I’ve started going for walks with dead friends and enemies, family and pets. Made a card for each of them. Thumb through the deck and see who speaks to the day. Today was the first dead person I spoke to – it was at their funeral. An ex colleague who was out of their depth in work but effusively positive in life. Never went to a gig with them till tonight.
Nearly appropriately enough, the opening act was Planning for Burial. My dead companion was cremated, but I think he would have appreciated the bleak yet lush waves of sound with ethereal vocals. It was just one performer, guitar and vocal with a backing track of some kind. Maybe sequenced. And an array of effects pedals. A big sound. Although short of space around the headliner’s setup, there was conviction in the performance. The final moments of the set in particular struck me. Before he said his final goodbyes. Starting to pack up. The sound still lingering in the air after the ripples of applause.
Photograph by The Sleeping Shaman
The venue was already packed when I arrived but somehow became more crammed before Boris took to the stage one by one. First Takeshi, then Wata, and finally Atsuo taking the centre and orchestrating the crowd with the same precision as his tight percussion. They open with the ominous, hypnotic doom of Blackout before upping the tempo and the energy with the title track from Pink, whose 20th anniversary is being celebrated by this tour.
Maybe I listen to Pink too loud at home, but the sound is cleaner live to my ears. Richer and tighter. Wata’s leads were frankly amazing. Really something for me to see and hear these immaculate tones performed with an effortless cool that just let the music speak.
Photograph by The Sleeping Shaman
The high energy opening brace included Electric and the vigorous movement of what was a far younger crowd than I expected added some welcome elbow room for your previously confined scribe. When the set moved to slower and more expansive numbers though the ground had been well prepared and the audience was captivated. Held in the moment.
For higher energy numbers, Takeshi would kinetically brandish his double-necked guitar at an appreciative and clamouring audience. His vocals never faultered. The searing shoegaze of the Farewell finale topped by his mournful vocal lines.
Photograph by The Sleeping Shaman
It was all over far too quickly but all the more reason to appreciate every moment. My dead colleague backed out of watching the Magic Band with me so good to finally have his company. I’m older than he was when he died but talking to him is also a way of relating to my younger self. I was happy to see a young crowd talk enthusiastically about what they’d just experienced. Thanking their friends for inviting them.
