CONCERTREVIEW : DRIVING DEAD GIRL, WINTERSLEEP, ZAZA, BLACK REBEL MOTORCYCLE CLUB (BRUSSELS, BOTANIQUE 16/05/2010)

It’s hard to believe but Les Nuits Botanique are almost over but this Friday we were lucky to wellcome 4 bands on stage even if 4 can be too much, but tell this to a student with a tiny budget!!!
Botanique already cares about new Belgian talent since ages and today they gave the chance to Driving Dead Girl to climb on a big stage, not that they could convince me that much simply as I never was into straight plain rock but true is true, they know how to handle a stage.
And then there was a band named Wintersleep.
You read it more than once on these pages but there’s something good going on in the Canadian underground even if I never would count Wintersleep among them but as the press gives them so much coverage with their soon to be released “New Inheritors”, I thought I had to give them the benefit of the doubt as well.
I never was keen on pianomusic as it reminds me too much of Keane (hey, that even rhymes!) but true is true that these Canadians were much rawer (and kind of better) as there was from time to time a shoegazeguitar, not that it could hide that awful Neil Young-like voice.
The problem with Wintersleep is that on one moment (“Black Camera” for instance) you are thinking that you discovered the next big thing but soon there after you hope they disappear in the dressing room as soon as possible.
Indiepop with ups and downs but mostly downs though.
And then luckily for the evening there was the arrival from Zaza.
You read it on these pages before and you will read it more (believe me) but if you wanna hear great indiemusic with a shoegazesound then the US is the place to be.
Not that Zaza are again another My Bloody Valentine-copy as they use their shoegazeinfluences in a more original way.
Their “Cameo EP” (released on Kanine Records from Grizzly Bear) can be best described as Galaxie 500, Sonic Youth (when Kim Gordon sings), Mazzy Star and of course…how can we forget…Slowdive.
Zaza’s music is more one of the quiet kind even if the sound was terrible that evening, something that would be the case too with Black Rebel Motorcycle Club as by Zaza you hear loud drums with a too heavy bass but the subtile shoegazeguitars couldn't be heard most of the times .
Anyway at the end of the evening, Zaza couldn’t believe it themselves that they played for such a wide audience and that this audience embraced them…
I myself couldn’t believe it either that finally an underground band has been given such a chance.
And then there was time for that bunch named after those bikehooligans from Marlon Brando’s “The wild one”.
It’s a sort of contradiction.
You just watched some new shoegazerevelation (Zaza) but the band who came together throughout their love for Ride and who were responsible for the reincarnation of the Jesus & Mary Chainsound is know more going for the Led Zeppelin/Doors-route.
This could already been heard on their latest offering “Beat the devil’s tattoo” but whereas the cd is still fine, on stage it became more and more boring not in the least as once again the public had no respect (speaking during gigs should be forbidden!) and of course that terrible noise again…and two hours hearing them is just too long!
Plus Black Rebel MOtorcycle Club forgot an essential thing : no tunes...
Of course it stays a fact that BRMC are a bunch of well trained musicians and they can play, but more than once I started yawning and if it wasn’t for the sake that is against my principles, I would have left earlier as they’re simply too boring.
When BRMC were once the band who gave you a straight in the face-touch, they are now becoming the sort of musicians who care more about boring guitarsolos and the awful “look ma how good I can play!”-attitude.
Not a wasted evening as there was Zaza but BRMC are out of my books….

CONCERTREVIEW : PEGGY SUE/ARCHIE BRONSON OUTFIT (BRUSSELS, BOTANIQUE 07/05/2010)

Friday 7 May was the start of another new edition from one of the finest festivals over here : Les Nuits Botaniques.
For our first day we choose the mighty Archie Bronson Outfit.
But before seeing them it was first time to welcome Peggy Sue who recently got a recorddeal with the British Wichita records.
It was the very first time for these Brighton-girls that they played over here but it was clear that most of the public were more interested in seeking the bar instead of hearing their lo-fi indieblues/garagerock-sounds.
And they might be named after the hit from the rocker with the glasses but that’s all what compares them either…
So let’s keep it to a “nice one but too weak songs” and with that another British hype is gone either…
Something totally different was Archie Bronson Outfit though…
Some weeks ago there new album “Coconut” came out and it might have the ugliest sleeve of the year but their music is a more than welcome thing.
The press over here doesn’t know what to do with it and so they opt for the easiest way which is not mentioning them but anyone who has a bit of musical knowledge easily will recognize a fine mixture from Spacemen 3 with the mighty Fall.
When those five gentlemen climbed on stage, dressed in African dresses we knew immediately that this was going to be the sort of concert from which we would keep on talking afterwards.
After some lo-fi discointro on organ, they turned the volumelevel to the right side and it soon became a psychedelic fast train ride in where there was no pause to breathe and if it stopped once it was only to let singer Sam Windett say a humble “Thank you”.
Most songs were coming from the “Coconut”-album and it became quite clear that their rich psychedelica-sound was enriched with lots of electronica and that certainly was caused by the influence from producer Tim Goldsworthy who is a big electropopfanatic.
Archie Bronson Outfit are not the kind of band who seek catchy melodies as therefore their psychedelic guitars, wah wah pedals, straight hard drums, 50’s rock guitars, fuzzguitars, African rhythms and God knows what is far too cacaphonic for the usual musiclistener.
After an hour the fun was over and even if we had to put our finger in the ear to let disappear the buzz that was caused, we know that next time they’re playing here that you’ll find us at the first row again.

