..Kept Us Awake With Wolves Teeth, Sharing Different Heartbeats in One Night..

Last night the Knife played an amazing show.
They were wierd and strange and everything they played in their short set comprised of totally different versions of the original, apart from a new song which I think they left alone. I recognised "Heartbeats" and "Pass It On" but i dont know what else they played - it was hard to tell because nothing was familiar! Except when Karin sang, because she did keep the vocals the same. The music was just completely not the same. I had been wondering before the gig what her voice would sound like - it's really great, especially when its not being manipulated electronically.

One of their Myspace pages claims they "refuse to play live" , and i heard that they really don't like touring, so this was a special gig. One of four i believe. it sold out, and people were being taken off the guestlist there were so many trying to get in. i had this feeling that i'd never ever get to see them play live, and i still feel like i haven't. It just wasn't a typical gig experience i guess. Maybe they play these different versions of their songs because it disrupts the expectations of the crowd completely. It was kind of a strange feeling: to be so familiar with these songs and expect to hear them at the live show..but it didnt work that way last night. i didn't feel cheated or anything, i still liked what they did, really liked it. If anything i admire them even more, i guess the way they manipulated all the songs in such a way - or rather just played them in a completely alternate fashion, it wasn't like remixes, these were completely different sounds - shows how great their music is, if they can change it around so much and still have it sound great, on the first listen, live.
It was more like some kind of performance art i feel like. The stage was set up with slim rectangular lights and macabre dummies with huge heads upon which monstrous faces and skeletons were projected. One of the dummies robotically winded a handle, as if a music box, the other one set between Olaf and Karin loomed over the stage with two heads. The visual effects were gorgeous - quirky animations and unsettling imagery. Olaf seemed to be banging an electronic drum thing. I guess the rest was laptops hooked up to booming speakers. Kind of like a really fucking cool dj set. A gauzy see-through black curtain was hanging in front of the stage, so it caught some of the projections - like dripping blood, stars and cool linear formations. Karin and Olaf's faces were painted in ultraviolet stuff that made them appear to have no features. Sometimes they looked like aliens, or monkeys. Then the lights would change and you would see Karin smile or Olaf take a swig of beer. They kept the songs short and did not come back for an encore.
Of course, we got stuck beside some boys who insisted on attempting to do raver-dancing despite the fact that the Maria was packed so tightly. They caused a bit of a ruckus, but it was kind of funny. They were wearing sunglasses and waving their arms about like sweaty '90s ravers.

My friend's friend was in town for a visit and came out with us to the gig. The last couple of times he's been to Berlin were to play with his band, eh, Maximo Park. This time though, he's not in Berlin to work, just on a little holiday while band mates do other stuff, visiting girlfriends etc. Maybe its kind of obvious, but he seems totally different when he's standing one foot away than when he's a hundred feet away onstage performing. He's just like, a person. Who likes to visit cool places and go to good gigs. Hanging about in Berlin for a few days, wandering around the city, meeting up with friends, worrying that the crowd would get crazy, taking pictures of himself in front of the Berlin wall, not staying out too late so as not to be too tired for more roaming the next day. Bless.

Some music related stuff that came up included mention of a recent side project he's involved with called, i think, Meet Eric Roberts. It doesn't seem to be too serious an endeavour, nevertheless Paul said an NME reporter turned up at one of their tiny gigs in his hometown, so maybe there'll be some more news about that soon. Upcoming MP dates include a very special acoustic set in a small turret which is part of the remains of the city walls in Newcastle. (hope i got that right). The space only holds about 50 people and is apparently quite internationlly known as a venue for poetry readings. If the shiny glint in Paul's eye is anything to go by it seems like the band is really looking forward to it. After the gig we went to Monster Ronson's for some rock n roll Karaoke. Guess who took over the microphone? Ah, rightly so. He does a very good Bowie impression.

Tomorrow night it's a toss up between the Paddingtons at Magnet supported by Five!Fast!Hits! or Dirty Pretty Things at Postbahnhof.