Review: Tricky, Bristol Beacon: ‘Dark, murky and surprisingly intimate’

“Turn the lights up!” yelled one woman, repeatedly. A few other punters grumbled that Tricky’s vocals were too quiet or that he didn’t address the audience between songs (which he did, later, a bit).

If you were looking for bright lights and banter, you came to the wrong show. It was dark, murky and – considering the size of the venue – surprisingly intimate.

Not everyone was satisfied by Tricky’s first hometown show in 14 years then, but anyone who has truly immersed themselves in his world should have enjoyed it.

This was a back-to-basics set – stripped down and uncompromising. The songs were mostly short, minimally arranged and played with muscular menace by a trio of musicians (drums, guitar, keys / samples).

What the performance lacked in extroversion it made up for in emotional honesty, as a pair of talented vocalists embodied the psychodrama at the core of Tricky’s music.

The evening started with a short solo set from Marta, the Polish singer who has been Tricky’s foil for most of the last decade. Tricky has co-written and produced much of her solo work and it sounds a lot like his own, if a bit easier on the ear.

I’m Not Going set the mood for the main set, an ominous guitar chug underpinning Marta’s effortless vocals as Tricky muttered almost imperceptibly in the background.

He’s worked with a few singers over the years and the less showy they are, the better. This current pairing is the closest he’s got to the definitive chemistry he had with Martina Topley-Bird back in the ‘90s.

Marta shone on the bluesy, almost PJ Harvey-ish Moving Through Water, and made older tracks like New Stole and Black Steel her own. On the gorgeously skeletal Overcome the singer’s voice floated spectrally over loops of ambient sound punctuated by slo-mo military drums.

Low lights and Tricky’s position in the shadows made capturing the live show in any definition almost impossible for the audience

Tonight’s other revelation was Mitch Sanders, who fronted a bunch of songs from forthcoming album Different When It’s Silent.

Stuffing a set with unreleased music is a maverick move, but the new songs sounded tender and powerful, making the most of their spare arrangements and Sanders’ angelic tenor voice.

The singer is from Hengrove – a stone’s throw from Tricky’s old stomping ground of Knowle West. It’s heartwarming that an artist who left Bristol early in his career still has an ear for local talent.

The energy went up a notch in the encore, which started with punchy new single Out of Place. It’s the most infectious track Tricky’s released in some time, his distinctive South Bristol rasp alternating with Marta’s gentle croon over a pummelling punk backbeat and snatches of strings.

Strugglin’ was effectively a whole new song in its Maxinquaye (Reincarnated) form, but still a very good one, while Nothing’s Changed – a highlight of 2013 album False Idols – was injected with fresh urgency thanks to the explosive drumming of Perry Melius.

The last song was Vent – a mainstay of live sets since its release in 1996 – its coiled claustrophobia now augmented by demonic cowpunk guitar and unison vocals from Mitch and Marta, until the man himself finally let rip as the song soared to a crescendo of magnificent sludge.

Given the ticket price and the size of the back catalogue, it’s understandable that some people felt the show should have been longer.

But it succeeded in showing where Tricky is now, favouring a consistent sound and atmosphere that made even his oldest songs sound like fresh inventions.

It presented an artist who is more invested in creative flow than the comfort of former glories. Bristol should cherish him for that.

All photos: Steve Gullick

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