CONCERTREVIEW : BODYBEATS 2010 (ANTWERPEN, TRIX - 01/05/2010)

It has been quite a while ago since I was at a festival but 1st May 2010 was a bit of a special event as the 2nd edition of Bodybeats took place.
Little by little, this event is becoming the highlight for every EBM-fan and having a look around all the parked cars you definitely could see that it was an international fanbase the festival gathered.
Due to different circumstances I only start watching the 3rd band which was Sigue Sigue Sputnik.
Well, is it still Sigue Sigue Sputnik?
You better say Martin Deville's Sigue Sigue Sputnik as one of the original founders had a big row with Tony James about the use of the band's name, and yes it's all about the money...
I saw them in much better times and seeing that this is nothing more than some extravagant karaokebar makes you think if it's time to start cry or not.
At times it's nothing but commercial 80's disco but still nice to see, but definitely a band (well there are two of them left) without any future.
And then there was Luc Van Acker and if there is only one bad thing then it has to be that the festival just got started and that it was already my highlight.
Does anyone of our readers knows Luc Van Acker?
I hope so, but back in the 80's Luc Van Acker was one of the most important Belgian musicians, and I must have been 14 or so (what a long time ago is that) when I saw Luc doing one of the first gigs in my life and it impressed me a lot.
Later Luc went to America to be involved in Wax Trax Records and founding Revolting Cocks.
The band that was on today was called Revcoworld and it's a sort of reincarnation from Revolting Cocks.
From the very first seconds you saw that Luc was still the stageanimal he always used to be (even if it includes a beer belly).
Lots of covers (Depeche Mode's "It's no good", Bauhaus' "Kick In The Eye" and 101's "Rock to the beat") and believe it or not, during Rod Stewart's "Da ya think I'm sexy" (what a version that was) women started to throw their underwear on stage.
Perfect show, Luc!
And then it was time to wellcome the German Armageddon Dildos.
For those who follow EBM, they'll know that in the early 90's Armageddon Dildos were something like a household name.
Singer Uwe still plays the macho showman and after one song he's already semi-naked.
He jumps in the public, shows his muscles, drink their beers, smoke their fags and kisses every girl who's coming his way.
It can be a macho thing but this friendly man (well he hold my shoulder when he performed in front of me) still manages to create timeless EBM that is something like DAF meets Rammstein I guess, nothing new but it was great.
Spetsnaz were next and it was obvious that most of the audience had shown up to see them.
This Swedish duo aren't exactly my cup of tea but they kind of shocked the EBM-world with their Nitzer Ebb-sound.
The audience liked it but I was never that keen on NItzer Ebb-sounds even if their new material goes into the direction from...futurepop.
But the public gets what they want and they won the audience, that was clear.
An almost impossible task was waiting for Belgian band Signal Aout 42.
Not every one could understand why they were so high up in the bill and it surprised me too honestly.
I really dig the stuff from Jacky Meurisse and his comrades but they never reached that much of big audience over here.
Somewhere that's a shame as their melodic stuff creates much than just one classic.
At the end it was also justified they were at that place, great gig!
And then it was time to wellcome the last band : Cassandra Complex.
It might surprise you but these original Leeds-gothrockers are still around, especially after many projects from which no one ever worked.
Cassandra Complex might come out of the town from where the real goth was born but they always had a bit of an American sound and that was proven tonight as well when they finished their gig with a long (at times too long) version from Suicide's "Frankie Teardrop".
Singer Rodney Orpheus still acts as if he's Liam Gallagher and started the gig with words like "It's been a very boring day for us" or "Has it been good so far or perhaps better, has it been great so far ?".
It might be funny but if the audience think it's funny is a different thing, besides most of them were already in their car.
Bodybeats 2010 was a very nice edition with some real nice surprises and we can already make ourselves up for the 3rd one.
Highlight? I told you, Luc Van Acker!
See below our nice photoshoot and visit in some days www.darkentries.be as not only there is a full report by me (in Dutch) but soon a very large photoshoot from photographer Xavier.

CONCERTREVIEW : NEW YOUNG PONY CLUB (BRUSSELS, BOTANIQUE)

It came all a bit unexpected to be honest but when I first heard the second album, "The Optimist", by Londoners New Young Pony Club, I just shrug my shoulders but something like a week later (things can go fast) this album turned out to be one of the current faves.
Reason is simple : their previous "Fantastic Playroom" reminded us to the B52's, but on the second one there is a great enrichment from dark poppy synths that could have come from early Yazoo or Human League-records.
This metamorphose was shown in Brussels as well.
I was a bit confused to see that these five-piece band managed in almost outselling the Rotonde-venue in the Botanique but in the end, all you can conclude is that it was more than deserved.
A surprise, certainly if opener "Chaos" sounded like the title suggested which made me fear the worst but as soon as frontwoman Tahita started "Get lucky" we got reminded to Delta 5.
And with such reminders nothing can go wrong!
Every track by New Young Pony Club reminds you of something else, all 80's-like mind you, and that goes from New Order, Joy Division, Adam & The Ants to even stuff like Toni Basil (the one-hit wonder from "Mickey").
Not that they're that retro as they played a mindblowing electro-synthpopversion from PJ Harvey's "Dress" to show that they're not that stuck in the 80's.
Tahita may look like she comes straight out of a video from Kid Creole & The Coconuts (or worser 2 Unlimited) but she did her job quite well.
Female drummer Sarah Jones kept it all tight in a nice post-punkway and some investigation learnt us that she also drums for Bat For Lashes.
Big star though was Lou Hayter who managed to let the venue sound like it was 1985 as her synthplaying (the rest of her was mindblowing too, for your information that is) and with that in mind we could only conclude that New Young Pony Club can be considered as one of the finest synthpopbands from this moment.
Catch 'em if U can!

CONCERTREVIEW : THESE NEW PURITANS (BRUSSELS, BOTANIQUE 27/04/2010)

Honestly said, it took a while before I liked their "Hidden"-album as I was too much in love with their Fallesque sound on the previous "Beat Pyramid" and secondly : the term "art rock" frightens the hell out of me.
From the day Jack Barnett declared that he wanted "dancehall meets Steve Reich" as the new band's sound everyone thought he was going bonkers and the first reviews from "Hidden" weren't that raving.
I guess this album is a grower as they say, and the more I heard it, the more I liked it, simple as that.
Anyway, these lads should have played at the Botanique-venue months before but that other British hype, The XX, took them on tour but today they were alone...ready to prove themselves...
The gig started as the album and so the Wagneresque "Time Xone" brought the foursome on stage and from the moment George Barnett (singer Jack's twin brother) beat the drums it was clear that the sound of this band is heavily dominated by its drumsound.
Not that there are that much guitars to be heard in These New Puritans as the deadcute Sophie Sleigh-Johnson played the keyboards and if Thomas Hein wasn't MC'ing he bang a second drum which was surrounded by chains, a banging that gave the band an extra militaristic dimension.
MC'ing, you say? Well, it's not rapping but some sort of...which isn't that surprising if you know that Jack states RZA from Wu Tang Clan as one of his biggest inspirations.
As awaited the band played the whole of "Hidden" and we got two unreleased tracks in where it seems the band is going into an other 3rd direction, more guitar, more dancey...perhaps more into the Bloc Party-direction.
Anyway this gig proved that These New Puritans are here to stay as they own a lot of talent even if it's not sure if the direction from "Hidden" will be a definite one.
Why stick to one trick anyway....

