| Reviews: |
New Zealand Herald, 1994 by Russell Baillie
Punk, funk, rap, and an entree of metal. What more could the young modern rock fan want from an evening out?
Apart, that is, from a venue that doesn't have a strangely allergic reaction to any music relying on volume or detail, as the Logan Campbell Centre did to the punky, funky, hip-hop jumble that constitutes a Beastie Boys show these days.
The LA crew returned with a new album, ILL Communication, after last year's stunner at the Powerstation. It was a show less taxing on adrenalin but just as memorable for the musical magical mystery tour the Beasties played guide to.
Early up though, were the band's tour mates, Helmet. The New York group with a reputation for "cerebral" metal initially sounded fearsome, with their shards of white-noise guitar and distinctive rhythm section which relied more on Richter scale groove than grinding riffs.
At the same time, they wore you down with the dynamic-free uniformity of approach to each song.
By the end, Helmet ended up feeling more like a musical head-butt than brain-metal.
The Beasties took to the stage with a rap charge, with the Three Stooges of hip-hop - MCA, Ad-Rock and Mike D displaying the sort of dizzying co-ordination on their microphones that would Impress an aerobics instructor.
They spent roughly a third of the time playing instruments as well - MCA on electric and double bass. Ad-Rock on guitar and Mike D on occasional drums.
With the backing of DJ Hurricane on percussion, the one-man smoke-machine Eric Bobo, and keyboard, whiz Money Mark, they swerved through punk blasts like Tough Guy, more rap, dub-fusion excursions like Something's Got To Give. a bit more rap and heavy fuzzy-bass, and Shaft-guitared funk like Gratitude, before going out on a monstrous Sabotage as an encore.
These days sounding like half a dozen (and growing) bands rolled into one outfit with brattish-attitude, the Beastle Boys again proved a bewildering live experience. |
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