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G. P. Hall

DVD Showcases (Guitarist/Electric)

www.gphall.com

Anyone who's ever been fortunate enough to catch one of guitarist extraordinaire G. P. Hall's live shows will know what to expect from the man: an utterly bewitching combination of acoustic pieces (drawing on styles ranging from flamenco and finger-picking to the blues) and electric excursions, many of them semi-abstract 'industrial sound sculptures', others more straightforwardly rock- or blues-based.

The division of these two DVDs into 'Guitarist' (an all-acoustic set) and 'Electric' (filmed by Peter Remke at London's Hope and Anchor) is therefore entirely appropriate. The former shows the guitarist playing material such as 'Love Lies Bleeding' (a meditation on unrequited love involving an affecting motif of descending notes), the appropriately sparkling 'Guitar of Diamonds' and 'Gnat Bite Blues' (involving a buzzing sound produced by the application of a nail instead of the finger pad to the guitar neck); the latter is less of a set and more explanatory, demonstrating just how Hall produces the plethora of sounds and effects that make up his solo live electric performances: wind-up toys, battery shavers, modified violin bows, mechanical crickets, 'female' velcro strips etc. etc. are all utilised to produce an astonishing variety of textures and timbres, from insect-swarm noises to background rumbles and roars to eldritch shrieks and steelmill-style pounding.

If this makes Hall's live performances sound forbiddingly esoteric, however, it's misleading; live, he's utterly mesmerising, his appeal extending far beyond the odd guitar-technique/effects aficionado to embrace anyone who's ever thrilled to a headbanging rock solo, flamenco duende or a slide/bottleneck-guitar blues piece, and these DVDs form a useful introduction to the work of a genuine original who should be much better known.