{"id":7169,"date":"2013-10-19T12:02:49","date_gmt":"2013-10-19T16:02:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mondomark.com\/wordpress\/?p=4432"},"modified":"2013-10-19T12:02:49","modified_gmt":"2013-10-19T16:02:49","slug":"goblin-at-the-opera-house-recap-ep-vinyl-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/?p=7169","title":{"rendered":"Goblin at The Opera House: Recap & EP vinyl Review"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Oh, relax. We can glue it all back together again.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

It was literally a week ago that legendary Italian prog-rock band Goblin performed at The Opera House, gracing Toronto during their first ever North American tour. As keyboardist Maurizio Guarini said during a short break in the performance, \u2018I promised I\u2019d bring him, and I did!\u2019 pointing to fellow keyboardist Claudio Simonetti, arguably the band\u2019s best-known member due to his solo work and ongoing collaborations with director Dario Argento.<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s makeup has changed since its formal debut as Goblin with their score for Argento’s Deep Red<\/strong> in 1975. One audience member shouted out \u201cCherry Five!\u201d \u00a0– the band’s prior name – to Simonetti during a break, and Simonetti’s reply was an impromptu jazz crooning of the name. (Simonetti’s sense of humour was also in play when the band returned for an encore, and the keyboardist played the first bars of Van Halen’s “Jump.”)<\/p>\n

The evening started off with a roughly 40 min. set by Secret Chiefs 3<\/a>, who spun some very creative versions of famous film themes.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t notice Marvin Gaye\u2019s Trouble Man<\/strong> \u2013 probably because I\u2019ve only heard it a few times \u2013 but there was a Latin version of Ernest Gold\u2019s Exodus <\/strong>(very tongue-in-cheek, and very well done, especially the trumpet solo), an edgy metal version of John Carpenter\u2019s Halloween<\/strong> theme, and perhaps most interesting, what sounded like a fusion between the roving fire truck music from Bernard Herrmann\u2019s Fahrenheit 451<\/strong> and the skittering through the streets music from Herrmann\u2019s The Day the Earth Stood Still<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The performance volume was very high, and it seemed Goblin may have asked the mixer to knock down the levels a bit to ensure some for the finer nuances of Guarini and Simonetti\u2019s keyboard solos remained audible once Goblin took to the stage just after 10:35pm.<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s programme was an intertwining of soundtrack and non-film work, including a track from Back to the Goblin<\/a><\/strong>, generous material from their superb Roller<\/strong> album, and (I think) some material from Il fantastico Viaggio del Bagarozzo Mark<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Among the film music themes, Deep Red<\/strong> earned some cheers, but perhaps the biggest hits were Tenebre<\/strong> (with Simonetti performing the electrified vocals, which seemed to motivate several in my corner to dance a very merry jig), Phenomena<\/strong>, and Dawn of the Dead<\/strong> \/ Zombie<\/strong><\/a> [M<\/a>] \u2013 arguably the crowd\u2019s favourite.<\/p>\n

Also worked in were main themes from Sleepless<\/strong> (the post LRT ride \/ face-smashing kill music was used instead of the opening train kill theme), plus timeless favourite Suspiria<\/strong> for which audiences were urged to accompany Simonetti in a throaty chant of \u2018La-la-la.\u2019<\/p>\n

In terms of a performance assessment, every band member \u2013 keyboardists Guarini and Simonetti, guitarist Massimo Morante, bass guitarist Bruno Previtali, and drummer Titta Tani \u2013 was in solid form. The two newer members (originally hailing from Simonetti’s own Daemonia band) matched the quality and complexity of solos in the original recordings. As one audience member remarked, \u2018I\u2019m surprised they stuck so close to the original versions \u2013 most bands don\u2019t\u2019 do that, and don\u2019t do it so well in a live setting.\u2019<\/p>\n

With a sound a little edgier and heavier, both the sonic waves from bass guitar and drums managed to pass through my abdomen; can\u2019t imagine the effects on those standing right by the stage and speakers.<\/p>\n

The joy from my stance went beyond just seeing them live in what may be a once in a lifetime chance. Definite highpoints were seeing which keyboardist played my favourite solos (especially the more complex rhythms), and specific guitar parts. I was really impressed with Previtali\u2019s bass work \u2013 he delivered a warm yet hard sound \u2013 and drummer Tani was a natural fit with his own style.<\/p>\n

Goblin\u2019s month-long tour \u2013 19 days total \u2013 continues this weekend to Oregon, California, and Texas before they wrap. Also part of the tour is a live performance of the Suspiria<\/strong> score set to picture, which the band had done in Melbourne, Australia<\/a>, back in July. Given the upcoming Suspiria <\/strong>performance is at the Egyptian Theatre<\/a> in Hollywood, I wonder if the film print will be cut, uncut, or the restored version locked away by the hoarding Weinsteins.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t bring a camera to the concert because I figured there would be more enough images floating around the web. Actually, there were many taping the concert with their iPhones, and one guy with a big, bright iPad, so those who missed the concert can see samples on YouTube<\/a> with sound in Distort-O-Vision.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Red, isn't it?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

I did get my hands on the limited 4-track EP, pressed by Death Waltz Recording Co.<\/a> on pristine red vinyl. Now I see why their platters sells out fast \u2013 there is no surface noise<\/em>.<\/p>\n

I did use a conventional Sony turntable to play the LP – my vintage Marantz is in need of a major overhaul – but the music was piped through a vintage Marantz receiver, so everything sounded very <\/em>warm. A \u00a0review of the EP \u2013 New Goblin: Tour 2013 EP<\/a> <\/strong>[M<\/a>] \u2013 is now up.<\/p>\n

Coming next<\/em>: reviews of four action scores from La-La Land Records \u2013 Jerry Goldsmith\u2019s The Challenge<\/strong>, James Horner\u2019s Patriot Games<\/strong>, Alan Silvestri\u2019s Red 2<\/strong>, and Shirley Walker\u2019s Turbulence<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

And soon after<\/em>: another set of scans for International Independent Video Store Day, featuring a full issue<\/em> of the trade magazine Canadian Video Retailer, packing exciting articles like \u201cLove, Laughter, Horror and Bullets: Choosing the Most Popular\u201d and \u201cWhat To Do If Your Store is Raided.\u201d No, really; these are real articles, circa 1986.<\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/p>\n

. <\/span><\/p>\n

.<\/span><\/p>\n

Mark R. Hasan<\/strong>, Editor
\nKQEK.com <\/strong>( Main Site<\/a> \/ Mobile Site<\/a> )<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Editor’s Blog on Goblin’s first-ever performance in Toronto at The Opera House last week, plus a review of Death Waltz’ limited 12″ EP platter featuring four cuts performed by New Goblin members Maurizio Guarini, Massimo Morante, Claudio Simonetti, and new members Titta Tani and Bruno Previtali.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[2287,2283,2289,2285,2284,2281,2290,2291,2286,4212],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8nuyW-1RD","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7169"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7169"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7169\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7169"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7169"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kqek.com\/mobile\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7169"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}