Review: Professor Elemental and Laurie Black, Voodoo Rooms

There was only one chance to catch Professor Elemental in Edinburgh this autumn, and I’m very glad I took it. He picked the inimitable Voodoo Rooms for his four-part extravaganza, a perfect choice for an evening that promised, and delivered, a wonderfully weird variety of musical talent.

A Wonderfully Weird Lineup

The night began with 8-Bit Psycho, a one-man band from Aberdeen accompanied by two very talented Game Boys. Yes, those immortal retro Nintendo consoles provided the entire chiptune backing track, a frantic and flawless percussive beat for the main event: a man and his standing double bass. And what a bass it is, custom-painted to resemble the grinning, evil face of the Pokémon Gengar.

With a deep voice reminiscent of the 90s alt-rock band Morphine, 8-Bit Psycho sings horror-themed songs that are both menacing and compelling. If you can imagine a standing-bass-driven version of the Castlevania soundtrack, you’re getting close. It was a “fantastic opening act” and a perfect start to the proceedings.

Next up was a performance I never expected to see. I have long heard tales of the Edinburgh-based electronic rock band MetalTech, but I was expecting face paint and industrial noise. Instead, for what they dubbed ‘AcousticTech’, we got a rare, stripped-back set. By their own admission, the three members were somewhat out of sorts, but this was a unique opportunity to see them perform. I may not be able to say I’ve seen the full MetalTech experience, but I’ve seen the component parts, and they “worked the crowd wonderfully.”

A Tale of Two Headliners

While billed as a Professor Elemental gig, this felt very much like a double-header. Sharing that top spot was Laurie Black, a classically trained pianist and Edinburgh Fringe regular whom I was unfamiliar with. Shame on me, because she is a magnetic performer. With wild costumes and a synth-heavy electronic vibe, she is a force of nature on stage.

Black’s act provided a brilliant juxtaposition to the headliner. Where the Professor is quintessentially ‘chap-hop’, Laurie Black was, in the best possible way, “absolutely chap-nothing”. With hilarious, provocative songs about everything from tampons in space to what to do when life gives you lemons, her dark cabaret energy was the perfect, chaotic foil.

The absolute star, though, had to be Professor Elemental. For the uninitiated, he is a time-travelling, steampunk chap-hop artist. Chap-hop is a glorious parody of hip-hop, delivered by a posh British rapper who is more concerned with a proper cup of tea than any number of social ailments. His socially progressive, witty, and deeply British lyrics are a delight. He commanded the stage with effortless charm, even co-opting audience members to serve as his “dancing squirrels” for the night. He was, in a word, fantastic.

Overall

What a good gig! The Voodoo Rooms was the perfect home for this eclectic collection of performers and their equally eclectic audience, many of whom arrived in costume. The night flowed from 8-bit horror to acoustic rock, dark cabaret to steampunk rap without missing a beat. This was a masterclass in variety, and I would heartily recommend you catch any and all of these acts the next time you have the chance.

Ticket Search

I booked via Fatsoma and would have checked Gigsberg if I needed to.