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)]

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)]

This was the unexpected hit of the festival for me - the unknown band that completely blew me out of the water. Loell Duinn is an unsigned ethereal/folk band from Croatia who was given the slot before the headliner. According to their MySpace page (the only online presence I could find), they've finally mastered an album that compiles works from their last 5 years. The organizers obviously thought highly of them to give an act with no releases a prime slot on Sunday night. They were dead on.

This quartet consisted of a keyboardist, percussionist, acoustic guitar player, and vocalist. The keyboardist supplied a variety of sounds for them. For some songs it was violins, others it was fantasy-esque synths; most impressively were the harmonies that reminded me of Stoa ala Urthona/Porta VIII. At first I thought the percussionist was ok. He supplied soft and hard beats as appropriate for each song. He really impressed me during a song when he turned to play a set on bongos to his left while continue to man the bass drum and high hat with his feet. The man playing the electric acoustic guitar with nylon strings was really what made the show for me. The melodies his fingers plucked and strummed were sounds of pure delight. The singer's exquisite voice rang through the hall like a wind spirit carrying the fairy queen's missives through her enchanted realm. She was mesmerizing in her long white dress, a stark contrast against everything else around her. For the many of the fantasy-sounding pieces, she accompanied them with a tambourine.

One thing that certainly helped the performance was the great mixing they received from the person running the sound. The levels were just right for all the instruments. As the performance went on, the cheers from the audience grew with each song. We could see their confidence through the smiles on their faces. Impressed as we were, they still had to execute the climax of their set. The final song had epic strings accompanying the complex, steady guitar melody. The vocalist sang louder than she had sung all evening. As the end came, she released a clear, solitary note that resonated deeply into all of our hearts. When the sound of her voice finally faded, Schauspielhaus erupted into a standing ovation.

[Close Review]

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)]