Blog — Page 247 of 281

Deftones

Hordern Pavilion

Sydney, AUS

November 12, 2016

The ever evolving entity known as “Deftones” has been largely intact for close to three decades and is heralded as one of the most experimental groups to have come from the alternative metal music scene, with their sound having been tagged with a myriad of labels:

From “nu metal” at the beginning of their career via “metal gaze” when they incorporated dream pop into their Northern California alt-metal to “space rock” with their musical style further diversifying over the years.

Whatever the label du jour may be, although firmly rooted in metal, Deftones have always been a multi-dimensional band based on their actively entertained beautiful / brutal dualism, which is enhanced by Moreno’s ambiguous, raw yet emotional approach to song writing, adding moody textures with his ethereal and melodramatic vocal delivery.

Throughout the years, live incarnations have at times been a mixed bag depending on the daily form, inner band tensions and other factors, but tonight’s show did not disappoint and cemented the Deftones as one of the more exciting bands:

While throwing in classics, the expansive set list spanning tracks from all eras of their eight album catalogues, including a focus on their most recent effort Gore, proved their longevity and presented a fresh feel. Their core sound might have solidified around their eponymous release White Pony, but they never ceased to experiment and grow, which paid dividends as 28 years into their career, the Deftones are a benchmark in a live context, reinforcing their relevance without needing to rely on riding waves of nostalgia.

Once the photographers exited the front of the stage, Moreno launched himself into the nearly sold-out crowd giving the show a layer of intimacy, leaving the stage to his worthy constituents sonically oscillating between their trademarked guitar chugging and serene melodic interludes, while being framed by a seizure inducing light show added to the sensory overload and overall ambience.

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Photos by KAVV

Made Fashion show

Carriageworks

Sydney, AUS

November 11-13, 2016

In essence MADE is a community and creative hub that originated in New York City. It was incarnated with guidance and oversight from the mayor’s office and lives within the city’s Economic Development Corporation.

In collaboration with the private sector: it develops, creates and implements a wide array of specific programs to bring together players from the realms of fashion design, manufacturing and education, based on principles of transparency, sustainability, ethical practices and local consumption. The community set out to raise awareness not just about looking pretty but also of the social, environmental and economic benefits that are “made” (see what I did there?) locally.

The Sydney incarnation of MADE was comprised of a 2-day festival celebrating the cross-section of fashion and skateboarding with fashion events, skate events and a range of retail pop-up shops, many of them having made the trek to terra australis for the first time:

Faith Connexion brought their androgyne, art infused collections. Mademe catered to girls gravitating towards skate couture, Sydney DJ collective Pelvis exhibited their prints, Pageant bid aesthetic nods to sportswear while advocating a fresh take on feminism; the Danish street wear brand Soulland brought head- and outerwear to the table; Distal Phalanx stirred things up a bit with their black metal inspired logo and collection; Emma Mulholland sold exclusively selected pieces from her latest collection; Lithuanian born and Sydney-based Egyboy wore his influences on his sleeves with often explicitly quoting and signifying the likes of Jeff Koons, Karl Lagerfeld and Warhol; Double Rainbouu leaned heavily on the laid-back, trippy side of things and Melbournian jewellery label POMS showed their unique collection of bling and sunglasses.

DJ Sets serenaded the proceedings, which were rounded out by fashion shows, skate competitions along with sustenance and drinks from a range of food trucks, which made for an enjoyable, relaxed weekend for which contemporary multi-arts centre and heritage listed Carriageworks site as usual served as a perfect location.

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Photos by KAVV

Destroyer 666

Max Watts

Sydney, AUS

November 5, 2016

Max Watts, the name of the venue of tonight’s black and thrash metal proceedings, is a play of the term “maximum wattage,” which seemed appropriate given that Destroyer 666 were holding court.

It was a homecoming or sorts as the band was founded in 1994 in Melbourne after the band’s guitarist’s departure from Bestial Warlust and then eventually relocated to Europa in 2001, followed by extensive touring and firmly establishing their presence in the old world.

Touring on the back of their most recent album Wildfire, Destroyer 666 delivered: Their own brand of blackened, dirty and thrash metal infused with a healthy dose of early Motorhead, and dare I say gruff punk swagger and attitude along with nods to Killers’ era Iron Maiden adds anthemic qualities to their songs, while never taking the foot of the pedal.

The transition from listening to their songs and experiencing them in a live environment is seamless and their commanding stage presence based on sing-along choruses, frantic riffage and all-out thrashers is a natural extension of their aesthetic.

It is Destroyer 666’s knack of transcending genres, incorporating lyrical themes of lycanthropy and nihilism along and taking the audience from thrash assaults to more epic moments In a coherent, engaging manner that many of their contemporaries lack. Underground metal aficionados would be hard pressed to not enjoy Destroyer 666’s live incarnations.

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Photos by T

Dandy Warhols

Luna Park

Sydney, AUS

November 4, 2016

“Detached garage rock cool with effervescent pop melodies” sounds like a pretty astute description of the Dandy Warhols’ sound.

