It was Monday morning, after our walk along the promenade at Brighton beach. There were many seagulls flying on the bright blue sky when suddenly a sandy-coloured fog materialised as a filter in front of the sun. The temperature changed as the sun became a clear red dot that we observed without any eye-protection. I guess that by then Gary Numan’s tour busses had to have arrived at the Brighton Dome, the venue for…
Read MoreAuthor: Bas Mercx
Review concert Gary Numan: Pioneer Of British Electronic Music at Exhibition Centre Liverpool 27-07-2017
If you ask me, I would guess that tonight, when Gary Numan was presenting his new songs for the very first time, he was just as eager to perform them as the fans were wanting to hear them. The first time is always special, isn’t it? The pledge campaign which has accompanied the making of the new album had already raised the veil a little bit, just like the post-apocalyptic video for the…
Read MoreInterview with Johan van Mulken, the man behind the Downhill festival
According to Johan van Mulken, the qualities which are crucial to organise a festival like the Downhill festival are being stubborn and passionate, having many many years of experience and a large network, being ready to take a risk, having some self-confidence, and being capable of relying on the professional team of more or less 10 persons that he usually gathers. Johan started the Downhill festival out of frustration in 2004, when there were…
Read MoreCUBANATE ‘BRUTALISM’ album review
It’s scary how time flies! After C-Tec, a side project with Jean-Luc De Meyer of Front 242, the MC Lord Of The Flies collaboration with Raymond Watts of PIG and, recently, that strong solo album entitled The Hum by Marc Heal, we find Cubanate back on track. The Cubanate songs still sound as vivid as they did back then, although they have been remastered for this retrospective album called Brutalism. As soon as I…
Read MoreLaibach at Volksbühne 19.04.2017 review
On this night, the Slovenian group Laibach took over the small atmospheric theatre named Volksbühne situated in the middle of a busy street in Cologne, Germany. For the audience, the name of this theatre invoked the name of Laibach’s album ‘Volk’, a collection of songs inspired by national anthems. The German word ‘Volk’ means ‘people’. The theatre used to be called Millowitsch-Theater in 1936 but now it’s named Volksbühne am Rudolfplatz. It used to…
Read MoreBATERIA VOLLE PETAJ – 25 YEARS OF UNDERGROUND PERCUSSION
Bateria Volle Petaj was founded 25 years ago during a carnival in their hometown Maastricht (The Netherlands). While pioneering the South American percussion style they searched after and worked on their own recognizable sound. Being the oldest samba/percussion band in Maastricht they’ve written history under the name “Volle Petaj” since 1992. The group developed into a unique formation of spirited percussionists and have built up a firm (inter)national live reputation. Volle Petaj (Maastricht dialect…
Read MoreMeta Meat – “Metameat” album review
In these dark days where mutual respect is often replaced by spreading fear and hatred against the unknown, this self-titled album of Meta Meat is kind of the soundtrack to these fast-changing times. How accurate this album is! Phil Von (Co-leader of Von Magnet) and Some Kilos (half of 2 kilos & more and drummer for Von Magnet) worked together on this mutual project called Meta Meat on the labels Ant-Zen and Audiotrauma. Not…
Read MoreUnderviewer – “Wonders & Monsters” album review
Are you also longing for that ‘old-school’ Front 242 sound instead of their, nowadays more danceable tunes? Then this album by Underviewer is a must-have. Strangely enough it’s their first album after their formation about 35 years ago. Underviewer can be seen as post-Front 242 with Jean-Luc De Meyer and Patrick Codenys as the pioneers in charge. Starting in 1979 they didn’t even have the chance to bring out any music before becoming full-time…
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