Post by markwj on Nov 20, 2007 12:46:55 GMT
Mono, Jesu
The Corporation, Sheffield
15/11/07
Haven’t been to Sheffield for a good 13 or so years, and even then it was for some birthday party out in the suburbs. They do have a lot of good stuff on over here but so do a lot of other cities on the way that means the meandering journey over Snake Pass in the Peak District is a bit much to contemplate. However this date was the closest that fitted in with my free time schedule so went for it. I’ve seen Jesu on a regular enough basis (as you may have noticed) to be incentivised, and also they are now intriguingly a North Wales band of sorts. Justin Broadrick may have previously developed the industrial brutality of Godflesh based upon the depression/oppression of being brought up in sunny Brum, but he has stated that since moving to Abergele the landscape, the ambience has really contributed to the feel that is the key to how he writes his music. Mind you, having lived here most of my life it hasn’t mellowed my lust for industrial noisecore but there you go. Didn’t know much about Mono beyond they were Japanese experimentalists and from experiences of their compatriots bands that have been over here, thought this at least guaranteed something interesting.
The cross country part was relatively easy, until missed the turn I was meant to take and ended up circling the city. Should have paid more attention to Steve Syncs recent similar problems there! Had plenty of time though, after abandoning the car somewhere resembling the city centre, only had to ask a couple of people to find the venue no worries. Doors weren’t open so went off to get some food, and as this life on the road and takeaway food has been playing havoc with my baby-faced complexion treated myself at The Cutler near the Kasbah does a good and reasonable paella.
The Corporation is an excellent straightforward venue, big hall, big stage, good sound and lights. The show-times flyer revealed no local supports so it was just the “joint headliners”, though Jesu are always on first. Guess their relative statuses are similar, and maybe it’s in consideration of a joint that Jesu want to get finished early. Purchase their (scenes of decaying Rhyl) “Pale Sketches” album, not sure the Wales Tourist Board will appreciate Mr Broadrick’s (self photographed) advertising efforts.
At first, I think this is going to be another low attendance, but in the time it takes them on coming out to get everything in running order, the crowd present has doubled to a good 150+. After a “Good evening” with a massive delay echo, there’s “we’re Jesu” with none, which raises a little general chuckle but then press play on the iMac, the briefest of intros of the overlaid beats and tones before boom, the avalanche is unleashed. Starting off with “Stanlow” (another familiar landmark for those of us escaping North Wales!) it’s all steady, paced riffs, but delivered at a massive, reverberating sound level.
Ted Parsons on the drums is not about speed either, sparse but precise power is what makes him a legend, Diarmuid on bass is also as measured, laid back. What they create from these simple roots though is ruled by melody though, added to with layers of tones and drones, subtle percussion, Justin’s vocals (not a strong point admittedly) also a gentle harmony in the mix.
And at the heart and heartfelt of it all is the showcase for his guitar skills, not in a clichéd twiddly solo sense but in masterful control of effects, notes looping off, chords ringing on. His wavering feedback at the conclusion of some numbers blurs the line between this and his ambient work as Final but it’s all good. They finish with a personal favourite of mine “Friends are Evil”, the classic Jesu drifting waves of riffs bookended by something much harsher and, well, Godfleshy!
There’s quite a protracted change over given both bands arrays of extra equipment, but with a billowing of smoke onto the stage Mono take their seats (!) and begin. All very subtle, the gentlest of guitar picking harmonies between the two guitarists, minimal bass vibes, the drummer using beaters to draw out shimmers from his cymbals. Hmmm, at this stage doubts are setting in that this is going to be at all interesting, but ever so gradually, ever so certainly, things start building in intensity. And building, and building, till ultimately the noise is gargantuan. This is an amazing exercise in post-rock instrumental classicism, how these stirring epics are constructed of so many subtly shifting layers until they reach the climatic, reverberating peaks, only to drop off again into starkly contrasting, minimal and delicate interludes. The drummer reaches incredible levels of tribal thunder, issuing at beating that rivals even his predecessor tonight. The guitarists are thrashing, even while sitting, and the lady bassist whips her thin figure to and fro as if swashed by the waves of sound.
While for the next song they stand, for another the bassist and drummer come to the side of the stage to provide some piano and drone elements, the same formula is applied throughout their set. Not sure I really distinguish much difference between the bulk of the tunes, but some of the more fervent here recognise from the first notes of intros, there’s almost a reverential atmosphere at times as people sway with their eyes closed in front of the sonic experience. While the control of the musicians seems absolute and detailed even at the height of their explosiveness, surely they reach their ultimate level with a 10-15 minute culmination of this soundscape journey, a reverberating white noise catharsis featuring all manner of guitar feedback extraction while the drummer sits with head bowed, the bassist stock still in front of her stack.
