Category: Live Reports (Page 30 of 36)

DEPECHE MODE Live at London O2 Arena

31 May 2013 /


DEPECHE MODE are indisputably the world’s biggest synth band. The figures speak for themselves: 100 million records sold to date, and on their last tour they performed to 2.7 million people worldwide.

The ‘Delta Machine’ tour, which kicked off in May, is even more ambitious in scale with further dates still being added through into 2014.

Sustaining them throughout their 32 year career has been their enormous legion of fans who remain as fiercely loyal and devoted as ever. When a two night residency at London’s O2 Arena was announced, both dates sold out in a flash.

It is not unusual for fans to attend several shows and to travel across countries and continents to see the band. There are some Devotees attending up to 16 shows on this tour! The band appear to have rewarded this loyalty, changing no fewer than five songs on the setlist for the second night at the O2 with ‘World In My Eyes’, ‘Behind The Wheel’ and ‘Only When I Lose Myself’ among those getting an airing.

When the first night finally arrived and The Black Swarm started to pour out of the tube station towards the iconic O2 arena, excitement was at fever pitch. Fans stopped to have their picture taken against a giant billboard of the band, and the cafes and bars all over the venue were blasting out DM classics to greet the arriving masses.

 

The show itself began in low key style, with the first two tracks, ‘Welcome To My World’ and ‘Angel’, mirroring those of the new album. It was a slow build, a teaser for the great things to come.

Sure enough, when the distinctive opening bars of ‘Black Celebration’ rang out and the massive lighting rig began to descend toward the stage, it was a truly spine-tingling moment that felt like love’s first kiss. The setlist overall struck a good balance between perennial classics and new material.

Anthems such as ‘Enjoy the Silence’ and ‘Personal Jesus’ were there of course, much to the delight of the 20,000 strong crowd. Of the ‘Delta Machine’ tracks, the new single ‘Soothe My Soul’ stood out with its gritty blues-driven riff sounding immense in the live setting. ‘Should Be Higher’ also impressed, showcasing Dave Gahan’s remarkable vocal range and culminating in an impromptu crowd singalong.

However, ‘Secret To The End’ fared less well, placed incongruously towards the end of the set amongst crowd-pleasing hits and duly prompted an en masse comfort break amongst sections of the audience! Two of the biggest surprises in the set came from reworked versions of old songs. ‘A Pain That I’m Used To’ was given a new lease of life thanks to the Jacques Lu Cont Remix, which transformed it into a full-on stadium stomper. Later on ‘Halo’ was performed in the stripped-down, haunting style of the GOLDFRAPP Remix, and was given additional pathos with its stark monochromatic backing projections.

Visually this was a stunning show, with the ‘Delta Machine’ triangles providing a consistent theme throughout, and video projections complemented by a vast motorised lighting rig.

Anton Corbjin’s visuals were typically quirky, but for the most part highly effective. ‘Should Be Higher’ was given a backdrop of Chinese lanterns and fire breathers, bathing the stage area in a warm glow of embers.

‘Enjoy The Silence’ featured female contortionists forming human triangles – a striking image but not one for the squeamish! Most impressive of all was ‘I Feel You’, which featured silhouettes of a frenetic dancing girl framed by coloured triangles… think iPod advert and you wouldn’t be far wrong. It was brilliantly executed and compelling to watch.

The band themselves were on fine form and appeared relaxed and at times playful. Dave Gahan is in remarkably good shape for his years, and was as energetic on stage as he’s ever been, spinning round wildly with his mic stand, shimmying, pirouetting and totally commanding the attention of the audience throughout. Interestingly, in a 2012 poll conducted by XFM, Gahan came third in a poll for the World’s Greatest Frontman behind Freddie Mercury and (bafflingly) Liam Gallagher. However, on tonight’s evidence the crown must surely be his!

That said, Fletch is unlikely to take the crown the world’s greatest synth player. On the closing finale of ‘Just Can’t Get Enough’ he was let loose on his instrument, with a slightly off tempo bass synth line that delighted and entertained all present.

As for Martin Gore, the enigmatic genius behind the band, his solo slots are revered by the fans, and tonight their devotion was rewarded with a spine-tingling rendition of ‘Higher Love’, followed by ‘When The Body Speaks’ from ‘Exciter’ and, as an encore, the beautifully poignant ‘Home’, which culminated in the now customary mass singalong.

