Reviews

Combichrist Tour: 

@ The Palladium - Upstairs [Worcester, MA (USA)]

Unsound Festival New York 2011: 

@ Abrons Arts Center [New York City, NY (USA)]

Millipede Show: 

@ Darkroom [Chicago, IL (USA)]

Combichrist Tour: 

@ Webster Theater [Hartford, CT (USA)]

I have been a huge fan of taiko drumming since I first saw the Kodo Drummers a decade ago. I have put a lot of thought into how cool it would be to incorporate taiko drumming into industrial music. I was blown away by Faith & the Muse's 2010 tour where taiko was central to their new sound and stage performance. So here I was in Connecticut to see Ivardensphere and what did I see on stage? Booming Tree, a taiko duo from Edmonton, pounding their hearts out to some kick ass industrial music.

I was expecting an industrial show with some serious knob tweaking, mouse clicking, and maybe video. Scott, the man behind Ivardensphere, put together a great live ensemble. He manned a large machine with a ton of knobs and cables center stage. It resembled a telephone patch board from a bygone age more than a music device. Like a ringmaster, he controlled vast banks of noise. This was mixed over the laptop and keyboard his live musician Chris controlled from stage right. Meanwhile, stage left featured his kinetic taiko drummers.

They played songs from both albums ranging from techno-industrial to tribal. When Scott wasn't at the controls, he was sitting in front banging on a doumbek adding more percussion to the mix. Many songs from the second album incorporate tribal elements, a trend that I am all for. It was great to see a variety of styles on stage. This wasn't the show I thought I was going to see. Judging by the reactions of everyone else at the hall, this wasn't what they expected either. Loud cheers erupted at the end of each song as the audience wanted more and more.

There were times during the show when the taiko drumming was slightly off beat. They told me after the show they didn't have monitors and just winged it. Pretty damn good for playing without monitors. It looks like Ivardensphere will be touring again with Combichrist and Deadstar Assembly in May-June 2011. Go early. Ivardensphere is not an "opening act" you want to miss. They'll also be playing Kinetik 2011 in Montreal.

Aesthetic Perfection was up next. I really don't like their music at all, but I have to give them props for being a tight band with a good stage presence. The singer had a problem spitting all over the stage though. That was not very aesthetically pleasing, but it was better than the Kinetik 2009 performance where it looked like he was smelling his armpit half the show. The keyboard player on stage left was a little too into making sure it looked like it was tough job as he tilted his keyboard most of the way to the ground so it looked like it was always falling over. The guy playing drums was absolutely solid and was the real driving force for the show.

I have to give it up for Combichrist. They put on an arena-level show in a large concert hall. Behind the band were three gigantic LED panels that you wouldn't normally see at an industrial show. Most bands don't make enough or bother with something so over-the-top. It seemed appropriate for a band that toured huge venues with Rammstein at the end of 2009.

Unlike the Kinetik 2010 performance, which was mostly hits, this show featured a good portion of their new album. They were promoting their new release after all. I hadn't heard it at the time of the show and was wondering if they were just songs I don't often listen to. Many of them were not as aggressive as their previous material. It all sounded pretty good, but I spent too much time trying to figure out if I knew the songs or not to enjoy it fully. Next time it'll be better. I'll just enjoy the ride. Dotted through the main set were hits from previous albums (except The Joy Of Gunz).

The drummers had their usual shenanigans at opposite sides of the stage in front of LED panels one and three. The keyboardist was on a raised platform in the back looking down like an evil puppet master in front of the center light panel. Andy was up front rocking it with a skull and bullhorns mic stand. He ran around the stage engaging the audience like a proper frontman without being a dick and constantly telling people to put their hands in the air.

If Combichrist was aiming for an epic show with a lot of fun and energy, they definitely achieved it. See pictures for a taste of their LED show and think about how many industrial bands have the resources to do that. I expect the next show I attend to be equally awesome.

The setlist below is from Austin, TX, but it looks like what was played in Connecticut. It may not be 100% accurate. If not, it's close.

Main set:
Reclamation
Just Like Me
Follow the Trail of Blood
Today I Woke to the Rain of Blood
Electrohead
Throat Full of Glass
Get Your Body Beat
Deathbed
Slave to Machine
Fuckmachine
Blut Royale
They
Never Surrender

Encore:
Scarred - Today We Are Demons
Fuck That Shit

Encore 2:
This Shit Will Fuck You Up
What the Fuck Is Wrong With You?

[Close Review]

The Swans Tour: 

@ The Middle Cafe - Downstairs [Cambridge, MA (USA)]

Tragedy For Us Tour: 

@ Champions Cafe [Everett, MA (USA)]

Steel Hook Prostheses Tour: 

@ Club Choices [Somerville, MA (USA)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 4 [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 4: 

@ Volkspalast: Kuppelhalle [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 4: 

@ Volkspalast: Kuppelhalle [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 4: 

@ Volkspalast: Kuppelhalle [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 4: 

@ Volkspalast: Kuppelhalle [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 3 [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 3: 

@ Werk II [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 3: 

@ Werk II [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 3: 

@ Werk II [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 3: 

@ Schauspielhaus [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 3: 

@ Schauspielhaus [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 3: 

@ Schauspielhaus [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 2 [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 2: 

@ Volkspalast: Kuppelhalle [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 2: 

@ Volkspalast: Kantine [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 2: 

@ Volkspalast: Kuppelhalle [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 2: 

@ Kohlrabizirkus [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 1 [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 1: 

@ Agra Hall [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Wave-Gotik Treffen 2010 - Day 1: 

@ Agra Hall [Leipzig, Saxony (Germany)]

Kinetik Festival 2010 - Phase 5: 

@ Usine C [Montreal, Quebec (Canada)]

Kinetik Festival 2010 - Phase 4: 

@ Usine C [Montreal, Quebec (Canada)]

Kinetik Festival 2010 - Phase 3: 

@ Usine C [Montreal, Quebec (Canada)]

Kinetik Festival 2010 - Phase 2: 

@ Usine C [Montreal, Quebec (Canada)]