Reviews Archiv 15

Holy Shit!!! I'm used to quite a lot. But here, I'm gonna ask myself, am I living in the past century,am I musically just behind, or am I just too old for this here, which lets me react with misunderstanding. Okay each musical direction has it's right to be here on this planet. And beeing objectiv, is the non plus ultra for a Musicjournalist. So I'm gonna try to get out the best of this menue ala' carte, which is offered to us by Arch Enemy. She does look pretty. But when this bird of paradise activates her voice, the comparison to Mariah Carey and the Callas is like a coughing country crow to a nightingale. The immens power which comes out of the lungs of this tiny, skinny figure is quite impressing. Though she has to consume energy in form of water, constantly. And despite her cracked mezzosophran, you can discover a certain amount of musicality in form of an excellent lead guitarist, who quite a few times drives away from the usual path and plays a brilliant adagio. And he's presenting it with a lot of understatement. Although I doubt, that even just one individual within this constantly moving audiance is realizing this aspect. Shame, 'cause that's the only point, where you can combine Arch Enemy with the word quality. Unfortunately another fact gets lost for sure. When a group is fronted by a female vocalist, she's usually having some sort of sex appeal. Like mentioned before, she is pretty 'till a certain content, but what's up to the sex .....?! Thanx god that our all tastes are different, and I'm female myself, so maybe I view it from a bit of a different angle. For all those Die Hard Metal Fans, who are here tonight, she's probably the non plus ultra, what's up to female erotic in Rock'n'Roll. Okay, okay, I know, the music is the most important thing. But somehow the visual aspect belongs to it. Am I right?! However, - Arch Enemy have won their point in this almost sold out club temple here, where the uprising steam reminds us at a supernova explosion. Victory, the money is flowing and the style icon is honoured. What more do you want?! Long live Rock'n.... sorry, Arch Enemy...

He looks like a wellknown german talkmaster, but he is Randy Newman. However, Randy's certainly got the talent to be a talkmaster. He's witty, charming and entertaining. And he's got to be like that. Otherwise a One Man Show, like he does, would be in danger to drown in monotony. It ain't easy to do a full concert only with a piano and nothing else and please everybody in the audiance a 100 percent. Congratulation, - Randy Newman did it. This smoothly biting, ironic touch within his songs gets people smiling. The song "Lovestory" is dedicated to his first wife, and another piece is written for his current one, for putting up with him for so long now. one dedication goes to Joe Cocker, who once had a mega hit with Randy's song "You Can Leave Your Hat On". His comment on that one: "I do regret, that I didn't have the idea to sing like Joe earlier than him". However, I presume, he's still got enough paid for that one, whether the song was interpreted by himself or just composed.

Randy Newman's biggest hit was surely "Short People". In the US he climbed on number 2 in the Top 40. Background vocals by Glen Frey and Timothy B. Schmitt from the Eagles by the way. Yep, and of course "Baltimore" ain't missing in the setlist and "Birmingham". And Randy includes the audiance in his performance and let them sing with him.
It's party pure, despite the posh atmosphere and the seated situation. The result of the final are Standing Ovations, - and this is absolutely okay for a brilliant Randy Newman and his excellent performance.

"La Dolce Vita" - what a long time ago, - ain't it?! To get it straight. It was the Late Eightees and Early Ninetees, when Glamrock took everything under control. But the rising of Jesus Christ is not the only sensation in that way. And also in 2004 we are celebrating the return of long lost flowers of this glory kind of music, like nons honour Easter sunday every year. Also the L.A. Guns belong to the Poker Game. Not quite as shining like in the past, and without their paradise bird Tracii Guns, his bandcollegue and contrahent Phil Lewis is flying through Glamrock heaven nowadays, including Steve Riley (Ex-Wasp) on drums, Adam Hamilton (bass) and Stacey Blades (Ex-Roxx Gang) on guitar. 15 years after the multiple orgasm, the breath within the band ist still existent. And despite the fact, that Sex and Drugs and Rock'n'Roll has taken it's toll in the past, the four yankees are still surrounded by this special aura, which had let them conquer the world in the past. Okay,it was just America and good old England, to be honest.

Today the L.A. Guns present themselves selfconfident, sophisticated and more intellectuell, and they put a much higher level on their musical presence. But be careful. The shot could go backwards. We have an excellent memory. Even it's more the records than remembering past concerts. Because this band has, like I mentioned before, just visited England in the past over here. And I dare to say, that I'm probably the only one within this place here, who can draw comparison in that direction. Fact is, - we don't want any to seriously performed bombast overtures and endless solos. Hey, we are not demanding too much. That's why we are happy with the usual stuff. Coverversions like "Rock'n'Roll Outlaw" (originally from Rose Tattoo) prove it. Only at this very point, the party is really boosting. Or do we live behind Jupiter here in Europe. I don't think so. Musically well balanced, - but now and then we get the impression of a so called - in an extra length pulled intermezzo -. Sorry Boys it is recognizeable. Nevertheless, The L.A. Guns have not forgotten how to rock and to play russion roulette. And the party is ending after the motto: end is good, everything is good. - (as we say in german) The soundconditions were crap like usual in this place. But we are already used to it. So it's actually not worth to mention. And the reaction of all these church apostels in the audiance was also rather relaxed, to describe it politely. Anyway, the trip to Europe was worth while, maybe only because of the experience, that german mentality doesn't quite match the american friendlyness. And Sleaze-Glamrock ain't the latest trend over here. But who gives a fuck. Music is Music. Rock'n'Roll rules the world, and John Lennon said in the past already: it's a Salto Mortale which never stops. Rolling over and over and over again. Don't worry, Mozart Bach and Richard Wagner are also still up to date. So what?! -
- It's Showtime again Guys! And please come back again, - at least to Austria, won't ya'....... I'll be there for sure...