The two hour set climaxed with a roof raising rendition of ‘Never Let Me Down Again’, and whilst the waving cornfield has become somewhat inevitable, it is still an uplifting sight to see 40,000 arms all swaying in unison.

Such is the power of DEPECHE MODE, although their post-millennium output has not always hit the heights of their glory years, as a live act they remain in a league of their own. The ‘Delta Machine’ is unstoppable.

‘Delta Machine’ is released by Columbia/Sony Records

DEPECHE MODE return to the UK at the end of 2013 and start of 2014. Dates include: Belfast Odyssey Arena (7th November), Glasgow Hydro (11th November), Leeds First Direct Arena (13th November), Manchester Arena (15th November), London O2 Arena (19th November), Birmingham LG Arena (27th January)

http://www.depechemode.com

http://www.facebook.com/depechemode

Text by Steve Gray
Photos by Meesh Davis and Chi Ming Lai
31st May 2013

MESH, DE/VISION + TORUL Live in London

24 April 2013 /


Bristolian electro-rock duo MESH ended their successful European tour in style with a rousing show at the O2 Academy in London’s Islington district.

The affair was an intimate multi-media extravaganza based around their latest album, ‘Automation Baby’. An impressive collection of songs ranging from schaffel anthems to sensitive Morricone-esque ballads, ‘Automation Baby’ could well finally get MESH wider recognition in the UK.

The European alternative live circuit has been founder members Mark Hockings and Richard Silverthorn’s bread and butter since their first EP ‘Fragile’ in 1994.

Indeed, like Gary Numan fans who have switched their allegiances to JOHN FOXX & THE MATHS for their synthesizer fixes, so then disillusioned DEPECHE MODE followers may well drift over to MESH in the coming months as Messrs Gahan, Gore and Fletcher finally turn into that stadium blues band which they have been threatening to do for a while.

But opening the evening’s great support bill were TORUL, a promising trio hailing from Ljubljana in Slovenia. Towering singer Jan Jenko exuded a dark but soulful vocal range with a dynamic stage presence to match while the sonics varied from industrial rock to EBM and danceable synthpop not unlike another new trio, Sweden’s TITANS. Although their sound had an inherently doomy shade, their performance was exhilarating. There was an extra treat in a menacing rendition of TEARS FOR FEARS’ ‘Mad World’ to supplement the already enjoyable set. Definitely a band to look out for in the future… even a prolonged guitar solo at the end didn’t dampen the appreciation of those watching.

Meanwhile, Berlin’s DE/VISION have had a long standing kinship with MESH and the two acts have often shared the same bill over the years, much to satisfaction of their fanbases. Steffen Keth gyrating moves found favour tonight with the large female contingent in the audience while the whole crowd treated DE/VISION like joint headliners. Since their breakthrough somophore album ‘Unversed In Love’ in 1995, their industrialised paeans have maintained a cult following over the last two decades and certainly tonight, Keth and musical partner Thomas Adam (now augmented by a live drummer) showed no signs of waning in their enthusiasm.

The stage sprang into technological life as screens and projections set the scene for MESH’s arrival. In a novel approach to live presentation, each song was introduced by a computerised female voice. Thus “Automation Baby – track eight” ie ‘Adjust Your Set’ began proceedings with its mechanical rhythms loosened up by live drummer Sean Suleman.

The evening’s accompanying films very much enhanced the show with appropriate images such as monochrome footage of fan mania and celebrity culture for ‘Never Meet Your Heroes’ and wads of tenners for ‘You Want What’s Owed to You’. It may have been perhaps a bit obvious but the spectacle worked and aptly illustrated the theme of detached virtual relationships dominating ‘Automation Baby’.

MESH are known for their synthesized anthems and the first of those came with the superb ‘Crash’ from ‘We Collide’, the automotive metaphors very much in keeping with MESH’s regular lyrical gists on the conflict within the human condition.

The neo-rave of ‘Just Leave Us Alone’ was another tremendous highlight, the crowd pogo-ing with delight to the Eurodance flavour on offer. ‘How Long?’ and the ‘Automation Baby’ track itself also provided other cornerstones to the evening.

