Last Saturday, Scott Kelly, guitarist, singer and founder of the famous American Experimental Metal band Neurosis presented himself in an acoustic version assisted by multi-instrumentalist John Judkins, at Understage, Rivoli, Porto.
Playing for a large audience, that nearly filled the room, the duo offered a concert of remarkable grim beauty, made of rare songs that play as few can with silence and the power of words. There is an obvious feeling of life and art interest in Scott Kelly’s dedication in handling down the legacy of the great American folk, country and blues singer-songwriters (as signaled in truly breathtaking covers of Neil Young’s Cortez The Killer and Townes Van Zandt’s Tecumseh Valley). Actually, and essentially, Kelly’s repertoire is no more than country/folk songs adapted to a darker and heavier aestetics, connected with the greatest influences from artists of his generation (Swans, Black Flag, Black Sabbath, Amebix, Pink Floyd, etc.), the way of reaching it has a lot to do with the slow, dragged and deliciously repetitive way of his acoustic chords along with a disciplined vocals where words space is always respected, where the message always get through , because it gets heard, because it shows itself, because it is fundamental to the whole. One can ask, is it an easy thing? Not at all. The way Scott Kelly reinterprets all that musical legacy is extremely original, and, as I’ve said before, of touching beauty. For me, it was like watching a concert from an original Johnny Cash of my generation.
Extremely pleased with the audience that listened silently and enthusiastically applauded them at the end of each song, Scott Kelly confided publicly this was the biggest crowd of all the tour and thanked the very respectful and generous behaviour of the audience towards the duo’s performance. For this reason, because it matters to him, he promised to return again in the future. He will be very welcomed.
(words: Guilherme Lucas; photos: Raquel Pinheiro)
Mondo Bizarre Magazine 