All Tomorrow’s Parties
Minehead Butlin’s, Somerset
27th April, 2007

View: sea-all, hear-all

ATP’s first day saw the majestic, violent, string-led typhoon of curators Dirty Three followed by the lacklustre Devastations and incoherent wailing of Josh Pearson. Day Two started better with the widescreen alt.country of Magnolia Electric Co. and demented techno apocalypse of Alan Vega. Spirtualized Acoustic Mainline upped the ante with Jason Pierce’s understated croon backed by three gospel singers, gorgeous strings and organ. The result, on a near-rapturous Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space, was awe-inspiring. Nick Cave also had designs on our heartstrings with a charged The Ship Song. He returned after a short interval with Grinderman, plus Bobby Gillespie on tambourine. This is Cave feral, rampant and hilarious, stomping through No Pussy Blues. Papa M, aka David Pajo of Slint, kicks Sunday off spookily with his minimal, intimate acoustic numbers. Harp heroine Joanna Newsom is a little too precious and reverent. White Magic, by contrast, the most under-attended gig of the weekend, offer complex, meandering raga-folk. As things wind up with Cave again, you wonder, why can’t every weekend be like this?

Reviewed by Emily Mackay
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