Aranis in Paris 19/06 |
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Alucard
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 10 2004 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 3888 |
Topic: Aranis in Paris 19/06 Posted: June 20 2009 at 04:52 |
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Le Triton (in Les Lilas a Parisian suburb) now in his tenth year has become one of the important prog venues in Europe, with an accent on Zeuhl (homeclub of Magma) and Canterbury. In the begining of the summer the club schedules Les Tritonales a two week festival dedicated entirely to Prog (see also Harmonium's Univers Zero review) a good occasion to see classic bands like Magma, Univers Zero and Canterbury musicians (who had unfortunately sad losses these last times with the departure of Pip Pyle, Elton Dean and lately Hugh Hopper who have all played often here) but it's also the occasion to discover newer bands like Aranis.
With seven musicians on stage and about twice as much audience members the band seemed slightly disappoined when coming on stage, but as they got a hearty welcome this was quickly forgotten. Le Triton works like a Jazz club in set fashion and the first set was interesting but a little stiff . The compositions coming nearly all from bass player Joris Vanvinckenroye are excellent and the band is tight and has a good ensemble play. I would describe their music as Imaginary Folk Minimalism. P. Glass and S. Reich are obvioulsy a big influence but also eastern European folk tunes, some passages reminding Bartok's work on Roumanian and Ungarian folk tunes. Despite the enthusiasm and the good musicianship the music didn't really got off the ground during the first set apart from some solo passages, with a special mention for the energetic piano playing from Axelle Kennes the rest of the band was too reserved. Even so the acoustic au Triton is normally excellent Aranis had for my taste an unbalanced sound with too much high end and the lack of medium and low end (the double bass was far too low in the mix) which didn't served the music.
After abeer and a chat at the bar, (Le Triton is familar venue where you can easily make contact with the musicians and fans) back to the second set...
...which showed the band more confident, the music was edgier and rougher and the musicians getting looser. While the first set presented a quieter and dreamier athmosphere the second set was closer to the dynamics of Univers Zero and Present with stronger rhythmic accents and a "rockier" sound even so no electric instruments are present. The audience reacted positively and cheered the playfullnes! The second set saw also elaborated solo sections from all members again with a special mention for pianist Axelle Kennes
All in all a pleasant concert and I am curious to see Aranis in september on a bigger stage in Carmeaux during the RIO festival.
Edited by Alucard - June 20 2009 at 05:19 |
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Tadpoles keep screaming in my ear
"Hey there! Rotter's Club! Explain the meaning of this song and share it" |
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avestin
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 18 2005 Status: Offline Points: 12625 |
Posted: June 20 2009 at 04:57 | |
Thanks for the review Martin, wish I could attend.
When you speak of sets, did they play material from their two albums? Did they play new material as well? |
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Alucard
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 10 2004 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 3888 |
Posted: June 20 2009 at 05:06 | |
Assaf,
I was not familiar at all with their music before the concert, each set lasted about 45 minutes so I suppose they played most of their material...plus one or two unreleased compos...
BTW will you be in Carmeaux?
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Tadpoles keep screaming in my ear
"Hey there! Rotter's Club! Explain the meaning of this song and share it" |
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Ricochet
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 27 2005 Location: Nauru Status: Offline Points: 46301 |
Posted: June 20 2009 at 05:09 | |
Wow, interesting.
It's sad the attendence was mediocre. |
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Alucard
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 10 2004 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 3888 |
Posted: June 20 2009 at 05:14 | |
I am little anoyed seeing all these big retro acts nowadays getting so much exposure like BJH playing with some Philharmonic orchstra in a big venue while newer band just struggle to get decent concerts.....
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Tadpoles keep screaming in my ear
"Hey there! Rotter's Club! Explain the meaning of this song and share it" |
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harmonium.ro
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: August 18 2008 Location: Anna Calvi Status: Offline Points: 22989 |
Posted: June 20 2009 at 05:30 | |
Hi Martin,
Thanks for the review! I am quite upset to read that there's so very little interest for good music. France seems to me like not such a good place for non-conformism. Just the same old Johnny Holiday, French hip-hop, French lame cinema (as opposed to the French great cinema), French commercial TV etc everywhere and everywhere. Very few persons seem to be interested in foreign languages, expanding their cultural horizons, looking for something new. Even the usage of the internet is restricted: the providers think they "know" what the normal traffic usage should be (quite low, that is) and if you go above that limit they'll block your ports and limit your acces, even though the offer you are fully paying for says "unlimited traffic" This is my biggest dissapointment in France, which is great anyway and I'm sure there are enough exceptions to what I said. Anyway I haven't been here for such a long time in order to be allowed to pass judgements. Well, now that I've passed over the rant moment I want to add that when I picked my concerts from Tritonales "menu" they were Magma, Univers Zero and One Shot because these are the bands I liked the most and were the most interesting for me, not because I wasn't interested in the others too. I have my limitations too (budget, and also that I don't live in Paris). BUT if I would have been told that the gorgeous naked bodies from the concert poster were those of the band-members, I would have even walked 100 km to attend to this concert. And one last question, are you coming at One Shot tonight? |
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avestin
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 18 2005 Status: Offline Points: 12625 |
Posted: June 20 2009 at 05:30 | |
I see. Did you get their albums? Both brilliant.