Touring Australia on the back of their recently released album Distortland, the set list did not only include next songs of the aforementioned emission but also the crowd pleasers from the 1990s and the odd deep cut from their eight album catalogue.

What makes the Dandy Warhols a pleasant experience to see in the third dimension is that their most simple, repetitive tunes blossom and bloom in the spaced-out, hazy live environment they create with minimal distraction from the vibes they emit.

If you have lost them out of your sights since their chart topping days and major TV advertising for a British multinational telecommunications company, it was an evening that reinforced that the band has continued to write and release quality music, with an added quality of middle age angst and the ambiguity of going after yet having benefited from the bourgeoisie in equal measures, not excluding themselves from judgment.

The set not being executed flawlessly added charm to the band effortlessly weaving their tapestry from melancholical love songs to upbeat material from their heyday in the late 1990s and 00s.

Taylor-Taylor’s reverb laden, moody and often hushed trademark vocals shine not only when one of their hits “Every day should be a holiday” is stripped down to a solo effort only accompanied by his wailing guitar. Big rock gesture is not his thing and revving up the willing crowd is almost entirely shouldered Zia McCabe with her metronomic tambourine bashing.

Playing as many songs from their new and recent albums as their tried and tested hits, the gig cemented Dandy Warhols’ status as a highly consistent band that has created its own only while avoiding to become its own tribute band.

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Photos by KAVV

Katatonia @ Shepherd's Bush Empire

w/ VOLA, Agent Fresco

Emotion is the name of the game tonight, with Sweden’s Katatonia bringing their resonant doom to the London masses not once, but twice in one evening – they’ll start with a complete run through of 2006s The Great Cold Distance, and finish with a set spanning their entire career. The choices for songs are myriad, so the excitement for what may happen is felt keenly throughout the beautiful venue.

First (we miss the opening band, VOLA, due to real life commitments), Agent Fresco showcase that they too, run on emotion. The Icelandic quartet are visibly moved by the audience’s reaction throughout the set and frontman Arno?r Dan Arnarson bounds across his stage with a defiant energy. Speaking from the heart each time he addresses the crowd, Arnarson puts his absolute all into a performance that garners the band many a new fan tonight. Agent Fresco’s sound is difficult to pin down but at its core it’s progressive rock with heightened outbursts of hope. Keyboards are used to dissonant effect and vocals are gorgeous – with a couple of tracks going completely off kilter and into more blackened territory. It certainly keeps their time on stage interesting and this group are definitely ones to watch.

Katatonia choosing to mark an anniversary in London is not something new – they also did the same in 2011 to celebrate ten years of Last Fair Deal Gone Down (London is a lucky city) and tonight they promise to play songs from across their entire career, also. Coming on to the reddened stage, the Swede’s begin on “Leaders” and rapturous applause. Vocalist Jonas Renkse is still a shy performer, despite fronting this band for over twenty years, and chooses to hide behind his hair for the majority of the evening. Still, his passion shows through a voice that melts in the air and carries over the formidable crowd that packs this venue.

The Great Cold Distance may be ten years old, but the songs tonight sound fresh and important and while a few tracks are often aired as part of a “normal” Katatonia set, it’s a joy to hear many others and for a lot of people here tonight, it’s the first time they’ve been heard live at all. “My Twin” is luxurious and heavy while “July” falls through a delicate aura. The first hour flies by and soon we are waiting for the band to come back to play what they promise will be an exciting second set. There’s a buzz in the air and conversations turn to what we may hear as the evening progresses.

“Last Song Before the Fade” from this years The Fall of Hearts kickstarts the second hour and “Teargas” from Last Fair Deal Gone Down prompts wild applause. Katatonia hold true to their promise and we are blessed with at least one song per record they’ve released. We’re taken back to Viva Emptiness with a delirious rendition of “Evidence,” while Brave Murder Day is remembered with “Day,” a song that has only just reached double digits in terms of how many times it’s been heard live. The band were excellent in the first half of their performance, but the second hour sees them reach an entirely new level of heavy. The songs sound huge, the drums are on fire and the guitars spill out riffs without a second thought. It's truly astounding to see a band, having been together for so long (there's been a few moves but the core remains), having fun and being so passionate about their presentation. 

Each track is met with delighted approval and "Leathen" from 2012s stunning Dead End Kings swirls ever upwards before we move further back in time, Katatonia finally reach their debut and with Renkse still using his dark hair as a cloak, he mumbles something about growling and a song they haven’t played live in twenty years. “Gateways of Bereavement” from Dance of December Souls (1993) is immense and Renkse uses a part of his voice that we don’t hear enough of in nowadays Katatonia – although with music so emotionally charged and weighty, it’s not always required. It’s truly a special moment and one that will not be forgotten by those lucky enough to be here. “Ghost of the Sun” closes out the show and as the crowds forlornly leave, finally giving up hope that Katatonia may come back for more, the cold October air receives their breathless praise.