Live Review: Ganser

5/30/2023

Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine
Edited by Fiza Javid

Salt Shed Chicago
Sat 4/22/23

Chicago's very own Ganser, opening for none other than Bikini Kill, at The Salt Shed- make no mistake, this was a big deal for them.
This show, a warmup gig a few weeks before they began their West Coast Spring Tour in Boise, on My 12th, was just so energetic, and full on push the envelope of emotional outbursts of a solid wall of guitars, heavy and rhythmic drumming, solid low end bass grooves, and added punch with synths and strained, (and also melodic vocals).
I know, a lot to take in with that one sentence.

But that sentence encompasses lots, in my opinion.
To put things more succinctly from the above:
"Solid wall of guitars"- That would be Charlie Landsman.
"Heavy and rhythmic drumming": That would be Brian Cundiff.

"Solid low end bass grooves": That would be Alicia Gaines, who also occasionally sings lead, and backup vocal.

"Added punch with synths and strained (and also melodic vocals): That would be new addition Sophie Sputnik.

I meant what I said- Ganser is just something else live.

And the beauty of all of it, having witnessed some aspects from the inside a bit, along with peripheral, live performances prior to The Salt Shed, the Pandemic, a brilliant album released back in 2020 with Just Look at That Sky"- I can sum it up pretty succinctly:
These guys are fighters.
They're fighters and survivors.

And you so wish and want them to succeed, especially with so much devotion and hard work put in to the Ganser camp up to now.
So by all accounts, their West Coast Spring Tour, which just wrapped up last Friday the 26th in Denver, was a complete success.

Partly because of that tour, and their stop at Jerry Bryant's JBTV Studio for a lengthy sit down interview, plus the release of a cool live performance video from The Salt Shed show for the song "People Watching"- all of this, is why I delayed the post with Ganser up to now.

It just goes to show that as for 2023, up to now, there's so much going with Ganser, all of it good and positive.
The show itself at The Salt Shed-
One big big takeaway was the early arrivals.

The place looked packed for their set, prior to headliners Bikini Kill.
And lots of enthusiasm from the crowd as well.

After the first three songs in the pit, I ventured up into the rear balcony seating, directly behind the soundboard to take in the remainder of their set.
Such a pleasant surprise, with seeing the main floor packed to the back, a sea of heads jovially dancing in place as one to the beat of each and every song.

The Ganser sound- so dense and so heavy, and yet moments of melodic, sophisticated melodic, finding a way to breath through the mix.

The yin and yang of it all, whether they are headlining, or opening, just makes you crave more and more.

So again, this is why I waited to post this mini review, and also remind you of a couple things:
Go see Ganser play live, if given the chance.

Also- their interview with Jerry Bryant of JBTV is up on all platforms- an easy google search, or just go to our website.
Hope the live photos do justice to what I witnessed.

And- a special shout out to Alicia Gaines, for making this all possible.

Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago

Ganser, Alicia Gaines, Brian Cundiff, Charlie Landsman, Sophie Sputnik, The Salt Shed, JBTV Music Television, Bobby Talamine, Fiza Javid

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Live Review: Fever Ray- There's No Place I'd Rather Be Tour 2023, with opener Christeene

5/9/2023

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Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine
Edited by Fiza Javid

The Salt Shed Chicago
Sun 5/7/23

Fever Ray, with opener Christeene.
Quite the combination of all things performance art.
Coming form different perspectives- sure.
But performance art nevertheless.
Christeene's set is minimal, flanked by her synths / sample keyboardist stage right, and her saxophone player stage left.

Christeene commands the stage front and center, sometimes highlighted on her plastic case to elevate everything genre bending, everything that's renegade, front and center.
Eight songs total to commend, eight songs total to prove the point of reckless and uninhibited abandonment.

All of her set though, carefully thought out, and from the heart believe it or not.
She has lots to say between songs, nothing scripted, nothing planned, down to her opinions on Chicago style hot dogs, and specifically Celery Salt, compared to say, Bath Salts.