CONCERTREVIEW : CRYSTAL CASTLES (BRUSSELS, BOTANIQUE 24/04/2010)

I know I can be best labelled as crazy but that's who I am so you better live with it.
A day after having seen Faust, I decided to go to Crystal Castles, no I did not decide it as I already had my ticket for their sold out show for ages but it just sounded better...
Heheh, arriving at the Botanique (I better start living there I guess) I saw Team Ghost entering the stage.
Who are Team Ghost then?
Well, shoegaze is back and it happens that the shoegazesensation from Paris is Team Ghost!
The singer wears even a T-shirt that reads "shoegazer" so how young he might be, he's influenced by the likes of Slowdive.
And did they stare at their shoes?
Well, I guess so but...their set was quite okay even if it has to be said : a brilliant sound but, yup, we heard it before.
And then it was time to see Crystal Castles.
It was quite a wait and we had to hear a whole album by that other Canadian, Neil Young.
Taking a look around the venue I immediately saw that I was one of the old farts cuz all around me were teenagers who seem to share their days at discos instead of school.
Naughty, naughty children...soon you will end up like like Ethan Kath or Alice Glass, two deranged Canadian musicians who are making loud dance-noise.
From the very first moment till the last moment you have the name from Alec Empire and his Atari Teenage Riot in mind.
Pure musically there happens not that much.
Ethan's face can never be seen and he is constantly behind his dancekit.
Alice Glass is something different.
She literally screams (think Yeah Yeah Yeahs but more deranged) and she's like some female Iggy Pop.
She climbs on drums, let herself fall (how many bruises must she have!) and half of the concert she's crowdsurfing all over the audience.
Sometimes you wonder how much of the music is live because chaotic is the word.
This is pure rock 'n roll, sometimes genius but let there be no doubt about it...Mozart had his soundtrack of the time he was living in and Crystal Castles do have one too, but it's one from a fucked up world.

CONCERTREVIEW : HELLVETE, MASTER MUSICIANS OF BUKKAKE, FAUST (OPWIJK, NIJDROP 23/04/2010)

How would my life be without going to gigs?
Very, very boring and believe me I tried so I know the answer...
Anyway, yesterday was a very special evening as Faust were coming to Belgium.
But before Faust there were two other acts to come.
First act was a Belgian one called Hellvete.
Hellvete is what can be labelled as electro-acoustic dronemusic and the performer, Glenn Steenkiste, used to have a past in the tapescene as Funeral Folk used to be his label.
Anyway, Glenn was doing drone-experiments with a banjo and an electric guitar and it gave us a sound we heard indeed before but it doesn't mean it's bad.
For those who wonder why Glenn ended up on a Krautrockgig...well, he plays in Sylvester Anfang II which is krautrock.
But honest is honest, I was there in the first place for those two other bands.
Master Musicians Of Bukkake (no, we're not going to translate that) are something special.
They make weird psychedelic music and they were born out of bands like Earth, Burning Witch or Asva which are all dronemetalbands while the whole gang is lead by Randal Dunn who used to produce bands like Boris, Kinski and Sun O))).
You can't see their faces and they all wear some weird white hats that seem to come from a set of "Lord Of The Rings" while Randall is totally dressed in black, his face fully covered and above that black camouflage even dark sunglasses.
It's all rather creepy cos if you ever saw that scary scene from Polanski's "Rosemary Baby" I guess you're halfway there, so better not take your kids to some gig by Master Musicians Of Bukkake.
Musicwise it's very difficult to type this band and I don't think there was ever one reviewer who could but let's say they're making a weird mix from psychedelic stuff and tribal beats...not to mention their thousands unusual instruments.
Excellent, no other words than excellent...
The only letdown is after the gig when you notice that those scary men are nothing but old hippies with a beerbelly but that's another thing...
And then there was Faust.
Needless to present Faust to musicmaniacs like you but for those who are not that old (like me), Faust were one of the most important bands from the Krautrockscene along with Neu, Tangerine Dream, Can or Kraftwerk in their early days.
Officialy the band split up in 1975 but since the early nineties two keymembers Jean-Herve Peron and percussionist Zappi Diermaier are touring with a line-up that often changes.
The line up for this evening was something like a dream, not only there was Geraldine Swayne from Geraldine Fibbers but I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw one of my heroes climbing up the stage, James Johnston from Gallon Drunk!
From the very early moment you could see that they were what we can define as children of Mother Nature (a look at their van was enough) but they also, and that made Faust always so special, were pioneers of the industrial scene.
From the moment Jean-Herve picked up his chainsaw and started to saw all kind of metals you knew immediately by which band Einsturzende Neubauten got inspired.
It was not only Blixa's band that came to mind but also many noise-guitarbands like Big Black or even Sonic Youth.
Anyway, it all sounds great when you read it here but all by all there were only about 100 people that have turned up so...and still the band played for more than 2 hours.
Tons of improvisation even when the electricity falls out, the band continues with a laughing smile.
It was difficult not being focused on the several personalities and even if Faust are the kind of band who are not afraid to put some arty things in their set : they were ironing plants (read it again, you read it right!), a man was sitting on a chair during the whole set writing a book or a French monologue from which no one understand a word.
I saw a lot of gigs in my life but this night was special, not to forget!

