credit photo : @BenTardif (bengothal photography) BGP MUSIC LIVE
The venue fills up timidly, with the bravest taking the front row right up against the stage. With the pit very sparse and the balustrades and balconies filling up, the first sounds are heard on stage. White flashing lights illuminate the stage where the musicians take their places. In the darkness, a female voice is heard, followed by a low-pitched song with a surprising flow to the beat.
I discover Vexed, a British alternative metal band.
The band members roam around the stage, coming into contact with the audience (as much as the machine stage allows), and it's always good to see a lively show despite the "small" audience for this opening act. In fact, this is their first show in France.
The crowd in the pit gets into the swing of things, moshpits erupt, followed by a wall of death and a circle requested by the singer. The lighting effects, in rhythm with the music, added a touch of cachet to the live show. It's not the kind of music I like, but there's no denying the singer's sheer vocal prowess, alternating between growls, clean vocals and a rapid flow of lyrics.
As the show drew to a close, the singer put in a fine Acapella performance without a microphone, confirming without hesitation her vocal qualities.
A short introduction follows, with one of the band members hiding under the mask of Jigsaw and playing the famous music from the SAW franchise, warning us of what's to come. A band I'd been looking forward to Aborted, a brutal death metal band from Belgium. The venue and even the pit fill up quickly, with headbangs going wild from the first guitar chords and drum rolls.
The singer announced to his audience that he could come on stage at any moment, and the whole thing smacked of chaos.
Despite the fact that the pit was packed, but far from full, many of the audience didn't hesitate to throw themselves into the crowd after their little turn on stage. Pogos and circle pits ensued, a leaping human tide jostling each other in the half-light of the hall.
The crowd is on fire, with the overexcited singer having fun with his musicians, pushing aside the few brave souls who have come to brave the machine's stage ! He even offered the audience a little musical fitness session, doing some jumping jacks together before proposing a beach ball to keep his audience entertained. What I love most are the melodious guitar solos that suspend time in the chaos, it's magical.
The crowd dispersed a little, some wanting to quench their thirst and others going to the merch stand. The third band of the evening, American prog/death metal outfit Revocation take to the stage.
Their set was clearly much more technical instrumentally, with surprisingly less vocals, which was a little unsettling following their previous live shows. A much more attentive audience in the pit, a few headbangs, pogos and timid slams while the musicians have a blast on stage, they're enjoying themselves and it shows.
Personally, I've completely lost touch with the prog side of things, even though there's no denying the technical and cutting-edge nature of the musical compositions. The pauses between songs seemed like an eternity, and the audience was a little sluggish. All it took was a few venomous notes and a good growl to wake them up a bit ; it was effective, but for me it was a performance that I'd unfortunately already forgotten. Note the appearance on stage of a character dressed in a red demon costume with horns armed with his trident, having a bit of fun with the artists and leaving as quickly as he appeared.
It's with undisguised joy that the members of Carnifex take to the stage. This American deathcore band have come to present their latest album Necromanteum released live on 4 October 2023.
The singer encourages his audience to pogo, and the circle pits and slams follow. In the pit, some spectators dance a sort of waltz, it's so improbable and funny. In fact, the same people performed other dances like star dancers throughout the show. This concert was crazy in every way, musically, atmospherically and on stage. It was one of the few times I've ever seen a circle pit slammer, and the crowd went wild. Even the singer asked for more, encouraging the audience to circle pit again and again. Effective breakdowns, followed by Scott's powerful vocals and monstrous growls, left us wanting more !
Another great night at the Machine du Moulin Rouge and thanks to Garmonbozia for such an incredible line-up !
Reviewed by Lucinda The Strange
for BGP MUSIC LIVE
Portfolio (Ben TARDIF, BGP MUSIC LIVE)
