Guest Blog Review – Massive Attack Is Back

2 years ago by Alan Cross | February 16, 2010 12:45 pm

Last Monday I witnessed something very strange. One of the most commercially and critically successful British bands of the past two decades played a show in the very unassuming Newport Leisure Centre. A small community centre which leaves little to the imagination located in the heart of the working-class Welsh city of Newport. Deep in the valleys of South East Wales, this was the most makeshift of venues, ta place that was likely playing host to Mom and Tot swimming lessons while Robert “3D” Del Naja, Grant “Daddy G” Marshall and friends were sound checking in the auditorium – bleachers and all – earlier that day. Seriously, picture your local YMCA and then age it by about a decade. Now you get the picture.

 
Photo by Julia Wallace


Photo by Julia Wallace

Enjoying a beverage overlooking the community pool with the most varied, relaxed, and pleasant crowd I’ve seen in a long time I was cautiously optimistic. Optimistic that it wouldn’t sound like one of those YMCA punk shows your mates played in high school, that there would be lights (what would Massive Attack be without a killer light show anyway?), and deeply optimistic that no one brought in an AK-47. That’s the glory of the friendly Welsh: no bag searches and no pat-downs. Hell, they didn’t even ask for ID at the ticket collection desk.


Photo by Julia Wallace


Photo by Julia Wallace

All the optimism paid off. For a band that seemed to all but disappear following the success of Mezzanine they certainly maintained the ability to mesmerise a crowd. The set focused mainly on new material largely unknown to the audience – who didn’t seem to mind – and the sound was
strong and crystal clear. Something that became especially obvious when the beautiful and talented Deborah Miller began to sing “Safe from Harm”  and the whole room held their breath. Another highlight came when they played the new tune “Split the Atom” which was accompanied by a flawlessly synchronized light show. The energy emanating from the stage to the crowd was almost tangible. For two hours, time stood still for the 2000 people in attendance.


Photo by Julia Wallace

The gig was one of three charity shows in the UK for the band’s “Hoping Foundation” which provides grants to support community projects working with children in Palestinian refugee camps. That, along with the facts, statistics, and quotes (ranging from Wordsworth to Aung San Suu Kyi) which scrolled across a screen behind the stage proved they are still politically conscious in all the right ways.


Photo by Julia Wallace

And that is what I love about Great Britain. This is a place with a unique ability to support music in any environment, and make even the Newport Leisure Centre feel just like Carnegie Hall.

[Julia Wallace is a longtime listener of The Ongoing History of New Music and is currently studying in Wales.  I’ve dispatched her to cover Hole’s show in London, too.  If you’ve been to a cool show, feel free to send it our way.  We might just publish it. But we’ll ask first.]
 

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