Mars Volta in Concert

By rubiconX

How do I begin to describe such a profound experience?.....the polyrhythmic sonic assault echoing in my brain a full week later........almost akin to returning from some alien dimension where the generally accepted laws of music physics do not apply.........such being subverted into hitherto unimagined forms.

The Mars Volta live should not be written-off as a mere hybrid of live Zepplen-isms and Bitches Brew-era Miles Davis. No, they are so much more - literal descriptions doing this unique band a disservice. Nonetheless, the following will attempt to articulate the eye of the hurricane......

On the evening of January 27 2006, an eclectic ensemble of 7 talented musicians plus one demented, passionate, visually arresting vocalist proved to me how the subtlety and complexity of progressive jazz-rock fusion could successfully be interpreted within a punk / alternative aesthetic - to create something altogether fresh, vital and exciting when most other genres seem content to wallow within stylistic furrows. For the next two and a half hours we were taken on an exhilarating journey of labyrinthine twists and turns, culminating in one of the most explosive concluding sequences this scribe has ever witnessed. I tell you people, the combined energy generated by this performing paradox positively crackled from the stage, enveloping all those within its hypnotic field. It didn't matter that much of the concert appeared to veer off on improvised tangents, nor that discernible gaps between tracks were few and far between - the set list merging together into one long epic jam. No, the audience was content to give TMV total carte blanche as far as the Rock rulebook was concerned - instinctive redefinition was the order of the night.

As I took my pre-show seats, an obviously band-picked mix CD was preparing the throng for what was to come. A selection of Mississippi Delta-Blues, Southern Soul, Cuban Roots, Latin groove, Alt-Rock - and incongruously inserted into the playlist, Genesis's The Carpet Crawlers!! - somehow made perfect sense to these ears.

The band assembled on stage amidst an ambient drone and proceeded to generate a deafening single tone from all represented musical instruments - peaking with the orgiastic explosion that is Cygnus Vismund Cygnus (sans acoustic intro). Comprising three keyboards (2 full-time and one for sonic effects back-up), a powerhouse drum'n'bass combo, two percussionists (with an artillery of congas, bells, whistles, trumpets, sax and flute) and the unique guitar alchemy of Omar Rodriguez-Lopez, I soon realised that we were in for an extremely unconventional evening. The focus was of course on vocalist, Cedric Bixler-Zavala - projecting a high-pitched wail that rivals both Robert Plant and Geddy Lee for sheer audacity and visceral contrast. In fact, any other lower-ranged singer would simply be drowned out by the band's cacophonous, uncompromising live onslaught. Add to this, the spectacle of Cedric channelling the stage moves / charisma of Plant, Daltry and Iggy Pop - all lithe and sinewy one minute and pure unadulterated rage the next - and we have a sonic/visual combination teetering on the edge of nirvana. He maintains a surrealist presence, drifting, seemingly randomly at times, in and out of the pieces, content to shriek abstractly as well as delivering vocal passages of sublime intensity. It sounds like a mess, but works incredibly well live, more so in conjunction with the psychedelic lightshow that eerily illuminated a succession of abstract art backdrops throughout the course of the evening.

Then we have Cedric's musical foil, Omar. What can I say about this incredible six-string talent? Suffice to say that the man rarely played anything that represented a conventional guitar lick / chord sequence all night..........yet, the almost spastic, atonal sounds that emanated from his instrument rivalled the output of one Robert Fripp (an obvious influence). The sight of these two rather diminutive individuals was offset by the powerful, muscular presence of one of the most gifted drummers in any genre today (or yesterday, for that matter - John Theodore). Kudos should also be directed to the be-spectacled keyboardist. A BB-King look-alike who often let-rip with stunning Hammond organ flights and Korg-key colouring.........swayin'n'jivin away like Stevie Wonder on speed, a sight that belied the man's ample girth - and surprisingly, not a Mellotron in sight!

The aforementioned Cygnus was coupled with L'Via L'Viaquez and Inertiatic Esp to form the first of two continuous 35 - 50 minute suites. The highlight in this bracket for me being the Spanish - Latin/Rock alternating groove of L'Viaquez.....enhanced by a surprising Tull-like flute interlude.

A slight pause and the melancholy strains of the The Widow slowly permeate the venue - providing welcome respite with its slow-burn Classic-Rock vibe. This melted into a seabed of electronic (Kraut-like) effects provided by the second keyboardist before launching into the furious conga / guitar sequence that heralds Drunkship of Lanterns. Maaaan, this track grooves......Progressive Salsa !!

Silence......then the synthesised clanging patterns of the Frances the Mute title track begin to percolate the hushed silence (only available as a `B' side to The Widow). In tandem with more atmospheric keyboard samples, this 15 minute musique-concrete epic proves to be an ominous, unsettling portent for the frenetic mid-section to follow and its demonic / half whispered conclusion - a sort of prologue / epilogue echo of the parent album. An extraordinary sax'n'guitar transition bleeds through, the call and response dialogue between the two instruments quite breathtaking, emotional......slowly easing us back into the Comatorium with Roulette Dares - its "exoskeletal” chorus / passionate refrain finally striking the rapt audience in its collective gut. The multi-paced 25 minute suite finally concludes and we are snapped back into reality from some hyperspace realm......phew, what a rush !!

By this time my expectations were high for the final track.....and TMV did not disappoint. What followed was the icing on the proverbial cake.......the glory and sonic majesty of Cassandra Geminni (all 35 freakin' minutes - this time, sans acoustic outro). The long atmospheric sound collage of the album version was reproduced, further heightening its tension in a live context. Then, it inexplicably erupts into pulsating waves of vocal / riff-laden guitar sorcery that just simply never lets up! Cedric stalks the stage like a demon possessed, shrieking the "25 snakes" chorus over and over whilst magnetising a sea of outstretched arms like iron filings whenever venturing near the edge. The intensity was further raised with an awesome display of spontaneous scat-singing that seemed driven by bile and loathing. (well it certainly made my hairs stand on end!). Oblivious to Cedric's trance-like state, the drummer, bassist and percussionists relentlessly pound away, varying the tempo intuitively in the best Fusion tradition. It is during this frenetic sequence that all points of the Prog, Jazz and Punk compass seem to coalesce into an unholy trinity.....and I experience a kind of epiphany. I remember thinking that this was it!.......Rock music had reached its zenith and no other band performing today would ever come close to matching the sheer audacity of this exhibition. Then as abruptly as the track had earlier ignited, TMV guided Cassandra to its heart-stopping finale.

The house lights came on and no-one really lamented the lack of encore, for the setlist was perfect. Satiated, we headed for the exits to the theramin strains of the Dr Who theme.....seguing into Bowie's Life on Mars. An appropriate conclusion that reflected the band's astral-travelling muse. A band out of time and space.

Maaaaan!.....I will never listen to Neo-prog ever again. Cedric and Omar have ruined me for life, LOL!! This brings to mind something that a member of the forum associated with this e-zine expressed - rating Frances The Mute as one of his two favourite albums of 2005, stating......... "I never knew Latino's could rock so hard". Well, may I be so bold to add PROG, Psyche, Kraut, salsa, punk, etc, etc..............