Dia De La Musica 211. Matadero Madrid. Spain. Concert Review

by Mar de Miguel

Dia De La Musica Festival. June 18-19, 2011. Matadero. Madrid. Spain

   Anna Calvi

Dia De La Musica 2011

 

What can I say about Anna Calvi that has not been said already? Just to confirm that what they say it is true. That she has an amazing technique at the guitar and voice. That it is not surprising after seing her that great musicians like Nick Cave or Brian Eno have been fascinated by this woman of great talent and beauty. And that she is a woman who just broke onto the music scene by the big door, with such professionalism that we could say, by her charisma and forcefulness, that she is the living reincarnation of Jimi Hendrix.


 

I can not say anything else. Just listen to her, try to see her live if you get the chance and let’s celebrate the incorporation of a musical career that I am sure that it is going to give us great moments.



   PS I Love You

Dia De La Musica 2011

 

PS I Love You is a Canadian duo formed by Paul Saltier (guitar and vocals) and Benjamin Nelson (drums). And that’s it. Two instruments are enough to make good music and to highlight within the indie rock scene at the highest level. Music without tricks, a concert where songs and sound made the audience to vibrate, an absolutely delighted audience.


We will see them again around here, hopefully in a bigger stage.



   Lüger

Lüger. Dia De La Musica 2011

 

I was told days before of the festival about a band called Lüger. Its music was on Bandcamp, so I was able to have a look and see that it was an interesting band. I didn’t have almost time to listen to it, so I went to the concert willing to listen to their work directly in live.

I had to get out of Anna Calvi concert, because the two performances were at the same time. But I have to say that in this kind of festivals is in the small stages where you can find nice surprises and something was telling me that this band could be one. So regretting it very much I slipped from the infernal sun of the TVE stage to get into a room that was a real hell.

The heat was stifling, but without thinking too much I moved through the crowd to arrive right in front of the stage, at the feet of the band. And there I stayed, petrified.


I do not only don’t regret to don’t have listened that album before, but I think that it was even a luxury and a blessing to don’t have done it, because the impact was brutal. Without doubt and from the very beginning of me being there I realized that it was quite different to anything that I had listened before.

I'm not very keen of experimental bands, but the truth is that from Damo Suzuki to Lüger, this year my opinion on the genre has been completely demolished. Could it be that until then I had not listened a good thing?

Lüger's music is complex, hypnotic and very rich. His live is sometimes a true spectacle of suffering because of the total dedication and commitment from every member of the band.

I think I could be hours talking about what I saw and listened, but it is better to listen to music than reading it, so I leave the video of their entire performance. Of course, if you were not there you missed the best concert of the festival. Lüger, LÜGER from now on because they make MUSIC with capitals, were undoubtedly the best band. And I won’t retract from this.

   The Pain Of Being Pure At Heart

The Pain Of Being Pue At Heart. Dia de la Musica 2011

 

I was waiting for the concert to begin, seating down on the shade, on the floor by the wall, when Christoph Hochheim jump over my feet trying to get the stage. I can’t believe what has just happened, but this is the magic of El Día de La Música in Madrid. Bands and public meet in a friendly and calm atmosphere.

 

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart is one of the biggest attractions of the festival. Relatively unknown in our country, their music is getting popular by days while fans and media focus all their senses on them. And they don’t disappoint.

 

The sound is great, impeccable guitars, very good tracks, but there is still something that doesn’t convince me on this band. The singer voice is very weak. A voice that sounds like a sweet whisper on the studio record doesn’t make sense on this powerful live.

 

People compare him with The Smith’s style, but one thing is Morrissey’s eccentricities on the voice and another thing is a voice that seams to don’t come out of the body. It is a shame that their delightful melodies, guided by strong drums and rhythmical guitars, make such a big contrast with a voice that it is almost imperceptible.

 

It is very cool to praise  bands that are good, bands that everybody say that are good, but just because of this, and with the highest regard to a own style (with the influences already remarked), they should take care over something so essential as the voices are.

 

Or may be I am totally wrong, and this is exactly the success of this band, that in any case I like it very much and they made me to enjoy a great gig.



Watch the videos of their performances: