The night belongs to Patti Smith

Rockhal welcomed one of the most iconic singer songwriter, poet & artists of her generation in Patti Smith on Saturday night, as she celebrated the 40th anniversary of her seminal debut album “Horses”.

Affectionately known as the godmother of punk, Smith’s iconic debut album has sat upon the shelves of generations of punks, writers, rockers & artists, she is the artist for the artists and as influential as they come, with “Horses” turning 40 it was only fitting to present it in all its glory and tour the album in full.

Earlier in the day Smith joined in the celebration of another anniversary, the 10th birthday party of the MUDAM where she was introduced to the Duke, along with Mr Bettel as she performed an intimate 15-minute performance in the foyer.

At night however she was joined by her band and ready to rock out as they launched into “Gloria” with Smith still as energetic as ever, stirring the intense emotions of grief, love loss and longing like it was 1975 all over again, she has lost none of the attitude that set her apart even then.

It’s quite special to see such an album performed from start to finish with still so much guile and vigour with Smith’s vocals coming across rich and powerful, even when she had her beat poet moment on “Birdsong” her spirit still drove the song with her effortless cool.

The punk attitude is still there in abundance, as visible on “Land” as the momentum built slowly you could see the music still flows through her veins as she shouted “C’mon f*****s” then spat on the stage before jumping around, whipping her jacket off getting the crowd going in the process, the godmother of punk isn’t going away quietly, just how we want it. Earlier in the day Smith talked of how you should “never lose your love for life, never slow down”, it’s good to see she heeds her own advice.

With an artist of such distinction comes much adulation and when an audience member cried out “I love you Patti” she stopped looked over in the direction of the cry and with the driest of wits just spoke out “get in line” which drew laughter from all in the Rockhal.

She finished “Horses” on the poignant “Elegie” which was written as a tribute to Jimi Hendrix but she turned it into a moment for everyone who has ever lost someone close to them and then proceeded to do a depressing roll call of musicians we’ve lost over the years from Janis Joplin to the Ramones, Ornette Coleman, Amy Winehouse, Lou Reed, David Bowie & Prince.

With “Horses” finished they took on some covers as Smith left the stage for a while allowing the band to take their moment in the spotlight doing a Velvet Underground medley before Smith returned to the Prince song “When Doves Cry”.

Smith began to talk of her trip to the MUDAM once more and how it’s a wonderful space for reflection, she was full of admiration of the gallery so dedicated “Because the Night” to it.

It’s heart-warming to see the love for “Horses” 40 years on from its release, I’m convinced if this record was released today it would still sound fresh and exciting, which just shows how ahead of her time she was.

2.07.16 – Rockhal

Steve Vai the guitar guy

It has been quite the week for guitar virtuoso fans of Luxembourg, first up it was Joe Satriani at the weekend and last night it was the turn of his old time student, Steve Vai who took to the stage at den Atelier.

Known as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Vai is currently touring his landmark album “Passion & Warfare” which is regarded as one of the most important rock instrumental albums ever released.

Although Passion & Warfare was his second solo album Vai had already spent years learning from the likes of Frank Zappa & Whitesnake both of which he toured with, as well as being a pupil of Satriani’s.

Now 25 years on from “Passion & Warfare” he felt it was the right time to finally tour the album from start to finish, after a few other classic Vai tracks had warmed us up first.

As the lights dimmed and the screen behind the stage began to play an extract from the 80s guitar film “Crossroads”, a hooded Vai took to the stage with lasers coming from neon green glasses with a blue neon fret board, it was quite a fitting entrance for the man they call the “master of the space age guitar”.

He kicked into “Bad Horsie” with all the verve and gusto that we’ve come to expect from the likes of Vai, his fingers running up and down the neck of the guitar at incredible speed, making sounds that only few can conjure.

Vai ditched the neon look as he took us on a journey through some of his favourites from “The Crying Machine” and “Gravity Storm” before the searing atmospheric sounds of “Whispering a Prayer”.

By this point Vai hadn’t muttered a word to the crowd but once he started he was full of nostalgia for the crazy hair and videos of the 80s & 90s. Having already played 45 minutes, some acts would be finishing up but they were just getting started.

