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WE'LL HAVE YOU KNOW...
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TRI Δ NGLES
Over the summer, I had the joy of seeing a hefty amount of bands (Parts 1 & 2 of my musical summer antics can be found by scrolling down on this very same page) and noticed a recurring geometrical trend. I wrote a few quick paragraphs about it and have now decided to loosely compile and revisit this topic, tackle the issue head-on if you will. This is due to my passion for semiotics, my curiosity when it comes to recurring and meaningfully-loaded symbols, as well as the fact I was no closer to a conclusion on the matter…
(Cue the dramatic strings) Until now…
No more cryptic and obscure waffling: I’m talking about the current dominance of the triangle. The isosceles triangle to be precise. This: Δ
Over the past few months, I couldn’t help but notice the sheer amount of bands using the triangle in their stage shows or merchandising. Whether it be Alt-J’s symbol; Bastille, Of Monsters and Men and Depeche Mode’s typographical use; Poni Hoax and Girls In Hawaii’s album covers; The Smashing Pumpkins’ new unofficial logo; Thirty Seconds To Mars’ leitmotiv; even Sigur Ros’ current use of the Eye of Horus symbolic in their artwork… there seems to be a recent plethora of this particular geometric shape. It’s on t-shirts, album artwork, band posters… The most overt display is when countless fans throw their hands up in the air and make the sign at gigs to show their enjoyment…
Granted, the symbol isn’t new in the musical world, Pink Floyd having rallied behind the symbol for their famous Dark Side Of The Moon album. However, the current simultaneous use by many bands merits a second thought and can’t be utter coincidence…
Here are but a few examples:
(Cue the dramatic strings) Until now…
No more cryptic and obscure waffling: I’m talking about the current dominance of the triangle. The isosceles triangle to be precise. This: Δ
Over the past few months, I couldn’t help but notice the sheer amount of bands using the triangle in their stage shows or merchandising. Whether it be Alt-J’s symbol; Bastille, Of Monsters and Men and Depeche Mode’s typographical use; Poni Hoax and Girls In Hawaii’s album covers; The Smashing Pumpkins’ new unofficial logo; Thirty Seconds To Mars’ leitmotiv; even Sigur Ros’ current use of the Eye of Horus symbolic in their artwork… there seems to be a recent plethora of this particular geometric shape. It’s on t-shirts, album artwork, band posters… The most overt display is when countless fans throw their hands up in the air and make the sign at gigs to show their enjoyment…
Granted, the symbol isn’t new in the musical world, Pink Floyd having rallied behind the symbol for their famous Dark Side Of The Moon album. However, the current simultaneous use by many bands merits a second thought and can’t be utter coincidence…
Here are but a few examples:
Alt - J t-shirts
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Bastille's debut...
Smashing Pumpkins t-shirt
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Poni Hoax' latest...
Thirty Seconds To Mars t-shirts
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Sigur Ros t-shirt
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A wide variety of avenues opened themselves up regarding the ‘why’:
AN ILLUMINATI / MASONIC CONSPIRACY?
Many crackpot conspiracy nuts are overly keen on seeing the Illuminati, Zionists and Freemasonry everywhere, convinced that there is some global plot lead by a secret elite to dominate the free world, that there are self-elected architects thriving on being puppet masters, etching and guiding the future (whether it be financial, political, sociological, cultural… grammatical) in the ways they see fit.
Maybe a way of spreading the fear / news / influence is via popular music listened to by the masses... A brainwashing tactic of sorts… Who knows?
All that’s rock solid is that everyone loves a good conspiracy theory and that the public’s demand for hidden truths is unfathomable.
For example, for no explicable reason (other than a substantial amount of Americans seem to be overwhelmingly naïve and giddily keen to jump on any weakly contrived controversy for no apparent reason), Beyonce caused outrage during the last Superbowl by throwing some hand shapes and fashioning a triangle. She doesn’t return my calls anymore, so I don’t know for sure, but the most straightforward explanation would be that the symbol that was a sly reference to her hubby’s record label… as opposed to the confirmation of her allegiance to the Illuminati, like many thought fit to shit-stir…
Verdict: Are Jay-Z, Beyonce and the others Illuminati puppets? Doubtful.
Maybe a way of spreading the fear / news / influence is via popular music listened to by the masses... A brainwashing tactic of sorts… Who knows?
All that’s rock solid is that everyone loves a good conspiracy theory and that the public’s demand for hidden truths is unfathomable.
For example, for no explicable reason (other than a substantial amount of Americans seem to be overwhelmingly naïve and giddily keen to jump on any weakly contrived controversy for no apparent reason), Beyonce caused outrage during the last Superbowl by throwing some hand shapes and fashioning a triangle. She doesn’t return my calls anymore, so I don’t know for sure, but the most straightforward explanation would be that the symbol that was a sly reference to her hubby’s record label… as opposed to the confirmation of her allegiance to the Illuminati, like many thought fit to shit-stir…
Verdict: Are Jay-Z, Beyonce and the others Illuminati puppets? Doubtful.
A REMINDER OF THE HOLY TRINITY?
Maybe bands are reminding us of their Christian faith and the mystery of one God in three persons? It is possible that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit get a mention at gigs because it mirrors the audience: the crowd is filled with distinct individuals that form one unit moving to the same beat…
Verdict: Are artists getting into interconnectivity? Why not... but mainly nah.
Verdict: Are artists getting into interconnectivity? Why not... but mainly nah.
THE THIRD EYE / EYE OF HORUS?
The pyramid with the eye inside has always signaled some form of divinity, a spiritual concept linked to enlightenment. Music is a form of elevation and many poets and artists throughout time have stated that the fifth art is a way of reaching a higher plane of existence / touching an element of the divine.
In this case, could the use of the triangle be a sign of the heavens / reaching a higher level?
Verdict: The all-seeing eye? There is a certain poetry to it…
In this case, could the use of the triangle be a sign of the heavens / reaching a higher level?
Verdict: The all-seeing eye? There is a certain poetry to it…
PYTHAGOREAN TRIAD / THE MYSTIC POWERS OF '3'?
The number three has properties and significances (some of which are linked to the occult) that vary and overlap all over the world. It represents a certain unity of body, mind and spirit, the number being of universal significance.
The Triad is also the first odd number in energy, considered by many as the first perfect number. Pythagoreans referred it to Physiology; it is the cause of all that has the triple dimension.
Verdict: Are bands getting numerological? The White Stripes certainly had a thing with the number 3, but I doubt the answer lies in the numbers…
The Triad is also the first odd number in energy, considered by many as the first perfect number. Pythagoreans referred it to Physiology; it is the cause of all that has the triple dimension.
Verdict: Are bands getting numerological? The White Stripes certainly had a thing with the number 3, but I doubt the answer lies in the numbers…
A CELEBRATION OF WOMEN?
After all, the triangle, usually inverted, is a symbol that represents fertility and motherhood, drawing a parallel with female reproductive organs…
Verdict: Are bands celebrating womanhood? They should…
Verdict: Are bands celebrating womanhood? They should…
ARE TRIGONOMETRY AND ALCHEMY BECOMING SEXY?
The Nabla symbol (its name coming for the Greek word describing a Hebrew harp), which is used in mathematics which goes way beyond my frontal lobe capacities, I am not ashamed to say. I do know however that the Nabla symbol is also used in naval architecture and engineering to designate volume displacement, something, I’m convinced, bands couldn’t give a tiny rat’s arse about.
Regarding alchemy, triangles are omnipresent, often representing Aristotle’s elements: fire, water, earth and air, the unity symbol being akin to the Star of David, representing balance and “all that is”.
Verdict: Elementary? I think not.
Regarding alchemy, triangles are omnipresent, often representing Aristotle’s elements: fire, water, earth and air, the unity symbol being akin to the Star of David, representing balance and “all that is”.
Verdict: Elementary? I think not.
The overt love for the Greek letter Δ?
The letter Delta in the mathematical world describes change. Indeed, delta is the initial letter of the word διαφορά (diaphorá), which means "difference". After all, Depeche Mode did call their most recent album ‘Delta Machine’…
Could bands be trying to mark their individuality by focusing their attention on a symbol that many have now commonly thrown their fancy upon? If so, it’s back to the blackboard for the lot of them: it now seems like a contradiction in terms, an ideological oxymoron.
Verdict: Delta force? We could be onto something…
Could bands be trying to mark their individuality by focusing their attention on a symbol that many have now commonly thrown their fancy upon? If so, it’s back to the blackboard for the lot of them: it now seems like a contradiction in terms, an ideological oxymoron.
Verdict: Delta force? We could be onto something…
As you can see, this particular geometric form’s symbolically loaded virtues are numerous and by no means limit themselves to this meager list. I didn't even mention the Harry Potter connection...
After a while, I started to adhere to two possible explanations with regards to this interesting symbolic / fashion trend / marketing strategy:
1) The triangle is a summoning symbol and has been used in the past in pagan rituals. Maybe the triangle is the new sign of the horns, another physical gesture that has been used in the musical world for many years now.
2) The triangle is a handsome, almost mysterious symbol that looks good on merchandise and will attract more attention from the fans / potential buyers. After all, it is always a good idea to make good on a trend, capitalize on a fashionable craze, especially for commercial purposes.
It is this second hypothesis that over the weeks led me to a further explanation which may in fact hold the key:
After a while, I started to adhere to two possible explanations with regards to this interesting symbolic / fashion trend / marketing strategy:
1) The triangle is a summoning symbol and has been used in the past in pagan rituals. Maybe the triangle is the new sign of the horns, another physical gesture that has been used in the musical world for many years now.
2) The triangle is a handsome, almost mysterious symbol that looks good on merchandise and will attract more attention from the fans / potential buyers. After all, it is always a good idea to make good on a trend, capitalize on a fashionable craze, especially for commercial purposes.
It is this second hypothesis that over the weeks led me to a further explanation which may in fact hold the key:
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HIPSTERS
Could it all boil down to, à la Ockham’s razor (or Occam’s razor – I’m told both are acceptable), the answer being in this recent fad that has been in front of our eyes for quite a while now?
Look around you… T-shirts, tops and fashion accessories are presently loaded with triangles and the sheer amount of people (usually girls from my personal experience) with triangle tattoos is impressive… This is a symbol that speaks to the hipster generation.
***
Please note at this point that I am in no way suggesting that all those who have clothing with triangles / have a triangle tattoo are hipsters - this, I hope will become apparent by the end of this article - I just thought I'd clarify, considering I have encountered many a folk who just love to jump at any opportunity to be a sizeable pain in the arse by trying to assert their petty assumptions whenever they can in order to create a needless conflict.
***
So, after doing some research, a spot of chatting with those belonging to the hipster brigade and a decent dose of vanilla observation, it’s plain to see that the triangle has become the calling-card symbol of this hipster movement that considers itself as being avant-guard.
Everyone can make up their own minds about hipsters. The personal experience I have of them is not necessarily a positive one, but hardly one which induces virulent disgust. I find them to be not so much a nuisance but more of a joke than anything else.
What is a hipster, you ask? They are a subculture that values above all else counter-culture and edginess, an ‘ethos’ of sorts (I use the term loosely) that is inextricably intertwined with distinct fashion sensibilities such as vintage clothing, tight-fitting jeans and thick rimmed glasses. Add some loud colour schemes, trendy jewelry, androgynous and asymmetric hair styles, a startling lack of body fat and relatively little sense of humour / no sense of self-deprication and you’ve found yourself a hipster. This hip band pride themselves on being open-minded but generally don’t take a liking towards those who are not part of their subculture, despite their calls and cries for tolerance above all else. They spurt out mundane thoughts like (and I am not making this up): “We Change Fashion. We Change Life. We Chose This. We Want This. We Are Hipsters.”
Fair enough.
In the end, the term "hipster" is in completely relative. There are varying degrees: anything from the excitable 20-30 year old that jumps on the latest bandwagon, musical or otherwise, and claims he or she knew all along, all the way to the type I described above.
