Reflections of Darkness - Music Magazine - Phillip Boa & the Voodooclub

Details: Written by: Daniela Vorndran; Published: 11 March 2009

Matrix, Bochum, Germany
10th March 2009
Phillip Boa & the Voodooclub, Leandra

It’s strange to say that German sound arts, in most cases, only seem to appeal to musically critical foreign-countries if it walks stray from the paths of overly exercised formulaic and predictable music. One of these artists, who’s never that much into following any of the current trends, but rather realizing his own vision of alternative German Indie Rock/Pop, is the singer and songwriter PHILIP BOA who has, through the years, always amazed with his refreshingly different approach to this kind of music, and without him it’s safe to assume the genre would have a much lower standing in the eyes of many, many people - interior or abroad. On 10th March, he was presenting his new Album ‘Diamond Falls’ at the Matrix Club in Bochum, supported by LEANDRA.

Leandra

She’s already known under the name Ophelia Dax in the electronic / rock band JESUS ON EXTASY, where she’s playing the keys. On the “Weiße Reise”-tour of LETZTE INSTANZ, beginning of 2008, she already presented some songs live only with the piano. Then, on 22nd 2008 February she debuted with her album ‘Metamorphine’ on Drakkar Entertainment and gathered lots of positive critics with it. http://www.leandrasphere.de/ / http://www.myspace.com/leandrasphere

Music & Performance
It was 8 o’clock when LEANDRA was going to start her show. During a spherical intro, first live drummer Andreas Bargel and live guitarist Sven entered the stage until finally German-Belarusian singer LEANDRA entered the stage, her face covered with a black mask. After I was positively surprised by her album and the show at last year’s performance at Nocturnal Culture Night Festival I was very eager to see her performing in a small and especially dark club where you could experience the light show to its full. First song performed was ‘Tybery Folla’, completely sung in a fantasy language. After ‘Noisy Awareness’ followed the wonderful song ‘The Art of Dreaming’, originally recorded as a duet with Sven Friedrich (ZERAPHINE).

30 minutes for a show are not very long and so, after ‘Coloured’, already the last song ‘Naked Eyes’ followed. On the setlist were three more songs, but sadly there was no time anymore and her were not even giving a few minutes to play ‘Angeldemon’ after she already took place behind the keyboard to start the song. Anyway, with her dark warm voice she convinced several attendees and afterwards sold some of her records at the merch booth.

Setlist
01. Intro
02. Tybery Folla
03. Noisy Awareness
04. The Art of Dreaming
05. Coloured
06. Naked Eyes

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

Phillip Boa & the Voodooclub

PHILLIP BOA underwent his musical socialization with the punk wave of the late 70’s, when bands such as SEX PISTOLS and THE CLASH, like Boa later, were riding high, breaking the rules of well established pop to create a new and freer understanding of music between crash disharmony and conserved non-conformism. Also German “Kraut-Rock” of the 1970s, with pioneers such as CAN or FAUST, had on impact on BOA. After his critically-acclaimed 2007 release ‘Faking to Blend In’, Phillip Boa and his Voodoo Club return in February 2009 to let the ‘Diamonds Fall’. For the drum and percussion parts of the new record, Jaki Liebezeit - named by NME as the world’s best drummer - most notable for his work with CAN has joined the Voodoo Club as a new studio member. The current live line-up is Phillip Boa (vocals, guitar), Pia Lund (vocals), David Rebel (guitar), Maik T. aka The Leach (bass), Moses Pellberg (drums) and Toett (keyboards, percussions). http://www.phillipboa.de/ / www.myspace.com/phillipboaandthevoodooclub

Music & Performance
Sharp at nine the lights went down and familiar sounds were floating through the hall… the intro for BOA’s show was BAUHAUS’ classic ‘Bela Lugosi’s Dead’. Quite strange to hear that as an intro for BOA. The venue was quite packed now with attendees know BOA since the beginnings of the band in the 1980s - and their own teen years when the band entered the stage and started the set with their well-known hit ‘Fine Art in Silver’. A very nice choice of an opening song if you ask me. Having a new album - ‘Diamonds Fall’ - in stock, it was for sure lots of songs out off it would be played during the evening. In fact, only one song from the album (‘Fiat Topolino’) has not been played. So, the show went on now with ‘The World has been unfaithful’ and ‘The Race is over’ out off the mentioned album. Following the pattern mixing old with new tracks, next one on the list was ‘Annie flies the love bomber’. PHILLIP BOA & THE VOODOOCLUB know that their fans want to hear first and foremost the old classics it seemed. It was songs like ‘This Is Michael’, ‘Albert is a Headbanger’ (which was played in the encores) or ‘Container Love’ which caused true riots in the crowd, including a huge moshpit - one with an average age of 35 years it seemed.

People in front of the stage really enjoyed the show and so did Mr. Boa on stage and he obviously had a lot of fun, joking with the audience. He commented a lot between songs and even chitchatted with fans in the first few rows. The new song ‘Black Light’ not only ends the current album but also ended the main set of the evening. But a BOA show would be no BOA show without an extensive encore. First bonus song was the new one ‘God have Mercy with the 1-Eyed’ when Pia entered the stage with a patch on one eye. Much to the exhilaration of the people on stage, some people in the audience also showed such a patch. The encore went on with older songs presenting the loudly requested ‘Diana’ or the already mentioned ‘Albert is a Headbanger’. After some songs the band left the stage again but came back for exactly two more songs, as the exalted man on stage stated. This two songs were the catchy ‘And Then She Kissed Her’ with Pia on lead vocals and the smashing ‘Kill Your Ideals’, one of the absolute fan favourites.

PHILLIP BOA & THE VOODOOCLUB proved that they are live on stage still a force to be reckoned with, and with a great atmosphere, loyal fans and numerous classics in their back catalogue this show was even better than I expected.

Setlist
01. Fine Art in Silver
02. The World has been unfaithful
03. The Race is over
04. Annie flies the love bomber
05. Coppergirl
06. Love on Sale
07. D.J. Baron Cabdriver
08. Diamonds Fall
09. Atlantic Claire
10. Jane Wyman
11. This is Michael
12. The Ballad of Pia and Toett
13. I dedicate my soul to you
14. 60’s 70’s 80’s 90’s 10
15. Burn all the Flags
16. Valerian
17. Container Love
18. Black Light
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19. God have Mercy with the 1-Eyed
20. Diana
21. Albert is a Headbanger
22. Speed
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23. And then she kissed her
24. Kill your Ideals

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