A nostalgic hit laden set from a-ha as they took on the Rockhal

Wednesday night saw the return of Norway’s biggest musical export a-ha, as they finished up their European tour at Rockhal.

After 30 years together the twice-reunited band are back again with a new album “Cast In Steel” which sees them reinvigorated and focused once more. It’s been a while since posters of the band adorned the walls of teenage girl’s bedrooms but from the looks of things those young girls never lost faith in their Nordic pin ups, and as expected they made up the majority of the crowd.

As the lights dimmed and the band took to the stage the screams bellowed out through the venue, making me think what the Bieber’s & Styles of this world have to look forward to in 30 years time.

The crowd were primed for a nostalgia laden night and a-ha weren’t going to disappoint as they launched into “I’ve Been Loosing You” followed by “Cry Wolf” from their 86 album “Scoundrel Days”. The classic 80s synth sound that propelled them to stardom has made its own comeback over the last few years giving bands such as a-ha a new lease of life, which has in turn kept these songs as fresh now as they ever were.

Although it was the “Cast In Steel” tour there wasn’t a whole lot from the new album but what there was held up well to the old material from “She’s Humming a Tune” to a stripped back more intimate version of “Under the Makeup”.

The forever young looking lead singer Morten Harket looks to be a somewhat reluctant frontman, not moving much from the spot whilst delivering his withering high vocals, which some may say is enough. So it fell to Magne Furuholmen on keys to do most of the talking between songs as well as taking lead vocals on “Lifelines”, where Furuholmen encouraged the crowd to turn on the lights on their phones and raise them above their head. Gone are the days of the swaying lighters, although there were some pockets of the audiance persevering with the old faithful. Not to be outshone guitarist Pal Waaktaar-Savoy took on lead vocals on his own song “Velvet”.

After such forays into the spotlight it was time for Harket to return to a rousing applause and with now only the classics to come it was left to “Hunting High & Low” which soared into a wonderful sing-along conducted by Furulholmen before an encore of hits from “The Sun Always Shines on T.V” to the bond theme tune from “The Living Daylights”. After which they left the stage once again to return for what can only be described as the “Take On Me” encore. This left the crowd to walk home humming the iconic song of the MTV generation with some looking like giddy young teenagers once more.

Throughout the night there were more than a few moments where Harket’s vocals were lost behind the music but fortunately that music still sounded as good today as it did then, after all they’re selling nostalgia as much as anything and who can blame them, it’s a powerful tool.

27.04.16 – Rockhal

Anastacia – Delighted a sold out Atelier on her greatest hits tour

Having headlined “Rock um Knuedler” last summer Anastacia proved she still has pulling power, packing the crowds into Place Guillaume II. So it was of no surprise that her gig at den Atelier on Thursday night had been sold out for quite some time.

Back in the early to mid 2000s you couldn’t turn on a radio without hearing one of her many hits, with “Left Outside Alone” becoming one of the biggest songs in Europe in 2004.

As fruitful a time as it was for the singer professionally, she would go through two bouts of cancer, successfully fighting off the second one in 2013 and returning once more with the aptly titled album “Resurrection”.

Now 16 years on from her debut album she has embarked on her first greatest hits tour after the release of her “Ultimate Collection” album at the end of last year.

Taking to the stage we knew it would be a hits filled set and she didn’t disappoint, though it was a cover of Christina Aguilera’s “Army of Me” that kicked off proceedings. The powerful rousing rendition set the tone for the night ahead.

It was on tracks such as “Paid My Dues” & “Not That Kind” where her vocals really came to the fore reminding us just why she burst onto our airwaves in the first place. She may not be to everyone’s liking and her chat between songs went from cringe pantomime patter to moments of genuine affection but at least she is not afraid to be herself. Laying out her humour and emotions to audiences each night, you can either like it or leave, which is to be admired.

With Anastacia’s health issues never far from her lyrics, she looked visibly emotional through “Heavy On My Heart” & “Stay” which includes the line “I’m not ready to go just yet”. After the song she wiped some tears from her eyes and paid tribute to the incredible Prince who had died just hours before the gig. She would later to go on and play a fitting and emotional cover of “Purple Rain”.

Of course it wouldn’t be a “best of” tour if she didn’t finish up with “I’m Outta Love” & Left Outside Alone” which both got the audience clapping and singing along before she brought two members of the audience up on stage to dance with her, and dance they did.

Whilst Anastacia has always been a fighter off the stage, she is clearly still one on it too, showing no signs of letting up any time soon. I suppose when you have a rapport with your fans like she does who can blame her.

21.04.16 – den Atelier

La Femme – Old styles tweaked for a new age

French band La Femme brought their blend of self described synthetic and hypnotic rhythms to the Rockhal on Wednesday night.

With a debut album called “Psycho Tropical Berlin” you can’t be surprised this band are a hard one to pin down to any particular genre. They sail from surf pop to coldwave from Beach Boys to The Velvet Underground, which makes them all that bit more alluring.

Having only just finished mixing their new album, La Femme will be looking to build on the critical acclaim of their debut “Psycho Tropical Berlin”, released back in 2013.

With the new album expected this September, they kicked off the evening with the sultry lead single “Sphynx”. The slow meandering synths had the unmistakable breathy dreamlike vocals of Clémence Quélennec bounding along to create the infectious groove that served them so well on their debut. If this is anything to go by they could be onto another great record come the end of the year.

Their blend of 60s style American surf pop guitar and twee indie keys mixed with some electro synths made for an irresistible head bobbing, feet shuffling start to the evening.

As ambitious as their sound is there is also a real sense of lo-fi DIY to the band, which makes them that bit more accessible as they don’t seem to take themselves too seriously. They were clearly having fun on stage which translated to the audience as pockets of dancing broke out throughout the venue.

For some of us non French folk, there is a certain unattainable air of cool that they can possess and to which we can only aspire, La Femme were oozing of it last night. The band themselves were all dressed in their own unique style which only went to highlight the varying array of musical genres on offer. They look like a band of individuals that came together to create a cohesive musical force.

Although as much as their style is important, for a couple of the band their clothes wouldn’t last the whole show, as some lucky member of the audience got a sweaty sock off guitarist and keyboard player Sacha Got, as he slowly stripped down to his boxers. Whilst frontman Marlon Magnée decided to part with his t-shirt launching it into the crowd, before taking the keyboard from it’s stand and playing it like a keytar, basically an 80s strap keyboard (I always wanted one as a child) this once more reaffirming that they are not taking themselves too seriously.

By the encore they had taken us to an electro synth disco which had the crowd all dancing around and letting loose. Having described their new album as being more pop, more underground and more spontaneous they have certainly left it open to wide interpretation but if last night is anything to go by it certainly won’t be boring.

20.04.16 – Rockhal

Bloc Party – Rolling back the years at a sold out den Atelier

Sunday night saw the return of one of the seminal indie bands of the 2000s, with Bloc Party taking to a sold out den Atelier.

It has been a turbulent few years for the band who have lost founding members, Gordon Moakes on bass and Matt Tong on drums, replacing them with Justin Harris and Louise Bartle. With the new lineup came a new sound for the ever evolving band. Their recent album “Hymns” has split opinion with critics and fans alike as they moved further from their energetic angst to a more somber, haunting sound.

Unfortunately for the band it was a somewhat stumbling start, as a technical glitch led to two failed attempts of “Only He Can Heal Me”, so instead of a third attempt they moved on looking a bit sheepish, with frontman Kele joking that “someone will be getting sacked for this hiccup”.

They continued with some technical issues with Kele’s vocals being lost and muddied by a bass that seemed to have been turned up to 11 on “Virtue”, all of this gave the gig a bit of a stuttering start.

It wasn’t until the unleashing of “Banquet” that they really found their stride. After all these years it still holds the ferocity and beauty it held on its first airing and with that it felt like the show really began. “Hunting for Witches” followed soon after, reminding us all that when Bloc Party were in their pomp they wrote some of the most exciting electro flexed indie of their time, influencing a plethora of bands as they went.

Unlike many of their peers, Bloc Party have always looked to evolve their sound on each record, which has proved divisive for some. For their sombre more introspective tracks like “Different Drugs” we saw Kele have a seat and take to the keys as they took it down a notch.

Although “Hymns” is a more restrained album there is still some space for the club escapism of “The Love Within” which translated better live than on record but still the jury is out on this one, especially when played next to “positive Tension”, which epitomises the urgency of early days Bloc party.

For the encore they decided it was take three for “Only He Can Heal Me” and this time there was no issue and a visibly delighted Kele declared “I’m happy we finally got it right”. The extended encore was far more upbeat, leaning heavily on the first few albums with “Rachet” & “Flux” before going onto one of the indie tracks of the decade with “Helicopter” then finishing on “This Modern Love”.

With the obvious distinction between their earlier work, it will be interesting to see how their fans follow them through these years of upheaval and discovery. On last night’s showing there is still a huge amount of affection for the band but how long will that last whilst they find their feet once more.

17.04.16 – den Atelier

Platonick Dive – A night of sun drenched electro and arresting post rock

Wednesday night saw de Gudde Wëllen welcome Italian post rock / electronic 3 piece Platonick Dive to Luxembourg for the first time.