However, it is in their inherent contradictions that my respect often wanes for hipsters: they need to have opinions that are deemed cool by the cool, yet fervently promote individuality. Their ideals are sadly littered with obvious paradoxes, making them ripe for parody in my book. There is nothing wrong with the basic points they are trying to promote but undo all the good work they wish to make by being… well, hipsters, that is to say imbued with a certain arrogance and elitist behavior that often (not always, mind you) translates as self-serving snobbishness, a pompous authority that states they are right and others are therefore automatically considered wrong. In their minds, “independent culture” renders “mainstream culture” shit and that everyone who does not share their elitist musical tastes for instance are deluded slaves to the trappings of the modern consumerist world. (The various ones I have chatted to have hiden behind the discourse that anti-hipster sentiments come from culturally-inept people who view them as being either too effeminate or too aware of social change, thereby making all non-hipsters riddled with jealousy.) Basically, if you’re not a hipster, you’ve “sold out”. It’s the equivalent of the childish, shallow argument that goes along the lines of: “You’re wrong…because you are and because I’m right.”
Getting back to the triangles (I haven’t forgotten – there is method to my writing madness, I assure you, dear reader), their appropriated symbol (which has three edges, making them thricely edgy!) also reflects a certain cluelessness on their part: hipsters wish to disregard the mainstream and embrace the independent but have ironically, by being so obsessed with the triangle, become the very thing they were trying to distance themselves from: the conformist mainstream. The unwavering paradox at the heart of this is that Keats-like musing of wanting to capture the fleeting, box-in the uncatchable. Keats often touched upon this theme, with ‘Ode on a Grecian Urn’ ringing in my ears at this point: the hipsters have what the poet would call a “mad pursuit” for what is fickly elitist and cool, but once you’ve taken it on board and deemed something cool, it becomes widespread, therefore no longer hip. It ceases to be the coveted ‘avant-guard’. The modus operandi is flawed from the get-go, considering jumping on the bandwagon automatically negates the underground / fashionable ‘buzz’.
(I am, for the record, mildly ashamed to have made reference to my favourite poet in relation to the hipster movement, but my point still stands.)
To all this, the hipster (who by the way objects to being labeled a hipster) will respond that they are being ironic, working on several levels of self-awareness… It’s a cop-out argument, an easy one to stand behind, but one which flirts with being interesting. You see, the triangle in their minds, from clothing to accessories, tattoos to hand gestures, seems to be a sort of aesthetic New Age ideal: it is a tessellate shape that fits everywhere… unlike the hipsters. They thrive on this contradiction, which makes sense only in a very basic, borderline childish, way.
I therefore conclude that the hipsters (without them saying as much or showing much knowledge in the Greek letter) cling to the Delta symbol Δ, making my ultimate proposition above the ‘right’ one. In striving to be apart from the rest of the mass who are “selling out”, they have unknowingly chosen to shine a light on a sign of change, feeling this symbol embodies their ideals.
Look around you… T-shirts, tops and fashion accessories are presently loaded with triangles and the sheer amount of people (usually girls from my personal experience) with triangle tattoos is impressive… This is a symbol that speaks to the hipster generation.
***
Please note at this point that I am in no way suggesting that all those who have clothing with triangles / have a triangle tattoo are hipsters - this, I hope will become apparent by the end of this article - I just thought I'd clarify, considering I have encountered many a folk who just love to jump at any opportunity to be a sizeable pain in the arse by trying to assert their petty assumptions whenever they can in order to create a needless conflict.
***
So, after doing some research, a spot of chatting with those belonging to the hipster brigade and a decent dose of vanilla observation, it’s plain to see that the triangle has become the calling-card symbol of this hipster movement that considers itself as being avant-guard.
Everyone can make up their own minds about hipsters. The personal experience I have of them is not necessarily a positive one, but hardly one which induces virulent disgust. I find them to be not so much a nuisance but more of a joke than anything else.
What is a hipster, you ask? They are a subculture that values above all else counter-culture and edginess, an ‘ethos’ of sorts (I use the term loosely) that is inextricably intertwined with distinct fashion sensibilities such as vintage clothing, tight-fitting jeans and thick rimmed glasses. Add some loud colour schemes, trendy jewelry, androgynous and asymmetric hair styles, a startling lack of body fat and relatively little sense of humour / no sense of self-deprication and you’ve found yourself a hipster. This hip band pride themselves on being open-minded but generally don’t take a liking towards those who are not part of their subculture, despite their calls and cries for tolerance above all else. They spurt out mundane thoughts like (and I am not making this up): “We Change Fashion. We Change Life. We Chose This. We Want This. We Are Hipsters.”
Fair enough.
In the end, the term "hipster" is in completely relative. There are varying degrees: anything from the excitable 20-30 year old that jumps on the latest bandwagon, musical or otherwise, and claims he or she knew all along, all the way to the type I described above.
However, it is in their inherent contradictions that my respect often wanes for hipsters: they need to have opinions that are deemed cool by the cool, yet fervently promote individuality. Their ideals are sadly littered with obvious paradoxes, making them ripe for parody in my book. There is nothing wrong with the basic points they are trying to promote but undo all the good work they wish to make by being… well, hipsters, that is to say imbued with a certain arrogance and elitist behavior that often (not always, mind you) translates as self-serving snobbishness, a pompous authority that states they are right and others are therefore automatically considered wrong. In their minds, “independent culture” renders “mainstream culture” shit and that everyone who does not share their elitist musical tastes for instance are deluded slaves to the trappings of the modern consumerist world. (The various ones I have chatted to have hiden behind the discourse that anti-hipster sentiments come from culturally-inept people who view them as being either too effeminate or too aware of social change, thereby making all non-hipsters riddled with jealousy.) Basically, if you’re not a hipster, you’ve “sold out”. It’s the equivalent of the childish, shallow argument that goes along the lines of: “You’re wrong…because you are and because I’m right.”
Getting back to the triangles (I haven’t forgotten – there is method to my writing madness, I assure you, dear reader), their appropriated symbol (which has three edges, making them thricely edgy!) also reflects a certain cluelessness on their part: hipsters wish to disregard the mainstream and embrace the independent but have ironically, by being so obsessed with the triangle, become the very thing they were trying to distance themselves from: the conformist mainstream. The unwavering paradox at the heart of this is that Keats-like musing of wanting to capture the fleeting, box-in the uncatchable. Keats often touched upon this theme, with ‘Ode on a Grecian Urn’ ringing in my ears at this point: the hipsters have what the poet would call a “mad pursuit” for what is fickly elitist and cool, but once you’ve taken it on board and deemed something cool, it becomes widespread, therefore no longer hip. It ceases to be the coveted ‘avant-guard’. The modus operandi is flawed from the get-go, considering jumping on the bandwagon automatically negates the underground / fashionable ‘buzz’.
(I am, for the record, mildly ashamed to have made reference to my favourite poet in relation to the hipster movement, but my point still stands.)
To all this, the hipster (who by the way objects to being labeled a hipster) will respond that they are being ironic, working on several levels of self-awareness… It’s a cop-out argument, an easy one to stand behind, but one which flirts with being interesting. You see, the triangle in their minds, from clothing to accessories, tattoos to hand gestures, seems to be a sort of aesthetic New Age ideal: it is a tessellate shape that fits everywhere… unlike the hipsters. They thrive on this contradiction, which makes sense only in a very basic, borderline childish, way.
I therefore conclude that the hipsters (without them saying as much or showing much knowledge in the Greek letter) cling to the Delta symbol Δ, making my ultimate proposition above the ‘right’ one. In striving to be apart from the rest of the mass who are “selling out”, they have unknowingly chosen to shine a light on a sign of change, feeling this symbol embodies their ideals.
TO CONCLUDE...
In searching for an explanation, the hipster movement has provided me with one.
Whether or not you agree with this shambolically-exposed theory explaining the current omnipresence of the triangle, what is certain is that a few months / years from now, the trapeze will overtake its currently favoured geometrical neighbor and will all of a sudden become chockablock full of ‘meaning’ for a newer subculture.
It is in my mind a distinct possibility that bands are currently riding the hipster wave / being told to capitalize on this recent craze in order to sell more records / concert tickets / t-shirts. I do remain open to the theory that certain triangular cases may just be coincidence and that certain artists have their independent motives, which could just as simply boil down to aesthetical appreciation for the triangular form and nothing more. I doubt for instance that Sigur Ros give two shits about the sensibilities of hipsters.
However, I have reached the conclusion that there are too many bands using this symbol right now for it to be completely independent from the hipster movement.
Bottom line: symbols are powerful, fascinating and can be (re)claimed. The triangle is currently an example of an overlapping commercial trend and is presently associated with a subculture that despite their best intentions, shoot themselves in the foot. As I stated earlier (and repeat to make sure no one thinks I’m aimlessly having a go), it is a pity that a sizeable amount of hipsters are their own worst enemies because of the way they alienate others. The core of the idea remains brilliant: be proud to be yourself. Where they went wrong from the inception is that pride in what one enjoys spans across ‘independent’ and ‘mainstream’. Ultimately, to each his own: if you like it, wear it… even if it is ‘mainstream’. If you fancy doing something that doesn’t harm anyone else, feel free do to so… ‘mainstream’ or not.
I invite you to keep an amused eye out for triangles, whatever your interpretations may be and whether you simply appreciate their aesthetic form, consider their various meanings or even dare to reclaim them, without being slaves to the meanings bulldozed onto them…
I now bid you farewell until 2014, the year of the oblong.
- D - 09/09/13
Whether or not you agree with this shambolically-exposed theory explaining the current omnipresence of the triangle, what is certain is that a few months / years from now, the trapeze will overtake its currently favoured geometrical neighbor and will all of a sudden become chockablock full of ‘meaning’ for a newer subculture.
It is in my mind a distinct possibility that bands are currently riding the hipster wave / being told to capitalize on this recent craze in order to sell more records / concert tickets / t-shirts. I do remain open to the theory that certain triangular cases may just be coincidence and that certain artists have their independent motives, which could just as simply boil down to aesthetical appreciation for the triangular form and nothing more. I doubt for instance that Sigur Ros give two shits about the sensibilities of hipsters.
However, I have reached the conclusion that there are too many bands using this symbol right now for it to be completely independent from the hipster movement.
Bottom line: symbols are powerful, fascinating and can be (re)claimed. The triangle is currently an example of an overlapping commercial trend and is presently associated with a subculture that despite their best intentions, shoot themselves in the foot. As I stated earlier (and repeat to make sure no one thinks I’m aimlessly having a go), it is a pity that a sizeable amount of hipsters are their own worst enemies because of the way they alienate others. The core of the idea remains brilliant: be proud to be yourself. Where they went wrong from the inception is that pride in what one enjoys spans across ‘independent’ and ‘mainstream’. Ultimately, to each his own: if you like it, wear it… even if it is ‘mainstream’. If you fancy doing something that doesn’t harm anyone else, feel free do to so… ‘mainstream’ or not.
I invite you to keep an amused eye out for triangles, whatever your interpretations may be and whether you simply appreciate their aesthetic form, consider their various meanings or even dare to reclaim them, without being slaves to the meanings bulldozed onto them…
I now bid you farewell until 2014, the year of the oblong.
- D - 09/09/13
A SUMMER IN MUSIC
PART 2
(16 JULY - 30 JULY)
After Part 1, which included Of Monsters And Men, Rock Werchter Festival and Hugh Laurie (scroll down), here’s the résumé of the second half of my musical antics this Summer...
Bring on The Smashing Pumpkins, Woody Allen, Patti Smith and Sigur Ros...
THE SMASHING PUMPKINS
Théâtre Antique de Vienne, 16/07/13
I was 15 years old the last time I saw The Smashing Pumpkins for their Sacred And Profane Tour, monikered their ‘farewell tour’, as the band spilt up shortly after. I recall a great show, filled with passion, energy and great tunes, including those of their underrated fifth album ‘Machina/ The Machines of God’.
13 years later… The Pumpkins reformed and disbanded on and off between 2001 and 2009, finding the time to release the disappointing (read: piss rubbish) ‘Zeitgeist’, whilst Billy Corgan aligned several side projects including the excellent Zwan. Finally, in 2012, the band (with a brand spanking new line-up) released ‘Oceania’, a decent record with a more progressive and synth-heavy sound (link to review). Bring on the tour, which lead them to the impressive amphitheatre in Vienne, an ideal and imposing setting that promised an impressive show.
The opening band Beware of Darkness was a pleasant surprise, with the androgynous-sounding front man cracking out not only some very decent riffs but also a few skinny-trouser-wearing leg jigs. The band sounds like The Dandy Warhols and Jane Addiction had a vaguely K-Choice-sounding baby and it would be foolish not to keep an eye on this three-piece combo.
