Culture: Portishead, Hammerstein Ballroom, New York

New York city is a big magnet. It seems that every performer of distinction has to show up in this metropolis. Sadly I missed the Radiohead gig last week, which was sold out in minutes. But I was kindly consoled by the Portishead concert this Tuesday at the Hammerstein Ballroom (portishead.co.uk. The gig was an outstanding experience.

Beth Gibbons, the singer of the british band, created pictures with her voice which meandered from tenderness to violence. Sometimes her powerful and nevertheless soft voice was teasing us and sometimes kind of attacked us. Her band, consisting of 2 guitar players, 2 percussionists and 1 keyboarder (who changed sometimes to violin and other instruments) extruded these sound pictures to acoustical artworks. The huge screen behind the band was an important part of the show. The canvas translated the sound pictures in atmospherical and surrealistic paintings. The melange of Beth`s voice, instruments and screen created psychedelic, electrifying and sometimes erotic tableaus, which produced goose pimples of joy. 

It would be unfair and inappropriate not to mention the support band "Thought Forms". The 2 guitar players and the drummer served a powerful and noisy rock with heavy metal elements. Well done!

If you get a chance to see Portishead sometimes, then you should! Even "Thought Forms" is worth a visit.