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Live Review
by SashaS
5-6-2003
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| Natacha Atlas in a land of magic & daze |
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Live: Natacha Atlas
Union Chapel, London
Wednesday, June 4, 2003
Natacha Atlas sieves the Orient Fantastic
The former church Union Chapel in Islington provides the most appropriate setting for Natacha Atlas’s show in support of her new album, ‘Something Dangerous’. The back wall is decorated in a manner that wouldn’t be alien in a harem and the surviving pulpit provides an illusion of a (mini) walled city with turrets and small, medieval-looking, windows.
There are six musicians behind Ms Atlas and a backing singer for a show that really travels the orient fantastique with a toying infusion of Western values. What becomes instantly obvious is that capitalists music we are so used to is utterly bloody simple, few chords and one flat rhythm (usually) while the Arabic and Oriental musics are truly polyphonic.
The richness of sound comes courtesy of a line-up that includes violin, keyboards and a few occidental instruments; there is a bass but no lead guitar that is bound to offer a different kind of sonic picture. And it surely does, it is just a sonic-a-rama that is truly musique-sans-frontier. Add to that exotic, tantalizing, passionate but never trading on sex appeal. Ms Atlas’s weapons are music, songs and vocals that touch the roof with an incredible power of resonance.
The venue is filled to capacity and, although it is mainly seated, a scene of some surprise dancing by few youngsters (a woman in red top did as well as if she were a plant) and a man of 60-something who should have known better but couldn’t resist the beat, like none of us. Most of the time sung in a variety of languages – Atlas is of Arabic origin, born in Belgium and after a spell living in London now based in Cairo – but that makes no difference because we are here for vibes, diverse ambients and alternative to the tired and predictable Rock and Pop.
It is not that songs have no catchy melodies and singalong quality about them, it is simply that most of them sound like a freak-out to the kids who grew up on Westlife/Crap Idol diet. Songs such as ‘This Realm’, ‘Like The Last Drop’, ‘Just Like A Dream’, from the current album, are precious gems in the deluge of ‘everything average’. Halfway through the show Ms Atlas goes to change from one national-like costume to another outfit that had quite a bit in common with a belly-dancer’s trad-apparel while the band is pumping ‘Farkrenha’ instrumental (from ‘Ayeshteni’ disc, 2001); the finale includes ‘I Put A Spell On You’ and all present here are ready to sign off their lives or a Dorian Gray-like contract.
By the end of the show I feel like laying down exhausted by the passion, pace and my pathetic moves. There is brave and different music out in the world but the question is – are you courageous enough to step out of the major-label’s Matrix?
SashaS
21-5-2003
Natacha Atlas’s album ‘Something Dangerous’ is availbe now on Mantra Recordings
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