Matrix, Bochum, Germany
12th February 2011
Montreal, Benzin
Contrary to the line of people the other day, this concert featuring MONTREAL and BENZIN promised to be a lot cosier in regards to the attendance count. Anything else was completely unpredictable. Turns out we underestimated the fans a bit.
Benzin
The band started with the name UNCLE BENZ in 1996. But as there is already someone else using this name, they were soon forced to drop that one and after working as STERNSURFER for a while, they eventually settled with BENZIN. In 2006 then, the debut album ‘Soundtrack für Dein Wochenende’ came out, followed by the sophomore ‘Auf los geht’s los’ in 2008. The third one with the catchy title ‘Streichholzschachtelmasterplan’ was released in last year’s February. http://www.benzinpage.de / http://www.myspace.com/benzinpage
Music & Performance
There was a little bit of a delay in the schedule. But when the band entered the stage eventually, they wasted not much time and beats blasted out of the speakers. With the first beat, also the other band members kind of took off and swirled around on stage to ‘Streichholzschachtelmasterplan’. With the second song ‘Augen auf, Ohren auf’, the people behind us were already up for poging. But the band didn’t seem to be entirely satisfied yet with what they’ve seen so far and so they demanded a little more to the next song, which was ‘Ton’, and got a little more than before. Since most of the German-tongued stuff the band was playing was pretty much up-tempo, there wasn’t much time for a break for the audience. The only break they got was when the band chose for a humorous intermezzo. With the last two songs of the set, they geared up one last time and on ‘Bewegung ’we even had a little circle pit. The warm-up job the main band wanted them to do, they did pretty well.
Setlist
01. Streichholzschachtelmasterplan
02. Augen auf, Ohren auf
03. Ton
04. So weit weg
05. Digital sein
06. Hol mich hier raus
07. Mein Plan
08. Maradona
09. Laut
10. Indiestar
11. Bewegung
Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 7
Sound: 7
Light: 7
Total: 7.4 / 10
Montreal
Already the first MONTREAL album ‘Alles auf Schwarz’, released in 2005 became a major success and was followed up by touring with the likes of SONDASCHULE, LOIKAEMIE, BOMBSHELL ROCKS and EL*KE. The following year saw them touring outside of Germany amongst others with the BLOODHOUND GANG. The second album ‘Die schönste Sprache der Welt’ brought the first headlining tour through Germany and the third one expanded their audience even more. http://www.montrealmusic.de / http://www.myspace.com/montrealmusic
Music & Performance
Until the main band of the evening entered the stage, some time would pass with nothing happening at first, resembling a changeover, and when it started it’s been very slow at first. But then, suddenly, everything went pretty quick and the band soon appeared on stage, still having a few problems with the bass and stuff, which caused the opener ‘Stille Post’ to be started a few times over. According to the band, however, the song is perfectly suitable for that purpose. Then their drummer Max Power was suddenly gone and they started with no drums. At some point he ran in and finally did his job ;) The little crowd here couldn’t hold back anymore when the band got the ball rolling then and ecstatic jumping and moshing were the favourite means of expressing their ecstasy. Sometime early in the set, the band noticed there was actually someone with professional photo equipment and asked the young lady on stage to take some pictures, also with the band who threw themselves into pose for that special occasion.
Afterwards, everything went its normal way, as far as normal goes with that band. Anyway, the most important thing was they had fun and both the band, either playing or joking which they did quite a lot, and the audience had just that. Later in the set, the band played an anthem to their drummer Max Power and while at it wanted to set a new record in having him stage dive, being taken to the bar on the people’s hands, getting some vodka for the band and return to the stage as far as he could. He ended up with making it in about 23 seconds. Not bad! Soon the end had come, but the band wasn’t done yet and had still plenty songs to throw into the crowd as encores and drain the last bit of sweat out of their happy fans.
Setlist
01. Stille Post
02. Walkman Revolution
03. Wenn sich der Kessel wieder dreht
04. Schwarz auf Weiß
05. Pullover
06. Zum allerersten Mal
07. Ein echter Kavalier
08. Sonnenschein und Pool
09. Dein neuer Freund und ich
10. Solang die Fahne weht
11. Mädchen aus Berlin
12. Katharine
13. Max Power
14. Erzähl mir mehr
15. Du bist soweit
16. Ende der Ballonfahrt
17. Besser jetzt zu gehen
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18. Wir sind die Gang
19. U-Bahnlinie 2
20. Und dann kommst du
21. Endlich wieder Discozeit
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22. Schade um Dich
23. Allein mit mir / Maurer
24. Großstadtrevier
25. Duo mit 2 Fäusten
Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 7
Sound: 7
Light: 7
Total: 7 / 10
All pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com/ / http://www.black-cat-net.de/ / www.myspace.com/vorndranphotography / www.facebook.com/blackcatnet)
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