which was far overdone.
saucy | 14 Mar '05, 18:46 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

I still really wanna see this band (Bloody gigs colliding with school days has prevented me thus far, call me rebellious)
It's just awesome to know that a band can randomly improv the middle of their songs. More interesting than hearing another band play it EXACTLY like it is on the records, and then doing three-part "Rock 'N' Roll Endings" whilst the crowd fellate them three-times. Damn, Reading Festival was pretty annoying when I think about it.
Pinkfag | 14 Mar '05, 19:59 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The Mars Volta

I'd have to agree with you and also I found it strange to see people leaving the show in confusion/disgust over the extended improv sections. Surely they must have realised that is what it would be like, the Mars Volta aren't the kind of band to do things normally.
smallpox_champion | 14 Mar '05, 20:23 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

I loved it, thought it was great - but the band are a little detached from the audience when they're on stage but that's TMV. I love the improvs and jams though, the Drunkship one was particularly good.
dis-integration | 14 Mar '05, 21:57 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

It was largely great. The drummer is absolutely amazing as is the frontman. Omar did some really crap stuff though which at times just sounded appalling, quite a lot like Nigel Tufnell doing his solo piece. I think he needs to stop thinking he is some kind of guitar god and stick to the more basic stuff which he does well. He was outshone by all the other musicians on the stage.
I think they could have cut about 15 minutes of wanking out though and put in another couple of structured songs and then the gig would have been even better.
The really good bits though, were really very good.
doctornovocalcords | 14 Mar '05, 22:16 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

Arse to the lot of you. This was the best gig I've ever been to, and I wasn't on drugs. And I mean the best gig by anyone ever. Obviously it won't have been to everyone's tastes, but I was completely and utterly spellbound throughout. "Amazing", as I've said to anyone who'll listen.
Buy 'Frances The Mute' and stop encouraging The Kaiser Chiefs.
Guthrie | 15 Mar '05, 00:40 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

Arse to the lot of you. This was the best gig I've ever been to, and I wasn't on drugs. And I mean the best gig by anyone ever. Obviously it won't have been to everyone's tastes, but I was completely and utterly spellbound throughout. "Amazing", as I've said to anyone who'll listen.
Buy 'Frances The Mute' and stop encouraging The Kaiser Chiefs.
Guthrie | 15 Mar '05, 00:56 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

Its not that people are disagreeing that the Volta kick ass. I think its more the obnoxious bordering-on-A-level-prose writing thats got peoples back up.
Moscow | 15 Mar '05, 09:34 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

I saw them in Manchester. I agree with what most people are saying. Some brillinat moments, but overshadowed by drawn out improvisations. Iv got nothing against improvisation but feedback and noise dnt rely float mi boat. The last drawn out wankerey marked the end of the set. I was very disapointed, very anti-climatic. But roulette dares was AMAZING. the drummer had my attention throughout (and im a guitarist). inspired.
GTRmitch | 15 Mar '05, 12:31 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The Mars Volta

Their drummer is amazing.
So powerful.
I didn't even mind when he had to take his shirt off, and I hate that shit.
Mike_Diver | 15 Mar '05, 12:33 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

I believe the only words Cedric said to the crowd were 'Ladies and gentleman, Jon Theodore: The Elephant'. He then sported a cheeky grin for the next 5 mins. The guy on the bongos was rubbish. I hear he is Omar's brother. I their mum made Omar take him in tour, he added nothing to the gig whatsoever. Roulette Dares was definately the best thing they played.
Smitch | 15 Mar '05, 13:48 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: The Mars Volta

Jon Theodore is quite easily the best drummer I have ever seen live, I was watching with great intent to see just how he plays 'Cygnus......' and his snare action was INSANE.
atom_jack | 15 Mar '05, 13:56 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

'The guy on the bongos' was Marcel Rodriguez Lopez, Omar's brother, but he adds quite a lot - he does a lot of extra percussion, plays the congas, plays extra keyboard, and does a lot of sound/vocal effects.
dis-integration | 15 Mar '05, 18:27 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

But you could bugger-all of that on sunday night.
Smitch | 15 Mar '05, 20:26 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

it's all been said above-top stuff, a bit too much fret-wankery, but still better than everything else.
DiddyWahDiddy | 15 Mar '05, 22:43 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

i went to the brixton show last night and it was the best gig i have ever seen and will probabaly ever see. the only guys who could top it are the mars volta themselves. the set was the same just in a different order, it went:

drunkship
the widow
take the veil
cygnus
concertina
roulette dares
cassandra

absolutely jaw-dropping genius.
supafuzz | 17 Mar '05, 14:24 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

I went to the Glasgow show, and i think the slaggers don't quite appreciate the brilliance of what they saw....

The mars volta are our genreations led zeppelin. thats not a throwaway phrase.... its a label they deserve. The improvistion was amazing, to see a band confident and talented enough to chop up two albums of material and play it in synthesis, jamming in front of a crowd is utterly fantastic. They are the natural progression from santana, the future of music and i am not exaggerating.

To slate a band for jamming live is the most ridiculous thing i have ever heard, and if this is you then creep back to your hole of NME fuelled 'cool'. You have no place on a forum like this.
voodoochild | 19 Mar '05, 18:21 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

Saw them at Brixton on 16/3/05 and thought they were unbelievable. It was like being bludgeoned with a non-stop aural assault of psychedelic prog rock. I thougt I might have been watching Santana @ Filmore West around 1970 - 71. Can't wait to see them again, probably at Somerset House. Problem is tickets were £15 for Brixton and probably £22.50 for Somerset House, meaning a 50% rise. Shame, I reckon they would be great on a nice hot evening in London.
Noose | 27 Apr '05, 18:28 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Mars Volta

WOW - I saw The Mars Volta last night at Roseland in New York -- absolutely incredible!!! They represent the ultimate amalgam of modern rock, jam band, latin, 80's arena rock, prog, jazz ... everything's there. After a 30-minute jam, the band jumped into one of their many cohesive, unique tracks. They performed NON-STOP for two hours and 20 minutes, from a jam to a single and back again, leaving the crowd in an endless state of awe. Every fan of music should see them live. This is one concert you won't regret. The only risk is that, afterward, other bands you see may seem a little less impressive.

Your article is a perfect representatin of what I thought and felt after this New York show. Nice job.
mikelewis | 7 May '05, 20:56 | Send note | Report this | Reply