Tag Archives: lollapalooza 1997

MTH-V: Tricky Live

Holiday and family obligations delayed this week’s video, but better late than never!

I’ve had Tricky on my mind throughout the last week. While not as active or as deep of a fan of his as some of the other artists I’ve discussed in this series, I really dig him nonetheless. I was peripherally aware of him in the mid-90s, but was quite blown away when I saw him and his band perform at Lollapalooza ’97 (that performance included both songs featured below). Part of the reason I was so struck by his performance was that I hadn’t seen (or heard!) anything like that before, and rarely have I seen something comparable in concert since. I still smile thinking of it all these years later.

Though Tricky’s music evidences a variety of influences, it is largely classified as trip hop. And while I can sympathize with those who may raise an eyebrow at suspect labels/categories, this one is an actual “thing.” (If you’re curious, read this for more context.) If you listen to enough of his music, you’ll notice some similarities with a few of his fellow Brits who also started in the early 90s, notably Portishead and some Radiohead.

This first video is a live performance of “Christiansands” (from 1996’s Pre-Millennium Tension). This is perhaps my favorite Tricky video on YouTube, likely because it’s the same band I saw 15 years ago. 🙂

This performance of “Vent” (from the same album) is more recent.