December 5, 2000

Talvin Singh : Los Angeles El Rey Theater

There's some serious energy building in the room...

Marvel at the wide array of tablas, gasp at the authentic Indian tapestry, and shriek at the apparent lack of turntables. You'd be hard-pressed to find a soul in the El Ray Theater who isn't expecting Talvin Singh to bust out the ethno-drum'n'bass he's become famous for injecting into club culture. "I did ask for turntables, but they gave me tablas instead," the 1999 Mercury Music Prize-winner jokes while uncovering his drum heads. Since the precursor to tonight's set is a video montage of Singh's trip to India and clips of his drumming expertise, one question haunts the crowd: where are the pre-programmed beats?

Answer: in the electronic tabla accompanying Singh. Though kicking things off with a very mellow, almost ambient piece isn't conducive to shakin' that ass, there's some serious energy building in the room. It isn't long before Talvin is beating the piss out of his drums. Booming, textured beats explode not far from drum'n'bass territory and willfully complicated patterns provide nuances often lost in the digital pulse. One technique of striking the drum almost mirrors a DJ's scratching, and if anything, creates a crazy, sample-worthy drone.

Following a path akin to his most recent work, 'Tala Matrix', a collaboration with guru Zakir Hussain, Singh marries the tabla and techno similar to how Ravi Shankar popularized the sitar with the rock crowd through his relationship with The Beatles. But those seeking 1200s have a great journey in front of them: find the secret after-party following Singh's short, hour-long set here, and hope the interconnectedness of all things includes you watching him finally break out the records.

Tony Bogdanovski

Rate this gig

Average rating

Be the first to rate this gig

NEW! For the latest music videos and backstage interviews, check out our brand new sister site, NME Video.