Open Space Gigs ~ by Nick the Bookman ~ Tue, April 5, 2016

O.K. It's time to drift from the Dark Void of Deep Space to the cramped confines of Open Space where the second of two spell binding Dj shows is about to start. Our genial host is Jim who's linked up with Nipper, Danny from Sai Kung who performs scintillating drum and bass under the musical alias Launch Code and Caspar who's adding his personalized touches of live trumpet to this magical mélange. It's the second gig in less than a month for this Fab Foursome. I did my best to try and attend the first, but it took place during that recent chill spell. The coldest one in HK for more years than I care to remember. I thought I'd lost most extremities on the walk up the hill, but they'd only rolled down my trouser leg. Frozen sweat cubes galore. Still, it wasn't a patch on the poor stuntman who had a very exposed role in Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight". Boy, did he earn his money. You won't forget the scene when you see it. Deals with Sam Jackson's character describing a warm "meal" he gives to the poor stunt guy character before offing him. It's a frigid Moebius loop stutter stop-starting in my head.

So, completely botched the first "chill" session up the hill, but another one came along a couple of weeks later.Basically, the quirky quartet has reunited. And it was a mind-blowing gig. And I speak as a veteran mindblowee. A great crowd inside and out. The weather was warmer and a lot of people got to do their funky thisthats and desedoes. I was particularly entranced by Ricardo from Portugal's unhinged glee in showing off his dexterous dance moves. Supported by two recent sweetheart arrivals from somewhere else in Iberia. A big hi to Rita and Anna. Always nice to watch your "dirty dancing" and chat in the mainstream.

I knew what I wanted to write a few months ago when I jotted down some guide notes to steer me straight. Can't find the right pages in the book now so I'm going to have to trust to memory yet green (a tribute to The (late) Good Doctor Asimov). But enough teasing. Come, meet the crew. As I look stage left to right I see Nipper, then Danny, then Jim and finally Caspar in the middle background. The ongoing performance is relentless. Everything flows while disparate elements coalesce, collide, splinter, drift into majestic patterns of overlay. With free bonus extra icing on top intermingling to create a pan-surround sound experience that leaves jaws clearly agape in disbelief. The FX noises are whimsical fun. Bliss bleeps and blip beats. (try saying that fast 5 times in a row without trip-hammering your tongue to oblivion).

And now you've unfurled your tongue, we'll keep moving and grooving. Nipper is smiley solid behind his neon lit FX pad. Ooh the colours are a flash blast. Nipper is administering five finger death punches to the chunky shiny buttons. Co-ordinating and conducting huge "whooshes" of sonic joynoise. About a foot away, Danny (aka LaunchCode) is dipping frenziedly in and out of the mix.His drum and bass tribal percussive vibe is speed-hammer relentless. Cyborgs on crank couldn't do it any better or faster. He's sharing DJ duties with Gavin whose tasty set is poised midway 'twixt what is and what will ever be. Led Zeppelin know what I mean even if I don't.

Jim is next to Danny (and apologies for erroneously outing you as an accidental Antipodean in my last story!) What was I thinking apart from ooh, mushrooms good! No, not really, this is all cyber-druggery. Sorry, another mindwise wrong route. Jim is sort of the "lead guitar" in this fluctuating combo. Plays most of the unnamed songs and tunes while leaving lots of Open Space for his coevals to crash in and out of in a joyous reverb of rhythms. And finally, there's Caspar "Morricone" and his triumphant trumpet. The sound with slight mute and quavery floating fun notes is Spaghetti Western aural tumbleweeds and tin shacks in the fringes of Monument Valley. The rutted round-up-those-dawgies cattle drive routes. Gunfights, glares and giant eyeballs are yours for the taking. The trumpet drifts hazily in a way above and through the bedlam below. And the boys are relentless. They go on and on. Nipper is omnipresent, shaping and sifting the sounds. The others are weaving in and out of the mix. Short breaks for mutual appreciation. They're going to go all night, but I don't have the stamina to match so I bunk out about 0300. But I will be back for more I vow while walking down the hill. This time armed with a flashlight. No repeat of my arse ride from hell down the hill because I couldn't see the path. Hope there's another event ASAP. And there was in the time zone known as Easter. I was invited to bring some CD's up by Jim, but hadn't made the daily crust and by the time that was done, it was too late to go...

But, I'm up for the next one. Got some great new sounds to inflict upon you. Inflict? Sorry, I mean entertain. And coming up are The Proclaimers, Bjorn Again and the one and only Hoff as in "Don't Hassle The... They'll be entertaining the sweaty masses at this weekend's HK Sevens. Will KITT be there? See you all on the other side of the Stadium...

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