CONCERTREVIEW : CHAPEL CLUB (BRUSSELS, BOTANIQUE 20/04/2010)

England has rediscovered the shoegazing scene as well, that is sure!
Yesterday I went to Brussels (once again) to see Chapel Club who are hailed by the British press as the new Joy Division, the new Smiths and in the leaflet over here they were hauled as the new Cure!
What the f****, I've seen that before, once it were The Stone Roses...once it was Ultrasound...once it was I don't know what but thing is they're hyped and they even have to release their debut album!
And look a British hype comes playing in Brussels, just a shame that only 40 people turned up to see the new Joy Division but that's another thing.
Taking a look at the setlist learnt us that these lads from London would enjoy us with 7 songs and then over and out.
Coming to Brussels to see 7 songs?
Once they got on stage we saw five youngsters playing...hmmmm shoegazing!
Yeah pretty good, even very good but hey ho...wait a minute!
Twenty years ago that press slashed down a scene that celebrates itself and now a band who sound like...hmmmm Moose....are hauled as the saviors of music!
Are they taking themselves serious or not?
Chapel Club are magnificent just a terrible danger that they will get lost in their own arrogance but they are brilliant....no, they're not brilliant, they just play music we haven't heard in a long while...well I did but not on stage.
If Chapel Club are the new hope of rock, does that mean then that Slowdive are the greatest band ever? I know, you know.....

CONCERTREVIEW : THE UNTHANKS (BRUSSELS, BOTANIQUE 19/05/2010)

Even when Paul Morley says about a folkband something like "I will be playing it at least forever" then you know it must be something special and I was in doubt before going to their concert as their third album "Here's the tender coming" was okay but in some way it couldn't convince me that much.
Anyway, I decided to go to their concert ...
First thing you saw when entering the Botanique-building was seeing singer Becky behind the merchandise stall.
This meant two things.
Obviously they are humans but secondly, and that's the sad part I guess, in hometown Britain they might get award after award but over here in Belgium they are far from being famous.
I guess something like 100 people turned up to see them, not that the band cared that much as from the moment they got on stage it was like they were entering some pub by chatting about Belgium and of course its beer.
After the chat the band began and from the moment Rachel started an a capella song, there was no need to remind us that she has a wonderful voice.
When Becky joined in it was all clear why the band that was once named Rachel Unthank & The Winterset changed their name into the Unthanks.
The female vocals are the main element of the band, let there be no doubt about and even if the band contain 8 members the use of instruments (a wide range that was) are always used in a minimal way.
Be it a violin, a cello or an ukelele in every song the listener is reminded that the girls are the stars.
And stars they are, they are even not ashamed to put on literally their dancing shoes and give the audience a real stepdance!
How funny it all might seen, the lyrics are something different as in a way it's like those early Poguessongs in the sense that it is all about the inhabitants for which the UK had no respect for throughout his history.
Be it a dead sailor or a ten year old kid that was forced to work in the coalmine of Yorkshire, the traditionals The Unthanks have chosen are never about the funny things in life.
The public also got two nice covers, one by Nick Drake (River man) and "Blackbird" by Penguin Cafe Orchestra.
I know I did watch some unhip music (not that I ever will care about that, mind you) but their timemachine was one to enjoy!

CONCERTREVIEW : VILLAGERS, WILD BEASTS (BRUSSELS, BOTANIQUE 16/04/2010)

One day I think I definitely must decide moving to Brussels as yesterday I was once again in the capital of Belgium as today it was a showcase for two bands on Domino Records for whom the future seems bright.
First band were Villagers, a new signing from Ireland whose album must soon be out.
For this opportunity the band was minimalized to an acoustic set by frontman
Conor J.O'Brien who looks like some twinbrother of Ian Curtis but musically it's like he's floating bewteen Aztec Camera-frontman Roddy Frame and Richard Hawley.
It sure wasn't bad and you definitely could hear that Conor has an amazing voice but in all honesty I'm a bit fed up hearing acoustic sets...just honest.
Anyway, I heard that Villagers soon will matter and I was hear in the first place to see Wild Beasts.
In case you're unfamiliar with these band, you might think of something like Iggy & The Stooges but that's not the case as due to the low voice from frontman Hayden Thorpe the band has been more than once compared to the likes of Anthony & The Johnstons, and for some reasons I never could understand also The Smiths.
Anyway, these lads from Kendal were here to present their current album "Two dancers" and the venue was completely filled so it seems that they surely are on the right way towards recognition and success.
Besides, I learnt from several sources that Wild Beasts are in the UK already something like a household name even if the gig over here didn't seem that easy for them.
Previous time they were over here, it seemed they blew it and according to Hayden it was something like the worst gig they ever played ever and even if opener "Fun powder plot" wasn't that convincing, it soon changed when they started "This is our lot".
Suddenly it wasn't that voice from Hayden alone but Ben Little showed us here he's one of the finest guitarists you can find these days and if they come up with The Smiths then it must be because of him (hence Johnny Marr).
Wild Beasts picks up a bit from everything, from shoegazing (when they played the last song "Empty Nest" it felt like Slowdive were never away), funky post-punk ("Brave Bulging" sounded so much like early A Certain Ratio) or just brilliant indiepop in where bassist Tom Fleming showed us he is as good as Hayden, even if he has a deep voice.
Wild Beasts are a band with tons of individual talent and even if every song reminds you of something else in popmusic, they definitely choose the right influences.
So endconclusion : thank you Wild Beasts!

CONCERTREVIEW : DANIEL JOHNSTON (BRUSSELS, AB 13/04/2010)

