Here’s the original press release from the show I went to last night. Same place I saw Monade, The High Llamas and The Sea and Cake last year.

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The hub and Accidental Records are proud to present:

THE ACCIDENTAL POWERCUT

AN EVENING OF ENTIRELY ACOUSTIC ELECTRONIC MUSIC at UNION CHAPEL on Thursday 23rd September 2004

Commencing at 8 O’clock

The night will feature the incomparable vocalist Ms Dani Siciliano and keyboard maestro Mr Phil Parnell playing the music of big band leader, producer and accordianist Mr Matthew Herbert, Mr Max de Wardener will play with his band on their incredible musical bowls and indescribable devices!!! Ms. Mara Carlyle, accompanied by her group of first-class musicians will perform songs and airs featured on her debut Long Player “The Lovely”, and Mr John Matthias singer songwriter extraordinaire.

To these esteemed artists we will add special guests who cannot be named on this piece of promotional material

Artists appearing will be playing without recourse to or assistance from electrical instruments, amplification or sound reinforcement to whit:

THEY WILL BE PLAYING ENTIRELY ACOUSTICALLY.

We believe that such a night as this, offering wholly acoustic interpretations of electronic music, is a debut presentation by any impresario or collection of performers anywhere in the world.

Tickets may be purchased using a computer connected to the World Wide Web for the sum of £10 sterling at www.unionchapel.org.uk

the hub and The Accidental Records Company assure you that this performance will be second to none!

Further information can be found at http://www.thehubuk.com/powercut.html

UNION CHAPEL

CONFIRMED EVENTS FOR WINTER SEASON ‘04

23rd September ACCIDENTAL POWERCUT

Tickets £10 from www.unionchapel.org.uk

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Aside from Dani Siciliano’s microphone problems, it all went great. Max de Wardener had these huge glass bell things that he and two other percussionists were playing, although he mostly played the bass. He also used the mamothing organ. The music really translated well from the album from what I can tell (although I’ve only heard it straight-through once). Really hipnotic, slightly Reich-y stuff.

Siciliano and Mara Carlyle both used mics – the only amplification all night. Originally it was supposed to be amplification-free, but when John Matthias sang without one you could see why they chose to birng them out (he was really hard to hear). Part of the problem with Siciliano’s mic was that it clearly wasn’t the sort you are meant to sing directly into (it was clipped to her shirt originally), and when she did sing directly into it you often got loud nose sounds and shit like that. Nothing horrendous, but a distraction. She gradually got more acustomed to it as her set went on though, and when she closed with some more upbeat tunes she was well on-form. What a voice! Sounded just like it does on the recordings. She played all Herbert songs that she originally sung on, except one from her album, if I count correctly.

John Matthias was good, but eventually started to sound like the soundtrack to I Love You, Alice B. Toklas!.

I mean, what was up with the dude who had the maracas in his pocket? Or was that not part of that show??? Poop. Can’t remember.

Mara Carlyle was fucking stunning. She opened up with her three ‘angels’ singing some hymnal shit while she played the saw. She followed that up with a good chunk of her album. Her voice is just amazing. It’s been so long since I’ve seen someone who sings across so much range that they actually use their body to get the notes out right. She kinda reminds me of Allison Moyet, but better. Totally enthralling. Really glad I went.