Gregory Porter – Has a Sunday night ever sounded so smooth?

What better way to spend a Sunday evening than listening to the deep soulful baritone vocals of Gregory Porter serenading a sold out den Atelier.

Having recently announced a forthcoming follow up to his 2013 Grammy winning album “Liquid Spirit”, Gregory Porter is back on the road and dazzling audiences once more in preparation for his new album “Take Me to The Alley,” which will be released on May 6th.

Coming onto the stage wearing his trademark black cap, he opened up proceedings with “Holding On” a track he co-wrote with British electro duo Disclosure for their last album. His clever reworking turned this floor filler into a delicate and emotional smooth jazz croon. It wasn’t to be the only track from the upcoming release, as he gave us another glimpse of what to expect with the title track blending in some more smooth jazz.

All night the sound was crystal clear, allowing us to pick out every note which is a joy when you have such talented musicians working the piano, double bass, saxophone and drums. Their feather light touch and restraint in not overpowering Porters vocals is a skill in itself.

The ever sensual double bass started off the intro to the Temptations cover “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” as Porter casually leaned against the grand piano nodding his head and feeling the groove just like everyone else in the venue. As much as it’s Porter’s name on the ticket, the band are every bit as important, each of them taking their own moment in the spotlight throughout the night.

From their up tempo soul to funky jazz, they had it all last night. Porter’s affable personality had the audience in the palm of his hand as the band intermittently delved into solos. The vintage soulful groove continued on “Musical Genocide” as he sang of refusing to sell out, improvising lines declaring that James Brown & Nat King Cole would have been on his side in his struggle for artistry, with the crowd chanting words ‘I do not agree’.

Their restrained style meant no note was wasted, even when they jammed there was never a feeling of it being too much and when vocals such as Porter’s dropped back on top, it all felt so effortless.

The punchy cultural alertness of “1960 What?” combined with its mean groove was a highlight, getting the crowd shuffling along to the double bass whilst the funk groove of “Free” finished off the proceedings, complete with a 10-minute instrumental outro.

In a recent interview Porter said people shouldn’t assume they don’t like jazz and that they should go and see it live, as when it works it’s genius. On last night’s showing he couldn’t have been more spot on, I think you would be hard pushed to find anyone coming away from that show not feeling warm and enriched from the experience.

13/3/16 – den Atelier

Kodaline – Searing choruses and emotional ballads in abundance

Irish indie pop rockers Kodaline returned to Luxembourg on Friday night to play to a sold out crowd at den Atelier.

Since they burst onto the scene back in 2013 with their debut album “In A Perfect World” Kodaline have cemented themselves as one of the few marketable indie pop acts that can deliver enough melody to appease the casual listener whilst throwing in a good few hooks and choruses to catch the attention of the young adolescents.

After extensive tours following the success of their debut, the band wasted no time in getting back into the studio to record their second album “Coming Up for Air”. This produced another host of radio friendly tracks which found them once more back in the charts and notching up the airplay.

First up last night was Irish indie outfit All Tvvins who come with a fair bit of hype themselves, having already supported the likes of Pixies & Arcade Fire over the last year. Their electro tinged indie rock certainly hit the mark, getting swathes of the audience shuffling along. Their mix of melodic pop and effervescent riffs gave them an element of intrigue without being disjointed.

Kodaline arrived on the stage to rapturous applause and ecstatic screams from the audience. Their opener “Ready” didn’t pull any punches but then again that’s not what the band are about, it’s all about those hooks and sing along choruses and they have them in abundance.

“Way Back When” even threw in a good foot stomping beat to get the pace moving along nicely before a few shouts of “Luxembourg” from frontman Steve Garrigan got the obligatory cheer.

Garrigan’s falsetto vocals shone on “Lost” with the atmospheric synths enveloping his voice as the track built with the shifting of gears as it took on an electronic groove, something they moved towards on their new album.

The first note of “High Hopes” got the crowd screaming and brought about a scramble to ones’ pocket as a sea of camera phones appeared, all swaying in unison. Then the driving percussion and simple hook of “Honest” saw them delve into a grander, more complex sound which was a welcome change to proceedings.

Of course it’s fitting that they should end with the song that launched them to fame, the teary sing along “All I Want” had the crowd swaying and singing one last time.

Kodaline might have a few too many clichéd lyrics and far too many weepy choruses for some but it’s clear they connect to a huge demographic and when they can produce engaging performances like they did last night, they won’t be losing any of their fans in a hurry. On the other hand, they won’t be winning any new fans either if they fail to develop their sound further on their next album.

