Islam Chipsy & EEK @ NAC
Ends my live music year on a high
2015 has been a vintage year of live music for this fan, with 71 gigs and 159 different artists. For the 72nd - and final (probably) - gig of the year, I'm back at NAC for Cairo's electrowizard Islam Chipsy and his percussion duo EEK.
First up, Outline faves BK & Dad are set up on the floor in front of the stage, backlit in stark monochrome by two white lights set at shoulder height. What can I say about Leo and Pip that I haven't said before? It’s the fifth time I’ve seen them this year and they seem to get better with every show. From opener Loggerhead, even the familiar songs are being twisted into new shapes, with the thunderous Kicking Stone and Runaway being highlights of another superb set.
Straight outta Cairo come Islam Chipsy & EEK. Chipsy is trained in Arabic classical music and is clearly a virtuoso, unleashing barrages of notes and tones from his keyboard. Flanking him, Islam Ta’Ta and Khaled Mando are in almost supernatural unison on drums and percussion. The sound has its roots in the Middle East but takes in influences from Western dance and electronic music, psyche and even spacerock, with touches of Faithless, Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy. This is loosely - very loosely - exploring similar territory to System7 or Trans-Global Underground but coming to the West from the East rather than the other way round.
Heavy but melodic, intense but good natured, Chipsy and EEK whip up a storm for the small but enthusiastic crowd. If I have a criticisms, the volume and intensity are such that things do get a little samey towards the end. Maybe a vocal spot (or some projections) could give some visual variety to what is otherwise a fantastic set that ends my live music year on a high.
Roll on 2016.