And yet it’s not the end, even from this apocalypse beautiful tiny shoots of melody rise again and the evolution begins once more. This could go on for ever so I drift off into the night before I drift off altogether. A smaller dose would have suited me but then maybe the more you get the more you need. This musical drug certainly was an emotional rollercoaster, a bit like the one in Rhyl featured on Pales Sketches…
The Corporation, Sheffield
15/11/07
Haven’t been to Sheffield for a good 13 or so years, and even then it was for some birthday party out in the suburbs. They do have a lot of good stuff on over here but so do a lot of other cities on the way that means the meandering journey over Snake Pass in the Peak District is a bit much to contemplate. However this date was the closest that fitted in with my free time schedule so went for it. I’ve seen Jesu on a regular enough basis (as you may have noticed) to be incentivised, and also they are now intriguingly a North Wales band of sorts. Justin Broadrick may have previously developed the industrial brutality of Godflesh based upon the depression/oppression of being brought up in sunny Brum, but he has stated that since moving to Abergele the landscape, the ambience has really contributed to the feel that is the key to how he writes his music. Mind you, having lived here most of my life it hasn’t mellowed my lust for industrial noisecore but there you go. Didn’t know much about Mono beyond they were Japanese experimentalists and from experiences of their compatriots bands that have been over here, thought this at least guaranteed something interesting.
The cross country part was relatively easy, until missed the turn I was meant to take and ended up circling the city. Should have paid more attention to Steve Syncs recent similar problems there! Had plenty of time though, after abandoning the car somewhere resembling the city centre, only had to ask a couple of people to find the venue no worries. Doors weren’t open so went off to get some food, and as this life on the road and takeaway food has been playing havoc with my baby-faced complexion treated myself at The Cutler near the Kasbah does a good and reasonable paella.
The Corporation is an excellent straightforward venue, big hall, big stage, good sound and lights. The show-times flyer revealed no local supports so it was just the “joint headliners”, though Jesu are always on first. Guess their relative statuses are similar, and maybe it’s in consideration of a joint that Jesu want to get finished early. Purchase their (scenes of decaying Rhyl) “Pale Sketches” album, not sure the Wales Tourist Board will appreciate Mr Broadrick’s (self photographed) advertising efforts.
At first, I think this is going to be another low attendance, but in the time it takes them on coming out to get everything in running order, the crowd present has doubled to a good 150+. After a “Good evening” with a massive delay echo, there’s “we’re Jesu” with none, which raises a little general chuckle but then press play on the iMac, the briefest of intros of the overlaid beats and tones before boom, the avalanche is unleashed. Starting off with “Stanlow” (another familiar landmark for those of us escaping North Wales!) it’s all steady, paced riffs, but delivered at a massive, reverberating sound level.
Ted Parsons on the drums is not about speed either, sparse but precise power is what makes him a legend, Diarmuid on bass is also as measured, laid back. What they create from these simple roots though is ruled by melody though, added to with layers of tones and drones, subtle percussion, Justin’s vocals (not a strong point admittedly) also a gentle harmony in the mix.
And at the heart and heartfelt of it all is the showcase for his guitar skills, not in a clichéd twiddly solo sense but in masterful control of effects, notes looping off, chords ringing on. His wavering feedback at the conclusion of some numbers blurs the line between this and his ambient work as Final but it’s all good. They finish with a personal favourite of mine “Friends are Evil”, the classic Jesu drifting waves of riffs bookended by something much harsher and, well, Godfleshy!
There’s quite a protracted change over given both bands arrays of extra equipment, but with a billowing of smoke onto the stage Mono take their seats (!) and begin. All very subtle, the gentlest of guitar picking harmonies between the two guitarists, minimal bass vibes, the drummer using beaters to draw out shimmers from his cymbals. Hmmm, at this stage doubts are setting in that this is going to be at all interesting, but ever so gradually, ever so certainly, things start building in intensity. And building, and building, till ultimately the noise is gargantuan. This is an amazing exercise in post-rock instrumental classicism, how these stirring epics are constructed of so many subtly shifting layers until they reach the climatic, reverberating peaks, only to drop off again into starkly contrasting, minimal and delicate interludes. The drummer reaches incredible levels of tribal thunder, issuing at beating that rivals even his predecessor tonight. The guitarists are thrashing, even while sitting, and the lady bassist whips her thin figure to and fro as if swashed by the waves of sound.
While for the next song they stand, for another the bassist and drummer come to the side of the stage to provide some piano and drone elements, the same formula is applied throughout their set. Not sure I really distinguish much difference between the bulk of the tunes, but some of the more fervent here recognise from the first notes of intros, there’s almost a reverential atmosphere at times as people sway with their eyes closed in front of the sonic experience. While the control of the musicians seems absolute and detailed even at the height of their explosiveness, surely they reach their ultimate level with a 10-15 minute culmination of this soundscape journey, a reverberating white noise catharsis featuring all manner of guitar feedback extraction while the drummer sits with head bowed, the bassist stock still in front of her stack.
And yet it’s not the end, even from this apocalypse beautiful tiny shoots of melody rise again and the evolution begins once more. This could go on for ever so I drift off into the night before I drift off altogether. A smaller dose would have suited me but then maybe the more you get the more you need. This musical drug certainly was an emotional rollercoaster, a bit like the one in Rhyl featured on Pales Sketches…