11/3/16 -Kodaline

Years & Years – Brought their winning formula to Atelier

English synthpop favourites Years & Years took to the stage at den Atelier on Friday night for their first Luxembourg show.

Last year was quite a momentous one for the band, having won the prestigious BBC Sound of 2015, they then went onto hit the top spot in both the UK singles and album charts for their debut “Communion” which went on to become the fastest selling debut album from a British band in 2015. However, their success didn’t stop on their own shores, with their single “King” going into the top ten in many countries across the globe, whilst selling out shows all over Europe, including last night’s.

Support came from the Dutch duo Klyne, who from the off possessed the same infectious electro groove as Years & Years, if maybe with a more soulful darker edge mixed in for good measure. Even when they dropped it back to the more down tempo beats the strength of the vocals still managed to captivate the boisterous crowd. On last nights showing I’m sure they’ve built quite a new fan base on the back of this tour.

With the crowd nicely warmed up and the anticipation palpable it was time for the lights to dim. I hadn’t foreseen just how down with the kids the band were till they took to the stage and it sounded like 1Direction had walked into a school classroom. The band proceeded to build up “foundation” before frontman Olly Alexander joined them a minute later to more screams as the haunting intro continued to soar.

Every contort of Alexander’s body got an extra cheer and with their reggae tinged “Take Shelter” there were plenty of moves and grooves to suffice. It was on “shine” where his falsetto vocals really came into their own, not that he needed to sing much as by this point the audience had found their own voice and were singing every word back to him with gusto.

As much as their sound lends itself to a good sing and dance, it was Alexander’s charisma that captured any of the non converted and encapsulated the whole crowd into one. For “Eyes Shut” he brought a young girl onto the stage to join him on the stool as he played keys and sang, this for sure wont be a night she’ll forget in a hurry.

With the huge success of last years “Communion” it looks like the band will be back in the studio sooner than you might think, as they looked to try out a few new tracks last night, including “See Me Now” which saw them stick to their tried and tested formula.

With headline tours for a band with just one album you are of course going to get some covers and they didn’t disappoint with a crowd pleasing medley of Drake’s “Hotline Bling” & Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse”, not to mention a curveball with Britney’s “Toxic”.

As the evening progressed so did the set, leaning heavier on the spiralling keyboards and euphoric club breakdowns of “Real” before launching into “Desire” & “King” both of which had the whole crowd singing along to the infectious electro pop.

There were moments throughout the night when the sound got a bit muddy and Alexander’s vocals were lost, but fortunately there was space for the imperfections and when you write as catchy songs as they have then you’ll have the crowd singing along all night, masking those mishaps.

Years & Years clearly have their niche and although the new tracks didn’t sound like much of a departure, why change a winning formula.

4/3/16 – den Atelier

Hurts – Soaring choruses & electro grooves bring warmth on cold night

Monday night saw the return of Manchester’s synth-pop favourites Hurts to den Atelier. Having burst onto the scene back in 2010 with their anthemic choruses and 80s throwback synths, Hurts quickly gathered quite a following, with the critics falling over themselves to get a piece of the band even before they had recorded their debut album.

Their nostalgia laden sound combined with a strong visual aesthetic proved a potent combination with their debut album selling in excess of 2 million copies. With the new album “Surrender” out at the end of last year, they’re back with a more up-tempo sound as they continue to evolve.

As the crowd entered Atelier on Monday night they could barely see the stage, as a black mesh cloth was draped over the whole of the front with the word SURRENDER projected across it, obstructing a clear view of the setup behind. Then as the band took their positions and launched into “Some Kind of Heaven”, with back lighting creating silhouettes, until they hit the chorus and the curtain fell. This of course received huge cheers from the audiance as the band came into view. A nice use of theatrics to get the crowd engaged early on.

Every aspect of their aesthetic was well thought out from the slicked back hair and sharp black clothes (think of Spandau Ballet and your almost there) to the effective strip lighting which was a throwback to 80s Top of the Pops sets. And with “Why” they wouldn’t have been out of place on TOTPs back in its heyday. A delightful pop track with soaring vocals and synths, which is the sign of the new lighter upbeat direction the band has taken.

The big drum beat and epic chorus of “Somebody To Die For” lead in nicely to the dark brooding intro of “Weight of the World” before erupting in a celebration of bright electro groove. Then from nowhere frontman Theo Hutchcraft appeared with some roses, swirling them around reminiscent of Manchester’s best known vegetarian frontman before throwing them out to the adoring fans.

