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Review: Rob Lord
WHEN I hear Peter Parker speak, my southern bias makes me think
he’d be better suited to raising whippets and wearing a
flat cap rather than forming one half of the mighty Fingathing.
However, this northern lad bypassed the kennel and flat cap shop
for a set of decks and his mate, Sneaky’s double bass and
we’re the better for it.
Fingathing came to Brixton Ritzy for a strange, surreal gig.
Playing screen 1 in the cinema, the crowd were seated and Fingathing
crowded onto the stage.
Fortunately, The Ritzy isn’t my local Cineworld and is
rather pleasant architecturally. It only took a couple of tunes
before the crowd were dancing in the isles and all was [more]
normal.
Anyway, Fingathing are a decks and double bass combo. This gig,
promoting their ‘best of: the first five years of Fingathing',
was a rip-roaring 10 rounder heavyweight fight.
The basslines vibrated my seat and Parker's relentless scratching
singed my ears.
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The breaks and beats pounded the
poor building and it wouldn’t surprise me to see it condemned.
Despite the onslaught, Fingathing can produce moments of tenderness
and emotion. A soft bassline and a gentle scratch to bring you
down to earth.
But such moments don’t last long before the next sucker-punch
to the head.
The highlight of the gig was Superhero Music, backed
with fantastic visuals on the cinema screen - the tune whisks
you off to another world. It’s the tune to listen to before
running into the boxing ring; far smarter and ultimately more
cool than Simply the Best. If only those boxers had taste.
We were also treated to Parker freestyling on his drum machine
and Sneaky performing a solo on the bass. Pele was blessed with
talented feet, these boys are equally blessed with talented fingers.
At the end, when most bands sneak out the back and wait for the
encore, Fingathing found they had no backstage and stood there
awkwardly wondering what to do with themselves.
Fortunately, the crowd demanded more and we were back to the
scratch and bass they do best.
Fingathing blew away the Brixton Ritzy and I, for one, hope they
come back as soon as possible.
FINGATHING (Grand Central) live
Ritzy Cinema Screen 1
Brixton Oval, London SW2 1JG.
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