Saul Williams + Dragons of Zynth - Paradise Rock Club (Boston, MA; Apr. 8, 2008)

Saul Williams has mentioned in some recent interviews that his latest material, and particularly the character of Niggy Tardust, has allowed him to get more into the theatrics of his performances. On Tuesday at the Paradise, we were treated to a decked-out Saul, complete with a feathered headdress, cape, and furry boots tied tight with police tape, and a high energy set only occasionally tempered by a poetry reading or sound malfunction. It was the kind of show that makes you appreciate the cramped, sweaty confines of a rock club, where you find yourself caught in the blur of thunderous beats and booming voices as everything just seems to unfold around you. It’s the reason you go to a live show and aren’t content to simply have another listen on the couch.

But that being said, listening to Saul Williams’s latest album, The Rise and Fall of Niggy Tardust!, and again during his show on Tuesday, I found myself a bit torn over the idea of whether incisive lyrics necessarily need to be accompanied by raucous music to be effective. I think of “Strange Fruit,” and my answer is “clearly not.” Then my mind shifts to “Fight the Power,” and it sure seems like it helps. But at the same time, I’ve never heard Billie Holiday perform over a Bomb Squad beat, and you can always argue that as long as it gets a couple of people thinking, you’ve done your job. Nonetheless, part of the problem with Saul’s show at the Paradise was that the times when he decided to share some naked poetry or just speak his mind were easily the most memorable moments of the night. By virtue of his voice alone, Saul has a way of conveying ideas that makes people stop and pay attention. It’s not that he always has something groundbreaking to say; it’s far more intangible than that. In the same way that when The Beatles played even a straightforward cover it always seemed to sound better, I’m convinced that listening to Saul recite a recipe for meatloaf would somehow sound like a cooking revolution.

So while I appreciate that Saul is branching out and trying new things, I can’t completely share his enthusiasm for where Trent Reznor has taken him lately. He has said the music almost always came before the lyrics on his latest material, and it wouldn’t have been hard to guess. The production is often so dense that the vocals become just another sound in the mix or Saul resorts to singing in a style strangely reminiscent of Reznor himself. Saul’s reputation precedes him in such a way that I can’t help but think he’s lost some of his focus. His passion for performance was more than enough to make his set a gripping and unique experience on Tuesday, but as he moves further and further away from his singular ability to communicate ideas through words, he’ll always leave me feeling a bit unfulfilled.

Lacking the pretense of any specific message, on the other hand, openers The Dragons of Zynth exemplified the unbridled abandon of a young band unafraid to meld styles and instigate the typically stolid Boston crowd. Though initially they appeared almost bored as they worked through the strangely intoxicating, distortion-drenched “Anna Mae,” guitarist/vocalist Akwetey Orraca-Tetteh was soon stomping about the edges of the stage as brother Aku jumped into the crowd and rivers of sweat poured from their brows. More so even than Saul’s, the Dragons’ set immersed you in a bewildering sea of sound, equal parts aggression and subtle beauty. Their talent for blending disparate styles into a coherent whole bodes well for their future, and their ability to set the tone for a show was something that Saul Williams didn’t quite live up to for me this time around. 

0 comments thus far ...

Concerts We Recommend

melophobe sponsors

Connect To melophobe

1. melophobe
2. concert reviews
3. fifty-word reviews
4. articles
5. links
6.