Sadly no, I can't afford it (coming from the US). But I'll be looking forward to your reports and to videos that you and other goers will post |
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Ricochet
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 27 2005 Location: Nauru Status: Offline Points: 46301 |
Posted: June 20 2009 at 05:36 | |
The first more than the second. |
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Ricochet
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 27 2005 Location: Nauru Status: Offline Points: 46301 |
Posted: June 20 2009 at 05:37 | |
Mr. Harmonium, what naked bodies??
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harmonium.ro
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: August 18 2008 Location: Anna Calvi Status: Offline Points: 22989 |
Posted: June 20 2009 at 05:43 | |
^ These:
It was the photo used for the poster, but I see it's a sort of logo for the band. |
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Ricochet
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 27 2005 Location: Nauru Status: Offline Points: 46301 |
Posted: June 20 2009 at 05:57 | |
Oh, that. It's also the cover of the debut.
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Alucard
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: September 10 2004 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 3888 |
Posted: June 20 2009 at 06:21 | |
Unfortunately am not free tonight Alex, One Shot is a great band , have fun and I am waiting for your concert review! BTW yes the Aranis girls are cute, also I don't recognize the one on the cover they were less undressed so
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Tadpoles keep screaming in my ear
"Hey there! Rotter's Club! Explain the meaning of this song and share it" |
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lucas
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 06 2004 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 8138 |
Posted: June 20 2009 at 07:37 | |
Yes, it's a shame that a country with such a great cultural tradition doesn't put more the spotlight on its real great artists : Pierre Bensusan (I am pretty sure he has more fame in the US than in France), Didier Malherbe, Akphaezya, Sebka Chott, or the guitar hero Christophe Godin (who played with mathias Ekhlund, not sure that Morglbl trio is on PA though ?)...
On the contrary, Poland (my native country) has such prog artists as Gargantua (RIO), Riverside, Quidam, Satellite, Lao Che...whose albums can be easily found in the record stores or megastores like Empik (polish equivalent of Virgin or french FNAC) who have a huge fan base. But also artists like Leszek Mozdzer (pianist who released three albums with Palle Danielsson and Zohar Fresco in a jazz/world vein) or Piotr Anderszewski (probably the best current "classical" pianist) are also acclaimed and listened by Poles.
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"Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood)
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Logan
Forum & Site Admin Group Site Admin Joined: April 05 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC Status: Offline Points: 36083 |
Posted: June 20 2009 at 11:01 | |
I love both of those albums by Aranis. I thank Avestin for alerting me to the band. What a shame that it had such a small audience. I certainly would have gone had I been able to attend.
For those reading this that don't know the band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu_BwXgDsZI&feature=related and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxxsjMKnmD4 |
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lucas
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: February 06 2004 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 8138 |
Posted: June 20 2009 at 12:16 | |
^
it sounds like a cross between the minimalistic work of Philipp Glass and the movie soundtracks of Yann Tiersen.
Belgium is a country full of talents.
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"Magma was the very first gothic rock band" (Didier Lockwood)
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Logan
Forum & Site Admin Group Site Admin Joined: April 05 2006 Location: Vancouver, BC Status: Offline Points: 36083 |
Posted: June 20 2009 at 12:20 | |
Well described -- it sounds like that to me too. |
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CPicard
Forum Senior Member Joined: October 03 2008 Location: Là, sui monti. Status: Offline Points: 10841 |
Posted: June 23 2009 at 12:33 | |
I was here!
Just a little correction: this evening, the band wasn't complete,for one of the violonist had to stay in Belgium because of a death in her family... On a lightier note, I talked with them a bit and learned that the woman on the cover is a dancer, not a member of the band. If I understood what they told me, the male model on the cover of their first CD is Joris. Hope the groupies will appreciate this cover. I was surprised to see so few people at this concert. I'm still puzzled by the fact that the French progressive sites which are aware of the activities of the Triton did not warn of this concert. Too bad! We'll be the happy few who 'saw them on their first concert in France, back in 2009, ya know, good ole times..." Now, I'm waiting for R.I.O.: they should have released their new CD at this time. |
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Sean Trane
Special Collaborator Prog Folk Joined: April 29 2004 Location: Heart of Europe Status: Online Points: 20256 |
Posted: June 24 2009 at 07:54 | |
Hi Martin,
glad I could entice to see them! It's a little sad that they were difficult to start with, but if one violinist missing, I can understand it took them time to find their marks.
Almost indeed!! but if you look closely those are male bodies on the debut album. Which is the better album, especially with the 15 mins epic.
And no, most likely, it's not their own bodies on the second album's shoot.
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let's just stay above the moral melee
prefer the sink to the gutter keep our sand-castle virtues content to be a doer as well as a thinker, prefer lifting our pen rather than un-sheath our sword |
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