LIVE REVIEW: That One Guy / Switchkicker
THAT ONE GUY / SWITCHKICKER (Solo Acoustic) The Troubadour - Saturday 3 December 2005
Looming tall over the growing Troubador audience is the “Magic Pipe”, a phallicly proud contraption adorned with the signature hat of it’s owner, That One Guy, AKA Mike Silverman. It’s inanimate presence is overwhelming and draws plenty of attention from punters as they climb the stairs and find the bar. But more about the Magic Pipe later.
In the meantime we get a solo set from the vocalist of Sydney siders Switchkicker. Stating that he’s not used to the Guitar, Daniel Sutherland delivers an empassioned performance which at times leaves him gasping for air. As each song finishes it feels as if a little bit of weight has been lifted from his soul and the warm reception he receives reflects that.
The Magic Pipe is That One Guy’s amazingly engineered midi machine, consisting of strings, sensor pads and free flowing joints. It’s played with his hands, a cello bow, drumstick and even a credit card, and is carefully orchestrated with loops controlled by his feet. It’s the ultimate fusing of art and machinery, in an eerily Cronenberg-esque fashion, organic meets electronic.
More than a quirky sideshow however, he has a set that spans genres from classical to drum and bass, touching on everything in between. His own tracks Weasel Potpie and The Moon Is Disgusting Because it’s Made of Cheese go down well, with his answer to Bohemian Rhapsody, the epic Songs in the Key of Beatch, drawing mid track howls and cheers. That One Guy’s quirky demeanor, self effacing wit and obsession with cheese remind me of fellow San Franciscan Les Claypool of Primus fame, and there was even a Black Sabbath riff thrown in. And just when I’d thought I had seen it all, he pulled out a saw and played Somewhere Over the Rainbow. In a word: amazing. JAMES STAFFORD