The Pumpkins then appeared, very casually walking on stage with a distinct lack of theatrics that clash somewhat with the ostentatiously and historically dramatic surroundings. Pity, considering a bolder entrance would not have been amiss or uncharacteristic coming from this lot.
The set list kicked off with a cover of David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’, a great choice for the opener. From then, it’s all a straightforward recital of tracks, with grating newbie ‘Quasar’, the disappointing ‘Starz’ and far superior classics such as ‘Tonight, Tonight’, ‘Disarm’ and ‘Bullet With Butterfly Wings’. The new line-up sounds brilliant (Mike Byrne’s flawless drumming proving to be a real treat), so much so that Billy Corgan’s vocals didn’t quite manage to keep up. As for bassist Nicole Fiorentino, she is (in keeping with past Pumpkins bassists) a smoking hottie and her brooding bass work and backing vocals are just what the doctor ordered.
Seriously, I’ve made this point before, but please peruse the Pumpkin bassist timeline:
I was 15 years old the last time I saw The Smashing Pumpkins for their Sacred And Profane Tour, monikered their ‘farewell tour’, as the band spilt up shortly after. I recall a great show, filled with passion, energy and great tunes, including those of their underrated fifth album ‘Machina/ The Machines of God’.
13 years later… The Pumpkins reformed and disbanded on and off between 2001 and 2009, finding the time to release the disappointing (read: piss rubbish) ‘Zeitgeist’, whilst Billy Corgan aligned several side projects including the excellent Zwan. Finally, in 2012, the band (with a brand spanking new line-up) released ‘Oceania’, a decent record with a more progressive and synth-heavy sound (link to review). Bring on the tour, which lead them to the impressive amphitheatre in Vienne, an ideal and imposing setting that promised an impressive show.
The opening band Beware of Darkness was a pleasant surprise, with the androgynous-sounding front man cracking out not only some very decent riffs but also a few skinny-trouser-wearing leg jigs. The band sounds like The Dandy Warhols and Jane Addiction had a vaguely K-Choice-sounding baby and it would be foolish not to keep an eye on this three-piece combo.
The Pumpkins then appeared, very casually walking on stage with a distinct lack of theatrics that clash somewhat with the ostentatiously and historically dramatic surroundings. Pity, considering a bolder entrance would not have been amiss or uncharacteristic coming from this lot.
The set list kicked off with a cover of David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’, a great choice for the opener. From then, it’s all a straightforward recital of tracks, with grating newbie ‘Quasar’, the disappointing ‘Starz’ and far superior classics such as ‘Tonight, Tonight’, ‘Disarm’ and ‘Bullet With Butterfly Wings’. The new line-up sounds brilliant (Mike Byrne’s flawless drumming proving to be a real treat), so much so that Billy Corgan’s vocals didn’t quite manage to keep up. As for bassist Nicole Fiorentino, she is (in keeping with past Pumpkins bassists) a smoking hottie and her brooding bass work and backing vocals are just what the doctor ordered.
Seriously, I’ve made this point before, but please peruse the Pumpkin bassist timeline:
D’arcy (1988 - 1999)
Longest serving bassist, with a distinct proclivity for showing her nipples...
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Melissa Auf Der Maur (1999 - 2000)
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Ginger Pooley (2007 - 2010)
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Nicole Fiorentino (2010 - present)
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Corgan sure knows how to choose them.
Back to the concert...
When Corgan and the Pumpkins finally speak to the audience after about 9 songs, the change in tone and energy occurs. You see, before then (Bowie cover aside), the start of the evening could be characterized as rather uncharismatic. The leading man, during his long-awaited first chinwag with the audience, stated that the band “play songs of the heart”. This phrase provoked a smirk, as there was no evidence of his affirmation thus far, as the disappointing first half was lacking in all conviction, the band playing the tracks one after the other as if they had a previous engagement to get to. The complete lack of heart was disappointing and even ‘Bullet With Butterfly Wings’ felt stale. Judging from the audience reaction, I wasn’t the only one to feel this; this is a song that usually sends a crowd berserk… Here, we have some mild moshing, but hardly anything spectacular.
However, as mentioned at the start of the previous (and slightly harsh) paragraph, there is a definitive break once contact is established and from then on, things get significantly better. Newer tracks like ‘Pinwheels’ and ‘Oceania’ work well, even if the latter gets slightly lost in its own psychedelia and the songs finally start to sound as if they are sung and played with passion. Once ‘Ava Adore’ starts, it’s all uphill: ‘Eye’, ‘One Diamond, One Heart’, ‘Today’, ‘Zero’ and ‘Stand Inside Your Love’ are all done justice to and sound like they’re played from the gut. Why they bothered to end the main set with ‘United States’ is beyond me, as the track from ‘Zeitgeist’ deserves to be a forgotten B-side at best (the same can be said for ‘Starz’).
The best was thankfully yet to come with a spectacular encore that fully elevated the show: Led Zeppelin’s ‘Immigrant Song’ is brilliantly covered, ‘Cherub Rock’ is yet another reminder of how the band’s second album ‘Siamese Dream’ still rocks like a bastard and the closing ‘1979’ is a real treat, performed to perfection.
While this review seems to have been tainted with a slight tang of dissatisfaction, the truth remains that the gig was a very decent one. Even if one can’t help but wonder where the energy was at the start of the proceedings, it’s still great to hear the Pumpkins sounding so good. They still have relevance but need to work on showmanship, as an uneven show with such distinctive two halves is clearly below the band’s pedigree.
Back to the concert...
When Corgan and the Pumpkins finally speak to the audience after about 9 songs, the change in tone and energy occurs. You see, before then (Bowie cover aside), the start of the evening could be characterized as rather uncharismatic. The leading man, during his long-awaited first chinwag with the audience, stated that the band “play songs of the heart”. This phrase provoked a smirk, as there was no evidence of his affirmation thus far, as the disappointing first half was lacking in all conviction, the band playing the tracks one after the other as if they had a previous engagement to get to. The complete lack of heart was disappointing and even ‘Bullet With Butterfly Wings’ felt stale. Judging from the audience reaction, I wasn’t the only one to feel this; this is a song that usually sends a crowd berserk… Here, we have some mild moshing, but hardly anything spectacular.
However, as mentioned at the start of the previous (and slightly harsh) paragraph, there is a definitive break once contact is established and from then on, things get significantly better. Newer tracks like ‘Pinwheels’ and ‘Oceania’ work well, even if the latter gets slightly lost in its own psychedelia and the songs finally start to sound as if they are sung and played with passion. Once ‘Ava Adore’ starts, it’s all uphill: ‘Eye’, ‘One Diamond, One Heart’, ‘Today’, ‘Zero’ and ‘Stand Inside Your Love’ are all done justice to and sound like they’re played from the gut. Why they bothered to end the main set with ‘United States’ is beyond me, as the track from ‘Zeitgeist’ deserves to be a forgotten B-side at best (the same can be said for ‘Starz’).
The best was thankfully yet to come with a spectacular encore that fully elevated the show: Led Zeppelin’s ‘Immigrant Song’ is brilliantly covered, ‘Cherub Rock’ is yet another reminder of how the band’s second album ‘Siamese Dream’ still rocks like a bastard and the closing ‘1979’ is a real treat, performed to perfection.
While this review seems to have been tainted with a slight tang of dissatisfaction, the truth remains that the gig was a very decent one. Even if one can’t help but wonder where the energy was at the start of the proceedings, it’s still great to hear the Pumpkins sounding so good. They still have relevance but need to work on showmanship, as an uneven show with such distinctive two halves is clearly below the band’s pedigree.
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TRIANGLE WATCH: PRESENT
As stated in Pt.1 of my Summer music review (scroll down for full piece on triangles), the amount of artists that are currently using the triangular symbol is staggering. It’s everywhere, from typographical logos to merchandising (Alt-J, Of Monsters And Men, Bastille, Thirty Seconds To Mars, Depeche Mode…) and The Smashing Pumpkins seem to have also succumbed…
Just for the sake of it, I chose to buy the t-shirt with the triangles, thereby personally satisfying and confirming my suspicions: it’s no fluke that all these bands are currently using this symbol, one which to my knowledge has not been used by Billy Corgan and his lot before (except from certain alchemic drawings in the 'Machina/The Machines of God' album booklet). 2013 is indeed the year of the triangle.
An interesting symbolic / fashion trend / marketing strategy continues…
Just for the sake of it, I chose to buy the t-shirt with the triangles, thereby personally satisfying and confirming my suspicions: it’s no fluke that all these bands are currently using this symbol, one which to my knowledge has not been used by Billy Corgan and his lot before (except from certain alchemic drawings in the 'Machina/The Machines of God' album booklet). 2013 is indeed the year of the triangle.
An interesting symbolic / fashion trend / marketing strategy continues…
WOODY ALLEN
AND HIS NEW ORLEANS JAZZ BAND
Woody Allen loves his New Orleans Jazz. This statement isn’t hard to piece together, especially when listening to many of his films’ soundtracks. Furthermore, an oft-overlooked and excellent documentary called Wild Man Blues was released in 1997 and recounts his recreational kick of playing the clarinet, an instrument which he has been fond of since the age of 15.
Upon hearing that the beloved director / actor was doing a handful of live performances this summer, I immediately jumped on the unique opportunity to see a man who has directed some all-time classics and who, at the grand age of 77, will (let’s face facts) not be touring forever.
I hold my hands up and admit that my excitement was partly curiosity but mainly boiled down to the fact I’d be seeing a true filmmaking legend rather than an accomplished musician. The New Orleans Jazz Band would carry Allen and the evening would probably resume itself to a filmgoer’s wet dream and a music lover’s amusing anecdote.
How wrong I was….
Instead, I witnessed not only an accomplished and sprightly musician but experienced a once in a lifetime concert, one to cherish not only because of the beautiful setting and how close I was to the stage but due to musical accuracy / quality and joy the music inspired. I cannot remember a gig where I had a steady wide grin on my face, my cheeks aching for over an hour and forty minutes.
That’s right – the perky 77 year old and his 60+ consorts animatedly held the stage for nearly an hour and three quarters… Take note, bands that have the unjustifiable nerve and misguided audacity to come on stage with a sizeable back catalogue, ditch any and all concert etiquette and dare to charge extortionate prices for ticket in order to subject the paying audience to little over a measly hour of playing… The Offspring, your home remains the naughty corner, considering you have been consistently delivering live performances so short and boring they were as exciting as Ready Salted crisps.
Moving on…
The wonderfully self-deprecating Allen started by warmly greeting the audience and saying in perfect French: “I hope you like the music we’re about to play. If you don’t, you can always go see my films.” What followed was a show characterized by the love and passion this 6-person band (including Allen) had in performing tunes from the Golden Age of 20-40s New Orleans / Dixieland Jazz. The band had no set list, relying instead on either Allen or the cheeriest banjo player the world has ever known (group leader Eddy Davis) chatting / shouting to the others before launching into another classic tune.
Trombone player Jerry Zigmont and trumpeter Simon Wettenhall shine and it’s hard not to feel overcome with sheer joy when hearing familiar tunes that ranged from Bing Crosby to Louis Armstrong, with some random gospel thrown in for good measure. Each player (apart from Allen) takes the microphone at some point during the evening to provide some lyrics and Allen is given several solo opportunities to excel with his reed, windows he makes the very most of. Standouts included ‘Sweetheart of Sigma Chi’ and a brilliant version of ‘Down by the Riverside’, the band giving it their very best, performing these songs not only with the respect they deserve, but with modesty, care and generosity. The good spirit was infectious and the performers were clearly moved by the thunderous applause that filled the outdoor amphitheatre.
The show was something truly special, wildly exceeded my expectations and caused much happiness. Woody Allen not only quashed my preconceptions but also came back on for several encores, interacting with the audience and was clearly amused by the cushion throwing tradition of the Fourvière crowd. This was a unique show that will go down in my records as one of the very best... and considering the ostentatious amount of concerts I've been to, that's saying a lot.
Upon hearing that the beloved director / actor was doing a handful of live performances this summer, I immediately jumped on the unique opportunity to see a man who has directed some all-time classics and who, at the grand age of 77, will (let’s face facts) not be touring forever.
