IAMX - Warren Suicide

IAMX, the “dark side of the Sneaker Pimps", are on tour in Germany. What to expect? Definitely a concert of a special kind. Less a real band but rather a piece of art mixed of music and visual conception, IAMX show impressively that also an electronic band can present a grandiose and powerful show.

IAMX was founded 2003 by mastermind and singer of the Sneaker Pimps Chris Corner. First planned as a short-lived solo project, IAMX now takes more and more room and develops to Corner’s main project. IAMX is not really a band, or in Corners own words: “It’s an act”. New Musical Express and Q-Magazine celebrate IAMX as the “next big thing”. And I guess in a year from now on, the Kulturfabrik might be too small for the band.

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Opener for the evening was :: WARREN SUICIDE :: for Berlin, which were totally unknown to me. The show started with a mind-blowing noise coming out from the machines and a megaphone. Somehow you feel reminded of a mixture of Einstürzende Neubauten and Atari Teenage Riot. There was not more necessary than pushing drums, a guitar and a notebook to pull the audience on their side. The whole band was in a good mood and they really impressed with a powerful performing. WARREN SUICIDE was the perfect opener for IAMX.

After approx. 30 minutes WARREN SUICIDE left the stage (under loud applause by the audience) to make room for the headline for the evening IAMX.

Unfortunately I had to miss IAMX at Bochum Total in July 2006 but lots of my friends told me the even at daylight the show of IAMX is extraordinary and I was very curious. But what happened was for beyond my expectations. The performance in Krefeld was extraordinary. Not only for the audience but also for the band because they played about 100 minutes instead of planned 70 minutes.

Some minutes past ten the event :: IAMX :: begun. When the beamer started to project pictures to the screen, the band entered the stage. Last to enter the stage was Chris Corner dressed in black in kind of a tight suit and a black hat – as thin as a rake (he reminded me very much of David Bowie during the Glass-Spiders-Tour). But you felt it from the very first second: If someone belongs onto a stage, it’s definitely Chris Corner. This man is an entertainer who is able to deal with his audience very well. The show started with the title track for the current album – The Alternative. But The Alternative was only the beginning and Chris Corner continued with highlights. Followed up by Kiss & Swallow, the title track of the first album and Bring Me Back A Dog. As a first, personal highlight Chris introduced The Negative Sex as the fourth song of the set.

After such a start it was time for some more relaxing songs: Song Of Imaginary Beings and This Will Make You Love Again. While Chris Corner usually plays his keyboard passages with his back turned to the audience, he changed to the keyboard of his female band mate and played some kind of acoustic version together with her while the rest of the band had left the stage. The song was one of the highlights of the whole show and it really gave you the chills.

The next three songs – Mercy, Sailor and Skin Vision – were taken from the debut album Kiss & Swallow. Mercy is a calm and poppy song, but never boring at all. The following Sailor is rougher and more edged, while Skin Vision could also have been found on the latest Sneaker Pimps album. The remaining two songs of the main set – the dynamic Nightlife and the recent single release and ear candy piece Spit It Out – were taken from the current album.

After a short break it was time for the first encore. They started with I Like Pretending and followed by After Every Party I Die, which described the evening very well. The band left the stage again but returned very quickly for the final three songs starting with You Stick It In Me – sung by female voice and Chris presenting the song with a slightly gay intention what could bring a smile to your face. During Missile, Chris reached his vocal climax. You felt that he lived that song. Last but not least, Your Joy Is My Low ended the evening. Chris’ voice was just perfect during the whole show – it sounded powerful, strong, soft, tragic, and a bit feminine – just how the songs demanded it. An extra touch was added by the female vocals of the pretty keyboard player.

During the second encore, the show was reduced to the max for Missile and just the lyrics of the song were projected to the screen. After this song, Chris surprisingly left the band while his band mates started the last song. But he returned very fast to present the final song Your Joy Is My Low and released a very satisfied audience afterwards. After the show, you could hear lots of compliments everywhere.
Setlist: Intro, The Alternative, Kiss & Swallow, Bring Me Back A Dog, The Negative Sex, President, Song Of Imaginary Beings, This Will Make You Love Again, Mercy, Sailor, Skin Vision, Nightlife, Spit It Out // I Like Pretending, After Every Party I Die // You Stick It In Me, Missile // Your Joy Is My Low