The Invisible, Scala, October 15th
The Invisible played the London Scala on October 15th
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By Richard James. |  |
Monday, 19, Oct 2009 03:20
With an interesting 2009 almost behind them, to call the Invisible a hardworking outfit carries with it the unfortunate implication that either they haven't the talent to back it up, or that, try as they might, people just aren't listening.
Otherwise your mate would've heard of them, right?
While a Mercury-nominated album registered the band name with critic-conscious music fans, the Invisible remain an esoteric concern. That this is still the case is somewhat confusing, considering their extensive touring schedule, multiple festival appearances and lucrative support slots (Hot Chip and Doves among others).
Even more worthy of a head scratch is the fact that Dave Okumu and co's strengths very much lie on the stage. Their jazz-rock fusion is capable of captivating audiences with hypnotic extended outros and Dave's Telecastral wailing. Tonight, back in their hometown, they seem weary. Biggest single London Girl is occasionally stunning, but the fizzle outweighs the sizzle; Monster's Waltz is musically lovely, but Dave's chorus delivery smacks of going through the motions; Passion is, by contrast, big and beautiful, indicative of all the musical talents these jazz veterans possess.
Dave is still visibly chuffed by this relatively small crowd's radiating positivity. Not one for shameless self-promotion, he's genuinely embarrassed to inform us that the latest single is available to buy from the merchandise stand. The most endearing part of the Invisible package is that you are watching music lovers playing to music lovers, and as long as they remain an unknown quantity, they'll just have to make do with carrying an apt moniker and a diehard fanbase.
John McGlone