The Scanners

I like JULIETTE LEWIS! Not only as an actress, also as a musician and I really enjoyed her sassy Punk Rock attitude in Juliette And The Licks. After five years, an EP and two album releases JULIETTE LEWIS was in need for a fresher, newer sound, filed The Licks and released her first solo album Terra Incognita, which is significantly more personal and intimate but still owns her special complexity and changeableness. Not to mention her brimming energy and power… and that’s what I finally wanted to experience live! :)

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No sooner said than done, JULIETTE LEWIS embarked on a European tour right after her album was released and so I could catch her at Bochum’s Zeche.

Tour support came from London-based outfit :: SCANNERS :: a band totally unknown to me. I checked them out on myspace and really liked what I was listening to ;) Founded back in 2004 by Sarah Daly and Matthew Mole and later added by Amina Bates and Tom Hutt, they have released their debut Violence Is Golden in 2006. A sophomore, entitled Submarine, is already recorded and awaits its release in February 2010. There was not so much more to learn about them.
Anyways, SCANNERS were quite sparing of words with somewhat of an intimidated approach, looked a little bit ragged, typical Indie-like, with their hand- or custom made and partly holey shirts but downright likeable ;) Musically you might label it riff-laden Artrock, Indie Rock or Grunge Pop? Your choice ;) SCANNERS know how to rock with a punky howl mixed with a melancholically Wave attitude. Both girls often changed instruments, from guitars to bass, to synths and drums. And I absolutely fell for both Sarah’s voice and the track Baby Blue, which should turn out to be the band’s next hit. Gonna keep an eye on them for sure!
Setlist: Half A Mind, We Never Close Our Eyes, In My Dreams, Salvation, I Couldn’t Help Myself, Lowlife, Baby Blue, Air 164, Raw

Break. Some time to raise eagerness. Everybody was thrilled and those, who already have seen :: JULIETTE LEWIS :: playing live didn’t get tired to tell how great her shows are. Expectations to the max. Photographers got their equipment ready... wasn’t supposed to be an easy task to shoot a whirlwind at full action ;) The set was kicked off by an intro, a 70’s tearjerker everybody was laughing about but singing along. Damn and I don’t get it back in mind what song that was... Lights changed and the band entered the stage kicking in with Romeo, joined by feather-boa-ed JULIETTE LEWIS a little later. For a second or two she gathered herself quietly, just to burst into an energetic eruption right after. As I said, a whirlwind, no, a category 5 twister! She did not stand still for any second, going wild to the max, pulling faces, head-banging, jumping, shakin’... whatever was needed. Totally crazy! This woman is ready for the next super marathon. And with the stage bathed in pinky-red lights... Can you see the *grrr* in my face while taking photos? Songs from the brand new album Terra Incognita were played, older ones too, from both Four On The Floor and You’re Speaking My Language. And JULIETTE LEWIS does not just sing. She performs and acts her songs, telling stories in between where she wrote the songs or what story gave her inspiration and things like that, involving the audience and cheering at some fans she knew from previous shows. She was wild and aggressive or cuddly or promising lascivious, the girl from next door or the bitchy vamp. She was all, made to let men’s mouth water, but very professional and sometimes quite aloof. Needless to say that the crowd was collectively freakin’ out. Sadly, sadly the show was finished with Hot Kiss 60 or 70 minutes later. JULIETTE LEWIS left after bowing low but without any encore. THAT Madame was way too short and not that nice! She also wasn’t to spot afterwards at the merch or just around and the Zeche got cleared for the disco following. What a bummer after such great concert evening!
Setlist: Intro , Romeo, Into, Purgatory Blue, Ghosts, Fantasy Bar, Pray For The Band Latoya, Hard Lovin’ Woman, Terra Incognita, Got Love To Kill-Uh Huh, Sticky Honey, You’re Speaking My Language, Suicide Dive Bombers, Hot Kiss