Brits' Show a Real Trip
By Dan Aquilante (NY Post 4/26/02)
In the dreamy drones and repetitions of Spiritualized, music is a recreational hallucinatory drug injected aurally.
At the Beacon Theater, the Brit band toyed with sound, rhythms, light and even silence for a trip that ranks among the most interesting concert experiences in music.
In this Wednesday's show, the band attempted to interpret a drug experience.
As hokey as it may sound to a druggie - and unwholesome to a just-say-noer - this music for the brain takes the listener from reality's ground floor through the roof.
Unlike a typical concert, nobody popped out of their seats when the band appeared. Through the performance, everyone stayed seated, listened and let their minds wander.
The band's best, most accessible album is their '97 disc titled "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space."
That title also describes Wednesday's performance. The music was electric-rock orchestral, layered and melodic without any concessions to conventional structure.