Die Werkstatt, Cologne, Germany20th May 2009
Client & Chicks on Speed
On Wednesday the 20th May we went to Cologne to enjoy CLIENT at their current tour accompanying the release of the latest studio album ‘Command’. The concert took place in the venue "Die Werkstatt", a little venue with a charming industrial ambiance.
Chicks on Speed
The evening was started by CHICKS ON SPEED, an electro pop group which started in Munich in 1997, after its members had met through the Academy of Fine Arts there. Grouped around CHICKS ON SPEED is a large and ever-changing collective of musicians, producers, graphic artists, designers, film and video makers, and so on. Though usually considered part of such musical genres as Electro-clash, CHICKS ON SPEED actually started as a multidisciplinary art group who applied punk-inspired DIY ethic to performance art, collage graphics and home-made fashion (they have created their own stage costumes with cheap and recycled material such as plastic bags and gaffer's tape, for example). They originally got their name when they earned some extra money at art galleries by hanging paintings on the walls and someone quipped that they worked like "chicks on speed". http://www.chicksonspeed.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/chicksonspeed
Music & Performance
The show was announced as a DJ-set, but it was not really a serious DJ-set, it was more a bad crazy art performance with several disconcerting parts. The both girls on stage made a fool of themselves; they were dancing in the 80ies-disco-style, did some noises with a saxophone, a warped microphone or a scissors which was coupled with a microphone and tried to sing sometimes. The "DJ-set" consisted of several songs from different styles of music, completed by crazy video projections in the background. The show seemed mostly ex-temporary and nonprofessional and the most part of the audience was bewildered. After about 40 minutes the horror was finished and the girls left the stage.
Rating
Music: 5
Performance: 2
Sound: 8
Light: 6
Total 4.7 / 10
Client
After a short change over the stage was ready for CLIENT and the pleasing part of the evening was started. CLIENT is a futurist British musical group from Rotherham, England who have toured extensively throughout Europe and Asia. They are most popular in Germany where they have had most commercial success. They combine Scandinavian airline hostess uniforms with glamour-girl aesthetics and harsh electronics to create a sound reminiscent of early forays into electronic sound manipulation and New Wave. Their uniforms have become their trademark. The original band members Kate Holmes (keyboard) and Sarah Blackwood (vocals) were formerly known only anonymously as Client A and Client B. Over the years different musicians had supported CLIENT on stage, at the current tour they were attended by Client E (bass). http://www.client-online.eu/ / http://myspace.com/client
Music & Performance
Like usually, the members of CLIENT entered the stage clothed in a kind of uniform and the crowd welcomed them with cheers. The show was started by ‘Son Of A Gun’ from the current album ‘Command’ and quickly the spirit went over and the temper in the crowd was great. The people were dancing and singing along and the girls on stage had a lot of fun during the performance too. In the middle of the show Sarah had some problems with her microphone (the cable was disconnected by clapping) and a technician changed the microphone cable but after it the microphone didn't work and as the next song began the vocals were missing. Kate stopped the track, they changed the cable again and again and after a short time they could restart the song and the show went on.
In spite of these little technical problems and Sarah's refractory knobs of her blouse which came loose again and again CLIENT did a great oratorical performance and bewitched the crowd with their rousing show. The setlist consisted of eight songs from the current album like ‘Can You Feel’, ‘Lullaby’ or the new single ‘Make Me Believe in You’, completed by older well-known songs like ‘Radio’, ‘Pills’ or ‘Pornography’. The main set finished after about one hour by ‘Don't Run Away’, but they had to come back for two encores and after about 80 minutes the show was finally finished by my favourite song, the wonderful ballad ‘Heartland’, taken from the previous album. Altogether it was a great show and CLIENT left the crowd happy and satisfied.
Setlist
01. Son Of A Gun
02. Satisfaction
03. Client
04. Make Me Believe In You
05. Lights Go Out
06. Radio
07. Lullaby
08. Can You Feel
09. Blackheart
10. Pills
11. Drive
12. Your Love Is Like Petrol
13. Rock And Roll Machine
14. Don't Run Away
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15. Pornography
16. In It For The Money
17. Down To the Underground
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18. Heartland
Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 9
Sound: 8
Light: 8
Total 8.7 / 10
All pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com/ / http://www.black-cat-net.de/ / www.myspace.com/vorndranphotography)
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