Trash Cans. Pots. Pans.
I caught Stomp ‘live’ at Meiqi Majestic Theatre, Shanghai, on Saturday evening.
I was so looking forward to watch this group of percussionists does their stint ‘live’. Many years ago, they went to Singapore to perform but I missed them, because I was a poor student then.
7.45pm. Lights in the hall dimmed, then finally went out. Action began on stage.
They made percussion music with all kinds of things that we use in our daily lives. Big items like brooms, pots, pans, washbasins, etc to small items like matchstick boxes, cigarette lighters, and even groceries plastic bags!
Before I watched it, I thought that this was going to be purely percussion music, meaning there is only rhythm, no melody. However, it turned out to be melodious as well. Using different water levels in the washbasins, the guys made some real hot music out of it!
Symphonic to the ears. Reverberant in the heart.
1.5 hours of performance. Sadly, I could not bring myself to say that it was ‘1.5 hours of excellent performance.”
The solo items were a little boring as quite a number of the rhythms are repetitive. Musicians used mainly the small ‘instruments’ for these items. They did a nice clean job, but too bad it lacked the oomph!. I think mainly because there was no bass, no melody, and the rhythms were getting repetitive.
The group items were more a lot more entertaining and impressive. The vibrations resonated all the way from the stage to my heart. They were loud. But to me this is what percussion music should be. Special mention of one stint where two players were suspended in mid-air and they were hitting an array of pots and pans, plastic and metal, big and small, making incredible exotic music. Wohoa!
The musicians were very fun loving too. Every now and then, they would involve the audience in doing synchronous clapping. We amused ourselves when we made a mess of it. Ha!
On the whole, Stomp did not blow me off my feet. But for RMB 200.00, it was good entertainment for a boring Sat evening.
I was so looking forward to watch this group of percussionists does their stint ‘live’. Many years ago, they went to Singapore to perform but I missed them, because I was a poor student then.
7.45pm. Lights in the hall dimmed, then finally went out. Action began on stage.
They made percussion music with all kinds of things that we use in our daily lives. Big items like brooms, pots, pans, washbasins, etc to small items like matchstick boxes, cigarette lighters, and even groceries plastic bags!
Before I watched it, I thought that this was going to be purely percussion music, meaning there is only rhythm, no melody. However, it turned out to be melodious as well. Using different water levels in the washbasins, the guys made some real hot music out of it!
Symphonic to the ears. Reverberant in the heart.
1.5 hours of performance. Sadly, I could not bring myself to say that it was ‘1.5 hours of excellent performance.”
The solo items were a little boring as quite a number of the rhythms are repetitive. Musicians used mainly the small ‘instruments’ for these items. They did a nice clean job, but too bad it lacked the oomph!. I think mainly because there was no bass, no melody, and the rhythms were getting repetitive.
The group items were more a lot more entertaining and impressive. The vibrations resonated all the way from the stage to my heart. They were loud. But to me this is what percussion music should be. Special mention of one stint where two players were suspended in mid-air and they were hitting an array of pots and pans, plastic and metal, big and small, making incredible exotic music. Wohoa!
The musicians were very fun loving too. Every now and then, they would involve the audience in doing synchronous clapping. We amused ourselves when we made a mess of it. Ha!
On the whole, Stomp did not blow me off my feet. But for RMB 200.00, it was good entertainment for a boring Sat evening.
posted by Bananakiller at 4:25 PM
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