Gang of Four: 20 Years On, Still in Gear
Monday, May 23, 2005;
When Gang of Four made its local debut at the Ontario Theater in 1979 -- preceding the U.S. release of the band's first album, "Entertainment" -- it was an obscure opening act. But the British quartet quickly took command of the stage, and of the evening. The headlining Buzzcocks were no contest for the Four's dynamic music and athletic stage presence.
Although inactive for most of the past 20 years, the group is much better known today; its punk-funk style (if not social commentary) has inspired scores of imitators, many of recent vintage. On the reunion tour that visited the 9:30 club Friday night, the Four faced a new challenge: to prove that their sound is still vital, and that the members -- now pushing 50 -- still have the vigor to deliver it. Any doubts were banished by the opening "Return the Gift," which found guitarist Andy Gill, singer Jon King and bassist Dave Allen shifting musical roles and stage positions as electrifyingly as ever.
The taut one-hour show wasn't merely a rehash of the songs the original lineup played before Allen departed in 1981. The set list drew heavily on "Entertainment," but also included songs as recent as 1995's "I Parade Myself." King had some new moves and a huskier voice (the latter was probably a result of 13 performances prior to Washington, the tour's penultimate stop). Allen took a more prominent vocal role, notably on "He'd Send In the Army," the most significantly rearranged song.
The essence of the quartet's sound, however, remains its balance between tension and release: the tightly interlocked rhythms, sudden switches in tone and emphasis, and Gill's explosive yet controlled guitar. Friday night's runner-up wasn't the Buzzcocks but Radio 4, the Four-influenced opener, but it could have been anyone. Gang of Four can still blow the competition off the stage.
-- Mark Jenkins
