Hans Zimmer – A celebration of sound and vision

Legendary film composer Hans Zimmer took to the stage for the first of three sold out nights at Rockhal on Saturday night.

For the last three decades Zimmer has composed some of the most famous film scores, notching up over 100 movies which have made in excess of $24billion at the box office.

These shows are part of his first ever European tour and the concerts sold out fast, making Zimmer the first artist to sell out three consecutive nights at the Rockhal.

Last night was a celebration of his career so far, as he delved into his repertoire and brought to life the film scores backed by his 20-piece studio band as well an orchestra and choir which brought the number of musicians on stage to over 70.

Despite all those musicians they somehow found space for the man himself, who opened up proceedings with the jaunty light hearted piece from Driving Miss Daisy with the playful clarinet dancing along the top line as the violins and electric guitar all merge in with effortless ease.

As each song began you could start to visually picture the film in your mind, the pounding beat of Tony Scott’s Crimson Tide perfectly encapsulated the tense cold war style thriller building up an epic tension with the orchestra and choir’s fine harmony. Whilst Gladiator evoked the melancholic march with an electronic percussion, pierced by the haunting vocals which carried its own emotional heft to the film.

At around 3hrs (including a halfway break) there was plenty for the Zimmer fans to take in. He was joined on stage by the original vocalist from Lion King, Lebo M, as the orchestra and choir combine once more in perfect harmony taking us on a journey over the plains of Africa.

Throughout the evening Zimmer told stories about the films, directors and even some cast members. He mentioned that he looked into changing the music for the scenes with Heath Ledger after hearing of his tragic death, wanting to give them a less abrasive quality but eventually keeping everything in all its glory. They did play “Aurora” a piece he wrote after hearing of the tragic mass shooting at a screening of the film, this haunting stripped back piece was one of the more poignant moments of the night, brining to it a piece of reality to this fictitious endeavour.

The Dark Knight trilogy was the beginning of another productive and creative time for Zimmer with the likes of Interstellar and Inception following, both of which have become some of his finest work. The sci-fi grandeur and electro crescendo of Interstellar worked perfectly as a companion piece to the epic and tense dreamlike orchestral sounds of Inception.

The evening as a whole took us on a journey of sounds that have helped our viewing pleasure of some of the biggest films over the last three decades and to see first hand the scale of what is involved is quite an eye opener. Next time I watch one of his film I’ll no doubt be paying that bit more attention to just how much is going on off the screen as on it.

21.05.16 – Rockhal

A loud clatter of PAWS at Bar National

On Wednesday night it was the turn of Scottish alt rockers PAWS to take to the stage at one of Luxembourg’s newest venues, Bar National, which opened its doors inside the Theatre National du Luxembourg in March.

With the imminent release of their third album in four years with “No Grace”, PAWS are looking to build on their already impressive output on the wonderful FatCat Records with this new album produced by Mark Hoppus of blink-182 fame. PAWS are currently on the home straight of their five-week European tour and last night saw them return to Luxembourg for the first time since they played Out of the Crowd Festival in 2013, shortly after the release of their debut album.

Support came from local band “Ice In My Eyes” who released their second album “Diamond” just last week at Rotondes. Their blend of melodic indie pop with moments of ascending rock came across well, although there weren’t too many people to warm up at this point.

My optimistic belief that a bus load of folk were about to stop outside the venue and descend were dashed as it became apparent that it was just one of those nights were people decided to stay at home. So it was up to the band to do their best with the modest crowd at their disposal and that they did. They may have been blighted with some technical issues at the beginning (none of which was their fault) but they didn’t let anything get them down as they launched into the set.

From the melodic lo-fi 90s sound of “Sore Tummy” from their debut, to the pop punk of title track “No Grace” from the new album, they showed their progression as songwriters, continuing to develop their sound, bringing with it a more mature polished element.

With such a sparse crowd there were nice moments of interaction as they got the names of each member of the audience, giving themselves some respite from an energetic set. They even played “Get Bent” which they hadn’t played live in years, I suppose when you have that laidback intimate atmosphere you can throw in a few surprise tracks when you want.

