Backstage Werk, Munich, Germany14th November 2015
Mono Inc. & Stoneman
Saturday, 14th of November, 2015 – the day after the unfathomably awful and pointless incidents in Paris. I’m sure that I was not the only one which thought about going to a concert that day or better not. Indeed, it would also be an evening with friends and wonderful music and thus I made my way to the Backstage in Munich.
Stoneman
STONEMAN is a Swiss Dark Rock band which was founded in 2004. After several changes in their formation they did already a headliner tour through Europe in 2007. In 2008 they appeared on the WGT in Leipzig that is counted as one of the biggest festivals of the Gothic culture. Last year, STONEMAN published their fourth album‚ ‘Goldmarie', their up to now their only album completely sung in German. www.stonemanmusic.ch / https://www.facebook.com/stonemanmusic
Music & Performance
Shortly after 8:00 PM it became grimly in the Backstage, quite grimly and singer Mikki Chixx, drummer Rico H, bassist Dee and guitarist Y appeared on stage. To the chagrin of the photographers the lighting conditions didn’t become better after the beginning at all. The mood in the hall wasn’t really excited after the happenings in Paris, but it was good to be with other people and to get some distance to anything what happened outside. The already present spectators joined in the singing and clapped keenly. Indeed it was quickly for sure that people ardently waited for the main act of the evening, while STONEMAN on the stage did their best. The sound was better, by the way, than the light! After good thirty minutes the band left the stage under moderate applause.
Setlist
01. Mord Ist Kunst
02. An Die Geräte
03. Freundlich Sein
04. Goldmarie
05. Liebe Liebe
06. Liebeslied
07. Es Brennt Ein Licht
08. Der Rote Vorhang
Rating
Music: 6
Performance: 6
Sound: 7
Light: 2
Total: 5.3 / 10
Mono Inc.
Do we still need to say much about MONO INC.? OK, maybe a little: the Hamburg Dark Rock band was founded already in 2000. Since 2007, they are together in their current line-up. Since they were support UNHEILIG at their jubilee tour in 2010 together with APOP, their name recognition rose immensely. The album following in 2011‚ ‘Viva Hades’ was highly praised by German and foreign press and entered as the first publication of the band the German album sales charts on position 50. Their newest album is called ‘Terlingua' and was released in May 2015. www.mono-inc.com / https://www.facebook.com/monoinc
Music & Performance
Shortly after 9:00 time for the headliner and after a little longer intro, drummer Katha Mia, guitarist Carl Fornia, bassist Manuel Antoni and of course singer Martin Engler appeared on stage. And finally there was light – to the joy of the photographers! The enthusiasm of the fans was indescribable; the mood raised high from beginning. MONO INC. opened the evening immediately with some of their biggest hits as for example ‘This Is The Day‘ and ‘Temple Of The Torn‘ and the audience could not be stopped anymore. The four experienced musicians very well mastered the alternation of hard rock, but also thoughtfully ballads and quieter passages, plucking not only charismatic front man Martin Engler’s hearstrings. The band offered a two-hour, very diverse program which presented everything from acoustic versions to a fantastic drum presentation of the quartet, as well as soli and cover versions, like the SNOW PATROL hit ‘Chasing Cars’ when all present persons became a huge choir.
It was striking that the otherwise so talkative singer was quite reserved that day and responded with no word the events in the world outside. Rather he let the music speak for itself. And the audience understood… At the end, the audience didn’t want to release the band from stage at all – there followed countless additions before the light turned on again. Also half an hour after the concert many fans stood in the Backstage obviously moved.
Setlist
01. Arabia
02. This Is The Day
03. Temple Of The Torn
04. Never-Ending Love Song
05. Kein Weg Zu Weit
06. Heile, Heile Segen / My Sick Mind TV
07. It Never Rains
08. Symphony Of Pain
09. Gothic Queen
10. Chasing Cars (Snow Patrol Cover)
11. An Klaren Tagen (Acoustic)
12. In My Heart
13. Forgiven / Revenge
14. After The War (Gary Moore Cover)
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15. Mondschein (Acoustic)
16. Get Some Sleep
17. Tag X
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18. Voices Of Doom
19. In The End
Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 9
Sound: 9
Light: 7
Total: 8.5 / 10
I know MONO INC. already since 2007 but I must say what they have performed on that Saturday was inconceivable. The mood can be hardly described in words: It felt as if everybody formed a big unity with each other giving anyone hope won from the music, hope that was needed on that evening. All in all, an incredibly emotional concert evening! Bravo!!
All pictures by Erika Knepper (www.facebook.com/erikaknepper)
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