Vai mentioned he hadn’t toured this album before because he’d never had the right band until now, however true that is he certainly has an incredible band now. With an exceptional rhythm section in Philip Bynoe on bass and Jeremy Colson on drums giving us the funk when required, leaving the unenviable task of keeping up with Vai to guitarist Dave Weiner.

The opener “Liberty” showed old footage of Vai playing along with Brian May on the screen and it wouldn’t be the last time Vai jammed with an old guitar legend, as the night progressed Joe Satriani & John Petrucci would appear on pre-recorded videos to jam on “Answers” & “The Audience is Listening” respectively. The wizardry and tricks Vai pulled off never let up all evening, with one searing solo after another, who needs vocals when your guitar can do all the talking.

As the album came to its conclusion I thought that would be that, but not Vai, they delved into an old Zappa track “Stevie’s Spankings” before the “Build a Song” segment where he invited two members of the audience to hum rhythm and guitar melodies that are then transformed into songs on the spot from the incredible band.

At over two and a half hours there was surely plenty for all the Vai fans to feel they got their monies worth and with the new album “Modern Primitive” released just days ago he’ll no doubt be back again soon.

29.06.16 – den Atelier

Beck – Still as fun and exciting as ever

With festival season upon us, Luxembourg gears up for its fair share of bands passing through and Beck is one such act. Rockhal hosted his first European show of the year last night and surprisingly his first ever in the Grand Duchy.

It has been 22 years since Beck became a reluctant spokesman for generation X with his surprise slacker-hit “Loser”. He was never comfortable being pigeonholed so early on in his career and as a result has continued to blur the lines of genres whilst blazing a path for others to follow.

Over recent years he has continued to push boundaries with laudably creative albums bringing together everything from electro rap, country, folk and alt rock and although his popularity may have dwindled a bit recently, 2014’s “Morning Phase” changed all that, drawing universal critical acclaim, winning three Grammys leading in turn to an encounter with who else but Kayne West.

He took to the stage sporting a fine fedora hat and looking as young as ever, then wasted no time in getting into the stomping “Devils Haircut”. It was good to see that over 20 years in the business and Beck has lost none of his enthusiasm or charisma, not to mention some of those dance moves. Backed by his 6-piece band, including electric guitars, synths and percussion, the sound was thunderously full and dynamic all evening.

The set ebbed and flowed through his albums from the acoustic delights of “Lost Cause”, “Blue Moon” & “Say Goodbye” which were expertly accompanied by the band, before delving back into high-octane “New Pollution” which had the crowd dancing along with Beck to some funk grooves.

There was an outing for “Dreams” which again shows he’s still sounding as fresh as ever, bringing with it a fun sense of swagger as he brought together his hip hop folk roots once more. Unfortunately for those hoping to hear more from the forthcoming album, there were no more teasers of what to expect but if “Dreams” is anything to go by, it will be worth the wait.

The encore brought the only mass sing along with his breakout hit “Loser” bringing the Rockhal crowd together as one to belt out the chorus before “Where it’s at” left the audience dancing away to his funk.

It seems that the success of “Morning Phase” has given Beck a new creative spark and with the new album coming later in the year, he shows no signs of slowing down just yet, which should come as welcome news to any music fan out there.

15.06.16 – Rockhal

Destroyer – A joyous celebration of sound

20 years on from their debut album, Destroyer finally made their way to Luxembourg for the first time last night to play Rockhal.

Fronted by Dan Bejar, Destroyer have been on a long and arduous journey since the release of their debut back in 96. Having received plenty of critical acclaim for many of their 10 studio albums, including last year’s “Poison Season” they found it hard to break out to a wider audience.

That was until they finally built on their core following, with their 2011 album “Kaputt” which opened them up to a whole new audience, finding themselves on national TV shows in America for the first time. This success allowed them to become more ambitious on the new record, taking on new elements to their sound.

Support for last night came from American singer-songwriter Ryley Walker who evoked the sounds of the late 60s jazz folk scene, immediately drawing comparisons to the likes of Bert Jansch and John Martyn with his vocal delivery as well as guitar style for a fully accomplished set.

As Destroyer made their way to the stage in an unassuming manner with the house music still playing and just a polite clap from the modest crowd, it’s safe to say that they remain a niche band within Luxembourg.

