Artist : The Gathering
Venue : Gibert Joseph du Carré de Soie (Vaulx-en-Velin) and Ninkasi Kao (Lyon)
Date : 09-02-2010
Photos : Metal’o Phil
A discreet show
This month the Gathering were on the winter trail to promote their latest album, The West Pole, and mainly to introduce the voice and face of their new female singer, Silje Wergeland. Throughout this French tour, the band were supported by the bands fellow Dutch comrades Autumn and the Osm oz frenchies.
As a starter for their show in Lyon that very same night, The Gathering unplugged themselves for a half hour acoustic set in the music shop Gilbert Joseph at the Carré de Soie Vaulx-en-Velin. Those present at the intimate session were Silje Wergeland (vocals), Marjolein Kooijman (guitar) and Frank Boeijen (keyboard), who followed up with a traditional signing session.
The set was entirely composed of tracks from The West Pole and covers. In fact, it has to be said that three covers during a 25 minute show is just too much. As for the music, it wasn’t very intense and we didn’t feel any heartfelt emotions. This was not the idea though. Even though the melodies hardly grab you, conversely, they sway you gently. Sometimes the tracks even make you feel a bit numb: this could be the effects of the band’s repertoire being too ambient based. The show is still unquestionably moving despite the soporific effect throughout. Who has ever said that an acoustic set has to be mellow and never dynamic?
Silje Wergeland (also singer of the excellent Octavis Sperati) certainly has a beautiful voice but it’s difficult to forget Anneke Van Giesbergen’s unique charm and dynamic nature on stage. She is gently, pretty and kind. Perhaps even a bit too much. Then again, we have to make way for the fact that her shyness (same goes for the others) has inevitable charm and was effective in upholding the intimate atmosphere throughout. This effect also managed to remove any kind of distance between the band and the crowd.
A beneficial break
On paper, it seems that the show was mild. However, it seems that to judge the “quality” of the show is irrelevant. As Spaceman rightfully stated just the other day: (about Paradise Lost gigs) “they are always filled with mistakes, but it’s always a pleasure to watch”. This sentence completely applies to this show.
Whether The Gathering’s setlist is dynamic or not, it still makes you forget about everything around you. This happens instantly. From the very first notes that are being played, you find yourself captivated, trapped in a bubble where you forget about your daily life, your worries and even the smell of wet dog that is dragging about the place on this rainy Tuesday. The music makes us feel as though in a matter of 30 mins, we felt sheltered and away from space and time. An experience such as this will make you think twice about it.
The rain plays a role in accentuating this friendly atmosphere. The fact that we are all able to hundle up into the warmth for the duration of the show will give us a sense of a familial gathering. Picture guitar playing by the fire type thing…
There are smiles all around and a unanimous sense of appeasement gathers in the room. There is no need for fan worship in this moment, simply the respectful appreciation for this beneficial break from the crowd. Nevermind the imperfections.
Signing Session
Finally, lets mediate on a comment made by one of the spectators at the end of the set.
“Anneke’s departure was a shock for all of us. But in the end, it seems that she has been very well replaced in The Gathering. Her solo stuff is also excellent too. So basically, it’s as though we’ve got two really good bands instead of one! “
That just goes to show… Angra, Sepultura, The Gathering, same difference !
OSM oz, somewhere between Pink Floyd and Goldman
OSM oZ are a pop/prog band who have lyrics in French and sometimes sound a bit like Jean-Jacques Goldman. It’s mainly in the French sounding vocals. The band are made up of a drummer, a bassist, a keyboard player and a guitarist who also does vocals. They sound very prog (notably the keyboard parts), which reminds us of some contemporary progressive bands such as Arena, Pendragon or Pallas. The song “Deliverance” has some Floydian highs and some very Gilmore styled solos. OSM oZ is also quite pop sounding, with simple melodies which can come across as slightly naive at times like in “In Extremis”. The vocals also sound quite pop and comparable to French singer Saez. OSM oZ will make fans happy anyway, and on stage the band seem to master their instruments very well. As a whole all they need to do is to be a little more chilled out!
Autumn, like The Gathering just angrier
Yet another Dutch band with a female vocalist! Autumn sound a lot like The Gathering during their Mandylion/Nighttime Birds period. Having said that, the band are not complete clones and do have their own personality, as a more aggressive version that are more vintage sounding (which is excellent).
