Category: Live Reports (Page 27 of 36)

TANGERINE DREAM Live at Shepherd’s Bush Empire

31 May 2014 /

TD-2In their earlier incarnations, TANGERINE DREAM were arguably as influential as KRAFTWERK in terms of electronic music.

This was especially from the perspective of ambient and electronic dance music in the use of sequencers in music production; ‘Phaedra’ was one of the first rock albums to feature the use of a Moog sequencer.

As with many bands that have managed to stick around for a while, there are line-ups which are considered to be the ‘classic’ ones; for TANGERINE DREAM, these are generally accepted as the Edgar Froese / Christopher Franke / Peter Baumann and Edgar Froese / Christopher Franke / Johannes Schmoelling eras.

Both line-ups produced a stellar run of albums from the genre-defining ‘Phaedra’, ‘Rubycon’ and ‘Ricochet’ from the former, through to a more melodic strain of electronica including the live works ‘Pergamon’, ‘Logos’ and ‘Poland’ from the latter. The band in both of these incarnations attracted the attention of film directors and their music went onto feature in the works of William Friedkin, Michael Mann and Ridley Scott.

TD-7So where does that leave TANGERINE DREAM now? Froese is the only remaining original member, the line-up now consisting of him, Thorsten Quaeschning (synths / guitar), Linda Spa (synths / flute / sax), Iris Camaa (percussion) and Hoshiko Yamane (cello / violin).

The ‘Phaedra Farewell’ tour isn’t supposed to spell the end of TANGERINE DREAM’s live work with more one-off dates have been promised for the future plus rumours of a link-up with JEAN MICHEL JARRE. All things considered, this tour shouldn’t have taken place as last year, Edgar Froese suffered a serious fall, breaking his hand and jaw, sparking rumours that it could spell the end of the band.

So for many, to see TANGERINE DREAM at all was a gift, to the point where every time Froese strapped on his guitar and perched his hat on the end of its neck, he earned a round of applause!

Choosing a setlist from a back catalogue that runs to over a 100 albums is never going to be an easy selection process, especially from an act that started in an extremely experimental vein and then progressed in a more mainstream direction.

The evening was split into two main sets with an interval after an hour. The first set struck a good balance between old and more recent material using a stage full of equipment with HD monitors showing softsynth emulations of the Arturia Moog Modular and Sequential Circuits Prophet 5 were put to good use.

In the opening hour, there were glimmers of past glories including a large chunk of the PPG-driven ‘Sphinx Lightning’ from ‘Hyperborea’, the theme to the William Friedkin film ‘Sorcerer’ and ‘Horizon’ from the ‘Poland’ album. For a band that lacks the focal point of a vocalist, a decent lightshow would have been essential, but this aspect was disappointing, the stage’s backdrop featured what looked like a giant pack of dried super noodles(!) onto which a series of Windows screensaver-type back projections were added.

TD-8So, from a tech / geek point of view, it was tempting to watch the Schrittmacher step sequencers sat above each of the gear racks to provide some visual stimulation instead.

During the sequencer-driven numbers, these kicked into life and emulated the early Moog ones so beloved of the band in the 70s, each note accompanied by a trigger LED as they stepped through their pre-programmed patterns.

On a more positive note, the audio mix quality experienced from the first tier of the Shepherd’s Bush Empire was really superb, certainly on a par with KRAFTWERK’s ‘Minimum Maximum’ tour, where it felt like you were sitting and enjoying the sound of a huge hi-fi system rather than a band PA system.

After the interval, in a tribute to a fan who passed away, Iris Camaa donned a pair of black wings and danced while the band behind ran through new track ‘Josephine The Mouse Singer’ whilst the epitaph “There is no death, there is just a change of a universal address. IN MEMORIAM TIM PULLEN” was displayed on the screen behind.

Unfortunately the second set didn’t quite manage to build on the momentum built in the first. Too many tracks were dragged down by muzak driven sax, recalling the dreaded excesses of CANDY DULFER and KENNY G. There were however welcome highlights with an outing of ‘Grind’ (again from the ‘Sorcerer’ soundtrack), a sublime extract from ‘Logos’ and the glacial ‘White Eagle’.

