Magma San Francisco 4/8/15 show review

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I had posted this in the Magma tour thread, but thought I would give it its own review thread - did anyone else go to this show?
Here’s a brief report on the San Francisco show at Slim’s, April 8, 2015:
In a word, fantastique! And I mean that as both fantastic and fantasy. The setlist looks like it was the same as LA a few nights earlier:
KÖHNTARKÖSZ
MËKANÏK DESTRUKTÏW KOMMANDÖH
ŠLAĞ TANZ
ZOMBIES
The audience was fairly diverse – people from their 20s/30s through 50s/60s. More women than I expected – maybe 30-40%. Mostly white, I saw one black guy and 3 or 4 asians including my wife and I. The most impressive thing to me about the audience was that there were very few taking pictures or video. I’ve been to other concerts, perhaps more pop or rock music, like La Roux or the Winery Dogs, where people use their cellphones to an annoying degree – some acts are even asking their audience to not take video but instead enjoy the music. I think MAGMA are so intense that either people forgot to use their cellphones, or most people just felt really involved in the music from the very start (myself included).
I have to say that Philippe Bussonnet is one of my all-time favorite Magma bassists (next would be Bernard Paganotti) and he did not disappoint! Incredible sound, incredible playing. James Mac Gaw played a fantastic solo during KÖHNTARKÖSZ – those breakdowns when it’s just drums/bass/guitar are my favorites! Of course Stella Vander and Isabelle Feuillebois were great, I was also impressed with (relatively) new singer Hervé Aknin. I also finally understood Benoît Alzaiary’s contributions on vibraphone. Christian Vander looked a bit older (last saw him about ten years ago) but his playing hasn’t lost any of its fire. 
ŠLAĞ TANZ and ZOMBIES both made more sense live - ŠLAĞ TANZ felt like doom metal in 5/4, while the bass was more prominent on ZOMBIES. Philippe Bussonnet can really groove and burn at the same time as all the other parts interlock above and around.

Also want to mention that Jello Biafra introduced the band, though I didn't know who he was until later! Discussed in more depth here: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=101977

And was also reminded that Zombies is incorporated in the Ëmëhntëhtt-Rê suite, which was maybe closer to how it sounded live but again the bass was much more prominent live.

Edited by hieronymous - April 21 2015 at 11:21

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hieronymous Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: December 27 2012 Location: Oakland, CA Status: Offline Points: 308	Topic: Magma San Francisco 4/8/15 show review Posted: April 17 2015 at 12:28
	I had posted this in the Magma tour thread, but thought I would give it its own review thread - did anyone else go to this show? Here’s a brief report on the San Francisco show at Slim’s, April 8, 2015: In a word, fantastique! And I mean that as both fantastic and fantasy. The setlist looks like it was the same as LA a few nights earlier: KÖHNTARKÖSZ MËKANÏK DESTRUKTÏW KOMMANDÖH ŠLAĞ TANZ ZOMBIES The audience was fairly diverse – people from their 20s/30s through 50s/60s. More women than I expected – maybe 30-40%. Mostly white, I saw one black guy and 3 or 4 asians including my wife and I. The most impressive thing to me about the audience was that there were very few taking pictures or video. I’ve been to other concerts, perhaps more pop or rock music, like La Roux or the Winery Dogs, where people use their cellphones to an annoying degree – some acts are even asking their audience to not take video but instead enjoy the music. I think MAGMA are so intense that either people forgot to use their cellphones, or most people just felt really involved in the music from the very start (myself included). I have to say that Philippe Bussonnet is one of my all-time favorite Magma bassists (next would be Bernard Paganotti) and he did not disappoint! Incredible sound, incredible playing. James Mac Gaw played a fantastic solo during KÖHNTARKÖSZ – those breakdowns when it’s just drums/bass/guitar are my favorites! Of course Stella Vander and Isabelle Feuillebois were great, I was also impressed with (relatively) new singer Hervé Aknin. I also finally understood Benoît Alzaiary’s contributions on vibraphone. Christian Vander looked a bit older (last saw him about ten years ago) but his playing hasn’t lost any of its fire. ŠLAĞ TANZ and ZOMBIES both made more sense live - ŠLAĞ TANZ felt like doom metal in 5/4, while the bass was more prominent on ZOMBIES. Philippe Bussonnet can really groove and burn at the same time as all the other parts interlock above and around. Also want to mention that Jello Biafra introduced the band, though I didn't know who he was until later! Discussed in more depth here: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=101977 And was also reminded that Zombies is incorporated in the Ëmëhntëhtt-Rê suite, which was maybe closer to how it sounded live but again the bass was much more prominent live. Edited by hieronymous - April 21 2015 at 11:21

Flight123 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: September 01 2010 Location: Sohar, Oman Status: Offline Points: 1399	Posted: April 21 2015 at 04:55
	Check out the mohawk on the front row! Many punks admitted to being Magma fans once it was OK to 'like prog' again...including, it seems, Jello Biafra!

hieronymous Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Reviewer page Forum Senior Member Joined: December 27 2012 Location: Oakland, CA Status: Offline Points: 308	Posted: April 21 2015 at 12:11
	I heard a few snide remarks in the crowd about the guy with the mohawk but he seemed into the music so who am I to judge... Here are a few more pics - not as good as the first one I took but thought I would share them: Bassist Philippe Bussonnet Christian Vander soloing (in Kobaian? can't remember) during MËKANÏK DESTRUKTÏW KOMMANDÖH The cheesy sign Slim's had out front for the show - not that they needed it for advertising, San Francisco was sold out: