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Live Reviews
The Thing, London, October 4, 2011
John Sharpe
John first fell under the spell of free jazz in the 1970s when he wistfully regarded the loft jazz scene from across the AtlanticBut the closer was another hell-raiser, though deceptively stemming from lower case textures for bowed bass and Gustafsson's percussive keypad pops. Nilssen-Love struck cymbals with his hands and then moved them against the drum heads to attenuate their resonance. Nonetheless together they unerringly escalated to another relentless motif, breaking only for a whirlwind drum solo. Håker Flaten stood poised throughout, ready to hit for the next unison. When it came it introduced a fantastic stop-start passage, variously underpinned by a hi hat continuo or arco screams in the pauses, until all three screeched to a perfectly synchronized halt. The ecstatic applause greeting the conclusion confirmed The Thing as one of the best live bands out there, combining gut-wrenching excitement and visceral power.
