May
28

Final Fantasy

Posted by jill on May 28, 2009

Final Fantasy, originally uploaded by jellybeanz.

For all the moaning about gigs in terrible venues, there is the odd occasion when bands play at the perfect venue. Never has there been a more perfect match than Final Fantasy playing at the Union Chapel. The only more perfect situation would be the dream of Final Fantasy playing in my living room.

Back to reality, the way that his music drifted around the church sent the audience off to a magical world, and every single note was heard in a full silence. Playing a set half full of songs off the forthcoming album, Owen Pallett could have carried on forever.

Of the highlights of the new material, possibly my favourite new song is Lewis Takes Off His Shirt (although this video misses off the fantastic climax of the song). But old and new material alike, it is just astounding to watch him as he co-ordinates between sampling and looping his violin, plucking and bowing it, even using it as a percussion instrument and performing in the dark.

What added to the music was the projection show. It started off as a series of live performed shadow images to a projection screen, but halfway through the set the light of the projector was turned towards the ceiling of the church instead and the lights danced around the venue.

On the face of it, all the constituent parts of the show (the single violin and keyboard and old school projector) seemed to be so basic and simple. But through the genius of Owen’s magical performance and the accompany projections, it seemed like something extraordinary.