So I'm currently listenning to this Maneige track that is on (Les Aventures De Saxinette Et Clarophone) and I will admit, it is pretty good.
This past weekend, I had the absolute pleasure of attending the first Montreal Progressive Music Festival (
www.fmpm.net) comprised of several local bands, an american band, and the legendary Hatfield and the North (sadly, without drummer Pip, of Gong fame, who passed away recently). The festival was openned by Jérôme Langlois (of Maneige) who, and it pains me to say this, put on one of the worst shows I have ever seen. The compositions were mostly juvenile or derivative (or both) and often self indulgeant. The musicianship was astonishing, don't get me wrong, the man can play the clarinet (and the floutest was AMAZING) but the show was just flat. Not an iota of emotion went into the music, and the music itself wasn't interesting enough to capture my attention without the emotion to back it up. Now I know I sound like a total snob, and I'm probably starting some kind of fire here, but if Mr. Langlois decides to either play in your town, or put out another recording, please lower your expectations or you will be dissapointed. It does not live up to the earlier Maneige recordings.
Also, if my piano teacher ever caught me playing a piano like that, she'd slap my wrists with a ruler.
ok, so enough ranting. Hatfield and the North is INCREDIBLE. OMG!! So Incredible!!!! It was amuzing, though, how the keyboardist would run off the stage after each song that didn't go perfectly, probably to go calm himself down. Just such a tight and unique band. Check 'em out if you don't know 'em.