DEPECHE MODE comparisons are always inevitable with MESH; however, what they actually have in common with Basildon’s finest though is not so much the synth / guitar / industrial rhythm template but an ability to arouse passion and loyalty through their music.

And in ‘Taken for Granted’, MESH now have their own ‘Never Let Me Down Again’… in fact, all that was missing was the cornfield wave but in its place came an acappella terrace chorus that continued from the moment the band left the stage after the main part of the set until their return for the first encore. Launching into the powerful ‘Born To Lie’, the crowd had their hands in the air for a satisfying slice of gothic glam before heading onto the final straight with ‘Friends Like These’.

But it was not actually over because for the second encore, there was a surprise as Silverthorn, Suleman and live keyboardist Richard Broadhead took their positions minus their singer. Hockings then suddenly appeared at the back on the venue under a stark spotlight for a wonderful ‘You Couldn’t See This Coming’… and you couldn’t!

He was in fine voice, as he had been throughout the evening, providing his angsty but accessible tones over the emotive, orchestrated soundtrack. Nearly twenty years on, MESH are at the height of their powers having produced possibly their best album yet in ‘Automation Baby’ and one of their best live shows too.There are not many bands at any level that have managed that so long into their career. So go check them out… what are you scared of?

MESH ‘Automation Baby’ is released by Dependent on CD and download

DE/VISION are to release a live DVD and album via Pledge Music

TORUL’s new album ‘Tonight We Dream Fiercely’ is available now on Infacted Recordings as a CD and download

http://www.mesh.co.uk/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/DEVISION/24741337633

http://www.torul-recordings.net/

Text and Photos by Chi Ming Lai
24th April 2013

DUBSTAR Live at The Lexington

19 April 2013 /

DUBSTAR made their triumphant comeback at The Lexington playing to an eager crowd who had been waiting in anticipation as soon as the doors opened at this quaint but purposeful pub inside the capital.

The trio of Sarah Blackwood, Steve Hillier and Chris Wilkie were making their first public appearance on stage together since reforming, although Blackwood and Wilkie have been doing low key acoustic gigs including DUBSTAR songs for a while.

This was the first full gig featuring the force of Hillier’s programmed synth backing which was very much a distinctive feature of the DUBSTAR sound, drawing in admirers at the height of the guitar dominated Britpop era. But appropriately for start the show, they opened with their cover of ‘I’m In Love With A Germen Film Star’ which relaunched this new phase of their career back in 2010. With a combination of tension and power behind her, Blackwood coyly stared out to the crowd, sympathetically interpreting this now iconic song from the post-punk era.

With updated arrangements of hit singles and fan favourites like ‘Not So Manic Now’, ‘Stars’, ‘No More Talk’, ‘St Swithin’s Day’ and ‘Anywhere’, DUBSTAR pleased the crowd no-end and affectionate singalongs from them were signatures of their approval. Some additional fluid bass playing by Hillier on several of the songs also added a further freshness to the variation.

Having departed CLIENT in 2011 to focus on DUBSTAR’s return, what is quite apparent in Blackwood delivery on these types of songs is that it’s more Morrissey than Morrison. Add in Wilkie’s six string interplay and if it wasn’t for Hillier’s electronic gloss, these kitchen sink dramas could almost be like a female fronted version of THE SMITHS. The resigned tone of ‘Just A Girl She Said’ was a perfect example of that with echoes of the Mancunian quartet’s ‘That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore’. Indeed, Blackwood has performed ‘Stop Me If You Think You’ve Heard This One Before’ at her gigs with Wilkie so the connection is not all that surprising.

One of Blackwood’s endearing appeals is her Northern lass charm and down-to-earth vulnerability. And this was there for all to witness during ‘I Lost A Friend’.

She simply could not hold the tears back as she recalled her loss but her genuine emotion had all the grown men in the audience feeling for her and cheering her on. Such bearing of the soul was perhaps almost inevitable after all the emotional detachment of CLIENT in the years previously.

