www.fly.co.uk review F-IRE Collective CMN tour 2005 /press

F-ire Collective - 22 October 2005, Southampton

The F-ire Collective has been on tour throughout October and Saturday night saw them at the Turner Sims Concert Hall in Southampton

And when I say them, it's a massive 16-piece orchestra who are all either composers and/or band leaders in their own right.

F-ire Collective are a co-operative that formed about 10 years ago, it seems that they've reached a productive and critically acclaimed peak with bands such as Acoustic Ladyland, Polar Bear, Robert Mitchell's Panacea and Jade Fox leading the way. Also watch out for Centripede, Bakehouse, Timeline, Oriole and Synergy.

It was a little difficult to hear the introductions to the songs as the sound engineer explained to me afterwards that it was not an ideal venue for such a large band (due mainly to the reverb chamber of the organ - see photo) but that improved as the evening went on. So apologies is there are some errors in what follows.

Highlights were aplenty, such as:

When all 16 musicians were playing all at once but also when songs built from simple beginnings through different styles and incorporated thrilling solos, such as 'A Space For Lucien' with Finn Peters (flute), Joe Bentley (Trombone) and Oren Marshall on Tuba, who all got to excel.

David Okumu (electric guitar) playing afro-beat riffs.

The oddballness reminiscent of Henry Cow/Slapp Happy collaborations.

Pete Wareham going ape S on his baritone sax but equally when joined by Barak Schmool, Ingrid Luabrock and Finn Peters as a four-piece sax attack.

Always a fan of two drum kits, I knew of Seb Rochford from his Acoustic Ladyland/Polar Bear membership but Leo Taylor (son of Norma Winston and John Taylor) was yet another revelation. And if that wasn't enough, Maurizio Ravalico was great on congas and various other instruments (very Airto).

Julia Biel singing one of her own compositions, 'Twistin'.

The last number of the first set was a monster off Last Chance Disco, where Wareham and Rochford were masterful, but as a bigger band including Ben Davis (Cello) and Laubrook and Schmool. Nick Ramm (Piano) and Tom Herbert (basses - but mostly as white electric sparkly one) kept up the 100mph punk-jazzness.

Talking of Robert Mitchell's Trust album, Julia Biel was once a member and tonight's version of 'A Heart (Full Of You)' was just brilliant. To see all the sax players tapping their feet to the brokenness was a pleasure in itself. By the end, they were all joining in. A very big highlight indeed.

The last 'tune, song, composition' was by David and was very funky afro-Fela tribute, Finn on saxophone, congas and Tom Arthurs (trumpet) and trumpet partner Tom Allen interplaying with a Raul de Souza trombone of Joe Bentley. All played a valuable part and it was just awesome. No wonder they need a short rest.

There was a couple of encores, one was largely a cappella and the the other was a mix of funky Harlem Duke Ellington big band circus march mash with guitar solo (David, where did you get that hat?). A suitable 'mixed' audience gave a standing ovation on a very special night

I will always remember, the shear loudness of the first track of the second set. A track called 'Machine Gun' (written by Finn) with Nick on the concert hall organ. As the two drummers and Wareham started on the main stage, a little marching band join them (including Barak on tin whistle) from the rear of the hall. The piece moves from a Spanish theme to 70s movie car chase to a monstrous noise that proved just right for a guitar trash. Brilliant.

Keep your eyes open for more tours organised by Contemporary Music Network in November by Unorthodox Chants, Katia Labeque and Ingrid Laubrock.

However, the F-ire Collective in Southampton was the place to be on Saturday even though a Polish friend in the pub at the end of the road tried to talk us in seeing DJ Yoda and 'the best drum'n'bass DJ on the planet' Andy C. Next time, maybe, but there's no F-ire escape tonight.