Kevin Kendall's Deep Skies Experience

by David Vass · Photo: Richard Doyle 24 September 2019

Visit most of the various musical venues in Norwich, and I’ll warrant you will do so with a preconception of the kind of act you’re going to see. The exception is surely Epic Studios, frequently playing host to the eccentric and undefinable that doesn’t easily fit in anywhere else, which can make an evening down Magdalen Street one of the more quirky and intriguing prospects on offer in the city. Such was the case with Kevin Kendall’s Deep Skies experience – not a gig or concept, you’ll note, but an experience.

It was a little surprising to see a relatively standard band set up on stage - as a modest sized audience took to their seats, I idly speculated what sort of experience we were going to get from banks of synthesisers, guitar and flute, other than a relatively normal one. The answer quickly emerged as, accompanied by a NASA countdown, unassuming Kevin emerged with his band and unceremoniously launched into an hour of unapologetic ambient space noises. Flanked by two large screens, onto which were projected quite extraordinary images of space that were genuinely impressive, this was obviously going to be a very different night out.

Comparisons can be invidious and obvious, but the likes of Tangerine Dream and Brain Eno sprang to mind, as did the more recent work of Andrew Lahiff and Max Richter. What set Kendall’s compositions apart was Brian Abbott’s glissando guitar which brought a much-needed edge to a synthesised sound that might otherwise have simply washed over the audience. Reminiscent of Steve Hillage’s down tempo Mirror System project (System 7 without the thumping dance beat) Abbott’s playing added humanity to what might otherwise been a sterile sound. Aided and abetted in this endeavour was Nigel Shaw who, when not on knob twiddling duty, played something dangerously close to a melody on various flutes. Granted, this occasionally brought to mind flotation tanks and aromatherapy rather than deep space, but Kendall generally kept things on course with well-timed symphonic crescendos and the occasional euphoric whooshing sound.

It was a great pity that the logistics of the venue prevented the accompanying visuals being better integrated into the performance. While it is usually a bonus to be up close and personal with the band this meant that a conscious decision was required to turn away in order to take a peek at the Horseshoe Nebula or the Belt of Orion. It was always worth it, the images offered up being consistently more diverting than three middle-aged blokes noodling, but the effort could hardly be described as an immersive. Had the images been projected behind the musicians, or at least within the same sightline, the description of “experience” would have made more sense and been closer to how I imagine Kendall hoped. Nonetheless this remained a particular and elevating evening that had me turning my mind towards the cosmic infinity of the universe, my utter insignificant place in it, and all that sort of stuff. Granted, I also turned my mind to whether I needed to fill my car with petrol, what the weather was going to be like tomorrow, and whether to visit my mum next weekend, but such is the nature of music that, in the words of Brian Eno, “can be actively listened to with attention or as easily ignored, depending on the choice of the listener”.

Sadly, after an hour many in the audience took the latter option, sloping off during the interval to leave behind rows of empty seats. Some, such as the pair who had chatted distractedly and disrespectfully throughout the first half, were clearly unimpressed. Others, though - including the woman who told the first pair to shut up - departed despite previously appearing fully engaged. Perhaps an hour of ambience is as much as even devotees can bear. This was a Sunday night, after all, and we all had homes to go to. A great shame, though, as they missed out on a much stronger second set, with a greater musical sense breaking through, providing a welcome contrast to the somewhat shapeless first act. I could listen to this sort of thing all day, but objectively Kendall’s laudable wish to provide value for money made for an evening that I would have to concede went on a little too long. Next time round, I’d suggest trimming down to a single set of ninety minutes, give it a more defined shape, and get those all-important visuals properly integrated into the show. Now that really would be an experience.