Having shared the stage with the likes of Jon Hopkins, Four Tet & Efterklang you get an idea where Platonick Dive would sit in your record collection. With the release of their second album “Overflow” the band are already pushing the boundaries of where their sound can go, progressing from the more ambient electro first album to a harder post rock edge on this release.

Support last night came from Luxembourg’s own chillwave musician Sun Glitters who has been flying the flag for Luxembourg in the electro scene for a good few years now. Seeing that he pulls quite the crowd on his own, it was of no surprise that it was already busy for his arrival.

As soon as he started you are hit by how much heavier his sound is live than on record, with the bass reverberated through the venue and shaking you to your core, this was certainly a bad night to forget earplugs. The warm synths mixed with stuttering beats, punctuated by choppy samples took you from a hypnotic trance one minute to alert clarity the next. With the change in tempo he managed to keep the intrigue in a set which could quite easily have drifted away in a wash of ambient glow, which in itself is no bad way to spend a night.

As the show started a bit later than scheduled, due to some technical issues at soundcheck there was not a minute wasted before Platonick Dive took to the stage. Their warm electro built an ambient atmosphere from the start with the drums perpetrating through and synths which before long took their sound up a notch creating visual soundscapes, building up to a wall of sound reminiscent of a “Godspeed You! Black Emperor” crescendo.

Their blend of experimental electro with post rock live instrumentation gave the show more urgency and energy, with the drummer barely able to contain himself frequently jumping from his drum stool to clatter the skins in explosive bursts.

This energy emanated to the crowd as their effortless marriage of vocal samples and driving guitar had the audience swaying along, before once more the driving riffs had heads bobbing to some more classic post rock soundscapes.

It was quite an impressive wall of sound the three piece created. With the building of layers, including samples they managed to create a cacophony of noise that blended into a kaleidoscope of sun drenched electro before knocking you back with their sheer power.

With this knack of creating such epic sounds through a mix of genres it will be interesting to see what direction Platonick Dive take on their next record but no matter what, I’ll be keeping my eyes out for them in the future.

13.4.16 – de Gudde Wëllen

Melody Gardot – More than just the one thrill

A sold out Philharmonie welcomed American jazz and blues singer Melody Gardot to Luxembourg on Saturday night.

Having received Grammy nominations for her 2009 album “My One and Only Thrill” Gardot has gone on to delve into a more expansive blues and jazz groove with her new album “Currency of Man” which saw her experiment in the studio with frequency and tuning, producing an edgier, warmer tone to her sound, all of which she brought to the show on Saturday night.

Arriving to a dimly lit stage all dressed in black with her hat creating a shadow over her face, Gardot and her 6-piece band kicked off with the soulful snarl of “Same to You” which bounded along with the pounding bass and thunderous drums creating the all encompassing beat for Gardot’s voice to tread upon.

Although it’s Gardot’s name on the ticket the band were a joy all night long, with the baritone sax and trumpet taking up the tempo on “She Don’t Know” before the sensual tone of Gardot’s vocals intertwined as the rest of the band came in with real purpose.

With more than just a nod to Tom Waits the slow southern drawl of “Bad News” filled the room as the metronome pick of the electric guitar guided the song down a long and winding road through a dark sleazy night, with the horns once more punctuating the air breaking through a dreamlike hypnosis.

They continued on the darker gospel blues vibe with “Goodbye” as they introduced the double bass to great effect as always before delving into the French jazz inspired “Les Etoiles” accompanied by a washboard, cajón and muted trumpet.

By the end of the evening Gardot asked for some help and conducted some crowd participation of her own as she split the audience into three sections, giving them all parts to sing before taking on the slow build of one of the stand out tracks from the new album with “Preacherman”. The crunching guitar and rock edge epitomised her new change in direction and saw her let loose that bit more. As they finished and prepared to leave the stage the audience of the Philharmonie rose to their feet to give them a standing ovation.

Inevitably they would return to finish a triumphant evening with “It Gonna Come”. And we were treated to a rare sight at the Philharmonie, with the audience spilling out into the aisles dancing and clapping away as they were all swept up in a wave of soulful jazz to finish. As Gardot vacated the stage, she left the band to play her out and to lap up the well deserved applause.

Although her new album might not have had the commercial success of the others, its more experimental approach makes it an altogether more intriguing experience which came across in her performance last night.

09.04.16 Philharmonie

Mariah Carey – proves her diva credentials once more

It has been 13 years since the international superstar diva Mariah Carey last toured Europe but this time she included one special place for the first time, Luxembourg. Who would have thought after all these years, last night’s show at Rockhal was her first ever in the country?

