How I Like Nits Best #3

As Worshippers of Tables and Chairs: Walter and Conny Setting The table.

Nobody knows what has happened to Walter and Conny. They were silenced into this tantalising instrumental. I mostly prefer pop melodies with vocals and lyrics. I have this weird association that instrumental music is like a body with no head , but this one, with the muted voices of Walter and Conny, I adore. It stands out in the Nits catalogue and judging by its frequent appearance on their setlist it must be a favourite of the band’s. Actually this song was one of the highlights for me of the music ballet “Ting” that Nits created together with Scapino a few years ago. So I decided to include it in my best of, mainly perhaps because the theme of the choreography is set up as a dance around tables and chairs…

The interaction of the dancers and acrobats with things like plates, glasses, napkins and chairs, and the unfolding of the tablecloth were just charming and they go so well with the love Nits show for all sorts of day-to-day objects which have been present in their work from the early beginnings – from umbrellas, tents, watches, tables and chairs (indeed!), over shoes, cars, pencils and buttons to the more recent yellow socks and even a petite allumette. Nits love things. They often like to include concrete, picturesque details of everyday life in their lyrics and the images or videos decorating their stage performances are full of them. The tune has a delicious nervousness about it. As if you could do a million things while listening to it. It’s the lighter, whistle side of Nits. The busy but simple, naive goings-on of the dancers suit the song perfectly and they graciously share the sweet nostalgia of objects so typical of Nits. I was not so fond of the ballet adaptation of “Ting” in general, but I think that Walter and Conny was well thought out and made both funny and very relevant references to the nature and spirit of the music of Nits. Yes, I’ll drink to that… Proost!

Joke Roelandt, June 2021