|
The Various Assortments[Quirky Alt Pop, Quintet]
 Get the Flash Player to see these images.
Every time I see this band, there are different people in it. Sometimes they have keyboards, melodica, percussionists, dancers and light show, other times they don't. Once they looked like snakes, now they don't.
Very catchy songs in a quirky English post punk pop art vein. Sounds like somebody lying on the settee with some home made soup, reading Nietzsche whilst watching Coronation Street.
Check their Antichristmas song, www.antichristmas.co.uk | |
|
|
| Contact Details | |
|
| |
|
| Gig Feeds | |
| |
|
| Song List | |
| |
 | next gigs |  | |  | May |  | | | Jun | | | | Jul | | | | Aug | | | | Sep | | | | Oct | | | | Nov | | | | Dec | | | | Jan | | | | Feb | | | | Mar | | | | Apr | |
| |
| Sorry, no gigs found. | |
|
|
| Photo Gallery | |
| (no gallery photos) | |
| Reviews | |
 Write a review for The Various Assortments » | |
 A breath of fresh air The Barley Sheaf, Liskeard on Thu 4th Jan 07 | |
   I've had one of Paul's CDs for a while now and it's to my shame I've not seen him live for yonks.
I wasn't disappointed as the Assortments produced a lively, quirky and enjoyable couple of sets - mainly of their own stuff.
For a band that doesn't gig that often they were fairly tight, and any "funky" bits were neatly dealt with.
Could've done with a better vocal sound and overall it was a bit loud (in house p.a. - not the V.A.'s fault) but that didn't spoil the evening which on the whole I would recommend to anyone who's bored of the same old same old.
I'd definitely make the trip to see them again, and it's great to see some imagination on a stage. | |
| Dave Rich, Fri 5th Jan 07 | |
 High Variety The Barley Sheaf, Liskeard on Sat 27th Aug 05 | |
Jam Sessions can be something of a mixed bag. A potpourri of variety or an endless barrage of terminal twelve bar blues, with seventeen guitarists all trying to take a lead break at the same time. And not to mention the village idiot who believes anyone can play the tambourine.
Stealing the show at the August Bank Holiday Jam at Liskeard's leading music venue, The Barley Sheaf (www.thebarley.com) were a curious umbrella project called The Various Assortments (www.variousassortments.co.uk).
As the band took to the stage, lighting candles and incense, the latter of which was swiftly removed, a robot voice informed us over the PA that we were about to enter the fourth dimension. A bold claim, perhaps, but The Various Assortments' combination of lo brow/hi brow aesthetics ventures beyond the usual local band myopia.
The eyelinered singer, resplendent in a blue shirt and tie and what can only be described as a 'bippity boppity' hat, launched into the first song, a narrative tale of a hallucinogenic teenage episode that ends in violence outside a glass Chinese restaurant, set to an exotic Eastern wash of synthesis.
The second song was a straighter, darker Numanesque tale of a woman called Cher who 'practiced Coldplay' and climaxed with the singer pulling an Ebow from his pocket to complement the spacey swirl.
"How do you feel?" asked the robot voice as the Assortments launched into "Uncle Alan", an annoyingly catchy potential hit single with a smattering of sitar and melodica solo to boot. "You don't know how you feel until you've heard The Various Assortments", the robot informed us as the whole band blistered through the final two numbers.
"Lynn Rennie Went To Australia" is an astonishing punk pop attack on a "Gorgon Medusa" whom apparently "even Stevie Wonder wouldn't try to seduce", joins Friends Reunited and receives no e-mails. Sharp, witty, observational, nasty and childish all at the same time, the final chorus implores us to "throw her down the stairs and kick her in the geni". Quite.
The showstopper "Sweet Lisa", about the adventures of a crack whore, is the best song the Velvets never wrote, collapsing in a cacophony of feedback guitars, floor tom, bass improvisation that would make Cale proud, and demented Ebow.
The Various Assortments offer more titillation to the palette in their short 20 minute set than a nine-course meal at the Ivy followed by a trip to the local knocking shop. Having already tricked their way on to the Richard & Judy Show, the band have also had the temerity to turn down a production offer from a post punk legend. If anyone is going to save us from idiot wind, James Blunt and The Daily Mail, it is The Assortments.
The video of this performance will be available free at www.variousassortments.co.uk | |
| Nick Essex, Tue 30th Aug 05 | |
| |
| Blog | |
| There are no blog entries written for The Various Assortments. | |
|
| CDs | |
| There are no CDs listed for The Various Assortments. | |
| Links | |
| There are no links from The Various Assortments. More info » | |
|
This band/artist page is not maintained. If you are connected with this band/artist, and would like to update this page yourself, join Lemonrock. You'll get a FREE 30 day trial - promote your live music on-line - it's quick and easy!  Lemonrock ranks this unmaintained band/artist page as 3/10 in popularity.
You can edit this page to add or update useful information, using our Wiki system. However, to add gigs, you must be a member. |
|
| Page last updated 6 December 07 (by Wiki), gig/event details last updated 4 November 07. |
|
| Page first created on Lemonrock 30 August 05. |  |
|
