Michael Mayer on Australia Day Eve

I had half a mind to go see Mayer, but didn't in the end. I've heard pretty negative reviews since. Apparently Mark from Synesthaesia was far from impressed, and you can't have it on any higher authority than that, now, can you?

Synthaesia stopped stocking Kompakt about a year and a half ago b/c they'd drifted too close to, like, proper dance music. I'm hardly surprised that Mayer's current DJ tastes would have left Mark cold.

It's been Synesthaesia's fragments of 'proper' dance music, unlikely to be found in any other shop, that's held my interest in that place afloat; although I haven't been for a while. I couldn't give a damn for the reams of obscure field recordings and 'sound art' that form the bulk of Mark's stock - not that I haven't given it a fair listen in the past - but if the fun stuff has drifted further out of vogue toward sneerdom, then I'll take the hint.

And as for Matthew Herbert: as soon as someone reduces 'good' music down to a written manifesto, you can be sure that it's going to read far better than it will ever sound. He proved this to me last time he was in Melbourne at the Prince of Wales: the old pompous idea that a fuck-off-big party groove had to be a sacrificial lamb at the altar of 'intelligent' electronica. Put all his austere sampling doctrines and house successionism on stage - that you're required to get in order to enjoy - and it doesn't make for much of an inclusive, energetic night out. So I opted out this time round.

b-b-b-but Herbert's made luscious stuff long after he wrote his ideas/methods down

Don't know Stephen, you were about borderline going to Matt Herbert if everyone else hadn't piked! Besides he was DJing this time, it wasn't the Radioboy anti-corporate show/ bits of Bodily Functions.

As for Synesthaesia, well, Mark's got a pretty open mind with music, even if it was 'dance' or not. I just got the impression that the show was underwhelming in general.

Come on Michael, we just wanted to take drugs. Herbert was incidental. The idea died in the arse because we were too drunk and poor. But Big Kev and a couple of others turned up at the Social Club last night (and where the fuck were you btw?) and they reckoned Herbert's set was pretty good.

Yeah, I heard that Herbert was pretty good too - lots of weird minimal/bassy-tech the likes of which Melbourne hasn't heard, plus the usual hijinks of live sampling from the crowd. Oh well, shame.

Are you up for What Is Music?

P.S. I'll go to the Social Club this Sunday - I'll confirm later.

(At this point, I should probably consider email rather than a public forum)

Um. So back to Michael Mayer then?