Tonight Anathema at the Mackintosh Kirk at Glasgow’s Queen Cross, the first time Hector has set foot in this architectural landmark. This afternoon, the customary pre-gig Curry.
Having watched some of the videos that pop up on the Huawei, I decided to try a radically different approach to making the base Masala. Restaurants normally follow the standard approach as outlined in – Aloo Chicken, A Beginner’s Curry – then blend to create the Mainstream Masala that is universally served. However, blending the Onions and Tomatoes before cooking? I had to try this.
Two different Lamb sources were used. Lamb on-the-bone bought from Glasgow’s – KRK – and diced Boneless Lamb from a supermarket. How long can one keep Meat in the freezer? I know not to cook these together and so the Boneless Lamb was cooked for twenty minutes in the pressure cooker, the Lamb with Bones for fifteen. Garam Masala was added with some water, I wished the Meat to be infused with Spice.
The Solid Ingredients: Smoked Red Dried Chillies, Cumin Seeds, Coriander Seeds and Onion Seeds were fried in the KTC Vegetable Oil to release their flavours. Teaspoons of the Powdered Ingredients: Chilli, Turmeric, Garam Masala, Cinnamon (I’m out of Cinnamon Bark presently), were Dry Fried to slightly – toast – them.
Three average sized Onions and some leftover chopped Frozen Onions, Ginger and Garlic (as shown) were blended to create a white pulp. This and some more Oil were added to the the karahi, the Solid Ingredients immediately floated to the top, interesting. A full twenty minutes was given before adding the blended Tomatoes, I had plenty to do managing the pressure cooker. In went the Spices followed by two cubes of Frozen Methi. Once I could see the Oil separating from what was now a very Paste-like Masala, the Meat was added.
Nothing stuck, this was quite a revelation, usually I have to work hard to stop my non-blended Masala sticking to the aluminium karahi, not today. Salt, very important, was liberally added along with Lemon Juice.
It was at this point I decided to add Potatoes. Three were diced, cooked then added. A lone Green Chilli and some defrosted Coriander went in too. Hector is using up remnants.
The – Taste – was still not near what I desired, time to add some Tamarind Resin. Finally a couple of tablespoons of Yoghurt were added to create the Creamy appearance I know my Fellow Diner this evening would appreciate. At least I was now happy with the outcome. The Spice Level would hopefully be – acceptable – the Seasoning I had control over at this time.
Served with Basmati, I did my best to ensure that Marg had – Boneless Lamb – her preference, I took the Lamb on-the-bone.
It has been a while since I cooked Curry for Marg. My recent creations have been Fish Karahi variants, experimental, successful. Today I had deliberately gone out of my way to make – Curry – not – Karahi.
Zesty – was Marg’s first remark.
It’s not too Spicy? – was her follow up.
I don’t think so.
I got away with that reply.
The Meat is very tender – Marg was saying all the right things.
You’ll be be pleased with this – Marg exclaimed finally.
I suppose I was, I made this for Marg, in a style she likes. This is not the Masala I seek in a Restaurant, but too often am served. Next time, back to – Karahi Gosht.
Anathema – The Ambient Acoustic Tour
Charles Rennie Mackintosh (1868-1928), Glasgow’s most famous architect and designer. It was his – School of Art – which this year burned for the second time, this time, catastrophically. I have long known that the Queen’s Cross Kirk was one of his designs being brought up in nearby North Kelvinside, the posher part of Maryhill.
A Thursday night, I had forgotten something that has never changed: Jaconelli’s Cafe ain’t open on a Thursday. No World Class Ice Cream for us. We joined the queue, doors open at 19.30. There was discussion in the queue as to whether this would be a standing gig, none of us is getting any younger. Anathema last year in Glasgow and Köln was a bit of a struggle.
The pews were in situ, but were found to be very close together, people were smaller a century ago. To let people in to the middle of a row, we all had to get out. Hopefully people were here for the music and not the makeshift Bar.
In the semi darkness, a Chap took a seat – stage front – moments after 19.30. Who was this – AVA? One Keyboard and a Laptop, here we go. We were – treated – to a half hour of Electronic Mooglings. This was far from the Tangerine Dream / Klaus Schulze that I gorged on in the 1970s. The programming of the rhythms was the start to each – Piece – some very strange rhythms. This was not foot-tapping or the Sequencer sounds I was brought up with. He kept stopping to start again, why? Keep going, take us on the journey. Interesting, OK, the Chap departed the stage. Polite applause.
I was caught on the Huawei trying to find out who/what AVA is when the music started again, it was the illumination of the screens behind the stage which made me realise this was live. Another Chap sat at a Laptop and Keyboard in stage right/middle. Was this AVA? Who was the first guy? By now I appeared to have established live chat with – AVA. Hector, behave.
This was more like the Electronic Musik I love, big Sounds swathing, more Germanic than that which preceded. Longer Pieces, the lights on stage and the screens created impressive visual effects. Marg would remark later that she liked the projection of his hands over the the background movie. I saw no camera, this was pre-filmed. Yes, this was enjoyable.
He departed, more polite applause, still no introductions. Anathema next, surely.
