Forms of Hands '08
How many of you have always wanted (or still want) to go for a
concert that would be located in a spatial, almost intact, atmospheric
industrial hall? I certainly had and that was the first reason that made
the distance between Wroclaw and Gladbeck bearable. Cause it's Gladbeck
where a marvelous event with even more marvelous music occurs. It's
called Forms of Hands and it takes place in Maschinenhalle Zeche Zweckel.
http://www.formsofhands.de/foh08/
The immediate access to the venue is quite surprising: big way planted with trees does not suggest that somewhere in the nearby such a gem is located.
But the very entrance to the area of the former colliery is breathtaking: enormous building, big windows... it was a bit like finding a tree of wishes, if you know what I mean.
Maschinenhalle Zeche Zweckel itself is, like I mentioned, a former colliery, though its appearance does not resemble an industrial monster at all. On the contrary: well-maintained interiors, deco (inlaid floors, spiral stairs, wooden banisters, massive steel ribs on the ceiling plus engines set here and there to enhance the atmosphere) resemble a palace, indeed.
http://www.ruhrtriennale.de/en/spielstaetten/maschinenhalle-zeche-zweckel/
Picture such a hall then: either flooded by sunshine or radiating to the outside and the concert there... Would you blame me for being completely enchanted?
I came just in time to see the first concert (the first, true, but on Saturday - recently that's the ordinary thing for me to participate in halves of various events...). It was still brightly outdoors, so the battle between day-and-electric light was on while the stage was occupied by the project...
Maschinenkrieger KR52 vs. Disraptor
Maschinenkrieger KR52 & Disraptor joined forces in 2002; so far they've released the following albums: „Chronicles of a Transmutation” (2002), „X-Ray..s” (2004) and „Implosion” (2006).
Till then I'd seen those gents (Rico Weber & Frank Schewe) just once - at Wave Gotik Treffen 2006 so I wanted to confirm good impression I had about them.
I'll just say – all is more than fine: the music – highly irregular, rhythmical, harsh and piercing, however brutally, yet firmly set in one coherent entity - and the scenic aspect.
I assume most of the people got used to the complete lack of scenic movement with projects of such kind and yet white overalls, masks with LEDs and the flood of smoke and light plus visuals were surely interesting enough to scope attention.
Extremely energetic start attacked with distortions, processed streams, samples and drilling sounds. It was somewhat like a sonic mass assault imitating war chaos by mixing samples, noises and clamors in a big pot spluttering with sharp music snips. At times shocking combinations were fair demanding, yet not that earsplitting to scare me away.
Setlist:
1.Intro :)
2.Chaos Theory
3.Universal
4.Snatcher
5.Stream
6.Venom
7.Tongue
8.Reunion
9.Propound
10.Give me Milk
11. Missguide
12. Bitchwar 2000
http://www.maschinenkrieger.de.vu/
http://www.disraptor.de.vu/
Heimstatt Yipotash
Next in turn was Heimstatt Yipotash. I was a bit surprised: last time I saw the project there were two guys onstage while this time only Thomas was playing.
To say that on (and by) the stage the maxi party started wouldn't be enough: spate of pounding, fast, dynamic sounds, changeable lights and images, all eye blinding and striking plus ubiquitous streamers thrown all around were like a little fete within a festival : the atmosphere was fantastic.
Musically – as I've already said – hard-hitting beats coalesced with general electronic line were as if packed in an industrial box, seasoned to give spicy, overpowering mixture. Occasionally the 'melodies' passed into irregular sequences of changeable intensity, but basically what prevailed in HY music was absolutely brilliant, uneven sonic run.
It was a fine party dainty : captivating and humorous: a bit like of cartoon central, a bit like a nightmare of Sesame street (fancy blue fur top hat? ^ ^) – I watched and listened to it with pure pleasure.
As to the project itself - gents come from Dresden. "heimstatt" and "yipotash" founded HY in 2001, then they released (in hands productions) the album "fm excess", and in 2006 "storegga effect". The recent release (of 2007) is entitled "perpetual beta".
