[ B O L T ]

There is certain hype around the Florida rockers TORCHE. Also press texts and band information speak in full-bodied superlatives. So it’s time to witness this phenomenon live on stage. Much more as there were a few references to Warrior Soul in the reviews of the band’s most recent album release Harmonicraft.
It’s a quiet Sunday evening when I hit the road towards Dortmund. TORCHE are going to play the club at • FZW • and this one is frighteningly empty when I arrive. I count 20 people… I expected a crowded house, especially since this is the final show of the European tour. Hmmm…

:: pics ::

Opening duo :: BOLT :: I already saw three days ago supporting Jarboe, took it very easy. Instead of 8 pm they entered the stage at 8.30 pm. A long and unpleasant waiting while I evaluate the time till my alarm rings to get me up to the early shift.
Finally, I hear the bird’s twitter before the heavy drone sound sets in. It’s the same set as on Thursday, but the sound is much better tonight, much more differentiated. Again it is dark except for two blue spots, seeing both guys sitting on their chairs on stage with the eyes on theirs scripts. I must confess, I in fact like the music but [ B O L T ] is not a band to see live. Their music you better listen inside your own four walls. There happens nothing on stage, except for a few jumping beer cups on the speakers. The band’s minimalism is their concept to detach the music and let it speak for itself. And that works best… back home ;)

:: TORCHE :: cut it short and jump onto stage quickly. Meanwhile the club got filled a little bit more, I’d say 70, 80 fans at the end. It is not difficult to see that the band is tired, though TORCHE start with full force, a bit too much routine at first but step by step and song by song the crowd got captivated and infected. And so I got enthused too. I wasn’t much convinced at first but especially the last third of the show got met and TORCHE rocked the house fully. TORCHE played songs from all three albums, focusing on the new one. There was nothing to hear or to sense out regarding Warrior Soul, but when you listen to Kicking on CD for example, yes, there is a certain vibe of my heroes ;) Yep, that was a nice evening :)
Setlist: Letting Go, Kicking, Reverse Inverted, In Pieces, Grenades, Healer, Across The Shields, Snakes Are Charmed, Sky Trials, Piranha, Sandstorm, Harmonicraft, Looking On, Safe, Mentor, Charge Of The Brown Recluse, King Beef, Tarpit Carnivore

story & pics © Dajana