James Blake

In contrast to the Glasser performance at XOYO described in a previous blog post, I have attended a much smaller popular music concert in Shoreditch as well. At Rough Trade East, on 7 February, I saw experimental electronic artist James Blake. Being only a CD store, this was a very small performance space open only to those who were quick enough to purchase his new CD there that morning and obtain a wristband. James Blake, a recent graduate of Goldsmiths, gave a relatively short and down-to-earth performance, although the quality of his music is very otherworldly and unique. The small audience was very quiet and receptive of this strange music, absorbing both the sounds and the artistic collage of CDs, vinyl, and music posters surrounding them in the store. In having a performance here, it is almost as if the store itself has come to life, replacing the material CDs with their original source. This show was even more intimate than Glasser's, but a bit more detached since James Blake almost seemed like an item in the store, nonchalantly being observed as he sat on display. The show was effective in that it emphasized that the city as a whole is art, since one does not have to venture into special music venue but can experience worthy performance art in a store just by buying a CD.

AZ