Mary Susan Littlepage

Thank goodness Meat Beat Manifesto fans are getting older: Fewer people will be stage diving and bruising me. After I got rammed black and blue by slam dancers at my first Meat Beat show in high school, I was relieved to see a mellower but still enthusiastic crowd last June when they played the Metro. Touring the States again now, the band currently consists of Jack Dangers and Mark Pistel playing samples and laptops, Lynn Farmer on drums, and Ben Stokes doing video presentations. Even though the lineup keeps changing, Dangers has always remained the songwriter and creative constant, perpetually pushing the group's musical boundaries. In early songs, Dangers incorporated peculiar spoken-word samples with urgent breakbeats and politically charged lyrics calling for fans to think for themselves. Newer songs from "At The Center," the band's latest album, are slower and lack lyrics but manage to create a charming blend of electronic music, jazz and instrumentation. Talking from his San Francisco studio, Dangers explained how he had been working with Live by Ableton to create different versions of Meat Beat songs to play on tour. Although he saw a mix of old and young fans during last year's tour, he says that, overall, the crowds were "definitely more old-school." Fans who catch Meat Beat on tour this year will have a chance to buy a CD featuring a recording of Meat Beat's June 2005 Metro show that has fans cheering in all the right places. "Everything sort of came together that night," Dangers says. "I've always liked playing at the Metro." Thundering bass that burns the insides of your stomach is a highlight of many early Meat Beat releases such as "Armed Audio Warfare," "Storm the Studio," "99%" and "Satyricon." According to Meat Beat's web site, however, the volume at a certain Meat Beat show got so loud that the low bass sounds resulted in... mass diarrhea. Enter the Abbey with caution and when the time comes, run.

Meat Beat Manifesto performs with Dalek and DJ Scary Lady Sarah at the Abbey Pub, 3420 West Grace, (773) 478-4408 on February 28. Doors 8pm, show 9pm. $18 presale, $20 at the door.

(2006-02-21)

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