My life is all that I've known
And it's all that keeps me here
My time is all that I own
So I won't let it slip away

If you remember, I spoke gigantism when I reviewed last year’s DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT show. Now I can repeat and have to top them ;) Many fans were disappointed when DEVIN TOWNSEND confirmed just a handful of club shows around his last year’s festival appearances. Since he dumped SYL he wasn’t seen over here in Europe for ages. Those who were able to attend one of these shows became literally Addicted!. And Devin promised to come for a regular and full tour. Anno 2011 THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT delivers on its promise. During March the Canadian crazy heads tour throughout Europe and drive their fans mad, kindly in bigger clubs with bigger stages ;)

:: pics ::

Once again I take my ride towards the Matrix, Bochum. And again my prayers go for at least acceptable sound and lights. Don’t get me wrong, the Matrix is an awesome location, but when it comes to live shows in the Tube the club lacks of mentioned points.

Bang on time support act :: AEON ZEN :: opens the evening. Hailing from London, UK, this is a brand new project by young and very talented multi instrumentalist Rich Hinks. For the tour he got a much illustrious gang of know faces together, while playing the 6-string-bass himself. There’s singer Andi Kravljaca (Silent Call), Matt Shepherd (Timefall) on guitar, Steve Burton on drums and the freaky Dragonforce keyboarder Vadim Pruzhanov, currently with a crew cut. Well, I guess the musical direction is clear now ;) AEON ZEN play progressive metal: unbelievably precise, technically sophisticated and highly skilled. And they play with so much passion and soul, the cats had so much fun and truly enjoyed playing live here, it was just fantastic. Some people expressed themselves like: “it’s musically not really my cup of tea but that was real fun”. However, AEON ZEN was supposed to introduce us to their sophomore entitled The Face Of The Unknown, but they only played two song from this one, but three from the debut record A Mind's Portrait. Listening to the band’s music on CD it sometimes sounds a bit bland and powerless, but live, here, tonight, it so much kicked ass! The CD could be bought for 5 Euro at the merch right after. Likeable band! ;)
Setlist: Time Divine, Natural Selection, Into The Infinite, Redemption's Shadow, The Demise Of The Fifth Sun

Ok, short break filled with really strange music a lá Mambo Nr. 5 and Barbie Girl… Even worse, the crowd sang along… WTF??? *laughs* Since we had a much bigger stage than last year at the Underground club in Cologne :: THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT :: pleased us with episodes of Ziltoid on screens behind (some might know from the webisodes broadcasted on myspace back then) and THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT scored already by making everybody laugh. And then, finally, time has come and the band got in with Addicted!. Oh yes we are! Now and forever! ;) Setlist was similar to the last year’s one. No big surprise anyways. Although Ki is a pretty new one and the first part of Devin’s tetralogy it was completely ignored, older ones too. Instead we got a lot of very old classics ;) Besides, there was a faint hope to get some brand new material from upcoming Deconstruction album or Ghost respectively. But no… no way! By the way, there is no release date set yet. Summer they say. But then we will get them both, Deconstruction and Ghost ;) The heaviest and the mellowest album at the same time. Yay!
Meanwhile the mood is boiling up; reaching a phenomenal level that pleases Devin. Fans in the first rows truly adore him, while he is joking, telling funny stories, fooling around and pulling faces. Just grandiose! Sound in front of stage is really great, just bloody loud. No idea how the sound turned out 10m behind. And lights… well, could have been better (as they had during the support act), but can you ever satisfy a photographer? *lol* However, Devin again interacted very closely with the crowd, jumped into them playing guitar for them, paid attention to everyone close to the stage. That’s why fans so downright love him. I hardly know any other musician who’s doing it like he does. Devin is fucking intensive! Legendary.
While the “official” part of the show is over and the rest of the band leaves, Devin stays on stage and requests for a frog-hat a fan is wearing and starts fooling around again ;) Priceless moments, really! Encore – three songs. And as if it is not enough yet, after two hours of playing time THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT comes back again for a second encore. And because Anneke van Giersbergen is just awol around 20 fans are allowed to enter the stage to rock with Devin singing Bend It Like Bender!. Guess what… the Matrix completely freaked out when the first ones entered the stage and kissed the planks at Devin’s feet. Tumults were going on and a hell of a party on stage I tell ya! An unbelievable show. Unique, unmatchable, memorable for all times. Next time THE DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT tours I take my annual vacation days off and see every fucking show! I, for sure, can’t get enough! So. Nothing more to say.
Setlist: Addicted!, Supercrush!, Kingdom, Deadhead, Truth, OM, By Your Command, Earth Day, Life, Bad Devil // Color Your World, The Greys, Deep Peace // Bend It Like Bender!

Hang on!
To your man and hang on!
To your woman and hang on!

story & pics © Dajana