Squarepusher - Bowery Ballroom, NYC (2003) (mp3, 128kbps)

UPDATE: We're coming down the home stretch of Squarepusher's installment of 'Artist of The Week'. Before I post the amazing '97 recording from the Shinjuko Liquid Room, I'm reposting this delicious recording made by yours truly.

When I first heard Squarepusher in 1997 it blew my mind. I was driving back from an unfortunate errand in Queens (don't ask) and I hoped to console myself with some good, under-the-radar, you're-not-going-to-hear-that-on-the-radio-outside-NYC, type music. I have no idea what station I had picked up, but the music proved to be Male Pill Pt. 13 from Hard Normal Daddy. If you don't own this record, stop reading and go buy it now. NOW!! The dj described the artist as the Squarepushers, but I was eventually fortunate enough to find a knowledgeable record store clerk somewhere in Philadelphia.

Flash forward six years to the summer of 2003. this is my recording of a show I attended alone at the Bowery Ballroom. This tape was made under constant threat of discovery, but it still came out great. This is from a tour in support of Ultravisitor, represents a rare States-side performance, and finds the artist in his typically hyper and destructive mood. I'm not sure that being at the concerts is all that fun (it is an aural assault), but in the comfort of your own home, you can now listen to the modern-day mad scientist, dialing knobs, flipping switches, stomping pedals, clicking his mouse button and, most importantly, shredding on his bass guitar with synth hook-up.

The magic act is impressive to see, but it tends to get a bit loud for those in attendance. With this set, you get more than a flavor of one night's work - very good work indeed.

I'm pleased with how this turned out. I used an active stereo mic (not sure of the model) and ran that into the portable MD recorder. There really hasn't been any retouching. I was lucky that there is little or no distortion or clipping. Despite the volume in the room (or perhaps because of it) all the sounds are clear in the mix. If you don't know anything about Squarepusher, please remember that the vast majority of the sounds you hear are being triggered, live, by means of synth bass. It is astonishing, to say the least.

1. Do You Know Squarepusher (5:26)
2. Dimotane Co. (8:14)
3. Ultravisitor (7:13)
4. Tetra-Scync (8:42)
5. I Fulcrum -> Come On My Selector (9:04)