University
of Edinburgh Old College Quad, Edinburgh
Four
stars
A
horned creature is projected in mid-leap across the full back wall of The
Robert Adam designed Old Quad at the opening of this Friday night multi-media spectacular,
which set live paintings by Russian artist Maria Rud against a psychedelic
soundtrack by a Scots-American supergroup. Created by Rud and Rezillos singer
Fay Fife under the banner of The AniMotion Show, the night is ushered in by the
tribal rhythms of DJ Dolphin Boy. Rud stands to one side leaning busily over
her instant creations, wiping away the image of the beast as she conjures a
gothic looking backdrop into being. Her hand and head bob into view on the wall
as if she’s manipulating the creepiest of doll’s houses.
Into
the darkness below steps majestic-looking former Rock Follies star Rula Lenska,
who lends her fruity cut-glass tones to a reading of Edgar Allan Poe’s epic
poem, The Raven.
As
she departs, extravagantly caped former Cramp and Bad Seed Kid Congo Powers is
joined by Fife and a black-clad Martin Metcalfe of The Filthy Tongues and
Goodbye Mr Mackenzie. The rhythm section of Rezillos bassist Chris Agnew and
Skids drummer Mike Baillie completes the line-up of what could be a Hammer horror
house-band let out from some Haight-Ashbury crypt for the night to whip up an
unholy musical storm.
Fife
plays trippy organ and theremin, snarling her dervish-like way across the Old
Quad steps, her voice erupting with hitherto undiscovered Grace Slick style
dimensions. With the band raising their hands to meet their maker, Lenska
appears for another recitation. As diabolical iconography appears behind,
jungle drums ramp up the Juju, with Powers incanting lasciviously like a
defrocked hellfire preacher. Garage-band wig-outs rumble, bump and grind behind
him to conclude a monumental after-hours experience.
The Herald, October 1st 2018
Ends
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