The lights went out to a gigantic plume of smoke as Fever Ray (Karin Dreijer Anderson) and her band skulked on stage to the downright eerie and pulsing sub cords of “If I Had A Heart”. At this point the first of the evenings mesmerising light cues came to life. Deftly placed lamp shades pulsing along in time to the tracks rolling and heavy synth stabs. “This will never end because I want more, give me more, give me more, give me more…”Dreijer Anderson, as I took my first reassuring glance towards the emergency exits. It was a weird, creepy, and totally enthralling entrance. chanted.
The first proper glimpse of the band through all the smoke revealed life sized objects from a Dali painting. One looked like a centipede on its hind legs sporting what one could only describe as a Medusa inspired balaclava type helmet, whilst another bopped in smeared clowns make-up underneath an enormous top hat. But they all paled in comparison to Dreijer Anderson who was sporting a head piece so huge, she looked like she’d empaled her head in a sofa. While behind her, the owner of maybe the most overpaid job in music (aside from the genius that is Simon Scott) waved about a crossed scepter whenever Dreijer Anderson would stand.
Soon after, green lazer beams shot towards the crowd before fanning out to build a ceiling just inches above our heads for an extremely claustrophobic effect. It was all brilliant, hugely unsettling and quite unlike anything else.
The light show would move on to even more intricate patterns but it was the throbbing bass lines and slumbering staccato beats that proved the anchor to all the on stage theatrics.
The first proper glimpse of the band through all the smoke revealed life sized objects from a Dali painting. One looked like a centipede on its hind legs sporting what one could only describe as a Medusa inspired balaclava type helmet, whilst another bopped in smeared clowns make-up underneath an enormous top hat. But they all paled in comparison to Dreijer Anderson who was sporting a head piece so huge, she looked like she’d empaled her head in a sofa. While behind her, the owner of maybe the most overpaid job in music (aside from the genius that is Simon Scott) waved about a crossed scepter whenever Dreijer Anderson would stand.
Soon after, green lazer beams shot towards the crowd before fanning out to build a ceiling just inches above our heads for an extremely claustrophobic effect. It was all brilliant, hugely unsettling and quite unlike anything else.
The light show would move on to even more intricate patterns but it was the throbbing bass lines and slumbering staccato beats that proved the anchor to all the on stage theatrics.
Dreijer Anderson’s work blurs the lines between music and theatre and you get the feeling her live shows comes closest to truly representing the sum of her art. Watching her almost motionlessly conduct proceedings from a stage tantamount to a witches grotto, left you with an overwhelming feeling of the events uniqueness and the satisfaction that comes with having been a witness to it.
http://clockender.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/fever-ray-shepherds-bush-empire/
http://clockender.wordpress.com/2009/07/17/fever-ray-shepherds-bush-empire/
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