Kato, Berlin, Germany9th Dec 2007
Emilie Autumn & Lucas Lanthier
At a cold evening in Kreuzberg, Berlin, people had gathered to enjoy a concert of the beautiful EMILIE AUTUMN. This audience was open and glamorous for a change - as compared to the K17 audience. But the glamour comes with being among EMILIE AUTUMN fans, of course. A lot of them really made an effort of looking fabulous, in which most indeed succeeded - it must be said, that the most glamorous were generally also the youngest, about 14-17, I would say. Altogether, the audience was very mixed in age and looks, but definitely all Goth. Pretty early the first few meters in front of the stage were already filled with the die-hard fans, who didn’t move away until the end of the concert.
LUCAS LANTHIER is the front man and founder of CINEMA STRANGE and DEADFLY ENSEMBLE, accompanying EMILIE AUTUMN in his solo form.
Music
LANTHIER was basically telling stories and reciting poems in his high voice with the musical accompaniment of his semi-acoustic guitar. It was very theatrical and a bit cabaretesque. Near the end of his performance, he invited “Frank” on stage and they sang a song together - all in all, the combination of improvisation, story telling, and the relaxed atmosphere was received very well by the audience.
Performance
LUCAS LANTHIER performed in a white dress, wearing his blonde hair in pigtails with red ribbons, make-up, and red nail coating. He fitted in nicely with the tea party decorations belonging to Emilie Autumn. During his gig, it was just LANTHIER and his guitar, playing the theatrical bard. One that is overacting a bit though - but it belongs to the package - LANTHIER didn’t seem to take himself too seriously and was basically just having a good time.
Emilie Autumn
EMILIE AUTUMN is a classically schooled violin player, composer, and singer. She has accompanied COURTNEY LOVE on tour, and she is known for her musical virtuosity as well as her unique style and beauty. In her live shows, she is accompanied by her Bloody Crumpets, a group of lovely ladies who each have their own cult (unfortunately, Lady Lucy Lucina wasn’t able to make it this tour because of an accident).
Music
The show opened with a long introductory 20s song, and once everybody was on stage, the real concert took off. No live band on stage, but just EMILIE AUTUMN singing, backed up by a tape. An EMILIE AUTUMN concert has its main focus on the show instead of the music, which became clear very quickly. In any way, AUTUMN showed that at least her voice was in a good shape, even though it was at times backed up by vocals on the tape. And of course, the music on tape sounded perfectly great. During the gig she ‘played’ the keyboard and the violin at times - since the keyboard was hidden behind its many decorations, it was impossible to tell of she actually did play it or not, and this scepticism was raised by AUTUMN faking her violin play during most of the show. I have no doubt that she can actually play the pieces herself, but during the up-tempo songs, she was moving a lot on the stage, having her back turned to the audience, or standing sideways, or way at the back of the stage. There was simply too much movement to be able to actually play the complicated and fast violin pieces live, and since I was clearly paying attention to it, I noticed that her movements didn’t always match the music. That surely was a disappointment - don’t play the virtuous violin player if you’re faking it, I’d say.
Fortunately, nearing the end of the gig EMILIE AUTUMN proved that she actually could play it live. But that happened in a completely different setting: completely alone on stage, no show to accompany it, and hardly moving apart from playing the electric violin. Now that actually was totally convincing - it was absolutely brilliant. Fast, complicated, virtuous and unequalled I am sure - the heavy distortions of the electric violin adding an extra vibe to it. Clearly, EMILIE AUTUMN is trying to look for a compromise between having a fabulous show and playing great live music. Personally, I think it is a great solution not to play it until the end of the concert where you can take your time alone to shine as a musician - but then be honest about it and don’t fake playing it during the rest of the concert, you’ll only end up with disillusioned fans.
Performance
When finally the lights in the club went off, a very long introductory 20s song was played to set the mood, and behind the mirror-shaped curtain a bright light was lit to reveal the silhouette of a rat, which eventually changed into the silhouette of EMILIE AUTUMN. After EMILIE AUTUMN appeared from behind the curtain, a world of decadence and indulgence took over the Kato. Nothing apart from EMILIE’s world seemed to exist. During the whole show, EMILIE AUTUMN and her fabulous Crumpets revelled in their own indulgence, creating a decadent dream world. Beautiful decorations, fantastic costumes and a hell lot of props and frills staged the play that goes by the title ‘Emilie Autumn live’. EMILIE and her Crumpets are personified beauty, with EMILIE as the ultimate beauty Queen main protagonist. They were hot, they were playful, they were beautiful, and they were sexy. And very well aware of it.
