Live Review: Long Distance Calling - Münster 2013

Written by Ulrike Meyer-Potthoff & Daniela Vorndran Monday, 04 March 2013 16:11

Sputnikhalle, Münster, Germany
1st March 2013
Long Distance Calling, Sólstafir, Audrey Horne

It is about two years since the third, self-titled LONG DISTANCE CALLING album hit the stores. Also back then, the band invited for a record release concert in their home town. And they did the same this time for the release of their fourth long-player when the Münster based post-rockers invited fans to join them at the Sputnikhalle where already a long queue waited short past seven. The venue was completely sold-out and so it took a while until anyone finally had entered the venue where AUDREY HORNE started their set already short past 7:30.

Audrey Horne

Norwegian Hardrock band from Bergen, AUDREY HORNE, whose band name was taken from a character from the Twin Peaks series, was founded in 2002 and is currently signed to Napalm Records. So far, the band released four albums and an EP. First founded as a fun project, the band soon was turning into a serious group. In Autumn 2012, the band recorded their fourth studio album named ‘Youngblood’, being released on 1st February 2013. AUDREY HORNE is Torkjell Rød (vocals), Arve Isdal (guitar), Thomas Tofthagen (guitar), Espen Lien (bass) and Kjetil Greve (drums). http://www.audreyhornemusic.com / https://www.facebook.com/AudreyHorneOfficial / http://www.myspace.com/audreyhornemusic



Music & Performance
When I finally entered the hall, AUDREY HORNE just had started playing. Having just released their new album, they started their show with the album opener ‘Redemption Blues’, just being followed by the album’s title track, ‘Youngblood’, being a bit harder and pushing the audience already further. With ‘Pretty Little Sunshine’, Classic Rock sounds were presented. Following ‘This Ends Here’ immediately made people move and cracking ‘That Goes Away’ was dedicated to all the ladies in the hall – who btw were the minority during this evening. With ‘The King Is Dead’, the Nordic guys presented a powerful start and did anything to warm the audience up for the things to come. So, the three guys in strings (bassist Espen Lien joined the band last year and from time to time also takes over vocal duties), drummer Kjetil and singer Torkjell increased speed with ‘Straight Into The Grave’, just to take a quick photograph of the audience afterwards.



After a good half hour, the set ended with ‘Blaze of Ashes’, the only track not taken from the current album but from the self-titled predecessor from 2010. The song was connected with a demand of Torkjell: “Put your dancing shoes on!” and of course the tattooist and his band were delivering a great final. This gig surely was a great opening of the evening!

Setlist
01. Redemption Blues
02. Youngblood
03. Pretty Little Sunshine
04. This Ends Here
05. That Goes A Lady
06. The King Is Dead
07. Straight Into Your Grave
08. Blaze of Ashes

Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 9
Sound: 8
Light: 8
Total: 8.3 / 10




Sólstafir

Icelandic Metal band SÓLSTAFIR, whose name means crepuscular rays in English, formed in 1995. In the same year, the band recorded first demos. From 1999, the band worked on their debut album, ‘Í Blóði og Anda’, which finally was released in 2002. After a few more demos, the second album ‘Masterpiece of Bitterness’ was released 2005 through Spinefarm Records. Everywhere, the album got fantastic reviews and the band made a name for themselves with powerful live performances. The band’s latest album, ‘Svartir Sandar’, was released in October 2011 via Season of Mist label, entering even Icelandic charts on position 7. The single ‘Fjara’ even made it to position 1. SÓLSTAFIR consists of Svavar "Svabbi" Austmann (bass), Guðmundur Óli Pálmason (drums), Sæþór Maríus "Pjúddi" Sæþórsson (guitar) and Aðalbjörn "Addi" Tryggvason (guitar, vocals). http://www.solstafir.net / https://www.facebook.com/solstafirice / http://www.myspace.com/solstafir



Music & Performance
After a short rebuilding break, Icelandic SÓLSTAFIR entered the stage around 20:30. The names of the four guys from Reykjavik are as unspeakable as the titles of some of their songs. Latest album ‘Svartir Sandar‘ was recorded in a former indoor swimming pool and after the intro, the album’s opener ‘Ljós I Stormi’ was the atmospheric entrance into the SÓLSTAFIR live cosmos. Soon, the quartet went flat out and served strained instrumental fodder, decorated here and there by the chant of Mister Tryggvason. Therewith, the band immediately casted a spell over the audience and earned plenty of applause which was also given for the now following, lightning-fast ‘Svartir Sandar’ from the above mentioned last concept album. The stage illumination now changed from cool blue to warm red, not causing any mimic change in the face of Sæþór – maybe he was just too busy treating his instrument and keeping the plectrum in his mouth. At least he could play his guitar since the band had some bad luck with their instruments since their arrival in Germany and both guitars were damaged. So, Aðalbjörn was borrowing his six-string from AUDREY HORNE.



