Pop Music Reviews : Dead Can Dance: Medieval Songs, Modern Woes

Medieval musicians must have had battles with their technology--strings broke, instruments went out of tune and temperamental performers undoubtedly stormed off stage in a huff as a result. But it’s not quite the same as how technology hurt the English group Dead Can Dance’s attempt to recast ancient music for a young, alternative-rock crowd Thursday at the Wadsworth Theatre.

First the ensemble had to restart a Gregorian chant after a taped drone backing missed its cue. Then co-leader Brendan Perry became bugged by some equipment problem during “I Am Stretched Out on Your Grave,” a tradition-based song made familiar by Sinead O’Connor, eventually striding off stage without finishing the song. And throughout the two-hour show there was a distracting buzz in the speakers.

Those episodes underscored the flaws in what at root is a bold experiment. On their recent album, “Aion,” Perry and partner Lisa Gerrard--a stunning singer in ancient styles and European folk traditions--combined acoustic instruments with modern electronics to create seductive textures. But on stage the technology seemed both superfluous and distracting.

And the pair, with five other musicians, removed the ancient and folk music from its cultural context without really providing a new one, save for the very use of the technology and the fact that it was being presented for this specific audience. That latter element was the most interesting aspect of the concert: Kids to whom early music probably means Bauhauas, lapped up the somber moods from the not-so-good-olde-days.

For their sake, a program or song introductions would have been beneficial. They certainly know that Perry and Gerrard didn’t invent this music, but were not given any clues as to how to explore further. Here’s one: Try listening to Mara Zhelutka’s “Music of the Spheres,” early Sunday mornings on KCRW-FM.