It’s arguable that without Massive Attack, trip-hop as we came to know it would never have existed. Tricky got his start with the crew formerly known as the Wild Bunch, and the band’s hugely influential debut, Blue Lines, predated the first releases of both Tricky and Portishead. (All three acts notably hail from Bristol, England, the music’s clear birthplace.)
Nearly 20 years later, Massive Attack show no signs of slowing down, and if their two packed performances at NYC’s Terminal 5 are any indication, their fans are as supportive as ever. Martina Topley Bird, who has a dense resume of her own that dates all the way back to Tricky’s equally classic debut, Maxinquaye, both opened the shows with a solo set and performed with the band. (Topley Bird is featured on multiple songs on Massive Attack’s latest album, Heligoland.) She teased the release of her upcoming live album, recorded for Damon Albarn’s Honest Jon’s label, by playing entirely on her own for most of the set, assisted only by a loop pedal and minimal instrumentation.
