Die Kantine, Cologne, Germany 13th February 2024
Normandie - “Dopamine Tour EU/UK” - Special Guests: Self Deception, As December Falls
Sweden proves to be a fertile ground for all sorts of excellent bands. NORMANDIE from the scenic city of Örebro prove to be no exception here. The Post-Hardcore quartet with a penchant for big and catchy melodies has released three studio albums so far. To celebrate the release of their fourth studio album ‘Dopamine’, which is scheduled to be released in February 2024, and which contains a guest appearance of BURY TOMORROW’s Dani Winter-Bates, NORMANDIE have scheduled their first headline tour through Europe’s cozy clubs. And actually, NORMANDIE managed to sell-out the Kantine.
Self Deception
The task of opening up the evening went to fellow Swedish band SELF DECEPTION, a five piece from Stockholm. The band was founded in 2005, and so far, they have released six albums, with the latest from 2023 being called ‘You are Only as Sick as Your Secrets’. https://selfdeception.se
Music & Performance
Arriving early paid off that night, as SELF DECEPTION opened the evening already at 7:30 pm. The band won over the hearts of the sold-out Kantine in a heartbeat, as it became clear right away that SELF DECEPTION was definitely high on energy. Singer Andreas Olsson, with his penchant for flashy jackets, and bassist Patrick Hallgren, with his choice of an even more flamboyant outfit definitely stole the show, and pretty soon the mosh pit starting cooking, and the band did everything right to lift the temperature. Their brand of ‘Modern Rock’ spiced up with dance elements, did not fail to catch the audience, and - judging by the number of people wearing the band’s merchandise - SELF DECEPTION managed to gain a lot of followers that night.
Rating
Music: 7
Performance: 8
Sound: 8
Light: 7
Total: 7.5 / 10
As December Falls
Next up on the rooster were AS DECEMBER FALLS. The quartet from Nottingham, UK formed in 2018, and they have release four studio albums so far. The last one was releases in 2023 and is called ‘Join the Club’. https://www.asdecemberfalls.com/
Music & Performance
With the name invoking a dark Death Metal band, the first impression was completely opposite. The female fronted Pop-Punk quartet stormed on-stage and built on the good work of their predecessors. Singer Bethany Curtis exuded tons of energy, as she danced relentlessly on stage. She literally bent over backwards while singing, and together with her bandmates delivered an absolutely convincing show, which even convinced the first fans to crowd-surf.
Rating
Music: 8
Performance: 8
Sound: 8
Light: 8
Total: 8 / 10
Normandie
So one of the most underrated Post-Hardcore bands is starting to lose their “hidden champion” status, as scores of Generation Z members were queuing to see NORMANDIE in their sold-out show at the Kantine. http://www.normandieofficial.com
Music & Performance
The change-over this time was over surprisingly quick, as only 20 minutes after AS DECEMBER FALLS left the stage, the lights went low again, and the anticipation levels in the crowd reached sky-high levels. The crowd erupted into frenzy, kicking around the yellow balloons with the band’s characteristic Smiley, as the band around singer Philip Strand kicked off their opener ‘Serotonin’ from the new album ‘Dopamine’. It was one of those moments, where the band and the audience just “clicked”. Philip seemed to be in awe, how loud the audience responded during singalong parts, which was giving me goosebumps to witness. The band reflected the energy, and interacted with the audience, e.g. by holding a vote by applause which song to play next, or by high-fiving incoming crowd surfers. All in all, the playtime went by far too quickly, and after 70 minutes, NORMANDIE left the stage, only to be brought back by frantic screaming and clapping from the audience. The reward was a massive four song encore, during which the Cologne crowd mobilized all available energy reserves, making this truly a night to remember.
Setlist
01. Serotonin
02. Jericho
03. Holy Water
04. Hourglass
05. Blood In The Water
06. Awakening
07. Butterflies
08. Colorblind
09. Collide (Instagram Vote against Mission Control)
10. Sorry
11. Chemicals
12. Dead (Audience Vote against Overdrive)
13. Flowers For The Grave
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14. Babylon
15. Ritual
16. Hostage
17. White Flag
Rating
Music: 9
Performance: 9
Sound: 8
Light: 8
Total: 8.5 / 10
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