I hold my hands up and admit that my excitement was partly curiosity but mainly boiled down to the fact I’d be seeing a true filmmaking legend rather than an accomplished musician. The New Orleans Jazz Band would carry Allen and the evening would probably resume itself to a filmgoer’s wet dream and a music lover’s amusing anecdote.
How wrong I was….
Instead, I witnessed not only an accomplished and sprightly musician but experienced a once in a lifetime concert, one to cherish not only because of the beautiful setting and how close I was to the stage but due to musical accuracy / quality and joy the music inspired. I cannot remember a gig where I had a steady wide grin on my face, my cheeks aching for over an hour and forty minutes.
That’s right – the perky 77 year old and his 60+ consorts animatedly held the stage for nearly an hour and three quarters… Take note, bands that have the unjustifiable nerve and misguided audacity to come on stage with a sizeable back catalogue, ditch any and all concert etiquette and dare to charge extortionate prices for ticket in order to subject the paying audience to little over a measly hour of playing… The Offspring, your home remains the naughty corner, considering you have been consistently delivering live performances so short and boring they were as exciting as Ready Salted crisps.
Moving on…
The wonderfully self-deprecating Allen started by warmly greeting the audience and saying in perfect French: “I hope you like the music we’re about to play. If you don’t, you can always go see my films.” What followed was a show characterized by the love and passion this 6-person band (including Allen) had in performing tunes from the Golden Age of 20-40s New Orleans / Dixieland Jazz. The band had no set list, relying instead on either Allen or the cheeriest banjo player the world has ever known (group leader Eddy Davis) chatting / shouting to the others before launching into another classic tune.
Trombone player Jerry Zigmont and trumpeter Simon Wettenhall shine and it’s hard not to feel overcome with sheer joy when hearing familiar tunes that ranged from Bing Crosby to Louis Armstrong, with some random gospel thrown in for good measure. Each player (apart from Allen) takes the microphone at some point during the evening to provide some lyrics and Allen is given several solo opportunities to excel with his reed, windows he makes the very most of. Standouts included ‘Sweetheart of Sigma Chi’ and a brilliant version of ‘Down by the Riverside’, the band giving it their very best, performing these songs not only with the respect they deserve, but with modesty, care and generosity. The good spirit was infectious and the performers were clearly moved by the thunderous applause that filled the outdoor amphitheatre.
The show was something truly special, wildly exceeded my expectations and caused much happiness. Woody Allen not only quashed my preconceptions but also came back on for several encores, interacting with the audience and was clearly amused by the cushion throwing tradition of the Fourvière crowd. This was a unique show that will go down in my records as one of the very best... and considering the ostentatious amount of concerts I've been to, that's saying a lot.
PATTI SMITH AND HER BAND
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Théâtre Antique de Fourvière, Lyon, 23/07/13
A storm was coming that evening… No surprises there, as this Summer has been as hot as Kate Upton dancing on hot coals whilst holding a waffle iron. The Fourvière amphitheatre was completely rammed, with an eager crowd waiting for Patti Smith to appear. Sadly and due to the weather conditions, opening act Rokia Traore was bumped off, in order to ensure Smith’s set wasn’t interrupted by the advancing and inevitable downpour. I was looking forward to this, having been a fan of Patti Smith for a while now, but wasn’t sure to what extent her rebellious streak would still be genuinely intact, now at the ripe old age of 66. After all, it’s true that there is nothing worse than an aging hipster and considering the numerous amounts of riots this woman has caused in her time, a performance nowadays could very well resume itself to a true legend easily riding on past glories. Not so, dear reader, not so. Taking the stage earlier than planned, she wasted no time in proving that she has lost none of her rebellious bite and vigorous energy. It starts with ‘Redondo Beach’, not one of my favourites, but a decent start. From then on however, every single track is a gem, as if my draft for the perfect setlist had been selected: ‘April Fool’, ‘Dancing Barefoot’, ‘Beneath the Southern Cross’, ‘Pissing in a River’, ‘Gloria’… She relishes each song, with her band delivering the goods and being given the chance to fully shine mid-set with a welcome medley of rock tunes, allowing Smith to energetically dance about and start a waving contest with the crowd. Standouts include an unknown song which I’ll dub ‘Little Prince’, made relevant by the fact baby George had just been popped out (Yay, Prince William’s cock works! Can we now all move on??), a brilliant and cheery cover of Eddie Cochran’s ‘Summertime Blues’, Smith poignantly dedicating ‘Beneath the Southern Cross’ to “the people we miss…” and the wild growls and barks that punctuate ‘Banga’. During the whole set, Smith is a variety of personas: the high priestess of punk, with her scruffy hair flowing and her ferociously ripping out the chords of her electric guitar at the end of ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Nigger’; a witty and funny presence, as she waved, danced and bantered with the audience in a cheery and playful manner; an emotional and coy presence, especially during her rousing rendition of ‘Because the Night’, which she dedicated to her late husband; an impassioned rebel, shrieking that we are free from the tyranny of governments, calling to arms by name-checking Edward Snowden during her encore, knocking over her microphone stand as she powerfully lived out her infamous line “Jesus died for somebody’s sins but not mine”. This was a show that overflowed with charisma, one that had a well balanced and genuine outpour of emotion and raw power, proving that despite welcome changes in pace and tone throughout the evening, Patti Smith hasn’t lost her relevance or her bite. (At the risk of being accused of Billy-bashing - re: The Smashing Pumpkins’ performance - certain bands could learn a thing or two…) Smith’s vocal performance was top notch, never ceding to fake-sentimentality or passion for the sake of it and yet never once hesitating to scream her lungs dry, as if her life depended on it. At no point was it possible to doubt her. Even when it started to rain towards the end of her encore, she stood right in front of the stage, catching the rain and shouted with arms wide open that we can take whatever nature throws our way, that we must never forget we are blessed with what nature gives us… And you believed every impassioned word. A storm was coming that evening. Verdict? Patti Smith: 1. Mother Nature: 0. |
SIGUR ROS
Théâtre Antique de Fourvière, Lyon, 30/07/13
Rare are bands that manage to cover such a wide emotional spectrum, bands that mange to spellbind you into a poignant and invigorating sense of being stripped down, as if your nerves were beautifully exposed to everything that could be thrown their way. Rare are these bands, those that can create a visceral thrill that showers you with music so stirring it strikes what can be best described as a divine chord, before finally leaving you overcome by emotion and completely breathless.
While this over-pouring of praise might sound somewhat gushingly exaggerated, Sigur Rós is one of these rarities.
This was not the first time I’d seen them live and they have never been anything short of brilliant each time, but this evening was something more. Illuminated by animations behind them and performing their last leg of this part of their world tour (they head off to the States for their final part in October), the band created a sumptuous musical and sensory experience: lightbulbs light up on stage, new songs work perfectly and add a thunderously dynamic kick to the set, Jonsi’s ethereal voice manages to provoke sadness, passion and intense joy… It was just…
It seems fitting that for the last gig of my summer bonanza that I should finally be lost for words.
I shall simply say that Sigur Rós’ rousing power and scope will never cease to dwarf me, and that I am blessed to have been able to share this immersive, phenomenonal and emotionally loaded concert with Yves, Marianne and Nico.
Considering a picture tells a thousand words, I leave you with some snaps of this magical evening…
Rare are bands that manage to cover such a wide emotional spectrum, bands that mange to spellbind you into a poignant and invigorating sense of being stripped down, as if your nerves were beautifully exposed to everything that could be thrown their way. Rare are these bands, those that can create a visceral thrill that showers you with music so stirring it strikes what can be best described as a divine chord, before finally leaving you overcome by emotion and completely breathless.
While this over-pouring of praise might sound somewhat gushingly exaggerated, Sigur Rós is one of these rarities.
This was not the first time I’d seen them live and they have never been anything short of brilliant each time, but this evening was something more. Illuminated by animations behind them and performing their last leg of this part of their world tour (they head off to the States for their final part in October), the band created a sumptuous musical and sensory experience: lightbulbs light up on stage, new songs work perfectly and add a thunderously dynamic kick to the set, Jonsi’s ethereal voice manages to provoke sadness, passion and intense joy… It was just…
It seems fitting that for the last gig of my summer bonanza that I should finally be lost for words.
I shall simply say that Sigur Rós’ rousing power and scope will never cease to dwarf me, and that I am blessed to have been able to share this immersive, phenomenonal and emotionally loaded concert with Yves, Marianne and Nico.
Considering a picture tells a thousand words, I leave you with some snaps of this magical evening…
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TRIANGLE WATCH: PRESENT
Woody was immune. According to Patti, people have the power, not triangles… Sigur Rós confirm the trend once more!
This is hardly a surprise, as the symbol features in the liner note drawings of the new album, but Sigur Rós nonetheless add themselves to the long list of bands that currently favour this particular geometric form.
You’ll notice that there is an eye inside the triangle, a small detail that links back to the all-seeing eye. This enigmatic emblem that originally stems from the Eye of Horus has sparked so much speculation, interpretations and conspiracy theories it would be silly for me to delve into it fully. However, occult / Zionist / Freemasonry aside, the presence of this symbol for Sigur Rós makes sense to me: the pyramid with the eye has always signaled some form of divinity. Not a divinity which can be limited to man-made and organized religions, there to serve as the “opium of the people” but rather one that touches upon a higher power, an element of the divine. How very apt that those last five words pretty much encompass Sigur Rós’ music and the emotions it provokes.
There we have it – one of the most jam-packed, eclectic and wonderful musical summers I’ve ever had, with approximately 33 artists seen. Thank you to all those who made it special, whether they be family or friends. Additional thanks to Sébastien Dorange for kindly sharing his craft.
I hope you enjoyed these reviews, dear reader, and that your eventual gigging antics have satisfied you as much as they have me.
- D - 04/08/13
This is hardly a surprise, as the symbol features in the liner note drawings of the new album, but Sigur Rós nonetheless add themselves to the long list of bands that currently favour this particular geometric form.
You’ll notice that there is an eye inside the triangle, a small detail that links back to the all-seeing eye. This enigmatic emblem that originally stems from the Eye of Horus has sparked so much speculation, interpretations and conspiracy theories it would be silly for me to delve into it fully. However, occult / Zionist / Freemasonry aside, the presence of this symbol for Sigur Rós makes sense to me: the pyramid with the eye has always signaled some form of divinity. Not a divinity which can be limited to man-made and organized religions, there to serve as the “opium of the people” but rather one that touches upon a higher power, an element of the divine. How very apt that those last five words pretty much encompass Sigur Rós’ music and the emotions it provokes.
There we have it – one of the most jam-packed, eclectic and wonderful musical summers I’ve ever had, with approximately 33 artists seen. Thank you to all those who made it special, whether they be family or friends. Additional thanks to Sébastien Dorange for kindly sharing his craft.
I hope you enjoyed these reviews, dear reader, and that your eventual gigging antics have satisfied you as much as they have me.
- D - 04/08/13
A SUMMER IN MUSIC
PART 1
(26 JUNE - 12 JULY)
Starting end of June until the last days of July, I will have been to see over 30 bands…
Not too shabby, I think you’ll concur.
Welcome, dear reader, to a résumé of the first part of this glorified month’s eclectic musical antics…
OF MONSTERS AND MEN
TRANSBORDEUR, Villeurbanne, 26/06/13
Iceland does seem to be the gift that keeps on giving… As clichéd as it may seem to name check the following, this is the small island (its capital city Reykjavik only has a population of approx. 120 000) that has given us Björk and Sigur Rós. However, these two have a certain (brilliant) tendency to include their atmospherically loaded icy origins in the tone of some of their songs. This is where Of Monsters And Men differ somewhat, in that we are not graced with chilly vibes but rather with sunny cheer. Touring their debut album ‘My Head Is An Animal’, a veritable folk rock gem, the band confirm with their live performance that their goal is not to stir up an snowy storm but rather share a joyous and carefree charm via some catchy melodies and infectious choruses.
The Monsters opened their set with shadowplay from behind a curtain, which dropped in the early strands of their set opener ‘Dirty Paws’, revealing the full band under five white globes. It was a nice touch which could almost have lasted longer in order to create a more effective build up. That being said, the band’s style isn’t too focused around the theatrics, but more centered on some sweet and simple fun… and that’s what they deliver in a short set of just over an hour. Short and sweet.