There are few artists that can boast as many record sales as Mariah, selling in excess of 200 million, making her one of the highest selling female artists of all time. Success on that scale now guarantees you a money making Vegas residency later in your career, which Mariah is currently on a brake from as she takes to the road for this 25 date tour.

After waiting more than 20 years for Mariah to come to town the crowd had to wait an extra 50 minutes before Mariah’s voice appeared over the speakers “It was raining in London, they wouldn’t let me leave, give me ten minutes” thirty minutes later the lights dimmed to more than a few boos from a slightly disgruntled crowd but as soon as the music began, all was forgiven.

Mariah is clearly aware of her pop diva status and if turning up an 1hr and 20 minutes late wasn’t enough she was happy to poke fun at it herself, taking to the stage on a chaise longue lifted aloft by six muscle bound dancers in sequence jackets before launching into “Fantasy”, shouting “better late than never but I love you”.

After some recent barren years, you can be forgiven for forgetting just how many hit singles she has, including the ballads “My All” & the Jackson 5 cover “I’ll Be There” where she was joined on stage by Trey Lorenz who took over proceedings to do his own Michael Jackson cover “Rock With You” as Mariah disappeared for one of her many costume changes.

Halfway through the set she delved into her resurgent R&B years of the mid 00s with “Touch My Body” which saw a fan plucked from the crowd to receive a suggestive lapdance whilst blindfolded on a chair. All this before snippets of the sultry rhythms of “It’s Like That” & “Shake It Off”.

For her 1999 Oscar winning song “When You Believe” she duetted with a video of Whitney Houston, as two of the greatest pop vocalists in recent times were reunited once more. It’s here where Mariah’s famous vocal range came into its own, still managing to hit most of the notes all these years later.

She was to finish on the tearjerkers of “Hero”, “We Belong Together” & “Without You” which had couples embracing and swaying side to side as they sang every word to each other.

Seeing that it has taken Mariah this long to come back to Europe, it wouldn’t surprise me if this is her last full scale tour on these shores and although her finest years may be behind her, she will always be pop royalty.

26.3.16 Rockhal

Larry Carlton – Brought the right tone to Atelier

Each year as the Printemps musical festival rolls into Luxembourg it brings with it a wealth of talent from world music and jazz. Wednesday night it welcomed legendary jazz guitarist Larry Carlton to den Atelier.

In a career spanning more than 40 years, Carlton combined his roots in blues and jazz to become one of the most influential and in demand session guitarists in the industry. He brought his signature warm tone to artists such as Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Michael Jackson, Herb Alpert, Quincy Jones, Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt. Over this long distinguished career his catalogue of work includes film soundtracks, television themes and work on more than 100 gold records. Not to mention being nominated for a Grammy 19 times, taking away the trophy on 4 occasions.

First up last night was local blues act Kid Colling Cartel who, from the sound of things, have been influenced by the Carlton tone themselves. Having seen Colling play around Luxembourg before it was good to see him now with his full band as they delved into the blues with no restraint. After playing a few tracks from their past EPs, they gave us a taste of things to come with a new track off the forthcoming debut album and if this is anything to go by, the album is sure to enthral all the blues enthusiasts out there. Look out for the album later this year.

Then it was time for Carlton, he took to the stage in rather unassuming manner with just his trusted Gibson ES335 for company. As he got into position front and centre you could hear a pin drop in the venue as the crowd waited with baited breath for that first note and when it sparkled out from the stage you could hear the collective appreciative sigh. His signature tone resonated with the crowd, as anyone who is familiar with his work will know it’s as much how he plays rather than what he plays.

The band followed Carlton to the stage and instantly kicked into the classic smooth jazz timings of “Bubble Shuffle”, it all looked so effortless as they weaved in and out building up the layers before the band made up of Klaus Fischer on bass, Jesse Milliner on keys and Hardy Fischötter on drums would take turns going off on solos themselves.

With over 30 albums of his own material to choose from you never really knew what was coming next, but as soon as the funk bass of Fischer kicked in you knew it was time for “Oui Oui Si” as he led the band with some slap bass before they all joined back in with perfect timing.

The band went from jazz to blues with consummate ease with Carlton still proving that you don’t need a mound of effects pedals to be a great guitarist, just great technique. On “Burnable” they took their turns laying down their own solos and as you can imagine Carlton doesn’t just employ any musician but some of the finest jazz players around, so you get an idea of the quality solos emanating from the stage.

