Jamie Lidell - Multiply
For those of you hiding under a synth rock this past year, Jamie Lidell's "Multiply" was one the top highlights of electronic music in 2005. Taking a completely unconventinal approach to the genre Lidell integrated techno, soul and funk in a way like no other.

Last night I went to see him live for the second time and was blown away even more than the first. The first time I saw him (at the Independent in San Francisco) he opened for Four Tet. The show was mind-blowing but unfortunately too short.

This time (at Great American Music Hall in San Francisco) he played for a full 20 minutes longer and took it further into experimental territories. At one point he even went so far as create some bizarre mix of grimestep dub IDM craziness. I've never heard anything like that. How is someone going to create full-on IDM, soul, funk, rave, and techno all in one show, mix the whole thing together and make it sound like it was the most natural thing that he whipped up on the spot?

At one point I realized I didn't care what he tried to do, Jamie Lidell can do no wrong. The entire set was played freeform with a loose focus on tracks for the album but with everything created live as he went along. Had he played two consecutive nights it would have been well worth it to attend both as surely no two are the same.

Do yourself a favor and go pick up Jamie Lidell's Multiply album and then do everything in your power to see him live when he comes to your town. I promise you won't be disappointed. Both the cd and show are remarkable experiences.

Jamie Lidell - Multiply

Update: Read on for April-June 2006 Jamie Lidell Live Dates!

April
10 Casbah, San Diego (USA)
11 Troubadour, Los Angeles (USA)
12 Great American Music Hall, San Francisco (USA)
14 Doug Fir Lounge, Portland (USA)
15 Chop Suey, Seattle (USA)
16 Plaza, Vancouver (Canada)
19 Varsity Theatre, Minneapolis (USA)
20 Empty Bottle, Chicago (USA)
21 Lee's Palace, Toronto (Canada)
22 Hampshire College
24 Great Scotts, Boston (USA)
25 Bowery Ballroom, New York (USA)
26 South Paw, New York (USA)
27 First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia (USA)
30 Coachella, Indio (USA)

Other Dates

May
04 Teatre Lliure, Barcelona (with Gonzales)
24 brighton festival @ The Dome w/Array, Plaid, Random

June
03 bATH MUSIC festival @ Pavillion
05 Holland, pink pop festival