So tonight was the night we could meet the legend aka Daniel Johnston.
Dunno, if it's still necessary to introduce the man as such but as it's our job to do, there's no other choice left.
But first some things about the Belgian band Tommigun who were supporting act during the whole tour.
It wasn't bad, just perhaps a bit faceless (it went from cabaret-pop, think an Pierlé, till Americana indiepop like Mazzy Starr), everyone could hear they were talented but their music was just a bit too flat to convince an audience especially if they were waiting for one of the most legendary men in pophistory.
And that is of course Daniel Johnston....
My God what has not been said about him? He's the godfather of the tapelabels, not because he thought it was cool to release tapes but just because it was the only way to get heard cos how genius his stuff might be considered now, back then in the mid 80's no one was willing to listen to his stuff.
It was only since Wayne Kramer from Shimmy Discs was interested that the snowball came slowly rolling....
As soon as Kurt Cobain started to wear the legendary "Hi, how are you?"-T-shirt, it was that out of a sudden everybody was aware of the genius of Johnston.
Not that this got translated in album sales as till today Daniel Johnston is still obscure and it’s so that the madness of the man is become more legendary than the music itself, just remember the huge success of the rockumentary "The devil and Daniel Johnston"
Before Daniel got on stage we were confronted with the Beam Orchestra, an 11-piece band who bit by bit would kill the genius behind the man’s music.
It started with a long intro that was balancing between free jazz and bad prog rock but even if it was amateurish and boring we kept our promises high.
As soon as Daniel entered the stage it was all clear that this man is in extremely bad shape.
Unshaven, toothless, dirty clothes and shaking from the first to the last second.
The reasons are known by now as he suffers from bipolar disorder and the amount of medicals the man must have swallowed must be immense, and you can see that...
Already from the first song you could see that this man was not in shape. Terrible voice (but that's indeed the charming thing) but besides the terrible shaking (it makes you feel pity for him) he had to read the lyrics.
After the first song he forgot what the next one would be, while he responded : "There are voices in my head saying which songs I'm going to do next". And then he picked up a guitar and that'd be the sole moment you could see him playing an instrument as the rest of the gig would be in the hands of the terrible Beam Orchestra.
And terrible they were.....
From Daniel Johnston you expect lo-fi or something that's not perfect as it was that DIY-thing which got him famous and respected in the first place.
Now we had a band who are so called serious musicians but they're so boring and it's all so perfectly done that you hate that polished sound.
It got worse and worse and some songs were even treated with a sort of Glenn Miller big band-thing.
In all honesty, I fear that Daniel is only used now as I can't imagine him being pleased with such a crap band.
Sometimes it felt that the public got the side of Daniel the freak instead of the musician. And even if I was at the first row all I heard was people talking around me. Disrespect, a big f**** to them but it also says something about the interest that got lost.

A freakshow it certainly was. Already from the second song he started coughing and it was terrible to see him drinking water with the shaking hands.
It felt so creepy at times that sometimes there were thoughts coming up that you were asking yourself if it isn't immoral to watch (and to laugh) a man in such a condition.
This man is sick and deserves a treatment, even if the question remains if the treatment will make him a luckier man but that's a total different question as we're here for the music.

After a small set from 30 minutes he left the stage while that same terrible orchestra (I call it an orchestra too, this is not a band!) started to play awful easy jazz that's not that far away from a greatest hitsalbum by Bert Kampfert.

During this intermezzo we heard Daniel sneezing, a member from the band laughed...are they using him or is he using them?
How crap The Beam Orchestra might be, it's clear that this man can't be on stage himself (that was proven during the encores).
Everything Daniel quoted was damn painful to hear with liners like "Last night dreamt I died in my sleep" or "At high school I could choose between 3 girls. look where I am now, totally alone". Such things are dead creepy especially coming from a man in such a condition.
A second set followed with some genius songs ("Deviltown" or "True love will find you in the end") , but again there was that terrible band.
A Facebookmate told me that it seems to be the case in every country and recently the crowd even started shouting "Solo!Solo!" which says enough.
Imagine Daniel singing "Fake records of rock 'n roll" while two female singers are dressed like secretaries with tons of make-up....how true to the bone is that?????
This man is a genius, he wrote the most painful lovesongs like no one else, but he has chosen the wrong entourage and the hardest thing is that you realize that this will be one of the last times you actually can see him as he's already like the Serge Gainsbourg from the alternative scene, this is pure self destruction and he's already passed the borders.
I mean I hope it not for him as you feel sorry for this teddy bear-man, but him dying won't be a surprise and the hardest thing is that he realizes that himself and makes jokes about it.
When he leaves the stage, the crew has to help him as he can't find the way out. Somewhere I hope for him it's all part of a freaktheatre, problem only is that you can see that this is not the case...
And look I am talking the whole time about the freakpart of the show and that's the tragedy, yesterday there was only a freak show to watch.
Genius songs were performed by a genius who is in terrible shape surrounded by bloodsuckers.

At the end the whole band came bowing to the audience, Daniel wasn't there, I didn't applaud....
the true genius was already gone (doing God knows what) and raising my hands in the airs for 11
wanna be musicians who destroyed such true beauty...why would I do that?

CONCERTREVIEW : :CODES, CRUISE(CTRL), TRISOMIE 21 (BRUSSELS, VK 10/04/2010)

Not everything in life is fun. Going to a concert to one of your fave bands by knowing it's the last time you'll see them is a rather painful thing.
Yesterday when we entered the VK-venue we knew it was the last time we would see our French heroes.
Trisomie 21 are one of my Top 10 bands as this duo from Lille could combine electronics with coldwave like no other before.
Even if Hervé (bassist, synths) states that it was never their goal to sound goth or coldwave, it was just their goal to deliver the soundtrack to the dreams of people.
Whatever it might be, till the late 80's Trisomie 21 composed one of the most brilliant dark electronic poems ever.
After the release of "T21 play the pictures" everything went wrong and in 1997 they decided to call it a day.
Totally unexpected the brothers Lomprez returned with a new album some years ago, "Happy Mystery Child", that can perhaps be labelled as the best Trisomie 21-album ever.
But as stated some months again, Trisomie 21 will stop forever and yesterday was the final gig.
Before we saw Trisomie 21, we first saw two Belgian support acts.
One was quite okay. :codes is known for their minimal synth and can be found on some compilations on Dutch label Enfant Terrible records.
The big problem with :codes is that they're a bit a faceless band without an own sound.
One time you recognize Kirlian Camera, other tracks remind you of The Klinik, sometimes it's Front 242 in their "Geography"-days and on a track like "My Body Remix" it's like some EBM-version from Nina Hagen.
But the overall feeling was quite okay though!
Second band was Cruise (Ctrl) and even if a friend plays in the band I thought it was shit, so shitty that after 10 minutes I started talking with everyone around me not caring that there was a band on stage.
Style? A stupid mix from techno, crooners, dark electro and indus...something like Autechre meets 808 State only 2.000 times worser.
And then there was Trisomie 21.
Nothing changed, Philippe still looks like some Don Johnson in gothoutfit while Hervé (he's a professor in soundtechniques in real life) is more on the background.
They choose for a set that can be seen as a greatest hits set seen through their eyes, not one album was forgotten even if there were quite lots of tracks from "Happy Mystery Child".
Maybe you won't believe this, but something like 400 people turned up for the final Trisomie 21-gig and once the French heroes started "The last song" the public went awol, and Philippe looked and saw it was good.
"The press accused us for being pretentious. The only pretentious thing we do was to let you dream" and another classic was set in.
Highlights? So many, hearing 400 people going awol on "The last song" is of course genius.
But it was unbelievable to hear a band coming up with classics like "La fête triste", "Joh'burg", "Moving By You", "Waiting for", "Il se noie" or "Sharing Sensation" with holding on to that great coldwavesound from the 80's.
Philippe and Hervé realised that this venue was hanging on their feet and the duo were almost in tears when they left the stage.
It was perhaps one of the very first time in their long career it happened, but 400 people were begging them to come back.
The band was exhausted and decided to do the predictable : playing again "The Last song".
They made tons of mistakes, Philippe can't sing and you don't understand one word of his lyrics but Trisomie 21 are one of the few bands I always will hold close to my heart.
Another final line is drawn in my life.
Thank you, Philippe and Hervé.
In my fucked up life I sat more than once hearing "La fête triste" or pretending being you while performing "Is anybody home?".
Love you to death.
Respect, you're more important than Beethoven or all those other Bizets....