Having acknowledged the crowd and given their thanks for those who came out to support them they continued to play like they were in front of thousands, especially bass player Ryan Denver as he thrashed about the stage eventually breaking a string. It’s this energy and passion on stage that makes bands like PAWS and live shows in general so exciting.

With the new album on the horizon and another European tour not far away, let’s hope the next time they come to Luxembourg there will be a few more people to enjoy this raucous live act.

18.05.16 – Bar National

Simple Plan – Still full of high-octane energy after all these years

It’s less than a year since French-Canadian band Simple Plan sold out den Atelier, so with the release of their new album in February they made their way back to the A on Thursday night to play to a hot and sweaty crowd once more.

With the release of their fifth studio album “Taking One for the Team” Simple Plan prove they have the staying power that few of the pop-punk acts of the 00s possess. It’s now over 12 years since their biggest record “Still Not Getting Any…” but it’s clear by the audience that their songs are enduring hits and as much as the crowd is made up of people who were in their teens a decade ago, their music clearly still resonates with the teens of today, as there were plenty in the audience too.

Supporting them on much of their European tour is Roam from England who possess all the energy and enthusiasm you expect from a pop-punk band. Even if a slow number showed up their vocals to be patchy at best, they managed to win over the audience with their stage craft and by the end were conducting the crowd into mass swaying of the arms and even a very civilised mosh pit, they clearly left the stage with a whole host of new fans.

With the audience suitably warmed up Simple Plan took to the stage. Gone are the ¾ length shorts and spiky hair of the day, now they are all in full length trousers and wearing black t-shirts but that was in no way a reflection of their demeanour. They kicked off with the high energy “Opinion Overload” from the new album which showcases the powerful drums and guitar riffs their fans have come to expect and it never really let up all night.

Their knack of still producing big singles was apparent, as all it took was the simple riff from the intro on “Jet Lag” to send the crowd into raptures. Though it was “Jump” that really got the required effect with the first mass jump around.

With an audience who have been with the band for over a decade now, there was a real sense of nostalgia as they delved into the earlier material, with friends singing every word to each other as much as they were to the band. Their fine voices filling Atelier on “Welcome to My Life” with phones aloft and swaying in unison.

As if people weren’t already dancing enough they found some time for a surreal stage invasion from the first band of the night The Bottom Line who were in fancy dress which included a giraffe outfit for a medley of “uptown Funk” & “Can’t Feel My Face”

The encore leaned heavily on the second album with “Shut Up”, “Perfect World” & the rock ballad “Perfect” which saw lead singer Pierre Bouvier take to the acoustic guitar as the rest of the band disappeared into the background to play one of the few tender moments before the band return for the chorus, bursting into high octane energy one final time. At this point Bouvier made his way to the balcony being accosted by plenty of woman on his way. For a band who are so close to their fans it was a fitting way to end, with Bouvier in amongst them.

Having only just released their new album I’m sure Simple Plan will be back in Luxembourg again shortly, so if pop-punk is your thing and you missed them, then make sure you see them next time round.

David Duchovny – The music is out there

Rockhal welcomed an extra special visitor on Sunday night, one who had travelled long and far and goes by the name David Duchovny.

Better known as agent Mulder from the X files, Duchovny, arrived at his new calling as a singer-songwriter later on in life, having only taken up guitar a few years ago. He describes himself as a dilettante, playing music he enjoys – if we like it great, if not it’s fine by him too.

Duchovny might not be the first actor to go down the musician route and he won’t be the last, but he is certainly one of the more surprising actors to stand behind the mic in recent times.

Having found his backing band and production team in Brooklyn based band “Weather”, Duchovny has a stabilizing musical force which allows him to express himself with freedom. Much of the set was from his “Hell or Highwater” album which stumbles along to a Tom Petty inspired country aesthetic, with a dose of Americana for good measure.

