| Doors: 7 pm | Show: 8 pm | Tickets: 47 Euro + fees | B.O.: 50 Euro |

[Dajana] A very nice side effect of the summer open air season is that quite a few (big) bands spend the time between the festival weekends with fill-in shows, since they are in the country anyway and - depending on their origin - the trip/flight home is not worthwhile or comparatively more expensive. So you get many a musical highlight presented live in a smaller setting and more intimate atmosphere than on their big tours.
One of these bands were Swedish tech-metal pioneers MESHUGGAH, who stopped for two dates in Germany on their way from Nova Rock (Austria) to Copenhell (Denmark) to present (not only) their chart-awarded new album live.
Of course, the NH-Crew didn't need to be told twice, especially since our last MESHUGGAH show dates back... wait…wow!... 7 years. Then it's definitely time again ;) At cuddly 30°C and under a blazing sun we went to Oberhausen to check in at :: Turbinenhalle 2 ::.

[BRT] The last time at the Essigfabrik in Cologne was quite a blast, so I was curious if MESHUGGAH could top the already high level of their live shows.

[BRT] The two halls are rather unpopular; few bands get a good sound there. The annoying “get vouchers first, buy beer then” is additionally deterrent. Unfortunately, 5 euros for beer from the plastic cup has become established, 4 euros for a water is already more than outrageous. 5 Euro parking fees? WTF?
Unfortunately, you have to be prepared for ticket prices like 50 Euro for bands like MESHUGGAH. Guys, if you want to have passionate fans in front of stage, you have to show it. But well, this is an issue that runs through big and small events & venues. That people think twice about whether they want to or can afford such a concert should not surprise anyone. That such pricing doesn't boost presales, doesn't surprise either.

[Dajana] Everything went well in the case of MESHUGGAH. The hall was packed, even close to be “sold out”. And that, although the ticket prices were quite steep, there was hardly any advertising for this show, and other great acts were playing around the corner, such as Nightwish in the amphitheater Gelsenkirchen. So, nothing to complain here. There you go ;)

[Dajana] But I also found the audience surprisingly interesting. MESHUGGAH are undoubtedly a metal band, but there was no metal audience. I saw just one Metal vest. There wasn't exactly the typical Hardcore/Emocore or Modern/New Metal crowd either. Somehow, the audience was quite different ;) People were extremely active, despite the heat, especially during the opener there was collective jumping. And nobody passed out.

[BRT] I liked the fact that the audience was not so easy to classify. Sure, there were metallers and hardcore fellows, but the majority of the audience didn't really seem to belong to any scene. Obviously, MESHUGGAH managed to appeal to people beyond that. Respect!

:: pics :: STRAY FROM THE PATH ::

[Dajana] First, there was a band to warm up, and that in the truest sense of the word. :: STRAY FROM THE PATH :: were announced as classic NY straight edge Hardcore and that's exactly what we got. I didn't know the guys before and was accordingly curious. And then, for very short 25 minutes, things really took off. Singer Drew jumped around the stage like mad, and the crowd jumped along. That was indeed sweaty to the highest degree. But somehow you had to join. The sound was shit, the light was mediocre - typical of support band syndrome (shouldn't we be beyond that by now?). STRAY FROM THE PATH didn't let that bother them any bit.
Four of the seven tracks came from the current album Euthanasia, which was released last year in September. Impressive as far as energy was concerned, musically... let's say: it was solid. By the way, the guys played one day later in Dortmund (am few kilometers away), opening for Spiritbox and Motionless In White. Let's say: just hardcore... ;)

[BRT] Well, in my opinion it had little to do with classic hardcore. The New York sound is usually very Metal-driven. In addition, singer Drew rapped very close to Rage Against The Machine. I had never heard of the band either and was surprised how many albums they have already released. The crowd gratefully accepted the band; there were some mosh pits and a lot of action on the dance floor. Personally, I found the band rather flat and boring. Too much of a crude attitude, too much Nu Metal, and little recognition value. Also not really fitting to the main band. But who knows why...

Band: Andrew „Drew York“ Dijorio (vox), Anthony „Dragon Neck“ Altamura (bass), Craig Reynolds (drums), Thomas Williams (git)
Setlist: Needful Things, May You Live Forever, Goodnight Alt-Right, III, Fortune Teller, Guillotine, First World Problem Child

:: pics :: MESHUGGAH ::

[Dajana] :: MESHUGGAH :: took their time afterwards, but also built a lush and impressive stage setting. The first one (of three) represented the cover artwork of the current album, with four floor-standing banners, each depicting a shape of a human, vaguely meant to represent the respective musicians. Flooded with red and yellow lights from behind, it actually looked like the musicians were on fire.
To kick off the show with Broken Cog, the opening track from current album Immutable was logically consistent. Dark, dystopian and with an insane force. I tried to tap along the hypnotizing rhythm with my fingers, but kept getting tangled up, even though I actually know the song well. Polyrhythm as its best. It just drives you crazy ;)
But if you get into it unconditionally, you'll quickly find yourself in another universe. The music is like a drug, or hypnosis method.

[BRT] True, it didn't take long and you were caught in the intoxicating grooves, which I rarely get in front of the home stereo. But here, with the perfectly balanced light show and the high volume, it just kicked and you were in. The staccato rhythms grabbed you and shook you up. You just can't escape the incredible groove of monster drummer Tomas Haake, and even if your body doesn't really know how to dance to it, it just does. I'm always fascinated by how the Swedish five-piece comes across so perfectly on stage and how it captivates you. Trance-like you nod your head to it, the rest are probably relatively silly looking twitches...

[Dajana] Yep, it's hard to describe, you just have to experience it! The band itself moved only marginally on stage, understandable in the heat and not necessary at this show. Announcements from singer Jens Kidman came very late in the set. I think during the third part, after the stage set was changed for the last time and during which I was allowed to take pictures. MESHUGGAH played through rather newer material, which was ok; I like old as well as new songs. However, obZen was my "key album" at the time and therefore has a special place in my heart ;) And since band and albums are in anniversary age, maybe in the near future there will be tours where older albums will be played in one piece, or something like that.

[BRT] It really doesn't matter which songs MESHUGGAH actually play, because the energy of the live show just sucks you up. Sure, there was little stage action but an abundant hypnotizing light show that was always in strict time. Impressive also that MESHUGGAH (more precisely Tomas, the soundman, who somehow looks like Krautrock Santa Claus) mastered the sound of the difficult little Turbinenhalle so perfectly. Powerful and transparent. The show probably wouldn't have worked any other way. Awesome!

[BRT] For 75 minutes, the Swedes killed us with punishingly heavy riffs, technical prowess and colossal sonic power, delivered with machine-like precision. That might be short for a headliner show, but I think I would have neither understood nor endured it much longer. In the end, we all went home with a more than satisfied grin.

[Dajana] That's how it is! You feel like you've been run over by an ICE train. You leave the venue completely exhausted, but incredibly happy and relaxed. And I had no neck pain the next day ;)

Band: Jens Kidman (vox), Fredrik Thordendal (git), Mårten Hagström (git), Dick Lövgren (bass), Tomas Haake (drums)
Setlist: Broken Cog, Light The Shortening Fuse, Rational Gaze, Pravus, The Hurt That Finds You First, Ligature Marks, Born In Dissonance, Mind's Mirrors, In Death - Is Life, In Death - Is Death, The Abysmal Eye, Straws Pulled At Random // Demiurge, Future Breed Machine

Many thanks to Kingstar Music for the press accreditation :)

Story • BRT & Dajana • Pics © Dajana & Dajana Winkel • Photography