As frontman Dan Bejar took up his spot centre stage, he was flanked by the 7-piece band although it was evident that our eyes would be drawn to him all night. He used the mic stand as a cane and swayed his body, with his eyes closed most of the time, immersed in the sound as they kicked into “Bangkok” with Bejar taking up an almost crooner style of delivery and pose.

Their sound came across more vibrant and energetic live, accompanied by trumpet and saxophone which sat on top of the driving keys and guitars on “Chinatown”.

With “Kaputt” the cascading guitar riff was punctuated by the soaring trumpet and sax as the dense swell of melody built. The funk groove of “Midnight Meet the Rain” had the sparse audience shuffling on the spot as the sheer joy and exuberance created from the stage filtered its way into the crowd.

The spaced out effects of the warm synths built on “Bay of Pigs” before allowing the rest of the band to return once more in a joyous celebration of sound before finishing on the surprisingly jaunty “Hell”, once more the trumpet and sax created the soundscape for everything else to wrap its warmth around.

It was a shame that a performance like this, with with 8 musicians on stage majestically interweaving their sound, somewhere between rock and symphony, with the set bound by Bejar’s poetic direction was appreciated by so few, when just a few nights’ prior in the same building a performer ran about a huge stage singing to a backing track in front of thousands. I know you shouldn’t compare but sometimes it’s hard not to on nights like last.

14.06.16 – Rockhal

Chris Brown – One Hell of a Nite Tour

Rockhal welcomed one of the biggest pop-oriented, hip hop stars on the globe to Luxembourg for the first time on Sunday night.

Having released his first album back in 2005, it’s easy to forget that Chris Brown is only 27. His latest album “Royalty”, released at the back end of last year has become one of his most commercially successful in recent years and with no time to waste he announced the track listing of his eighth studio album “Heartbreak on a Full Moon” to be released in the coming months.

However, with all the top 10 hits, we sometimes forget he’s a musician as he manages to find himself in the gossip magazines as much as the music ones, with his less than desirable past. Putting all his personal issues aside, he is still a Grammy award winning, multi platinum selling artist with legions of fans across the globe.

Even though this was his first show in Luxembourg, his fans were left to wait that bit longer. 20 minutes after his stage time had come and gone and still waiting for the final support act August Alsina, we were told Alsina’s slot was cancelled and Brown would be on stage in 10 minutes. A further 20 minutes later the lights dimmed and the tense waiting turned into excited screams.

Brown took to the stage as any self-respecting pop star should, from a contraption rising from beneath the stage. As the screams hit fever pitch he kicked into “Fine by Me”, flanked by dancers he instantly made use of the huge v-shaped ego stage that sprawled out into the crowd.

With no live band it was left to Brown it sing over backing tracks, although it seemed he was more concentrated on his dancing and the odd hip thrust to get the young girls screaming than much else.

Over the years Brown has been marketed as a bad boy hip hop artist but seeing him live reaffirmed his pop credentials, with his choreographed dance moves and changes of clothing every other song, he still has his roots firmly in the pop world where he launched his career over a decade ago.

The Michael Jackson comparisons are a flattering one but you can understand why, especially with several nods to the King of Pop, particularly on the “Human Nature” sampled “She Ain’t You”.

After a couple of songs Brown acknowledged his tardiness and apologised saying he wanted to make sure everything was right for his fans before making it to the stage but by this point none of his fans seemed to care, they seemed to be caught up in the club fillers with the driving bass of “Love More” taking it up a notch.

After a couple of slower tracks from “Take Me Down” to “Don’t Judge Me” he was back to his dance routines once more, taking the second half of the night into the party zone, with pyrotechnics on “Paradise” accompanied by some more EDM hooks. The slowed down synth hook of Robin S’ house classic “Show Me Love” from the early 90s gave Brown’s “Show Me” the desired effect but reminded you how much you’d rather being hearing the original.

Brown was to finish up on the floor fillers, “Ayo” & “Loyal”, which had plenty in the crowd dancing away into the late Sunday evening as flames rose up from the stage and sparks fell from above, it was an impressive spectacle to finish on.