It's wicked stand up humor, and it does bring the laughs of support, again, because there's nothing fake about Christeene- she's making up as she goes along her own world of righteous abandon, down to the multiple shedding of colorful onesies for this and that song.

Christeene has been a mainstay of New York's underground club scene for awhile now, developing her performance art with in your face reckoning, take it or leave it style.
That kind of fierce reckoning only adds to the confidence of power, a power to act in a way that's uninhibited, both in performance, and in actual lyric.
The songs- "AKTION TOILET". "GUTT IT". "BEAUCOUP MOROCCO". "BUTT MUSCLE". All the way to the last: "FIX MY DICK". All in caps the way it read on the setlist. All in caps to show action, and the for the feint of heart- there's the exits.

The image of Christeene, like the wicked child from the Exorcist, kinda, but not really- more like the facial makeup is warpaint style, down to the choice of eye lenses that look ill fitting.

But again, that's the point with Christeene. She makes it known that all of this in your face performing, juggernaut style, is a way for you to ask questions, find some happiness in letting out anger, try to feel some sense of normalcy in a raging world gone wrong through "Woke this", "Woke that".

Her points throughout are well taken, especially hearing her demeanor throughout her set, a Brooklyn- ish feminine take on all matters of life.
Have to say the yin and yang of it all is downright captivating.
Only better things to come in my opinion- if given a bigger budget when it come to performance, all the better to unleash the hounds of confrontational, ever expressing yet again- "Don't fear art. Don't fear art of any kind".

As for Fever Ray- a whole nother world of sophisticated and artistic performance art, at a level of seduction and restrained and captivating exotica immersed in seductive beats, presented in a way to transfix, and move and send out spells and sway to the mighty beat.

Yes, that sentence is a lot to take in, but meaningful, nevertheless.
This is complex art, coming from Fever Ray, showing deliberate flaws in makeup, choice of clothing with two sizes too large suits, let alone choice of color of said two piece suit and tie.

The keen perceptions of "Not standing out", well, make you stand out.

Imagine being on the Red Line CTA train, northbound, out from the subway at North and Clybourn, heading up the metal tracks, during rush hour, heading to the Fullerton Station. You have roughly ten minutes or so to observe fellow passengers on said train, and it's still sunny out.

Towards the back of the train, standing, you see someone dressed like Fever Ray and fellow bandmates. What's the first perception? Artistic in nature? Down and out? Coming from a low level impromptu theatre group, and no time to change? Can you give a second look? First assumptions- always the wrong assumptions, without having a sincere conversation with the said individual.

Any conversation like that would have to be overcoming anxieties and fears, let alone the release of second guessing.
I bring this up because individuals like this, artistically inclined, yet kind of starving, living hand to mouth, paycheck to paycheck, or maybe a once a month commission of some sort, are everywhere around you, and have been since- ages.
Just look at Basquiat as a fine example of this.

Had you not known his relevance and history, prior to becoming a famous artist, and you bumped into him on the street, you wouldn't even give him notice- assumptions ever present.

So with Fever Ray, it's deliberate, they/them view of things, and how to present said songs, after pivoting from The Knife.

I obviously have no proof of all of this- this is clearly my take on perceptions- perceptions while performing, perceptions from album release art, perceptions from promo photos.
Like all good performance artists, and exceptional musicians- I have questions.
Questions such as visions of an older male, with bald head, and disfigured makeup.
Questions of looking beyond the visual, and attempt at conversion, with the deliberate portrayal of defects.

Rising above defects to show the art from within.
All of this is captivating, and well worth mentioning when hearing they/them songs performed live, and presented the way they were.

There was a change of plans, when entering The Salt Shed, and getting notice of which songs we were allowed to photograph.

The head of security at The Salt Shed laid down the rules- "Songs 6, 7 & 8 from the pit only". "Songs 1 though 5, from the back of the house".
Not your usual first three, then gone kinda vibe.