CONCERTREVIEW : FIRST AID KIT (BRUSSEL, BOTANIQUE 09/04/2010)

Some weeks ago I was at the Botanique-venue to watch Taxi Taxi, a Swedish folkduo fronted by two twin sisters and now I’m at the same venue watching two other sisters, the Söderberg-ones or in music-language : First Aid Kit.
These two are the product of what can be best described as the Youtube-generation as it all started when the two, just for fun, were singing a tune by FleetFoxes.
The likes of The Knife saw the video and gave them a record deal on their own label, Rabid Records.
Some time later they got already signed on Wichita records and loved by the British press.
Over here it’s quite different.
Only 70 persons, or less, has turned up but shyness or somethingis out of the blue as from the early beginning one of the sisters Klara is totally confident in herself and the music.
They begin a tight set that will last something like 40 minutes.
It soon became clear what the fuzz was all about and why on these pages we were full of praise about their debut album.
Certainly it is folk but yours sincerely isn’t exactly waiting for the new Joan Baez and I knew that First Aid Kit’s folk was a rather dark one.
Pretty weird lyrics for teenage girls (about everything married wife have to undergo I guess) while Johanna treats her keyboards like a disturbed child, hiding herself behind her long blond hair.
It’s that what makes them so mind blowing in the first place as it’s traditional folk but done in an untraditional way.
Apart from some rare classic instruments, the music is combined with an acoustic guitar and dark electronics.
The main power of course are the voices an during an a capella version from “Ghost town” the two sisters got the chance to show their capabilities.
After a quite short set and the huge compliments from the small crowd, the two returned on stage to give the fans a treat of some French songs they know (most of people speak French in Brussels).
While quarrelling what it should be, they choose for a French version from “The partisan” (covered by Leonard Cohen) and a totally unexpected version from “Non, non, rien n’a change” by Les Poppys.
The best treat was kept for the end when they did a traditional Swedish song.
First Aid Kit are a very nice act with tons of talent even if there’s a danger involved that they will be too confident but for now : so far so good!

CONCERTREVIEW : NO MORE, ZEROMANCER (ANTWERPEN, TRIX 06/04/2010)

To be quite honest after having seen Zeromancer something like ten years ago on Eurorock (that was a huge gothfestival over here) I never thought I would see them again as they bored me to death, and why would I care about their nu-metal anyway?
But sometimes circumstances changes and not the least because of the support No More.
Quite strange that almost no one is aware of this German duo and if they do, it must be because of their classic from 1981, "Suicide Commando".
Later No More developped an own style in which gothwave was mixed with Arabian influences.
It might sound shitty on paper but through the speakers it sounds quite OK.
Anyway, no one was expecting that this duo would come back this year with a new album (Midnight People & Lo-Fi Stars) and it was that album which was presented tonight.
Keyboardplayer Tina was busy with all kinds of electronics while singer Andy Schwarz (nice name for a new wave-combo!) was a bit playing the rock'n roll-cliche but he did it well.
No More played a good mix of old and new and even if your servant (that's me) hasn't heard the new album yet, it sounds promising nontheless.
It's difficult to say if Andy is happy that his band is cursed with that one hit as before each old song came those sarcastic words : "This is an old song which is not Suicide Commando".
Nice gig, there's nothing to add to that.
And then came Zeromancer.
As you can read below I kind of like their latest album "Death Of Romance" but I was expecting nothing.
Wrong I was, oh so wrong.
From the very first minute till the very last minute Zeromancer gave themselves totally.
It's been a very long time ago that I saw a band who is so dedicated to their fans and you must know that they played in front of 100 people where as in countries like Germany they can outsell big venues.
Respect, even many respect for that.
Singer Alex is a poseur, no doubt about it but you love him anyway, a sort of mixture from Iggy Pop (he played the half set half-naked) and Trent Reznor.
And musically?
Well, it's like I've stated in the review.
Don't expect anything special it are just poppy goth-metalsongs but they do it in a good way.
If you like Rammstein, Nine Inch Nails or just wanna have a splendid version from Slipknot (never expected that I would write such words in my blog, I swear, but Zeromancer aren't bad at all) you like 'em.
I saw a band that underwent a positive evolution and a band who has the greatest respect for their public.
Thanks Bodybeats and Dark Entries for inviting me.
Bodybeats will organise on 1st May 2010 a festival at Antwerpen Trix with Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Armageddon Dildos, Revco World, Body Electric, Signal Aout 42 and Cassandra Complex.
All info on www.bodybeats.be

CONCERTREVIEW : THE WRONG, THE SONICS (GENT, HANDELSBEURS 05/04/2010)

