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

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

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

Mariah Carey – proves her diva credentials once more

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

26.3.16 Rockhal

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

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis – Turned the Rockhal into one big party

Finally returning to Luxembourg after their triumphant show at Rock-A-Field back in 2013, hip hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis kicked off their World tour on Tuesday night at Rockhal.

Since breaking onto the scene in 2012 with their multi-platinum self-released debut album “The Heist”, Seattle hip hop duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis have continued to churn out hit single after hit single and with the release of their new album “This Unruly Mess I’ve Made” that pattern looks set to continue.

Support came from 19-year-old Raury who has been hyped up by the blogosphere over the last few years, courting collaborations with Lorde, featuring on SBTRKT tracks as well as gaining the services of Tom Morello on his debut album. However, it’s live where he stands out, with his abundance of energy and charisma, he delivered his own mix of soul, hip hop & folk. He’ll surely be coming back for his own headline show in the not so distant future.

Then it was time for the main event and as the lights lowered, the stage rose from the depths of the Rockhal to reveal the band including a string quartet and brass section with Macklemore taking up point on the extended stage, whilst Lewis was content on his own riser at the back with his decks as they launched into “Light Tunnels”, the opener from the new album.

Then with Macklemore & Lewis appearing with their finest oversized fur coats it was apparent they were about to drop “Thrift Shop”. This of course got the first big sing along of the evening with the crowd dancing away and laughing along to the comedy hip hop. It is testament to the number of hit singles they have that they can give us such a huge hit so early on and not worry about the lack of a big finale.

Since their debut album they have become the hip hop act the whole family can enjoy, as they not only take on comedy but tackle more socially responsible topics including their assault on our consumerist ideals with “Wing$” before delving into gay rights in “Same Love” whilst condemning the homophobia which is so prevalent in hip hop.

All this before Macklemore turned onto his own guilt with their success on the back of black culture on “White Privilege II” where the stage show was rained back, only keeping a solitary spot light on Macklemore as he delivered his vocal barrage. These more reflective moments took the night to a different place but still managed to keep proceedings upbeat which is no mean feat when tackling such issues.

But it didn’t take long before the unashamed fun was back with the light hearted & playful “Let’s Eat” as Macklemore sat at a dinner table to deliver this one before launching some brownies into the crowd, lets just hope they were all above board as there were some youngsters in the audience.

From then on it was relentless party mode with “Can’t Hold Us” seeing Macklemore climbing into the buoyant crowd before finishing on their new hit “Downtown” which encapsulates everything the duo are about: joy, energy and exuberance. Eric Nally even joined them on stage for a short but effective cameo with his own infectious stage presence.

As people began to filter out of the Rockhal all you could see was broad smiles and hear laughter through the humming of “Downtown”, even as I type I can still hear the screams of the chorus from Nally reverberate in my head. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis certainly know how to deliver a show of sheer joy and it’s no wonder their fans are so loyal and cry from the rafters that you have to see them live.

8/3/16  -Rockhal

Ellie Goulding – A lack of connection leaves you feeling cold

Ellie Goulding’s rise to global status was well and truly confirmed last year, so it was of no surprise that she packed 5000 fans of all ages into Rockhal on Monday night.

Since scoring her first UK No 1 back in 2013 with “Burn” Goulding has been on an upward trajectory, evolving her sound through each album, leaving behind the folk tinged past of “Lights” to take on the bigger beats of EDM on her second album “Halcyon”.

For her third album “Delirium” she went full on pop and for best results for that these days there is only one man to turn to, the hit factory Max Martin. The new album has become her most widely acclaimed to date and produced the worldwide smash hit “Love Me Like You Do”, which broke streaming records for first week plays, went No1 in 70 countries and has already notching up over 1billion views on YouTube.

With numbers like that come big shows and grand stage sets, last night was no different with a sloped stage and large horizontal screens flanking either side of the stage, the audience could see every inch, which was great for the small kids who made up a good number of the crowd.

As the enormous curtains fell the show began, the band slowly building up with the intro from “Delirium” before Goulding joined them as they launched into full on pop of “Afterlife”, with Goulding’s vocals piercing through and reminding everyone just why she has hit such high levels of success.

As she knocked out a few of the soaring electro pop tracks it was evident that the crowd was a bit subdued, with Goulding remarking that they seem a bit shy, so asked them to dance with her on “Something in The Way You Move”. Although that got the crowd going for a moment there was a disconnect from her and the crowd all night, with not much warmth or interaction coming from the stage. That’s not to say she wasn’t jumping around and giving it her all and sounding on top form, but there was a real lack of connection and even conviction.

