So last night I finally managed to go to a gig again, cause after moving to Berlin and jiggling my live around a bit it's been a while since I've done such thing, but now I managed to catch the formidable Band Of Skulls.
It’s been nearly 6 months since the last time the
British trio from Southampton strolled on stage in a Berliner venue. This time
it’s the new formatted Bi Nuu Club at Schlesisches Tor which fits the audience
size perfectly.
The upliner, a German band called The Dope, is quickly
forgotten, despite their charming adaption of the Beatles lyric “Strawberry
Fields Forever” (even tho nothing else sounds Beatelesque about them), as the
duo just can’t quench the thirst for proper rock n roll.
So when Mathew (drums) finally jumps on stage and Emma
(bass/vocals) and Russell (guitar /Vocals) prowl after him the crowd bristles
with anticipation.
Their opener, as has been predicted, is “Sweet Sour”
as it is their latest single from their equally titeld new album, tho
nevertheless it’s a wicked tune to start with:
The beginning drum beats sending shockwaves of
promising 1 ½ hours pure rock through the audience; Russells guitar layers the
trembling melody over the steady rhythm and than their voices impinge giving
the song its uniqueness and the reason why people adore it. Emmas and Russels
voices entwine, melt into and complete each others; create a sound that sends
shivers down your spine. The song
climaxes in the end in a grandeur rock fashion and leaves your ears ringing
with an acapella version of the chorus.
BoS plough on with some tracks from their first album,
which I guess isn’t that famous in Germany, because unfortunately the audience
is quite unresponsive and a bit timid, leaving only the first 2 rows to some
more confident and outgoing gig goers (an American Woman keeps shouting “Emma I
wanna take you home”).
Maybe this has to do with the fact that Band Of Skulls
aren’t the biggest communicators and like to shroud themselves in a cloak of
mystery, only broken by some “thanks – thanks a lot” and “the next song is gonna
be...” which the audience eagerly responses too, vainly trying to catch the
bands attention and hoax them into some more words.
“Bruises” lets the crowd listen up again and sing
along and by the time they play “Bomb” (their self acclaimed loudest and fastet
song) a small moshpit has formed just behind the first row. When finally my
favourite song “I Know What I Am” is ringed in by cymbal crashes, soaring
guitar riffs and stomping beat, the audience’s mood has loosened and more
people dare to enjoy themselves. Even on Emmas face one can see a little smile
twitching every now and than. By the way she is still wearing her old worn out
snake leather boots, as she briefly asked the facebook community beforehand whether
she should switch to new shoes.
Than reverberating riffs start floating through the
hall and the song everybody has been waiting for, finally releases the crowds
built–up tension and lust for rock n roll in a big bang. “Death By Diamonds And
Pearls” with its stadium rock guitar riffs and anthem melody hook lets
everybody move weather it is by jumping up and down to just shaking heads or
tapping feats and the whole club is singing along so loudly that I am sure, the
people in the trains, which pass overhead, can hear us.Than the band vanishes behind the stage with a kinda
short goodbye just to reappear 10 minutes later to finish of the galvanizing
audience with two encores, the last one being “Impossible”. During that song
one can see the whole band letting their rock demeanour roam freely; Russell
pulls one typical rock pose after another, stepping to the edge of the stage,
ignoring the stunned faces of the audience gazing up at him. Emma, dressed
totally in black, with a skull necklace dangling from her neck, seems to be
lost in her rhythm, bleakly staring sideways of the stage, whereas Mathew
threshes his drums with the most fierce Dave-Grohl-like teeth baring I have
seen in a long time.
Everyone knows now that they could easily fit onto a
main stage at a huge festival or fill out stadiums and I can’t wait to see it
happening.
(Check out their tunes and more @ http://bandofskulls.com/ )
So when Mathew (drums) finally jumps on stage and Emma
(bass/vocals) and Russell (guitar /Vocals) prowl after him the crowd bristles
with anticipation.
BoS plough on with some tracks from their first album,
which I guess isn’t that famous in Germany, because unfortunately the audience
is quite unresponsive and a bit timid, leaving only the first 2 rows to some
more confident and outgoing gig goers (an American Woman keeps shouting “Emma I
wanna take you home”).
“Bruises” lets the crowd listen up again and sing
along and by the time they play “Bomb” (their self acclaimed loudest and fastet
song) a small moshpit has formed just behind the first row. When finally my
favourite song “I Know What I Am” is ringed in by cymbal crashes, soaring
guitar riffs and stomping beat, the audience’s mood has loosened and more
people dare to enjoy themselves. Even on Emmas face one can see a little smile
twitching every now and than. By the way she is still wearing her old worn out
snake leather boots, as she briefly asked the facebook community beforehand whether
she should switch to new shoes. 
Everyone knows now that they could easily fit onto a
main stage at a huge festival or fill out stadiums and I can’t wait to see it
happening.