It says something for the band that they can shift gears so effortlessly from the darker brooding sound of their first album to the unabashed disco funk of “Lights” off the new album. With lyrics such as “I just want to see you dancing” Hutchcraft had a beaming smile across his face as the Atelier crowd duly obliged, dancing away having well and truly warmed up from the cold night air by that point.

It was full on from then on with yet more clinically executed synth-pop with “Better Than Love” & “Wonderful Life” which had the crowd singing and dancing along before ending on their classic new wave gem “Stay”.

The band have managed to create such a strong audio and visual aesthetic that they seem to bring a sense of longing and nostalgia for a sound and time you may never have felt you had too much of an attachment for.

The critics might not have been too favourable to them since their debut but if they continue to put on shows like last night, word of mouth will do a better job than any critic could do.

The Tallest Man On Earth – Swedish troubadour finds himself a band

Singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson aka The Tallest Man On Earth, (who in fact isn’t even the tallest man on stage) brought his show to den Atelier on Tuesday night.

Now on his fourth album, Matsson has gradually built his sound from rough solo acoustic home recordings with all the blemishes left in, to a more polished and produced album with a full band, which had its finishing touches recorded at Justin Vernon’s (Bon Iver) studio. The change is a welcome progression and sees Matsson joined by a band on tour for the first time.

In support last night was Irish singer-songwriter Adrian Crowley who grabbed the attention of the crowd with his deep baritone vocals, which seemed to evoke great visual imagery with every phrase. His vocals are reminiscent of those of Charlie Fink of Noah and The Whale, whilst his overall sound is a whole lot more sombre.

This tour might be a new set up for Matsson but there was no slow introduction to the band last night, no starting off acoustic and building up, but straight into “Wind and Walls” with full gusto. His vocals took me aback a bit with just how much he sounded like a young Bob Dylan live, but fortunately that novelty wore off quickly and I could appreciate his set on its own merits.
Moments like “1904” are where the band really helped to give his set a fuller sound as the delicate guitar riff bounced above the shuffling drums before the pedal steel came through, all perfectly complimenting each other without taking the focus off the song.

Throughout the evening the band were hopping on and off the stage as Matsson mixed up his set with many solo tracks, like the finger picking beauty of “Love Is All”.

The stage setup became more fluid as the set went on, with moments of just Matsson being joined by violin or the subtlest of electric guitars guiding him through the hushed silence of the crowd on “The Wild Hunt”.

Matsson’s new fully realised sound is a good addition to his set and on “King Of Spain” it really came to the fore as the energy from the band provided the biggest reaction from the crowd.

“Dreamer” saw him lose the guitar altogether and take up front man duties, before finishing on “Like The Wheel” with saw the band huddled together at the back of the stage forming an acapella four part harmony.

With Matsson showcasing his full band show for the first time in Luxembourg it was refreshing that at no point did the band take any of the limelight. They were a backing band in every aspect of the meaning, they were there to compliment the sound, not take over and that’s exactly what they did, which is not as easy as it sounds. By keeping the essence of his sound, Matsson has managed to move forward whilst taking his fans along with him for the ride.

2/2/16 – den Atelier

 

February Highlights

First up at den Atelier on February the 2nd is Swedish singer-songwriter Kristian Matsson aka The Tallest Man On Earth. Matsson wears his folk influences on his sleeve, with song structures similar to those of Nick Drake and a vocal delivery reminiscent of Bob Dylan. He’ll be joined by a band on this tour for the first time and seeing as though he is well known for his charismatic stage persona on his own, the band will surely add extra power dimension to the show.

Austria’s electro duo Mieux will be taking to the Rotondes stage on the 5th of February. Constantly challenging the common understanding of an electronic live-set, Mieux use Glockenspiel, samplers and synthesizers to expand and compress what they’ve been producing in the studio. Having Gilles Peterson as an avid supporter should be enough of a hint that these guys are ones to keep an eye on.

From releasing their debut album to playing Hamburg’s Reeperbahn Festival as well as support slots with Villagers and Starsailor, 2015 was a busy year for one of Luxembourg’s favourite indie folk bands Seed To Tree. At Rotondes on February 6th they’ll premiere the music video for their second single ”Until It Gets Better” followed by a full concert. If you’re keen to see one of the best young Luxembourg bands, then look no further.

February the 9th sees Trip Hop stalwarts Massive Attack come to Rockhal. Along with Portishead and Tricky, Massive Attack brought the Bristol underground trip hop scene to the mainstream charts in the 90s. With albums such as ”Blue Lines” & ”Mezzanine” they created some of the most hauntingly beautiful records of that period. They’ll also be supported by Scottish Hip Hop trio Young Fathers, who won the 2014 Mercury Music Prize and are renowned for the fierce live performances.