With a lot of excitement soon the great ‘Fjara‘ was received, pressing every possible Metal, Pagan, Post and Psychedelic-Rock button before the set already reached the last song of the evening. Well, it was not the case that the band only had a playing time of only 20 minutes, instead their songs are just much longer than usually known and so, the band reached a set length of about 45 minutes with all on all only four songs. After a big sip from a Whiskey bottle, the band delivered ‚ Goddess of The Ages‘ wherefore the man at the microphone laid his instrument beside and grabbed an Icelandic flag from the audience instead, just to take the Whiskey again and instill it into the bass man’s mouth. This set was just fantastic 45 minutes making one hungry for more. Having said that, it the band promised to come back to Germany for a headliner tour after their gigs with LONG DISTANCE CALLING.

Setlist
01. Ljós I Stormi
02. Svartir Sandar
03. Fjara
04. Goddess of The Ages

Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 8
Sound: 8
Light: 8
Total: 8.3 / 10




Long Distance Calling

German band from Münster LONG DISTANCE CALLING started their career in 2006 and plays instrumental rock. In the same year, their limited demo album with the cryptic title ‘DMNSTRTN’ came out and it gained quite positive reactions. The debut album ‘Satellite Bay’ became an overall success. It was followed by a split EP with the band LEECH, they were touring with at the time. That EP was called ‘090208’. The album ‘Avoid the Light’ and was out in 2009, followed by the self-titled album in 2011. On the concert day, 1st March 2013, the band released its newest album ‘The Flood Inside’. This album even contains a few songs with vocal which is pretty new in the band’s history. LONG DISTANCE CALLING is David Jordan (guitar), Janosch Rathmer (drums), Florian Füntmann (guitar), Jan Hoffmann (bass) and Martin Fischer (vocals). http://www.longdistancecalling.de / https://www.facebook.com/longdistancecalling / http://www.myspace.com/longdistancecalling



Music & Performance
Finally it was time for the evening’s headliner, LONG DISTANCE CALLING. Not much time was needed for the change over and so, very soon the Münster based band entered the stage. The band presented its new member, Martin “Marsen” Fischer, taking over keys and knobs from retired Reimut van Bonn. Additionally, Martin is the first singer, LDC ever hired. But until he had his first run on the microphone, it took a while since the band started first in instrumental tradition with ‘Nucleus’ from their latest-born child. Following ‘The Figrin D'an Boogie’ was combined with the order to clap along – and the fans immediately followed. On and in front of stage, the mood was perfect and also the title track of the new album, ‘Inside The Flood’, including vocals, was celebrated. Marsen was staying in the back, but did very well. During following classic ‘Black Paper Planes’ from 2009 album ‘Avoid The Light’ he could rest his voice again. Who did not at least nod his head along with this stomper was definitely dead already. But judging the huge applause, the audience was very much alive.



Another new song, ‘Ductus’, started a bit calmer, but soon increased speed and also ‘Tell the End’ was musically and vocally a punch into your face. ‘Aricebo (Long Distance Calling)’ from the self-titled 2011 album (climbing up to position 36 in German charts) was calling movement into play and received lots of applause. Then, stage lighting changed to cool blue, fitting perfectly to the mood of ‘Aurora’ from the first LDC album ‘Satellite Bay’ (2007). First, guitars, bass and drums were held back, but then, all instruments gained a lot of drive, leading perfectly over to ‘The Man Within’ in whose course the new man, Martin, once more delivered finest vocals. Finally, with ‘Metulsky Curse Revisited’ a rhythmic old acquaintance was delivered and already 80 minutes of show were over. Thundering applause and encore chants accompanied the quintet when leaving the stage. And of course, the band soon entered the stage again for groovy ‘Apparitions’. The goodbye was long and great and even though curfew time (23:00) was already past, the band decided to play another song.



And so, the fans could celebrate the very first song, LONG DISTANCE CALLING ever wrote: ‘Fire In The Mountain’ found highest possible appreciation among the fans who were happy about this emotional final with lots of drive.

Setlist
01. Nucleus
02. The Figrin D'an Boogie
03. Inside The Flood
04. Black Paper Planes
05. Ductus
06. Tell The End
07. Arecibo (Long Distance Calling)
08. Aurora
09. The Man Within
10. Metulsky Curse Revisited
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11. Apparitions
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12. Fire In The Mountain

Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 8
Sound: 8
Light: 8
Total: 8.3 / 10



A weekend cannot start any better than with such a trilogy being delivered by AUDREY HORNE, SÓLSTAFIR and LONG DISTANCE CALLING. Rebuilding breaks were pleasantly short (whereas the first band had a stuffed stage since already LDC’s equipment was placed), and the musical presentations were beyond any doubt. LDC can impress also with a singer and the instrumental presentations during the evening were absolutely impressive. All three band are surely worth to keep an eye on!

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)