Domingo 22 Mar 2009, 9:19

Sat 21 Mar – Demons On Tour 2009

If there is something I apprehend each time I go to an electro concert, its: will I get in the mood… I'm not a fanatic of electro and very often I just hear some mainstream dance music with screams on top instead of some melodic female singing/rapping male voice (a la 2 Unlimited or Culture Beat…)

Moreover this time, my friend I should have gone with had to cancel last minute for personal reasons… and after a few phone calls, I headed to Amstelveen alone… People who like Combichrist are a bit like an endangered specie, rare to find.

When I arrived at P60, Auto-Auto was already busy on stage. Nothing too bad about that band, but I only saw a couple of songs so I couldn't get an idea of what they really were… Anyway it wasn't unpleasant ;)

After a change over that seemed to take ages, 30 min to remove 2 keyboards, and replace them by one, Aesthetic Perfection took the stage for theirs… My first impression was… Combi-wannabee! Only not everyone can pretend to be Combichrist… Aesthetic Perfection missed the low and dark pulse that you find in Combichrist music and after a couple of songs that "Mr. Vain in a blender" feeling invaded me… Definitely was Aesthetic Perfection not match for my personal musical taste. So I went in the foyer to get a goo look at the merch. And well I needed a new sweater anyway ;)

Finally Aesthetic Perfection ended their set and I went to get my favourite spot in a venue, within the first 2 m in front of the mixing desk. After some wait and very funny music, Andy LaPlegua & crew arrived very quietly on stage. Just the setup of instruments was promising: full drumkit to the left, keyboards in the middle and another set of drums on the right, leaving the front-stage for the imposant Norwegian (I think I could go on and on about how Norwegian has a small population but tons of great artists…).

The sound was quite muddy during the first 2 or 3 songs… Drums and low were covering the subtle samples lines, a bit of pity, but at least from the first second were the vocals loud and clear :)
I cant recall the setlist in order but I know they started with All Pain is Gone, Get Out Of My Head and Electrohead.
After that, the sound got way better, the crowd got in the mood, and everyone around me started following the dirty pulse. And when came Get Your Body Beat the audience really got in the party!

I said it again and again… Every indus/electro band should play with a live band… Ok, it gave more work to the guy behind the knobs, so what! You really had a feeling of pure energy coming from what you heard AND saw!
The drummer actually maybe did a little too much… it didnt take more than 20 minutes for him to destroy on of the floor tom's head… and despite a dedicated backliner, the rest of the show he did with a tom less haha
But hey with the percu guy having 4 toms for himself, there was enough percussive sound on stage anyway :p

I had the feeling even though Today We Are All Demons is released that the setlist was still based around What The Fuck Is Wrong With You People?.

The final 3 songs were an absolute blast and I even think the band should just play them one after another without pretending the show is over and come for an encore…

Shut up and Swallow
———————
This Shit Will Fuck You Up
What The Fuck Is Wrong With You?

I had read lots about how Combichrist delivers powerful show.. that was my first so I cant compare, but that will definitely NOT be the last!!

Live from 2007 ;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3c3TCku794