Setlist:
strobosonnenbrand (intro)
moving sidewards
spieltrieb (flott und dreckig)
seismik (instable constructions mix)
sharing solar ressources (simplify life mix)
radioaktivität (uranium mix)
luminous dashboard (v.FOH08)
mühsal der kosmonautenkrankheit
half way to the peak (of illness)
make the most of no
pol pot
</perpetual beta> (short)
busco a mi perro
http://www.myspace.com/heimstattyipotash
http://www.heimstatt-yipotash.de/
saverio evangelista
If you have ever had anything to do with Esplendor Geometrico you surely know Saverio Evangelista joined the project in 1990 and has been the member ever since. Regardless of EG he also co-operated with Mauritius Martinucci starting MSB. Aside from music he also delved into the area of other art forms, like image (presentation at Electric Festival of Art of Lights of Seeds).
The show at Forms of Hands combined skilfully mastered sonic matter with the visual one exploring space and filling it with a blend of color and music of a rather gentle pastel kind. Concentration and pure, precious melodic form were as elegant as cold and well-thought-of, requiring full attention from the listener.
s.k.e.t
The next performance was up to s.k.e.t. I must admit on their very entrance I got quite surprised: I knew there were two of them in the project: Kai & Andreas, but at Forms of Hands they played with an extended line-up. As I later learned the third one (Candy) is going to be the regular member now. Well, I suppose in this case it won't do any harm...
s.k.et. was formed in 1994 with a base in Rostock; they played their first concert in 2002 in Berlin, in 2004 they signed to Hands Productions and so it took its own course... their recent release (it's not a brand new one I'm afraid) is „Baikonur” (2006) – very much rhythm-noise in style.
Of course s.k.e.t also features 'ideological' facet which in its major part refers to social realism.
Back to the concert... I don't know to what extent the music of s.k.e.t is marked by realistic form and social content, but one thing is sure: its dynamism and dancy quality are highly satisfying: the gig was a real sonic blast!
Although they started in a - I'd say - gentle way, just the second piece was enough to boost the production of masses of dashing, wild, a bit frenetic sounds crossed quite unexpectedly with one another. All that was happening with such a pace that at times the brain was unable to register all the voltas. A big fat dancing started just by the stage which was wreathed in smoke and flooded with light: it was a killer!
Luckily enough the music of s.k.e.t has nothing of monotonous gibberish (or of cheap sonic hash) to it – the cascades of rushing tones enhanced by samples and distortions, boiling and whirling – true – are still kept in a tight rein by the rhythm, and the rhythm in turn seems to appeal to a sort of deeper layers of consciousness and move the the whole body to dance. Perhaps their music sounds like a rebellion – but definitely not like anarchy.
The upheaval reached its peak when ”zond” (which was later played as an encore as well) – I dare say: the flag piece for the projects – was performed. Surely one could cross his/her personal boarders – the music took control completely.
Paradoxically: the quality of s.k.e.t sounds is rather destructive (for whichever: hearing, muscles, breath, strength reserves...) and yet has the power to regenerate and refresh. No surprise the audience demanded encore then. It was a very good concert that left me with lots of positive impressions.
Setlist:
01. meteor 2-5
02. zond
03. mir
04. stalinoper 2004
05. kosmos 1101 / c3
06. proton-k
07. luna
08. they keep you in a distracted naive bubble
09. center of evil
10. no limits for heroes
encore:
11. falludja blues
12. zond (again)
http://www.myspace.com/sketofficial
http://www.sket-hq.de/
MSGENTUR
Penultimate concert definitely had the sound with preponderance of energetic convulsion: punching, lashing tones were pouring slightly chaotically and neurotically forming more or less sullen soundscapes.
Nevertheless, as I said, the speed the particular sonances were floating prevented from detailed contemplation: roughly evenly thrown sparkles of dynamism and regularity contrasted with slower, more anxious elements.
Abundance of samples, grating, rattling passages and a bit screamy tones could've been deafening if it hadn't been for the background in a form of vibrant, fluent bases that added the specific pieces the quality of somewhat dance floor hits.
Setlist:
grey matter (intro)
chrom-x
stemcell
hausschlachtung
metaluna
physis
industrial area
manimal
lsd
smell the ashes
encore:
final fantasy
http://www.myspace.com/msgentur
http://www.msgentur.de/
ah cama-sotz
The headliner of the fest was, of course, Herman Klapholz, who presented a so called 'extended show'. He performed in a company of two other musicians: Nicolas Van Meirhaeghe of Empusae (synths and drums) and - for the first time - Jamez Dean, who was was responsible for the visuals.