Seeing as this is a full European tour, I expected Brown to have been backed by a live band, or at least someone working the decks to give it more of a live experience, instead we just had Brown running around dancing and singing over backing tracks, it wasn’t the kind of performance that wins you new fans.

12.06.16 – Rockhal

2Cellos – Who knew two cellos could rock?

The classics met rock and pop on Thursday night as 2Cellos came to Luxembourg for the first time to grace the Rockhal stage.

Classically trained Croatian cellists Luka Šulić & Stjepan Hauser got their big break like so many do these days, through posting a video of themselves on YouTube.

The pair had studied in some of the finest music schools in Europe and had already won many prestigious awards before teaming up and putting up a video of themselves playing a cover of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal”. Within a mater of weeks, the video had received millions of views and more importantly caught the attention not just from Sony Masterworks, who signed them, but from Elton John who invited them on tour with him.

5 years on from that video, they continue to surprise and thrill audience all over the world with their take on rock and pop classics. They opened the show with the classical haunting melody of Astor Piazzolla’s “Oblivion”, with such a huge stage and only two lonely Cellos it made it all that more intense.

After the classical start Šulić told the audience that “this is no ordinary classical concert, so relax, you can shout, scream, dance and sing if you know the words” and of course the audience knew the words as they proceeded to play classic rock and pop songs spanning the last 40 years from Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” to Avici’s “Wake Me Up”.

As they delved from U2’s “Where The Streets Have No Name” to Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida” there was as much excitement about guessing what they might play next as anything else. But what was never far from your mind was just how incredible their technique and skill was as well as the relaxed nature of the evening, as they took on more of a rock star persona than classical, with Hauser strutting across the stage doing his best Angus Young duck walk whilst taking on AC/DC’s “You Shook Me All Night Long”.

There was of course the “Smooth Criminal” cover that launched their careers before being joined on stage by a drummer who filled out the sound that bit more which allowed the crowd to let loose as they launched into another AC/DC cover, this time with “Thunderstruck”.

The night was to end as it began on a slower classical number with Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Air” sending us out into another summer’s evening downpour.

2.06.16 – Rockhal

LUH (Lost Under Heaven) – Spiritual songs for lovers to sing

Experimental gothic pop made its way to the Rotondes on Wednesday in the shape of Dutch & English duo LUH.

Based out of Amsterdam, LUH consists of audio-visual artists Ebony Hoorn & former WU LYF frontman Ellery Roberts. It’s now 6 years since WU LYF were one of the most hyped & exciting bands in Britain. Reluctant to do interviews, their anti-media approach was described as “carefully designed anonymity”. This had the desired effect, building a mystique around the band which made them even more alluring and created more press than they could’ve hoped for. After just one album they were to disband and disappear as quickly as they arrived.

Now Roberts is back with LUH (Lost Under Heaven) and although he might want to
distance himself from the WU LYF name, his unique vocals were the focal point of their sound and there is no changing that with LUH, his reverb laden delivery is an acquired taste but it’s an effective one.

Fortunately, his vocals aren’t quite as abrasive in the live setting as they can be on record. This might have much to do with Hoorn’s vocals which provided the perfect foil as they intertwined between one another with consummate ease, like they did in the opener “I&I” with its anthemic heavy pop.

With much of the set being dominated by the cacophony of crashing symbols and pulsating kick drums, there was a tranquillity in the haunting beauty of the delicate “Future Blues” & “Loyalty” leaving the raw energy to one side, it highlighted the nuances in their sound.

They’re not ones to work within conventional structures as they swayed from orchestral pop with anthemic choruses, to stirring synths with an early 90s tinge and all of this on “$ORO” before some crunching techno came in and took the tempo to overdrive for a few moments. This might have suited the end of the night better or maybe just a livelier evening, but it proves that they’re not willing to be confined by genres, even in the same song.

But it’s the dynamic between Hoorn & Roberts who are a couple away from the stage, which grabs you from the outset and never let up all evening. You feel that they truly believe in the sentiment of their lyrics, after all their debut record is called “Spiritual Songs for Lovers to Sing” which perfectly sums up their sound.

With just the one record to their name it was a short but powerful set, time will tell if this band will last longer than Roberts’ last, however this looks to be a more collaborative project in which there is plenty of room to experiment.