But again, it's Fever Ray, they/them rules. And I have to say, song six- "To the Moon and Back", presented so delicately, with a few roses, and a stance from Fever Ray that was stationary, yet exhibiting sensual front and back movement, before dispersing of the roses was downright captivating, and just so memorable.

Same goes with the seventh song "Shiver", Fever Ray bathed in red, surrounded by backup singers, swaying left and right to the beat.

And same with song eight- "Kandy", alone, under the streetlamp with heavy and isolated backlit lighting.

All of this, not just songs 6 through 8, the whole entire set, a production worthy of theatrical and sophisticated intent, presented heartfully, somewhat dialed down, but provocative, nevertheless.

Fever Ray is a shape shifter, a shape shifter of the highest order, worthy of your attention, up there with Bjork, up there with present day Mitski.

A "make do with what ya got" kind of artist- where, if given a room of odds and ends and knick knacks, they/them could make the room come to life, all of those interesting things, whether normal or not, speaking to they/them to come to life, and find useful- please don't discard.

To me, visions like that, are of the highest order, witnessing art in everything, even everything mundane.

I could go on and on about this- to the point of sitting down with some of you over coffee and discuss further.

Have been pondering multiple drafts on this review, how to comprehend, how to proceed, what to discuss.

I chose this option because of the all inclusive gloriousness of they/them art, and my take on they/them's vision, related to the songs, and presented as such.

The setlist- some 16 songs total, ending with "Coconut".
And in my opinion, it wasn't enough.

This show, with Fever Ray- could've gone on into the wee hours, with maybe a half hour break for a deep breath.

Fever Ray was THAT good.

Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago

Fever Ray, Christeene, The Salt Shed, JBTV Music Television, Jerry Bryant, Bobby Talamine, Fiza Javid, Live Music, Chicago

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Live Review: Ministry- with Gary Numan and Front Line Assembly

5/8/2023

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Writing and Photography by Bobby Talamine
Edited by Fiza Javid

The Clyde- Fort Wayne, Indiana
Saturday 5/6/23

Right off the bat-
All three bands- Ministry, Gary Numan, Front Line Assembly-
All performed with a sense of urgency.
All performed like their lives depend on it.

Different scopes of urgency depending on song and feel between the three of them- sure- but still- the sense of impending dread on the current state of things in the world we live in was ever evident throughout.

Maybe top some extent this got lost on the crowd (name the venue on this tour)- but I'd have to feel that there are fans in the crowd (name the venue) that feel the same way I do about this.

All three are intelligent bands, intelligent musicians throughout.
Yes, they all bring the heavy, and yet make things a party.
But if you read deeper into things- you get a sense of just how precious things are in the present day- what we have, what we witness, what we hold dear.
First and foremost- live performance of course.
You just never know what's in store down the road.

As for Ministry- Al Jourgensen in particular- we're way beyond the past of self abuse.
Love how things are more focused on the current state of things, dire as they kinda are.
I bring this up because he's come out the other end, somewhat unscathed, and can still voice loudly and intelligently the wrongs of the world, not just local, but also national.
So go ahead, attempt your contempt prior to investigating. Nothing you say or do is gonna change anything- for a guy like Al to still be around in the here and now- anything you say is light in comparison to him grappling and co existing with his own demons and making some modicum of peace and acceptance.

That to me is a sign of not just the walking wounded, but a walking and surviving hero, who still creates, who still has lots to say artistically.
And to do this with an eye towards rooting out the fake, and the bullshit artists who may think they're assisting in the greater good, but only in it for themselves- mostly through greed- attack at full speed- root them out- make fun of them, poke them with a sharp stick, and kick them to the curb.

So not before a single note has been played, we have tapes- isolated tapes such as the knucklehead televangelist Kenneth Copeland- deep in fake prayer, calling out to Covid 19, and that "You should be destroyed forever". Calling out for a supernatural heatwave of sorts- banishing Covid 19 to forever hell. Just goes to show, scientifically speaking, that banishing Covid 19 through a monumental heatwave- well - good luck with that.
And he's not alone in the Al Jourgensen ripe with fodder camp.

