Ελληνικά
Last Updated on 12:02 PM by Nikos Nakos
On reaching Second Skin at 21.00 sharp, I had to wait in a small queue in the entrance of the hall, which proves that regardless of the strikes, people were interested in that event. The live show began with The Road Miles. I was happy for that, as I realized that the band was the best beginning for that night. The guys played focused on their work and they gave me the impression that they play exactly what they like. I came to that conclusion as I was watching their movements on stage, and the way they were whispering all together the lyrics of their songs. There weren’t any guitar effects that I didn’t like, as they came to me so naturally into their songs as a whole. I wish them the best with their career. However, I think that this kind of music, (putting together southern, gothic and psychedelic) might be difficult to reach successfully the taste of all audience, as it might be a little bit complicated. But I have to admit that the audience that night liked their passion (as I could hear from the people that were around me and were talking about that). If I asked something from that band I would tell them that I would like them to be more easy going, meaning that they are safely following a line, they have done their best, so it is now time to mess it up a little bit, maybe their music as well. If they did that I believe that we would be carried away more, because they generally have the ability to do it.
Kim Larsen from Of the Wand & The Moon continued the show playing solo and unaccompanied his acoustic guitar, and I was thinking that he had to measure up to whole bands before and after him. First, some sound problems were corrected, something that didn’t delay us much , (I also understand that there was a little bit of stress about the sound since he was alone in his vocals and his music, as he had to do all things by himself). So , despite the fact that I was wondering how it would be like – I was thinking that it is difficult for his music to reach the audience,- as he was playing folk ballads by using only an acoustic guitar- in an almost full club, his show was successful. In a moment I felt a little bit tired, because it was not so easy for him to make a big difference as he had not the means to do that, however it is good for him that he tried it, and I also admire the risk that the organizers people took by inviting him. Because a solo presence in this kind of clubs is surely something totally different.
When the candle holders were switched on, it was the time for King Dude. Once again they began with some sound corrections that were needed. I think that this was fixed quickly. In the beginning, I have to say that the audience had so much momentum to hear the band, showing that they were expecting the hard sound of TJ Cowgill’ s voice, and some of their songs. In the encore, made only by him, people were singing their songs even louder than the singer himself. Generally, I believe that the three of them are extremely talented. I think that their songs are written as if they were part of a ritual, in the way they compose. It also seems that they give their soul to their work. Plus Cowgill’s voice is so deep and reaches so low frequencies that impresses me. And from that last one you can understand why he has devoted fans.
However, maybe that night it was not one of the best of their shows, for reasons that it isn’t my role to unravel. For sure though what came as a result to me is that their appearance did have not enough flow, something that was obvious by the reactions of the audience and the way they were clapping. They were reacting in a messy way, sometimes, they were clapping, and other times they were withdrawn. Ok, maybe there was more than enough alcohol in the atmosphere and there was a bit of a chaos with all these that were happening around me, but this didn’ t stop the love of their fans, nor the value of King Dude and Cowgill who did not get tired repeating how happy he was to see us there.
I don’t know if I left before the candles were switched off or before the crosses left the background but I suppose that this day will remind me of the willingness to catch all the songs that are played in a concert and an encore, to make an appearance by all means and heart you have, and generally to continue the effort, at the same time talking, using and listening to lurid words and incidents. And I say that last one because sometimes I ask myself how it is possible for all this gothic, and folk and other different kinds of music distant from the Greek culture to find their truth in the audience in this kind of live shows, adding to this that the themes refer to something less than life. I don’ t know if most of us knew exactly what things the songs were talking about, but all this effort and momentum is the optimistic answer to them.
