Nobody was really clamoring to hear it, but here’s my opinion nonetheless: live electronic music can be a bit dull to watch sometimes. No matter how compelling or original the music, the presentation of the material in a live setting often ultimately comes down to somebody pushing buttons and twiddling knobs. One need only refer to that horrendous Siddhartha thing that Billy Corgan did a couple of weeks back to understand how tedious that sort of thing can be to watch. Because of this, it’s especially appreciated when an artist goes the extra mile to, y’know, put on an actual SHOW at one of their shows and on this front, Slow Magic definitely delivered.
Wearing a full mask and costume and not saying a word during his entire performance, the man only known as Slow Magic built up a bit of a sense of mystery about his performance, although the audience at this afternoon showcase got to peer behind the veil a bit while he soundchecked for a bit, with the sound guy being perhaps a bit too thorough in getting the levels on the drum just right.
As soon as the set started, Slow Magic was very active, drumming almost continuously throughout his set, moving about through the crowd, and even inviting someone up from the crowd for a bit of an audience participation drum-off. The fact that it was all happening on the backyard patio of a Mexican restaurant only added to the vibe. Fun times.