' new album "The Tipping Point" was released earlier this year to huge acclaim from everyone, not just those in the know, as they had constructed an album that was less of their trademark experimentation and just slightly more over to the banks of the mainstream. Some critics actually took time and column space up saying this was not their best album but still managing to be magnanimous in stating even a not so good album from is still 90% better than most of the stuff out there. I think they are talking a bit of bully, spreading a bit of territorial pissing, "I liked them when they were more raw....when I knew about them and you didn't" Shut up! The album is good, as their previous ones were, they just have more experience now, isn't that what recording albums is for- to grow musically?

So into The Academy I went.
[b]Man behind desk:[/b] [i]"Your not on the list"[/i]
[b]Me:[/b] [i]"That's OK, here is the e-mail that says differently"[/i]
[b]Man behind desk:[/b] [i]"Nah...I don't care"[/i]
And so started one of the mot surreal nights of my 6 years writing about music (see footnotes, if I can get them in)

Estelle was on the stage 15 mins (at 6.45!!) after the doors opened in a gig that had been re-scheduled and brought forward. The poor girl was on when the first people were still putting their coats away and getting a drink. I didn't actually know this till I talked to a couple of ladies later...I was still being held up outside trying to get in. I missed 1/2 of her set getting my pass.

When I did get in the club Estelle had a small but devoted crowd with their arms in the air, but you could see she was having a hard time of it. It must be so hard to play to a few people as there queue is still outside waiting to get in because they didn't know it had been moved forward. The high points were obviously "1980" and "Free" because everyone knew them, well the 300 people of the 1400 sold out, moved forward gig, did and I really felt for her. I feel it would be totally unfair for me to review her as I literally only heard 5 songs and there was not really any crowd to move. One for a later date.

came on stage to a still not packed Academy and rattled through the first three songs, pretty much with the house lights down and their backs to the crowd. There were no breaks in the songs they just rolled on sounding nothing like the album (except for lyrics) as they performed old and new songs. "Thought @ Work" ,"Star", "Love of my Life", "Stay Cool", "Break you off", "You got me" (one of my all time favourites, sadly without Erikah Badu on stage though) they played them all and they all sounded amazing. There was a bass solo from Martin there was riffs from Led Zepplin thrown into the mix and at some stages it was almost a rock gig, then it turned into Jazz then back to "funk". And all this without really engaging the crowd. Don't get me wrong, a 15 song playlist and just under 2 hours of playing album material was more than enough for everyone there.

Then something happened. Something I wont forget in a long time (excessive alcohol and wrong sticks permitting) They came on for what was written on the playlist as "encore/seed" and that's where it all happened for me.

They just let loose on drum solos, guitar solos, medleys of other peoples tunes, some of the best and most amazingly sustained music I have heard ever. Period. On the Tipping Point they have a session at the end that I was kinda into but not that much. Live that sort of thing from them shines out like a beacon of stunning sounds and shows them for the uber talented musicians they are. They played for another 45 mins and every single person there was on cloud nine, the house was transfixed by a live fusion of almost every genre and at the highest point of the talent scale.

As a writer I am ashamed that I can't convey how good they played in the encore, I can only hint at what they sounded like and what they played and it's not enough. If you see another band before you die, make it .

Gig pre encore Rating: 4.5/5
Gig/ Encore Rating: 8/5

[b]Words By:[/b] Troy Rice
[b]Photography By:[/b] Troy Rice

[b] @ Bristol Academy on 27th November 2004[/b]

[i]Footnote: Strangest night in a long time!

The guy on the door point blank refused to read my e-mail he wanted me to explain everything verbally! I saw a guy break his leg by walking of a 2inch curb, I met one of the guitarists for and he gave me a hug (!) after the gig. I met a nice security guard for the first time ever. They had 2 people doing security in the 10m front pit (two nights ago they had 17 for a metal concert) as not one single person tried to climb over. Everyone was late for the main show as the gig was pushed forward. I had 3 tickets that i couldn't sell even though the gig was sold out. Hardly anyone in there was smoking weed.....

It was like the twilight zone. All very strange.[/i]