Setlist:

Review:

It was harsh weather Thursday night — the kind of rain that defies gravity and outwits umbrellas in a ceaseless, directionless swarm. Perfect for a Massive Attack show. The veteran troupe is touring behind “Collected,” a career retrospective disc showcasing its often gloomy, always evocative brand of trip-hop — a genre that blustered out of the U.K. in the ’90s. Grafting torrential sheets of electronic buzz to jazzy, hip-hop beats made the Bristol group pioneers of the genre.

And while founding member Grant Marshall didn’t appear at Massive Attack’s 9:30 club performance Thursday (he was home with his wife for the birth of their baby), co-founder Robert Del Naja did a fine job playing curator with staple collaborators Horace Andy and Elizabeth Fraser. He’s a dub-reggae legend, she’s a veteran of the British group Cocteau Twins — and their vocals added a sensuous touch to the Massive Attack palette. Del Naja’s growl made for a strong counterpoint on “Risingson” and “Inertia Creeps” — but the real star of the performance was the light show. Backlit by a towering grid of bulbs, the band sometimes seemed as if it was there merely to provide a score for the pulsating patterns and constellations. Man still outshined machine during “Angel,” with Andy gliding over the song’s subsonic bass line. When the rumble subsided, the 55-year-old singer left the stage with a broad smile and two thumbs up. Our sentiments exactly.

Review by Chris Richards from The Washington Post Newspaper dated 30th September 2006

Additonal Notes:

Christine Moritz provided support as a DJ for the two Washington shows. You can download here set here.

Venue Info:

The official site for the 9:30 Club is located here.

Pictures:

These photos were taken by ulalume. Click on the thumbnails below to view a larger image.