Jarboe was in town

And she brought Naer Mataron along.

It was a weird mix.

Firstly, I wasn't too impressed with Naer Mataron that opened for Jarboe. They have some great moments, but if a band doesn't do it for me on stage, it's highly unlikely they'll deliver what I want/need on CD. One thing I do appreciate (and was looking forward to) is seeing Vicotnik perform live, since I'm a fan of Ved Buens Ende. He delivers.

As I expected form a guy who's in an avant-garde outfit such as Ved Buens Ende, he's not your ordinary black-metal, pose your ass off on stage dude, but a man that can hold your attention while on stage and a guy who's completely into the performance. That's one thing where this show met the show that followed. Naturally, since it was a small venue, I talked to him a bit after the show, and he is one shy dude. Or maybe I'm too aggressive...? Anyway, it's always nice to see corpse paint and Nifelheim-like outfits once in a while, just to remind yourself that, yeah, you really dig this whole heavy metal ordeal.

Despite Vicotnik and his efforts, the dudes were meh.

As for Jarboe, that's a whole other story. I was never a die-hard fan, but I love her work with Neurosis and her latest Mahakali album is indeed one to twist your words when trying to explain and/or describe it. It's an entirely different level of awesomeness where you have to put effort in listening to it, and I never was able to listen to the album in its entirety 'cause it drains too much energy. But, that's just me, I know people who practically listened to it on repeat.

Mahakali aside, hey, it is the lady from the Swans. Her reputation precedes her, and deserved it be.

Since, the nature of the show and her performance was different from classic concerts where you sing along to the show, headbang or just quietly hum to your favourite tune, I'm just gonna go ahead and write my impressions as they were coming to me while I was listening to the concert.

Jarboe herself wrote on her site that she has zen-like moments on stage and that is very much true, except, you don't expect to be sucked into it, but I guess that's what a good perfomer and artist does. I am always, literally, every single time, amazed at how much a show can change your appreciation and perception of an artist or a band. They either suck and make you forget you ever bought their CDs, or they blow you away on new and unforseen levels and you go back to those CDs and listen to them, try to absorb their substance and listen to their music in this, new light. That's what happened here also, except, this time I think more than ever. If nothing else, my appreciation for The Living Jarboe has become a deep one and her almost 30 years worth of inspiration has not faded one bit.

She looked like an apparition on that stage, but not one that you would be afraid off, but one that hypotizes you and all the while you're so damn happy she did.

They opened up with The House of Void (after the show, I listen to it at least once a day), which has a great drum beat and this beat was extended for the show and had a ritual-like sound to it, while the guitarist was totally crazy - you could see he had a movie of his own going on in his head. So, while my jaw litarally dropped, as you could barely see Jarboe's face from all the hair, and her incredible voice kept coming, I realized, wow, this is just the first song.

The opening song reflects the entire concert, and, yes, it was energy draining, 'cause it was more of an experience where the music exists on its own and in the midst of it, you have Jarboe with an avant-garde stage performance, making theatrical movements while singing with a very unique and mesmerizing  voice.

The guys in the band did an excellent job, and I had no idea that her drummer was the drummer from Cobalt! So, besides Mahakali, I bought Cobalt's Gin too.

Some more pics:

Err, yep that be me in the last one.