10th January 2020
Diary Of Dreams - ‘Hell in Eden’ Tour - Support: Us
So here we are. After three weeks without concerts it was time for some of us to attend the first concert of the year 2020. What a crazy year number, isn’t it? Almost half of January is over and I am still trying to get used to write it. Still failing sometimes, but things are getting better. Anyway, to start 2020 music-wise with DIARY OF DREAMS and their special guests US was something I was really looking forward to. DIARY OF DREAMS as the band that has been one of my favourite bands for over 15 years now and US who absolutely flashed me and many others during the mini tour last October. So visiting Wiesbaden was the plan for the second weekend in January.
Us
US are Leo Josefsson and Andrew Montgomery from Sweden, though Andrew is originally from Scotland, but moved to Sweden some years ago. Both have been successfully making music before, Leo is known from Swedish Electro Pop bands LOWE and STATEMACHINE and Andrew just reunited with GENEVA, a Scottish Indie Rock band that has been creating especially in the 90ies. They joint project US and the debut album, ‘First Contact’ released in May 2019, create something quite new and very captivating. Their music is “soul food”, not “fast food”. If you take your time to dive in you’ll be rewarded with a whole new world of extraordinaire Synth and Future Electro Pop on a very high level. http://www.usmusicspace.com / https://www.facebook.com/usmusicspace
Music & Performance
It was totally obvious from the first second that Leo and Andrew entered the stage in their white stage outfits that they had built up an own fan-base inside of the DIARY OF DREAMS fan base during their three support slots in October. Rarely does it happen that an opening band is welcomed at a show like this. Their performance once more proved that they deserved this reaction and the number of fans waiting afterwards to sign an album or take a picture significantly increased. Their set started with ‘Mute’, an atmospheric track with incredibly beautiful vocals of Andrew. It is fascinating to watch him sing with all the dedication. And all eyes just hypnotized watching at Leo and Andrew. And obviously both really enjoyed their time on stage, it was a pleasure see their smiles in between the songs and also during.
US performed also two new songs as they are currently writing new material, ‘The Vine’ and ‘Closure’ were as beautiful as the other songs and make curious for more. Very likeable was also the announcement that went like “We haven’t played that one yet. So if that does not work out, sorry” (analogous). Taking out the pressure just before is probably the best thing one can do. But it worked out pretty awesome and now I am even more waiting for the next show in Wuppertal where US are supporting DIARY OF DREAMS one more time. With my three favourites, the sensual ‘Never Get Over’, more driving ‘Technicolor’ and the catchy and quite epic ‘Voyager’, the set of about 40 minutes ended.
Setlist
01. Mute
02. Till The Dying Of The Light
03. The Vine
04. In Denial
05. Closure
06. Never Get Over
07. Technicolor
08. Voyager
Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 9
Light: 8
Sound: 9
Total: 8.8 / 10
Diary Of Dreams
DIARY OF DREAMS are a well-known name in the scene worldwide (they just played last year in South and North America, shows all over Europe etc.) and have already shows this year confirmed in Russia, Spain, Austria, of course club shows in Germany along with some festival slots (Plage Noire, W-Fest, Amphi Festival & Wacken Open Air). Their music, balancing between enchanting synth melodies and hard guitar riffs build the unique sound, on top of the remarkable voice of Adrian Hates. The shows of the ‘hell in Eden’ tour continue, but the fans can also hope for a new album in the not-so-far-away-anymore-future. The currently announced shows can be seen as the continuation of the shows that DIARY OF DREAMS played in October 2019. https://www.diaryofdreams.de / https://www.facebook.com/officialdiaryofdreams
Music & Performance
The sold-out show started as energetic as we are used to from DIARY OF DREAMS. ‘Made In Shame’ opened the evening of pure emotion and energy. The four guys on stage obviously had fun and enjoyed it to spend the evening rocking the stage and celebrate the new year with their fans. It continued as epic as it could be with ‘Epicon’, ‘Daemon’ and ‘Listen And Scream’. Then we already came to enjoy my personally favourite part of the current setlist… ‘Menschfeind’, ‘Soul Stripper’ and ‘Reign Of Chaos’ are the songs I think of when I think back to the moment when I fell in love with the music of DIARY OF DREAMS. I was a teenager, discovering the dark music scene and fascinated by all the different facets of it. And these songs gave and showed me so much more than many others were able to. Grateful to have had discovered DIARY OF DREAMS quite early and making them a soundtrack of many, many years in my life. And so we all right here share our moments, our memories, when we discovered the band, when we saw them for the first time, all the journeys, new songs, discovering older songs, watching the changes.
It is always a pleasure to listen to all the stories and see the sparkling eyes. Talking about sparkling eyes - “We play it again and again and again. But only for you” as Adrian announced the next song - of course it was ‘Traumtänzer’. Almost no show without this timeless classic. And the fan choir that is supposed to be here. Even if you’ve heard this song so many times, somehow it just has to be here. The audience was enjoying the evening and so the next songs just hyped the crowd up. ‘Butterfly:Dance!’ was as always a highlight and then, when the song was over, Adrian suddenly started speaking French with a guy in the crowd while his band mates left the stage because it was supposed to be the last song of the set (before the encore). Adrian finished talking, turned around and all surprised “Wait. Where is my band? That can’t be true, they just left. No. I don’t want a break, we just keep playing” and so Dejan, Hilger and Felix came back on stage as they heard it and we got three more songs before this magic evening and first concert of the new year was over.
‘Endless Nights’, ‘Undividable’ (that has collected so much meaning by now) and then, the last song, ‘The Curse’. Has always been a favourite and with the added “live action” it became even more of a highlight live. Adrian is now coming down to the audience, singing, giving some hugs or just enjoying to surprise one or another fan with his sudden presence right next or behind. When the song was over, he said “thank you” especially in German and French and so this multilingual, wonderful evening was over. Saying “Now am I leaving” with the reference to the moment three songs ago, when his colleagues were suddenly not on stage anymore, but he stayed on stage, Adrian as well as Dejan, Felix and Hilger left the stage. And so, also this show was over, leaving many happy and excited fans behind. A perfect start - emotional, strong, touching. An evening to share and enjoy. Already looking forward to the next evening - on 31st January in Wuppertal.
Setlist
01. Made In Shame
02. Epicon
03. Daemon
04. Listen And Scream
05. Menschfeind
06. Soul Stripper
07. Reign Of Chaos
08. Malum
09. Haus der Stille
10. Traumtänzer
11. King Of Nowhere
12. Decipher Me
13. Butterfly:Dance!
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14. Endless Nights
15. Undividable
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16. The Curse
Rating
Music: 10
Performance: 10
Light: 8
Sound: 9
Total: 9.3 / 10
All pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com / http://www.facebook.com/blackcatnet)
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