Venturing out tonight to Club Soda, I don’t think I was prepared for the extent of how loud things were about to get. Walking into the venue, the vibe was completely different. You had your average metalheads, geeks, goths, punks, ska kids, ravers even a few costumed Vikings.
It reminded me of the type of crowds you’d get at raves or random parties back in the day. You know; the ones that listed a phone number on the flyer. Where you had to call and find the location the night before the event. Interconnecting each one of tonight’s performances were signs in synchronicity, also a shift in the paradigm of what I’m accustomed to seeing.
Otto Von Schirach
First up tonight was an artist with certain repetitive elements at play. DJ Otto Von Schirach made many references to a portal opening and an eternal shifting of energies; he wasn’t far off. A chaotic transition in nature, a celebration of the equinox, and a complete transformation of seasons is what was occurring on this date. Appearing as a feral man in furs with the all-seeing eye pyramid pendant on his forehead. Entertaining us with just a keyboard, mic and pre-programmed tracks, he pranced the stage, giving his all.
Not enough substance for me, but just noise and guttural growls and screams to get a point across I guess. Getting the fans to jump and start a makeshift version of a mosh pit was the definition of success for an opener. A decent effort, but it did not garnish enough of my attention. Exposed to the pure infectious beats of the nineties, I still failed to find a connection to what was offered.
Melt Banana
I guess I was born a little too late in the eighties to have been exposed to the chaos of Japanese duo, Melt Banana. Looking back, I’m sure it probably wouldn’t be something I’d purposely listen to. My musical knowledge just being shaped then. But people grow, and tastes change. In the last few years, I’ve expanded my musical brain extensively. I now had the capacity to fully appreciate the technical aspect of this grouping of artists.
Up next, duo Yasuko Onuki and guitarist Ichiro Agata orchestrated a full-spectrum sound. Inciting the chaos from her high-octave punk deliverance. Avoiding labels, the duo considers music’s purist form; the feeling it produces in you. Originally singing in Japanese, but concluding over time that it would just sound better universally in English. Agata equates his inspiration with the triumph in the rise and fall he feels while playing video games and interprets that musically.
Relying heavily on the 2013 album Fetch, they played eight songs, all under about thirty seconds each. That’s as punk as you can get. Activating the crowd’s full potential for a riot. Only to be reinvigorated continuously by the non-stop energy. Yasuko’s commanding presence is paired with programmed drum tracks and a barrage of amps and pedals and Ichiro’s unique SG guitar sound. If you closed your eyes, you could easily be fooled by how many people were performing. Running through over twenty songs without slowing down, it was definitely the show to be at if you’ve never witnessed them live.
The awkwardness of fans was apparent though. This was the most random grouping of people at a concert that I had witnessed. It made sense though with most bands you really couldn’t pin them into one genre of music. The synchronicity for me was that I had just seen the ska bands Big D and The Kids Table a week ago. They just happen to have a split with Melt Banana covering the classics in ska/ punk, Operation Ivy and The Specials. I wish they had covered some of that, but perhaps it just wasn’t in the cards.
Igorrr
Igorrr is a concept from French multi-instrumentalist Gautier Serre. With a case of synesthesia, he perceives sound as colours. Incorporating black metal and baroque with break-beat trip-hop as one unique sound.
Appearing high above the stage, a cloaked Gauthier led the orchestrating madness that was to come. With the drop of the beat, the crowd went nuts this instance, it began to feel like a rave. Picking up tempo, he introduced drummer Sylvain Bouvier.
Existing to push limits of genres, they have achieved it with a captivating sound. Perfectly incorporated are the ethereal vocals of Aphrodite Patoulidou. Highlighting the dark tranquillity and uplifting the light moments in between. Powerful riffs from guitarist Martyn Clement and deep overtones of bassist Erlend Caspersen complimented the heavy electronic beats.
My favourite moments were the vocal emphasis on Aphrodite that brought an eclipse of serenity over the audience. The fans glued to every visible moment and movement, as it was the only thing they could visibly make out onstage. The rest of the set was spotlights set to the music, which was fast enough to be blinding if you were in the wrong part of the venue.
Fans cheered them on for a first and second encore. By the actual finale, the people that were left had turned it into a mini-rave. The music had switched to more happy hardcore metal. I was slowly making my way out as it came to an end. By far a night of exhilaration and exposing all my senses to the extreme ends of a higher vibration.
Review – Sam Morris
Photos – Kieron Yates
