Live Review: Project Pitchfork - Krefeld 2012

Written by Daniela Vorndran Monday, 23 January 2012 12:44

Kulturfabrik, Krefeld, Germany
20th January 2012
Project Pitchfork, Stahlmann, Deviant UK

For many years now, PROJECT PITCHFORK are at the forefront of alternative electronic music, even though the popularity decreased with the more introverted albums 'Inferno' and 'Kaskade' for some time. The band returned to their roots, starting with the release of 'Dream, Tiresias!' in 2009. Two more albums would follow emphasizing a darker, more raw electronic sound the latest being 'Quantum Mechanics'. Since the band has always shown pleasure in playing live aplenty, they are going to return to the stages in 2012 travelling many German cities to deliver the apocalyptic message carved into attendees minds with the blunt force of edgy electronic beats. We took the chance to see them in Krefeld, where the band was supported by STAHLMANN and DEVIANT UK.

Deviant UK

DEVIANT UK, formed in 2004, is the one man project of Jay Smith who is joined for live performances by “a band of miscreants, each handpicked due to their outstanding talents, individual style & commitment to bringing it in deviant style, both on and offstage”, like he says. The debut album ‘Barbed Wire Star’ was released in September 2006. Even though the band is quite new, they already had the chance to support VNV NATION during their Dublin show in 2007. In the meantime some more shows have been played and Jay collaborated with Peter Spilles on the IMATEM project and with ROTERSAND on the track ‘Mission’. The next album ‘Very Bad Things’ was out in January 2011. Currently, Smith is working on new material to be out in 2012. DEVIANT UK live on stage currently is Jay Smith (vocals), his wife Cheryl (keyboards) and drummer Mark Bartholomew. http://www.myspace.com/deviantuk / https://www.facebook.com/deviantuk



Music & Performance
British DEVIANT UK was already touring with PROJECT PITCHFORK in 2009. This time, just the band line-up was slightly different with Jay’s wife behind the keyboard now. She was probably THE eye catcher for the attending males, since it was the only woman on stage during the evening, and moreover, she was dressed up very sexy in men’s eyes. The hall was not yet filled pretty well, but anyway the trio was up for a energetic show. As Jay wrote later on his Facebook, it was probably the best German show they ever had. Sadly, the sound in front of stage was not very well, it was hard to understand what was sung in stage. As Jay later on told me, that was really petty since it sounded quite perfect on stage. I’ve seen DEVIANT UK a few times now and also this time, Jay was visibly enjoying himself on stage, doing grimaces, playing the microphone stand or posing a lot for the audience.



During some songs, he included some reminiscences of bands he probably likes, or thinks it might fit… So, second song ‘You Know My Name’ included a line of NITZER EBB’s ‘Let Your Body Learn’, “Fast beat the feet fast fall the hands”, and second last song ‘Access Denied!’ was introduced with SCOOTER’s “Hyper, Hyper”! All in all, the band was warmly welcomed by the Krefeld audience.

Setlist
01. Wreckhead
02. You Know My Name
03. Me Without You
04. My Black Heart
05. Access Denied!
06. You Will Burn

Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 7
Sound: 6
Light: 4
Total: 6.4 / 10




Stahlmann

STAHLMANN kind of just started their career, founded in 2008 and already making a kick-start with their first release, which is the EP ‘Herzschlag’ that cracked into the German Alternative Charts on #20. Their tour credits already include sharing the stage with DORO, IN EXTREMO, SALTATIO MORTIS or EISBRECHER. The eponymous debut album has been released on 17th September 2010. Just the day before, on 20th January 2011, the band released its brand-new album ‘Quecksilber’ on AFM Records. STAHLMANN is Mart (vocals, programming) and Tobi (guitar, programming) with different musicians on second guitar, bass and drums. For the Krefeld show, Ablaz, who plays bass in SARAH JEZEBEL DEVA and Guitar in GOD’S ARMY, was playing the bass and Niklas Kahl was playing the drums. http://www.myspace.com/stahlmannmusik / http://www.stahlmann.tv / https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stahlmann/138756019513864



Music & Performance
STAHLMANN had something to celebrate! Their new album ‘Quecksilber’ was just out on the concert day and the band can be really proud of it. Before they will give a headliner show in a few days in nearby Bochum, they were warming up the Krefeld audience for PROJECT PITFORK. And how they did! Today just as a quartet without a live bass player, our silver guys (well, not only the band was silver, even the setlist was written in silver!) stormed the stage to welcome the audience right adequate with ‘Willkommen’ kicking already the audience’s butt. It was all about shaking your head to the beat. Of course, there needed some new songs being introduced to the attendees. First new on ‘Spring Nicht’ - btw. My favourite of ‘Quecksilber’ - was received very well. Well, was to expect after Mart explained how it works tonight: “We are working our butt of, and you join in!”. Back to the debut album with ‘Stahlmann’ when people finally freaked out. No one could escape the power floating down from stage.