The whole combo was on top form, with plenty of horns, keys, accordions and with singers Nanna and Ragnar leading the pack, shyly but playfully interacting with the audience. The wonderful ‘Little Talks’ and the carnivalesque ‘Mountain Sound’ got the most energetic responses, with plenty of arm waving, dancing and that wonderful moment when you throw your hands up in the air to the band’s shouts of ‘Hey!’. Other highlights included the trumpet-heavy new track ‘Beneath My Bed’, the heart-string tugging ‘Love Love Love’, a very decent cover of Yeah Yeah Yeah’s ‘Skeletons’ and the excellent melodic finale of ‘Yellow Light’, the perfect way to end the joyful affair.
The whimsical evening was only made more so by the addition of confetti cannons and fake snow falling from the ceiling before the band bowed after their encore. Like in their song ‘From Finner’, with its drum-heavy backing and catchy chorus, they make the audience live out the words “We’re far from home, but we’re so happy”.
A warm evening, spent with a delightful bunch (big love to Senior Wingman and She-Who-Cannot-Stop-Singing-The-‘New Girl’-Theme-Tune) and which reminds what gigs should be: a happy celebration.
Iceland does seem to be the gift that keeps on giving… As clichéd as it may seem to name check the following, this is the small island (its capital city Reykjavik only has a population of approx. 120 000) that has given us Björk and Sigur Rós. However, these two have a certain (brilliant) tendency to include their atmospherically loaded icy origins in the tone of some of their songs. This is where Of Monsters And Men differ somewhat, in that we are not graced with chilly vibes but rather with sunny cheer. Touring their debut album ‘My Head Is An Animal’, a veritable folk rock gem, the band confirm with their live performance that their goal is not to stir up an snowy storm but rather share a joyous and carefree charm via some catchy melodies and infectious choruses.
The Monsters opened their set with shadowplay from behind a curtain, which dropped in the early strands of their set opener ‘Dirty Paws’, revealing the full band under five white globes. It was a nice touch which could almost have lasted longer in order to create a more effective build up. That being said, the band’s style isn’t too focused around the theatrics, but more centered on some sweet and simple fun… and that’s what they deliver in a short set of just over an hour. Short and sweet.
The whole combo was on top form, with plenty of horns, keys, accordions and with singers Nanna and Ragnar leading the pack, shyly but playfully interacting with the audience. The wonderful ‘Little Talks’ and the carnivalesque ‘Mountain Sound’ got the most energetic responses, with plenty of arm waving, dancing and that wonderful moment when you throw your hands up in the air to the band’s shouts of ‘Hey!’. Other highlights included the trumpet-heavy new track ‘Beneath My Bed’, the heart-string tugging ‘Love Love Love’, a very decent cover of Yeah Yeah Yeah’s ‘Skeletons’ and the excellent melodic finale of ‘Yellow Light’, the perfect way to end the joyful affair.
The whimsical evening was only made more so by the addition of confetti cannons and fake snow falling from the ceiling before the band bowed after their encore. Like in their song ‘From Finner’, with its drum-heavy backing and catchy chorus, they make the audience live out the words “We’re far from home, but we’re so happy”.
A warm evening, spent with a delightful bunch (big love to Senior Wingman and She-Who-Cannot-Stop-Singing-The-‘New Girl’-Theme-Tune) and which reminds what gigs should be: a happy celebration.
Of Monsters And Men
ROCK WERCHTER FESTIVAL
BELGIUM, 4-7/07/13
The 39th edition of the festival, located near Leuven in Belgium.
4 days, 3 stages, 79 bands, nearly 4,750 minutes of music and 139 000 unique visitors over the four days (that’s more than the total head-count in Reykjavik, as mentioned earlier) …
This was my first time at this festival and to simply say it was brilliant would be doing it a great disservice – not only was the line-up underwear-soilingly good, but the mood and overall organization (from the phone app that not only gives you the timeline but also reminds you via helpful alerts where and where you’re supposed to be with respect to bands you’ve preselected, to the food and drink coupon system, the general layout, set-up and timeliness of the bands on stage) was fantastic. Put simply, I cannot begin to praise this festival enough.
During the four days, I kept an unofficial journal of the gigs seen. Nothing too strenuous: just jotting down my appreciations and thoughts day by day… Allow me to now share these with you, dear reader, with my reserved right to correct spelling, add a few verbs here and there and editorialize as I see fit…
The 39th edition of the festival, located near Leuven in Belgium.
4 days, 3 stages, 79 bands, nearly 4,750 minutes of music and 139 000 unique visitors over the four days (that’s more than the total head-count in Reykjavik, as mentioned earlier) …
This was my first time at this festival and to simply say it was brilliant would be doing it a great disservice – not only was the line-up underwear-soilingly good, but the mood and overall organization (from the phone app that not only gives you the timeline but also reminds you via helpful alerts where and where you’re supposed to be with respect to bands you’ve preselected, to the food and drink coupon system, the general layout, set-up and timeliness of the bands on stage) was fantastic. Put simply, I cannot begin to praise this festival enough.
During the four days, I kept an unofficial journal of the gigs seen. Nothing too strenuous: just jotting down my appreciations and thoughts day by day… Allow me to now share these with you, dear reader, with my reserved right to correct spelling, add a few verbs here and there and editorialize as I see fit…
Main Stage
Klub C
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The Barn
Two idiots, happy their tents are set up...
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DAY 1: Thursday 4 July
It all starts off at Klub C with FIDLAR, a Californian punk combo that seem to have quite the cult following. Considering the fact Green Day will be skipped later on today in order to see Sigur Rós, what better way to kick things off? The band sounds like The Ramones and Black Flag had a pogoing baby. It’s fun, fast and very furious, with some of the best under-aged moshing I’ve seen in a while… and in case you were wondering, the band’s name stands for ‘Fuck It Dog, Life’s A Risk’. Should tell you all you need to know. ***
PALMA VIOLETS follows in The Barn. Good stuff and whilst I would have chosen another, I can see where the NME were coming from when they named the band’s single ‘Best of Friends’ their Single of 2012. ***
VINTAGE TROUBLE (Klub C) is incredible. The dapper gents describe their sound as “live wired, straight shooting, dirty mouth’d, pelvis pushing, juke music” and that’s pretty damn close to the mark. The lead singer is incredible, a modern day James Brown and his infectious energy (audience participation is on the agenda) elevates Vintage Trouble’s excellent mix of rhythm and blues with impressive guitar riffs. *****
LAURA MVULA (Klub C) delivers her brand of gospeldelia, as she calls it. It’s basically emotionally loaded pop with some classical jazz undertones, harp included. I enjoyed the British soul singer’s first single ‘She’ and wasn’t disappointed when she delivered some laidback and darn right beautiful tracks, with ‘Sing To The Moon’ and a cover of Bob Marley’s ‘One Love’ standing out. A quiet riot. ***
It all starts off at Klub C with FIDLAR, a Californian punk combo that seem to have quite the cult following. Considering the fact Green Day will be skipped later on today in order to see Sigur Rós, what better way to kick things off? The band sounds like The Ramones and Black Flag had a pogoing baby. It’s fun, fast and very furious, with some of the best under-aged moshing I’ve seen in a while… and in case you were wondering, the band’s name stands for ‘Fuck It Dog, Life’s A Risk’. Should tell you all you need to know. ***
PALMA VIOLETS follows in The Barn. Good stuff and whilst I would have chosen another, I can see where the NME were coming from when they named the band’s single ‘Best of Friends’ their Single of 2012. ***
VINTAGE TROUBLE (Klub C) is incredible. The dapper gents describe their sound as “live wired, straight shooting, dirty mouth’d, pelvis pushing, juke music” and that’s pretty damn close to the mark. The lead singer is incredible, a modern day James Brown and his infectious energy (audience participation is on the agenda) elevates Vintage Trouble’s excellent mix of rhythm and blues with impressive guitar riffs. *****
LAURA MVULA (Klub C) delivers her brand of gospeldelia, as she calls it. It’s basically emotionally loaded pop with some classical jazz undertones, harp included. I enjoyed the British soul singer’s first single ‘She’ and wasn’t disappointed when she delivered some laidback and darn right beautiful tracks, with ‘Sing To The Moon’ and a cover of Bob Marley’s ‘One Love’ standing out. A quiet riot. ***
Vintage Trouble
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Laura Mvula
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(We caught the second half of BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB on the Main Stage, whose decent dirty blues rock didn’t fail to entertain. Was nice hearing some oldies but goldies, ‘Six Barrel Shotgun’ being a particular favourite.)
VAMPIRE WEEKEND (Main Stage) was perfectly pleasant but ultimately rather bland live. Despite my love of their single ‘A-Punk’, I shall describe my enjoyment of the show by paraphrasing one of the band’s lyrics: “I’m not excited, but should I be?”. It shall be noted for posterity that Yves disagrees with my harsh (but fair) review. **
THE NATIONAL (Main Stage). I was like a giddy schoolboy when it came to this lot… The band’s most recent album, ‘Trouble Will Find Me’ remains my favourite album of 2013 thus far and by God will it be hard to top! The group started off with ‘Squander Victoria’, a reminder that no matter how quiet these guys can go, there’s a dormant monster lurking beneath the surface. Matt Berninger’s wonderful baritone is counter-balanced by his screams, impressive energy and wine guzzling antics, which ultimately lead him to take the corded microphone directly into the crowd, making his way through the fans, even on top of them (including yours truly) to deliver some impressive tunes. Classics (‘Fake Empire’, ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’, ‘Afraid of Everyone’, ‘Slow Show’) are played and well balanced with some of the best from their latest offering (‘Demons’, ‘Sea Of Love’, ‘Don’t Swallow The Cap’). This one will be remembered and it wouldn’t surprise me that the concert will be one of the festival’s high points. *****
VAMPIRE WEEKEND (Main Stage) was perfectly pleasant but ultimately rather bland live. Despite my love of their single ‘A-Punk’, I shall describe my enjoyment of the show by paraphrasing one of the band’s lyrics: “I’m not excited, but should I be?”. It shall be noted for posterity that Yves disagrees with my harsh (but fair) review. **
THE NATIONAL (Main Stage). I was like a giddy schoolboy when it came to this lot… The band’s most recent album, ‘Trouble Will Find Me’ remains my favourite album of 2013 thus far and by God will it be hard to top! The group started off with ‘Squander Victoria’, a reminder that no matter how quiet these guys can go, there’s a dormant monster lurking beneath the surface. Matt Berninger’s wonderful baritone is counter-balanced by his screams, impressive energy and wine guzzling antics, which ultimately lead him to take the corded microphone directly into the crowd, making his way through the fans, even on top of them (including yours truly) to deliver some impressive tunes. Classics (‘Fake Empire’, ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’, ‘Afraid of Everyone’, ‘Slow Show’) are played and well balanced with some of the best from their latest offering (‘Demons’, ‘Sea Of Love’, ‘Don’t Swallow The Cap’). This one will be remembered and it wouldn’t surprise me that the concert will be one of the festival’s high points. *****
The National
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Left: The National singer Matt Berninger saying hello to the crowd, right before landing on me!
Above: A brilliant sign with a sly reference from Eline/Liz.
Below: The wine has been drunk. Time to go...
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(BLOC PARTY was missed for The National, considering I’d seen them earlier this year. A painful decision, but we managed to see the end of their set in The Barn from afar, with ‘Flux’, ‘This Modern Love’ and ‘Helicopter’ reminding me how the gig I saw earlier on this year will be a 2013 highlight, even more so considering I proudly got to meet the band… and get a hug from Kele.)
SIGUR ROS (The Barn) ends the busy first day. We managed to get great front spots to this magical show. The surprisingly nightmarish beginning was followed by moments of joy, with a particularly moving rendition of ‘Hoppipolla’ and new track ‘Isjaki’. The band, like their most recent album, has a heavier sound that doesn’t impede their aerial tone, but adds an interesting new dimension. It’s almost a pity that the venue is covered, as this goosebump-inducing and rousing music would be wonderful on a bigger, more theatrical stage. However, the gig is full of promise for the one I shall be seeing at the end of the month, in a more magical setting of the outdoor roman amphitheater in Fourviere, Lyon. Expect a full length review then… ****
Acquired knowledge / observations of the day: Oedipus was the original motherfucker (a t-shirt told me so); Icelandic fans are muscular bastards; Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’ was repeatedly playing the campsite, cementing its status as summer favourite…; Bloc Party had a female drummer, potentially solidifying the rumours that the band is breaking up… Indeed, (and not for the first time mind you) the band has stated that there will be an “indefinite hiatus” after these summer festival dates… Sad times.
