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Live Review
by SashaS
18-6-2003
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| AudioSlave's Chris Cornell sings ROCK |
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Live: AudioSlave
Carling Brixton Academy, London
Tuesday, June 17, 2003
AudioSlave – the last genuine rock band?
AudioSlave, one of the finest rock outfits around, return for a second London visit although the impression is still the same – great music that continues the brilliant legacy of Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd where dynamics are as important as the content and playing is of the matching standard. After about six months of digesting, scrutinizing and developing devotion to the band’s self-titled debut album, the reaction to this visually stripped-down show – drape with a painting of the artwork’s ‘flame’ is the only décor – is simply incredible.
The three former Rage Against The Machine members – Tom Morello, guitar, Tom Commerford, bass and Brad Wilk, drums – provide a stunning musical platform for ex-Soundgarden’s vocalist, Chris Cornell’s killer vocals. The last one is in his trademark white vest with a physic that is finely toned, whilst song-wise, we get RATM’s attitude without the politics and lyrics/vocal that come from the traditional school of rock. Brad and Tim supply such huge basis for Morello’s fancy guitar flights that leaves Cornell to explore places previously not available to him.
AudioSlave can be heavier than the loudest HM band without losing sight of melody and then, slow and poetic that this crowd has a slight problem to relate to. That becomes even more evident when, few songs before the end of the main set, A/S drop a version of ‘White Riot’ by The Clash. There was definite uncertainty among fans because these kids have been nurtured on hard, loud and one-dimensional nu- and rap-meta; add to that a majority of fans are as old as to require a ‘proof-of-age’ before being sold a drink...
Some four hours earlier I was coming out of the Academy after interviewing the band (you have to wait until next week to read what Morello had to say on… er, everything) and watching them soundcheck; as I left a kid, who must have spied me going in, asked how it went. Raving about the brainy talk we’ve just had, I mentioned the band would be blasting ‘White Riot’; “‘White…’ what?”, enquired the kid before asking who The Clash were!? Suddenly a realisation dawned that he probably wasn’t even born when the band split up! Anyway, the song’s inclusion is due to Morello being a big fan of the band and even inducted them into the Rock’n’Roll Hall Of Fame few months ago, just third of a year after Joe Strummer sadly had kissed the sky.
‘Gasoline’, ‘Show Me How To Live’, ‘Exploder’, ‘Hypnotize’, the songs drop like an anvil on senses only to be cordially ‘bandaged’ by the disc’s mellower offerings of the ‘I’m The Highway’, ‘Getaway Car’, ‘The Last Remaining Light’ kind. All the way through, Morello’s playing is nought short of a ‘guitar God’ should; he’s been the most innovative, inventive and masterful for years… In fact, if we happen to have need of an heir for (Zepp’s Jimmy) Page, stop looking now!
AudioSlave, alike the members’ previous respective and admired bands, are not afraid to take chances and for the opening encore Cornell returns solo with an acoustic guitar to deliver a poignant rendition of ‘(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding’, a hit for Elvis Costello (written by Nick Lowe, both acknowledged by CC) and then, with band back on, delivered a version of 'Cochise' that could be a soundtrack to the universe's last ball!
Brutal, vital, sensual, AudioSlave know the art of noise as well as the internal quality of blues!
SashaS
18-6-2003
AudioSlave’s album ‘Audioslave’ is available now on Epic
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