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© ukhh.com 2004
article
0071 added
07.01.04 words
chris@boredbboy.com
technical:
QED
Well after navigating the fumbling security guards who were clearly stressing
about the amount of non tickets heads turning up, I finally managed to get
inside the venue, this being the Mean Fiddler London CXR. One thing I always
hate about this venue is the staff, the bouncers have a chip butty on each
shoulder and the coat hanging staff sucks harder than Common's last LP. Anyway,
the main greeting was DJ Centaro (correct me if I’m wrong) from Japan. He was
killing it, starting of with an old school hip-hop set; he juggled his way into
a drum and bass frenzy.
Although some people see drum and bass as "speed hip-hop" this bloke broke it
down in way that made people wonder if he's going to "out do" the long awaited
Qbert Set. Centaro was a true juggle demon, people were amazed that he was able
to catch the beats properly without sounding sloppy, and when it seemed he had
nothing to do, he just turned the bass off and added a transform style bass
tone.
But without further a do it was time for Q-Bert............
Before he came to stage they played a few tracks on what must have been a CD
player and started dismantling the decks? Yes, I know this was the QFO tour but
some how I just expected him to be using two of them. It has been labelled first
instrument ever made for skratching!!" and apparently only going to have 500 of
them made. For those who don’t know (you better act. . .) the QFO turntable is
basically a portable turntable; it features three built in faders on the deck
and hopefully a mp3 slot to loop your break, or at least a headphone input for
your walkman. One of the first people to have tried the QFO posted up in Qbert’s
forum.
“I feel honoured to be the first Japanese ever to touch the QFO. The shit is
sick!! When I saw the photo at the beginning, I was like, how are we going to
cut with the faders that close? But it wasn't as hard as I thought. I’m
surprised of the fact that the needle doesn't skip however you hold it. You can
tilt the QFO at like 45 degrees and still the tone arm doesn't drop. I’m
definitely going to get one...”
From what I have heard there are a lot of pissed of Dj’s that are probably never
going to be able to own one and are pleading with Vestax to produce more of
them. It looks like the only turntablists that are going to be happy this
Christmas are anyone down with Qbert and a few rich kids. If any more news on
this turntable breaks out, be sure UKHH will be the first to let you know.
After me speaking to a Japanese PR guy from Stanton at the critical beat-down
comp he said that when he saw Qbert road testing it they did find a few
technical difficulties. Apparently it’s overheating quite a lot (not surprised
if Q’s using it) so it’s been put back to be released next summer.
Anyway, well after clearing the stage they just put down one QFO on a stool and
Qbert appeared clutching no more than 5 records. Typically in a Qbert style of
humor he was rocking the most fake looking gold rope chains I have ever seen but
as usual Qbert was on-form.
He introduced the deck and its features (was almost one step away form being a
bit PR) then he began his set. Now even thought there’s a great cloud hanging
over most the features of the QFO some how Qbert was able to trigger beats from
underneath the unit. Swapping from different scratch beats he showed us that
this turntable is as good or if not better than the competitors range and is
also in a league of its own. .
Qbert flexed his matrix style scratch skills for just under an hour. He even did
a ten minuet set with no fader. I would say about 90% of the crowds jaw dropped
when he pitched up the end of the set with a fast as fuck scratch routine that I
can only describe as epileptic. It’s always difficult in a review to describe
people cutting ability so for a prime example of what I’m talking about check
out this highly unauthorized film of the night. Real
(Small) | WMA (Bigger)
For more on Qbert and the tour you can visit his site at
www.djqbert.com
Later