Best quote: “Sploosh.” (To be uttered after The National gig…)
Best fan sign: ‘Fuck me, I’m Australian’ / ‘Put on a slow dumb show for me’ (see above).
Fact: I have steadily started smoking myself into an early grave; Yves, having discovered the game of Flux, has opened a sizeable can of whoop-ass on yours truly.
Standout gigs: Vintage Trouble (the surprise and discovery of the four days), The National.
DAY 2: Friday 5 July
THE BOTS (Main Stage) are an American two-part combo that is trying to go down the early White Stripes route. The two brothers, considering their embryonically young complexion (the drummer is 16 and the singer doesn’t look a day over 18), do well and their enthusiasm cannot be faulted. However, they need a few more years to deliver something truly memorable... and decent melodies. *
TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB (Main Stage) are a lively act and deliver some great indie-pop, with a few tracks from their excellent debut album ‘Tourist History’ and the undiscovered for me second offering ‘Beacon’. A fun gig, no more no less. ***
THE LUMINEERS (The Barn). I have been a fan of these guys for a while now and they didn’t disappoint. The band manage to throw the audience into a dancing frenzy with their stripped down banjo-lead tunes but also succeed in showing that there is heartfelt authenticity behind these catchy sing-a-long songs. Two new songs are played, featuring dominant female vocals, a Dylan cover is knocked out of the park and two songs were performed directly in the crowd. It makes me smile so hard the back of my head hurts. ****
THE SCRIPT (Main Stage). We were seeing this one from afar for three reasons: 1) I was danced-out after The Lumineers; 2) Yves and I wanted to avoid the hoard of screaming and sexually charged groupies in the mosh pit; 3) We weren’t that motivated about seeing The Script and were saving our energy to go up front for Phoenix. It turns out our vantage point provided a great view and the band delivered a hugely entertaining gig. One forgets how many tunes this Irish band has and despite teetering on the right side of boyband at times, they know how to deliver the goodies. A surprisingly enjoyable show and a great change of pace. ****
SIGUR ROS (The Barn) ends the busy first day. We managed to get great front spots to this magical show. The surprisingly nightmarish beginning was followed by moments of joy, with a particularly moving rendition of ‘Hoppipolla’ and new track ‘Isjaki’. The band, like their most recent album, has a heavier sound that doesn’t impede their aerial tone, but adds an interesting new dimension. It’s almost a pity that the venue is covered, as this goosebump-inducing and rousing music would be wonderful on a bigger, more theatrical stage. However, the gig is full of promise for the one I shall be seeing at the end of the month, in a more magical setting of the outdoor roman amphitheater in Fourviere, Lyon. Expect a full length review then… ****
Acquired knowledge / observations of the day: Oedipus was the original motherfucker (a t-shirt told me so); Icelandic fans are muscular bastards; Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’ was repeatedly playing the campsite, cementing its status as summer favourite…; Bloc Party had a female drummer, potentially solidifying the rumours that the band is breaking up… Indeed, (and not for the first time mind you) the band has stated that there will be an “indefinite hiatus” after these summer festival dates… Sad times.
Best quote: “Sploosh.” (To be uttered after The National gig…)
Best fan sign: ‘Fuck me, I’m Australian’ / ‘Put on a slow dumb show for me’ (see above).
Fact: I have steadily started smoking myself into an early grave; Yves, having discovered the game of Flux, has opened a sizeable can of whoop-ass on yours truly.
Standout gigs: Vintage Trouble (the surprise and discovery of the four days), The National.
DAY 2: Friday 5 July
THE BOTS (Main Stage) are an American two-part combo that is trying to go down the early White Stripes route. The two brothers, considering their embryonically young complexion (the drummer is 16 and the singer doesn’t look a day over 18), do well and their enthusiasm cannot be faulted. However, they need a few more years to deliver something truly memorable... and decent melodies. *
TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB (Main Stage) are a lively act and deliver some great indie-pop, with a few tracks from their excellent debut album ‘Tourist History’ and the undiscovered for me second offering ‘Beacon’. A fun gig, no more no less. ***
THE LUMINEERS (The Barn). I have been a fan of these guys for a while now and they didn’t disappoint. The band manage to throw the audience into a dancing frenzy with their stripped down banjo-lead tunes but also succeed in showing that there is heartfelt authenticity behind these catchy sing-a-long songs. Two new songs are played, featuring dominant female vocals, a Dylan cover is knocked out of the park and two songs were performed directly in the crowd. It makes me smile so hard the back of my head hurts. ****
THE SCRIPT (Main Stage). We were seeing this one from afar for three reasons: 1) I was danced-out after The Lumineers; 2) Yves and I wanted to avoid the hoard of screaming and sexually charged groupies in the mosh pit; 3) We weren’t that motivated about seeing The Script and were saving our energy to go up front for Phoenix. It turns out our vantage point provided a great view and the band delivered a hugely entertaining gig. One forgets how many tunes this Irish band has and despite teetering on the right side of boyband at times, they know how to deliver the goodies. A surprisingly enjoyable show and a great change of pace. ****
Two Door Cinema Club
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The Lumineers
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The Script
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PHOENIX (Main Stage) perform a solid set and we’re close enough to the stage to not miss a moment. I was however sadly underwhelmed. Maybe it’s because I was too keen on seeing these guys on stage for the first time or maybe because I was expecting a tad more electro / dance-inducing antics… Still, ‘If I Ever Feel Better’ and ‘Too Young’ were played, so I can’t whine too hard. ***
KINGS OF LEON (Main Stage). Yves being high on Phoenix (which he enjoyed significantly more than I did) and me having been left wanting more, this band knocked some much needed energy into me. It’s everything you’d expect a good rock band to deliver: songs are played with panache and the great show was made all the more so due to the night falling on their set, which boasted some lasers and rather hypnotic radar screens. We’d been told earlier today that the band is a regular festival highlight and I can now see why. Moreover, who wouldn’t get psyched when hearing ‘The Bucket’, ‘On Call’, ‘Use Somebody’ and fan favourite ‘Sex On Fire’? ****
BLUR (Main Stage). It’s great to see these childhood favourites for the first time, especially with front row seats. We’ve so far been very lucky with getting close to the stage… It’s wonderfully cathartic to be able to belt out the learnt-by-heart-in-English-class-with-Anthony-Dearden-lyrics, with a set that is pretty much all you could have hoped for: after opening with ‘Girls and Boys’, the band roused the audience with ‘Parklife’, started a beautiful crowd-singing moment with ‘Tender’ and crowned things off with the moving ‘The Universal’ and the head-banging ‘Song 2’. The band were clearly having a whale of a time, with Damien Albarn even saying (and I’m going to be cocky about this) that the Rock Werchter crowd was one of the best they’d had this year. Yes, I bet he says that to all the festival-goers, but with such fervor from the crowd, it’s hard to not be convinced that this gig will be a festival bestie, both for them and for us. *****
KINGS OF LEON (Main Stage). Yves being high on Phoenix (which he enjoyed significantly more than I did) and me having been left wanting more, this band knocked some much needed energy into me. It’s everything you’d expect a good rock band to deliver: songs are played with panache and the great show was made all the more so due to the night falling on their set, which boasted some lasers and rather hypnotic radar screens. We’d been told earlier today that the band is a regular festival highlight and I can now see why. Moreover, who wouldn’t get psyched when hearing ‘The Bucket’, ‘On Call’, ‘Use Somebody’ and fan favourite ‘Sex On Fire’? ****
BLUR (Main Stage). It’s great to see these childhood favourites for the first time, especially with front row seats. We’ve so far been very lucky with getting close to the stage… It’s wonderfully cathartic to be able to belt out the learnt-by-heart-in-English-class-with-Anthony-Dearden-lyrics, with a set that is pretty much all you could have hoped for: after opening with ‘Girls and Boys’, the band roused the audience with ‘Parklife’, started a beautiful crowd-singing moment with ‘Tender’ and crowned things off with the moving ‘The Universal’ and the head-banging ‘Song 2’. The band were clearly having a whale of a time, with Damien Albarn even saying (and I’m going to be cocky about this) that the Rock Werchter crowd was one of the best they’d had this year. Yes, I bet he says that to all the festival-goers, but with such fervor from the crowd, it’s hard to not be convinced that this gig will be a festival bestie, both for them and for us. *****
Kings Of Leon
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Kings Of Leon (and those hypnotic radar screens)
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Blur
Acquired knowledge / observations of the day: Shower queues are long in the morning – mental note: wake up before 8 to skip queues; Two young girls were spotted with matching YOLO tattoos above their breasts (THINK BEFORE YOU INK, PEOPLE!!!); An Irish lilt can make any woman’s ovaries twitch; Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’ continues to play in the campsite…
Best quote: “If I had a feather, I’d put it in your arse” (great compliment).
Fact: Choosing shows is harder than expected – Lianne La Havas, John Legend and Ben Howard were missed in order to see the bands above. Having seen Mr Howard last year, I can live with that omission, but Miss La Havas… Here’s hoping there’ll be a repeat performance.
Standout gigs: The Lumineers, Blur.
DAY 3: Saturday 6 July
After averaging about 7 gigs a day, jumping, singing, drinking pretty much our body weights in cheap Belgian beer, lining up the coffin-nails with a disturbing determination, dancing and shrieking like pre-pubescent girls (the last one is applicable to me in particular, I think Yves will agree), our third day was going to be a more chilled out one…
GRAVEYARD (Main Stage). Long-haired, hairy and raw, Jennifer Aniston has really let herself go… No, that’s not right… These four serve up some old-fashioned sixties-tinted blues rock that is solid but nothing to write home about. **
STEREOPHONICS (Main Stage). Looking at these guys from the second tier of the front stage, one could not help but be pleasantly surprised by how good and relevant they remain after all these years. Highlights were ‘Local Boy In A Photograph’, ‘Mr. Writer’, Marianne-favourite ‘Indian Summer’ and a crowd-pleasing ‘Dakota’. The only criticism was the fact that the stage seemed a tad too big for them - literally, not figuratively. This is a gig that would have worked better in The Barn… ***
(After sitting down in the beer garden, playing Flux, chewing the fat, quoting Scrubs, shouting ‘PHRASING’ whenever applicable, enjoying some mayonnaise-drenched fries and tasty burgers, Yves and I began to aimlessly and pleasantly wonder about for a few hours, making the most of all the three stages had to offer without being fully immersed. The drum and bass goodness from RUDIMENTAL was my favourite, followed by the unique brand of foul-mouthed rap from the sexy fluo onesie-wearing AZEALIA BANKS. We also managed to catch a few NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS tracks, including a great rendition of ‘The Weeping Song’.)
TAME IMPALA (The Barn). Before I say this, I humbly apologize to Yves, who enjoyed Tame Impala. Still, to each his own and ‘tout les gouts sont dans la nature’ and all that… These chaps were tame indeed. I’m sure they are good in studio recordings and the music itself was enjoyable, with some synth-heavy / wall of sound jams, but this live performance is my personal festival low-point thus far. The main vocals were utterly drowned out by the (solid) instrumentation and the band was completely inert on stage, with no charisma to speak of. How they got this late timed slot on the line-up is utterly beyond me. This is a day opener at best, leading me to the conclusion that one of these youngster’s dads might have paid someone off! *
FRANK OCEAN (The Barn) gave a chilled out, emotional and minimalistic show, revealing the leading man’s borderline shy nature. His slow soul / R&B at times borders on the slightly uninspired, a feeling mirrored by the footage behind him of a car driving through the endless and featureless desert. Still, he showcases his incredible voice well, masking his lack of presence at times. Enjoyable but hardly memorable. **
RAMMSTEIN (Main Stage). We were watching this show of nightmarish, nay Dantesque proportions, from afar. Impressive is a mild word, with flamethrowers, explosions and theatrical set-up that got me shaking. The pyrotechnics punctuate the show well and the main singer makes Tom Hardy’s Bane look like a slightly effeminate toddler throwing a hissy fit. Whether you like this heavy industrial metal that sounds as if the gates of hell have been flung wide open or whether or not you stay for the whole duration of the show, it’s hard to not be in awe of these German rockers. ****
Best quote: “If I had a feather, I’d put it in your arse” (great compliment).