Anyone has heard of The Sonics.
Today in 2010 they're legends and loved by bands like Mudhoney, The Fall (who covered their "Strychnine"), Nirvana or any garageband in the whole world.
You see, The Sonics are the godfathers of garagerock.
Back then in the early 60's, these youngsters from Washington recorded their rock 'n roll with a two track recorder and one microphone which gave their music a real livevibe.
Genius you say?
Well, perhaps now it is, but back then it was just because it was meant to be that way due to lack of money.
Through that sound The Sonics were never loved by the rock 'nroll-teenagers who sold their soul to ...well, you know who!
This also meant that back then that The Sonics never managed to play outside their hometown.
Because now they're legends, three of the remaining members thought it'd be cool to Europe over and since they took that decision in 2007, it looks like nothing can stop them and yesterday you could face them in Ghent!
But first there was the support act The Wrong.
I usually don't like support acts that much to be honest but The wrong are what you might call a mini superband from Ghent as it features both the brothers Derie (once they were in Soapstone which was the basicstone for Soulwax) and Jenz Von Trapp (who used to play in the coolest surfguitarband from Belgium, 50 Ft Combo).
Their sound was quite cool as they say and you can compare them somewhere with Rocket from The Crypt.
Almost a perfect gig, just a shame their rock 'n roll was disturbed with no needed bluesballads.
But The Wrong came and conquered as it once has been said.
And then it was time to wellcome The Sonics.
Wellcome them?
The first thing we saw was an overweight roadie who took all the time of the world and some people from the audience started to fear the worst.
And the worst it was when The Sonics appeared in total darkness and started to tune their instruments for more than 10 minutes.
Talking about a missing start.
The first song they played was plain ordinary rock 'n roll and everybody was asking themselves how these grandpas would survive a whole gig without being boo-ed off.
It certainly wasn't co-singer Gerry Roslie who saved the band as he would be fitting more in The Eagles these days.
But then the wonder came when the dead ugly (look at his pic) Freddie Dennis started to open his troath, and from then on the rock 'n rolltrain was unstoppable and the gig was rescued!
They played tons of covers ("Lucille" or the mighty "Keep-A-Knockin'" by Little Richard), some new stuff and of course their own classics like "The witch", "Psycho" or "Strychnine".
At the end it was clear that they're no longer garagerock-guys but a well trained rock 'n roll machine.

CONCERTREVIEWS : STAD VAN LICHT, BESNARD LAKES (ANTWERPEN, TRIX 03/04/2010)

One of the most played record this week must be "Besnard Lakes are roaring the night" and as soon as I found out that these Canadians were playing at Antwerp, I send my wife to town for buying me a ticket (I swear I did.., but thanks to me she discovered them too, ha!).
As soon as we arrived at Trix we saw that the gig was held in the bar from the venue so how big my love might be, it seems that the big audience still has to be convinced yet.
Perhaps it will be this summer as over here they will play at Pukkelpop which is a quite big festival.
Before we could face the psychedelic shoegaze from Besnard Lakes, the Trix-venue first invited us to see Stad Van Licht, which means Town Of Light, but mind you...they sing in English though and no...I don't understand it either why they choose a Dutch name.
Anyway, these 6 youngsters surely have listened well to bands like Pavement or the late Blur but what suits them is that they do it a bit different.
Perhaps at times a bit too different as the terrible curse of art rock always glimpses around the corner.
A short set from a band who has still some things to learn (which is only normal regarding their young age) but if they're careful and not forgetting that pop is pop then perhaps some nice things are to come.
And then it was time for the Canadian heroes.
No roadies but they all did it themselves.
The first time I saw singer Jace Lasek getting up the stage, I thought for a minute that I was facing Jerry Garcia.
Butmind you, they might look like hippies their music is not.
Already from the epic opener "The Ocean" the audience were overwhelmed by a brilliant wave of shoegazeguitars which reminded us of...yes, Slowdive!
And if you really wanna know, the band themselves state that they wanna sound like Led Zeppelin but I didn't hear that and anyone I know who has heard of them says the same : 'They're shoegazers!'.
For singer Jace there can't be enough smoke as after each song he pushed the button of the smokemachine and with the great words "We don't need white light, we need white heat", we knew what he meant.
Sadly enough a snare broke after the opener "The Ocean" which ruined a bit the atmosphere.
During this gap, Jace made some jokes about Iron Butterfly but regarding the reactions he must be the sole person in the venue who understood the clue anyway.
As soon as the guitar was fixed Besnard Lakes continued at what they were beginning, dragging the public down into a psychedelic atmosphere in where Olga (in real life the wife from Jace) developped herself as a hippie-version from Kim Gordon.
As soon as the concert was over, I just felt what I supposed before entering the venue.
Not only have Besnard Lakes made an album that will hit my Top 10 in 2010, they are one of the best bands around from this moment as well.
Don't be stupid too miss that!

CONCERTREVIEW : LEGENDARY PINK DOTS (Brussels, Le Botanique 02/04/2010)

I honestly lost the count how many times I saw The Legendary Pink Dots on stage but they never did dissapoint me even if on their current albums they're taking their psychedlic trips a bit too far for my taste.
Anyway, yesterday in Brussels was the first day of a tour that was supposed to be a 30 Anniversary Show of the band, but it all started wrong.
Before the tour two members (among them keymember Martijn) decided to call it a day.
On his website Edward Ka-Spell explained that he understands the situation completely.
The times that the band can outsell venues is long time past and it's financially almost an impossible thing.
Secondly the circumstances of touring are getting harder and harder.
On their last European tour the bandmembers were forced more than once to sleep on a cold floor and as Ka-Spell stated : this could be the last tour in the history of Legendary Pink Dots.
When seeing them a couple of months ago in Sint-Niklaas I never could have guessed it would have been the last time I saw them as a five-pieceband but today was an undeniable fact : Legendary Pink Dots have become a duo (Silverman and Ka-Spell) even if they recently could convince Erik Drost to join them.
Due to this The Legendary Pink Dots are forced more than ever to play an electronic set.
Anyway as soon as barefooted Edward, with a black dress, walks on stage you could see that nothing in his head changed.
He still looks like if he's the controller of all the inner demons, and the smile around his face tells you that the more confused it sounds, the better it is for him.
The set is of course chosen from the later albums even if they gave the audience two classics "Remember me this way" and "New Tomorrow" which remembered (oh how nice!) the audience why they mattered during 30 years.
As soon as the excellent gig was over, you were just wondering how low a band can go.
What will be next? Soon you can book them for your kitchen!
I mean, as you can guess there wasn't an overwhelming number of people around this time as well.
What once looked like an indestructible institution is now reduced to a band in crisis.
Shame, even more than a shame but still thanks for enriching 30 years I walk upon this planet.
Hopefully see you next time in better times!