They would finish on the unmistakable “Room 335” which drew cheers of from the crowd, it optimised the smooth jazz we had been treated to all evening with the guitar punctuating every note. This might have been one for the aficionados but sheer technique and rhythm kept the rest of us thoroughly entertained.

23.3.16 – den Atelier

Lianne La Havas – Is on unstoppable form

Sunday night saw the return of British soul singer Lianne La Havas to den Atelier. It’s been a few years since she was last here but from the show of hands we could clearly see she has amassed a whole new fan base since then.

With her debut album “Is Your Love Big Enough?” peaking at number 4 in the UK charts as well as being nominated for an Ivor Novello & Mercury Prize it was of no surprise there would be more pressure on her second record. Could she deliver the same blend of folk and soul on the notorious difficult second album? Well she delivered, and with the new album took on a neo-soul and jazz style, with elements of R&B, reggae and gospel and with this winning blend she has amassed critical acclaim along with a Grammy nomination.

La Havas took to the stage on Sunday night in a bright red jumpsuit with just her guitar and a solitary spotlight as she kicked in with the delicate “No Room for Doubt”. It was a brave if somewhat surprisingly bare song to open with. There is no hiding on such a fragile track but she didn’t need to hide anywhere as her effortlessly smooth vocals undulated between the subtle yet pronounced guitar.

After such an intimate opener she was swiftly joined by her backing band, who were nicely balanced all evening, never overdoing their fills just keeping it all together whilst still adding enough groove and energy to lift the songs when required. Like when “Green & Gold” & “Tokyo” needed that soulful groove to elevate the songs.

If anyone hadn’t already been won over by her effortlessly cool aura and sultry vocals, then they surely were by her radiant infectious smile which was beaming all night long. She clearly had a lot of love for her band and you could understand why as they launched into “Unstoppable” the lead single from her new album. The smooth groove teetered on the fringes of her jazz influences whilst her sweeping uplifting vocals balanced carefully along the rich velvety rhythm guitar.

Throughout the night the band would come and go from the stage leaving La Havas holding the attention of the crowd all on her own, like on “Fairytale” & “Ghosts” where her light breathy vocals would would sit among the the delicate guitar.

As much as those moments had their own appeal she never really showed off her vocals to their true potential on her own, it would take for the band to return before she really let loose and allowed her powerful voice to come to the fore. As on “Midnight” where the upbeat neo-soul groove drove her to belt out the chorus finding the crowd were in fine voice too, singing back to her.

The upbeat and playful “Age” took us on a Parisian stroll with its breezy jazziness before finishing on the rockier riff of “Forget”. The good news for anyone out there who missed the show, she promised new music and new concerts soon. Although with her recent album not even a year old yet I’m not sure how soon that will be. If her next record can continue on this upward trajectory, then you’ll surely have to buy your tickets quick as her reputation is only going to continue to soar.

20/3/16 – den Atelier

Vessels – Warm immersive electro from post rockers

Few bands can change genre halfway through their career and still be as relevant in their new field as they were in their last. Vessels are one such band and they brought their newfound sound to Rotondes on Friday night.

Having their foundations rooted in post rock, Vessels built up quite a reputation as a formidable live act as well as a hotly tipped band during the release of their debut album “White Fields & Open Devices” in 2008. Since then they have moved away from their post rock roots and gravitated to a more minimal electro sound, leaning on influences from John Hopkins to Four Tet.

With their new set up consisting of two percussion kits that almost fill the entire stage, accompanied by three keyboards and a Telecaster at the back, the band delved straight into the new album “Dilate”, from which much of the set consists. Although they may have moved from their post-rock roots they still have that inherent drive for the fine detail and there is little left to chance with the intricate weaving of beats pulsating through the crunching groove which has the crowd nodding away in unison.

Their new sound is a warm and immersive strain of electro which gives you the longing to be in that dark dingy club you love at 6am all consumed by the beat. Tracks such as “Echo In” built from sparse beginnings to become a multi-layered floor filler, again getting the crowd collectively nodding away. Whilst the likes of “The Sky Was Pink” lifted you into a dreamlike state with its pulsating synths and driving drums.

It’s hard to change genre and for it not to look like an opportunist’s move but with this it feels in some ways a natural progression. Fortunately, they’re self-aware enough to acknowledge their electro lineage whilst still bringing in elements of their past work allowing for a seamless navigation.

Now with a new album in the works under the Belgian label PIAS it will be interesting to see the direction Vessels look to take once more, will they look to consolidate on the new fan base they have built or will they decide to mix it up again? Whatever they choose to do it is heartening to see that they are willing to break out of their comfort zone and try and – by last nights’ evidence – succeed.

18/3/16 – Rotondes