1.06.16 – Rotondes

Garbage – Still full of attitude and energy

20 years on from their first show at den Atelier, Garbage were back on Tuesday night and with it much of the energy that launched them back in the mid 90s.

With the release of their self titled debut album back in 1995, Garbage broke onto the scene right in the middle of Britpop, bringing with them an angst-grunge element combined with melodic pop choruses which set them apart from the rest.

With over 17 million album sales, a couple of Grammy nominations, as well as a Bond theme tune to their name, Garbage had done it all before they took a seven-year hiatus in the mid 2000s, returning in 2012 with “Not Your Kind of People”. This gave them a desire once more, leading to the imminent release of their sixth studio album “Strange Little Birds” next week.

Support last night came from female two piece The Pearl Hearts who packed quite a punch with their rock and heavy blues groove. These support dates with Garbage are their first shows in Europe but by last night’s evidence, I’m sure they won’t be their last. With a bit more swagger & attitude they’ll be tearing up venues like this on their own soon and they couldn’t have a better mentor than Shirley Manson to show them the ropes.

Garbage wasted no time in introducing their loyal fan base to their new record by opening up the night with dark brooding track “Sometimes”, with the lights low, keeping the band in the shadows and the pulsating bass it was an atmospheric start that I wasn’t expecting but very much a welcome one. It didn’t take long to up the energy as they went into “Empty” their first single off the new record, which took them to the grunge sound we’ve come to expect of Garbage. It’s also here where we were reminded just how charismatic a frontwoman Shirley Manson is, taking control of the stage like any good lead singer should.

As well as an introduction to the new album there were plenty of Garbage classics from the ever present “Stupid Girl” to “Only Happy When it Rains” which induced some 90s nostalgia with their grunge pop hooks. But Garbage were always more than the hits, they had more vulnerability and attitude than most from the Britpop era, something they continue to channel today.

One of Manson’s personal favourites, the slow almost chant like “Bleed Like Me” took the evenings tempo down a notch before lifting us back up once more with “Sex is Not the Enemy”, its punk groove leading to Manson bounding around the stage with a beaming smile.

Later Manson went on to discuss her recent spat with a Radio1 DJ in the UK, as they refused to play them because Manson is over 40, which appears to be a misguided policy the station holds. With the energy and attitude Manson still produces she could teach most people half her age a lesson on the artistry she has honed over the years, she’s much more engaging and charismatic than most out there.

Whether it was new or old, each song was performed with the vigour we have come to expect from them, giving us more off the new album on the encore with “Even Though Our Love is Doomed” before finishing on the light hearted bubble-gum funk of “Cherry Lips (Go Baby Go!).

With few bands having survived the 90s, and even fewer still releasing and producing music today, it’s refreshing to see that Garbage are still making music that is as relevant today as it ever was. Here’s hoping other stations aren’t as ageist as Radio1 and help the new singles get to as many people as possible.

31.05.16 – den Atelier

Grande amore for Il Volo at Rockhal

Young Italian pop and opera favourites Il Volo came to Rockhal on Friday night and thrilled a capacity crowd.

Self described popera (operatic pop) act, Il Volo have had quite the journey over the last six years since meeting as teens on an Italian televised singing contest. They initially sang as solo artists but it didn’t take long for the creator of the show to see their potential as a trio, in similar fashion to The Three Tenors.

This early experience of televised competition would serve them well as in 2015 they represented Italy in the Eurovision song contest with the song “Grande amore”, finishing in a very respectable third place, having won the people’s televote on the night.

With an orchestra and band on stage, Il Volo came prepared to produce a spectacle and that they did, as Piero Barone, Ignazio Boschetto & Gianluca Ginoble appeared one by one from the back of the stage, the polite applause turned into screams of excitement. It turns out they have some quite fanatical fans, capable of making enough noise to take on any of the young popstars audiences.

It didn’t take them long to get into the classics such as “Nel blu depinto di blu (Volare)“ which instantly had people swaying in their seats and even throwing the odd arm up in the air in sheer excitement. As the night went on they rotated the line up, each taking on their own solo as well as a couple of duets.

