David Fonseca @ Coliseu do Porto (Portugal)
Those who have seen David Fonseca's live performances know that the stakes are always higher than the usual pop/rock show, and the constant massive amount of fans is proof of it. I had seen David before, and even though I'm not a hardcore lover of his albums, I honestly think he's the best Portugal has to offer in terms of showmanship and musical energy. When live, it's a fact: David rocks hard. And this night, in one of the best stages in the country, expectations were high.
It's not easy to describe how he operates on stage. First of all: if you know the albums, imagine those irrigated with an opulent bottle of Red Bull. And now add lights, lots of them; add the 80's, blend well and that's it. Well, almost.
Apart from the seamless band - an enjoyable bunch, never missing a note and having noticeable fun while keeping track of things - you never knew what to expect. During the show, covers were entangled with David's original songs, in a way that not only helps those less fans (as in, boyfriends of which girlfriends are) but added that extra spice to the whole thing. The Roof Is On Fire, Girls Just Want To Have Fun, a cover from the singer's super-awarded extinct band Silence 4's Angel Song, among others, there was no telling what would come next, and looking around and watching the audience trying to figure which song was which was pretty beautiful. The LED based visual setup was also very fitting of the old retro-joy theme - much of the hyped moments were triggered by colorful blasts of lights, sparkles and other party elements. And then, there was David being David - running off stage to appear only in the middle of the crowd playing, coming back crowdsurfing style, and most impressively, in what was the night peaking moment, when the band showed up in hooded vests after the first encore, playing some sort of Doom Metal along with a fire siren (yes, it's true!), leaving everyone wondering if that was the real band or some guest appearance, only to become jaw-dropping amazed when David emerged from the middle of Coliseu. Handling two red vinyl, the music stopped, and the words "Tonight ... I am your DJ!" triggered a sudden music change to what would be some sort of fast-paced, lowbeat commercial house, coupling with yet another song. (Obviously, everyone went crazy).
Sean Riley, the lead man from Sean Riley And The Slowriders, showed up by surprise, playing two songs along - another pleasant moment no-one was expecting. And did I mention the three Mariachi-dressed musicians on the balcony of Coliseu?
All things considered, the pole position keeps standing: David Fonseca is, hands down, the biggest stage magician around. And I'd say, one of the best of the world in its genre. If you disagree, chances are you've never seen him live, and you definitely should, liking the studio songs or not.
Autechre at L’Usine (Geneva, Switzerland)
Pitch dark - it's the only way I can describe the visuals that accompanied their performance of March 23rd, at the Post Tenebras Rock (PTR) room, located at the heart of the Genevan alternative scene, "L'Usine". For the connaisseurs of the British electro scene, "Autechre" is for sure not an unfamiliar name - the Manchester duo is signed to Warp Records, a record label specialized in Intelligent Dance Music (IDM) that is known worldwide for signing acts such as Squarepusher (who I saw live one year ago) and Aphex Twin. If you don't like experimental music, complex rhythms and over-processed samples, chances are that you won't enjoy Autechre. It's not exactly the kind of electronic music that plays on the radio, or even in "regular" nightclubs - glitchy, dark, sonically bare, raw, sometimes to the point of becoming disturbing - these guys have a very particular way of approaching composition, going well beyond 16 step sequencers and vintage drum machines: they've used Max/MSP extensively, and the fact that both use only a laptop (and what seems to be a MIDI console) on stage suggests that soft synths do most of the work nowadays.
Unfortunately, I didn't know at what time they would take the stage - the concert was advertised as beginning at 20:30, but started (surprisingly) a quarter of hour later. Since there were still three acts taking place before, it was not before 23.30 that Rob Brown and Sean Booth made themselves heard. First, the darkness, then a lonely, slow paced, growing drum beat... then the darkness, the growing background sound, melodies materializing from noise, the darkness, the darkness... it seems, from the footage available on YouTube, that Autechre decided to impose this ban on brightness throughout the whole Oversteps tour - almost as if they wanted you to experience the sound, only the sound and nothing else. Thumbs up for the stereo - I always wondered why most electronic musicians didn't take advantage of the benefits that playing small venues with reasonable acoustics provide, but these guys are a remarkable exception.
Pitch dark - monochromatic, even; the artwork of Oversteps is clear about that. If you love sound for sound's sake, I'm sure Autechre won't leave you disappointed.
Nouvelle Vague at S. Mamede (Guimaraes, Portugal)
All of a sudden, Gerald Toto was on stage, with just a guitar and himself. The rasta style, relaxed and cool, was a surprise for many, who didn't actually know the french singer, composer and interpreter.
The impressive and barely flawless voice of Gerald was the perfect opener for Marc Collin, Olivier Libaux, Helena Noguerra and Nadeh Miranda, who managed to easily take over the crowd. In a very intimate show, with frenetic rampants once in a while and the amusing mood of the band, namely Nadeh (jumping down the stage to dance with the audience never fails to set a good message), there was little to none negative aspects to point out: the sound was very balanced, Marc and Olivier - the masterminds behind Nouvelle Vague's concept - did their part very well, and Helena and Nadeh kept the flirty, dancing-cabaret vibe going on. Besides merging with the crowd, Nadeh even non-aggressively kicked my camera! Good thing she was just wearing those red socks.
On a general note, all the expected songs were played, peaking with Heart of Glass, Too Drunk to Fuck and I Melt With You, surprisingly well-known to the relatively young audience. The constant toggling between singers - Gerald Toto joined the band a couple of times - added yet even more to the performance, and even though the Vague is meant to be a sort of chill out / bossa-nova project, it felt like no-one, even the fast-paced music lovers, left S. Mamede without a smile on their faces.