Between songs, many chats took place, with each other as well as with the audience, begging for kisses, making tantalizing comments, or just fooling around. It was done so professionally, that it was actually overacted most of the time. But did that matter in the end? No. The fans of EMILIE AUTUMN are enthusiastically plunging into the perfect illusion that is her world, and are thereby very willing to accept the very fact that it is not real. Fuck guitar, EMILIE said. Fuck reality, EMILIE showed. She extended her dream world after the gig by signing and posing with fans at the merchandise stand, and on her way there several fans received a kiss on the cheek, perfecting the illusion that sometimes dreams can actually come true. She is a dream. She is enchanting. She is a beauty queen. She is completely plastic. But that actually makes her the perfect living doll.
{jos_sb_discuss:17}
The show opened with a long introductory 20s song, and once everybody was on stage, the real concert took off. No live band on stage, but just EMILIE AUTUMN singing, backed up by a tape. An EMILIE AUTUMN concert has its main focus on the show instead of the music, which became clear very quickly. In any way, AUTUMN showed that at least her voice was in a good shape, even though it was at times backed up by vocals on the tape. And of course, the music on tape sounded perfectly great. During the gig she ‘played’ the keyboard and the violin at times - since the keyboard was hidden behind its many decorations, it was impossible to tell of she actually did play it or not, and this scepticism was raised by AUTUMN faking her violin play during most of the show. I have no doubt that she can actually play the pieces herself, but during the up-tempo songs, she was moving a lot on the stage, having her back turned to the audience, or standing sideways, or way at the back of the stage. There was simply too much movement to be able to actually play the complicated and fast violin pieces live, and since I was clearly paying attention to it, I noticed that her movements didn’t always match the music. That surely was a disappointment - don’t play the virtuous violin player if you’re faking it, I’d say.
Fortunately, nearing the end of the gig EMILIE AUTUMN proved that she actually could play it live. But that happened in a completely different setting: completely alone on stage, no show to accompany it, and hardly moving apart from playing the electric violin. Now that actually was totally convincing - it was absolutely brilliant. Fast, complicated, virtuous and unequalled I am sure - the heavy distortions of the electric violin adding an extra vibe to it. Clearly, EMILIE AUTUMN is trying to look for a compromise between having a fabulous show and playing great live music. Personally, I think it is a great solution not to play it until the end of the concert where you can take your time alone to shine as a musician - but then be honest about it and don’t fake playing it during the rest of the concert, you’ll only end up with disillusioned fans.
Performance
When finally the lights in the club went off, a very long introductory 20s song was played to set the mood, and behind the mirror-shaped curtain a bright light was lit to reveal the silhouette of a rat, which eventually changed into the silhouette of EMILIE AUTUMN. After EMILIE AUTUMN appeared from behind the curtain, a world of decadence and indulgence took over the Kato. Nothing apart from EMILIE’s world seemed to exist. During the whole show, EMILIE AUTUMN and her fabulous Crumpets revelled in their own indulgence, creating a decadent dream world. Beautiful decorations, fantastic costumes and a hell lot of props and frills staged the play that goes by the title ‘Emilie Autumn live’. EMILIE and her Crumpets are personified beauty, with EMILIE as the ultimate beauty Queen main protagonist. They were hot, they were playful, they were beautiful, and they were sexy. And very well aware of it.
Between songs, many chats took place, with each other as well as with the audience, begging for kisses, making tantalizing comments, or just fooling around. It was done so professionally, that it was actually overacted most of the time. But did that matter in the end? No. The fans of EMILIE AUTUMN are enthusiastically plunging into the perfect illusion that is her world, and are thereby very willing to accept the very fact that it is not real. Fuck guitar, EMILIE said. Fuck reality, EMILIE showed. She extended her dream world after the gig by signing and posing with fans at the merchandise stand, and on her way there several fans received a kiss on the cheek, perfecting the illusion that sometimes dreams can actually come true. She is a dream. She is enchanting. She is a beauty queen. She is completely plastic. But that actually makes her the perfect living doll.
{jos_sb_discuss:17}
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