Dark Balloon has guaranteed a top EBM night for the 9th time with their Darkest Night concept. A short 2 hour drive to see 4 bands: it was worth it!
First of all kudos for the organisation. Super friendly Kempen guys, prices are democratic, organisation flawless, respected timing (everyone started nicely on time) and bands that are really in a good mood (also because of the hospitality... Really: everyone I talked to mentioned the cake). In short: both bands and audience like to come here.
Upon arrival I always head for the merch stand first. This is also a way of supporting the bands: my jacket is some patches richer and the heap of CDs next to my rack (which is full) is again a bit higher...
Of course, someone had to open the evening and this year the honour was for AD:Key. Rene Nowotny (yes, the one from Orange Sector but also Armageddon Dildos) and spouse Andrea are backed by Rossi on the synths. AD:Key can be found regulary in playlists on Spotify or other streamers when you click a random EBM playlist. They score with their contagious love for each other and the music. And yes, sometimes it is not super pure or one of them loses some of the lyrics while looking too deep in each others eyes... but the enthusiasm is there. AD:Key gets the early birds who are already there moving for the first time. It's a varied set with a nice overview of tracks from their back catalogue. A nice opening act which I saw live for the first time and it's not going to be the last time. Nice warm-up!
Setlist:
Intro-Vocoder
This is not the time
Aufrecht (Winterstomp mix)
You can’t fuck me
Herz lass los
Lass mich los
Never enough
Alles was ich will
Hoch die Hämmer (2014 version)
Shout
Elitär (10th anniversary version)
Pissed off
Du bewegst dich nicht (Body Matrix edit)
Deleritas was the one stranger on the grid and had a difficult assignment: to prove themselves. I saw the Luik based brothers Hal Kubrik and Sam Sam Balou last year during their home game in the fiery city and they were phenomenal (dare I say 'DeleriUM'?). But tonight was more tricky: no home crowd, a bill with mostly oldschool EBM bands (where Deleritas sounds more industrial) and maybe a chance to stomp some doors open with some international connections. During the chat we had in advance I could smell their nervousness... tension was there... but the stress was redundant. A solid set as if they were jamming in their rehearsing studio. The venue was filled and the dancing stretched well past midway and the last rows were also moving along. They really delivered. The messages on social media afterward were mainly positive (of course there are always lemon squeezers). The 2 tracks with guest vocalist Benoit Buyse (Dreadfool) stood out as Benoit could bring some more fire to the set. Musically, Deleritas are phenomenal, they really pull you into their story of beats and synths... but these 2 tracks show that a frontman makes it more open and easier to carry the audience along. I hope to experience them again soon!
Setlist:
Intro
Faciem abyssi
Driven by fear
Duality
Brand new apocalypse
Self destruct
Quarantine 1.2
Rumble handling
Firelight (Dreadfool - Deleritas remix)
AKR (Dreadfool feat Deleritas)
Our Church (VV303-track in Deleritas remix)
Gambol EBM, Happy EBM... some of the terms I heard in the crowd when they're talking about Sturm Café. And the hat fits: this Swedish duo bring a certain frivolity in their tracks that make you instantly happy. The tracks swing in a stomping 4/4 beat. A lot of t-shirts tell you that quite some people came here to see them. The jiggling and wriggling, the dancing expands far beyond half of the venue. There is a lot of interaction with the audience, which is already well warmed up. Their perhaps best known 'hit' Der Löwe is shouted along with loudly. A small storm that should prepare us for the hurricane yet to come.
Setlist:
Des Kaisers neue Kleider
Scheissnormal
Hymne für die Ewigkeit
Koka kola Freiheit
Ich spekuliere
Discolied
Stark, schön und elegant,
Stiefelfabrik?
Europa
Staatsapparat
Der Löwe
The hurricane is coming. We can call it Orange Sector... and it blew alright! No blabla between the tracks but banging... hard banging... I saw Martin in 2014 live during the last edition of ESN in Tournai and Orange Sector made quite an impression. I was very pleased they came back our way after all those years. Together with me, the enthusiast crowd got bombed with a well equiped and varied set in which the 'hits' (what's in the name) as Angstmann, Der Machinist, Tanzbefehl,... all slammed us. After the work is done, the initial set was finished and of course the crowd wanted more. But first a surprise: it was Martin's birthday so Andrea and Stephie (merch lady) got some cake on stage. After a Swedish birthday song we got 2 encores: Für Immer and Kalt wie Stahl. But did we have enough? Hell no! And so the 2 protagonists came back for a last cherry on the cake: Alles is grau.
A cherry which I tasted only half of because somewhere in the middle I felt a push, though I had positioned myself at the side to have enough space to dance without getting involved in the push-me-pull-you pit. Something with an over enthousiastic pogoing human, my head, a wall and a black hole of some 30 minutes... but also there a big thumbs up for the organisation: thanks for taking care of both me and my wife!
Setlist Orange Sector:
No justice – no peace
Monoton
Alles dreht sich im Kreis
Gold
Angstmann
Der Machinist
Farben
Zerstörer
Heute liebe ich dich
Dynamit
Tanzbefehl
Sturm
The work is done
Für immer
Kalt wie Stahl
Alles ist grau
It is clear: Dark Balloon has a big heart for EBM, witnessing the past 9 editions of Darkest Night but also for other dark music if you see their other project Neetwave in October with Motorik!, Ultra Sunn and Underviewer on the bill. And even though there is not yet a date for their 10th anniversary edition or no names dropped yet: I would already like to reserve a spot for the Darkest Night 10 because, my dear fellow darkling, I'll take the gamble that it is going to be good. Although I might stay close to the bar this time... Maybe...