TD-5After the second set drew to a close, the audience were finally treated to an extended extract from ‘Phaedra’ for the encore and then finished the evening with ‘The Silver Boots of Bartlett Green’.

It is customary for Edgar Froese to address the audience at the end of a gig and it was here that it was apparent how frail and fragile the 69 year old looked. He thanked the audience, but some of his words were unfortunately lost amongst the applause given to the band.

TANGERINE DREAM’s live experience now is an extremely different proposition to how they were in their imperial phase and the addition of live sax, flute and drums was probably not to everybody’s taste. However, when it does come time for Edgar Froese to finally hang up his hat in the live arena, what can’t be argued is the body of work that the band has produced and the long lasting impact that TANGERINE DREAM have had.

The ‘Phaedra Farewell’ tour continues: Theater Am Tanzbrunnen (1st June), Theater Am Tanzbrunnen (2nd June), Vienna Gasometer (3rd June), Warsaw Hala Arena Ursynów (4th June), Teatro Colosseo (9th June)

‘The Virgin Years: 1974-1978’ 3CD set featuring ‘Phaedra’ is available now via Virgin Records

http://www.tangerinedream.org/

https://www.facebook.com/TANGERINEDREAM.OFFICIAL

A selection of TANGERING DREAM merchandise including CDs, DVDs and books is available from https://www.ssl-id.de/edgarfroese.de/shop/index.php

Text by Paul Boddy
Photos by Ken Harrison Photography at www.kenharrisonphotography.co.uk
31st May 2014

PAGE, MACHINISTA + TRAIN TO SPAIN Live In London

15 March 2014 /


An Evening with The Swedish Synth…

Nordic friendly blog Cold War Night Life realised a long time ambition at London’s 93 Feet East by bringing over some of the best acts from the Swedish independent music scene to the UK for ‘An Evening with The Swedish Synth’.

Headlining were synthpop veterans PAGE, a duo with over seven albums to their name since their self titled debut in 1992.

While their final first phase release ‘Helt Nära’ came out in 1998, they reunited in 2010 for their comeback album ‘Nu’. Last year, PAGE released the acclaimed long player  ‘Hemma’. Also on the bill were highly rated electro rockers MACHINISTA and the promising TRAIN TO SPAIN.

Since LUSTANS LAKEJER had their third album ‘En Plats I Solen’ by JAPAN’s Richard Barbieri in 1982, there has been a spiritual connection between the British and Norse post-new wave music worlds.

Sweden in particular has become a haven for electronically driven talent over the last few decades from the industrialised tension of COVENANT and the contemporary pop of Robyn, right to the uncompromising experimental adventures of THE KNIFE and the enigmatic oddness of IAMAMIWHOAMI.

More recently, the statuesque androgyny of Karin Park and the Nordic Noir pop of twin sisters SAY LOU LOU have been the next bunch of Swedes knocking on the door.

Is it the long winter nights, the melancholic nature of the Svenske psyche or the hopeful sense of melody in the Nordic region’s traditional musical heritage Whatever, all these elements have combined to develop into an esoteric and mostly accessible art form.

Although ‘An Evening with The Swedish Synth’ was primarily aimed at a British audience, a fair number of Swedes and Norwegians were in attendance alongside the locals, with some especially venturing over for the occasion, such is the regard with which PAGE are held back home.

With the added cocktail of that Scandinavian sense of enjoyment and their insatiable appetite for liquid refreshment, it was a fun, good natured evening that captured the spirit of how great music can unite people.

Opening the evening were TRAIN TO SPAIN, a girl / boy pairing of Helena Wigeborg on vocals and Jonas Rasmussen on synths. Named after a lyric from THE HUMAN LEAGUE’s ‘The Things That Dreams Are Made Of’, appropriately they showcased an uptempo style of energetic pop with a metronomic rhythm structure akin to the ‘Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder’ album on songs like the crashing ‘BlipBop’.

