|
When Joe Strummer and the Mescaleroes hit the stage last night, it was with a new confidence. But it's not just the band who have smoothed out the bumps and mellowed into a powerful, cohesive force. The audience were also confident, roaring and cheering en masse, the instant Joe appeared. And it wasn't the Clash they were waiting for - it was the Mescaleroes. The crowd even rocked right along to tunes off the first Mesky's album, which were salt and peppered throughout the entire set. But then, the Mescaleroes were throwing everything behind these pumped up live renditions of X-Ray Style, Tony Adams and Yalla Yalla. Scott was pulling all the stops on the keyboards and guitar. Simon was slapping and jamming on bass. Luke was whipping the drum kit. The trumpet and sax leads, by Martin and Scott, respectively, were indeed breathtaking. And then of course there is Tymon bringing those old tunes alive in a way they've never been performed before. |
 |
 |
And Joe - ah, Joe! - Joe was getting down and dirty on the nuance of some of his vocals, crooning in a bass key that hit you (well, me, at least...:) directly in the groin. He was full of strength and confidence when he played it up and howled and pointed at Scott's guitar and demanded, "Play that thing! Play it properly!!!" He even jumped down into the no-man's land in front of the stage during one song to chum it up with the audience. And when he did, the stage seemed strangely empty without him. In a word - wow! But the show stopper, without a doubt, was the hottest skankin'est version of Bindhi that band has ever cranked out. Even Joe said, "That was the best Bindhi I've ever had!" |
 The Mescaleroes played tighter and more fluidly than they ever have before. I've seen all but one of their Tokyo gigs - and I only missed that one because I was so danced out from the gig the night before that I couldn't move the next day. I even caught them at Fuji and, more recently, at Asagiri. And though at both the Liquid Room last night and at Asagiri two days earlier they had finished pre-encore with the same Clash song (Sunday, Monday... SATURDAY!!) and both times the crowd had gone wild, everyone was already well-primed on an almost non-stop Mesky's set. At both gigs they also played Message for Rudi as a tribute to local bands the Ska Flames and Ska Paradise Orchestra. The mere mention of these two bands electrified the crowd and made them proud. They also played Roaming in tribute to Max Romeo and, as always, the reggae that Joe and the band delivers is heartfelt and deep. And the one new song that they featured at both gigs, called Get Down Moses, ripped through the crowd with its fresh 'n' funky bass and catchy chorus. And that means there's more to come. Just as there was when the crowd started howling for a second encore. |
"No way," said someone nearby, "I've seen the set-list. That's it!"They didn't know that - they just kept right on clapping. But everyone instinctively knew that it was special when the Mesky's came back out and launched into another two songs. First up was another new tune called Sanpo Suru In Harajuku, which contained crack-up lyrics like "still hanging with the Fuji crew, and munching on a piece of fugu" (hope I got that right, sorry if not but that's very close...:). In short, Joe Strummer and the Mescaleroes rocked. And, in turn, they rocked our world. Thank you Joe and Scott and Martin and Simon and Luke and Tymon! Till next time... *jude is responsible for Tokyo Q, the one of the most useful and vivid Tokyo Guid for Nu Generation. PLS check it out. |
| report by sisterchill and photos by hanasan |
|
The official site Joe Strummer http://www.strummersite.com/ strummerville http://www.strummerville.com/ The latest album  "Global a Go-Go " : (US import / UK import / 国内盤)
"Rock Art and the X-Ray Style " : (US import / UK import / 国内盤) DVD "Straight To Hell" : (国内盤） "Rude Boy" : (国内盤） "Essential Clash" : (US import - region free / 国内盤 "Westway to the World" : (US import / 国内盤） |
check this The Clash London Calling The 25th Anniversary Edition (国内盤 / US import) アルバムのチェックする？ |
 2004 no title : THE SKATALITES with THE SKA FLAMES,THE BOLDIES (20th Sept. @ Shibuya Quattor)blessed to witness this show... : Ben Harper & The Innocent Crimiinals (5th Mar '04 @ Shibuya AX)
2002Rock wo suru... in Shinjuku : Joe Strummer &The Mescaleros (1st Oct '02 @ Shinjuku Liquid Room)no title : Elvis Costello (7th Jul '02 @ Shibuya Kokaido)2000Old Fela's Son Shines Bright : Femi Kuti And The Positive Force (14th Apr '00 @ Shinjuku Liquid Room)Double De Dub... : Adrian Sherwood and Scream Team DJs at Aoyama Cay (11th Feb '00 @ Aoyama Cay)Captive in the casbah... : Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros (18th Jan '00 @ Akasaka Blitz)
|