The advance of technology, both in computer and software power and relative affordability, has enabled the single person musical endeavor to reach dizzying heights of complexity and professional sound quality in a very short amount of time; no-fi bedroom four track tapers a la LOU BARLOW in his SENTRIDOH days are still around, but now by choice. IAN PARTON is one of this new breed, a young guy with a crateful of cool records, an old sampler, and a head full of ideas, which he used to put together one of the most satisfying musical stews in recent memory with the 2004 release of Thunder Lightning Strike, a creation solely stitched together from samples and his playing a variety of instruments. Entitled
THE GO! TEAM (not to be confused with the THE GO TEAM, a name used to identify a changing collective which produced a year-long series of monthly seven inch singles from K records a decade and a half ago, one of which featured KURT COBAIN), the melange of playground chants, fat Stax/Volt horns, indie rock guitar and overall exuberance quickly caught on with a large audience, and he was forced to recruit like-minded people in an attempt to bring the sound out on the road and into the clubs.
I was curious as to how the living and breathing version of The Go! Team would match the cerebral vision in Ian’s head. It’s hard to have a focal point when the stage is filled with six people who periodically swap instruments, but it’s tough to mistake NINJA as anything other than the de facto front person. Decked out in a hot pink terry cloth jumpsuit, rainbow knee highs and silver adidas, she was singing, laughing, jumping, clapping and generally having more fun in ninety minutes than some people can manage in several years’ time. You’d have to be deaf, blind, and hardened not to have fun at a show like this – double drummers, a multi-cultural and gender combo pumping out a hard mix of cop chase scenes, double dutch jumps, funky breakbeats, after-school specials and Schroeder (as in Peanuts) piano lines. I’m about as Anglo-Saxon/Scandinavian as they come, and at forty-one more than a bit reserved, but I was dancing around like the spirit of JAMES BROWN visited me for a moment. The sold-out building was similarly prodded into action and motion.
Starting straight for the jugular with “The Power Is On”, there was never any letup. Despite relying on samples to provide the horns (a live horn section would have been great, but logistically tough to pull off – despite the roadie scurrying around early to fix some things, the samples never sounded out of place or synch), everything else was 100% human-powered. The setlist was a great mix of the first two records, though the ENNIO MORRICONE-inflected “Phantom Broadcast” was missed, and CHUCK D wasn’t on hand for “Flashlight Fight,” but the massive pump ups were in full bloom – “Huddle Formation,” “Panther Dash” with its awesome harmonica solo straight over the top of the Hawaii 5-0 drums, courtesy of Ian, “Ladyflash,” “Grip Like A Vice,” and set closer “Titanic Vandalism.” The high point for me was when the SONIC YOUTH -like opening chords from KAORI TSUCHIDA blew straight into “Junior Kickstart” – holy christ, it was like a downpour of manna on the heads of starving pilgrims, and just a bonus when guitarist SAM DOOK would periodically launch from stage right and land in a crouch and power chord. Seriously one the high points of the year, and that horn chart is sheer brilliance. If I was a man of means readying a wedding celebration, there would be little doubt I’d arrange for The Go! Team to provide the party music. Sheer fun at most potent.
Openers MATT AND KIM took the stripped down basics of drums and electronic keyboards, infused them with a gallon of witty between-songs banter and a thorough dousing of infectious energy, and more than killed the time before The Go! Team took the stage. This sort of music is nothing I’d ever find myself actively seeking out and listening to, but in the live context it was a lot of fun. Now located in Brooklyn but having local roots (Matt from Vermont and behind the keyboard, Kim from Providence, RI and sitting on the drum stool) meant that some friends are relatives were on hand to lend support, including Kim’s dad. Moving their equipment right up to the front edge of the stage put them in close proximity to the fairly sizable audience, but they would have easily bridged any distance with their instantly likable personalities. If a mix of
THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS and 70’s dance pop anthems sounds palatable, dig in.
more Go! Team photos
