I know it’s the second time in about as many months that we’ve shouted at Ninja Tune and the one Kid Koala, but his shows just keep getting better and better. There’s a full run down on the Space Cadet book from the first launch we caught in September, which you can catch up on here.
Friday night’s Space Cadet Experience was like attending a mini-carnival curated by the Canadian producer who’s reinvented turntablism as a proper instrumental art form. A headphone concert meant you were given a pair of Sennheiser’s on entry, and once tuned in had a direct feed to the mic and music as you ordered a drink, went for a smoke or quite conveniently took a walk around the venue reinvented. With pods to lean against the show was intimate, as Kid Koala spoke straight in the audience’s ears, narrating his own cartoon strips, thumb wrestling matches and through his openness and love of his own show provided immense levels of entertainment.
As well as a booth to have your face turned in to an asteroid – later to be played on a giant screen by an audience member in competition for a prize – there were exhibits of the plant life forms found in the Space Cadet graphic novel penned by the artist, skittles games, cookies and Kid Koala had even put on display a few of his own collectible turntables and vintage recording equipment. Next to this he also showed his current working set up, all to be touched and played with as people browsed listening to the opening act in their headphones.
Among the cartoons there was a definite highlight in an animated Bboy battle pencil sketched by Kid Koala, and the abundance of audience participation never got boring or stale. An amazing night, and I cant wait to see what he comes up with next. On that tip he gave us a nice preview of forthcoming musical material, and in my opinion has succeeded in crossing the boundaries of electronic and blues-rock, something that’s been attempted a lot but for the first time now is being done successfully through his work.
Timmy K was there shooting for us, and the shots have just gone up on Resident Advisor. A few favourites below, get in touch for hi-res or the full reel.