Although his vocals might not hold up to most and hitting many notes seemed problematic, he brushed it all off with an air of calm. Maybe it was the willingness from the crowd to see agent Mulder succeed or just the vibe an actor can pull off but after a while the vocals didn’t seem to matter too much.

Throughout the show Duchovny talked to the crowd, mainly to get French translations for each song but he looked comfortable up on stage. He even delved into some covers having acknowledged that many of the audience wont have heard much of his record. His rendition of Bowie’s “Stay”, with its funk groove and delivery suited his vocals. However, they weren’t all quite as successful, like the reggae infused “Hotline Bling” from Drake, where he was at his self-deprecating best, laughing off forgetting lyrics.

As well as covers, he played a couple of new tracks he has already written for his second album, which he is looking to record later in the year.

After that it was back to the covers with Duchovny taking on the intro of Tom Petty’s “Square One” alone with just the acoustic guitar, before the band kicked in. With no band, there was no hiding any mistakes. He joked after “maybe I should leave it to the professionals”, well the acoustic might be one leap too far at the moment.

Their Sly & The Family Stone cover of “Thank You” saw Duchovny invite some of the crowd onto the stage to dance with him as they continued the laidback vibe. At well over 1hr 40mins he could have done with keeping it a shorter, tighter set but with plans to go back into the studio Duchovny is clearly enjoying this new creative outlet and with a busy Rockhal last night, people were certainly intrigued to see what he has to offer. Will the intrigue continue? Only time will tell.

8.05.16 – Rockhal

Birdy – takes flight at den Atelier

English singer-songwriter Jasmine van den Bogaerde, better known by her stage name Birdy took to a sold out den Atelier on Friday night.

Having shot to fame with her cover of Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love” at the tender age of 14, it’s easy to forget that Bogaerde is still a teenager. With three albums and world tours to her name, she has accomplished more in her teens than most will in a lifetime. Her new album “Beautiful Lies” has been her most well received to date by the critics and the British public, as it shot up the charts leading to her highest charting record in the UK.

Support came from Dan Owen who looks to be part of a conveyor belt of British singer-songwriter talent. With a voice beyond his years, I’m sure it won’t be too long before we hear his warm rugged vocal tones singing of love lost over the airwaves. Along with his vocal delivery, his affable persona seemed to catch the attention of the crowd from the start, after all it’s not often a musician gets an applause from the crowd when they mention the have CDs for sale at the door.

With the crowd suitably warmed up Birdy took to the stage where she was to find an audience who were there to really listen. You could hear a pin drop in the more delicate moments, even the people at the bar kept it quiet, which is no mean feat but when the haunting ethereal vocals of Birdy took hold it seemed like everyone was under her spell.

It was a great gig for fans of the new album, as she played all but three tracks from it. That’s not to say there wasn’t space for plenty from the first two records, with a set spanning over an 1hr 30 minutes, including 21 songs, there was plenty for all her fans. For a night filled with piano-led confessionals it was left to the eastern feel of “Growing Pains” to open her set.

Tracks such as “Wild Horses” & “Keeping Your Head Up” show there is a new found maturity in her song writing as well as an evolution in her sound, giving it a grander anthemic folk pop feel.

Having spent most of the evening behind the piano, Birdy ventured to the front of the stage for “Words as Weapons” & “Take My Heart”. Leaving her comfort zone, you would expect the shy young singer to look vulnerable but far from it, she looked just as composed with the mic at her hands as she did the keys.

As you’d expect she left the song that launched her career to the end, the cover of Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love”. This ended up being her least inspiring performance of the evening but which in turn just highlighted how far she has come since she was launched into the spotlight at such a young age.

Throughout the night her band barley missed a note, they were so tight It felt like someone had put on a CD and pressed play and that’s not a criticism here, I was genially impressed from the sound all evening, the levels were perfect and it was a joy to hear all the musicians in complete harmony.

It’s good to see that Birdy is still progressing and finding her feet as an artist, if she continues on this trajectory she will surely develop into a special songwriter in years to come.

29.04.16 – den Atelier

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