[ASTRO] Alpha Clones and ORI at PDX

[kepler@metro1.com (Michael Kepler)]

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Man or Astroman? Clone Project Alpha
Operation Reinformation
Bishop of Battle

Sunday, September 20 1998
Satyricon, Portland OR.

Before the show:

Delivered a working TV to the clones, as requested.  Found both of my
camcorder batteries dead, even though I charged them overnight, so I
had to go all the way back home and get an adapter and then figure out
how to get plugged-in and stay plugged in through the usual mayhem of
a club show.  Many thanks to the Clones for the loan of an extension
cord and to Bishop of Battle for some of their duct tape.
Gave each band tapes of their previous appearances in Portland, which
in the case of the Clones was a video tape.

The scoop: 

This may be old news, as I don't always read every astro-post.
The Alpha Clones have new people in the roles of Chromo Crunch
and Cocoid.  I didn't press them for their Earth names and prior
band associations, sorry.  Here's the big news (to me at least),
the former Chromo and Cocoid Alphas are now offical MOA? bandmembers.
Apparently, this was the lineup that toured Euroupe, and they decided
to make it permanent.  I guess the former Cocoid will play the parts
previously played by Dexter-X.  Then again, they may mix things up
a bit between him and Coco, given that they both have multiple
talents.  Sorry, forgot to ask what the official stage names of
these two new members will be.

Bishop of Battle (BOB):

I've seen these guys at least four times now, because they're usually
opening for MOA? or Servotron.  A local band from Corvallis, which
is pretty near where I grew up in the Willammette Valley in Oregon.
This is a really young band still coming up through the ranks.  They
get better each time I see them.  I'm not sure how to characterize
their music.  Kinda new-wave/prog/metal/something/not.  If they're
copying some other band, it isn't a band that I know.  It is no small
acheivement for a new band to have a unique style that you can't
put an easy label on.

What is remarkable is the rapport they have established with ORI and
the Clones.  They've been touring together for a few dates now, and it
seems like BOB has collectively become the "kid brother" of the other
bands on the tour.  As usual, there was virtually nobody there to
watch the first act, but right up front and giving enthusiastic support
were members of both ORI and the Clones.  Then during the subsequent
ORI and Clone sets, members of BOB would engage in good-natured
heckling and would even become more directly part of the show.

Operation Reinformation (ORI):

Second time with these geeks for me.  Wow!  They are good.  A bit more
of a visual show than before, with the addition of an overhead projector,
with someone to feed it, and a somewhat more animated performance style
from the players themselves.  Overall, a much livelier and interactive
ORI than before.  My only concern is that they don't go too far and
trade in their lovable geek personae for a more typical rock-n-roll kind 
of thing. 

They had lots of great new songs, too.  Fortunately, I think all of
them were on the new CD and Cassette releases available at the ORIMart
after the show.

For the un-reinformed: ORI plays a very rythmic, sometimes anthemic, 
style of electronic music.  The performance is all accomplished through
the use of Apple Powerbooks and ORI's own Back To Basics sampling
software.  The samples themselves mostly come from classic computer
music software and hardware, along with myriad other sources.  The
bandmembers strap on full size keyboards with guitar straps.  Their 
on-stage appearance is very Office Professional, with white shirts and
ties, etc, including the obligatory pocket protectors.  Dr. Spanglistein
needs none of these trappings to look like the conssumate geek, however,
and I mean that as a compliment.  Again, a band with a unique stylistic
niche, although comparisons to Negativland and Synergy (at their best)
are somewhat relevant.

Clone Project Alpha:

If you're looking for Astroman-style antics and shennanigans, look
no further.  These clones have that base covered, and then some.
I kind of prefer a band who waits to trash their gear until the
_end_ of the show.  We spent just as much time watching these guys
fix what they had broken as we did watching them play.  Apparently,
this batch of clones only got the punk dna from the surf/punk originals.
Overall, they just didn't exude the same sense of innocent, good-humored
playfulness that the Astro-Originals do.

If you're looking for MOA? songs nailed down tightly with all the right
pieces in place, you would be a little disappointed with this show.
All-in-all they probably only really nailed two or three songs without
major mishaps.  This wasn't entirely their fault, but they didn't do
themselves any favors by kicking the drums around the stage either.

If you're looking for a good place for an Astro-show, maybe Satyricon
isn't it.  The lighting setup was really stupid.  The lights washed out
the projections at first, so they just shut them off completely.
My video tape won't be much to look at, given that most of the show
was performed in almost complete and totall darkness.  Apparently,
Satyricon doesn't have advanced technology like light dimmers.  

The sound was giving the band fits, and the humorless and grumpy soundman 
wasn't much help.  
During the obigatory snack kate melee, a Clone nailed the
soundman with a Debbie and he made some pissed-off incoherent speech
over the PA and stomped off to the bar.  Some guy standing nearby
who apparently knew what he was doing took over.  To be fair, this
wasn't the usual playful toss, but a real burning fastball right to
the face.  I probably would have gotten pissed, too.  But this guy
seemed pissed all the time anyway.  He was really terse and condescending
to the bands during the soundchecks.  It is no wonder he got targeted
by a Snack Missle.

As long as I'm complaining about everything. It is time to make significant
changes to the setlist, please!  Four tours in a row, two originals and
two clones, and the setlist hasn't varied much at all.  Bring back some
oldies I've never seen live, like the MST3K Love Theme and Eric Estrotica,
and please please please come out with a NEW MOA? album!

Sorry to sound so negative.  I'm glad I went and it was a worthwhile show.
These guys are all good players and I don't envy them the role of trying
to live up to the original Astromen.   There was just something special
about MOA? that is isn't reasonable to expect any clones to re-produce.
It remains to be seen if that something special remains after the
departure of Starcrunch.  I am wrestling with my hopes and doubts, and
I'll just have to wait to see them play before I know.

Funny story: for some reason, Dorkstuff kicked the hell out of his drum
kit during the little break in Destination Venus.  The drummer from
BOB came up on stage, put the kit back together, and then played the
rest of the song with the Clones, although he didn't seem to want to
stop.

Mookie


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