Saturday ----------- Having the first day comfortably under our belts, day two was a little more relaxing from the beginning. Things got started with this year’s Calgary entry, PHOTOPHORE. As a relatively new band, I’m sure they were feeling the pressure but with all their friends gathered at the front to support them, the duo blazed through their set flawlessly. They are difficult to categorize but suffice it to say that they combined driving beats with samples and vocals vaguely reminiscent of trip hop while the whole thing was filtered through the aesthetic of the video game Bioshock’s art deco atmosphere. It was awesome. Having driven in all the way from Portland, PRODUCT was committed to blowing holes in the room from their first note onwards. Trading vocal duties back and forth and bringing us a variety of sounds from their newer dark atmospheric tracks to their more traditional four on the floor stompers, they didn’t waste one second of their set. We even got a wonderful cover of Depeche Mode’s “It’s No Good” if memory serves! Scott Fox always brings something special to the table. He’s not content to just play a set without asking himself if there’s some way to engage the crowd a little extra. His IVARDENSPHERE: SINGULARITY set was no exception. The special solo version of his much-loved project was a blistering experiment in industrial techno which he set up on the floor in front of the stage. The crowd gathered all around him and were thoroughly enthralled as he blasted from one track to the next. It was very exciting to be able to get so close to the action and watch what he was doing right in front of you. He’s a sly one that Fox. Next we were treated to some more Chicago talent. The new project from Die Warzau’s frontman, Jim Marcus, is GOFIGHT. Addictive bass and synth lines, catchy vocal hooks and a clear delight at being on stage made this set a true head-bobber. The band releases fantastic singles on a fairly regular basis and we were treated to the vast majority of them with little time to catch our breath. I sprinted to the back and bought a shirt as soon as they were done. Another of the weekend’s most hyped appearances was to follow. Having produced a stunning amount of interest prior to their album even being released, 3TEETH seem to have been making all the right moves. Their marketing and branding are vastly superior to most of what you see out there. Their album and its singles are devastating. Every head in the room turned as the first notes rung out and it was clear that the band meant business. Stunningly this was only their second live show. The wall of sound and accompanying visual assault captivated the audience for the duration and their merch evaporated immediately after the set. KEVORKIAN DEATH CYCLE jumped on stage next, plugged in and declared war with their opener and title track from their recent release “God Am I”. The crowd was fully behind them as they flew from one song to the next including a glorious cover of the Pet Shop Boys classic “It’s A Sin” (which I must admit was a personal highlight for me). Many people mentioned to me that they never thought they would get a chance to see KDC live. They never could have imagined how fulfilling it would be. We should have warned everybody to stretch out their neck muscles for what was to follow. WASTE lined up and produced the most exhausting set of the weekend. The crowd was definitely ready to dance as the first few notes rang out. Heads were bouncing around like ping pong balls as these guys ripped through a setlist comprised of brilliantly addictive but uncompromisingly high speed industrial noise tracks. A water break was necessary for survival once they were done. Next we had a special set from Daniel Meyer who very kindly filled in for the absent In Strict Confidence. It was a lot of work for him but he put together a mix of DSTR and HAUJOBB tracks with help from Alter Der Ruine’s Mike Jenney and iVardensphere’s Scott Fox. It was an all-star moment! It was obvious to everybody watching that the guys on stage were having a great time. Daniel is an incredibly engaging entertainer and he really produced something special for us on short notice. The infamous “everybody put your hands in the air and wave them from side to side” moment was one of the most amusing things I witnessed all weekend. Thank you, Daniel! Saturday night wrapped up with Canadian legends DECODED FEEDBACK. The duo have had such a wonderful career that the setlist was certain to be spectacular. Not only do they have a fantastic stage presence but they seem to make friends with everybody wherever they go. They were clearly performing to friends and fans alike as they took command of the room for the final set of the night. Screams, cheers and applause rang out after every song and Decoded Feedback proved once again why they are in such high demand around the world.
Posted on: Sat, 05 Jul 2014 01:35:51 +0000
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