But the period with CLIENT has had several other effects on DUBSTAR 2013 too. New number ‘Window Pain’ was driven by a more squelchy electronic edge than what the trio would have got away with back in 1998, while Blackwood was far more relaxed on stage than back in the day when her nervousness made DUBSTAR gigs very fraught occasions for her.

Another new number in the encore, aptly called ‘In The End’, had more organic overtones but still possessed the characteristic blend familiar from the albums ‘Disgraceful’ and ‘Goodbye’. And it was with the former’s title track that the evening’s proceedings were brought to a close. There was even a guitar solo from Wilkie but so restrained it was that it wafted in amongst the aural scenery.

But it’s the sum of its parts; synths, guitars, programmed rhythms and the delectable vocals of  Sarah Blackwood that make DUBSTAR. And with the comeback album ‘United States Of Being’, there is even the input of ‘Disgraceful’ and ‘Goodbye’ producer Stephen Hague, so there is much to look forward to.

With Claudia Brücken covering ‘The Day I See You Again’ on her recent album ‘The Lost Are Found’, DUBSTAR’s return is timely and may get them recognition they deserve which they didn’t get when everyone was more focussed on Liam and Damon bickering in the school playground! Actually, it was a shame that ‘The Day I See You Again’ didn’t get an airing tonight because the title summed up the occasion perfectly. Because yes, it really was great to see DUBSTAR again 🙂

Setlist
I’m In Love With A Germen Film Star
View From Here
Anywhere
Window Pain
St Swithin’s Day
I Lost A Friend
Not So Manic Now
No More Talk
Superstar
Just A Girl She Said
Self Same Thing
Ghost
Stars
—–
In The End
Disgraceful

http://dubstarofficial.co/

http://www.facebook.com/dubstaruk/

https://twitter.com/dubstarUK

https://www.instagram.com/dubstaruk/

Text and Photos by Chi Ming Lai
19th April 2013

KARIN PARK Live at The Lexington

12 April 2013 /


Karin Park first found fame in Norway with her 2004 debut ‘Superworldunknown’ before exploring more electronic avenues with ‘Change Your Mind’ in 2006.

In 2009, the Swedish born songstress released her third long player ‘Ashes To Gold’ before signing to UK label State Of The Eye for her acclaimed 2012 album ‘Highwire Poetry’.

Co-produced and mixed by Christoffer Berg whose credits include THE KNIFE, FEVER RAY and DEPECHE MODE, it has been a steady burner embraced through word of mouth. But even this combination of industrial, dubstep, ambient and synthpop couldn’t prepare for the spectacle of a Karin Park live show.

A druid pig arrived to overture with a most unsettling voice collage, before Karin Park took to the stage for the starkly discordant ‘6000 Years’. Easing the crowd in, the blasting schaffel stomp of ‘Restless’ suddenly snapped in like a strike to the head, provoking animated stares and jerky movements from her. Vocally quite obviously from THE KNIFE and BJÖRK school of song, Karin’s fervent concentration though was quite unlike FEVER RAY or GAZELLE TWIN who each prefer to project an enigmatic detachment from the audience. Despite her towering demeanour, Karin Park was welcoming and inclusive.

Relishing the art of performance, her smiles certainly didn’t lie and the enjoyable rapport observed with her brother David on drums was often just a knowing look or a nod of appreciation as together, the siblings enthusiastically entertained.

Visually, Karin’s striking androgynous persona contrasted heavily with that of her metal head sibling, the pair looking like a mutant genetic experiment to cross LADYTRON with SLAYER!

But the incongruous combination worked and was probably one of the most refreshing presentations of electronic music within a concert setting for a quite a while! The difference was one of the key elements in the energetic but tight chemistry of the show.

Both Parks were impressive multi-taskers with David primarily on drums but also providing backing vocals and even venturing onto keyboards while Karin was the perfect front woman who dabbled with a Korg MS20 and keytar. The esoteric mood pieces such as ‘Tension’ provided important spatial counterpoints to the evening, showing real melancholic depth and raspy emotion.

But there was also a real pop sensibility as quirky but danceable synthpop tunes like ‘Explosions’ proved.

This was none more apparent than with ‘Can’t Stop Now’, a superb electro funk number that came over like Michael Jackson gone Goth! Meanwhile ‘Ashes’ was cut from a similar disco vibe and musically DURAN DURAN Nordic style! And these qualities made Karin Park more Robyn than THE KNIFE, yet she still managed to maintain her mistress of darkness credentials.