Their best song so far ‘Passion’ stood out like it was a number YAZOO might have done if they were fronted by Lana Del Rey while their set closer ‘All About’ provided a suitable variation on the theme.

Occasionally Helena’s nerves got the better of her as she missed a few cues but otherwise, she warmed the audience with a coy but lively stage presence. And with the confirmation that a deal had been struck with UK label Juggernaut Music Group at the end of the evening, it all turned out rather nicely for TRAIN TO SPAIN.

With leather bomber jackets in abundance, new label mates MACHINISTA followed with their self-confessed take on synthpop with a rock ‘n’ roll edge. Like THE CURE gone fully electronic, some of the material from their debut EP ‘Arizona Lights’ came over like a harder edged ALPHAVILLE as with the excellent title track.

Visually, lead vocalist Jon Lindqwister and instrumental partner Richard Flow had the manner of SUICIDE, if Messrs Vega and Rev had been brought up in Malmӧ instead of New York.

Their cover of David Bowie’s ‘Heroes’ got the crowd singing along while the swagger of ‘Pushing the Angels Astray’ propelled the set along with a healthy schaffel edge.

Towards the close on ‘Salvation’ and ‘Molecules & Carbon’, a number of the Scandinavians present even opted for some mild euphoric moshing. With great new material such as ‘Summersault’ also in their set, MACHINISTA’s debut full length album promises to be a good one.

For PAGE, ‘An Evening with The Swedish Synth’ was their first live sojourn outside of their own country and they delivered on the evening’s title. Not only was there synths with Eddie Bengtsson on a DS Mopho and Marina Schiptjenko on a MicroKorg, but there was Swedish too.

With his frank and sometime snarling vocal in his mother tongue, Bengtsson’s vocals crossed borders as he vented his spleen with thoughts on love, lust and midlife matters such as music and motorcycles!

While Marina happily smiled handling her synth duties, Eddie remained animated and intense. Indeed, it was a perfect combination and a Google translator was not really required from the opening song and ‘Nu’ highlight ‘Kom Så Andas Vi (Come as We Breathe)’ to the final number, 1983 debut single ‘Dansande Man (Dancing Man)’.

The duo even threw in a Swedish translation of Gary Numan’s ‘Tracks’ into the mix as glamourous young ladies new to electro and stocky males of hairstyle vintages ranging from Mohicans to Phil Oakey lopsides mingled with luminaries from the UK’s domestic synth scene such as VILE ELECTRODES, SPEAK & SPELL and DJs from London club nights such as Electric Dreams.

Highlights of PAGE’s set included classic synthpop like ‘Inget Mer Att Se (Nothing More To See)’ and the more glam laden ‘Ett SOS’. But it was the penultimate number ‘Lyssnade På Min Radio’ (Listening To My Radio)’ sung specially in English that stole the show.

Focussing on the awfulness of modern radio shows, Eddie exclaimed “they don’t play good songs on the radio anymore… like Depeche Mode!”; it was all highly fitting with the Clarkean spirit deep inside the song’s genetic make-up!

Pre-show, Eddie Bengtsson had told to ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK that synthpop was slowly becoming a dying art so bands and blogs such as ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK and Cold War Night Life needed to “stick together”. In fact, Bengtsson revealed he already had much in common with the site in his interview when he said: “The best group emerged in the 21st century is MIRRORS, a wonderful act, a group that has now sadly split. What they did was perfect”… see, it’s not just us!

With the ensuing cultural exchange, ‘An Evening With The Swedish Synth’ certainly highlighted to the discerning British synthpop fan that there are indeed further electronic worlds worth exploring and embracing.

With its warm, party atmosphere where distant musical cousins mixed, ‘An Evening with The Swedish Synth’ was like a united international conglomerate with egos left at the door; everyone was aware of their standing to ensure a fully integrated homogenous bill.

