Ex husband and wife duo Janet Weiss and Sam Coomes return to the UK this time as a three piece, with the addition of the Jicks Bass Player Joanna Bolme.
After a well-received support set from Jeffrey Lewis, new-look three-piece Quasi take to the stage almost anonymously, the banter of the crowd failing to dissipate until they lurch into 'When I'm dead' Totally different from their recordings, Weiss & Coomes experiment in free form jazz, with the immaculate, intricate drumming of Weiss and the pounding moog sound of Coomes' customised keyboard. Any worry about the dynamics of the group changing with the addition of Bolme is quickly dispelled with the rougher, louder sound really suiting the tracks.
Quickly adjusting from keyboards to guitar, Coomes starts to encounter electric trouble, his frenetic attack of his guitar bought with it the hitch of broken strings, a impromptu piece of smashing the drum skins by Weiss keeping the crowd happy. Heavily featuring track from their recent darker-than-dark long player "When the Going Gets Dark:, the music is tight, even during their frequent extended jams. The title track produces a sludgey blues effects indispersed with beautiful melodies courtesy of Weiss and - as if there was no end to the drummers talents - she steps up to play organ on "7 Years Gone", with drumstick duties taken up by Gary Jarman from the Cribs.
A simple, stripped down encore sees Weiss and Coomes initially re-enter the stage to play "Seal the Deal" and "You Fucked Yourself" but then they draw in Bolme for old live favourite 'Happy Prole' and a fantastic maddening version of 'The War Pigs' a 15-minute rock out freakout.
Weird bizarre freakouts merged with often beautiful melodies tonight, and Quasi depart to the sound of rapturous applause.
--T.J. Hart
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