Fact: Choosing shows is harder than expected – Lianne La Havas, John Legend and Ben Howard were missed in order to see the bands above. Having seen Mr Howard last year, I can live with that omission, but Miss La Havas… Here’s hoping there’ll be a repeat performance.
Standout gigs: The Lumineers, Blur.
DAY 3: Saturday 6 July
After averaging about 7 gigs a day, jumping, singing, drinking pretty much our body weights in cheap Belgian beer, lining up the coffin-nails with a disturbing determination, dancing and shrieking like pre-pubescent girls (the last one is applicable to me in particular, I think Yves will agree), our third day was going to be a more chilled out one…
GRAVEYARD (Main Stage). Long-haired, hairy and raw, Jennifer Aniston has really let herself go… No, that’s not right… These four serve up some old-fashioned sixties-tinted blues rock that is solid but nothing to write home about. **
STEREOPHONICS (Main Stage). Looking at these guys from the second tier of the front stage, one could not help but be pleasantly surprised by how good and relevant they remain after all these years. Highlights were ‘Local Boy In A Photograph’, ‘Mr. Writer’, Marianne-favourite ‘Indian Summer’ and a crowd-pleasing ‘Dakota’. The only criticism was the fact that the stage seemed a tad too big for them - literally, not figuratively. This is a gig that would have worked better in The Barn… ***
(After sitting down in the beer garden, playing Flux, chewing the fat, quoting Scrubs, shouting ‘PHRASING’ whenever applicable, enjoying some mayonnaise-drenched fries and tasty burgers, Yves and I began to aimlessly and pleasantly wonder about for a few hours, making the most of all the three stages had to offer without being fully immersed. The drum and bass goodness from RUDIMENTAL was my favourite, followed by the unique brand of foul-mouthed rap from the sexy fluo onesie-wearing AZEALIA BANKS. We also managed to catch a few NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS tracks, including a great rendition of ‘The Weeping Song’.)
TAME IMPALA (The Barn). Before I say this, I humbly apologize to Yves, who enjoyed Tame Impala. Still, to each his own and ‘tout les gouts sont dans la nature’ and all that… These chaps were tame indeed. I’m sure they are good in studio recordings and the music itself was enjoyable, with some synth-heavy / wall of sound jams, but this live performance is my personal festival low-point thus far. The main vocals were utterly drowned out by the (solid) instrumentation and the band was completely inert on stage, with no charisma to speak of. How they got this late timed slot on the line-up is utterly beyond me. This is a day opener at best, leading me to the conclusion that one of these youngster’s dads might have paid someone off! *
FRANK OCEAN (The Barn) gave a chilled out, emotional and minimalistic show, revealing the leading man’s borderline shy nature. His slow soul / R&B at times borders on the slightly uninspired, a feeling mirrored by the footage behind him of a car driving through the endless and featureless desert. Still, he showcases his incredible voice well, masking his lack of presence at times. Enjoyable but hardly memorable. **
RAMMSTEIN (Main Stage). We were watching this show of nightmarish, nay Dantesque proportions, from afar. Impressive is a mild word, with flamethrowers, explosions and theatrical set-up that got me shaking. The pyrotechnics punctuate the show well and the main singer makes Tom Hardy’s Bane look like a slightly effeminate toddler throwing a hissy fit. Whether you like this heavy industrial metal that sounds as if the gates of hell have been flung wide open or whether or not you stay for the whole duration of the show, it’s hard to not be in awe of these German rockers. ****
Frank Ocean
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No points for guessing who these guys are...
Me and a cancer stick
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Acquired knowledge / observations of the day: The Rammstein singer’s face is almost as scary as Yves’ Alex-from-The-Clockwork-Orange face (therapy will be needed (not the band, the psychological healing type); Daft Punk’s ‘Get Lucky’ continues to play… People need to get over it – it’s good but really not as boner-inspiring as we’re lead to believe.
Best quote: “Oooooh, Gooooooood FOR YOU!!”
Best fan sign: “If you’re reading this, that’s enough social interaction for one day” ; “Je suis Parisienne, take me backstage”.
Fact: A French woman has won Wimbledon and I have drunk more beer than I care to recall. However, as Benjamin Franklin once wisely said, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy”… The crazy drunk.
Standout gigs: Stereophonics, Rammstein
***
Side Note: Triangles
A quick note that relates to one of my not-so-secret-now-I’m-about-to-mention-it hobbies: semiotics.
Indeed, I have a passion for symbols and couldn’t be more intrigued when recurring and meaningfully-loaded ones are to be seen and in this case, there seems to be a recent plethora of this particular geometric shape. The amount of artists that are currently using the triangle is staggering.
Speaking only recently (I won’t go into past bands who have used the symbol – from Pink Floyd onwards…), one example that springs to mind is Beyonce, who caused outrage (for no explicable reason other than Americans seem to be overwhelmingly naïve and keen to jump on any weakly contrived controversy for no apparent reason) by doing the triangle shape with her hands / fingers during the last Superbowl, a symbol that was a sly reference to her hubby’s record label rather than the confirmation of allegiance to the Illuminati, like many thought fit to shit-stir…
But I digress… Here at Rock Werchter, the bands using the triangular shape are numerous: it’s Alt-J’s symbol, Bastille uses it in the typography of the band name, Of Monsters And Men and Depeche Mode have done the same and it seems to be Thirty Seconds To Mars’ call to arms. It’s on t-shirts, band posters, necklaces, everywhere… The most obvious display however is when countless fans throw their hands up in the air and make the sign at gigs where the bands in question do not overtly use the triangle symbol…
Here are but a few examples:
Best quote: “Oooooh, Gooooooood FOR YOU!!”
Best fan sign: “If you’re reading this, that’s enough social interaction for one day” ; “Je suis Parisienne, take me backstage”.
Fact: A French woman has won Wimbledon and I have drunk more beer than I care to recall. However, as Benjamin Franklin once wisely said, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy”… The crazy drunk.
Standout gigs: Stereophonics, Rammstein
***
Side Note: Triangles
A quick note that relates to one of my not-so-secret-now-I’m-about-to-mention-it hobbies: semiotics.
Indeed, I have a passion for symbols and couldn’t be more intrigued when recurring and meaningfully-loaded ones are to be seen and in this case, there seems to be a recent plethora of this particular geometric shape. The amount of artists that are currently using the triangle is staggering.
Speaking only recently (I won’t go into past bands who have used the symbol – from Pink Floyd onwards…), one example that springs to mind is Beyonce, who caused outrage (for no explicable reason other than Americans seem to be overwhelmingly naïve and keen to jump on any weakly contrived controversy for no apparent reason) by doing the triangle shape with her hands / fingers during the last Superbowl, a symbol that was a sly reference to her hubby’s record label rather than the confirmation of allegiance to the Illuminati, like many thought fit to shit-stir…
But I digress… Here at Rock Werchter, the bands using the triangular shape are numerous: it’s Alt-J’s symbol, Bastille uses it in the typography of the band name, Of Monsters And Men and Depeche Mode have done the same and it seems to be Thirty Seconds To Mars’ call to arms. It’s on t-shirts, band posters, necklaces, everywhere… The most obvious display however is when countless fans throw their hands up in the air and make the sign at gigs where the bands in question do not overtly use the triangle symbol…
Here are but a few examples:
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Above left: Thirty Seconds To Mars
Left: Depeche Mode typography
Above: Alt-J's t-shirts, mirroring a frequent hand gesture done at many gigs, not just at the ones mentioned above.
|
Now, I know that when you look hard enough for something, you do tend to spot it everywhere. However, I shall state that the triangles found me on this occasion and you’d have to be blind or heavily baked not to notice them here.
So, what does it mean? I think we can rule out the Illuminati / Masonic / third eye symbolic. A reminder of the Holy Trinity? The latest in the groupie / hipster fan? Possibly. After all, the Thirty Seconds To Mars’ use of the symbol is plain to see, as Jared Leto has two triangles tattooed on his forearms… I have no idea what he or the band means by it… Pythagorean Triad? Sign of the heavens? A link to numerology and the mystic powers of the number 3? Maybe it’s the overt love for the Greek letter Delta? Or could it be that bands nowadays are trying to remind us of the symbol’s alchemic origins? Doubtful.
I for one adhere to two possible explanations:
1) The triangle is a summoning symbol and has been used in the past in pagan rituals. Maybe the triangle is the new sign of the horns?
2) The triangle is a handsome symbol that looks good on merchandise and will attract more attention from the fans / potential buyers.
Don’t misunderstand – I am merely making an observation and in no way am I venting an annoyance. I like the triangle and it’s symbolically loaded virtues. For me, it just goes to show the power of a simple symbol and how there are undoubtedly overlapping trends… and who knows, 2014 could be the year of the square…
I for one can’t wait for the year of the trapeze.
***
DAY 4: Sunday 7 July
Last day… Cocked, locked and ready to rock… and so excited to see Editors, I peed a little.
YOUTH LAGOON (Klub C). There’s something vaguely Grandaddy-sounding about this band… A tad too heavy-handed but pleasantly psychedelic… A solid start to the day. **
BASTILLE (Klub C) is next, with some good indie pop mixed with the perfect amount of electro and beats. The oft-heard single ‘Pompeii’ and a cover of ‘Rhythm Of The Night’ were my personal favourites. Fantastic stuff. ****
GOGOL BORDELLO (Main Stage). A lively gig this one! Great energy and even if the music (gypsy punk rock… on crack) isn’t my cup of tea, the show is worth it…***
BAND OF HORSES (Main Stage). Good stuff from this Seattle lot, made even better by being with true fans – big shout out to Liz and Liquor…I mean, Eline and Lieke. ***
THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS (Main Stage). I was apprehending this band, considering the fervent emo-following and the ever-so-slightly annoying songs Jared Leto and his crew are so keen on spurting out. I was even more concerned considering how close to the front we were, borderline front row, in anticipation for our upcoming two final gigs of the festival. Nevertheless, ‘The Kill’ is an absolute tune, I was happy to take Liz on the shoulders for her trip down nostalgia lane and the show was an entertaining one, with balloons released on the crowd and acrobats inexplicably providing mid-show entertainment, as if the band needed an intermission of sorts to (impressively) distract from their mundane and irritating lyrics. I’ve got to hand it to them though – it was surprisingly enjoyable and at no point did I start scratching myself. ***
So, what does it mean? I think we can rule out the Illuminati / Masonic / third eye symbolic. A reminder of the Holy Trinity? The latest in the groupie / hipster fan? Possibly. After all, the Thirty Seconds To Mars’ use of the symbol is plain to see, as Jared Leto has two triangles tattooed on his forearms… I have no idea what he or the band means by it… Pythagorean Triad? Sign of the heavens? A link to numerology and the mystic powers of the number 3? Maybe it’s the overt love for the Greek letter Delta? Or could it be that bands nowadays are trying to remind us of the symbol’s alchemic origins? Doubtful.
I for one adhere to two possible explanations:
1) The triangle is a summoning symbol and has been used in the past in pagan rituals. Maybe the triangle is the new sign of the horns?
2) The triangle is a handsome symbol that looks good on merchandise and will attract more attention from the fans / potential buyers.
Don’t misunderstand – I am merely making an observation and in no way am I venting an annoyance. I like the triangle and it’s symbolically loaded virtues. For me, it just goes to show the power of a simple symbol and how there are undoubtedly overlapping trends… and who knows, 2014 could be the year of the square…
I for one can’t wait for the year of the trapeze.
***
DAY 4: Sunday 7 July
Last day… Cocked, locked and ready to rock… and so excited to see Editors, I peed a little.