If there was a debate of some sort with all them- politicians, televangelists- Wayne LaPierre and the like, and Al was onstage with them at the podium, and things got heated with the back and forth- good luck handling all that with Al.
But this is the whole point performance wise, from opener "Alert Level", into "Good Trouble", and next into "Disinformation", and so on.

It is a heated argument goddamnit.
Heated to the point of worldy exhaustion.

All of this industrial at a crack the whip pace is intense for a reason- bring the mighty and heavy beats, accentuate the preacher madness of all things written lyric wise- hopefully some minds will follow.

So by all extent and purposes, you blow minds and eardrums, all in one fell swoop.
Same goes as well with Gary Numan and Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber of Front Line Assembly, which we'll get to in a minute.

I know I can't convince all of this with a simple writeup on an industrial music show- but I feel I'm far beyond the technical aspect of things instrument wise, or color schematic and bells and whistles of whichever show I'm reviewing, and all the other this and that.
My opinion- Guys Like Al and Ministry- this is heavy hitter stuff, far beyond the pomp of costume changes, followed by "dialing it in".
Ain't happening here folks- for all three bands.

Everything continues at a breakneck pace, up to the end, with a cover from Fad Gadget of all things- a cool and diabolical song from them titled Ricky's Hand"- again showing the wickedness of Al- embracing another cautionary tale, amped up to eleven for these modern times.

Just goes to show that anything can be twisted and turned, making it your own, with the right amount of sauce and pissed off attitude.
Clearly Al is still in that camp- the camp where he belongs.
And another guy who's been embracing all things "aggressive" for awhile now- Gary Numan.

Not much stage banter from Gary- one by one his band take their respective spots, followed by Gary, who's in full throttle force, with a setlist of 14 songs, all done at a blistering pace, opening with "Intruder", into "Halo", into "Pure".
The feel throughout is full on majestic, but yet apocalyptic- nothing is spared in the ruins of survival, Mad Max type state of the world living if we don't start changing things- both inward mentally, and outward visibly.

The whole set was a perennial backbeat of breakneck foot stomping with a few twists and turns upped to another level of physical contorting worthy of some yoga or chiropractor adjustments.

Like Ministry, Like Front Line Assembly- Gary's set was over in a flash- but still- all so memorable.

And the same can be said for openers Front Line Assembly, who've upped their game over the years with proceeding far beyond the scope of "EBM"- and seeing and witnessing and reaching its limits- by taking risks in comprehensive songwriting- songwriting with a groove,
Opening with the blistering and so addictive "I.E.D"- a song that should be an iconic anthem of simply getting off your feet, the whiplash/ breakneck tempos being so awesome, so unforgiving.

Their set was like this throughout- both Bill Leeb and Rhys Fulber, punishing anew with heavy hitters such as "Killing Grounds", and into "Plasticity", before taking a stab at their cover version of Falco's "Rock Me Amadeus".
Wasting no time, these guys.

This is hard and intelligent electronic music- meant to bludgeon, sure. But still- they provide the necessary enveloping and wicked melodic backbeat that acts like juju to your brain- wanting more.

My opinion, 7 songs didn't suffice. True, there's time constraints when your the opener- however...
So all three bands- overall feel is delightful and well spent exhaustion.
Such a tour- this.

Bobby Talamine - JBTV Music Television Chicago

Ministry, Gary Numan, Front Line Assembly, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Chicago, Live Music, Bobby Talamine, Fiza Javid, Jerry Bryant, JBTV Music Television, The Clyde

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THE JBTV BLOG

Live Review: Ganser

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Live Review: Fever Ray- There's No Place I'd Rather Be Tour 2023, with opener Christeene

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Live Review: Ministry- with Gary Numan and Front Line Assembly

Ministry, Gary Numan, Front Line Assembly, Fort Wayne, Indiana, Chicago, Live Music, Bobby Talamine, Fiza Javid, Jerry Bryant, JBTV Music Television, The Clyde

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