The infinite charm of Mac DeMarco

Mac DeMarco made a triumphant return to Luxembourg on Wednesday and delighted the Rockhal crowd with a night of unadulterated joy.

His last appearance in Luxembourg was at Exit07 back in 2013, since then DeMarco has released two critically acclaimed albums and moved on from the lo-fi rock sound to a more polished and accomplished psych pop groove winning him legions of fans around the globe as the poster child of the slacker rock movement.

First up last night was Australian Alex Cameron and as he called him his business partner Roy Molloy on saxophone. Cameron came out wearing a striking silver velvet suit and serenaded us to some programmed beats and synths giving the revitalised 80s sound a nice twist as he waltzed around the stage pulling off some stellar power poses. His dry humour between songs just added an extra element which took us into stand up comedy territory, winning over anyone not so sure about the whole 80s revival.

After a truly enjoyable and amusing set from Cameron, DeMarco and band walked onto the stage along with new bassist Rory McCarthy sporting a fine dress to the comical The Bollock Brothers “Harley David (Son of a Bitch)” song accompanied by images of Kelsey Grammer on the screen above their heads, both of which sum them up quite perfectly and reaffirms this is not a band who take themselves too seriously.

As laidback as his last two albums have been, the songs seem to have taken on a more urgent feel live, maybe this is to add more excitement and energy to the live show but whatever the reason it worked as the jangly guitars and woozy vocals on “The way you Love Her” and “Salad Days” whipped up the crowd into joyous raptures creating a party atmosphere in the room.

With plenty of energy perpetrating throughout the crowd it took to “Another One” to take it down a bit with much of the audience bringing out their lighters and swaying away, even on the down tempo moments they wanted to get involved.

The instrumental of Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ in the Years” took the show into Spinal Tap territory with both guitarists and bassist playing their instruments behind their heads, there are few shows you see people bent double with laughter but last night was one of them, as DeMarco’s infinite charm of this happy-go-lucky, slacker-rock persona managed to convey an intimate and relatable affair for the audience.

Keeping it upbeat, “Freaking out the Neighbourhood” had the jangly guitars and woozy vocals prevalent as usual with DeMarco bringing Molloy from the support back onto stage and asked the audience to help him crowd surf, to which a sea of hands went up and kept him afloat whilst a others in the crowd decided to join in.

Finishing on the relatively slow “Chamber of Reflection” and “Still Together”, the band were joined by Cameron and Molloy as new bass player McCarthy began to thank the band for the tour which then descended into them all hugging and chatting on stage before a theatrical moment saw a few of them collapsing to the floor, no doubt this is a fun tour to be part of, it was certainly a fun one to to witness.

Rockhal – 13.07.16

Iggy Pop – Still full of raw power

The godfather of punk brought his lust for life to Luxembourg for the first time on Monday night and with the casements as his backdrop he couldn’t have picked a better setting than Neimënster Abbey.

It’s 47 years since Iggy Pop rewrote the handbook of rock, introducing the world to punk before they even knew what it was. Still a force to be reckoned with, he has shown no signs of slowing down. His new album “Post Pop Depression” produced by Josh Homme of “Queens Of The Stone Age” is his most accomplished work since his Bowie produced albums “The Idiot” & “Lust for Life” of the mid-70s, with both producers managing to draw out his raw animal energy and existential angst to great effect.

Pop launched out of the traps, with The Stooges tracks “No Fun” and “I Wanna Be Your Dog”, songs most bands would kill to finish on, but with a back catalogue stretching to 1969 he had plenty more up his sleeve, well maybe more like down his trousers as Iggy was, as expected, flaunting his leathery torso and so he should.

His trademark primal energy seems unwavering after all these years as he delved into hits from his mid-70s creative peak with “The Passenger” and “Lust for Life”. With his fist pumping and lunging across the stage it didn’t take long before he made his way down into the pit in front of the crowd flailing his arms around with all his adoring fans.

As well as garage rock and punk there was still the evocative and sleazy grooves of “Nightclubbing” and art funk of “Sister Midnight” which saw Pop prowl over every inch of the stage. Although he might walk with a limp these days he can still make his way around the stage with vigour and looks more comfortable leaping around than he does walking, which pretty much sums him up, there is nothing idle about his performances.

After the encore he came back with a few from “Post Pop Depression” with the punk-funk baseline and shimmering guitars which has more than a touch of Bowie on “Sunday” before “Break Into Your Heart” which certainly has Homme’s fingerprints all over it with the brooding and simmering chunky sound. Since its release Pop has alluded to the new record being his last and if so it’s certainly a fitting departure.

With the night coming to a close there was one last blast of The Stooges with the powerhouse punk of “Search and Destroy” and “Down On The Street”. There are fewer greater sights in rock than the bare torso and long blond hair of Iggy Pop prowling the stage as he contorts his body to every grinding riff and thunderous beat.

