Gig review: Damo Suzuki

IT'S A reflection of the uniquely democratic approach to gigging taken by Japanese vocalist Damo Suzuki – best known for his time as a member of German experimental rock group Can in the early 1970s – that Glasgow support band the Cosmic Dead were added to this bill only the day before, yet were still joined on stage by the man himself. Suzuki's Network, a project by which he welcomes offers from musicians around the world to be "sound carriers" for his voice, doesn't have much truck with the formalities of rehearsal.

For the 61-year-old Suzuki's latest Glasgow appearance he was joined by his own touring band Mandog, a trio of younger musicians containing members of – and collaborators with –contemporary leftfield Japanese rock groups such as Boredoms, Acid Mothers Temple and Drum Eyes.

They played their own set in the middle of the bill and it was thrilling, an instrumental deluge of droning, hypnotic, possibly even somewhat macho power chords and riffs. Suzuki's headline slot was essentially an extension of Mandog's set in tone and volume, except with Glasgow guitarists RM Hubbert and Stevie Jones now involved, flanking the band, watching and responding to them.

Into this improvisational melee came Suzuki, his voice somewhere between a growl and an evocation of tone over meaning. It was uncertain whether he was singing in Japanese, heavily accented English or gibberish, but his presence as he twisted his neck to throw sounds into the mic was as palpable as any of the squalling guitars.

Three compositions were played over the hour: applause was well-earned for whoever shouted "one more tune!" after the first 20-minute monster.