Watching TRICKY tonight, it slowly dawned on me (with a certain sense of embarrassment) that I don’t actually know the names of any of his songs. Which is appalling when you think about it. 26 year old male, loves alternative music, and has clearly heard every Tricky album vicariously through friends over the course of my music loving life. It also seems wrong that in eleven years of festival-going, our paths haven’t crossed either. His performance tonight as part of the annual NME Award shows is an opportunity to rectify this, and my mind has happily been blown away.
Tricky 2009 seems to be very much a band effort, with the main man himself sitting out of several songs as and when necessary. This was essentially a rock show, and it’s rocked more than many things that were meant to in recent years. Over the course of the set, this audience of predominantly Guardian-reading white folk are treated to classics that still sound cutting edge and new stuff that is enough to enamour the yoof of today, who are sadly notable in their absence tonight.
They should remain a band. They have everything. At times, more snarling and explosive than The Prodigy in their high points, at others, total trip-hop, roll me a joint I need to appreciate this kind of stuff. There are so many moments tonight that make pussies out Rage Against The Machine (even back when they meant it), but before you know it, you’re being treated to some sublime funk riff and the whole tone has changed once again.
There are so few that can draw on a multitude of genres and build something utterly unique and genre-creating in its own right. Tricky is one of those, who could no more be called a hip-hop artist as he could a rock star. Here we have a jack of all trades, and master of them all as well.
I’d like to know the names of all the musicians that make up the six-piece Tricky outfit onstage tonight. The bassist is very special indeed – a solid force throughout the gig, providing some of enticing riffs I’ve heard in a long time. His co-vocalist (who I really should know the name of) adds weight to the performance, and takes centre stage on many occasions with her versatile range that does ball-busting rock chick just as well as sensual chill-out.
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The encore is special – without knowing songs I don’t know quite how many were played, but they roll into one in some effortless celebration that steals half an hour of your life without you even noticing. The night builds into a wall of tune, that seems to hold you in the same place for a long time. It’s a mesmerising end that results in boos when the curfew is called.
Whether Tricky enjoyed tonight is another matter. He got away with flouting the smoking ban during the opening instrumental number, possibly by doing it with his back to the crowd. But later, the keyboardist is caught out and soon Tricky is joined onstage by a security guard who is keen to uphold the law. He leaves the stage hoping never to play the venue again, but I don’t think it’s the crowd's fault.
There is a feeling, looking around the audience, of watching ‘This Life +10.’ Youthful minds disguised behind crows feet, people start drifting away towards the end, saddened to realise that they’re concerned about getting up for work in the morning. That’s not to say anything for enthusiasm, though. Music is meant to be from the heart and everyone here has that. A stunning gig, and a timely reminder that I should have sat up and taken notice a long time ago.
Next time, I’ll have names of band members and a knowledge of what was played. For now, I’ll remain amazed and kicking myself for not exploring this before. In five years time, Tricky fans should take their kids to his gigs, and let a whole new generation discover this one for themselves.
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