Under a strobe thunderstorm, ‘Stahlwittchen’ came over the audience. As last song, the current single out off the new album, ‘Tanzmaschine’, was announced and Mart told anyone that the band will be at the merch later for small talk and autographs. Really a great warm-up!

Setlist
01. Willkommen
02. Spring nicht
03. Stahlmann
04. Am Grunde
05. Hass mich... Lieb mich
06. Stahlwittchen
07. Tanzmaschnie

Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 8
Sound: 7
Light: 7
Total: 7.7 / 10




Project Pitchfork

PROJECT PITCHFORK is one of the spearheads in the alternative electronic music, initially consisting only of Peter Spilles and Dirk Scheuber. Later Jürgen Jansen and live members Achim Färber and Carsten Klatte joined the line-up. The formation wasn’t just known for critically-acclaimed albums, successful tours and appearances on every conceivable festival but also for some prominent support acts like RAMMSTEIN or COVENANT. After some very successful years at the beginning of this millennium, the popularity decreased with the more introverted albums ‘Inferno’ and ‘Kaskade’ but nothing has changed in East Germany and in Russia, where a tribute to Pitchfork sampler has been created in 2005. In 2009 they eventually came back with a new full-length, titled ‘Dream, Tiresias!’, just to let follow the next one, ‘Continuum Ride’, a year later, and the band's creativity wouldn't cease with that as 'Quantum Mechanics' has dropped already last August. http://www.project-pitchfork.eu / http://www.myspace.com/projectpitchfork / https://www.facebook.com/pages/Project-Pitchfork-Official/65663206412



Music & Performance
It is always difficult with live shows of PITCHFORK. Sometimes there is no response from the audience and the show is, hm, let’s say not really enthusiastic. And sometimes, PITCHFORK blows anyone right off their feet. This time, the band succeeded big time with a fantastic, all electronic show… yes, the left guitar player Klatte at home and just supported the music by some live drums played by Achim Färber. Also the light show was very fitting with a wide LED wall in the back and wonderful play with spots and laser. Song-wise, the set was a good mix of the last two albums ‘Continuum Ride’ and ‘Quantum Mechanics’ - strangely no song of ‘Dream, Tiresias!’ from 2009 made it into the set - and a lot of the band’s classics. When the show started with ‘Continuum’ from 2010, the hall was really well filled and anyone was eager for a celebration. The mood was on top level from the very beginning. The first fan favourite followed right away with ‘Timekiller’ and latest at that point, there was no holding back. People were all dancing and singing along.



The good mood was definitely transported onto stage where the band delivered in the course of the next two hours a fantastic set. Scheuber several times came to the front to push the audience up or shake hands. Also Achim had his solo moment of fame with a little drum solo during ‘Alpha Omega’ gaining a lot of applause. Following classic ‘Souls’ was once more one of the concert’s highlights. This one was and still is one of the most wonderful PITCHFORK songs in my eyes. When ‘Endless infinity’ from ‘Continuum Ride’ had faded, Peter told the audience that so far, he had a great evening and that they also brought some “Hits” with them. The followed ‘Mine’ and ‘K.N.K.A.’, latter one with nearly metal grunts of Peter. When ‘Lam-‘bras’ came up, you heard people in the audience screaming “Louder”. In my opinion, it was really loud enough, sometimes at the front even too loud. But maybe this was just excitement… With ‘Beholder’ and ‘Existence’, the set finished.




But not great show without encore. And people really wanted one! So, the band came back for three more songs finishing tonight’s concert evening with ‘Tempest’. Truly an amazing show. It seems, PITCHFORK still can surprise me!

Setlist
01. Intro
02. Continuum
03. Timekiller
04. Fire and ice
05. Lament
06. Human crossing
07. Run for cover
08. Alpha Omega
09. Souls  
10. Endless infinity
11. Mine
12. K.N.K.A.
13. The queen of time and space
14. Carrion
15. The dividing line
16. Stacked visions
17. Lam-‘bras
18. Beholder
19. Existence
---
20. Conjure
21. Requiem
22. Tempest (with Maurice from the Project Pitchfork Forum)
23. Rescue me

Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 9
Sound: 7
Light: 8
Total: 8.2 / 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)