Much as Sal-Ocin is already known to me, if not for playing with z Ah Cama-Sotz then of his own projects (Empusae, Tzolk'in, TMO), Jamez Dean (aka Jamez DaBramski Dean) still seems to be blazing his trails. Known of such projects as The Neon Judgement and Neon Electronics he's also involved in his own project.
With regard to the concert: it was very rich: perhaps to say that it was 'the best of' show would be too much, but definitely we were given both the pieces of the recent hit album „Dead Cities”, and the older albums too, a.e. „The Way To Heresy„ of 2005, or „10 Years Bat Vibez„ of 2003.
The changes of atmosphere turned out to be very stimulating: starting with reflexive a bit mysterious pieces (elysium), through those smashing, sparkling with irresistible energy (a.e „armitangosh” or „thermonuclear”, when the dance floor was exposed to the stomp of several hundreds dancing feet beating the ritual rhythm) to the sensually loaded, absolutely sexy ones (like, say, „your darkest soul” musical background to the samples of „The Center of the World” with Peter Sarsgaard) and trancy, hypnotic (like „ganzir”)
Fantastic blue lights transforming the stage into somewhat a temple and changeable images and smoke added to the top-notch quality of the diversified, dynamic and beautiful concert.
Obviously, the performances of such class artists as Ah Cama-Sotz never go below certain level, still the one presented at Forms Of Hands was exceptional – above all for its vividness, temperance and a kind of 'hypodermic', intuitive anxiety pulsating somewhere deep down, adding the new, a bit menacing tint to the whole act.
At the end let me just say that such trans through emotional tints is always spectacular when presented in a right way – at the concert of Ah Cama -Sotz there were no doubts – it was a smashing hit!
Setlist:
elysium
aralim
enuma elish
voices from the dark
ereshkigal
when the devil comes to you
el sueno de la hora mas oscura
har-rhem
ganzir (black earth version)
vucub caquix
nachtsehrer
leviathan
armitangosh
your darkest soul
naj' hammadi (theme)
narbukh (mimetic remix)
bad days
thermonuclear
http://www.myspace.com/ahcamasotzbatsandcats
http://ahcama-sotz.com
To
sum it all up – peculiar, absolutely outstanding location, first class
music and the setting (light, images, smoke, technical aspects) plus
great people – it must have worked. Paraphrasing Johnson – if of all
noises the music is the least disagreeable, then I put the one of the
machines at the top of the list. There you go, that's Forms of Hands in a
nutshell.
PS. Line-up Friday:
last days of s.e.x. (gr) adjacency pair (ger) empusae (be) greyhound (ger) scrap.edx (us) mono no aware (original live line up) (ger)
http://www.formsofhands.de/foh08/
The immediate access to the venue is quite surprising: big way planted with trees does not suggest that somewhere in the nearby such a gem is located.
But the very entrance to the area of the former colliery is breathtaking: enormous building, big windows... it was a bit like finding a tree of wishes, if you know what I mean.
Maschinenhalle Zeche Zweckel itself is, like I mentioned, a former colliery, though its appearance does not resemble an industrial monster at all. On the contrary: well-maintained interiors, deco (inlaid floors, spiral stairs, wooden banisters, massive steel ribs on the ceiling plus engines set here and there to enhance the atmosphere) resemble a palace, indeed.
http://www.ruhrtriennale.de/en/spielstaetten/maschinenhalle-zeche-zweckel/
Picture such a hall then: either flooded by sunshine or radiating to the outside and the concert there... Would you blame me for being completely enchanted?
I came just in time to see the first concert (the first, true, but on Saturday - recently that's the ordinary thing for me to participate in halves of various events...). It was still brightly outdoors, so the battle between day-and-electric light was on while the stage was occupied by the project...
Maschinenkrieger KR52 vs. Disraptor
Maschinenkrieger KR52 & Disraptor joined forces in 2002; so far they've released the following albums: „Chronicles of a Transmutation” (2002), „X-Ray..s” (2004) and „Implosion” (2006).
Till then I'd seen those gents (Rico Weber & Frank Schewe) just once - at Wave Gotik Treffen 2006 so I wanted to confirm good impression I had about them.
I'll just say – all is more than fine: the music – highly irregular, rhythmical, harsh and piercing, however brutally, yet firmly set in one coherent entity - and the scenic aspect.