Some might say that philosophy is particularly Swedish. No, ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK just calls that an extremely well organised and thought out event. Especially as the event’s curator is Canadian 😉

With thanks to Simon Helm at Cold War Night Life

PAGE  ‘Hemma’ is released by Wonderland Records on CD. It can also be downloaded from http://whorehero.bandcamp.com/

MACHINISTA ‘Arizona Lights’is released as a CD and download by Juggernaut Music Group

A free download compilation ‘swedish electro vol 2′ featuring songs by MACHINISTA and TRAIN TO SPAIN is available at: http://swedishelectroscene.bandcamp.com/album/swedish-electro-vol-2

https://www.facebook.com/PageElektroniskPop

https://www.facebook.com/machinistamusic

http://www.traintospain.se/

http://www.coldwarnightlife.com/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
Photos by Richard Price
16th March 2014

SAY LOU LOU Live at XOYO

2 March 2014 /


Flitting between Sydney and Stockholm in their younger years, Scandipodean twins SAY LOU LOU have been impressing since their debut single ‘Maybe You’ came out in 2012 on the prestigious Kitsuné label.

Their brilliant second single ‘Julian’ led to them being signed by Sony while none other than Richard X has been working with them on their debut album.

Icy blonde Elektra and smouldering brunette Miranda have showbiz in their blood; they are the daughters of Steve Kilbey, lead singer of Oz rockers THE CHURCH who had a huge US hit with ‘Under The Milky Way’ back in 1988.

With their steady tempos, art house cinematics and stylish presentation, SAY LOU LOU have been described as a female HURTS and even supported them during their 2013 European tour. A recent sojourn with the trendy LONDON GRAMMAR helped their cause further and resulted in this sold out show at London’s XOYO.

Starting with forthcoming single ‘Everything We Touch’, this came over like a sophisticated Scandipop take on HEART driven by a togetherness that could only have come from two siblings.

The rousing single ‘Better In The Dark’ followed with its companion B-side ‘Beloved’ not long after. Constructed around a mid tempo heartbeat spiced with some dream laden electronics, the two songs are an ideal pairing.

‘Beloved’ was particularly striking with its pretty Yé-Yé girl styled vocals, not entirely surprising having been co-written with Hannah Robinson and Liam Howe. Meanwhile, ‘Peppermint’ took things down further but the set wasn’t entirely mid-paced. There then came ‘Nothing But A Heartbeat’ which sounded like one of those semi-sprightly cinematic numbers HURTS used to do before they turned into SIMPLE MINDS. It was a welcome change in mood for the show.

SAY LOU LOU have a duality concept of one dark twin / one light twin which revealed itself on stage… as did Elektra’s slight wardrobe malfunction, much to Miranda’s amusement. Although Miranda has the dark hair, it was she who was the more animated of the pair, all arms aloft and swaying her hair along with the music while occasionally playing synth. Elektra was much more intense and cooler, holding together the responsibility of primary lead singer.

Despite these roles, collectively the girls were thoroughly enjoying the occasion. Their warmth really exuded when they even took time out to throw stickers into the audience and hand vinyl copies of their second single ‘Julian’ to those in the front row. And it was ‘Julian’ was that was the show’s standout, even prompting a dash of singalong from the eager crowd. Full of tension and intrigue like a Nordic Noir mini-series compressed into a three minute pop song, don’t be surprised if ‘Julian’ reappears again in single format as part of the new album’s promotional campaign.

To close the main section, there was the epic ‘Skylights’, basically how MARSHEAUX would sound if Marianthi and Sophie attempted an AOR ballad. Thankfully, clichés such as guitar solos were avoided and sweeping keyboards filled the void instead. It rounded things up nicely before an encore with their debut single ‘Maybe You’. About a relationship on the edge of failure, with SAY LOU LOU’s teenage angst all bottled into their music, the twins really should be performing in black and white like an Ingmar Bergman film.

With Swedish pop nous crossed with a sweaty Aussie pub rock aesthetic, SAY LOU LOU are delivering on their brand of shimmering but accessible escapism.

The steady momentum of their music could do with a kick occasionally but the potential is there. With major label support on their side, whether they will become mega like Lana Del Rey or lost like SUNDAY GIRL remains to be seen.

