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zoo_music_girlI wish I'd written this last night. Not only because I want to remember every single detail but also because I slept restlessly reliving the show and writing this in my head. I need to exorcise it because it's just impossible to continue with the mundanity of daily living while it's still in my head.
I went into last night's Living Jarboe show with no expectations. Her career has been prolific and varied, and we could have got anything from folk through to power noise via ambient techno. What we actually got was even better than my greatest hopes for the gig.
My first clue that this gig was going to be something special was when I saw two drum kits set up on the stage. She arrived on stage without fanfare, closely followed by the band - bass player Paz Lenchantin, guitarist Nic Le Ban and drummers Michael Rollins and Phil Petrocelli. Jarboe was stunning in a glittery black cocktail dress and a silky curtain of dark hair.
As soon as the performance started I felt myself drawn to the stage. I'd found a good spot on one of the raised levels where I could see everything so I wasn't keen to move any further forward but I found myself constantly pulled towards the band.
I didn't know the first few songs, but was absolutely blown away by them anyway. The sound was so powerful and Jarboe's voice... to say she has the most amazing vocal range just doesn't encompass her ability to go from fragility and delicacy to raw screaming power. I'm going to steal a phrase from![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
naturalbornkaos here, because I simply can't put it better. "Half-siren, half-steamroller, a little like Linda Blair in "The Exorcist" in how she alternates from innocent little girl to roaring demon; 0 to 666 in under two seconds."
Four songs in and I'm absolutely hooked, and then she plays Song for Dead Time. It's beautiful. Heart-stoppingly gorgeous. There's a track I know as Nature of the Beast from the Dissected album, but seems to be listed as Dear 666 in Nic Le Ban's tour log for Leiria, but I think they're just mixes of the same thing. The version I know is a slow, sensual throb of a song to start with but live it pulses with raw sexuality. I'll Swallow You, from the New Mind EP, is given new life. It's enormous. I realise it doesn't matter that I never got to see Swans live, because this is just as good. This is live show as religious experience. I want to sit down and rock backwards and forwards hugging myself.
When I saw Jarboe join Neurosis in November at the Forum I'd been angry at the lack of respect parts of the audience showed, talking loudly and ignoring the stage. Last night Jarboe commanded everyone's attention effortlessly. She left the stage at one point and sang from the audience, who formed a circle a good three feet away from her. Not a single person touched her. I've never seen that at a gig before, there's always at least one person who does a swift pat on the back to the star, but no one touches Jarboe. She touches them, leaning forward from the stage to touch a man's forehead like a benediction and when she says goodnight she shakes hands with the front row, but no one touches her uninvited.
I don't remember the actual song they finish on, but Paz Lenchantin is the first to leave the stage. The others continue to play for a while, then Nic Le Ban leaves. The two drummers continue and Jarboe stands with her back to us, bent double and arms outstretched, flailing her hair in a circle. Eventually Michael Rollins goes too and it's just Jarboe and Phil Petrocelli, still pounding out the rhythm. Finally he too leaves the stage and Jarboe waves goodnight and follows.
Chris and I agree that it would actually be preferable if they didn't do an encore because that was just so perfect but they're only gone a few minutes and when they return Jarboe speaks for the first time. "This is for Michael". It's Mother/Father. It's awesome. Jarboe introduces the band, asks us to support the band by visiting the merchandise stall and then leaves us stunned and enchanted.
Updated to add setlist 10/11/05
Those first two songs must be very long, because I would have sworn Song For Dead Time was further into the set than that.
FERAL
PURE WAR
SONG FOR DEAD TIME
SCARIFICATION
SEDUCE AND DESTROY
DEAR 666
SINNER
I WILL SWALLOW YOU
* encore *
MOTHER/FATHER
I went into last night's Living Jarboe show with no expectations. Her career has been prolific and varied, and we could have got anything from folk through to power noise via ambient techno. What we actually got was even better than my greatest hopes for the gig.
My first clue that this gig was going to be something special was when I saw two drum kits set up on the stage. She arrived on stage without fanfare, closely followed by the band - bass player Paz Lenchantin, guitarist Nic Le Ban and drummers Michael Rollins and Phil Petrocelli. Jarboe was stunning in a glittery black cocktail dress and a silky curtain of dark hair.
As soon as the performance started I felt myself drawn to the stage. I'd found a good spot on one of the raised levels where I could see everything so I wasn't keen to move any further forward but I found myself constantly pulled towards the band.
I didn't know the first few songs, but was absolutely blown away by them anyway. The sound was so powerful and Jarboe's voice... to say she has the most amazing vocal range just doesn't encompass her ability to go from fragility and delicacy to raw screaming power. I'm going to steal a phrase from
naturalbornkaos here, because I simply can't put it better. "Half-siren, half-steamroller, a little like Linda Blair in "The Exorcist" in how she alternates from innocent little girl to roaring demon; 0 to 666 in under two seconds."Four songs in and I'm absolutely hooked, and then she plays Song for Dead Time. It's beautiful. Heart-stoppingly gorgeous. There's a track I know as Nature of the Beast from the Dissected album, but seems to be listed as Dear 666 in Nic Le Ban's tour log for Leiria, but I think they're just mixes of the same thing. The version I know is a slow, sensual throb of a song to start with but live it pulses with raw sexuality. I'll Swallow You, from the New Mind EP, is given new life. It's enormous. I realise it doesn't matter that I never got to see Swans live, because this is just as good. This is live show as religious experience. I want to sit down and rock backwards and forwards hugging myself.
When I saw Jarboe join Neurosis in November at the Forum I'd been angry at the lack of respect parts of the audience showed, talking loudly and ignoring the stage. Last night Jarboe commanded everyone's attention effortlessly. She left the stage at one point and sang from the audience, who formed a circle a good three feet away from her. Not a single person touched her. I've never seen that at a gig before, there's always at least one person who does a swift pat on the back to the star, but no one touches Jarboe. She touches them, leaning forward from the stage to touch a man's forehead like a benediction and when she says goodnight she shakes hands with the front row, but no one touches her uninvited.
I don't remember the actual song they finish on, but Paz Lenchantin is the first to leave the stage. The others continue to play for a while, then Nic Le Ban leaves. The two drummers continue and Jarboe stands with her back to us, bent double and arms outstretched, flailing her hair in a circle. Eventually Michael Rollins goes too and it's just Jarboe and Phil Petrocelli, still pounding out the rhythm. Finally he too leaves the stage and Jarboe waves goodnight and follows.
Chris and I agree that it would actually be preferable if they didn't do an encore because that was just so perfect but they're only gone a few minutes and when they return Jarboe speaks for the first time. "This is for Michael". It's Mother/Father. It's awesome. Jarboe introduces the band, asks us to support the band by visiting the merchandise stall and then leaves us stunned and enchanted.
Updated to add setlist 10/11/05
Those first two songs must be very long, because I would have sworn Song For Dead Time was further into the set than that.
FERAL
PURE WAR
SONG FOR DEAD TIME
SCARIFICATION
SEDUCE AND DESTROY
DEAR 666
SINNER
I WILL SWALLOW YOU
* encore *
MOTHER/FATHER