Tricky

Now in its fifth edition, Turin's free Traffic Festival decides to bet on the return of two big names in pop music: the Sex Pistols and Tricky. Over the course of a few hours, the Parco della Pellerina stage plays host to "rhythm designers" of every stripe (to borrow the theme of the opening night), from the disappointing Battles to the highly entertaining Soulwax, until it's finally time for Tricky, the night's headliner. The crowd, still shaken and sweaty after dancing to Soulwax's rhythms, welcomes the trip-hop shaman and his narcotic downtempo grooves with enthusiasm, but it's Tricky himself who disappoints, with a sloppy, half-hearted performance.

He turns up in jeans and a T-shirt (stripping down to the waist after two or three songs), backed by a band with a guitar-bass-drums lineup plus a keyboardist and a backing singer who - alas - turns out to be the main vocalist of the night, replacing Tricky rather than supporting him. Because the truth is, precious little of Tricky was actually seen or heard at this show; it almost felt as though everyone was there to watch his own backing band, while he - relying solely on the charisma of his persona - made only occasional, fleeting appearances at the microphone, preferring to linger in the vocalist's shadow or slip offstage for a smoke.

The show gets off to a good start, with an excellent cover of the Cure's "Lovecats", followed by some of the strongest songs of the night, all played superbly by a tight band with a decidedly "rock" approach, laying down heavy, slow grooves that shook the stomachs of those in the front rows; what leaves a bitter taste are the new songs, which are painfully weak both melodically and compositionally. Add to the questionable setlist choices the half-heartedness of Tricky mentioned earlier, and the overall result is far from the best; luckily, a few aces get pulled out of the sleeve toward the end: first a cover of Xtc's "Dear God" (the version on "Vulnerable" was an outrage, but this live rendition was a joy for the ears), then, in the final song, an explosive finale, with a climax stretched out endlessly, guitars building to a crescendo (so heavy it felt like a Tool gig!) alongside the keyboards, and a Tricky who seemed almost possessed, as if he'd finally taken hold of himself.

It could have gone worse, as they say, but from a figure of his stature you'd have expected a more surprising comeback, or at least one in better shape.

(18/07/2008)

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