Dirty Three

Has the internet diminished the calibre of our rock stars? It’s something that’s been worrying The Quietus of late. The kids may have instant access to every scene imaginable, but many of them mistake surface signifiers as the very essence of the sounds they strive to emulate (‘I got the CD and bought the jacket! Now let the ROCK begin!) while failing to grasp the rather more important context and experiences that made the greats, great. Admittedly, it’s a scenario that stretches back to the dawn of pop, but the rise of net-culture has allowed these misdirected youngsters to thrive and multiply, hogging what little room is left on the crowded musical landscape. Leave it to Warren Ellis and his comrades in The Dirty Three to remind us of how things could and should be done. Finely tailored and bearded Ellis and co. take to the stage and give us a masterclass in musical iconoclasm. Punctuating his set with expletive filled between-song banter that outclasses even Jarvis Cocker for its ballsy wit, Ellis thrashes around like a manic alpha-male as the Dirty Three play such classics as 'The Sea Above, The Sky Below' and 'Everything Is Fucked'. The line that separates the men from the boys is laid out on stage for all to see tonight, and Warren Ellis has drawn it with nothing more than a puny violin bow.

The Doran Verdict: "This is exactly how men should dress and is the joint highlight of my day along with a blissful two hours spent in a record stall tent because they were playing classic house and Fela Kuti."