Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Einstruzende Neubauten: The Forum, London 05/04/05
I saw Einstruzende Neubauten last night, on the London date of their 25th Anniversary tour, and it has to be said, if they where out to impress, they succeeded. Giving a two hour set, with part dedicated to thier "greatest hits" and another to thier rarer material, we where treated to an amazing show with everything a fan could ask for.
Coming on stage an hour after the doors had opened (And no support band, or the rumor slideshow of the band history), the band looked composed, ready to unleash the brutal noise of the unique instruments that surrounded them, and in the case of Blixa and Alexandra Hacke, barefooted (Blixa also had blue toenail polish, and I feel this review would be flawed if I failed to mention it). One of the band looked like Art Garfunkle, and the keyboard player looked like Neil Morrissey, it amused me.
They opened with Yue-Gung, a favourite of mine which had an intense live sound, it was a good start, an impression they cemented when they moved onto Haus Der Luege (The Popes favourite song, they said they). We where also treated to Armenia, for which they brought out a classic improvised instrument from their early days, The Thirsty Animal. To you or me, it was a piece of piping, Alexander Hacke made it into a wind instrument capable of the most mournful sounds and ambient effects.
Second half opens with Salamandrina, and also contains Sehnsucht and Kalte Sterne, recently released on the CD of the bands pre-history, also called Kalte Sterne. Proving they have a sense of humour they end the second set with Ich Gehe Jehtz (But of course, they come on for an encore, playing a lenghty new track, destined for the supporters album).
The most impressive aspect of the show was the instruments they used, thier drumkit was based around a sheet of metal, with a tyre for a snare drum and an upturned industrial sized bin doubling as a bass. All rounded off with a large spring for good measure. As well as the Thirsty Animal, they had thier own amplified bass wire, another instrument they made themselves in leaner times. From the front row I could see how this wire contributes to Neubautens bass heavy sound, that, and Hackes furious bass strumming (Really man, he played it like it was an acoustic guitar). When not creating new instruments Neubauten simply abuse old ones, the Profimaster 250-50 makes another appearance and guitars where played with a vibrator, an interesting site that creaed an equally strage sound. They also took a grinder to a shopping trolley at one point, upsetting the good people of Sainsburys.
Not making enough from the Neubauten.org project, the band resort to robbing pounds from trolleys
Fun and games was the order of the night, a splendid celebration of Neubatens 25 years of musical subversion, but there was a persistent message throughout the night that the band may not be coming back to London again, casting a dark shadow over the bands future despite thier constant inovention an invention. But, sad as it would be to loose them, at least they know how to go out with a bang.
And on a final note, there where also rumours that The 'Bauten are playing in London again on Thursday, but I wouldn't go holding you're breath.
Setlist
Greatest Hits
Yue-Gung (Fuetter Mein Ego)
Die Befindlichkeit Des LandesHaus Der Luege
Armenia
Youme & Meyou
Dead Friends (Around The Corner)
Redukt
Zns
Ende Neu
Rarities
Salamandrina
Sabrina
Perpetuum Mobile
Sehnsucht
Draussen Ist Feindlich
Selbstportraet Mit Kater
Kalte Sterne
Alles
Ich Gehe Jetzt
Encore
Grunstueck (5ER)
Now, is this thanks to my memory skills and knowledge of Neubautens histry, or is it thanks o my skill at grabbing set lists
Profimaster 250-50; Secret star of the show
Coming on stage an hour after the doors had opened (And no support band, or the rumor slideshow of the band history), the band looked composed, ready to unleash the brutal noise of the unique instruments that surrounded them, and in the case of Blixa and Alexandra Hacke, barefooted (Blixa also had blue toenail polish, and I feel this review would be flawed if I failed to mention it). One of the band looked like Art Garfunkle, and the keyboard player looked like Neil Morrissey, it amused me.
They opened with Yue-Gung, a favourite of mine which had an intense live sound, it was a good start, an impression they cemented when they moved onto Haus Der Luege (The Popes favourite song, they said they). We where also treated to Armenia, for which they brought out a classic improvised instrument from their early days, The Thirsty Animal. To you or me, it was a piece of piping, Alexander Hacke made it into a wind instrument capable of the most mournful sounds and ambient effects.
Second half opens with Salamandrina, and also contains Sehnsucht and Kalte Sterne, recently released on the CD of the bands pre-history, also called Kalte Sterne. Proving they have a sense of humour they end the second set with Ich Gehe Jehtz (But of course, they come on for an encore, playing a lenghty new track, destined for the supporters album).
The most impressive aspect of the show was the instruments they used, thier drumkit was based around a sheet of metal, with a tyre for a snare drum and an upturned industrial sized bin doubling as a bass. All rounded off with a large spring for good measure. As well as the Thirsty Animal, they had thier own amplified bass wire, another instrument they made themselves in leaner times. From the front row I could see how this wire contributes to Neubautens bass heavy sound, that, and Hackes furious bass strumming (Really man, he played it like it was an acoustic guitar). When not creating new instruments Neubauten simply abuse old ones, the Profimaster 250-50 makes another appearance and guitars where played with a vibrator, an interesting site that creaed an equally strage sound. They also took a grinder to a shopping trolley at one point, upsetting the good people of Sainsburys.
Not making enough from the Neubauten.org project, the band resort to robbing pounds from trolleys
Fun and games was the order of the night, a splendid celebration of Neubatens 25 years of musical subversion, but there was a persistent message throughout the night that the band may not be coming back to London again, casting a dark shadow over the bands future despite thier constant inovention an invention. But, sad as it would be to loose them, at least they know how to go out with a bang.
And on a final note, there where also rumours that The 'Bauten are playing in London again on Thursday, but I wouldn't go holding you're breath.
Setlist
Greatest Hits
Yue-Gung (Fuetter Mein Ego)
Die Befindlichkeit Des LandesHaus Der Luege
Armenia
Youme & Meyou
Dead Friends (Around The Corner)
Redukt
Zns
Ende Neu
Rarities
Salamandrina
Sabrina
Perpetuum Mobile
Sehnsucht
Draussen Ist Feindlich
Selbstportraet Mit Kater
Kalte Sterne
Alles
Ich Gehe Jetzt
Encore
Grunstueck (5ER)
Now, is this thanks to my memory skills and knowledge of Neubautens histry, or is it thanks o my skill at grabbing set lists
Profimaster 250-50; Secret star of the show
