I had the opportunity to see Lightspeed Champion last week, at KoKo in London, as part of the iTunes festival. I've bee a long time fan, since bumping into them (well, lead Dev Hynes) on a plane last year. However, this was the first time I'd seem them live.It was a great set (and a good crowd at the venue). What struck me most was that almost everyone in the band took a turn on bass (with only the violinist not picking up the 4 string wonder). It made me wonder two things:
- How many bassists are multi-instrumentalists?
- How comfortable would you be playing someone else's bass during a gig?
Having a broader outlook than just bass guitar is always a good thing - expanding your sense of melody, harmony and rhythm.
I didn't manage to convince these hardcore Lightspeed Champion fans to take up bass, which is a shame (another one of those bass not for girls say the girls moments). They did put up with me taking photos over their shoulder - fair deal.
As you can see, after the crowds have gone, KoKo is an unusual venue - it describes itself as the most opulent venue in London. The sound and lighting was excellent, and it definitely counts as a bass player friendly venue - unlike a few I could mention.
Lightspeed Champion have their own blog (strong language warning), which is quite an entertaining read. However, it didn't solve the mystery of the night for me: What is this bass:
