X, Herford, Germany
28th October 2012
Fields of the Nephilim & Burn
The name FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM is bound to the traditional Gothic Rock, praised as a legend by the press and the fans alike. Their live performances always have a special atmosphere to them and are praised for their depth, so it should be all the more reason to celebrate that FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM return to Germany for a couple shows, promoting 'Ceromonies'. One of them was the show in Herford, supported by BURN from nearby Münster.
Burn
Wave Rock band BURN seem to have an subscription for being the support act of popular acts of the scene. After touring with CLAN OF XYMOX, UNHEILIG, SHE WANTS REVENGE and even several times over the years with SCHANDMAUL, the band around mastermind Felix Friberg can now add FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM to the impressive list. The story of BURN begins in the early 1990s but it took the band no less than 15 years, and several line-up changes, to release their debut album 'The Truth'. However, the follow up 'Black Magnolia' was released only 12 months later and BURN look back on busy times since then. The band BURN from Münster, Germany, is Felix Friberg (vocals, guitars, composing), Sven Krachten (guitars), Felix Flögel (bass guitar), Jörg Schwaer (drums). http://www.burnmusic.de / http://www.myspace.com/burnmusicdotde / https://www.facebook.com/burnmusicdotde
Music & Performance
On a Sunday night, BURN enter the stage in half-filled venue in the Westphalian province to perform a 45-minute set in support of FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM. A generous amount of time for a support band! And while there's some Sunday night laziness among the FIELDS fans in Herford, BURN do their best to adrenalise the audience a bit. The experience of many gigs and tours is quite noticeable, BURN sound dynamic and enthusiastic and are miles away from the rather shy live performers they once were years ago. Singer and guitarist Felix Friberg proved his down-to-earth attitude, said between two songs how much of an honour as well as an challenge it is to open up for a legend like FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM and that he just hopes that BURN's music is agreeable to everyone. He repeated this question, and that was the moment when people – mostly FIELDS fans from the early days well into their 30s or even 40s – realized that they should wake up a little to give this fierce and impassionate performance some respect. 
After all, BURN's New Wave-inspired music somewhere between THE CURE, ECHO & THE BUNNYMEN and EDITORS should be to the average FIELDS fan's fancy, and songs like the melancholic 'Ghost' or the upbeat 'Why Don't You Find Out' have a haunting catchiness. In the end BURN get the applause they deserve for their efforts, even though the sound at the X Herford was less than optimal. And, after all, it was a Sunday night!
Setlist
01. Ninety-Nine Floors
02. The Negative Me
03. Burn For You
04. Bursting Clouds
05. Ghost
06. Colours I Can't See
07. Ultraviolet
08. Why Don't You Find Out
Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 8
Sound: 6
Light: 7
Total: 7.7 / 10
Fields of the Nephilim
FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM is a name that makes the hearts of all who love classic Gothic Rock beat faster. Founded by front man Carl McCoy in 1984, FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM scored some chart success from the late 1980s to the early 1990s with their intense, dark and often pretty psychedelic sound. Singles like 'Moonchild', 'Psychonaut' or 'For Her Light' were particularly successful in the UK and Germany, and in 1988 the band's second album 'The Nephilim' even entered the UK sales charts at #12 in its first week. But it was probably the album 'Elizium' (1990, #22 in the UK chart) which marked the heyday of FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM. 'Elizium' is a milestone by any means but unfortunately just one year after it's release FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM disbanded to pursue other projects separately. A reunion boastfully announced in 1998 never happened but in 2002 the album 'Fallen' was released, apparently without approvement of the musicians who see this release as “a collection of demos”.
However, after this release Carl McCoy performed a few festival gigs with guest musicians under the name FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM. Eventually in 2005, when no one really expected something new, the band released their fifth and critically acclaimed album ‘Mourning Sun’ and since 2007 FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM perform live shows on a more regular basis. FOTN today consists of Carl McCoy, Snake, The Baron, Gav King and Lee Newell. http://www.fields-of-the-nephilim.com / http://www.myspace.com/fieldsofthenephilim / https://www.facebook.com/FieldsOfTheNephilim
Music & Performance
The venue filled a little more since BURN finished their set, and after a quick change over, the intro of FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM's show booms out of the speakers of the PA. The (nearly) instrumental track 'Shroud (Exordium)' from the 'Mourning Sun' opens the show, with Carl McCoy still being absent from the stage bar some of his growls which were obviously just playback or sampled. For 'Straight To The Light' (from the same album) the hero and band leader finally appears on stage to a rapturous applause. McCoy still exhibits, and lives, his trademark “dust and death” cowboy image, completed by a black Stetson. For the other members, only simple black and dark sunglasses seem to be obligatory.
After the two 'Mourning Sun' songs the band delved into a short but acute set full of classic FIELDS songs. Surprisingly, the album 'Elizium' was completely neglected while 'From The Fire' from the unloved 'Fallen' album made it into the setlist. Carl McCoy soon got rid of his sunglasses, making it more discernable how much this man has aged. But his stage persona is as vital as ever. While distanced and cool, with minimal interaction with the crowd, he still knows how to attitudinise and impress. Like a Sumerian priest of darkness (heh, with a cowboy hat!) he stretches out his arms for almost messianic poses, and in the next moment he sneaks off to the back of the stage, apparently absolutely withdrawn and just looking down to the floor. But still McCoy's stage presence is absolutely captivating in every moment. A major downer is the sound at the X Herford. For some reason it's even worse during the headliner's gig than during BURN's set. 
In front of the stage the basses are nothing but a droning cannonade while in the back the drums are almost inaudible through the PA speakers and too much of the rest is a distorted clanging. Thankfully the sound gets better as show goes on, and with 'Psychonaut' the performance finally has the sonic intensity you would expect from a FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM gig, which was even topped by the following 'Moonchild'. Perhaps the defining song of the band! With some songs easily hitting the eight-minute mark and long interludes between songs the ten songs of the main set effortlessly make up more than one hour of live music, and 15 minutes more were to come with the two encore songs 'Preacher Man' and 'Last Exit for the Lost'. Could there be a more perfect song than this to end a FIELDS OF THE NEPHILIM live show? Even though the gig had its flaws and was not exactly perfect, thinking of the sound, the band did not fail to impress. Next time in a better place with better acoustics, please!
Setlist
01. Shroud (Exordium)
02. Straight to the Light
03. One More Nightmare
04. From the Fire
05. Love Under Will
06. The Watchman
07. Dawnrazor
08. Psychonaut
09. Moonchild
10. Mourning Sun
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11. Preacher Man
12. Last Exit for the Lost
Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 8
Sound: 5
Light: 8
Total: 8 / 10 
All pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com / http://www.black-cat-net.de/ / http://www.myspace.com/vorndranphotography / http://www.facebook.com/blackcatnet)
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