Tricky is here - played SXSW (pics), in NYC tonight (Sunday)

photos by Faith-Ann Young

..."Most of the songs came off as early 90s industrial dance music - big beats, big sounds, not much else. Even classics such as "Karma Coma" were roughed up by the sound and presentation. The closer, "Vent," a scary juggernaut on album, felt overlong at the show, straining under the effort to make it transcendent, Tricky, shirtless and wearing suspenders, doing his best ranting like a madman.

As one local musician put it on his Facebook status, "(I) did not know live music could be as bad as Tricky was tonight." I wish I could say I disagreed. I really do. [Austin360]

I was all the more impressed by Tricky's set, who readied himself for the show by smoking a joint with his back to the crowd during the dark and brooding opening number. He turned to the crowd and stripped out of his shirt, bare chested in suspenders the rest of the show. While his albums Maxinquaye, Pre-Millenium Tension and Angels with Dirty Faces all have their esteemed place in trip-hop history, I clearly underestimated the timeliness and versatility of the singer and his band, who, minus the vocals of Martina Topley-Bird, still delivered a suspenseful, dramatic show. His raspy, gravelly voice still cut with "Christiansands" and the industrial warehouse feel of "Black Steel" was just as intense. [PrefixMag]

After switching the dates a few times, Tricky is finally set to visit NYC's Irving Plaza again tonight, Sunday, April 5th. Tickets may still be on sale.

All tour dates and more SXSW pictures below...