[...music...]: 2008-05

2008-05-17

kinetik festival phase 2 - industrial @ usine c

last night, i went to kinetik festival phase 2 - industrial with roxanne and ryan.

it was my first time at an industrial show (in fact, it was my first time at a show with laptop acts). the people were really dressed up. i felt like i stood out from the crowd because i was dressed 'normal'. also, because: a) i was not dressed in black; b) i am not white. but it didn't matter. i still had a great time.

the evening more or less followed the schedule. what i appreciate about these laptop acts is the short set-up times.

6:20pm - cenotype
the music was good, but it was early, and the room was mostly empty. only a couple of lone dancers. we just stood around.

7:10pm - synnack
the music and film were kind of experimental. the lack of a prominent dance beat meant that the crowd mostly stood around, still.

8:00pm - distorted memory
the singer appeared on stage, trying to look imposing/menacing/scary (or whatever), and announced that they are from winnipeg, which we found funny. energetic, with an active singer, it was a good warm-up act to get the crowd moving.

8:50pm - headscan
we missed this set because we went out to eat.

9:45pm - memmaker
we returned to the venue in the middle of this set. by then, the room was full, and everyone was dancing. i started dancing too (tried to). they ended the set with "death comes (sale traître)", a song that appears on the kinetik festival compilation.

10:45pm - rabia sorda
this band had a live drummer, which was the most 'rock' element of the evening. they had good songs, but they suffered sound problems throughout the whole set, unfortunately. they played the song "the shape of a name", which is my favourite from their album; live, it did not sound as dynamic as on disc, so slight disappointment there.

11:50pm - funker vogt
the main act of the evening. they started late, close to 12:15am. they had really good songs, a balance of dance beats and singing melodies, and the crowd was into it. i recognized a couple of the songs ("child soldier" and "thanatophobia"). this is probably where i danced the most. i know i was super dorky (i have no rhythm nor fluidity), but the room was dark, everyone was doing their own thing, so i didn't care, and just had fun, that's all.

1:00am - kiew
this act seemed like an experimental art noise project. the sound was harsh, and the epilepsy-inducing strobelights were too much. we sat out during most of this set, and took a break.

2:00am - noisuf-x
we returned to the room to check out the last act. it was mostly one guy pounding away on his electric drums, while his partner provided some additional sounds. the constant beat got us dancing again. it was a good way to end the evening/early morning.

the show ended by 3:15am.

hopefully, they make this an annual event. i would go again.

~~~

cd purchase: there were many merch booths. but i didn't know any of the music. so i just got cd's of the acts i liked. funker vogt's "aviator" and memmaker's "how to enlist in a robot uprising".

hearing damage: the room was nice, air-conditioned (or very well ventilated, at least), and had good sound. i survived the whole night without earplugs, and my hearing was still fine afterwards.

~~~

Labels: cd purchase, cenotype, distorted memory, funker vogt, headscan, kiew, kinetik, memmaker, noisuf-x, rabia sorda, shows, synnack, usine c

2008-05-15

the cure @ bell centre

i went to the show last night with roxanne and ryan. it was my first time at the bell centre. my first big arena show, and it was great! our section was facing the stage; the seats in the row immediately in front of us were unoccupied, so we had an unobstructed view the whole evening.

i had been waiting for this show for a while. it was initially scheduled for september 2007, but was postponed until last night.

i am glad they kept 65daysofstatic as the opening band. electro-post-rock. i really like their albums, and was disappointed that they did not sell cd's last night. they ended their set with "radio protector", my favourite track of theirs. live, they sound exactly the same as on their album, just louder.

the cure gave an *amazing* show. they played for two hours straight, then returned for three encores lasting an additional hour. they played a three-hour set! how awesome is that!?

they had lots of sparkly colourful lights. a large screen split in four sections was in the backgroud, showing different visuals to match the songs. for example, a giant spider during "lullaby".

i must admit that i am not familiar with their entire catalogue. i recognized about half the songs they played, the hits. their set was very varied; they played material spanning almost all their releases, from new songs, to old ones from their debut. it was lots of fun.

big thanks to roxanne, for writing down the mega-setlist.

1) plainsong
2) prayers for rain
3) a strange day
4) alt.end
5) the walk
6) the end of the world
7) lovesong
8) sleep when i'm dead (new)
9) pictures of you
10) lullaby
11) the perfect boy (new)
12) from the edge of the deep green sea
13) hot hot hot!!!
14) the only one (new)
15) push
16) in between days
17) just like heaven
18) primary
19) shake dog shake
20) never enough
21) wrong number
22) one hundred years
23) pornography
24) disintegration

encore 1:
25) at night
26) m
27) play for today
28) a forest

encore 2:
29) boys don't cry
30) jumping someone else's train
31) grinding halt
32) 10:15 saturday night

encore 3:
33) killing an arab
34) freakshow (new)
35) close to me
36) why can't i be you

it was my first time using my new camera at a concert. i took way too many photos, trying to find the optimal settings for that environment. a lot of them turned out not good, but a few were alright.

the funniest picture i took. at the moment when robert smith stuck out his tongue. too bad for the crappy quality.

~~~

Labels: 65daysofstatic, bell centre, shows, the cure

2008-05-14

johnny hollow, robyn

i had my weekly meeting with my advisor today. not sure if my thesis is progressing. i will need to begin on my two conference papers soon. i am kind of nervous about that; i haven't written any kind of paper in a long time, probably since i had to write that english exit exam back in cegep.

after the meeting, i passed by hmv to check out the new releases. (my weekly fix).

i recently heard johnny hollow's recent album "dirty hands", and really liked it. i went to get it today. i first heard about them when roxanne introduced me to their music, a couple of years ago, when they had released their debut self-titled album.

listening to "dirty hands", i like this more than their older release. on "dirty hands", they've continued with the slightly gothic ethereal feel from the first album. on some songs, their use of stringed instruments mixed with electro elements reminds me of rasputina, which is good.

i love their album art. their website is also very pretty. they've a flash game; every completed level unlocks a track from the album.

at one of the listening booths, i spied robyn's most recent self-titled album. it was at a bargain price, so i got it too.

ah, memories... her debut "robyn is here" was one of the first cd's i bought, before i started to build my cd collection. it's good to see how she's doing her own thing now, with her own style, rather than become an aging has-been pop princess (like some others from that period).

this album was first released a couple of years ago in sweden, and now finally released here, a couple of weeks ago. the songs don't sound dated at all. very pop, kind of electro, with some hip-hop elements here and there. there are a few very good stand-out songs; the rest are filler and uninteresting.

my favourite tracks: "cobrastyle", with those dance-able electro beats. "handle me", the typical pop song. "be mine", the opening bit is my favourite part of the whole album. "with every heartbeat", another electro song.

although i don't care for the songs, "curriculum vitae" and "konichiwa bitches" have some kooky lyrics.

~~~

Labels: cd purchase, johnny hollow, robyn

2008-05-07

electronica

since i've been back to listening to dance music lately, i ordered some electronica-ish cd's two weeks ago, and i got them in the mail today.

alec empire - futurist
i loved atari teenage riot back in high school. i haven't listened to much from alec empire's solo material. the reason i got this album in particular is because it was on sale... it's pretty much what i expect, more of the digital hardcore stuff i like.

tiësto - elements of life
more dance music, yay!

ulrich schnauss - far away trains passing by
a two-disc chillout album.

~~~

Labels: alec empire, cd purchase, tiësto, ulrich schnauss