scott walker: live
So last night at the Barbican there was a performance of songs from the last two Scott Walker records, Tilt and The Drift entitled, appropriately enough, Tilting & Drifting. Inexplicably, I was in New York and not in London last night for this performance. Why? Because I’m an idiot.
Short form: since Scott is notoriously terrified of performing live (and hasn’t done so in about 40 years), vocal chores were handled by Jarvis Cocker, Damon Albarn, Gavin Friday and a bunch of others.
Footage is now starting to trickle on to YouTube, making me even more pissed that I didn’t hop on a plane for this. Those as obsessed with Walker as I am know that in the song “Clara,” the percussion came from a man beating a side of pork. Well, from the looks of the clip below, they decided to recreate that perfectly. That whistling sound you hear is the sound of steam shooting out of my ears. More clips after the jump.
Jarvis Cocker, “Cossacks Are”
Some random opera singer and Damon Albarn, “Farmer in the City”:
Thanks for posting this! Looks like a great show.
It WAS a great show – I was there all three nights and it was an amazing experience. So good to see Scott there applauding everyone at the end of each performance, and then he took a fantastic standing ovation on the last night!!! I’m still flying high!!!!
I was there for Saturday night’s performance and have to say Drifting & Tilting was an AWESOME show ! This was a spectacular piece of theatre, the proper showplace for Walker’s art I would say, (definitely not easy armchair listening stuff) and well done to both the director and producer.
Do not worry gentleman who missed it, this show was so good, I for one would be very surprised indeed if it’s not taken on tour elsewhere after this !
Margaret – a lifelong Walker fan (and very proud of it !)
I am super jealous of BOTH of you! Man. I can only hope it comes to New York.
Um, Pork is not a percussion instrument. Just saying.
I went up to see the show and thought it was one of the most inspirational things I’ve managed to catch in years. I loved the way that it was a complete performance and no aspect of your entertainment was left out with there being both music, dancing, instalations, puppetry, film and acting.
It is cheezy to say it but I think the opening by Jarvis Cocker and closing by Damon Alburn were the right choices becaue they definately stole the show from the singing point of view. Although they didn’t have the strongest voices they had such amazing stage presence still.
Kid