‘Everything We Touch’ is released on 21st April 2014 with the album due sometime in September

http://www.sayloulou.com/

http://www.facebook.com/SayLouLoumusic

https://soundcloud.com/sayloulou

Text by Chi Ming Lai
Photos by Richard Price
2nd March 2014

HANNAH PEEL Fabricstate EP Live Launch

28 February 2014 /

Multi-instrumentalist singer  / songwriter Hannah Peel launched her new ‘Fabricstate’ EP with a special intimate gig at MemeTune Studio, home of chief Mathematician Benge and his renowned collection of vintage synthesizers.

It also happened to be where her second album is currently being recorded. In the complex, which was the venue for interviews with Gary Numan and John Foxx as part of BBC4’s Synth Britannia documentary, were various items of vintage equipment dotted around the room such as the Polymoog and Korg Polyphonic Ensemble; it was a perfect setting to showcase Hannah Peel’s newly developing sound that has mutated to more experimental climes since her traditionally structured debut album ‘The Broken Wave’.

Since playing with the JOHN FOXX & THE MATHS live band, her own music has used more electronics alongside her beloved violin, piano and trombone. Her last EP ‘Nailhouse’ featured a beautiful synth friendly song called ‘Harbour’. Of course, Hannah Peel’s own sweet contemplative voice has also suited these melancholic synthetic soundscapes.

‘Fabricstate’ itself has been influenced by Hannah’s love of classic cinema and Italo Calvino’s 1972 book ‘Invisible Cities’ with the imagined travels of Kublai Khan, through to the loneliness felt by living in big cities, the failure and building of new relationships and to dreams of a better future.

So it was apt that the performance opened with ‘Chloe’, the theme tune to ’Dates’, a drama series highlighting the darker but very real side of internet dating… it deservedly won a 2013 Royal Television Society award for Best Original Title Music and its eerie dynamic suitably reflected the tension of the programme.

The haunting ‘Silk Road’ with its Middle Eastern afflicted vocal was ideal for the hushed environment of an intimate setting. Clavia Nord ivories rang gently while arpeggios blipped over subtle rhythmical samples that provided the heartbeat.

Upping the tempo and rumble, ‘Desolation Row’ and its beautifully haunting tones saw brass and strings of both the real and synthetic variety combining for a wonderful uplifting quality despite the inherent melancholy.

There was then a surprise when Hannah announced she was going to perform a music box assisted cover of THE BLUE NILE’s Paul Buchanan from his recent ‘Mid Air’ solo opus. But tied to her synth duties, she invited a member of the audience to join her. Together, they produced a rather lovely electro acoustic take of an already beautiful song. It is slated to be included on her next album. ‘Baucis’ from the ‘Nailhouse’ EP stirred proceedings slightly after the sedate atmospheres of ‘Cars In The Garden’ with its expletive laden first verse but the best was yet to come.

So with its thoughtful use of synths and loop pedals, ‘Fabricstate’ the song went and stole the show. A subtle understated number in its first half, the song was bolstered by an unexpected but amazing whirring solo on a DS Mopho x4 as things built to a percussive climax with clusters of accompaniment from the various loops. It was a suitably climatic ending to a fine, captivating performance.

The ‘Fabricstate’ collection is without doubt, Hannah Peel’s best solo work yet. A fine example of what happens when the warmth of the synthesizer is exploited and coupled with a classically trained background, the hybrid style has resulted in a quietly subversive organic and technological fusion. Based on the evidence of tonight’s showcase, her second album is going to be a fascinating listen.

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK gives its sincerest thanks to Hannah Peel

The ‘Fabricstate’ EP is available as a 10” vinyl and download via My Own Pleasure

http://www.hannahpeel.com

http://www.facebook.com/hanpeel

http://hannahpeel.bigcartel.com/

http://memetune.net/

Text and photos by Chi Ming Lai
28th February 2014

AESTHETIC PERFECTION Live at Camden Underworld

23 February 2014 /

AESTHETIC PERFECTION is American musician Daniel Graves, and in what could be seen as an anti-TALK TALK style career trajectory, his once aggressive Industrial sound has gradually evolved over four albums to become more melodically commercial.