Like most bands Novella formed a friendship through their shared love for music, in this case it was bands such as Black Sabbath, the Brian Jonestown Massacre, and Pale Saints. After a few years of working on their own sound they finally found their niche, they are now capable of welding woozy, cosmic psychedelia to sustained squalls of flanged-out, far-out dream pop. Novella’s debut album, Land, is a controlled blast of mainlined electricity, a tempest of relentless groove and crystalline vocals that is at once the vicious edge and the calm eye of the storm. Like the sound of that then head out to de Gudde Wëllen on the 23rd of February.

Other notable gigs include:

3/2 – Pega Monstro (Rock) @ de Gudde Wëllen
5/2 – Knut Reiersrud Band (Blues) @ Philharmonie
6/2 – Guizmo (Hip Hop) @ Kulturfabrik
12/2 – The Blind Shake (Surf-Punk) @ Rotondes
14/2 – Caravan Palace (Electro Swing) @ den Atelier
15/2 – Hurts (Synth-pop) @ den Atelier
15/2 – Wynton Marsalis (Jazz) @ Philharmonie
22/2 – King Dude (Dark Americana) @ Rotondes
24/2 – Odd Couple (Garage rock) @ de Gudde Wëllen

January highlights

The whole of January can sometimes feel like one long Monday, you’ve had plenty of parties over Christmas and Hogmanay, then it’s back to real life and work.

Well this January there are some nights you’ll want to get out of that hideous but comfy onesie someone thought to buy you and enjoy some good music.

Imagine Dragons came from nowhere and dominated 2013 with their worldwide smash hit “Radioactive”, which won a Grammy award as well as millions of fans across the globe. Their blend of sprawling hook-laden pop-rock with the odd dose of dubstep has created an enviable list of hit songs which they will unleash at Rockhal on January 14.

From one smash hit artist of 2013 to another, Hozier’s song “Take Me To Church” is one of the few hits after hearing on heavy rotation on the radio still manages to stay fresh. He’ll be back in the studio in early 2016 so catch him at Rockhal on January 21 to see him tour his debut album one last time, I’m sure he’ll be trying out some new material on the audience by then too.

January 22nd sees Chicago native Jimmy Whispers bring his indie pop to de Gudde Wëllen. If you like your lo-fi Mac DeMarco sound this this one will be right up your street.

Luxembourg’s own classical pianist Cathy Krier has been making waves for some time now but was recently chosen by the European Concert Hall Organisation (ECHO) as the “Rising Star” for season 2015/16. This will see her perform in Europe’s most important concert halls and play, among others, a piece written especially for her by the renowned German composer Wolfgang Rihm. Her home show will be at the Philharmonie on January 26.

Hip Hop duo Method Man & Redman have been rap battling together since the mid 90s. Method Man is better known for his work with Wu-Tang Clan but together they have worked with the biggest names in hip hop. Having worked together on and off for almost 20 years they have only released two albums, that is until next year, when they’ll release “Blackout! 3”. This will be the first time the duo will have ever have played Luxembourg, so get along to Rockhal on January 29 to catch them before it takes another 20 years to get them back.

Irish Singer-songwriter Gavin James rescheduled Rotondes show has been moved to January 30. The singer has enjoyed a whirlwind 2015 having supported the likes of Sam Smith, James Blunt and Lianne La Havas, who herself will be coming to Luxembourg soon. With comparisons to Ben Howard and Ed Sheeran he has a lot of pressure on his shoulders but he seems to be taking it all in his stride. Could 2016 be the year that catapults James to new heights. Well it might be the last time you will get to see him at such an intimate venue.

Other notable gigs include:

16/1 – Tuys (Indie)@ de Gudde Wëllen
24/1 – Donots (Punk rock) @ den Atelier
28/1 – Stefanie Heinzmann (Pop) @ Rockhal

http://www.wort.lu/en/culture/new-year-new-gigs-luxembourg-gigs-not-to-be-missed-this-january-5684f7640da165c55dc50670

Enigmatic beauty of John Grant

Singer-songwriter John Grant has become somewhat renowned for his brutally honest lyrics, whilst still managing to find a place for some biting wit. All of which was all on show at den Atelier on Friday evening.

A former member of the cult indie band The Czars, Grant took some time out before returning with his first critically acclaimed solo album “Queen of Denmark” back in 2010 which graced many a album of the year lists.

