<< archive
 
 
 
2016-02-12 DE – Bochum - Rockpalast
 

| Doors: 7 pm | Shows: 7.30 pm | Tickets: 24.50 EUR plus fees |

 

Every now and then my work has it to thwart my free time plans. They call it on-call duty. I had this mixed blessing again and so had to re-arrange my weekend adventures. I first went for a rather low-key affair at the • Rockpalast • Bochum (compared with the following night at Matrix with Kataklysm, Septicflesh and Aborted). The Rockpalast was hosting the Electronic Transformers Tour featuring CLAN OF XYMOX, RROYCE and SCINTILLA ANIMA. I actually wanted to see CLAN OF XYMOX, a band a loved in the 90s and haven’t seen live for a while. The other bands were new to me, so something to discover again ;)

:: pics ::

Doing so I finally got the chance to visit the rebuilt Rockpalast, which was a disco only place before. First live reviews of our writer Bert promised a nice new concert location. And yes, I agree. I like how they re-created the rooms, perfectly made for a comfy club atmosphere. Only thing I did not like was the fact that they left it with only one entry/exit, especially when there are double shows (Rockpalast and Matrix) followed by the weekend discos, as tonight. You did not get in, you did not get out, there was actually nothing going for a while. Not mentioning the parking, where people of two sold out locations have to fight for a place with the customers of the supermarket its parking is in use here.

However, when :: SCINTILLA ANIMA :: entered the stage eyebrows were raised. I looked twice and got reminded of a special French band. What we got to see and to hear was quite bizarre and crazy, that way some French bands are known for. Well, likewise quickly it got clear that this wasn’t such kind of band though. SCINTILLA ANIMA is a duo with guest singer or muse from Düsseldorf, Germany. But a band with potential. I would like to say it that way: Yep, I have seen the overall image, the concept behind, and this I find great. But there is still a lot to do regarding sound and vocal performance. Sound must be much more powerful and dynamic and the two masked guys need to work on their singing. Sound and singing was pretty much unbalanced. Okay, that might have been due to technical problems the band already started with. The stage performance again was pretty cool but much lacking of structured lights.

For indefinable reasons I was off the track at the next band :: RROYCE ::. I was sure to see Røyksopp and started wondering to see a German trio instead of a Norwegian duo live on stage. But hey, no drama, RROYCE emerged to be a real smashing hit! ;) RROYCE play snappy SynthPop, not too kitschy, downright danceable, and with great melodies. Singer Casi is the perfect entertainer and seemed to have the most of fun performing. And infected everybody. An unofficial fourth band member in the audience had a not inessential part in that fun. Songs came from the band’s debut Dreams & Doubts & Fears, but also brand new songs were played, from the upcoming sophomore due in September. Meanwhile the Rockpalast was crowded and the fans in high spirit. Just a bit lame when it came to Run Run Run. A bit more action and movement wouldn’t have done any harm. The crowd I mean, because Casi gave everything to get them up ;) Great show! Great band!

And it got even more packed. I definitely didn’t expect such a full house at a :: CLAN OF XYMOX :: show, especially since the tickets were not the cheapest. COX kicked off with tracks from the current album Matters Of Mind, Body & Soul and were utmost boring. I was deeply disappointed. Those songs were lacking of everything in momentum, drive, energy and dynamics. WTF! How strong the difference is to the times where I loved this band, CLAN OF XYMOX proved right after, when they started playing only classics. And so was the response from the audience. From Hail Mary on, fans started to gain momentum with more and more applause after every song. Due to the disco thing, the bands had to be off stage at 11pm. With one eye on the clock and no one around giving a sign to finish, CLAN OF XYMOX though played their entire setlist, including the encore with a remarkable cover version of Venus and the meanwhile obligatory Bowie cover. COX surely outweighed the lame beginning in the second half of their set, but to be honest, Rroyce was the band of the night.
Setlist: Close My Eyes, She’s Falling In Love, The Climate Changed, Love’s On Diet, In Love We Trust, Hail Mary, Emily, Louise, Jasmin And Rose, Farewell, A Day // Muscoviet, This World, Venus, Back Door, Heroes

 

story & pics © Dajana & Dajana Winkel • Photography