Grutzi! Just back from Zurich, it was another high energy show Tuesday night in a one-of-a-kind club in a rather posh part of town--wait, it's a Swiss city...most of town is rather posh. A great vibe, with a friendly diverse crowd of old-timers and a small but very enthusiastic contingency of 20-something Swiss metalheads. "Kaleidos" continues to take shape, and by now Snake is very confident with the lyrics. No new additions to the KT, DH and NF songs on this Euro tour '11 but overall a very cohesive set.
It would be great if they brought back "Panorama," it was a standout during the second Roadburn show.
"Forlorn" has grown darker and more menacing, and a gleefully unhinged version of "Nuclear War" was an unexpected highlight.
This time I took...zero...pictures! Hmm.
But, a one "Panzerpilz" posted this footage of "Ripping Headaches" - balcony-eye view:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XfqQcdvtl4
Afterwards, and I think this is something that everyone needs to experience at least once, none other than former Celtic Frost bassist (and Mascotte co-owner) Martin Ain came out and proceeded to host the weekly live karaoke party...
Yes, karaoke with a real live backing band. He was like the wise-cracking troll in Lord of the Rings, keeping up a non-stop patter of banter, alternating glorifying and cutting himself and the crowd down. Suddenly, Tom G's anecdote about leaving him at a gas station years ago on tour didn't seem like a tall tale...
It was pretty hilarious, especially a shirtless Mantas-lookalike in skintight acidwash jeans channeling Iggy Pop during "I Wanna Be Your Dog." I had expected the worst (briefly confirmed by the lounge lizard massacring "Paint It Black") but instead found myself in a start of permanent giggles as various local and clearly seasoned participants (as well as two of the Grim Skunk dudes) covered everything from "Paranoid" to "Ace of Spades" -- three diff. versions of the latter all in a row!
We had to drive back to Basel so we left before it ended, but it was definitely the most unorthodox post-Voivod event I've ever experienced.
I hadn't been to a show in Switzerland in a while and this excursion reminded me to do it more often, there is something great about the audiences, the overall mood. I don't know, maybe it's the lack of any kind of hipster or cliquey vibe, and there's also an element of wackiness or goofiness, everyone is friendly and very down to earth.
Which you might not expect in a mega-rich country where takeaway coffee runs upward of 7 euros...Or maybe it's just that we only go to GOOD shows, where fun people and no Attitude are guaranteed?
Here are a few non-concert pictures that capture the mood of Voivod trippin' in Zurich:
The doomiest natural foods store chain around
As seen on the wall behind the Fraumunster cathedral
Martin Ain kicks off his infamous "Karaoke from Hell" party with a rendition of "War Pigs"
Gig poster featured the DH cover, hard to tell in this late night no flash pic
Sadly, no trip to Paris on Monday: Voivod was scheduled to play the beautiful Divan du Monde club (on the Rue des Martyrs!) but as of today it is CANCELLED "due to low ticket sales."
Merde!
posted April 29, 2011 10:08
posted April 29, 2011 11:42
And now they do not go to a VOivod show. F**kers.
