De La Warr Pavillion, Bexhill – 3rd October 2008

Tricky has always been something of an enigma, with visits to both ends of the quality spectrum over his career. Past shows have been trumpeted as captivating, murky affairs, best experienced in smoked filled halls, the paranoia dripping off the walls. With those days now behind us, it was still with palpable excitement that I jumped a train to Bexhill’s shiny contemporary arts venue, the De La Warr Pavillion, to find out how the one-time Adrian Thaws is maturing.

Production-wise, his eighth studio album, “Knowle West Boy”, is noticeably spacious and “live” sounding. The music itself remains fresh and interesting, yet also well structured and in possession of some serious hooks. Unfortunately, due to what the sound man says is “just the way the speakers are set up”, all we can hear through the exceedingly muddy mix is bass. Lots of it. Now for some musical events this would be fine, but all the quirky top-end flourishes that come across so well on the record are lost here. As is Tricky himself it seems, who for all his stomping and head-shaking defiance is reduced to a barely audible grumble, content to lurk in the shadows for the majority of the show.

The first time I saw Tricky was about seven years ago, back when the now-septic V Festival still booked acts of some artistic merit: strong sets by the likes of Lamb and Moloko spring to mind. “Blowback” had just come out, his band was full of energy, and guest vocalists Hawkman and Ambersunshower made it a powerful, memorable gig. This time out, his band (aside from the keyboard player) didn’t look a day over twenty-five and seemed scared to really let go. Consequently the onstage energy Tricky generates just dissolved around them. Sound problems aside, for an artist of his stature it was sadly a case of must try harder.

Words by Jody White
Photography by Faye Perriam