A well dressed Lady entered and took her place behind the Keyboard and Laptop which had me puzzled. Having seen Anathema twice, I know only one Cavanagh bother plays Keyboards front of stage, why the Laptop? The Keyboards at the rear of the stage were there. A third support act? This is taking the – P. Was this AVA? Was – AVA – in fact a code for a whole collection of – Artistes – performing under the umbrella – Anathema. Had we been conned? 
Cue the rhythm being programmed, the Laptop done, back to the keys, a solo artist? A delightfully tall Lady then came on stage to accompany. With bow and fiddle in hand, she looked as if she had just come from a fencing tournament. And so it began.
The Keyboard player created the ambience reminiscent of Mogwai’s – Les Revenants. When the Violin joined in, this took us to new plane reminiscent of Irmin Schmidt. His solo albums, with various guests, typically Harmonica, Accordion, Sax, making sounds which accompany the Keyboards and add so much colour. Mogwai and Irmin Schmidt, the latter is a god.
We are – AVA – announced the Keyboard player, this is from our forthcoming album. At last, somebody speaks.
This second movement – Deep Blue (?) – left me gob-smacked, one of the finest compositions I have ever heard. This had drama, power, piano and forte. I’ll be buying this.
The Violinist spoke, she had studied at St. Andrews, knows Glasgow well, she thanked Anathema for having them. The first mention of Anathema this evening. Daniel Cavanagh was invited to join them for their final piece along with Mike, the Sound Guy. This was Chap #1. He played Drums, that explained the strange rhythms of his compositions. I was wondering by this time if AVA studio recordings would only feature Keyboards and Violin, with a full Band they could be even more amazing.
Mogwai and Irmin Schmidt, from somewhere in the depths of memory came the name – Bernard Xolotl. I have his album – Procession – on vinyl only and so have not heard it in yonks. A Synth Player, on this album he is accompanied by Daniel Kobialka on Violin. This is an excellent album, and very similar to what I was hearing this evening.
This is my type of Musik – I said to Marg.
What I particularly enjoyed was that the two performers were actually playing – together – feeding off each other. The Violinist may have had all the extravagant postures, however, by leaning across the Keyboard at times, she was ensuring that this was an inclusive act, a genuine partnership. Grand applause.
With their sizeable back catalogue of excellent compositions, Anathema cannot surely justify three Support slots before they take to the stage. Last year they talked about two and a half hour shows – to get everything in. A Roadie – f*cked-up – in Glasgow last year and cost us half an hour, in Köln it was still under two hours. AVA were excellent, the first two acts were unnecessary. How long would we get of the Band we were all here to see?
Anathema
Daniel Cavanagh took to the stage without the headphones he sported on the last tour, accompanied by Lee Douglas. We were off to a quiet, acoustic, start before the remaining Band members came on stage. Brother – Vincent Cavanagh – took his spot mid stage. We’ve seen him before, behold the return of Chap #2.
Chap #2, took his place at the same Keyboard and Laptop mid stage. One of the few clear photos I managed to secure last year at the Live Music Hall (Köln-Ehrenfeld) had Chap #2 on Drums. As introductions are mumbled or non-existent at Anathema gigs, it was only afterwards I was able to put a name to the performer. I now know this to be the multi-instrumentalist – Daniel Cardoso. On – The Optimist Tour – last year I was critical of Anathema relying too much on taped intros and/or Midi. This evening, Daniel Cardoso handled these, the main Keyboard parts and doubled up on Bass. So a band does not need a full on Bass player? I saw Led Zeppelin once, in Glasgow at the Greens Playhouse. John Paul Jones playing either Bass or Keyboards ruined the show for me.
So who was on Drums tonight? Certainly not Chap #1. Whoever, he was hidden to many rear stage left, the Drums were never loud this evening, a deliberate choice in keeping with Ambient Acoustic?
The highlight of the near ninety minute performance was when the eponymous song was announced. The Violinist was invited back on stage to accompany. Now we had a proper introduction, meet Anna Phoebe who performed this Violin part on stage in the acoustic live show – A Sort of Homecoming (2015). For once, on this video recording, one can actually see the performers. Anathema – the song, has possibly the strongest theme of all Anathema compositions, magical, a moment to savour.
Danny wasn’t singing tonight, leaving all vocal parts to Brother Vincent and the very talented Lee Douglas whose harmonies are very much of – The Anathema Sound. A pity she is off stage as often as she is on. Why once again did we have to suffer Closer (A Natural Disaster, 2004)? A guy in front of me turned round and glared when my exhale of – rubbish – came out too loudly. Electronic vocals, a singing Dalek, rubbish.
You could hear a pin drop in here – announced Danny.
Such was the reverence for the music, the performance. As Marg said later, they do not interact with the audience very well. I am caught between just letting the music flow and the need to remind the audience which song from which album we are being treated to.
I shall come back to this Blog and write more when the full set-list becomes available. The set-list last night in Manchester was reportedly: Because, Springfield, The Lost Song, Part 2, Thin Air, Can’t Let Go, Anathema, One Last Goodbye, Closer, Ariel, Temporary Peace, Distant Satellites, A Natural Disaster. Tonight was different, if only for the order of the songs.
The lights came on, such as they were, no encore. Most of the night had been spent in darkness. AVA had announced an EP-CD. Waves – was purchased, hopefully as good as Terje Rypdal’s album of the same name. Aisling Brouwer (Keyboard) took one from the box, signed it and passed it to Anna Phoebe (Violin) who did the same, success. Thank you.
