The Barons of Tang | Fringe Gigs
March 6th 2009 08:21
:
Gypsy Deathcore | Adelaide Fringe
Spawned from the fiery pits and beer drenched alleys of mysteriously chilly grey places gypsy deathcore has exploded, a brave new post-gypsy-revival genre. Mainly emanating from the east coast of Australia in it's purest European vein but like anything of a gypsy nature - it's everywhere around now if you care to notice it. Now in Adelaide and definitely everywhere else. The Dirty Three, Monsieur Camembert, VulgarGrad, The Black Sea Gentlemen, Waiting For Guinness plus a bevy of others present authentic material direct from the Russian underclass, the Polish streets and even the Best of ABBA Collection; Ang Fang Quartet have mastered that rollicking gypsy essence with magnificent original works, their album Anonymity is guaranteed to make you feel like riding a donkey and swilling a goat's stomach full of red as it unravels its magnificent tale.
The Barons of Tang have invented an arguably more robust in yer face punk approach, the gypsy deathcore I'm on about. They may play The Famous Spiegeltent but you can smell that they've played The Crown and Anchor (lovingly locally known as The Crancker) and the music makes you want them to smell that way. The music makes you want to smell them. It has a pub band gypsy smack your face with tang feel and vibe about it; somehow it makes me think of junkies who would have a dash of lime added to their beer to take the edge off it, whom I met around the All Nations Club in Kings Cross during the late 1980's. There were film actors who were occasional users and writers who were more your full-time users, and they'd have arguments between them; suddenly toss their beer in your face, or whoever's face it was they were arguing with - and then bitch about that being a beer they paid more for, for the dash of lime.
I think it's the throwing of the beer in the face that makes me remember it in the context of gypsy deathcore; just so there's no wondering about that. It's wrestling on the floor of the dingy pub shirtless and feeling like shit but wanting to keep the party going and finding ways to do it. It's lining up Tang on the table and daring each other to snort it. It's better than a mosh pit because it's not so squeezy, unless that's what you want to make it, then for sure you can mosh away to The Barons. But the style pace and spirit of their music demands more, it compels the gypsy out of you in so very many ways.
The Barons of Tang had a sold out season during the 07 Fringe appearing with Melbourne'sIron Lung Theatre in the mad make-shift venue/bar that it was; which was the must visit spot in town while it was there. A little piece of gritty alternative Melbourne hidden in Hindley Street with $3 beers and non-stop mayhem; even the much lauded cast of the State Theatre of South Australia's Hamlet (of the time) were known to spend hours into the wee time sitting around a table out back debriefing on their rehearsal process. It was the only place in town where you could spot Eloise Mignon an actor who was about to land an on-going role in top Aussie soap Neighbors. To cut it short they were part of the scene in a big way, not the scene scene lardie dars, but the happening scene. Their music was a very big part of that - and it just keeps getting better.
Well they're back and definitely worth a visit if you haven't had the opportunity or head's up before. Get in go crazy and enjoy. The Barons are currently performing in Tasmania and have just finished an extensive tour with a string of shows at festivals including Woodford Folk Festival, The Falls, Sunset Festival and Sydney Festival.
The Barons of Tang
Adelaide Fringe Festival
Bohemian Ball
Crown and Anchor
on March 13
Jade Monkey March 14
The Barons of Tang have invented an arguably more robust in yer face punk approach, the gypsy deathcore I'm on about. They may play The Famous Spiegeltent but you can smell that they've played The Crown and Anchor (lovingly locally known as The Crancker) and the music makes you want them to smell that way. The music makes you want to smell them. It has a pub band gypsy smack your face with tang feel and vibe about it; somehow it makes me think of junkies who would have a dash of lime added to their beer to take the edge off it, whom I met around the All Nations Club in Kings Cross during the late 1980's. There were film actors who were occasional users and writers who were more your full-time users, and they'd have arguments between them; suddenly toss their beer in your face, or whoever's face it was they were arguing with - and then bitch about that being a beer they paid more for, for the dash of lime.
I think it's the throwing of the beer in the face that makes me remember it in the context of gypsy deathcore; just so there's no wondering about that. It's wrestling on the floor of the dingy pub shirtless and feeling like shit but wanting to keep the party going and finding ways to do it. It's lining up Tang on the table and daring each other to snort it. It's better than a mosh pit because it's not so squeezy, unless that's what you want to make it, then for sure you can mosh away to The Barons. But the style pace and spirit of their music demands more, it compels the gypsy out of you in so very many ways.
The Barons of Tang had a sold out season during the 07 Fringe appearing with Melbourne'sIron Lung Theatre in the mad make-shift venue/bar that it was; which was the must visit spot in town while it was there. A little piece of gritty alternative Melbourne hidden in Hindley Street with $3 beers and non-stop mayhem; even the much lauded cast of the State Theatre of South Australia's Hamlet (of the time) were known to spend hours into the wee time sitting around a table out back debriefing on their rehearsal process. It was the only place in town where you could spot Eloise Mignon an actor who was about to land an on-going role in top Aussie soap Neighbors. To cut it short they were part of the scene in a big way, not the scene scene lardie dars, but the happening scene. Their music was a very big part of that - and it just keeps getting better.
Well they're back and definitely worth a visit if you haven't had the opportunity or head's up before. Get in go crazy and enjoy. The Barons are currently performing in Tasmania and have just finished an extensive tour with a string of shows at festivals including Woodford Folk Festival, The Falls, Sunset Festival and Sydney Festival.
The Barons of Tang
Adelaide Fringe Festival
Bohemian Ball
Crown and Anchor
on March 13
Jade Monkey March 14
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David Jobling
