Reflections of Darkness - Music Magazine - VNV Nation

Details: Written by: Carsten Leopold & Daniela Vorndran; Published: 30 September 2009

FZW, Dortmund, Germany
27th September 2009
VNV Nation, Rotersand & Solar Fake

On Sunday, 27th September we went to Dortmund to enjoy VNV NATION at their current tour who was supported by ROTERSAND and SOLAR FAKE. Also this show in the newly opened club was sold out. A huge queue was waiting outside to get in and when SOLAR FAKE started their show, lots of them were still waiting outside, even though the first band started later than announced.

Solar Fake

Sven Friedrich, member of the prolific DREADFUL SHADOWS and the singer and songwriter of the follow-up band ZERAPHINE, gave birth to SOLAR FAKE in 2007. However, the idea of a solo project already existed longer than that, but after the last ZERAPHINE album had been released he finally had the time to delve into it. He ended up having 12 songs finding their way on the debut album ‘Broken Grid’ out in February 2008. At the current VNV NATION tour FROZEN PLASMA who was the support for the first gigs had to cancel the tour due to personal reasons and was replaced by SOLAR FAKE who already opened for VNV during some shows of the tour. SOLAR FAKE is Sven Friedrich (production, vocals, lyrics) who is supported live by Frank on keys. http://www.solarfake.de/ / http://www.myspace.com/solarfake

Music & Performance
The start of the evening was announced on the website for 8 o'clock. But the real schedule said 7.30. At 7:45 - a lot of people were still waiting outside the door as already mentioned - SOLAR FAKE entered the stage and began their show with ‘Hiding memories from the sun’. Congenial sounds perfected by the pleasing melodic voice of Sven infected the crowd quickly who enjoyed the show. The light show was formidable even though the LED wall in the background wasn't in use during the support acts. The set list consisted of seven songs and included beside own songs a cover version of ‘Creep’ from RADIOHEAD. Short but very nice start of the evening indeed!

Setlist
01. Hiding memories from the sun
02. Stigmata rain
03. Sometimes
04. Creep (Radiohead)
05. The Shield
06. Here I stand
07. Lies

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

Rotersand

After a short change over, the evening went on with ROTERSAND, a German electronic music act, formed in September 2002 by musician / producer Gun and singer Rascal with dance music producer Krischan Wesenberg joining shortly after. Being referred to by the band itself as Industrial Pop, ROTERSAND's music can generally be described as danceable electro or Future Pop. The EP ‘War on Error’ was just released and a new album will follow end of October. ROTERSAND is Rasc (vocals, guitar), Gun (keyboard, guitar) and Krischan (turntables). http://www.rotersand.net/ / http://www.myspace.com/rotersand

Music & Performance
ROTERSAND started their set very powerful with ‘Almost Violent’ and were welcomed by the crowd with much applause. Quickly the spirit went over to the hall which was filled up completely meanwhile; the temper was great and from time to time it felt like a headlining gig. It was written in the band’s faces that they had a lot of fun playing a home gig. The danceable rhythms and the rousing performance infected the people and animated them to dancing, jumping, clapping hands and singing along. Sadly, the set ran only about 30 minutes and included with ‘Bastard Screaming’ a new song from the just released EP ‘War on Error’ beside well-known songs like ‘Lost’, ‘Merging Oceans’ or ‘Exterminate, Annihilate, Destroy’ which is always a highlight of the show.

I've seen some shows of ROTERSAND before, but this one was simply the best. Quickly the time went over and when ROTERSAND left the stage after ‘Undone’ the crowd was warmed up very well for what’s to come.

Setlist
01. Almost Violent
02. Lost
03. Dare to Live
04. Bastard Screaming
05. Merging Oceans
06. Electronic World Transmission
07. Exterminate, Annihilate, Destroy
08. Undone

Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 10
Sound: 10
Light: 8
Total: 8.9 / 10

VNV Nation

After another short change over the stage was ready for the headliner VNV NATION. VNV NATION are an electronic music band originally from Wexford and London, now based in Hamburg, that combines elements of industrial music, trance, synth pop and electronic body music. Earlier works also include some electro-industrial influences. The "VNV" in the name stands for “Victory not Vengeance”. Over the years, VNV NATION developed to one of the most important bands of the electro / synth pop scene; the current album called ‘Of Faith, Power and Glory’ was released on 19th June 2009. The current tour is the best running one for the band so far with lots of sold-out shows. VNV NATION is Ronan Harris (music, lyrics, vocals) and Mark Jackson (drums); on stage usually they are supported by two additional keyboard players, this time namely Gabriel Shaw and André Winter. http://www.vnvnation.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/vnvnation

Music & Performance
9:45 o'clock, the light went out, the intro ‘Pro Victoria’ started and the LED wall behind the stage displayed the words “Faith”, “Power” and “Glory” hinting to the title of the current album followed by the band name “VNV”. One after another the musicians entered the stage, finally Ronan who was just running form one end to the other from the vey beginning. Right from the start the temper was great (even though people said it wasn’t the show with the best mood during the tour) and the band as well as the crowd celebrated a big party together. The people welcomed VNV NATION and their additional keyboard players with screaming and clapping hands and during the songs the whole crowd was dancing, jumping and singing along. Like usual between the songs, Ronan spook to the crowd and animated them with his high-class entertainment qualities. Surely nothing for anyone, but the fans love it like this.

The set list consisted of all in all 17 songs and included well-known songs like ‘Testament’, powerful and fast ‘Chrome’ or the all-time favourite ‘Standing’ as well as some new songs from the current album like ‘Sentinel’ or ‘The Great Divide’ which will be released as next single. Danceable up-tempo songs were alternating with calmer sing-along tracks like ‘Homeward’ or balladry ‘Illusion’. Altogether a great show with a fantastic light show and a really great sound in the venue. When the main set finished after about 70 minutes with the stomper ‘Nemesis’, the crowd was not tired and screamed for encores. Some minutes later the party went on and the band came back on to stage to perform first two more songs before they left the stage again. But a concert of VNV NATION can not end without ‘Beloved’ and so they had to come back to perform a further encore with just that song and the stadium hymn ‘Perpetual’ before they finally left the stage. ‘Perpetual’ was a great experience in Dortmund because the crowd just did not stop singing even though the music already stopped. Great end for this show!

Setlist
01. Pro Victoria
02. Tomorrow never comes
03. Testament
04. Darkangel
05. Further
06. Sentinel
07. Chrome
08. The Great Divide
09. Illusion
10. Homeward
11. The Farthest Star
12. In Defiance
13. Nemesis
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14. Standing
15. Carry You
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16. Beloved
17. Perpetual

Rating
Music: 10
Performance: 10
Sound: 10
Light: 9
Total: 9.9 / 10