Philzone.org - Philzone Phansite Community Discussion Board: Setlists and Reviews: Non GD Related Reviews: Archive: Kimock rocks Banyan

Okay, let me get it out there in the headline: Peter admits he was wrong! At least once per year, whether I mean it or not... no seriously, last night completely changed my view of the Kimock /Banyan relationship I had mentioned in my last review. Particularly in the second set, Kimock seemed MUCH more comfortable in taking over the music when it was his opportunity to do so. And this gig clearly brought out his more creative side - he almost never sounded much like SK (and hardly ever made me think of JG). Extensive use of midi - is it called a Mutron? - best moment came during the Wasserman "Satisfaction" solo, where he was moving the guitar back and forth between his two amps, generating a different kind of feedback from each amp, that feedback then fed through the mutron to produce a weird, almost squeaking kind of two-tone sound... now that's something you don't hear from Steve every day... And the other musicians seemed very happy to defer to him, trading looks of wonder with each other...

FWIW, I thought the first set was again very loose and spacy, okay but left me wanting more, and only an hour long. And a very long set break - notable that Steve Kimock was on stage at least ten or fifteen minutes before the others came out, quietly sitting in his stool and playing along with the house music. He seemed focussed and intent, previewing his intense second set. Perkins opened the second set by mentioning that this was the last Banyan gig of the year and they were going to Rock Out. And they did! I hope my friends who left early really did enjoy that first set, and weren't just being polite to me, because that second set was why I am nuts about Banyan...

And just a quick shout out to Steve Kimock after what has been a most amazing year. As far as I know, there have been no SKB shows, or next to none - he's spent the year exploring other musicians' projects. And this year, he has blown me away with his sit-ins with Carbonated Monsoon, gone far into the outer layers with Matt Butler and Everyone Orchestra, blown my mind this last week with Banyan... I saw a few Zero shows and found them nostalgiac rather than wild, but still featuring some good playing... And I'm sure I've forgotten a few others, but I really want to acknowledge how Steve seems to have expanded his musical borders this last year - and mine too... Best moment: watching him with NM. Jeff in NM is such a Rock God, and then SK carefully waited until it was his turn to solo, then played rings around the rock-star cliches that came from Jeff's guitar. And no insult to Jeff, that's what he does and does very well, but Steve basically said, okay, when you're done having THAT fun, open you ears and try some new possibilities... and that's just about my favorite musical message!

Okay, I've been more coherent in the past, hope this passes for a review... Happy happy joy joy...

Cheers,
Peter and Maria

Thaks for the review.
What was the band line-up?
Perkins
Kimock
Wasserman
Waldman
Wisdom?

The guy that was painting watercolors on the transparent easal was very cool!

Nice review, Peter. Thanks!!

What was the band line-up?
Perkins
Kimock
Wasserman
Waldman
Wisdom

Yep that's correct

http://www.nortonwisdom.com/

That's Norton Wisdom...his work is very cool...got some stuff up on his website you can check out...