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introARTheater, Cologne, Germany
24th April 2016
Sophia

Mr. Robin Proper-Sheppard and his band SOPHIA were playing on a Sunday evening in Cologne. And even though it was spring, it more looked like winter with even a little snow. Somehow, the weather was kind of fitting to the mood the band is spreading with its songs.

SOPHIA is an indie rock band consisting of Robin Proper-Sheppard, former member of THE GOD MACHINE, and the Sophia collective, a group of musicians who collaborate with SOPHIA. The first album, ‘Fixed Water’, was out in 1996 on The Flower Shop Recordings where the band still is signed. Just now, the band released its sixth album, ‘As We Make Our Way (Unknown Harbours)’ and impressed the fans a lot. It took all in all seven long years until new material from the artist, now living in Belgium, was finally released. No question that the announced live dates were received with a lot of pleasant anticipation, leading very soon to sold-out gigs. And so was the show in Cologne. http://www.sophiamusic.net / https://www.facebook.com/thesophiacollective 

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Music & Performance
The ARTheater in Cologne was packed when SOPHIA entered the stage. Probably it would have been better to move the show to a bigger location since it was nearly possible to place your feet on the floor. And besides, the photographers would have been happy too about slightly more light on stage. But to the concert, which was fantastic without any doubt. When it comes to dark melancholia, no one can really compare with the man on guitar and microphone. He masters this art in a very solemn manner (like during the intense ‘It’s So Easy To Be Lonely’ from the current long-player) as well as in an extremely powerful and pushing dosage form like at ‘Oh My Love’ from the 2004 album ‘People Are Like Seasons’. He also likes to combine both ways: ‘The Desert Song No. 2’ is such a candidate which started first with some piano chords and slightly dissonant guitar riffs before the drums joined in and the ethereal mood finally exploded in an eruptive final. With the mumbling monster ‘Darkness’, the five-piece delivered a real thunderstorm and also during the last, with excitement received song ‘The River Song’ (1998 – ‘The Infinite Circle’), light and staccato riffs were on the agenda – all ingredients of a great final song, besides the charismatic appearance of the singer.

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But stop. Even though the lights in the small venue were already turned on, the never-ending applause of the audience brought the quintet back on stage where ‘Birds’ from the 2006 ‘Technology Won’t Save Us’ album once more took care for a great melange of emotions and power before finally ‘I Left You’ ended the set in big melancholia. With this song and a hint to the new season of “Game of Thrones” and the question if Jon Snow is still alive, Proper-Sheppard said good bye to his fans. But soon afterwards, he could be found already at the merch. All in all, great concert!

Setlist
01. Resisting
02. The Drifter
03. Don’t Ask
04. Blame
05. California
06. St. Tropez / The Hustle
07. You Say It’s Alright
08. Baby, Hold On
09. It’s Easy To Be Lonely
10. Bad Man
11. So Slow
12. If Only
13. Oh My Love
14. The Desert Song No. 2
15. Darkness
16. The River Song
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17. Birds
18. I Left You

Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 8
Sound: 8
Light: 3
Total: 7 / 10

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All pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com / http://www.facebook.com/blackcatnet)


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