24.07.2008 - Kantine - CINEMA STRANGE, RIGNA FOLK
Concert has happened in the Augsburger Kantine.
RIGNA FOLK
This evening CINEMA STRANGE was playing in Augsburg, and for weeks I was excited about this. Of course I started my journey to Augsburg to late, forgot my money and my camera. I turned back, but only took my camera with me - don't ask me why. It was a so called 'Early Concert' - that means it started at 20.30 (exactly) and should end roundabout 22.30, cause then a party should start at the same room. Only two bands could be seen at the show, of course CINEMA STRANGE and a young band called RIGNA FOLK from Ulm which is a city near Augsburg.
At 22.40 RIGNA FOLK entered the stage The logo and the description of that
band let me think of an atmospheric rockband which maybe is a bit unknown
to the scene, but I was wrong at least with that description. Instead of fascinating
atmosphere or some rock'n'roll that band delivered rock music which wasn't really cool.
Sniveller Rock, I would call this. There was no movement on stage and that was very
uncool too. Vocalist Viktor was grouching sometimes about the loudness of the monitor boxes,
sometimes he told us that he was switching guitars. Sometimes he tried to motivate
with shaky announcements like "we hope that the dark audience likes our music". Well.
His voice also isn't very impressing, everything was very nasally and without pressure. He
just had no musical self-awareness. He just had self-awareness of himself.
Watching synth-player Christy, you could see that she moved to the music - in a radion
of 5 degress round her micros. Was it some kind of dance?
She starred in emptiness in a very emotional way and I always had a feeling that
I missed something, what I coudn't see. However, in fact there is some good to say about
the band. Bassplayer and Drummer Sascha and Paddy did a very good job and
have lots of groove in their veins. They were without movement aswell, but the knew
what Rock'n'Roll means, i guess. The rest of the band should listen to some overdose
of Motörhead. Better: give em Motörhead intravenous.
My recommendation for the future: less sniveller rock, doing less music for other, make
it more for yourself, and hey, put more pressure on the voice. Oh yes, and move, for gods sake, MOVE!
And accept bookings only for shows to which the band fits. I mean, that band would have
declined a show as a support for SLAYER, would they? i hope so.
After some punks were sitting directly at the stage (with their back to the band), the gig doesn't take much time anymore. The booker of the musikkantine, who is a great supporter of the underground scene and likes lots of oldschool music, told me that this gig will be great. I could imagine. It was a short break then CINEMA STRANGE finally entered stage.
CINEMA STRANGE
Who knows the CDs of that band my expect and extroverted and exotic appearance. Its true, CINEMA STRANGE is
unique. I don't want to write this text with the rules of an author - I just want to tell you that this was the
greatest gig I saw this year, including all gigs at the Wave Gotik Treffen 2008.
The only similar I ever saw was the SCARY BITCHES gig bevor years, and I don't know which one was cooler.
CINEMA STRANGE is allready wellknown to the scene as the head of batcave, but in my opinion they should
be more famous than they are now, cause they stepped about the line of cult and define own yardsticks now.
Michael is guitarplayer, daniel plays bass and lucas is the vocalist. Nothing more on stage. These guys
have a snythesizer on stage, which has to be used in a very manual way, which makes that computer very unique. Seldom you can hear so much groove from a machine. Rythms which makes you dance, hypnotic songs and scary and creepy atmosphere which makes you shiver! It was ein weird night, and who was standing in front of Lucas, who seemed to dream sometimes or simply seemed to be insane, telling you of eerie happenings and spooky beeings, simply couldn't escape. You was catched by that music.
Gestures, grimaces, movements, theatre. That is what Lucas makes one of the most incredible live musicians.
When he start to describe boxes or other things with pantomime one doesn't ask about the mental health of Lucas.
You start to ask if you are insane yourself! He does this such an empathic way that you have doubts about your eyes.
I was surprised that the effect was bigger when i figured out, that this band consists of people who have fun with their task. The laught, sometimes smoked a visitors cigarette, accepted boozes with a friendly smile. The were near to the audience, you felt it. Well, insanity connects us all.
The incredible music has been played very perfect. Bassist Daniel has impressed me much (I am bass fetishist as you may know). He plays at high regions with a 5-string bass. His fingers work is very impressing. Who thinks that CINEMA STRANGE songs are simple, should keep an eye on the bass lines of that band. Wonderful!
Of course the other two musicians aren't bader. It's no problem for Michael to play a puppet, steered by Lucas. He wags, then he lays down on earth, dying. No problem at all, who needs to stop playing?
The incredible self awareness must be described. Only short time after the show started, Lucas micro has been damaged and no voices could be heared anymore. Other bands would have stopped the song ("hej, my micro is damaged!"). But not CINEMA STRANGE. Lucas pulled out the cable of the micro, showed it to the mixer and the audience - and sang again! You couldn't hear anything, but he didn't care! All gestures, grimases - everything there, just mute. The effect was temendous! It was spooky, like beeing deaf, trapped in the world of harmonies, cut of words. The audience was delighted by this!
I could tell you lots more! For days i heard the songs in my head, saw the movements, felt the emotional waves this band created. My camera has been filled up with images like a camcorder. This concert was a revelation. Thanks to the Kantine who agreed in taking the risk and invite these guys. Every concert is a risk and this evening there were way to less people here. Music of this kind isn't played very often in Augsburg. This year there are a few events like this and I really hope that there will be a lot more people. If the gothics stay in their coffins its just a question of time till the concerts are ceased and Augsburg returns into in uncreative old city.
Further reading
http://www.cinemastrange.de/
http://www.myspace.com/cinemastrange
http://www.myspace.com/rignafolk
Wave Gotik Treffen 2009, Leipzig