CONCERTREVIEW : HEAVEN 17 (GENT, HANDELSBEURS 01/04/2010)

When I saw the advert that Heaven 17 was coming to Ghent performing "Penthouse and Pavement" I couldn't believe my eyes.
Not because it was Heaven 17 as not only I already saw them once (and they were quite good) but their recent material isn't exactly mindblowing but just because I always thought "Penthouse and Pavement" is one of the greatest synthpopalbums ever.
From the original line-up there's only singer Glenn Gregory (of course!) and synthplayer Martyn Ware left.
Their debutalbum might be a milestone now in pophistory but it wasn't at the time of the release.
None of the four singles coming from that album hit the charts and a DJ even condemned their debut "We don't need this fascist groove thing" to the black list of the BBC.
Even "The Luxury Gap" had a lame start as it was only the third single ("Temptation") that climbed up the charts and this in contradiction with their mates from Sheffield, Human League, who were already conquering the world.
But this was then and this is now.
From the moment Glenn climbed up the stage like some dandy, it was all clear that we would be enjoying a great evening of 80's pop.
The whole A-side got played and it was sooner ended than everyone could have thought but Glenn announced : "This was the A-side. Before we turn the record we give you some things we have released during BEF".
What's BEF? Well in fact it was a sort of production company that promoted some stuff from their mates (Human League, Associates) but it's true that they can never be forgiven for the fact that BEF was responsible for the worst come back of the 80's : Tina Turner.
These BEF-songs were weak and wasted time as we heard an acoustic version from "Don't you want me?", a dreadful version from Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" and "Ball of confusion" which was like...well...Tina Turner!
The sooner we got back to "Penthouse and Pavement", the better!
And as soon as Martyn started his Bach-inspiredsynths we knew "Geisha Boys and Temple Girls" had set in.
Soon followed my fave Heaven 17 tracks like "Let's all make a bomb" and "The height of the fighting".
After "We"re going to live for a very long time", we knew the album was over but the band had some little treats left.
They played a nice uptempo-synthversion from "You are everything" and after they ended the set "I'm your money" no one could understand why this wasn't a much more known song.
They came back twice. The first time to do three songs from "The Luxury Gap".
An extended version from "Temptation", "Let me go" and "Come live with me" which is still the best ballad of the 80's.
The last song was the song everybody was expecting, "Being Boiled" even if someone in the audience requested "Louise".
Heaven 17 are a band from whom you have nothing to expect, their best years are already long over but on stage they still matter.
Perhaps they're a jukebox but a jukebox that is still functioning.

IN GOWAN RING, HANS OISEAU, LISA O PIU (GENT, DE AKADEMIE 30/03/2010)

When I saw In Gowan Ring two years ago in my hometown Gent there were approximately 10 persons around and seeing that the gentle man asks for the use of a van during his European tour makes it all clear that changes are small that he will storm the charts once.
There's no need for that and I'm sure that B'eirth would be the last man around to want it either.
B'eirth is the creator of what was once a weird cross between neofolk and psychedelic hippyfolk. He used to create his own instruments and In Gowan Ring was once like an open air museum from weird instruments.
But the times they are a-changing said the godfather of the hippies once and with In Gowan Ring it's not different, not that it is a bad turn anyway...
Yesterday some students from the academy of Ghent decided to invite both Lisa O Piu and In Gowan Ring while they were doing a mini-tour through Europe.
Due to some bad promotion (or is the In Gowan Ring-curse?) 40 people or less showed up and once again it seemed like pearls for swines.
The concert was divided in 3 parts.
The first part was In Gowan Ring who got joined by the whole bunch of Lisa O Piu.
No unusual instruments just a guitar that bizarrely enough looked like an avocado while the Lisa-gang were joined with classic instruments like a violin, African percussion or a clarinet.
Despite the fact that this little set was quite beautiful, you felt that In Gowan Ring was more going into the direction from Donovan or Fairport Convention.
The second act was something very strange : Hans Oiseau.
Hans is a artperformer from Gent who uses his guitar in a rather strange way. He creates weird industrial sounds by touching the guitarsnares with a ventilator, an alarmclock (I swear I wasn't drunk), an electric toothbrush and if my eyes served me well (I wear glasses!) even a discman.
The result was quite innovating and the guitar-noise wasn't that far away from Lee Ranaldo's solowork or even the short industrial intermezzo's on Kraftwerk's "Autobahn"-album.
It was a strange decision to put Hans between two neo-hippyacts but at the end of the performance you had the feeling that you watched something breathtaking.
To finish the evening we got the psychedelic folk from Lisa O Piu.
They come from Sweden and already toured with members from acid folkmasters Comus but this time they were joined by B'eirth from In Gowan Ring.
Another 40 minutes followed and I don't know if the term ethereal folk already exists but if it doesn't then it's invented now.
Wonderful female vocals were lead by a Michael Cashmore-guitar and so it happened that references like Sol Invictus or Current 93 were floating in the head.
Those students made a very great evening (just make some more flyers next time!) and at the end we even had a chat with the very gentle B'eirth. (Yes, Wim Morc, I mentioned you).

CONCERTREVIEW : TAXI TAXI (BRUSSELS, BOTANIQUE 25/03/2010)

I couldn't agree more but coming up with a band's name that goes like Taxi Taxi is like giving limits to yourself cos you're awaiting some stupid pop.
But you have to forgive them....they're Swedish and they make even great music.
Their first songs which appeared on My Space (where else?) didn't only got the attention from the big public, but from artists as well.
And so it happened that their debut EP got produced by Björn Yttling from Peter, Björn and John (the lads who scored a monster hit with "Young Folks").
But there was more, their debutalbum "Still standing at your back door" got released by Rumracket in their own country, the label that is owned by Efterklang, while Fierce Panda released it outside Sweden.
Yesterday, we got the first performance from these Swedish twins over here.
Miriam and Johanna are both in their late teens and that's what they sing about : the rise and fall of a teen.
Even if they were pretty nervous from the early start, it looked like the audience where giving them the benefit of the doubt.
It was clear that from the very first minutes that Taxi Taxi would be a band who are largely dominated by the angelic voices of the twins.
Musically it was all quite minimalistic even if they got joined by two guest musicians.
A song like "Ripest fruit" was quite close like Beirut and the single "Old big trees" would have fit well on Björk's "Debut". A description like a minimalistic Fleetwood Mac for dark souls would be not that bad I guess.
Anyway, after 40 minutes the fun was over and even if the visit was a rather short one, it was still worth it!