Having first seen Pop 15 years ago I wondered how many years he had left with that energy in him, all this time later and I still wonder if anything can slow him down. Clearly drugs and aging hasn’t yet, lets just hope he can make it through 2016 and see if in 15 years time he’ll still have his lust for life, cause he certainly gives us ours.

Neimënster – 11/07/16

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

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

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

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

Weekend highlights

With the unfortunate cancellation of DIIV at Rotondes this Saturday, here are some other shows over the weekend to keep an eye out for.

The Chap are playing newly launched Bar National inside Théâtre National du Luxembourg on Friday night. The Chap lean heavily on the bizarre, with their wonderfully eccentric art pop audio visuals, this should be an exciting evening of synths, strings and hooks.

American jazz, acoustic & blues singer Melody Gardot returned to the limelight with her new album “Currency Of Man” last year. Once more she drew plaudits from critics marveling in her ability to explore new genres, brining in an electric more visceral element which has translated particularly well in the live environment. Head along to Philharmonie this Saturday to see her live.

You can finish off the weekend with some psychedelic garage rock from Meatbodies. Chad Ubovich began ripping up the rock scene in 2011 as guitarist for Mikal Cronin before releasing some well received bedroom recordings on cassette through Ty Segall’s label GOD? Records. With too of the genres leading men showing such support, it wasn’t long before the public took note. Now releasing under the moniker Meatbodies, Ubovich has well and truly set himself up alongside the genres leading men. Check them out at Rotondes this Sunday. 

Scorpions – Rock ‘N’ Roll Forever

Saturday night saw thousands of rock fans pack into Rockhal to celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of Germany’s most enduring hard rock bands, Scorpions.

There are probably only a handful of bands who have sold in excess of 100 million records and are still rocking out half a century after their formation but Scorpions are one of those select few. After an ill fated attempt of retirement back in 2010 the band have been on their 50th anniversary tour for the last year now, whilst at the same time releasing their 18th studio album.

As they took to the stage in front of a near capacity Rockhal, the giant curtain fell revealing an enormous screen stretching the length of the stage and rising around 50ft (15m) high with James Kottak sitting about 15ft (5m) up on his own stage above the band with his drums.

With so many albums under their belt, they have notched up their fair share of hits but it’s reassuring to hear that tracks such as “Going Out with a Bang” from their new album “Return to Forever” held up next to their classics such as “The Zoo” & “Coast to Coast”.

You’d even be forgiven for forgetting that Rudolf Schenker on guitar & Klaus Meine on vocals are 67 as they bounded about the stage like men half their age, running up and down to Kottak’s raised platform as well as perching at the front and holding their best rock poses for their adoring fans. As well as an abundance of energy, Meine’s vocals have lost almost none of its trademark melodic power as he still manages to sit upon the electrifying riffs all these years later.

After starting off at breakneck speed they took a few moments to slow it down, walking to the end of the runway – or ego stage as some call it – to play a few acoustic numbers in “Always Somewhere”, “Eye of the Storm” and classic ballad “Send Me An Angel”. Even in such a vast venue with a huge stage set up they managed to make these moments feel intimate and intense.

Then from nowhere, through the dark you could hear that unmistakable whistle and with that the crowd cheered knowing what was to come. “Wind of Change” was the track that launched the band onto the global scene and as they sang with help from the crowd there were powerful images of the Berlin wall up on the screen, which has become synonymous with the song.

It was then back to no holds barred rock as they delved into the blistering instrumental of “In The Line Of Fire” before the “Kottak Attack” which saw Kottak’s drum riser lift from the stage and hoisted halfway up to the roof of the Rockhal as he took us on a 5 minute drum solo.

After a couple of more riff heavy, hard rocking tracks with “Blackout” & ‘Big City Nights” they returned with the inevitable “Still Loving You” & “Rock You Like a Hurricane” giving us a dose of classic hard rock at its best, with the band still running around the huge stage, posturing and shredding up the chords just as they did in their hayday.
Most bands would be delighted if they still had their energy and enthusiasm after 10 years never mind 50 and if they keep performing like they did last night there could be yet many more years to come, after all as they say, Rock & Roll Forever.

12/3/16 – Rockhal

Navel

Navel from Switzerland are bringing their psychedelic blues rock to Luxembourg’s newest venue De Gudde Wellen, who celebrated their opening night on Wednesday hosting Cosmo Sheldrake from the UK.

Navel have toured extensively since 2007 when they joined Queens of The Stone Age for their German leg of the world tour. Since then they have played SXSW, CMJ in New York and now releasing their fourth studio album. This should be one to catch tonight in such a intimate venue.