Tonight was a showcase of the very best virtuoso guitar players and musicians from around the globe. It was a schooling in technical brilliance. From the ambient shredding of Polish guitarist Jakub Zytecki and his band to the future Jazz stylings of New York’s quartet Sungazer to the sublime progressive stylings of Australian Plini and his band. Between these three bands there was enough ground covered in styles that just opened the mind to what is possible when outside the box thinking and approaches are applied, to take things even further the box has been destroyed and free form technical brilliance shone.
A super crowded stage featured three drum kits and an assortment of gear leaving little room for the performers, but somehow, they managed to make it work.
Jakub Zytecki and his eight and six string guitars took us through a journey of ambient shredding. Melodic, gentle yet beautifully aggressive in places this three-piece lock into a journey and like a vacuum you are sucked in head first. With progressive undertones the rhythm section finds that perfect groove and create a lush bed for Zytecki to play over. Samples, loops and synth add textures as well. Each player’s role within the orchestration and delivery of these songs is placed perfectly, allowing for space where it is needed, texture and contours are abundant.
The most remarkable thing about Zytecki and his playing is in the way he plays, his approach to the fretboard, how he understands that its more about the notes than the effects, it’s how he plays his instrument and connects with it to create sounds and tones through technique alone. There is a dream state found in the way this band performs it’s easy to get lost in but most of all it is engaging progressive, ambient goodness. If you get the opportunity to check out Zytecki I highly recommend it.
Zytecki’s bass player Marcin Kicyk celebrated his birthday tonight as well and a capacity Max Watts sang him an incredible version of Happy Birthday which truly took the bass player by surprise. While there is nothing new about singing Happy Birthday, tonight you could see and feel the emotive impact it had on Kicyk.
As Zytecki’s band cleared the stage and made way for New York’s Sungazer there was an element of anticipation. I was pre warned by a friend in the crowd just how good these guys were, knowing he had travelled from Tasmania just to see them my curiosity piqued. I was truly blown away within the first song. There is a personality in what these guys do, that is best described as fun. I was truly blown away within the first song. With hints of EDM underlying the groove of jazz, these guys do technical ability and truly are musicians, musicians.
Time signatures that melt the mind and alter music the way is heard either each member playing in a different signature ultimately coming back into time, chaos versus time executed perfectly. The fun of basic dance moves with the Sungazer two step and complex grooves. their banter and energy were top notch. Saxophonist Jared Yee is a beast of a player and truly does add depth to the bands sound and got my MVP for the set.
The grooves were huge, both bass and drums were awe inspiring playing along with technically stunning guitar work live they were outstanding in their meshing of old and new ideas. I would love to see these guys do a headline show. If you want fun and talent Sungazer, have it in spades.
The stage cleared yet again unveiling a clean and simple playground for Plini and his band to play on. From the band initially asking the packed Max Watts to move to the left of right of the room to create a wall of death which unfortunately didn’t happen. The chill inspiring opening notes of ‘The Red Fox’ there was a magic to the way this band performs live. While technical in its delivery the beauty in which it is executed is simply breath taking, we were being eased into what would become not a concert but an experience.
The atmospheric jazz undertone of ‘I’ll Tell You Someday’ sat beautifully under Pliny’s effortless melodic mastery. It was during ‘Papelillo’ that we got a taste of the heavier side of Plini. ‘Ember’ the second of the three tracks from the latest offering “Mirage” is one of those tracks that is an emotion provoking trip and personally one of my favourites. I myself found myself completely captivated and emerged into tonight’s performance using only recordings on my phone to identify tracks from tonight’s set.
With the tastes and styles that flowed through the night it was simply amazing seeing how fans interpreted these songs. From sway, dancing and even the small group of guys that created a mini mosh for some songs. There was one guy in the crowd who simply didn’t stop head banging whether the songs suited or not. Fans were mesmerised and engaged on all levels. Watching he capacity crowd tonight gave so many different insights to who Plini’s music appeals to, from people who simply soaked up the aural delights and at times dream like state of the catalogue to the heavy progressive dynamics.
Closing tonight’s set with ‘Electric Sunshine’ we were treated to an extended jam featuring Jakub Zytecki, Jared Yee and the guitarist from Sungazer (I apologise for forgetting your name) improvising and enhancing the track each player seemingly pushing the other to go one better it was a battle of musicality, technical ability and pure talent.
Tonight was a complete journey through the catalogue of Plini. There was a lot of time and consideration when putting this show together its a visual and audible treat. Production and sound were sublime, perfectly fitting to the journey Plini and his band took us on. If you get the chance this is a must-see show, and if you are unfamiliar this is an artist you need to hear simply out of curiosity as there is something for everyone in what Plini does.
Plini Setlist: The Red Fox, I’ll Tell You Someday, Papelillo, Ember, Impulse Voices, Still Life, Handmade Cities, Subhead, Flaneur, Cascade, Paper Moon, Pan, Electric Sunshine
Photos by Shot By Slaidins Photography
With thanks to Dallas Does PR for the media access.