Hardcore followers of his first two albums have welcomed this new direction with about as much love as a SLAYER fan receiving a press release saying that the band had embraced Christianity.

To his credit, Graves has doggedly stuck to his guns and tonight was a chance to showcase material from his new album ‘Til Death’. The album itself is a tour-de-force of monophonic synth hooks, earworm choruses melded with the occasional dark lyric like “I want to feel your heartbeat next to mine, left alone in a bodybag”.

Expanded to a three piece for the live arena, atmospheric album opener ‘Happily Ever After’ kick started the AESTHETIC PERFECTION show, making good use of Tim van Horn’s precision military-style drumming and the first portion of the set leaned heavily on new material including singles ‘Antibody’, ‘Big Bad Wolf’ and ‘The Dark Half’ from ‘Til Death’ and the YAZOO goes Aggrotech ‘Inhuman’ from ‘All Beauty Destroyed’.

Graves is an energetic and charismatic frontperson, eschewing the trend of the generic militaristic EBM vocalist in favour of a look that evoked part Malcolm McDowell and part child catcher in ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’, constantly stalking the stage, striking foot on monitor poses.

A mention must also go to synth player Elliot Berlin who spent much of the set risking life and limb to climb his keyboard stand and balance on his Nord Lead whilst attempting to hang off the Underworld ceiling! Standout tracks also aired from ‘Til Death’ included the fiendishly hooky ‘Lights Out (Ready to Go)’ with its ‘Girls on Film’ inspired chord and vocal progression and the, ahem, darker ‘New Black’ with its Kraftwerkian vocoder sections.

As the set progressed, older material which showcased AP’s more aggressive Industrial roots started to filter in, with ‘The Great Depression’ from ‘A Violent Emotion’ and a final one-two punch of ‘Schadenfreude’ and ‘Spit It Out’ climaxing the evening, the latter songs dispensing with sung musical vocal hooks and replaced by the post-hardcore screaming which made up most of ‘Close to Human’ and ‘A Violent Emotion’. Although partially hampered by a sound mix that meant several of the bass sequences were overwhelmed by some of the DAF-style live drums, this was none-the-less a powerhouse performance from an act who are viewed by some as one of electronic music’s best kept secrets.

It’s apparent here that Graves (to use one of his songtitles) has a Dark Half and two sides to his musical personality which have informed AESTHETIC PERFECTION’s musical evolution. In a not too distant parallel universe, Daniel Graves should probably be songwriting for überpop stars like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry (such is the strength of his pop sensibility and writing skills – ‘Big Bad Wolf’ could quite easily be covered by a mainstream artist), but has instead chosen to evolve AESTHETIC PERFECTION to suit his current writing style.

To many, the Industrial scene is dying a slow death, its distorted 909 kicks and pseudo-trance riffs now sound dated and what was once seen as the darkest, most aggressive form of electronic music has now been replaced by dubstep and the harder streams of EDM. However, at the heart of the new tracks played tonight there still remains a darkness and Graves himself has said “People may say the anger is gone, but it’s not, it’s just bubbling underneath the surface”.

An artist who is prepared to risk their musical career for something which he or she truly believes in should be admired, especially within a music industry which is in a constant state of flux and AESTHETIC PERFECTION followers will be hoping that there will be plenty more challenging and quality electronic music to come with a ‘Happily Ever After’ ending to the story…

‘Til Death’ is released by Metropolis Records

Their European tour continues on the following dates:

Munich Backstage (25 Feb), Zurich X-Tra Limmathaus (26 Feb), Glauchau Alte Spinnerei (28 Feb), Frankfurt Das Bett (2 March), Hannover Engel 07 (4 March), Berlin Magnet Club (5 March), Malmo Babel (7 March), Hamburg Markthalle (8 March), Athens Second Skin Club (14 March), St. Petersburg Backstage Club (15 March), Moscow Rockhouse (16 March)

http://www.aesthetic-perfection.net/

https://www.facebook.com/aestheticperfection

Text and Photos by Paul Boddy
23rd February 2014

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