JARBOE - ESOTERIC - SECRETS OF THE MOON

Well-rested and relaxed another sunny day welcomes me and under a blue sky I’m back on the road towards Frankfurt. It’s getting hot again but my air con keeps me in a cool surrounding ;) No jams, no stress. And with my new car I arrive earlier than expected. Well done! Because I needed the time to get my car pulled in anywhere. Since tonight’s venue Nachtleben is in the middle of Frankfurt’s city located in a shopping mall only a car park can be used, which is luckily not so expensive. Arrived, I first go down to the live club to say hello and get a heat-stroke. Damn that’s really hot here, felt 80 °C. I step up again to meet friends and to get me a cold brewski. A huge screen on the wall tells me that we have 31 °C here in Frankfurt *ufff* My deodorant still works? Anyway, tourmanager Joey is again spinning around, running hither and tither, calling, arguing and bitching. Local support Akrival doesn’t appear. Why not? Shrugs…

:: pics ::

And so time schedule changes. Again. Some time after 8pm :: SECRETS OF THE MOON :: kick off. On a comfortably big stage but at inhuman heat. No lights, only 3 spots and two of them get blocked by the both banners. Baaah. Again no great photos to expect *hmpf* Only drummer T. Thelemnar got some nice blue lights. Sound is much better tonight, light-years away from the sound mush we had last night. Finally I can feel the music; I can feel the mystic, the darkness. Around 100 people attend this show (and turn the club into a Finnish sauna). They visibly enjoy the show, headbang and sing along to Lucifer Speaks and release SECRETS OF THE MOON with almost enthusiastic applause. Yep! THAT’s the way it has to be!
Setlist: Intro, Ghost, Ordinance, Bleak Star, Queen Among Rats, Lucifer Speaks, Seraphim Is Dead

:: JARBOE :: afterwards seemed to be dogged by bad luck. Was it the PA yesterday, so killed the heat Fade’s console tonight. It was way too hot and the electronics used to strike. JARBOE had to re-arrange things, one song was cut and she anyway likes to experiment with sounds and voice, so that no song performance sounds similar to the day before. By the way, she now looked way better, seemed to be in best mood and had a great voice and gave us this special kind of show she is known for. She strolled among the audience, singing, lost in reverie, bringing the songs of Mahakali to life. The House Of Void goes under my skin, its tribal-like rhythm mesmerize me, feeling the basses droning through my body. Pure gooseflesh! I miss Summoning Tigers In Dark Eden in here. Ok, it’s an instrumental, but would have perfectly fitted. Later I have to realize that this track isn’t on the new record Durga & Her Smile Of Radiant Vengeance either *sighs* However, there is finally room on stage and especially Josh knew how to use it ;) He again freaks out, going completely wild. Instead of a drumstick he tonight uses JARBOE’s micro stand. Bassplayer Cedric on the contrary is the personalized calmness, always out to care for JARBOE, that everything works fine for her. Only Fade doesn’t look happy with his machines.
Setlist: A Sea Of Blood And Hollow Screaming, Durga 8, The House Of Void, Transmogrification, Maha Kali, Kali Lamentation III, Kali Lamentation V

Also :: ESOTERIC :: are pleased about the stage, no one has to play aside. But the heat still kills, making everybody melting away ;) The Brits don’t care, built up their equipment and finally I can thoroughly enjoy their music. I even absorb the music. Finally I can hear out all these melodies, all these little details. I’m stunned! And I’m not the only one. Singer and guitar player Greg Chandler uses a headphone, no bothersome micros. But it didn’t pay off since ESOTERIC have also scaled down all lights due to the heat. I am still utmost amazed. Awesome show! Really!
Setlist: Intro, Silence, Caucus Of Mind, Quickening, Order Of Destiny, Dissident

Yes, that was a great evening! An enormous progression, compared with the last show. Even if very sweaty ;) The bands look satisfied, especially after the members had a shower ;) And I think merchandise was well-sold. During the usual take downs, storing and boxing of the equipment, Secret Of The Moon basser LSK leaves her bass outside next to the bus, where tourmanager Joey “steals” it and bawls her out for that carelessness. Well, the bass could have been stolen now…
Fade gives me a CD of his band Inswarm, I have a first listening in my car on the way back home - it's nice Industrial/Metal stuff, more about it soon elsewhere ;) The night is mild and we sit next to the tourbus on stair, talking. The guys tried hard to destroy alcohol resources while eating sandwiches. Next to me a bottle of wheat beer explodes. Woah. Since I was on-call and had to do morningshifts I had to leave the trek after 2am to be at work on time at 5:30 am *pfffff*