After his lauded second album, which saw him nominated for best international male at 2014 Brit awards, he went on to release one of this year’s most acclaimed albums in “Grey Tickles, Black Pressure” which rose to 5th in the UK charts. For an artist with no real mainstream appeal this just shows the strength of following from his avid fans.

The support for the evening was “Fufanu” from Iceland where Grant now resides. They seemed to jump from late 90s indie rock to dark psychedelia. The sound didn’t seem to help them much in what was a very sparse Atelier.

By the time Grant and his band entered the stage the crowd had grown but it was still an exceptionally modest crowd for such a praised artist. It was the mighty, musing of his title track “Grey Tickles, Black Pressure” that Grant began with, serenading the Atelier with that rich baritone vocal that he has become renowned for.

However it was with the dark electro beats of “Pale Green Ghosts” when the evening notched up a gear and Grant really found his flow and the crowd followed suit swaying away in unison. “Snug Slacks” epitomises the direction Grant’s music has taken since his debut, this new wave electro funk takes on an almost bowie-esque quality. Whilst the likes of “You and Him” and “Voodoo Doll” brought a more synth-soul groove to the evening.

Grant managed to change mood and momentum with effortless ease throughout the night as he went from the electro funk to the heart aching beauty of “Where The Dreams Go To Die”. As the band left the stage, Grant took to the piano and delved into past agonies with The Czars’ “Drug” before finishing off with the delicate “Caramel” off his debut album.

Grant remains one of the most enigmatic performers around today, few people can release such varied sounds on each album whilst still retaining such quality. Friday evening just highlighted once more what an incredible talent he has.

20/11/15

Weeks highlights

Monday night sees Damian Marley play den Atelier. Also known around the world as “Jr. Gong” and son of the legendary Bob Marley. Damian has worked assiduously to carve out his own niche in music and to add a new perspective to the Marley legacy for the 21st century. He continued on down the reggae road leaning more on the dancehall style with his biggest hit ‘Welcome To Jamrock’

Tuesday night blues rocker Gary Clark Jr. comes to den Atelier. With his soulful voice and dazzling guitar skills he has created quite an irresistible combo. His debut album, Blak And Blu, is a rocket ride from the Mississippi Delta of a century ago to rock and R&B, blues, soul, pop, psychedelia, punk and hip-hop are also in Clark’s expansive musical embrace and insatiable hunger for inspiration. Gary Clark Jr has captivated audiences from Coachella to Glastonbury in the past. Finally, he’s scheduled to delight his audience at den Atelier in Luxembourg as well.

On Wednesday night English singer/songwriter Tom Odell, together with his band, whom Tom credits with adding a heightened sense of power to the songs, will be playing an open air show on the grounds of Neumünster Abbey. His debut, Long Way Down, features his hit singles such as Another Love, Hold Me or Can’t Pretend. Tom Odell will captivate his audience at the Abbey!

For something altogether different at den Atelier on Wednesday night, Mexican duo Rodrigo y Gabriela bring their mix of Flamenco rumba and heavy metal all from two acoustic guitars. They are quite a site to behold, incredible guitarists mixing up genres at will. They’re frequently listed as as one of the best live acts around and I can’t argue with that. Rodrigo is a virtuoso in his lead guitarist role, although it is Gabriela’s playing that continues to define the sound, her rhythmic work combining tempestuous strumming with furious percussive attacks on her guitar’s body. The enormous density of their “flamenco metal” sound is fuelling this talented duo’s vibrancy.

Weeks highlights

Tonight Mancunian band The Slow Show bring their dynamic arrangements with northern colliery brass touches and a nod to Americana, Indie Folk-Rock to Rockhal. Their minimal but epic songs swell from gentle piano-led Americana to roaring choruses accompanied by string sections. The band have recently released their debut album to critical acclaim.

On Thursday French/Cuban twin sisters Lisa and Naomi Diaz better know as XL Records IBEYI play Rockhal. They combine their roots in Yoruba music with a heavy modern sound that’s been described as ‘doom soul’ with mesmerising results. An Ibeyi show is definitely a soulful and personal experience you shouldn’t miss!

Also on Thursday night Frank Turner plays den Atelier. He has been a solo artist for the last ten years and In that time, he has been on a constant upward curve, propelled forward by a mixture of Turner’s force of will and his effortless craft of song. Each record now brings with it new landmarks for the 32-year-old from Hampshire. With a new album coming out in the summer ‘Positive Songs for Negative People’ be sure to catch him on his latest tour.