Sean Noonan’s Pavees Dance @ Bridge Hotel, Newcastle - May 1.

Sean Noonan (drums); Johnny Richards (keyboards, electronics); Mick Bardon (bass, electronics)

(Review/photos by Ken Drew) 

Drummer/composer Sean Noonan sees himself as a modern-day sonic griot. In the spirit of those traveling African storytellers, Noonan wanders the world gathering stories, legends, and folklore like a punk-jazz Alan Lomax. The treasures that he finds along the way are filtered through his distinctive vision to become the unpredictable and far-ranging sounds of Noonan’s wide-spectrum music. So says his website.   He also tours restlessly throughout Europe, often creating music with local musicians, and it’s typical of this new project that he’s teamed up with two Leeds-based players (both members of Shatner’s Bassoon) to perform music inspired by Polish folklore.

The trio tonight played in the expected quirky Noonan style driven by a sense of determination & seriousness throughout (except maybe the encore….) which kept the audience engrossed but they also enjoying the lighter side of Sean’s pieces when the storytelling unfolded.  This sense of fun was appreciated by the audience and band alike as there were many smiles all round as Sean’s bizarre stories unfolded with topics including Magic Mushrooms, a Time Machine, and searching for pots of gold. Most pieces were fast & furious, but there were quiet times too when Johnny took centre stage at the end of Set 1, backed by a subtlety gentle bass rhythm of Mick on bass.  

The trio were cohesive throughout, not surprising since they have been playing together since September last year.  The relentless energy of Sean never waned – even through the encore which was demanded by the audience as a final treat - so Sean chose a tune about tomato ketchup!   It’s hard to define this genre of music but with Noonan’s boundless energy coupled with the quality of the trio’s playing make it a uniquely entertaining experience each time he visits.  

Ken D.