The Calvin Harris collaboration “Outside” with its EDM beat got the crowd moving a bit once more but it wasn’t to last too long. Though one of the more unashamed bubblegum pop tracks “Around U” proved a highlight before acoustic version of “Devotion” took us back to her folksier roots.

With the change in sounds there was change of costumes, all of which was a bit contrived as the move to 80s dance with “Keep On Dancin’” inspired a brightly coloured jumpsuit before the ballad of “Explosions” had her take to a flowing white gown. Then a leather jacket appeared as she took to the electric guitar to rock out for a moment. It all became a bit predictable, following well worn formulas.

One of her few interactions with the crowd was to ask them to put away their phones and live in the moment for “Burn” and that they did, singing away with all their hands in the air.

It was left to “Anything Could Happen” & the smash hit “Love Me Like You Do” to finish up proceedings and although they of course got the sing along you might have been expecting all night it was hard not to leave feeling a little cold from the performance.

You couldn’t fault Goulding’s vocals or the band but the show as a whole lacked a spark, maybe she couldn’t get anything from the crowd or she was having an off night but I went home feeling she had just gone through the motions.

29/2/16 – Rockhal

 

Charlie Cunningham – A rich & delicate marriage of cultures

English singer-songwriter Charlie Cunningham started his two-week European tour last night at Rockhal’s Floor, a stage for the up and coming acts of today.

With the release of his third EP “Heights” in as many years, Cunningham is certainly riding a wave of momentum at the moment, with support coming from major radio and blogs. Having toured Europe already with the likes of King Creosote, Mighty Oakes and more recently Rodriguez, which included a performance at the Royal Albert Hall, I think it’s safe to say he has conquered any stage fright he had at the very early stages of his career.

First up was local act Josh Oudendijk who has been enjoying some momentum of his own lately after his idea to write a song for Celine Dion was picked up by local media, resulting in Josh being invited to sing on TV for Live Planet People on RTL. It was a modest crowd that welcomed the young musician but that didn’t hamper him, his confidence and stage chat won them over immediately and put everyone at ease. The clarity in his vocals complimented his sharp acoustic folk sound, whilst he leaned towards a bluesier groove once he switched to electric guitar. He even managed to get crowd participation going as he handed out egg shakers to the audience to keep the beat through the chorus of his final track “Nylon”. Oudendijk is certainly one to keep your eye on in the future.

Opening with the title track off his debut EP “Outside Things” Cunningham’s Spanish influence in his music was evident from the first pick of the guitar. The flamenco flair of his guitar style instantly sets Cunningham apart from the raft of solo singer-songwriters out there. And with the crowd all sitting and even lying on the floor, the evening took on an intimate singer-songwriter feel with a hushed appreciative silence throughout.

His two years in Seville where he perfected his fingerpicking and guitar percussion was clearly time well spent. There is a minimalist feel to his sound that allows for the technique to shine through without overpowering the melody, giving it the space to take hold and drive the songs.

With each release you can hear the subtle changes in his style and layering of his sound which is adding to the overall aura. The title track “Breather” from his second EP once again saw him lightly strum and slap the strings, whilst the vocals painted the picture.

He even serenaded us with a more traditional Spanish track before working in “Plans”, showing us the progression in which his music has taken over the years. Cunningham has taken the elements from the two cultures and married them together to create his own niche which created an intriguing and rewarding musical journey for all.

It’s interesting that the more traditional folk structure of “Lights Off” clearly has a familiarity which resonates with the audience as it’s his biggest hit to date and gets the camera phones out from the audience.

With his new EP “Heights” out on April 8 and his debut album out later this year, there will be plenty of new material coming soon for his fans to enjoy. What will be the most rewarding though will be hearing how his sound continues to open and evolve over this time. Hopefully by the time he is touring the album venues this size will be full.

23/2/16 @ Rockhal – Floor

Skunk Anansie – As electrifying and captivating as ever

Supporting the release of their sixth studio album “Anarchytecture”, Skunk Anansie pulled into Rockhal on Thursday night as part of their first European tour in three years.

A 90s favourite, Skunk Anansie decided to go their separate ways back in 2001 before reforming 8 years later. Since then they haven’t looked back, releasing three albums in the last six years with their latest “Anarchytecture” taking the band on a more electronic direction.

When some bands reunite you get that feeling that the spark has gone and it’s really just a pay cheque to them but that couldn’t be further from the truth with Skunk Anansie. When they took to the stage last night you’d be forgiven in thinking it was the 90s once more.