But would the other Karin (Dreijer Andersson that is) have actually written a song for the Eurovision Song Contest? Although not part of the set, ‘I Feed You My Love’, which is being sung by Margaret Berger as Norway’s entry in 2013, displays an accessibility in Karin Park that will either subvert conventional pop forms or open up intense musicality, depending on one’s artistic standpoint.

As Marc Almond once said, one cannot be truly subversive unless there is access to the mainstream and there can perhaps be nothing more mainstream than Eurovision! So ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK wishes her the best of luck in Malmö.

As the set continued, the trancey ‘Out Of The Cage’ played with lovely panoramic textures to add another dimension to proceedings while ‘Fryngies’ was boosted by some feisty aggression that included even more MS20 action. The superb ‘Thousand Loaded Guns’ finished the main set with a dramatic climax that saw both Karin and David frantically drumming in unison before the formal conclusion via her own favourite song, the beautiful ‘Bending Albert’s Law’.

It was a dynamic hour long set that had the crowd transfixed with a powerful, resonant soundbase. It’s not often that a superlative such as awesome is appropriately used, but tonight, it was pretty damn close with how KARIN PARK performed on that stage in London.

‘Highwire Poetry’ is released by State Of The Eye Recordings on CD, vinyl and download

http://www.karinpark.com/

http://www.facebook.com/karinpark

https://twitter.com/karinpark

Text by Chi Ming Lai
Photos by Richard Price
12th April 2013

REPUBLICA Live in London

17 March 2013 /

Since reforming with the original nucleus of Saffron, Tim Dorney and Jonny Glue back in 2009, REPUBLICA have been steadily rebuilding their profile with live shows and have been working on new material.

The first fruit of their labours ‘Christiana Obey’ has just been released as an EP and has recaptured the feisty techno-rock aesthetic that was first showcased worldwide with the massive hit ‘Ready To Go’. Certainly, Saffron was looking forward to being out on the road again said “If you don’t have fun being in a band, there’s no point doing it!”

As REPUBLICA took to The Garage stage, they got a rapturous welcome but just as ‘Bloke’ got started, there was a power failure. Saffron grinned thorough the commotion and bantered with the crowd but as soon as the sequences fired up, it was back to business with Saffron’s feisty persona.

‘From Rush Hour To Love’ followed and considering Saffron only had a knee operation a few months before, she was happily bouncing away and engaging the audience. Like two parts Toyah: one part Siouxsie at a warehouse party, Saffron provided the focus while Dorney and Glue acted as complimentary foil to recreate the punchy REPUBLICA sound.

Mention must be made of the band’s new young 20 year old drummer Conor Lawrence who did very well syncopating along to the trademark sequences and basslines.

While ‘Drop Dead Gorgeous’ obviously tore the house down, new songs such as ‘Suck Baby Suck’ and ‘Christiana Obey’ showed that REPUBLICA still have plenty of spark and vitality in them. Certainly Saffron’s friend, model and singer Samantha Fox and her pals thought so as they bopped away at the front with everyone else. The more sedate ‘Picture Me’ allowed Saffron to take a breather so that the show wasn’t entirely in-yer-face.

And ‘Ready To Go’ was saved until the penultimate number of the evening, still retaining the zest and power that took it to the sports stadia of the world. But Saffron wasn’t done yet and returning for the encore ‘Pub Pusher’, she even strapped on a guitar to finish.

Full of fun and sounding good for the new ‘Millennium’, REPUBLICA are back with a vengeance.

‘Christina Obey’ EP is released as download on 22nd April 2013 but is available as a CD at the remaining dates of REPUBLICA’s 2013 UK tour which include:

Leeds Brudenell Social Club (Tuesday 19th March), Glasgow Classic Grand (Wednesday 20th March), Nottingham Bodega Social Club (Thursday 21st March), Bristol Thekla (Friday 22nd March), Winchester Railway Inn (Saturday 23rd March)

http://www.republicamusic.co.uk/

http://www.facebook.com/officialrepublica

Text and Photos by Chi Ming Lai
17th March 2013

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