Okay, let's try this again.
Nov. 22nd, 2004 02:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ltmurnauAll right. But it was funnier the first time I typed this out.
Laibach was good, the high point of a weekend of constant movement. We took the Coho ferry to Port Angeles and got waved through Customs. We made the Bainbridge Island ferry with 40 seconds to spare, so there was no time to call friends Stephen and Lissa who live on Bainbridge.
We stayed in a place I won't name, except to say that Betty chose it and it was opulent. We taxied off to Neumo's Crystal Ballroom, a gungy-looking place on the 900 block of East Pike, and had a quick thing to eat at a Vietnamese restaurant across the street. The lineup was long and full of black, some impressive outfits. The opening act was "Bonfire Madigan", a woman who played avant-garde cello, not badly and with some nice effects pedals and loops. I was put in mind of Charlotte Moorman, particularly as she played a piece by John Cage, except that Bonfire kept her top on, her cello was made of a cello and not three TVs, she had short blonde hair, and red vinyl boots that made her feet look like horse's hooves.
Now, Laibach, the main attraction. First a man came out and read what I suppose was their manifesto for the tour - I could not hear it very well over the audio, crowd noise and his thick Slavic accent. But the name of the the tour was "Divided States of America", and the theme was that all empires fall. A Slovenian journalist who I guess was travelling with the band asked me some questions, since I had secured a great place to watch in the front row (unfortunately I left my camera behind) - how long had I been following Laibach (17 years), why did I listen to them (I like their sense of humour and subversion), is there any American group that is on their wavelength (hell no), why did I come all the way from Canada for the show (it was Aki's birthday the night they were playing in Vancouver).
Their lineup was two guitarists and a drummer, joined later by Milan the singer and two women, one blonde and one brunette, who worked in perfect synchronicity to play snare drums and provide backing vocals and handclaps. Everyone was wearing clothes of a dark purple, a nice touch I thought for the shade was once known as "Imperial purple". They played a lot of newer stuff I did not immediately recognize, but at the end of the evening they played great versions of "Sympathy for the Devil", "Leben Heißt Leben", and "Geburt Einer Nation". I handed out those little metal Laibach pins left and right, and people really liked them. Handed out a few other pieces too. All in all, a great show.
The next day we cleaned up, cleared out and went to Archie Mcphee, where we dropped entirely too much money - but some of my purchases were Xmas presents. We drove up I-5 to Vancouver, were delayed only somewhat at the border - they closed our lane as we were six cars away from the booth, and for some reason the Customs Prick™© wanted to see our hotel receipt, I guess to prove we didn't sleep in a parking lot or something. We made the 6:00 ferry and got home in time for bath and bed.
And now I'm back, and it's a nasty raining boring day. Almost over though.
Laibach was good, the high point of a weekend of constant movement. We took the Coho ferry to Port Angeles and got waved through Customs. We made the Bainbridge Island ferry with 40 seconds to spare, so there was no time to call friends Stephen and Lissa who live on Bainbridge.
We stayed in a place I won't name, except to say that Betty chose it and it was opulent. We taxied off to Neumo's Crystal Ballroom, a gungy-looking place on the 900 block of East Pike, and had a quick thing to eat at a Vietnamese restaurant across the street. The lineup was long and full of black, some impressive outfits. The opening act was "Bonfire Madigan", a woman who played avant-garde cello, not badly and with some nice effects pedals and loops. I was put in mind of Charlotte Moorman, particularly as she played a piece by John Cage, except that Bonfire kept her top on, her cello was made of a cello and not three TVs, she had short blonde hair, and red vinyl boots that made her feet look like horse's hooves.
Now, Laibach, the main attraction. First a man came out and read what I suppose was their manifesto for the tour - I could not hear it very well over the audio, crowd noise and his thick Slavic accent. But the name of the the tour was "Divided States of America", and the theme was that all empires fall. A Slovenian journalist who I guess was travelling with the band asked me some questions, since I had secured a great place to watch in the front row (unfortunately I left my camera behind) - how long had I been following Laibach (17 years), why did I listen to them (I like their sense of humour and subversion), is there any American group that is on their wavelength (hell no), why did I come all the way from Canada for the show (it was Aki's birthday the night they were playing in Vancouver).
Their lineup was two guitarists and a drummer, joined later by Milan the singer and two women, one blonde and one brunette, who worked in perfect synchronicity to play snare drums and provide backing vocals and handclaps. Everyone was wearing clothes of a dark purple, a nice touch I thought for the shade was once known as "Imperial purple". They played a lot of newer stuff I did not immediately recognize, but at the end of the evening they played great versions of "Sympathy for the Devil", "Leben Heißt Leben", and "Geburt Einer Nation". I handed out those little metal Laibach pins left and right, and people really liked them. Handed out a few other pieces too. All in all, a great show.
The next day we cleaned up, cleared out and went to Archie Mcphee, where we dropped entirely too much money - but some of my purchases were Xmas presents. We drove up I-5 to Vancouver, were delayed only somewhat at the border - they closed our lane as we were six cars away from the booth, and for some reason the Customs Prick™© wanted to see our hotel receipt, I guess to prove we didn't sleep in a parking lot or something. We made the 6:00 ferry and got home in time for bath and bed.
And now I'm back, and it's a nasty raining boring day. Almost over though.
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no subject
Date: 2004-11-22 05:11 pm (UTC)Now I have this overwhelming urge to watch Triumph des Willens again.
no subject
Date: 2004-11-23 09:02 am (UTC)Speaking of videos, do you think you could bring the Laibach and Neubauten videos to Friday coffee? (note this implies I will be at Friday coffee!)
If all goes well, I will bring very very good molasses cookies.