Beardyman
2012 Olympics are a few years off, but there’s one match that’s more about the beats than the punches – UK beatbox champ and Brighton legend Beardyman takes on classical music on their home turf, placing his mouth-driven beats straight up against Heritage Orchestra on Saturday 14 November at De La Warr Pavillion, just down the road in Bexhill.
For anyone who’s ever seen Beardyman lay it down (and that’s most people), they’ll know he’ll deliver a good show – which begs the question of how Heritage Orchestra might match his supreme freestyle prowess.
For those who fear the night will prove to be beatbox renditions of William Tell Overture, fear not – the orchestra are opening the evening with an equally compelling and modern take on classical music – two-time (and current) DMC World Champion Brummie DJ Switch in Gabriel Prokofiev’s Concerto for Turntables & Orchestra. Yeah, turntablism and strings – bring it on!
Btw, Prokofiev (not to be confused with some ropy vodka) dabbles in the underground as well and produces hip hop and electro remixes so his work composing music for the turntables should be a bit more relevant to modern listeners.
An interesting project, following in the footsteps of Carl Craig, who’s been performing with classical musicians and orchestras last month, at Berghain in Berlin and Paris.
It will be an eye-opener to see how the classically trained musicians and dj/beatboxers bridge the gap and whether the night’s performance will appeal to a younger audience, who are more used to hearing music in sweaty clubs and dank live music venues and standing rather than sitting.
This new work presents an opportunity for the urban artists to step up their game in a different arena – and for classical music to loosen up as well – perhaps a night out for the more broad-minded of music lovers, but I think all will agree that it’s about time that urban art forms start getting some respect from the mainstream arts world, and this might just be the start of it.
Heritage Orchestra with DJ Switch and Beardyman, Saturday 14 November 2009 @ De La Warr Pavilion.
Tickets: £14 and includes free bus from Brighton (be sure to phone and book in advance). Standing (for those of you who fidget) or seated balcony tickets both available.
Booking & information call: 01424 229 111 or book on the De La Warr website
on Nov 20th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Beardyman was great with the Heritage Orchestra! Can’t say I thought much of the first bit with DJ Switch though. Can’t fault the scratching just the execution wasn’t right for me. It’s all about Beardyman really.