I assume most of the people got used to the complete lack of scenic movement with projects of such kind and yet white overalls, masks with LEDs and the flood of smoke and light plus visuals were surely interesting enough to scope attention.
Extremely energetic start attacked with distortions, processed streams, samples and drilling sounds. It was somewhat like a sonic mass assault imitating war chaos by mixing samples, noises and clamors in a big pot spluttering with sharp music snips. At times shocking combinations were fair demanding, yet not that earsplitting to scare me away.
Setlist:
1.Intro :)
2.Chaos Theory
3.Universal
4.Snatcher
5.Stream
6.Venom
7.Tongue
8.Reunion
9.Propound
10.Give me Milk
11. Missguide
12. Bitchwar 2000
http://www.maschinenkrieger.de.vu/
http://www.disraptor.de.vu/
Next in turn was Heimstatt Yipotash. I was a bit surprised: last time I saw the project there were two guys onstage while this time only Thomas was playing.
To say that on (and by) the stage the maxi party started wouldn't be enough: spate of pounding, fast, dynamic sounds, changeable lights and images, all eye blinding and striking plus ubiquitous streamers thrown all around were like a little fete within a festival : the atmosphere was fantastic.
Musically – as I've already said – hard-hitting beats coalesced with general electronic line were as if packed in an industrial box, seasoned to give spicy, overpowering mixture. Occasionally the 'melodies' passed into irregular sequences of changeable intensity, but basically what prevailed in HY music was absolutely brilliant, uneven sonic run.
It was a fine party dainty : captivating and humorous: a bit like of cartoon central, a bit like a nightmare of Sesame street (fancy blue fur top hat? ^ ^) – I watched and listened to it with pure pleasure.
As to the project itself - gents come from Dresden. "heimstatt" and "yipotash" founded HY in 2001, then they released (in hands productions) the album "fm excess", and in 2006 "storegga effect". The recent release (of 2007) is entitled "perpetual beta".
Setlist:
strobosonnenbrand (intro)
moving sidewards
spieltrieb (flott und dreckig)
seismik (instable constructions mix)
sharing solar ressources (simplify life mix)
radioaktivität (uranium mix)
luminous dashboard (v.FOH08)
mühsal der kosmonautenkrankheit
half way to the peak (of illness)
make the most of no
pol pot
</perpetual beta> (short)
busco a mi perro
http://www.myspace.com/heimstattyipotash
http://www.heimstatt-yipotash.de/
If you have ever had anything to do with Esplendor Geometrico you surely know Saverio Evangelista joined the project in 1990 and has been the member ever since. Regardless of EG he also co-operated with Mauritius Martinucci starting MSB. Aside from music he also delved into the area of other art forms, like image (presentation at Electric Festival of Art of Lights of Seeds).
The show at Forms of Hands combined skilfully mastered sonic matter with the visual one exploring space and filling it with a blend of color and music of a rather gentle pastel kind. Concentration and pure, precious melodic form were as elegant as cold and well-thought-of, requiring full attention from the listener.
The next performance was up to s.k.e.t. I must admit on their very entrance I got quite surprised: I knew there were two of them in the project: Kai & Andreas, but at Forms of Hands they played with an extended line-up. As I later learned the third one (Candy) is going to be the regular member now. Well, I suppose in this case it won't do any harm...
s.k.et. was formed in 1994 with a base in Rostock; they played their first concert in 2002 in Berlin, in 2004 they signed to Hands Productions and so it took its own course... their recent release (it's not a brand new one I'm afraid) is „Baikonur” (2006) – very much rhythm-noise in style.
Of course s.k.e.t also features 'ideological' facet which in its major part refers to social realism.
Back to the concert... I don't know to what extent the music of s.k.e.t is marked by realistic form and social content, but one thing is sure: its dynamism and dancy quality are highly satisfying: the gig was a real sonic blast!
Although they started in a - I'd say - gentle way, just the second piece was enough to boost the production of masses of dashing, wild, a bit frenetic sounds crossed quite unexpectedly with one another. All that was happening with such a pace that at times the brain was unable to register all the voltas. A big fat dancing started just by the stage which was wreathed in smoke and flooded with light: it was a killer!
Luckily enough the music of s.k.e.t has nothing of monotonous gibberish (or of cheap sonic hash) to it – the cascades of rushing tones enhanced by samples and distortions, boiling and whirling – true – are still kept in a tight rein by the rhythm, and the rhythm in turn seems to appeal to a sort of deeper layers of consciousness and move the the whole body to dance. Perhaps their music sounds like a rebellion – but definitely not like anarchy.
