fabric, London
Marc Ved
AAA
o’s homecoming
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KEVIN L
Ralph Lawson
Pics:
Messing with the system
Fernando Pulichino
2020 Soundsystem continue to build a new future for live house
music with their explosive performance at fabric
hen Ralph Lawson’s show at fabric — like many of 2020 via the rolling, acid-boogie groove of their
W
2020 Soundsystem Soundsystem’s more club-focused gigs — 2003 track ‘Flasher’.
dropped their sees them in a slightly different mode. But while the glide is smooth, that doesn’t
rock-swaggered, Rather than ram ‘Falling’’s balls-out rock mean there’s any danger of the
funk-dripped infl uences down the throats of what is performance blurring into DJ-set
‘Falling’ album last summer, they gave us essentially a Saturday night house and anonymity. Through the full visual impact
one of 2009’s truly great longplayers. But techno crowd, the quartet are showing of all four raised on stage and playing out
much more importantly, the transatlantic just what makes them such an enticing of their skins on their respective
quartet completed the last step in a — and shrewd — bridge between the instruments, there’s no doubt about
winding transition that has taken them many musical worlds that seep into their where the sounds are coming from and
from an experimental, freely jamming creations. when Fernando’s emotive rock drawl cuts
house outfi t — not afraid to wantonly As Ralph puts it, tonight is the equivalent through on their now classic ‘Falling’, the
break the scene’s increasingly machine- of Soulwax’s Nite Versions shows — where room is all theirs.
driven taboos of live instruments and their certifi ed house bombs are amped up
vocals — into a fully-fl edged, live band to the max and rockier moments are For as much as 2020 Soundsystem’s
proposition. One that has already blazed a re-circuited back into the acid house calling card is their ability to galvanise
trail through some of the biggest gig and mainframe to detonate the 2am rave fl oor their sound with greased-up motor funk,
festival stages Stateside, and shows every as best they can. Fernando’s insouciant Ian Brown-esque
promise of conquering the prized, main breaths and raw rock power, it will always
stage slots at the Glastonburys of this Which means that when the full band be the timeless groove of honest,
world. foursome of ringleader Lawson, singer fuck-fashion house that lies at the bedrock
Danny Ward
and bassist Fernando Pulichino, of their sound — something we’re
The progress since that album has put keyboardist Julian Sanza and drummer reminded of as spaced-out, trippy house
them well on course for such aims too. A Danny ‘Dubble D’ Ward step up to fabric’s wig-outs like ‘Broken’ and ‘Dark Matters’
European tour began with an explosive main stage they begin not with the receive a fl oor-working tempo boost.
THE VISION
gig at Bestival, soon had them supporting sleazed-out, car-crash funk of ‘We Get With the crowd now fully locked in and
Simian Mobile Disco at London’s Forum, Down’ — the track they have been using Ralph bouncing round enthusiastically at • 2020 Soundsystem’s origins can be
and smashing a sweat-licked album to announce their arrival at many of their the controls, the whacked-out, guitar- traced to Ralph Lawson’s ‘Stars on
showcase at The Faversham, in their more gig-orientated shows — but by throttled jack of ‘Psycho’ and fi zzing 33’ mix for Fat City Records. Mixing
native Leeds. But tonight’s peak-time sliding seamlessly into Terry Francis’s set cosmic waves of ‘Bisco’ offer two classic up classic records from 1979 –
examples of 2020’s ability to twist and 1999, Lawson recruited drummer
shape house’s root essence into an Danny ‘Dubble D’ Ward to add in
endless stream of arresting, individual 4/4 organic fi lls over the unmixable
forms, while Fernando’s personal deep tempo shifts.
house gem ‘Scarecrows’ has the crowd
peaking with wave after wave of rising • When Lawson received a demo from
melody, and ghosted vocal ticks. Argentinean duo Silver City
“It was a tailored club set, so we took our (Fernando Pulichino and Julian
live show and made it a lot more house Sanza) featuring live bass and
focused,” explains a buzzing Lawson after keyboards, he put two and two
the set. “But that’s the way to play it. If together to make up the current
you constantly try to cross too far into one 2020 Soundsystem.
territory, you always run the risk of
pleasing nobody — being too housey for • Their debut live album ‘No Order’
house heads and not rocky enough for the was released to critical acclaim in
indie gigs. Tonight, I think we got the 2006 with guest vocals from Diane
balance just right. The fabric stage and Charlemagne and The Glass, as well
system are set up so perfectly for shows as a second disc featuring their
like that.” ALLAN MCGRATH legendary live show from Sonar.
www.djmag.com
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DJ481.AAA_2020.indd 67 14/12/09 14:07:03
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