The singer is charming; she’s doing a great job and knows how to hit the high notes in a powerful way. While singing the choruses, the two guitarists are entertaining the crowd by doing death metal poses (legs spread wide, knees bent, guitar almost touching the ground). As for the bassist and his Rickebacker, he plays a few growling riffs as he is leaning on the keyboard and occasionally makes a few Hammond organ sounds for the seventies adepts.
The band demonstrate their style mixing skills and show they can be aggressive with their double bass drum playing in front of the softer strobe lights slowing down the tempo, as on the track “Forget To Remember” and its arpeggio intro. Other tracks sound more like big keyboard riffs from outer space making it sound like Amorphis during their Tuonnela period, or even In Flames in the year 2000. This is all enforced by the great deal of guitar melodies in third.
For their first ever concert in Lyon and in France, the band manage to play their set with passion and enthusiasm in front of a receptive crowd. Autumn finish their set with “Cole Attitude”, making a success of their supporting role.
The Gathering
The crowd were spoilt with such great music for starters that by now, halfway through the night, they might be feeling quite full already. We are also completely unaware of what is planned for us during the rest of the evening since our old head chief decided to leave the kitchen to start her own restaurant. As for the Rutter brothers, we know that they have rewritten the menu completely albeit keeping the specials in order to softer the clients and attract some more along the way.
The concert starts off in a brilliant way, as though a flying saucer had just landed on stage. The piercing lights are white and bright, whilst the sound is frenzied and martial. Might we be at an industrial gig? No, it’s ok it’s just the instrumental intro “When Trust Becomes Sounds” that opens up the latest album The West Pole. The track is modified for the stage. It’s at this exact moment that we realise what it means to see The Gathering play. It’s about entering musical world where an atmosphere favourable to contemplation is engaged, much to our listening pleasure.
The Rutten brothers are the first to make their way to the stage ready to mount guitar and drums. Their partners arrive shortly behind. Strangely enough, Silje is placed in a small corner of the stage in front of the keyboard. Fair to say that the lead singer is no longer put forward, it is the whole band this time. Ever Frank (keyboard), who is often the naturally discreet one, is engaging in the show, enjoying the music and swaying his head and body to the rhythm of the songs. When Anneke was still in the band, it always seemed that she was the main focus of the band on stage and that the other musicians didn’t have as much room to express themselves.
The West Pole, their latest album
In order to infer their new identity, it makes sense that the band should play a vast majority of tracks from their latest album. However, as a result of many of the classic tracks appearing, it seems that the set list is quite balance after all. “On Most Surfaces” comes after “No One Spoke” with amazing strength. On the “Home” tour, the sound had already become a lot more rock, but tonight, they’ve cranked it up a notch. René Rutten’s guitar playing is as heavy as ever as seen by the way his right hand strums at those strings. We also notice that the singer has effectively learnt all of the old songs and that she has efficiently taken over the stage. The way in which her voice manages to move the crowd is remarkably similar to the way Anneke used to do it, despite the fact that she is lacking her charisma. Marjolaine (guitar) also manages to bring that extra bit to the tracks through her backing vocals.
The only downer of the evening is that Hans’s drumming is lacking in subtlety and difference. Having said that, we care just as much about that as we do about the way Lars Ulrich plays his drums in Metallica; as long as the impact of the music is felt, then who cares about the technique and precision. The guitars combined with the keyboards and the bass are amazing together and create some fine melodies.
Just for the record, the song « No Bird Call » is dedicated to the drummer of Autumn. It’s a slow track on which Silje’s voice is fragile and moving. Conversely, “Saturnine” sounds like a hit track and even manages to make the audience dance along. “All You Are” concludes the gig before the last encore for “Travel”, the song that is literally an invitation on some kind of journey. This could be interpreted as way of showing how the band are searching for new musical horizons in their newly formed crew.
Either way, this stop over at the Ninkasi was a great part of the journey. We wish them good luck on their next Western expeditions and for all of those to come.
They deserve it.
Set list:
When Trust Becomes Sound
No One Spoke
On Most Surface
A Constrant Run
Analog Park
The West Pole
Great Ocean Road
Leaves
In Motion
No Bird Call
Even The Spirits Are Afraid
Marooned
Saturnine
All You Are
Encore:
Travel
This post is also available in: French
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