The upheaval reached its peak when ”zond” (which was later played as an encore as well) – I dare say: the flag piece for the projects – was performed. Surely one could cross his/her personal boarders – the music took control completely.
Paradoxically: the quality of s.k.e.t sounds is rather destructive (for whichever: hearing, muscles, breath, strength reserves...) and yet has the power to regenerate and refresh. No surprise the audience demanded encore then. It was a very good concert that left me with lots of positive impressions.
Setlist:
01. meteor 2-5
02. zond
03. mir
04. stalinoper 2004
05. kosmos 1101 / c3
06. proton-k
07. luna
08. they keep you in a distracted naive bubble
09. center of evil
10. no limits for heroes
encore:
11. falludja blues
12. zond (again)
http://www.myspace.com/sketofficial
http://www.sket-hq.de/
Penultimate concert definitely had the sound with preponderance of energetic convulsion: punching, lashing tones were pouring slightly chaotically and neurotically forming more or less sullen soundscapes.
Nevertheless, as I said, the speed the particular sonances were floating prevented from detailed contemplation: roughly evenly thrown sparkles of dynamism and regularity contrasted with slower, more anxious elements.
Abundance of samples, grating, rattling passages and a bit screamy tones could've been deafening if it hadn't been for the background in a form of vibrant, fluent bases that added the specific pieces the quality of somewhat dance floor hits.
Setlist:
grey matter (intro)
chrom-x
stemcell
hausschlachtung
metaluna
physis
industrial area
manimal
lsd
smell the ashes
encore:
final fantasy
http://www.myspace.com/msgentur
http://www.msgentur.de/
The headliner of the fest was, of course, Herman Klapholz, who presented a so called 'extended show'. He performed in a company of two other musicians: Nicolas Van Meirhaeghe of Empusae (synths and drums) and - for the first time - Jamez Dean, who was was responsible for the visuals.
Much as Sal-Ocin is already known to me, if not for playing with z Ah Cama-Sotz then of his own projects (Empusae, Tzolk'in, TMO), Jamez Dean (aka Jamez DaBramski Dean) still seems to be blazing his trails. Known of such projects as The Neon Judgement and Neon Electronics he's also involved in his own project.
With regard to the concert: it was very rich: perhaps to say that it was 'the best of' show would be too much, but definitely we were given both the pieces of the recent hit album „Dead Cities”, and the older albums too, a.e. „The Way To Heresy„ of 2005, or „10 Years Bat Vibez„ of 2003.
The changes of atmosphere turned out to be very stimulating: starting with reflexive a bit mysterious pieces (elysium), through those smashing, sparkling with irresistible energy (a.e „armitangosh” or „thermonuclear”, when the dance floor was exposed to the stomp of several hundreds dancing feet beating the ritual rhythm) to the sensually loaded, absolutely sexy ones (like, say, „your darkest soul” musical background to the samples of „The Center of the World” with Peter Sarsgaard) and trancy, hypnotic (like „ganzir”)
Fantastic blue lights transforming the stage into somewhat a temple and changeable images and smoke added to the top-notch quality of the diversified, dynamic and beautiful concert.
Obviously, the performances of such class artists as Ah Cama-Sotz never go below certain level, still the one presented at Forms Of Hands was exceptional – above all for its vividness, temperance and a kind of 'hypodermic', intuitive anxiety pulsating somewhere deep down, adding the new, a bit menacing tint to the whole act.
At the end let me just say that such trans through emotional tints is always spectacular when presented in a right way – at the concert of Ah Cama -Sotz there were no doubts – it was a smashing hit!
Setlist:
elysium
aralim
enuma elish
voices from the dark
ereshkigal
when the devil comes to you
el sueno de la hora mas oscura
har-rhem
ganzir (black earth version)
vucub caquix
nachtsehrer
leviathan
armitangosh
your darkest soul
naj' hammadi (theme)
narbukh (mimetic remix)
bad days
thermonuclear
http://www.myspace.com/ahcamasotzbatsandcats
http://ahcama-sotz.com
PS. Line-up Friday:
last days of s.e.x. (gr) adjacency pair (ger) empusae (be) greyhound (ger) scrap.edx (us) mono no aware (original live line up) (ger)