YOUTH LAGOON (Klub C). There’s something vaguely Grandaddy-sounding about this band… A tad too heavy-handed but pleasantly psychedelic… A solid start to the day. **
BASTILLE (Klub C) is next, with some good indie pop mixed with the perfect amount of electro and beats. The oft-heard single ‘Pompeii’ and a cover of ‘Rhythm Of The Night’ were my personal favourites. Fantastic stuff. ****
GOGOL BORDELLO (Main Stage). A lively gig this one! Great energy and even if the music (gypsy punk rock… on crack) isn’t my cup of tea, the show is worth it…***
BAND OF HORSES (Main Stage). Good stuff from this Seattle lot, made even better by being with true fans – big shout out to Liz and Liquor…I mean, Eline and Lieke. ***
THIRTY SECONDS TO MARS (Main Stage). I was apprehending this band, considering the fervent emo-following and the ever-so-slightly annoying songs Jared Leto and his crew are so keen on spurting out. I was even more concerned considering how close to the front we were, borderline front row, in anticipation for our upcoming two final gigs of the festival. Nevertheless, ‘The Kill’ is an absolute tune, I was happy to take Liz on the shoulders for her trip down nostalgia lane and the show was an entertaining one, with balloons released on the crowd and acrobats inexplicably providing mid-show entertainment, as if the band needed an intermission of sorts to (impressively) distract from their mundane and irritating lyrics. I’ve got to hand it to them though – it was surprisingly enjoyable and at no point did I start scratching myself. ***
Clint, the blood-hungry penguin, makes an appearence...
During Thirty Seconds To Mars
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Bastille
Jared Leto, from Thirty Seconds To Mars - please notice the triangles...
Ballooooooons!
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DEPECHE MODE (Main Stage). What a show… and what a joy to hear ‘Enjoy The Silence’, ‘Personal Jesus’, ‘Precious’, ‘I Just Can’t Get Enough’… All amazing and man alive, what wouldn’t I give to look and strut like Dave Gahan at his age! Nothing more to say except that it was a privilege to see these musical giants live. *****
EDITORS (Main Stage). The one I’ve been waiting for… and center front row! I couldn’t have dreamt of a better spot.
Four years after seeing them live for their third album ‘In This Light and On This Evening’, the Brummie lot boast a new line-up (out with their lead guitarist Chris Urbanowicz, in with two new members Justin Lockey and Elliott Williams) and have very recently released their fourth album, ‘The Weight Of your Love’. While it doesn’t quite have the ambition of their previous album(s) and despite the fact it soppily sags at certain points, the album is nonetheless as anthemic as they come, with the general tone and lyrics making it their most passionately romantic record to date. The lavish orchestration makes the album sound possibly over-polished compared to their past efforts, but it is definitely a grower and a terrific one at that. The overall sound is very close to Echo And The Bunnymen (as opposed to ‘In This Light and On This Evening’s borderline Joy Division stance) and Tom Smith’s voice has never sounded better.
Enough of the album review, onto the gig itself…
The band played the best tracks on the album beautifully (namely lead single ‘A Ton Of Love’, the brilliant ‘Honesty’ and the orchestrally rich ‘Formaldehyde’). Even seemingly lesser tracks that are a tad too balladesque for their own good are reinvigorated live –‘Nothing’, performed solo in an acoustic manner to open the show, and the country-sounding ‘The Phone Book’ both get a second life). It was a near-perfect set, with favourites ‘Munich’, ‘An End Has A Start’ and ‘The Racing Rats’ played with the same raw energy that has made the band so enticing from the get-go. The setlist was thankfully void of the weakest track on the new album (the a-smidge-too-Coldplay ‘What Is This Thing Called Love’) and treated us with a flawless end stretch composed of a chilling / tear-jerking ‘No Sound But The Wind’, followed by a brilliant cover of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Dancing In The Dark’ (with Smith alone on piano), the invigorating ‘Papillion’ and topped off with the aforementioned ‘Honesty’, one of my favourites on ‘The Weight Of Your Love’.
The evening’s celebrations were made whole by the addition of flamethrowers, sparkly showers and a firework display to mark the end of Rock Werchter 2013. Energetic, emotional and arguably the best gig of the four days, brilliantly saved ‘til last. *****
EDITORS (Main Stage). The one I’ve been waiting for… and center front row! I couldn’t have dreamt of a better spot.
Four years after seeing them live for their third album ‘In This Light and On This Evening’, the Brummie lot boast a new line-up (out with their lead guitarist Chris Urbanowicz, in with two new members Justin Lockey and Elliott Williams) and have very recently released their fourth album, ‘The Weight Of your Love’. While it doesn’t quite have the ambition of their previous album(s) and despite the fact it soppily sags at certain points, the album is nonetheless as anthemic as they come, with the general tone and lyrics making it their most passionately romantic record to date. The lavish orchestration makes the album sound possibly over-polished compared to their past efforts, but it is definitely a grower and a terrific one at that. The overall sound is very close to Echo And The Bunnymen (as opposed to ‘In This Light and On This Evening’s borderline Joy Division stance) and Tom Smith’s voice has never sounded better.
Enough of the album review, onto the gig itself…
The band played the best tracks on the album beautifully (namely lead single ‘A Ton Of Love’, the brilliant ‘Honesty’ and the orchestrally rich ‘Formaldehyde’). Even seemingly lesser tracks that are a tad too balladesque for their own good are reinvigorated live –‘Nothing’, performed solo in an acoustic manner to open the show, and the country-sounding ‘The Phone Book’ both get a second life). It was a near-perfect set, with favourites ‘Munich’, ‘An End Has A Start’ and ‘The Racing Rats’ played with the same raw energy that has made the band so enticing from the get-go. The setlist was thankfully void of the weakest track on the new album (the a-smidge-too-Coldplay ‘What Is This Thing Called Love’) and treated us with a flawless end stretch composed of a chilling / tear-jerking ‘No Sound But The Wind’, followed by a brilliant cover of Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Dancing In The Dark’ (with Smith alone on piano), the invigorating ‘Papillion’ and topped off with the aforementioned ‘Honesty’, one of my favourites on ‘The Weight Of Your Love’.
The evening’s celebrations were made whole by the addition of flamethrowers, sparkly showers and a firework display to mark the end of Rock Werchter 2013. Energetic, emotional and arguably the best gig of the four days, brilliantly saved ‘til last. *****
Dave Gahan (Depeche Mode)
Tom Smith (Editors)
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Depeche Mode
Waiting for Editors with peeps...
Editors
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Editors
Acquired knowledge / observations of the day: MURRAY WON, making him, according to the newspapers, Britain’s best player since Fred Perry, who won Wimbledon 77 years ago. Funny how when he loses, he’s Scottish and when he wins, he’s British…
Best quote: “David, your face is hot… when it’s in motion.”
Best fan sign: “Milk Me” (an odd request, seen for 30 Seconds To Mars).
Fact: If my liver could speak, it would be cursing the absolute shit out of me.
Standout gigs: Depeche Mode, Editors
There we have it.
I have run out of superlatives to describe Rock Werchter. I shall just say thank you to the organizers, the bands, the crowds, the lovely people we met over the great four days, especially (and sadly, typically) at the end of the festival.
Lastly, thank you to Senior Wingman, a (manly) rose amongst thorns!
Here are a few more bits and bobs:
Best quote: “David, your face is hot… when it’s in motion.”
Best fan sign: “Milk Me” (an odd request, seen for 30 Seconds To Mars).
Fact: If my liver could speak, it would be cursing the absolute shit out of me.
Standout gigs: Depeche Mode, Editors
There we have it.
I have run out of superlatives to describe Rock Werchter. I shall just say thank you to the organizers, the bands, the crowds, the lovely people we met over the great four days, especially (and sadly, typically) at the end of the festival.
Lastly, thank you to Senior Wingman, a (manly) rose amongst thorns!
Here are a few more bits and bobs:
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Left: Frenchman with great sign.
Center: Yves, a veritbale ninja when it comes to tents.
Right: Tan lines... gotta love 'em.
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The Moth Popes
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Festival over...
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HUGH LAURIE AND THE COPPER BOTTOM BAND
Amphitheatre 3000, Lyon, 12/07/13
After having had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Hugh Laurie last year during a jazz festival (with the excellent Trombone Shorty opening), it was with a eagerness that I made my way to see the actor / musician on stage one year later. Since then, he has released his second album, entitled ‘Didn’t It Rain’, another collection of American vintage jazz and blues, heavily anchored in the New Orleans sound.
I still got a sizeable kick from seeing him appear on stage, having grown up watching A Bit of Fry & Laurie, Blackadder and much later, the infamous House. It was never a secret even then that Laurie was an accomplished musician (piano, guitar and singer) and he has wisely chosen over the recent years to surround himself with the wonderful Copper Bottom Band, who share the stage with him not merely to accompany but more to remind a wider audience how staggeringly good they are.
Unlike his first album. the excellent ‘Let Them Talk’, Laurie seems to have taken more of a backseat on certain tracks with ‘Didn’t It Rain’. This is mirrored during the concert, when ‘backing’ singers (and players) Gaby Moreno and Sista Jean McClain taking the front stage and delivering some soaring stuff, a memorable moment being the latter’s delivery of Bessie Smith’s ‘Send Me To The Electric Chair’. The center stage also belonged to the wonderful trombone, saxophone and drum playing, which elevated the show and revealed that Laurie was fully aware he was playing in the big leagues with the Copper Bottoms.
That isn’t to say the main man himself didn’t steal the show at points, due to his excellent vocal delivery, made even greater by his enthusiasm and humour. Indeed, his delivery (like last year) was an interpretive wet dream, sprinkled with jokes, spot-on French speaking, hilarious running-commentary, dad-at-wedding dancing and some whiskey swilling behavior. (The tradition of an interval – complete with musak – in which Laurie and the band enjoy a shot of whiskey and casually lounge about the stage, reversing the whole audience / performer dynamic, has persisted and provoked some giggling aplenty).
Throughout the evening, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton and Elvis Presley were paid tribute to and Laurie and his crew returned on stage for two encores, during which the audience thankfully decided to participate some more. A wonderful cover of Chuck Berry’s ‘You Never Can Tell’ was a highlight and what better way to top off a joyful evening by finishing off with The Jungle Book favourite ‘I Wanna Be Like You (The Monkey Song)’…
All in all, a jubilant affair that stood out in no mean way thanks to the main man’s self-deprecating and cheeky humour, but also due to his humility and clear love of playing. Long may he continue to do so.
After having had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Hugh Laurie last year during a jazz festival (with the excellent Trombone Shorty opening), it was with a eagerness that I made my way to see the actor / musician on stage one year later. Since then, he has released his second album, entitled ‘Didn’t It Rain’, another collection of American vintage jazz and blues, heavily anchored in the New Orleans sound.
I still got a sizeable kick from seeing him appear on stage, having grown up watching A Bit of Fry & Laurie, Blackadder and much later, the infamous House. It was never a secret even then that Laurie was an accomplished musician (piano, guitar and singer) and he has wisely chosen over the recent years to surround himself with the wonderful Copper Bottom Band, who share the stage with him not merely to accompany but more to remind a wider audience how staggeringly good they are.
Unlike his first album. the excellent ‘Let Them Talk’, Laurie seems to have taken more of a backseat on certain tracks with ‘Didn’t It Rain’. This is mirrored during the concert, when ‘backing’ singers (and players) Gaby Moreno and Sista Jean McClain taking the front stage and delivering some soaring stuff, a memorable moment being the latter’s delivery of Bessie Smith’s ‘Send Me To The Electric Chair’. The center stage also belonged to the wonderful trombone, saxophone and drum playing, which elevated the show and revealed that Laurie was fully aware he was playing in the big leagues with the Copper Bottoms.
That isn’t to say the main man himself didn’t steal the show at points, due to his excellent vocal delivery, made even greater by his enthusiasm and humour. Indeed, his delivery (like last year) was an interpretive wet dream, sprinkled with jokes, spot-on French speaking, hilarious running-commentary, dad-at-wedding dancing and some whiskey swilling behavior. (The tradition of an interval – complete with musak – in which Laurie and the band enjoy a shot of whiskey and casually lounge about the stage, reversing the whole audience / performer dynamic, has persisted and provoked some giggling aplenty).
Throughout the evening, Lead Belly, Jelly Roll Morton and Elvis Presley were paid tribute to and Laurie and his crew returned on stage for two encores, during which the audience thankfully decided to participate some more. A wonderful cover of Chuck Berry’s ‘You Never Can Tell’ was a highlight and what better way to top off a joyful evening by finishing off with The Jungle Book favourite ‘I Wanna Be Like You (The Monkey Song)’…
All in all, a jubilant affair that stood out in no mean way thanks to the main man’s self-deprecating and cheeky humour, but also due to his humility and clear love of playing. Long may he continue to do so.
That’s it for now… Stay tuned for Part 2, with The Smashing Pumpkins, Woody Allen, Rokia Traoré, Patti Smith and Sigur Rós.
- D - 16/07/13
- D - 16/07/13