Frontwoman Skin bounded onto the stage in her black and blue jumpsuit and kicked straight into the fitting “Tear The Place Up”, from the off she got the crowd jumping around to their arresting punk rock. They barely let up throughout the night as they launched into “I Believe In You” with Skin covering every inch of the stage with her boundless energy, as her magnetic stage presence coerced the crowd into singing along all night.
The only moment they reined it back was on “Death to The Lovers” from the new album, a delicate yet emotionally charged rock ballad.

It didn’t take long before they were back at full throttle as Skin whipped the crowd into a frenzy once more before she launched herself into the audience, crowd surfing her way to the middle of the Rockhal whilst still blaring out “Twisted (Everyday Hurts)” with her powerful and sharp vocals as she had all night.

She capitalised on the fervent audience once more on “Weak” as this time she crawled onto the crowd before rising triumphantly to stand aloft. If this wasn’t already a fan favourite, having Skin sing it on top of the crowd soon made it one.

As well as the old hits, it was noticeable just how well received new tracks such as “Love Someone Else” & “Bullets” were. They may be lacking in the aggression of older hits but they certainly don’t lack the intensity and when they are delivered by a frontwoman as exceptional as Skin then it elevates everything coming off the stage.

They ended the set with the raucous climax of “Charlie Big Potato” mixing their love of heavy riffs and electro, which was a fitting finish to a full throttle evening.

The band retuned to the stage for the encore to announce that yesterday was the 22nd anniversary of the band, to which the crowd began to sing a suspect version of Happy Birthday.

Then they launched into three tracks from their first two albums, “100 Ways to Be A Good Girl”, “Hedonism” and where it all began, their first single back in 94 “Little Baby Swastikka”.

All of which still prove that 20 years on Skunk Anansie continue to be just as seductive and full of passion as ever, if they keep going with this intensity they will be drawing crowds back for many more years to come.

11/2/16 – Rockhal

Massive Attack – Visually and politically charged

Having just released their first new material in 6 years, Tuesday night saw the return of 90s trip hop stalwarts Massive Attack to the Rockhal.

With their new EP “Ritual Spirit” out last month, Massive Attack are back collaborating with fellow Bristolian & trip hop artist Tricky for the first time since 1994, as well as Roots Manuva, Azekel and last night’s support act Young Fathers.

The genre defying Young Fathers who won the prestigious Mercury Music prize back in 2014 haven’t rested on their laurels or decided to chase a newfound audience. The Edinburgh trio have continued down the path of experimental and socially aware music. This strategy might not see them find fame and fortune but when they deliver with the verve as they did last night you can be sure they get people talking.

Their erratic and abrasive style might come as a bit unsettling to some, as there is no flow to their set but it’s this approach that sets them apart. Each one of the trio oozes their very own style and delivery whilst still functioning as one intense, honest and cohesive unit.

The stripped back and raw set up of Young Fathers is of some contrast to the plethora of activity on stage for Massive Attack. Gone are the days of a couple of turntables and a mic. It’s now two drum kits, synths, keyboards, bass, guitar and what else they could fit on stage. All of that in front of huge blindingly bright screens, creating the visual backdrop for the evening.

The early shifting between upbeat electro to the more meandering downbeat trip hop made for a slight uneasy flow to proceedings. Even to the extent you found yourself tuning out of the music and focusing on visuals which in themselves were not spectacular just poignant messages and facts about the recent refugee crisis scrolling across the back of the stage.

The title track off the new EP “Ritual Spirit” got an outing with the dulcet falsetto tones of Azekel taking on vocal duties. Over their years they have had a rich host of guest vocalists and last night Martina Topley-Bird took on the majority of the set, most notably the ever-sensual “Teardrop” followed straight after by the hauntingly dark and creepy intro to “Angel”.

For the encore Young Fathers were back on stage to unveil their collaborative effort with Massive Attack, with the expansive and ominous “Voodoo In My Blood”.

Then whilst the band cleared the stage for another encore the screens were filled with more harrowing statistics and visuals of refugees huddled on overcrowded boats. The images so bright they burned into your retinas for a moment leaving you to think and picture the horror that bit longer. All this before an appeal to donate to UNHCR , all very moving and poignant.

So much so it seemed a bit odd when they returned to the stage for the epic and grand “Unfinished Sympathy” after such strong imagery, it seemed a slight juxtaposition.

09/02/16 – Rockhal