With such a large Italian population in Luxembourg it came as no surprise that when asked what language to talk in there were cries of “Italiano!”. There were even some Italian flags in the audience, so they proceeded to chat all evening in their native tongue and from the crowd’s reaction they are apparently quite the comedians. They clearly have a great bond with each other and their personality came through even if I had no idea what they were saying.

With each song came soaring choruses and full rich vocals, none more so than on “Il Mondo” which had much of the audience scrambling for their phones, some even found it appropriate to film half the show on an iPad, I’m just glad I wasn’t behind them.

One of the highlights of the night was Piero’s solo performance of “E lucevan le stelle” which emphasised just what incredible control and power he holds over his vocals, it was a real hair tingling moment which reminded you that although they joke around with each other on stage and throw in the odd light-hearted cover they are exceptionally talented singers. By the time he was finished the audience were on their feet in rapturous applause.

As well as songs in Italian & Spanish there were covers of Sinatra’s “My Way” & Barbra Streisand’s “Memory” but as the show neared its end, Piero made his way into the middle of the crowd and stood on a chair to belt out “O Sole Mio”. This lured much of the crowd near by to run up and try and take a photo. All except one woman who thought this was her chance to take to the stage and hand a bouquet of roses to Gianluca, she chose her moment well.

They would finish on their Eurovision hit “Grande amore” which had grown women literally screeching with delight as they ran towards the stage, to get up close to their idols for the last time. With its rousing chorus it’s no surprise it won the people’s vote at Eurovision, I suppose if there is a mark of a good song then seeing an elated audience make their way home humming and whistling must be it.

27.05.16 – Rockhal

Charlie Puth – A pop star has risen

Thursday night saw one of America’s newest popstars come to Luxembourg for the first time, as 24-year-old New Jersey native Charlie Puth took to the den Atelier stage.

Puth launched onto the scene early last year with his retro infused debut single “Marvin Gaye” which hit the top spot in France, UK, Ireland and New Zealand. If that wasn’t enough for the budding young popstar, only one month later he was to co-write, produce and feature on the global super hit “See You Again” with Wiz Khalifa which went number one in 26 countries becoming the biggest selling song of 2015 with combined sales and track-equivalent streams of over 20million units. Not bad going for an artist who only a couple of months before nobody had heard of.

The success of “See You Again” helped propel Puth’s career into places he could previously only dream of. Another such act who must be dreaming of hits like that was last night’s support, Scottish pop powerhouse KLOE who has been making waves herself over the last year. Her explosive pop energy burst from the stage and awakened the crowd from the off, with the charisma and confidence she showed I’m sure it wont be too long before she is headlining venues like Atelier herself.

After being suitably warmed up the audience were already in fine voice, as the lights dimmed the sold out crowd began chanting CHARLIE CHARLIE CHARLIE. Puth made his way out onto the stage in a plain white t-shirt and ripped jeans and took his place on the piano stool, he played a few nice jazz fills just to get the feel of the piano before launching into one of his biggest hits, the retro infused R&B “Marvin Gaye”.

It was quite a statement for Puth to kick off with such a big hit and to be honest I suspected the excitement in the Atelier might fall a bit flat for a while after but little did I know that the crowd wasn’t just there for the hits, as each song passed the audience continued to sing their hearts out. However, the exuberance from the audience often meant we couldn’t hear anything Puth was trying to say between songs, as cries of “I love you” drowned out his voice.

With his three-piece band flanked either side of him they dropped in some jazz signatures to spice up the more conventional pop songs like “Left Right Left” and “My Gospel” before bringing down the tempo on “Up All Night” & “Then There’s You” as Puth perched on the piano stool looking out over his adoring fans, accompanied only by the acoustic guitar.

With just the one album out it was of no surprise the set was less than an hour long, but all was forgiven from the crowd as it’s clear he’s a very talented songwriter, producer and when you can get the reaction he did by just smiling and running your fingers through your hair you can play just about what you like. The night wouldn’t be complete without two of his biggest singles, “One Call Away” & “See You Later” which once more had the crowd singing along in harmony.

Puth’s music brought beaming smiles to the faces all over the venue, from the young kids to their parents, who seemed happy enough to take their children along. Shows like that won’t do him any harm as he continues to build on his rapidly growing fan base, who already can’t wait for his return.

26.05.16 – den Atelier